I mentioned some time ago that I would write some more about the consent process for my class interview. For the purposes of this assignment, we were to obtain a signed consent form from the co-researcher. I obtained approval in late 2011 to conduct multiple interviews for another project, from my 'home' university, without the need for signed consent. I needed only to provide a notification letter that informed the participants/co-researchers of their right to withdraw. The letter also described the project, provided contact information, and warned the co-researchers of the potential danger that being asked to recall events in the past might present. When I embarked upon this project, therefore, I knew that at least one other university considered a general, information gathering, semi-structured interview to be pretty inocuous. In fact, conducting this interview with another student in a class for a grade is not necessarily considered research by my institution's IRB. All of that aside, there were things about this process in this instance that did not necessarily go as well as they might. First of all, I went ahead and conducted the interview based on the promise that the signed consent form would follow (it did, very quickly). I had already emailed mine (we interviewed each other) but the co-researcher was not able to send the form to me prior to the arranged meeting time. As I reflect on this, I realize that I barely thought about this at the time. Two factors prevented me from worrying much about it - first, the knowledge I had that my institution's IRB most likely would not have required signed consent, and, secondly, the fact that the co-researcher was a fellow student in a class.
This was not the first instance in which my failure to treat this as a 'real' interview changed my behavior. In my earlier discussion about the interview set up protocols (which I did not follow well), I suggested that I was conscious the entire time that this was 'just an assignment.' The consent form issue has bothered me, because I see this as 'cutting corners,' and the kind of behavior I am critical of in others. Does/did it really matter? In this instance, not, but in real life, yes, and, again, I am back to not treating this as a 'real interview.' So as I reflect on this it seems to me that I should probably have considered going ahead with the first half of the interview and waiting for the consent form. If we had opted to Skype, would I have been OK if the co-researcher had shown it to me? What if, on the other hand, I received it but found there were errors, or that the co-researcher had crossed out words, or used the wrong date? I experienced yet another problem at a later date - I could not find the form in my 'saved' email. I was really alarmed at first - did I never receive this at all? I have since discovered another 'missing' attachment and believe this has to do with a particular email account and how old emails are saved. I ended up requesting another copy (and found the original copy) so I have all of the documentation in order now - but, again, what if this had been a 'real' situation and I had lost touch with the co-researcher? I have come to realize that I was incredibly lucky to get through 16 interviews without a single problem a year ago. I have made up for it with this one. Thankfully this has been a 'safe' situation in which to have difficulties. My approach from now forward is going to be more systematic (and involve more equipment testing). As much as some of these things bother me, I think I am fortunate in a way to have had some problems. When I started to bicycle regularly back in '02, I had an inordinate number of flat tires, for all sorts of reasons (including a mismounted rim strip on a newly purchased bicycle). This continued during my 18 months in New Mexico - land of the big, nasty thorns called 'goatheads.' While it caused me a lot of frustration, the result is that I can at present replace a road bike tube without much trouble (and quickly) and carry the tools that make it an easy job. I have helped a few other people change bike tubes through the years, too, because for many people, carrying a cell phone is their repair plan - so they have neither tools nor experience. So, as far as interview research goes, I have to think that, in the long run, I am better served by having things go wrong in a 'safe' environment, than by continuing to have everything go right.
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AuthorI am Sheryl L. Chatfield, Ph.D, C.T.R.S. I am a member of the faculty in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I also Co-coordinate the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research and I am a member of the Design Innovation Team at Kent State. Archives
February 2024
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