You are invited to participate in a research study entitled: What is ‘Trauma Porn’? Towards Developing an Anti-Oppressive and Trauma-Informed Spoken Word Praxis.

Student Researcher: Bethani Groat, Undergraduate Student, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Saskatchewan, bjg243@usask.ca

Principal Investigator: Dr. Lynn Caldwell, Professor, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Saskatchewan, lynn.caldwell@usask.ca

Purpose and Objective of the Research:
The primary objective of this study is to teach the student researcher the methods of anti-oppressive feminist research. The secondary purpose is to explore how spoken word artists make sense of the label ‘trauma porn’ in their own practice and those they witness.

Procedures:
The online survey should take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.
The questions include both multiple choice and short answer.
All survey responses are anonymous which means that you will not be asked to provide any personally identifying information.
You may skip any questions that you don’t feel comfortable answering.
The data will be collected through a Google Form and then stored on Google Drive.

Potential Risks:
There are no expected risks above those encountered in daily life.

Potential Benefits:
Participants may find it relieving or insightful to talk about their creative practice.

Confidentiality:
The data from this research project may be published and presented at conferences; however, all survey responses will be anonymous. The survey does not ask you for any identifying details that could be used to connect responses to a particular person.
Although direct quotations may be reported from your responses, you will be given a pseudonym and any potentially identifying information will be removed from the report.
Because the Canadian spoken word community is relatively small it is possible that some people may be able to identifiable to other people within that community on the basis of what is reported.
For more information about Google Forms privacy policies please see the following information: Google Forms.

Storage of Data:  
The data will be collected using a Google Form and stored on Google Drive. Google Drive uses two-factor authentication, a unique password, and is only accessed on a password-protected computer.
After analysis, the data will be moved to a password-protected folder on a password-protected hard drive in Canada.
The data will be kept for five years post-publication then destroyed beyond recovery.

Right to Withdraw:  
Participation in this survey is voluntary.
You can decide not to participate at any time by closing your browser, or choose not to answer any questions you do not feel comfortable with. Survey responses will remain anonymous.
Since the survey is anonymous, once it is submitted the data cannot be removed or altered by the participant.

Follow up:  To obtain results from the study, please contact the student researcher.

Questions or Concerns:
Contact the researcher(s) using the information at the top of page 1.
This research project has been approved on ethical grounds by the University of Saskatchewan Behavioural Research Ethics Board.  Any questions regarding your rights as a participant may be addressed to that committee through the Research Ethics Office: ethics.office@usask.ca; 306-966-2975; out of town participants may call toll-free 1-888-966-2975.

By completing and submitting this questionnaire, your free and informed consent is implied and indicates that you understand the above conditions of participation in this study.