Researcher’s name: Adam Foley

This research project is being undertaken as part of my undergraduate dissertation in the School of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at Bangor University.

The focus of the study is to research and investigate linguistic varieties in the United Kingdom. For this study, the aim is to discover the different perceptions participants have on different varieties of British English. I will be questioning participants who are native and non-native speakers of English (within Europe).

If you choose to take part in the study, you will be asked to listen to 20 speakers and then rate the speakers on specific characteristics (e.g. how good-looking the person is, how reliable the speaker is etc). Following the rating task, you will be asked to answer a few questions regarding your age, where you are from, and language background. The whole study should take no more than 15 minutes.

You will not be asked to provide any personal information that could be used to identify you (e.g. name or address). The data that you submit will be anonymous, and you will be assigned a pseudonym, so that it will not be possible to identify you. The responses that you provide will be used in a written dissertation, but may be used elsewhere (e.g. in academic journal articles) in the future. Please remember that all data will be anonymous.

It is essential that participants are over the age of 18 and should be aware that they do not have to take part in this study (they are participating voluntarily). Please be reminded that you have the right to withdraw at any point during the questionnaire and ask for the data to be removed from the study.

If you have any questions regarding the study, or you would like your data to be withdrawn, please contact me on elufeb@bangor.ac.uk. If you would like your data to be withdrawn, please provide your age, gender, the city you're from and the date/time that you submitted the questionnaire, to enable the correct data to be removed from the study.

This project is supervised by Dr Athanasia Papastergiou - School of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at Bangor University. If you have any questions about this study, you can contact the supervisor via email: a.papastergiou@bangor.ac.uk

Thank you for your interest in taking part in the study.

I have been briefed on the research for which I have volunteered.  I understand that I have the right to withdraw from the research at any point.  I also understand that my rights to anonymity and confidentiality will be respected