Consent Form for BioCoRE Users
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Dear BioCoRE Users:

BioCoRE, an integrated, tool oriented computing and communication environment, supports distributed computing and collaboration in the field of structural biology.  This network centered meta-application will support four basic types of activities:  utilizing a wide range of computation tools; keeping records; communicating with collaborators; and writing multi-author articles and reports.

The BioCoRE collaboratory will reach its full potential only with the input of those it is meant to serve, working scientists in the field of structural biology.  As an accomplished member of the structural biology community your expertise, opinions, and patterns of use of BioCoRE are critical to the evaluation of the BioCoRE program.

Information about BioCoRE users and their use of BioCoRE will be gathered as part of a program meant to evaluate BioCoRE and its impact on doing science.  The information gathered will be used to make BioCoRE a better tool for you.  Please review the information below with care, and then indicate your acceptance or rejection of the terms described.

The BioCoRE Evaluation Team.
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Study Title: BioCoRE Evaluation Program.

Performance Site:  Theoretical Biophysics Group, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Investigators:  Dr. Klaus Schulten, Principal Investigator; Dr. Gila Budescu; Dr. William Humphrey; Dr. Laxmikant V. Kale. Please contact Dr. Gila Budescu with questions about this study, M-F, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at (217) 244-6914 or at gila@ks.uiuc.edu.

Purpose of the Study:  BioCoRE provides communication, record keeping, report writing, and computational tools to assist collaborations in the field of structural biology.  The purpose of the BioCoRE evaluation program is to gather data on the effectiveness and utility of BioCoRE as a collaborative tool and the impact of BioCoRE use on scientific practices and social/behavioral outcomes associated with scientific research.

Users Inclusion:  All individuals who register with BioCoRE will constitute the pool of users available for study.  Please note that by using BioCoRE, you are agreeing that your use of the program can be used for evaluation purposes.

Study Procedures:  Information on BioCoRE users and the use of BioCoRE itself will be collected at four major points: during registration, when projects are started, semi-annually, and throughout the use of BioCoRE.  At registration, users are asked to provide personal information on the BioCoRE Registration Form.  For each new project, users are asked to provide a minimal description of the project on the BioCoRE Project Data Form.  Periodically, users will be asked to complete BioCoRE User Surveys.  Information is also collected for evaluation throughout the use of BioCoRE including records of on-line communication (e.g. on-line chats, audio/video), tool usage (e.g. moving from one tool to another, choice of analytical tools), time on-line (e.g. gross amount of time on-line, time spent using different tools), and other data on the content, patterns, and utilization of BioCoRE.

Benefits:  The information gathered during the evaluation process will be used to enhance BioCoRE as a collaborative tool, which in turn stands to benefit BioCoRE users by helping users to collaborate more effectively.

Risks:  BioCoRE is designed as a secure program, and preventing information release is a top priority of the BioCoRE team.  Please review the section on the security of BioCoRE records by following this hyperlink to "BioCoRE Security".

Right to Refuse:  To be able to use BioCoRE you have to agree that the data collected by us as described above be used for evaluation purposes. Users may choose not to participate or to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty or loss of any benefit to which they might otherwise be entitled. Withdrawal from participation will end, however, your use of the BioCoRE program in this initial stage.

Privacy:  Results of the study may be published, but no names or identifying information will be included in the publication(s).  User identity will remain anonymous and confidential unless disclosure is required by law.

I understand the study described above, and its conditions.  I may direct additional questions regarding the study to the investigators.  If I have questions about users' rights or other concerns, I can address them to Dr. Janet Glaser, IRB, 417 Swanlund Administration Building, MC-304, UIUC (217/333-2670) or email irb@uiuc.edu.  I agree to participate in the study described above.

 
 

University of Illinois Approved Consent Form Valid until 10/21/2003.

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