Participant Information Sheet

Invitation to research

I’m Tyler Lue, a final-year student studying BSc Computer Science at Manchester Metropolitan University. This study was being conducted as part of my undergraduate dissertation project. The research investigated public perceptions of artificial intelligence through a web-based chatbot. The project was conducted under the supervision of my appointed supervisor at Manchester Metropolitan University and was not externally funded.

Why have I been invited?

You have been invited to take part because this study is open to adults aged 18 and over from a range of backgrounds and sectors. The aim is to gather a variety of views on artificial intelligence, including from people with different levels of familiarity with AI. You do not need any specialist knowledge or technical background to take part. The study will be shared publicly online to recruit a small, voluntary sample for this dissertation project.

Do I have to take part?

No, you do not have to take part. Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may stop taking part at any time before submitting your responses, without giving a reason and without any negative consequences. You do not have to answer any question you do not wish to answer. Once responses have been submitted, it may not be possible to withdraw them if they cannot be linked back to you.

What will I be asked to do?

You will be asked to take part in a short web-based chatbot interaction. The chatbot will ask you a series of questions about your views, understanding, and experiences relating to artificial intelligence. Some questions may ask you to select from options, while others may invite a short written response. You will be asked to answer as honestly as possible, based on your own views and knowledge. You may skip any question you do not wish to answer. The study is expected to take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Are there any risks if I participate?

There are no significant risks associated with taking part in this study. The questions relate to your views and understanding of artificial intelligence and are not intended to cause distress. No direct personal identifiers, such as your name or email address, will be collected as part of your responses. As with any online research, there is a small general risk associated with submitting information online, but the likelihood of this occurring is low, and the study has been designed to minimise this by collecting only anonymous or non-identifying data.

Are there any advantages to participating?

There is no payment, reward, or other compensation for taking part in this study. However, by participating, you will contribute to research on public perceptions of artificial intelligence and support the development and evaluation of this project.

Informed consent

Before taking part, you will be provided with this Participant Information Sheet, which explains the purpose of the study, what participation involves, how your information will be used, and your rights as a participant. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to confirm your consent through an online consent step before the chatbot begins. This consent step will ask you to confirm that you have read and understood the Participant Information Sheet, that you understand participation is voluntary, that you may stop taking part at any time before submitting your responses, and that you agree to take part in the study. By proceeding to the chatbot after giving consent, you will provide clear, affirmative agreement to participate and to the processing of your responses for this research project.

What information about me will you collect and why?

If you take part, the study will collect your responses during the chatbot interaction. This may include broad background information, such as your current situation or sector, as well as your answers to questions about your views, understanding, and experiences related to artificial intelligence. Some responses may be selected from fixed options, and some may be short written answers. This information will be collected when you complete the chatbot online. The data is required so that the researcher can analyse public perceptions of AI, including common themes, attitudes, and misconceptions, as part of this dissertation project. No direct personal identifiers, such as your name, email address, or employer name, will be requested as part of the study responses.

How will my information be stored, and how will you look after it?

The study is designed so that the response data is anonymous or non-identifying. This means that the responses collected are not intended to identify you directly. The information you provide will be stored securely on university-approved infrastructure and accessed only for this research project. Appropriate steps will be taken to protect the data from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. No audio, video, photographs, biological samples, or participant-made artefacts will be collected as part of this study.

How will you use my information?

The information you provide will be used for research purposes only as part of this undergraduate dissertation project. The responses will be analysed to identify patterns, themes, and attitudes relating to public perceptions of artificial intelligence. Findings may be discussed in the dissertation report, presentation materials, or other academic outputs connected to the project. Participants will not be identified in these outputs. If short written responses are quoted, they will be quoted anonymously and will not include information intended to identify any individual.

Will my data be sent anywhere else, or shared with other people or organisations?

The information collected for this study will not be shared with other participants or with external organisations. It will be used only for this dissertation project and may be accessed only by the researcher, the project supervisor, and the university, where necessary for academic review and assessment. The study is intended to collect only anonymous, non-identifying responses. The research data is not intended to be transferred outside the UK.

When will you destroy my information?

No direct personal identifiers are intended to be collected as part of this study. The research data will be retained and archived in accordance with Manchester Metropolitan University requirements. This may include retaining relevant research data and associated study documentation for up to 10 years after the end of the project for legal, regulatory, or research governance purposes. Any data stored for archiving will be securely stored using university-approved systems. Any temporary or unnecessary material that does not need to be retained will be securely deleted when no longer required.

Data Protection Law

Data protection legislation requires that we state the ‘legal basis’ for processing information about you. In the case of research, this is ‘a task in the public interest.’ If we use more sensitive information about you, such as information about your health, religion, or ethnicity (called ‘special category’ information), our basis lies in research in the public interest. Manchester Metropolitan University is the Controller for this information and is responsible for managing your data and using it in line with the requirements of the UK data protection legislation.

You have the right to make choices about your information under the data protection legislation, such as the right of access and the right to object, although in some circumstances these rights are not absolute. If you have any questions or would like to exercise these rights, please get in touch with the researcher or the University Data Protection Officer using the details below.

You can stop being a part of the study at any time, without giving a reason. You can ask us to delete your data at any time before submitting your responses, and in this case, your data will not be retained. After submission, it may not be possible to delete your data because the study is intended to collect anonymous or non-identifying responses only. If your data is anonymised, we will not be able to withdraw it, because we will not know which data is yours.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The results of this study will be used as part of an undergraduate dissertation at Manchester Metropolitan University. The findings may be included in the final dissertation report, presentation materials, and any academic discussion or assessment related to the project. Any results presented will be reported in a summary form, and participants will not be identified individually. If short written responses are quoted, they will be quoted anonymously. There are no current plans for external publication beyond the project's academic requirements.

Who has reviewed this research project?

This research project is subject to review and approval through Manchester Metropolitan University’s research ethics procedures via the EthOS system before any data collection takes place.

Who do I contact if I have concerns about this study or wish to file a complaint?

Thank you for considering participating in this project