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This is an Implied Consent Form for Social Science Research at Penn State University.

Title of the Survey : Studying user-friendliness of the IMAGINATION system.

Principal Investigator of the survey :
Ritendra Datta, PhD Candidate
310 IST Building, University Park, PA 16802
814-865-6168, email:datta@cse.psu.edu

Co-Investigator of the survey :
Dhiraj Joshi, PhD Candidate
310 IST Building, University Park, PA 16802
814-865-6168, email:djoshi@cse.psu.edu

Advisor :
Dr. James Z. Wang, Assistant Professor.
313 IST Building, University Park, PA 16802
814-865-6168, email:jwang@ist.psu.edu

Purpose of the Study :The purpose of this research study is to profile user response in terms of the user-friendliness of a new method using images to distinguish between humans and machines, a test popularly known as a CAPTCHA. We plan to draw inferences about the user-friendliness of the proposed system and tune its functioning in order to make it useful and more user-friendly.

Procedures to be followed: In this study, you will be presented with a set of tiled images of simple concepts or objects such as tiger, lion, or flag, and you will have to click near the center of one of the images you identify (i.e. the object's name in the English language) and wish to label. Following the clicking, you will be shown a list of words from which you must choose the word you think will be the most appropriate label for the selected image. Discomforts and Risks: There are no known risks in participating in this research. You can do this survey at any time of the day from any place, you may wish. The only requirement to complete the survey is computer and Internet access. Moreover, this is a confidential survey. We do not record personal information in any ways.

Benefits: This research will help us to properly evaluate the performance of our project called IMAGINATION: An Image-based CAPTCHA Generation System.

Duration: It should take you about 10 minutes to complete the survey.

Statemement of Confidentiality: The survey does not ask any information that would identify who the responses belong to. Only your response and the time taken to complete the study are recorded.The participants' confidentiality will be kept to the degree permitted by the technology used. No guarantees can be made regarding the interception of data sent via the Internet by any third parties. Strictly speaking, the Internet protocol (IP) addresses of participants are recorded on the Web server log file. However, this log file will not reveal any information more than the IP address. Because any participant can use any machine on campus/off campus to complete the survey at any time, it is impractical to trace the identity of the participant. Additionally, the investigators are not interested in associating the survey response with the participants and the investigators will not have a list of participants in any case. The data will be in electronic form stored on a UNIX based computer server located within the School of Information Sciences and Technology firewall. Because the data is important to validate the research results, it will not be destroyed. The investigators will safeguard the information using UNIX security mechanisms and other possible means. Because, personal identifiers will not be collected in this study, the data will be kept indefinitely. The Office for Research Protections and the Social Science Institutional Review Board may review records related to this project. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from the research, no personally identifiable information will be shared because your name is in no way linked to your responses.

Right to Ask Questions: You can ask questions about this research. Please contact Ritendra Datta at (814) 865-6168 with questions. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, contact The Pennsylvania State University's Office for Research Protections at (814) 865-1775.

Voluntary Participation: Your decision to be in this research is voluntary. You can stop at any time. You do not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer. You should be over 18 years of age in order to participate.

A copy of the form in Word format is available here. Completion and submission of the survey implies that you have read the information in this form and consent to take part in the research. Participants should print a copy of this form for their records.