Participation in the study is restricted to individuals who are at least 18 years of age.

You will be asked to certify that you are at least 18 years of age.

You are being asked to participate in this study because you are a family history researcher who has engaged in your own personal family history research via the Internet. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete the following three survey steps:

  1. You will be asked to complete this Internet survey regarding your research experience.
  2. You will be asked to email a personal family photograph, with an accompanying story, telling why you chose that particular image and how it has helped or not helped you to find a sense of cultural identity.
  3. You will be asked to record an oral story via a telephone answering system.

You may choose to participate in just the Internet survey.

You may decline to email a personal family photograph.

You may decline to record an oral story.

You do not have to put your name on any survey responses.

You do not have to answer any questions that make you uncomfortable.

The oral stories will be digitally recorded using a digital recorder. The recordings will be typed out as word-for-word transcripts of your stories. The digitized oral stories will be kept and stored as part of the research data. The photographs will also be kept and stored as part of the research data.

Parts of the stories and some of the images may be included as part of the final dissertation project. By participating, you are agreeing to the use of your stories and images. The data derived from this research study could be used in reports, presentations and publications but you will never be individually identified. Any information from this research study that is published will not identify you by name.

Any information obtained about you from the research, including a) survey answers, b) personal history, c) photographic images and d) recorded oral stories will be kept strictly confidential. Your name will not be attached to your survey responses.

I will protect your confidentiality by limiting access to identifiable information, maintaining the importance of confidentiality, and storing research records in cabinets that are accessible only to me (or my doctoral committee).

If you have any questions about this research, please contact the Principal Researcher, Emily M. Matthias, whose phone number is 575.647.1143. If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, please contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Chair, through the Office of Compliance at New Mexico State University at (575) 646-7177 or at ovpr@nmsu.edu.