The definition of irony is...

[doc_strange]

Our IRB (Institutional Review Board) has put out a feedback/satisfaction survey. Now, for those of you who have not had the pleasure, an IRB deals with ensuring that research involving human subjects (in this case, in the social sciences) is geared to protect subjects' consent, safety, and privacy, and that there is research/methods oversight by competent and accountable personnel. So, as I say, the IRB has put out a feedback/satisfaction *survey* for its users. Meaning, a survey for the researchers to fill out. Convoluted. Stil with me? Cool.

Ok. So in sum, the IRB sends out a survey.

It's a Word doc. People will fill it out and send it back. You know, a Word doc that the typical naive user will edit and deliver in the prescribed manner. With all metadata intact.


Edit: I mean, some users will deliver it via email; their instructs say to print and postal mail.

Talk among yourselves.

Comments

Re: poofy cat icon!

[cheesetruck.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I was lost. I wasn't sure what part of it...

See I don't DO Windows anymore. And I never did PDF. Text, that works for me.

Re: poofy cat icon!

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

Yep to both of you. I'm not sure it's supposed to be anonymous (and it sure won't be with a Word doc; not to mention metadata leakage, edit tracking, etc.). Another normal protocol tenet is that you let your 'subjects' know the shape of the privacy and data use (anonymous, etc.) immediately. I didn't get it from the cover e-mail except that they want to improve the IRB process, which is admirable. But vague. And ironic.