Questions and Answers
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What is the purpose of this study?
This study has two parts:
Gather information about how people connect to the Internet.
Assess how familiar people are with digital skills (such as navigating the Internet through a web browser, operating a computer, using a search engine to look for key terms, etc.).
Who is conducting the study?
Officially, this study is being conducted by a Cal Poly Pomona student researcher, named Daniel Soto. Daniel lived and worked in San Rafael for two years. As part of his capstone for his masters program, he's researching digital equity in San Rafael.
Daniel can be reached via email or phone (415-347-5478).
This study is being conducted in partnership with the City of San Rafael.
How can I participate in the study?
There are two ways you can participate:
Take the digital equity survey.
The survey asks a series of questions about how you access the Internet, followed by a set of questions that assess your knowledge of digital skills.Schedule a one-to-one interview.
The one-to-one interview is geared toward residents who do not have Internet access. The questions ask about your behaviors surrounding why you don't have Internet.
Is participation in this study voluntary?
Yes, participation is voluntary. In fact, as a potential subject, you can participate only if you give your informed consent. Here's what Informed Consent looks like:
Informed Consent Form
You are being invited to participate in a research study, which the Cal Poly Pomona Institutional Review Board (IRB) has reviewed and approved for conduct by the investigators named here. This form is designed to provide you--as a human subject / participant--with information about this study. The investigator or his/her representative will describe this study to you and answer any of your questions. You are entitled to an Experimental Research Subject’s Bill of Rights and a copy of this form. If you have any questions about your rights as a subject or participant, complaints about the informed consent process of this research study, or experience an adverse event (something goes wrong), please contact the Research Compliance Office within Cal Poly Pomona’s Office of Research at (909) 869-4215. More information is available on Cal Poly Pomona's website.
Project Title: Measuring High-Speed Internet Access and Digital Literacy Skills in San Rafael, California
Protocol Number: IRB-21-45
Principal Investigator: Daniel Soto / dasoto@cpp.edu / (415) 347-5478
This study assesses the accessibility of high-speed Internet and digital skills of individuals who live in San Rafael. A qualitative and quantitative survey with both short-answer questions and multiple-choice questions will be shared with San Rafael residents. Additionally, the Principal Investigator will conduct one-to-one interviews with San Rafael residents whom do not have access to high-speed Internet. We do not anticipate you experiencing any discomfort or other negative feelings when responding to items in this study.
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. Should you decide to discontinue participation, you may do so without penalty. You may also skip any item you do not wish to complete. Your participation in this study will help inform scholars, educational experts, and other students about the factors that influence access to high-speed Internet and computer literacy. We are not asking you to place your name anywhere on the survey materials, nor will we collect any personally identifiable information, so your participation is anonymous. None of your answers can be directly traced back to you.
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the study’s Principal Investigator, Daniel Soto, a student in the Political Science Department. His phone number is (415) 347-5478 and his e-mail address is dasoto@cpp.edu.
If I participate, will my responses be kept confidential?
Yes, your responses will be kept confidential. While the survey does ask a few demographics questions (such as race or ethnicity, education attainment, household income, etc.), the survey does not collect any direct identifiers.
A direct identifier would include you name, address, and other personally identifiable data--none of which we ask for.
The data collected from the surveys (and interviews) are stored on a password-protected device and only the researcher has access to it. Per Cal Poly Pomona's requirements, the data will be stored in a confidential manner, never to be disclosed, and to be destroyed after a certain time period.
Who can I contact if I have questions, comments, or concerns?
If you have questions about the study or are interested in participating, please contact the study’s Principal Investigator, Daniel Soto, a student at Cal Poly Pomona. His phone number is (415) 347-5478 and his e-mail address is dasoto@cpp.edu.
If you have any questions about your rights as a subject or participant, complaints about the informed consent process of this research study, or experience an adverse event (something goes wrong), contact the Research Compliance Office within Cal Poly Pomona’s Office of Research at (909) 869-4215. More information is available on Cal Poly Pomona's website.
This study looks familiar to a survey I recently saw. Are they the same?
If you're referring to the Digital Marin initiative, then no--this study is not the same. Digital Marin is a countywide project to develop a digital infrastructure strategic plan. Part of their initiative includes a survey for Marin County residents to share about the access, quality, and use of Internet, along with a similar survey for businesses. If you can, I encourage you to check it out.
Are you offering an incentive for users taking the survey?
Yes! We're giving away one $50 Visa gift card, one $25 Visa gift card, and one $10 gift card to participants who complete the Digital Equity Survey. For more information, see our official sweepstakes rules.