Equality Challenge Unit Collaborative Project: Increasing the proportion of BME students in the Arts and Humanities Faculty.
Information sheet for volunteers
Please read the information here carefully before you decide whether you would like to volunteer to take part. You can contact us to talk more about what the research will involve and what its aims are, or to ask any further questions.
Contact details:
Miriam Miller Widening Participation Research & Evaluation Unit New Spring House Glossop Road Sheffield S10 2GW Email: [email protected] Tel: 0114 222 0415
Aunam Quyoum School of Education 388 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2JA Email: [email protected]
Aim of the research:
The Widening Participation Research and Evaluation Unit is currently taking part in a collaborative project with the Equality Challenge Unit which aims to increase the proportion of BME students in the Arts and Humanities Faculty.
The aim of this phase of the research is to understand why BME students choose (or do not choose) an Arts and Humanities degree.
What will happen if I take part?
You will be able to choose whether to take part in a one hour face-to-face interview, or a one hour focus group alongside several other students. Please let us know which you prefer on the form.
The researcher will ask you some questions about why you chose your particular subject, why you chose to study at The University of Sheffield, and what your experiences of studying here have been like.
Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential? The research will be written up with your responses anonymised – we will not include your name, and we will remove any other potentially identifying information about you. The resulting report will be shared with staff within the university, and possibly made available for external publication. Key themes, ideas, and perhaps even parts of the discussion may be used to write a number of evaluation and research reports in future.
Do I have to take part?
It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part.
If you decide that you are happy with this information, you will be asked to sign a consent form. You will be given a copy of the consent form and this information sheet to keep.
You can withdraw at any time, and you do not have to give a reason.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Being a volunteer on this project will help the university to understand why it currently has a low proportion of BME students studying in the Arts and Humanities faculty, and to enable us to take steps to increase these numbers. Your participation is key to helping us achieve this aim.
You will also receive a £15 Amazon voucher as a thank you for your time. (other vouchers are available on request).
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
It is important that you also carefully consider any potential risks you may be exposed to in taking part in this project.
You will be reflecting upon your experiences of school and university as a BME student. There will be a particular emphasis on your experience of applying for university, and your decision making process. It is possible that reflecting upon these experiences may draw upon instances where you have had negative experiences, and this may make you feel uncomfortable.
What if something goes wrong?
If you feel that you are unhappy with any aspect of the research project you may raise issues directly with Aunam or Miriam (see contact information above).
If you feel your complaint is not handled to your satisfaction at this level, or if you feel you have experienced a serious adverse event as a consequence of taking part in the research, you can contact:
Dr Julian Crockford, Widening Participation Research & Evaluation Unit Manager New Spring House Glossop Road Sheffield S10 2GW Email: [email protected] Tel: 0114 222 0415
You can also contact Student Support & Guidance for further advice: e-mail: [email protected] or Tel: 0114 2224321
Who is organising and funding the research?
The research is organised and funded by The University of Sheffield’s Widening Participation Research and Evaluation Unit. They are supported by the Equality Challenge Unit, and are part of a project team which also includes staff from across the university, including a number of staff from within the Arts and Humanities faculty.
Who has ethically reviewed the project? The research has been ethically reviewed by the Student Services Ethics Review Panel. Will I be recorded, and how will the recorded information be used?
Yes, both interviews and focus groups will be audio recorded.
Recordings will be handled by Aunam, Miriam, and an administrative assistant. They will be sent to Language Insight for transcribing, who keep them for 3 months after transcription and then delete them. WPREU keep recordings for up to two years on a confidential drive but they will be removed sooner if they are no longer needed. Any paper copies made during the write-up process will be shredded and put into the University’s confidential waste.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet. If there are any other questions you would like to ask please contact Miriam or Aunam using the information at the top of this document.