Informed Consent Form

Questions Software Developers Ask Survey

RESEARCH PROCEDURES

This research is being conducted to better understand the programming strategies used by developers in their everyday tasks working with code.

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a series of questions describing the nature of your day to day programming work and the programming strategies through which you answer common questions about code. We expect the survey to take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

RISKS

There are no foreseeable risks for participating in this research beyond those experienced in everyday work.

BENEFITS

If you elect to receive a summary of the study findings, the potential benefits to you include the opportunity to learn about how development environments and programming languages impact the way in which software developers work and the challenges they face in their everyday programming tasks.

The study will enable researchers to investigate relationships between the tools and languages developers use and the strategies developers use to answer questions. Better understanding these relationships may inform the design of future development environments and programming languages that enable developers to work more effectively.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The data in this study will be confidential. While it is understood that no computer transmission can be perfectly secure, reasonable efforts will be made to protect the confidentiality of your transmission. If you elect to provide your email, it will not be associated with your data in any way. Your results will be coded with an anonymous identifier, and only researchers involved in conducting this study will have access to the identification key linking your results to your email address. The identification key will be destroyed at the conclusion of the study.

PARTICIPATION

Your participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study at any time and for any reason.

After completing this study, you will have the option to enter your email to register for a raffle to win one of two $100 Amazon gift certificates. You will also have the option to register to receive a summary of the study’s findings and to be notified of future studies.

CONTACT

This research is being conducted by the Developer Experience Design Lab (devX) at George Mason University, under the direction of Prof. Thomas LaToza. He may be reached at tlatoza@gmu.edu or at (703) 993-1677 for questions or to report a research-related problem. You may contact the George Mason University Institutional Review Board office at (703) 993-4121 if you have questions or comments regarding your rights as a participant in the research.

This research has been reviewed according to George Mason University procedures governing your participation in this research.

CONSENT

By clicking the “Begin Survey” button below, I agree that I have read this form and agree to participate in this study.