Ethical Statement

The following pages contain the ethical statement that was prepared in accordance with the regulations at the University of Otago. Upon approval of this, the user testing was able to proceed. Ethical considerations in user testing are discussed in Section 5.3.

Freehand Formula Entry System
Ethical Statement
Steve Smithies

In accordance with Page 5 of the ``Handbook for Masters' Degrees'', this is an ethical statement regarding how I intend to carry out a user study on the system I have created as part of my Master's Thesis. This summarises the guidelines and conditions under which I will be performing this user testing, and specifies how the users will be treated.

The system being tested is one for entering formulae into a computer, using a pen and drawing tablet. The study involves asking a number of participants to try out the system, gathering their opinions of it through a questionnaire, and finding any possible flaws in my system.

The data gathered is intended to prove or disprove the claim that my ``Freehand Formula Entry System'' is better than existing formula entry systems, to gauge in general how good it is, and find any shortcomings that it may have.

• Use of the data gathered. The findings and opinions of the users are intended to be reported in my final Masters Thesis, and as part of papers submitted to journals and conferences about the system. There are no ulterior motives for this study, and everything that we are testing will be made clear to the participant.

• Privacy and anonymity. Although I am intending to video-tape the participants, screen, tablet and keyboard, their anonymity will be preserved. The video-tapes will be viewed by those involved with evaluating the system (primarily myself), but published details will be totally anonymous and untraceable to the original subject. If the subject strongly objects to being videotaped, I will not do so.

• Informed consent. The user will have the testing process that they will be going through explained to them in advance. Participants will be advised that the study involves use of a program on a computer. It will be effectively ``normal'' computer use, with no additional physical or mental stress applied. Although there will be evaluation of their performance and behaviour, I will be judging the system and not them.

• Participation. Participation in this is to be totally voluntary. People will be only doing this of their own free will, and are able to stop at any time.

Student's Signature ___________________________________

Supervisor's Signature ___________________________________

Head of Department's Signature ___________________________________