Frequently asked questions about Research Ethics related to Bradley University's
"Multimedia 333: Introduction to Field Research in Second Life"

Who are you?

We are 4 college undergraduates enrolled in a course at Bradley University in Peoria, IL, in which we are being introduced to field research/ethnography in Second Life. The class runs from Jan. 2- Jan 22, 2008. Class meets M-F 6-9pm (US central);we may spend additional time inworld. The class is held in Second Life, likewise the research that we are being introducted to do will later take place inside Second Life.

What are you doing?

We are being introduced to using qualitative methods to explore issues associated with massively multiplayer virtual worlds. Students in the class may go on (in MM 444) to study a "Community of Practice" (groups of people with common activities and interests) in the spring term, 2008.

Who will see the results of your introductory course

Each student keeps a course blog; they can be found here Through these blogs, we are sharing our observations with Second Life players and with the broader community of gamers. All student papers and presentations will be linked to the course site and made available to anyone with an Internet connection. Presentations about the project will be made at various academic meetings.

Have you had any training in research ethics?

Yes. We have studied ethical principles guiding social science research, and we have paid close attention to the grey-areas surrounding data collection in virtual worlds. We guided primarily by three sets of guidelines/documents:

• Association of Internet Researchers ethical research document
  www.aoir.org/reports/ethics.pdf
• Linden Lab Research Ethics in Second Life
• Bradley CUHSR materials
  http://cuhsr.bradley.edu/
  
• Sample subject protection protocol so students can practice giving out scripts.

Has this course been reviewed by the human subjects board at Bradley University?

No. This course is introductory to an actual research class so has not been formally approved by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects in Research (CUHSR) at Bradley University. However, MM 444, for which reseach data will be collected, will be approved.

Has this course been reviewed by Linden Lab in accord with their policies for ethical research in Second Life?
Linden Lab no longer reviews courses or research in Second Life. However, our procedures are in full compliance with the TOS and community standards.

What principles guide your research?

We are committed to several guiding principles:

We will approach all members of the gaming community with respect and honesty.
We will obtain informed consent from all who chose to participate in the study.
We will not divulge or report any information shared in private conversations without obtaining explicit approval from the person being quoted.
We guarantee confidentiality to all study participants.
We guarantee anonymity to all participants who do not wish to have their identities made public. This means that we will preserve the anonymity of game players and their game characters by using pseudonyms and removing all identifying information from the transcripts.
We will not do anything that could potentially harm participants.
We will give something back to the community by making our results available at the end of the term.

If I have further questions, who should I contact?

If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please contact the course instructor, Edward Lee Lamoureux, Ph.D. at ell@bradley.edu. Dr. Lamoureux is Professor Beliveau in Second Life and may also be contacted inworld.