We are Melissa Baughman and Matthew Crawford from the University of Oklahoma School of Music and we invite you to participate in our research project entitled Singing Outside SATB: Teaching Countertenors in the Choral Classroom. This research is being conducted online. You were selected as a possible participant because you have identified as a high school choral director in the United States. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate in this study. Please read this document and contact me to ask any questions that you may have BEFORE agreeing to take part in my research. 

The purpose of this research is to examine the perspectives and experiences of choral directors teaching students that sing outside of their traditional SATB voice classification. 

How many participants will be in this research? 

This survey will be distributed online so we would welcome all high school choral directors in the United States to take part in this research. 

What will I be asked to do? 

If you agree to be in this research, you will complete an online survey, which will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. 

Your participation will take approximately 15 minutes. 

What are the risks and/or benefits if I participate? 

There are no risks and no benefits from being in this research. 

Will I be compensated for participating? 

You will not be reimbursed for your time and participation in this research. 

Who will see my information? 

In research reports, there will be no information that will make it possible to identify you. Research records will be stored securely and only approved researchers and the OU Institutional Review Board will have access to the records. Data are collected via an online survey system that has its own privacy and security policies for keeping your information confidential. Please note no assurance can be made as to the use of the data you provide for purposes other than this research. 

What will happen to my data in the future? 

We will not share your data or use it in future research projects. 

Do I have to participate? 

No. If you do not participate, you will not be penalized or lose benefits or services unrelated to the research. If you decide to participate, you don’t have to answer any question and can stop participating at any time. 

Who do I contact with questions, concerns or complaints? 

If you have questions, concerns or complaints about the research or have experienced a research-related injury, contact me at 419-902-0611 or baughman@ou.edu You can also contact the University of Oklahoma – Norman Campus Institutional Review Board (OU-NC IRB) at 405-325-8110 or irb@ou.edu if you have questions about your rights as a research participant, concerns, or complaints about the research and wish to talk to someone other than the researcher(s) or if you cannot reach the researcher(s). Please print this document for your records. 

By providing information to the researcher(s), I am agreeing to participate in this research. 

This research has been approved by the University of Oklahoma, Norman Campus IRB. IRB Number: 14375   Approval date: 3/9/22 (NOTE: The Principal Investigator is responsible for the input of the IRB number and approval date, BEFORE the document is implemented online.)