Exploring Factors Related to Success in Law School

Informed Consent Document

University of St. Thomas - Institutional Review Board: Informed Consent to Participate in Research

You are being asked to participate in the research project described below. Your participation in this study is voluntary; you may refuse to participate or decide to stop your participation at any time.

Should you refuse to participate or withdraw your consent and stop participating in the study, your decision will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you may be entitled otherwise. Please read the information below carefully and ask questions about anything you do not understand before deciding whether to participate.

STUDY TITLE: Exploring Factors Related to Success in Law School

RESEARCHER: Luke D. Stein

FACULTY ADVISOR: Dr. Crystal D. Tran, Ph.D.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This study examines the relationship non-numerical, psychological factors may have on success in law school. Exploring how grit, burnout and academic motivation correlate with law school performance, the research seeks to illuminate potential avenues for enhancing admissions processes, developing student support systems and fostering a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 100-150 Participants

PROCEDURES FOR PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the study will independently complete a comprehensive 4-part questionnaire, which will be accessible through an online platform, allowing them to engage with the material on their own time and at their preferred pace. Initially, they will provide demographic and academic background information, followed by responses to validated scales assessing grit, academic motivation, and school burnout. No experimental manipulations or interventions will be imposed, ensuring participants engage in a non-intrusive, self-reporting manner. Participants will not be assigned to specific groups, as correlational analyses will be employed to investigate the relationships among the variables rather than comparing different conditions or interventions. The time frame for data collection will be succinctly communicated, providing participants with a clear window during which their responses will be needed, and adhering to a timeline that ensures robust, timely data analysis and reporting. All participants will be assured of the confidentiality and ethical handling of their responses, reinforcing the safe, anonymous, and voluntary nature of their participation.

EXPECTED DURATION OF PARTICIPATION: 15-30 minutes

RISKS OF PARTICIPATION AND SAFEGUARDS: As with any survey collecting information, there is a risk of a breach in confidentiality. Furthermore, participants may experience emotional distress during the completion of the survey. However, the information input by participants, in the event of a data breach, cannot be traced back to them, as survey responses are not linked to the participant. Participants are also reminded that participation is voluntary, and consent to participate can be withdrawn at any time during the study. In the event of experiencing mental, emotional or physical distress while completing the survey, participants are encouraged to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Line and SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP). Additionally, participants are encouraged to reach out to their institution’s counseling services, should they need to.

POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION: This research can illuminate the nuanced roles of psychological factors in law school success, potentially informing admissions policies, academic support initiatives and mental health resources that foster a more supportive, inclusive and effective educational environment for future legal professionals.

COMPENSATION: Participants may choose to provide their contact information so a $15 Amazon gift card may be sent to them. This secondary survey, where participants may provide their contact information for the gift card, is not linked to completing the primary survey. The survey will require a '.edu' email address for compensation. If a participant opts for a gift card, the gift card information will be transmitted to the participants’ provided contact information, which they must certify as an okay method to contact them. If participant compensation funding becomes exhausted while data collection is still occurring, this message will be updated to reflect exhausted fund availability. Furthermore, the second survey will become defunct and instead show a message thanking participants for their time while informing them of exhausted funding.

PARTICIPANT PRIVACY: All information will be collected via an online questionnaire utilizing cloud-based storage with high-security protocols, including password protected cloud and physically-based servers. All collected data will only be accessed privately over secure Wi-Fi, disallowing access to collected classified data. All participants will be assigned a participant ID number, respective to the order in which they completed the questionnaire. Said participant ID will be utilized in reporting study findings with no other persons, besides the primary researcher and supervisor, having access to corresponding participant numbers. Participants will not be contacted except if they choose to receive compensation for participating.

ACCESS TO RECORDS: Data from the study will be securely stored using encrypted cloud storage and a password-protected offline database, safeguarding it against unauthorized access and data loss. The data will be preserved for a maximum of three years and then securely deleted. Access to the data will be strictly limited to the primary researcher and faculty sponsor, both of whom will adhere to stringent data ethics and confidentiality protocols, ensuring robust, secure and ethically rigorous data management throughout the research project.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS: Every effort will be made to keep your study records confidential. The data collected from the study may be used for educational and publication purposes, but you will not be identified by name. The researcher will securely maintain study records for a maximum of three years, after which the records will be destroyed.

FUTURE USE OF DATA: Analyzed data and findings will be presented at the University of St. Thomas’ Annual Research Symposium. Such findings may also be published in research journals, presented in research conferences or presented at research presentations. As no identifying information will be reported in the analyzed data, participants will not be contacted for consent to use their data for this purpose, except for in the informed consent document available before the participants access the study material.

INVESTIGATOR’S RIGHT TO WITHDRAW PARTICIPANT: The researcher has the right to withdraw you from this study at any time.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS: The researcher has offered to answer all your questions. If you have additional questions about the research or any related problem during this study, you may contact the researcher, Luke D. Stein, at +1 (832) 948-0794 or steinl@stthom.edu. The faculty advisor, Dr. Crystal D. Tran, may be contacted at +1 (713) 525-3197 or trandn1@stthom.edu.

STUDY CRITERIA AND AGREEMENT TO PARTICIPATE: To participate in this study, you must be:

· At least 18 years old

· A current 2L or 3L with at least two completed semesters of law school (or institutional equivalent)

If you meet these criteria and agree to participate, continue to the survey. By responding to

THIS RESEARCH STUDY HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS.

For additional information concerning your rights as a human subject, please contact Dr. Christopher Evans, Vice-President of Academic Affairs, 713-525-2164.

Question Title

* 1. By continuing to the next page, I confirm that I have been provided with adequate information to make an informed decision, and I voluntarily consent to participate in this research study.

Yes

17% of survey complete.