This is an invitation to participate in a survey about your experience with the University of Rhode Island’s TickSpotters program, which you submitted a tick photo to sometime in the past year. The purpose of the study is to understand how usage of the TickSpotters program helps teach people about ticks and tick-borne diseases, and whether it helps people feel more confident in their prevention behaviors. Please read the following informed consent before agreeing to be in the study. * Indicates required response

It will take you no more than 5 minutes to complete this survey. There are no known risks to participating in this survey, nor compensation. Benefits of participating in our study, however, may include learning about tick ecology, biology, and tick bite prevention strategies. Your personal information will be strictly confidential, and responses de-identified. The responses may be used in research papers and in graphs that may be displayed to the public at academic conferences. The decision to participate in this study is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to take part in the study at any time without affecting your relationship with the investigators of this study or the University of Rhode Island (URI). Your decision will not result in any loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You have the right not to answer any single question, as well as to withdraw completely from the survey at any point during the process; additionally, you have the right to request that the researchers not use any of your responses. You have the right to ask questions about this research study and to have those questions answered by me before, during or after the research. For questions about the study contact Dr. Thomas Mather from the Plant Sciences and Entomology Department/College of Environment and Life Sciences, at 401-874-2928. Additionally, you may contact the URI Institutional Review Board (IRB) if you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant. Also contact the IRB if you have questions, complaints or concerns which you do not feel you can discuss with the investigator. The University of Rhode Island IRB may be reached by phone at (401) 874-4328 or by e-mail at researchintegrity@etal.uri.edu. You may also contact the URI Vice President for Research and Economic Development by phone at (401) 874-4576. If you would like to keep a copy of this document for your records, please print or save this page now. You may also contact the researcher to request a copy.