The Lincoln Swan Project

Information about the research

(Final version 1.0: 06/05/20) 

Name of Researchers: Dr. Jenny Dunn (Principal Investigator), Dr. Teresa Romero, Dr. Laëtitia Maréchal 

 

We'd like to invite you to take part in the Lincoln Swan project as a data collector. Joining the study is entirely up to you. Before you decide, we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Please feel free to talk to others about the project if you wish. 

 

What is the purpose of the research? 

The Lincoln Swan project was set up in 2017 to monitor the movements, breeding success and survival of Lincoln’s iconic swan population. To do this, swans have been fitted with unique coloured leg rings, which allows us to identify them, and we are asking for any sightings of colour ringed swans, or any swans up to 10km from Lincoln to be reported to us. This can be done through an app that can be downloaded onto your phone, enabling you to report precisely when and where you saw the swans, along with any breeding data (presence of nest, eggs, cygnets, etc.). We are also interested in how the swans interact with humans, so would like to know a little bit more about your interactions with the swans or if you witness people interacting with the swans – for example, whether and what you/they may have fed them. The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the swans in Lincoln. 

 

Do I have to take part? 

Participation to the project is voluntary, and you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason. This would not affect your legal rights. After reading this information, you will be asked whether you would like to consent in participating to the project and collect data.  

 

What will happen to me if I take part? 

Once you have read and consented to take part in the project, we will ask you to enter your name and email address (only a gmail address works with the app). To access the project on the app you will need a collector ID, and we will add you to the Lincoln Swan project. We will email you your collector ID as well as the instructions on how to download and use the app to record your sightings. The app we are using is called Epicollect5 (for more information about the app see their website https://five.epicollect.net/more-collect), and for more information about their privacy notice (see https://docs.epicollect.net/about/privacy-policy).   

Each sighting record should only take a few minutes to enter, including a few questions and uploading picture(s) of the swans and/or their nests if you have some. 

The project aims to monitor the birds through the years, so you will be able to use your sighting App as many times as you like and for as long as you wish! For example, if you see the same bird on repeated occasions, please include a sighting each time.  

 

Expenses and payments 

You will not be paid nor have any an inconvenience allowance to participate in the project. 

 

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?  

Data collectors should not change their usual behaviour in relation to the birds and should not take inappropriate risks in recording their sightings that might result in harm and/or injuries to themselves, others or the birds.  

 

What are the possible benefits of taking part? 

The findings of this project will help us to better understand the swans in Lincoln. If the data collector requests it (via e-mail to [email protected]), we are happy to provide further information about the birds reported. In addition, we will make available to the data collector any publication resulting from the Lincoln Swan project via social media. 

Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential? 

We will follow ethical and legal practice and all information about you will be handled in confidence. We will keep identifiable information (e.g. contact details) about you for 10 years after the study has finished. This information may be used in relation to further projects – you will be asked to provide your consent if this is the case. 

 

Privacy notice 

The University of Lincoln is the lead organisation for this study and will be the data controller for this study. This means that we are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly. The university’s Research Participant Privacy Notice https://ethics.lincoln.ac.uk/research-privacy-notice/ will explain how we will be using information from you in order to undertake this study.  

 

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the project?  

Your participation is voluntary and you are free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason, and without your legal rights being affected. If you withdraw from the study, we may keep the data collected that we have already obtained in accordance with our Research Participant Privacy Notice. To safeguard your rights, we will delete all personal details/use the minimum personally identifiable information possible.  

 

Where will my data be stored? 

The data obtained from the study will be stored securely on the university OneDrive in a password protected file. Only the researcher/researchers will have access to it. The data from this study may be put in an Open Access repository. If so, any personal data (e.g. contact details) will be removed. 

 

What will happen to the results of the project? 

Data will be treated confidentially and any publication/communication resulting from this project will report only data that does not identify individual participants (unless you have agreed to be identified). Participants' anonymised responses, however, may be shared with other researchers or made available in online data repositories. In addition, we will ask specific consent to use the pictures provided on any publication/communication related to the project. All these pictures will be credited as ©Data Collector, Lincoln Swans.

Who is organising and funding the research? 

This research is being organised by the University of Lincoln. 

 

Who has reviewed the project? 

All research conducted by the University of Lincoln is looked at by an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee, to protect your interests.  Ethics code (LEAS2020-2236)

 

What if there is a problem? 

If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should ask to speak to the researchers, who will do their best to answer your questions.  The researchers’ contact details are given at the end of this information sheet. If you remain unhappy and wish to complain formally, you can do this by contacting [email protected]. 

If you feel that we have let you down in relation to your information rights then please contact the Information Compliance team by email on [email protected] or by post at Information Compliance, Secretariat, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS. 

You can also make complaints directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO is the independent authority upholding information rights for the UK. Their website is ico.org.uk and their telephone helpline number is 0303 123 1113. 

 

Further information and contact details 

[email protected]  

Dr. Jenny Dunn (Principal Investigator) 

Dr. Teresa Romero 

Dr. Laëtitia Maréchal 

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