BCERC COTC Message Study Planning Claremont Hotel, Berkeley, CA November 1, 2006

Overview Identify the goals of the study What variables/outcomes to measure Determine participant sample How to obtain informed consent Decide what message topics will be used Develop Time Line

Goals? What is the goal of the message study? –Some ideas: To test messages that will inform later strategies for communicating BCERC findings? To start concept testing for a specific audience? To determine relative effectiveness of different sources, persuasive appeals, and presentation styles? n To ascertain comprehension level for scientific information among various target audiences?

Methods Will need to determine: –Participant sample –Study design –Message content –Procedures for data collection –Questionnaire content

Message Topics Input from Project 1 and Project II? Input from COTC? Consider multiple messages –One chemical exposure –One diet and nutrition –Others:

Research design Experimentally manipulate series of message components by creating different versions of test materials: e.g., compare Source A vs. Source B delivering the same persuasive appeal Measure full array of reactions to a single message

What responses should we track? After exposing participants to the message, what are we interested in measuring? –Attitude –Behavioral intention –Knowledge –Involvement –Likeability –Other:

Sample Who should comprise our sample? –Mothers? –Daughters? Include those enrolled in EPI studies? –Others? Note: Doing both mothers and daughters would facilitate informed consent

Informed Consent How will we obtain it? How to obtain from girls via the internet? –MSU Institutional Review Board Discussed recruitment of moms for online study At end of online survey, moms would have option to allow daughter to complete survey online too

Time Line Do we want to develop a specific time line? What makes sense? –Nov-Dec: –Jan-Feb: –Feb-March: –April-May: –Summer: –Fall:

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