Anglia Ruskin: Social Media Advertising & Online Purchasing Study

This document is a participant information sheet for a research project investigating the impact of social media advertising on online purchasing decisions, specifically focusing on Amazon. The study aims to understand how social media influences consumer behavior and buying choices. The research highlights the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook for accessing product information and the importance of user reviews and word-of-mouth marketing. The document outlines the study's purpose, methodology, potential benefits, participant rights, confidentiality measures, and ethical considerations, including consent, data handling, and contact information. The study involves 100 participants and complies with ethical guidelines, ensuring participant anonymity and data security. Participants are informed about their ability to withdraw, potential risks, and how the research findings will be disseminated. Contact details for further information and complaints are also provided. The participant information sheet also includes version control details for documentation.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET
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Section A: The Research Project
1. Title of projectTitle of the project: A study on the impact of social media advertising on online
purchasing decision: A case study on Amazon
2. Brief summary of research
From the research conducted, it is founded out that out of all the social-networking channels,
Facebook gains top popularity wherein the users access the site mainly to access and search information
about the offerings. Majority of the people access Amazon’s Facebook page to find out the essential
information about its goods and services. The feature that allows user to write their own comments and
reviews and reviewing the other known and strange person’s comments is of great importance that helps
users to compare different type of goods and thereby choose the most effective ones that will perfectly fits
their own expectations and desires. Word of mouth (WOM) publicity at the social media encourage the
buyers to demand a particular goods and service that Amazon is offering at its e-commerce and also
provide them enough information in selecting the best item.
3. Purpose of the study
You need to state whether this is part of your:
• Undergraduate degree at Anglia Ruskin University
• Masters degree at Anglia Ruskin University
• PhD/DProf at Anglia Ruskin University
4. Name of your Supervisor( student research only ).
5. Why have I been asked to participate?
To impact of social media advertising on online purchasing decision: A case study on Amazon
6. How many people will be asked to participate?
100
7. What are the likely benefits of taking part?
As per the conducted research, it can be concluded that with the emerging era of advanced role of
ICT, more importantly wireless communication, social media sites became a popular and highly
attractive platform that brought considerable change in the global corporate scenario with the
emergence of wireless technology, new and unique enterprise software, applications and others.
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8. Can I refuse to take part?
No
9. Has the study got ethical approval?
Yes
10. Has the organisation where you are carrying out the research given permission?
Yes
11. If your research falls under specific legislation e.g. the Human Tissue Act (2004), you need
to state that your research complies with it.
NA
12. Source of funding for the research, if applicable.
NA
13. What will happen to the results of the study?
The report bring out the fact into consideration that SMM greatly helps the audiences in diversified
ways such as delivery of required information online about product quality, prices and offers. Thus,
users can search any information any time just on a single click which helps them to make solid
buying decisions & satisfy their own needs & expectations accordingly. Moreover, people can also
see the number of likes, others reviews, comments, blogs and know the post buying experiences of
the buyers whether the particular goods and services has perfectly meet out their demand or not.
Online visualization, video sharing and others options or features allows or facilitates the existing
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as well as potential buyers to make good buying decision by knowing other feelings, thoughts,
reviews and satisfaction level.
14. Contact for further information
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Section B: Your Participation in the Research Project
1. What will I be asked to do?
2. Will my participation in the study be kept confidential?
3. Use of quotes.
4. Use of recording equipment.
5. Will I be reimbursed travel expenses?
6. If participants will be offered incentives to take part in the research, state this here. If using
incentives, take care to ensure that this is appropriate for the type of research you are
carrying out and your intended participant group and that the incentive does not invalidate
consent.
7. Are there any possible disadvantages or risks to taking part?
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8. Whether I can withdraw at any time, and how.
9. Whether there are any special precautions you must take before, during or after
taking part in the study.
10. If there is any information that participants may tell you that you would need to disclose to
someone else
11. What will happen to any information/data/samples (delete as applicable) that are
collected from you?
12. If carrying out qualitative interviews with participants, will they be shown a copy of the
transcript?
13. Summary of research findings.
14. Contact details for complaints.
If participants have any complaints about the study, they should be encouraged to speak to
you or your Supervisor (for students) in the first instance. They should also, however, be
given access to details about Anglia Ruskin University’s complaints procedure.
Email address: [e-mail]
Postal address: Office of the Secretary and Clerk, Anglia Ruskin University, Bishop Hall
Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ.
Students from Associate Colleges need to check what their procedures for complaints are
and provide details to participants.
Version control
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Your participant information sheet, consent form and other documents should have a version
number and date. This is in order that should any changes be required by the ethics committee, it
is clear which documentation has ethical approval.
PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE GIVEN A COPY OF THIS TO KEEP, TOGETHER
WITH A COPY OF THE CONSENT FORM.
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