Study title: The Forgotten Joint?: Practitioner Perceptions, Challenges, and Barriers to the Adoption of the Acetabulum for Age Estimation
Dear Practitioners and Fellow Researchers,
I am writing to invite you to take part in a research study exploring practitioners’ perspectives and experiences regarding the application of the acetabulum for age estimation.
The purpose of this study is to collate professional views on the use of the acetabulum within professional practice and research centred around forensic anthropology, forensic science, medico-legal and bio-archaeological contexts, with the aim of better understanding its limited adoption and the challenges associated with its application.
You are being invited because of your expertise and/or experience in forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, or related practice. Your contribution will provide valuable insight into current perspectives within the field.
What does my participation involve?
If you choose to take part, you will be asked to first complete a consent form. The consent form is embedded into the survey, at the very beginning, and further engagement with the survey is possible only upon completion of the consent form. The consent form will take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and the survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary. In order to maintain anonymity throughout this research, no personal identifying information will be collected from your side. Withdrawal from the study post participation is not feasible as this carries the risk of impacting data privacy, anonymity, and confidentiality. As a result, post-participation, you will not be able to withdraw from this study.
Confidentiality:
Your responses will remain anonymous and no identifying information will be linked to your answers. Data will be used only for academic research purposes and may be included in publications and presentations in a non-identifiable form.
Ethical approval:
This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Derby [approval number to be added] and the University of Girona [ethical approval number].
Contact details:
If you have any questions or would like more information about the study, please contact:
Thank you for considering this invitation. Your insights will make an important contribution towards advancing knowledge and practice in forensic anthropology, forensic science, medico-legal investigations, and bioarchaeology.
Lecturer in Forensic Science