Please read the following
Study title
Research in New Adult literature: what is it, and is it a viable and necessary fiction genre?
Invitation Paragraph
You are being asked to volunteer in a research study. Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully. You are free to discuss it with others if you want. If there you have any questions or would like more information you can email me at kathryn.gynn@brunel.ac.uk. Please take your time deciding whether or not you wish to take part, and thank you for reading this.
What is the purpose of the study?
New Adult (NA) literature is an interesting segue between Young Adult (YA) and Adult literature. I wish to research the category, determining what it is and whether the separation is needed, and answering three distinct research questions: ‘Are contemporary 18-30-year-olds being represented in contemporary literature?’, ‘What is New Adult Literature?’, and ‘Is New Adult Literature a viable or necessary fiction category?’.
My research will then support me in writing a collection of novellas, each focusing on issues and situations faced by people aged 18-30. Each novella will also fit into a different sub-genre. I will also use the research to write my thesis which will take the form of a report on the publishing industry to send to industry professionals with a call to action. If you are volunteering to take the survey and be part of the focus group, your answers will be used in both my thesis and as support for the novellas.
Why have I been invited to participate?
You have been asked to take part because you are aged 18-30, and your experiences, thoughts and opinions are what I aim to reflect in my writing. The surveys are completely anonymous, and I aim to have upwards of 400 participants.
Do I have to take part?
As participation is entirely voluntary, it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. You will not be able to withdraw from the research once your survey has been submitted, as finding your results will be impossible. Declining or withdrawing from the project will in no way influence or adversely affect you.
What will happen to me if I take part?
If you are completing the survey, it should take roughly 15 minutes, and once you have completed it, you never have to think about it again if you don’t want to. You will be asked questions about current literature, and your own experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
If you agree to take part in a focus group, you will be required to attend two meetings a year until the research is completed. These meetings may be recorded if everyone present provides consent for me to do so. The recording will only be viewed during my research, and will not be shared with third parties or shown in the final report or in the final novellas. The research will end by 30/09/2026 but may end sooner. You will be required to fill out a consent form.
Are there any lifestyle restrictions?
There will be no lifestyle restrictions that come from your participation in this research.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
There are no anticipated disadvantages or risks associated with taking part in this study. I will do my utmost to ensure that all your data is kept secure and anonymous.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no intended benefits to you from taking part in the study.
What if something goes wrong?
I do not anticipate there being any issues because of the nature of this study. You are able to withdraw at any point. In the case of focus group attendees, your information will be immediately destroyed and all data provided will be removed from the thesis, should you wish. In the case of survey participants, once you have submitted the survey it will not be possible to identify your data, but you are able to withdraw up until you have submitted it. Should you wish to complain, you can contact the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee Chair, Professor David Gallear (David.Gallear@brunel.ac.uk).
Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?
All information that is collected about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential until 30/09/2026, or whenever the research is concluded depending on which comes first, where it will then be destroyed. Any information about you which leaves the University will have all your identifying information removed. Your data will be kept on secure, password-protected Brunel University servers. In the event that the data needs to be moved, it will be placed on a password-protected external hard drive and deleted once it is on the secure server.
If you are a focus group attendee, you are free to withdraw your data at any point in the process, with no consequences.
If during the course of the research evidence of harm or misconduct come to light, then it may be necessary to break confidentiality. I will tell you at the time if I think I need to do this, and let you know what will happen next. With your permission, anonymised data will be stored and may be used in future research – you can indicate whether or not you give permission for this by way of the Consent Form.
Will I be recorded, and how will the recording be used?
If you are participating as a focus group attendee, you will be asked to consent to audio and video recording. This will be done through either a mobile phone or through the online video call platform’s recording feature. These recordings will be kept secure until the research has ended, at which point they will be destroyed. They will be used to create transcripts where necessary, and so that I can analyse the data and keep a record for research use only. They will not be shown to third parties.
What will happen to the results of the research study?
The results of the study will be used in two ways. Firstly, they might help inform a series of novellas. Secondly, they will be used in the writing of my thesis about New Adult Literature, which will take the form of a report about New Adult Literature in the publishing industry that I hope to make available to industry professionals, with a call to action. Both of these will hopefully be published and will be so at some point after the research has ended and I have graduated (30/09/2026 as the current proposed end date of the research and writing up period). Should you wish to obtain a copy of the industry report, you can email me at kathryn.gynn@brunel.ac.uk. You will not be identified in any report or publication unless you specifically request to be so.
Who is organising and funding the research?
The research is being organised by myself, Kathryn Gynn, in conjunction with Brunel University London
What are the indemnity arrangements?
Brunel University London provides appropriate insurance cover for research that has received ethical approval.
Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been reviewed by the Brunel University College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.
Research Integrity
Brunel University London is committed to compliance with the Universities UK Research Integrity Concordat. You are entitled to expect the highest level of integrity from the researchers during the course of this research
Contact for further information and complaints
Researcher name and details: Kathryn Gynn – kathryn.gynn@brunel.ac.uk
Supervisor name and details: Dr Emma Filtness – emma.filtness@brunel.ac.uk
For complaints, Chair of the Research Ethics Committee: College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee Chair, Professor David Gallear - David.Gallear@brunel.ac.uk
The study has been approved by the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.
Thank you for reading and participating in my research!