Cooparation and Participation in the Cult Open Study

The Cult Open Study aims to foster international collaboration in understanding identity, intercultural competence, and prejudice. We are happy to include researchers from countries not yet involved in our research, but also from countries that are already participating in order to strenghten the robustness of the study.

In order to participate in the study, simply reach out to the project head Prof. Dr. Petia Genkova.

In order to give you a comprehensive overview of the procedures and answer potential questions in advance, the following guide outlines the essential steps to ensure smooth and effective participation.

1. Provision of the Questionnaire

• English Version: If we don´t have a translated questionnaire in your language yet, UAS Osnabrück will provide you with the English version of the questionnaire. This version serves as the baseline for translation and implementation.

2. Translation of the Questionnaire (if required)

• Translation Process: If your local language is not English, the questionnaire must be translated into your local language using a rigorous back-translation method:

  1. Initial Translation: Translate the English questionnaire into your local language.

  2. Back-Translation: Independently translate the local-language version back into English.

  3. Comparison and Revision: Compare the original English version with the back-translated version to identify discrepancies. Revise the local-language version accordingly.

• Support: If you require assistance during the translation process, UAS Osnabrück can provide support to ensure equivalence and cultural relevance of the translation.

3. Digital Implementation

• Uploading to LimeSurvey: Once the translation is finalized, UAS Osnabrück will upload the local-language version of the questionnaire to the LimeSurvey platform.

• Access-Link: A unique access-link to the survey will be generated and provided to you for dissemination.

4. Dissemination of the Survey

• Target Population: The target group for this study are students of social sciences, including economics, law, humanities and arts. This excludes students of subjects clearly related to STEM subjects or medicine.

• Recruitment Channels: Participants can spead the survey among their students. However, we also encourage participating researchers to use other dissemination channels, such as academic networks, social media platforms, community organizations, and local institutions.

• Ethical Considerations: Ensure that participants are fully informed about the study, its objectives, and their rights (including anonymity and voluntary participation) before taking part in the survey.

5. Data Collection and Monitoring

• Data Collection: Participants complete the questionnaire via the provided LimeSurvey link. The platform allows for real-time data collection and storage.

• Monitoring: Periodically monitor participation rates and address any technical issues that participants may encounter.

6. Data Analysis and Reporting

• Data Access: Upon completion of the data collection phase, UAS Osnabrück will provide you with access to the collected dataset.

• Collaboration on Analysis: Collaborate with the Cult Open team to analyze the data. Comparative analyses across countries can be jointly developed to identify patterns and trends.

7. Dissemination of Findings

• Publication: Work with the Cult Open team to prepare research articles, reports, or presentations based on the findings. You will be listed as co-author in all publications that use your data in the future.

Best Practices for Cross-Cultural Studies

• Cultural Sensitivity: Ensure that the translation and implementation of the questionnaire respect cultural nuances and local contexts.

• Ethics and Transparency: Adhere to ethical standards in participant recruitment, data collection, and reporting.

• Open Communication: Maintain open and frequent communication with the UAS Osnabrück team to address challenges and share updates.