What will my conversation recordings be used for?

Your conversation recordings will be used for research about the English language as well as language teaching. They will be transcribed and anonymized, then compiled along with 1,150 hours of other conversation recordings. Your data will not be used for AI. Language researchers and teachers who use the conversation recordings will not benefit financially from their use.  

How will the research team protect my privacy?

We will make every effort to keep your data confidential. Your data will be saved on an encrypted, password-protected server. We will also remove personal information like names and locations. We'll only share data with scholars who complete a data use agreement and are accessing the data strictly for research and/or language teaching purposes. 

What should we talk about while recording our conversation?

Converse as you normally would. 

You can talk about any topic(s) you would like to, but for your own protection, we recommend avoiding discussions of illegal activity. 

Please avoid submitting anything that has been edited (e.g., podcast episodes) or contains little to no back-and-forth discussion (e.g., playing a 'shooter' video game).

How should I record my conversation?

You'll record your conversation as part of step 2. You can use a phone, tablet, laptop, or computer to record. Don't worry, recording is simple!

Here are some tips:

1. Meet in a group of 2-3 adults who all have registered speaker IDs (see Step 2 under "Participate")

2. Have a conversation as you normally would

3. Feel free to talk about any topic(s) you would like

4. Avoid discussing illegal activity

5. Choose a relatively quiet location

6. Keep your device in a central place so that it captures audio from all speakers

Who is eligible to participate?

You are eligible to participate if:

1. You speak English as one of your primary languages

2. You have lived in the United States since before elementary school

3. You are at least 18 years old 

Visit the "Participate" page for more information.

I am a Recorder and am gathering friends, co-workers, and family members to record conversations with. Will I be compensated for my time?

The Recorder will receive a $25 Amazon e-gift card for every two hours of recorded conversation that you submit in Step 3 (up to 6 hours of conversation). 

The following requirements must be met in order to receive a gift card:

• All questions in the questionnaires are answered in full

• The recording includes a conversation between 2-3 speakers

• All speakers are eligible to participate and have registered speaker IDs

• The audio in the recording is clear and of good enough quality that 90% of the conversation can be understood (e.g., record in a relatively quiet location without much background noise and keep the recording device in a central location so it captures audio from all speakers)

• The Recorder has not yet met their maximum submission of six hours of recordings

Gift cards are sent to the email you provide in Step 1 on a monthly basis. 

My friend is a Recorder and asked me to participate in conversations with them. Will I be compensated for my time?

Only Recorders receive compensation. We invite you to sign up as a Recorder yourself!

Visit the "Participate" page for more information.

Why are you collecting our emails and names?

Your email serves as a speaker ID to help us  match you conversation recordings to the background information you provide. 

We will use your email to send you your Amazon gift card(s). We will also use it to send directions about being a Recorder. We will never send you spam or share your email with a third party. 

We ask for your name so that we can help you recover your speaker ID if necessary. 

What if someone joins our conversation for a short period of time?

It's possible that someone like a waiter or child will join your conversation for a short period of time. If they speak for about a minute or less, they do not need to register a speaker ID. Their data will simply be excluded from the transcriptions and subsequent analysis. 

Can I record a conversation I have over the phone?

Yes! You will just need an additional device so that you can record with one device (e.g., your laptop) and talk on the phone on the other (e.g., your phone). Make sure to complete the mic check as part of Step 3 to ensure the audio is clear enough to be understood. 

I've already submitted 6 hours of conversation recordings. What else can I do to help?

We would love to have your help! You could help us recruit more participants to be Recorders. Please share this website with others and/or contact us at ShareYourVoiceEnglish@gmail.com. 

How can I learn more about this project?

Please submit your email and follow us on Twitter (@LANA_corpus) to receive project updates. You are also more than welcome to contact us at ShareYourVoiceEnglish@gmail.com.