Research data

Instrument data is not this site’s data

Each compass runs on its own domain and has its own policy, adapted to the study and, where relevant, to the institution coordinating it.

This page describes the principles we apply across all of them.

Anonymised from day one

Answers are collected without names and without email addresses. We do not link a set of answers to an identifiable person and we do not build reusable individual profiles.

Demographic data is collected at category level, to the extent the study requires it, and used in aggregate.

Informed consent

Before the first question, the participant sees what is collected, who coordinates the study and what the answers will be used for.

Participation can be stopped at any point, and incomplete responses do not enter the analysis.

Used only for the stated purpose

Data is used for the analysis and publication of the study it was collected for. We do not sell it, we do not use it for advertising targeting, and we do not transfer it to third parties for commercial purposes.

Where the study runs through a university, processing additionally follows the coordinating institution’s rules.

Publication

Results are published in aggregate. Where we also publish the dataset, it is cleared of anything that could lead to identifying a participant.