For Research Participants

Strategic Research Group conducts social science research and evaluation studies on behalf of our clients, which include government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and related entities.

As part of these studies, we often gather information from participants (sometimes called respondents or subjects), through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other forms of data collection. Upholding our research participants’ rights, including privacy and confidentiality, is one of our core values.

Our research is guided by a code of ethics. Specifically, Strategic Research Group adheres to the American Association For Public Opinion Research (AAPOR)’s Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

The key components of AAPOR’s Code most applicable to you as a study participant relate to responsibilities to participants and responsibilities when collecting personally identifiable information (defined as measurements, records, or other data that can be used alone or in combination to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity and any other information that is linkable to an individual (e.g., employment information, medical history, academic records)).

Responsibilities to Participants are:

1. We will avoid practices or methods that may harm, endanger, humiliate, or unnecessarily mislead participants and potential participants.
2. We will not misrepresent the purpose of our research or conduct other activities (such as sales, fundraising, or political campaigning) under the guise of conducting research.
3. We recognize that participation in our research is voluntary except where specified by regulation or law. Participants may freely decide, without coercion, whether to participate in the research, and whether to answer any question or item presented to them.
4. We will make no false or misleading claims as to a study’s sponsorship or purpose and will provide truthful answers to participants’ questions about the research. If disclosure of certain information about the research could endanger or cause harm to persons, could bias responses, or does not serve research objectives, it is sufficient to indicate, in response to participants’ questions about the research, that some information cannot be revealed.
5. We recognize the critical importance of protecting the rights of minors and other vulnerable individuals when obtaining participation decisions and conducting our research.
6. We will act in accordance with laws, regulations, and the rules of data owners (providers of research or administrative records previously collected for other purposes) governing the collection, use, and disclosure of information obtained from or about individuals, groups, or organizations.

Responsibilities When Collecting Personally Identifiable Information are:

1. We recognize the right of participants to be provided with honest and forthright information about how personally identifiable information that we collect from them will be used.
2. We recognize the importance of preventing unintended disclosure of personally identifiable information. We will act in accordance with all relevant best practices, laws, regulations, and data owner rules governing the handling and storage of such information. We will restrict access to identifiers and destroy them as soon as they are no longer required, in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and data owner rules.
3. We will not disclose any information that could be used, alone or in combination with other reasonably available information, to identify participants with their data, without participant permission.
4. When disclosing personally identifiable data for purposes other than the current research, we will relay to data users any conditions of their use specified in the participant permission we have obtained.
5. We understand that the use of our research results in a legal proceeding does not relieve us of our ethical obligation to protect participant privacy and keep confidential all personally identifiable data, except where participants have permitted disclosure.

A copy of AAPOR’s Code of Professional Ethics and Practices can be found here:

https://aapor.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/AAPOR-2020-Code_FINAL_APPROVED.pdf

For Visitors To Our Website

How and When We Collect Personal Information

Strategic Research Group does not collect personal information about visitors to our website unless visitors explicitly choose to provide that information to us. We will use such information only for the purpose(s) stated at the time it is collected, and never for secondary or unrelated purposes unless otherwise requested or explicitly agreed to by the website user. In cases when such information is requested to provide a service or respond to an inquiry, visitors need to provide only the minimal information necessary. Typically, Strategic Research Group will collect personal information to allow us to respond to inquiries and requests and to contact a visitor about the services on our site about which the visitor has expressed interest.

Cookies and Other Tracking Technology

Strategic Research Group and our analytics provider use standard internet technology such as cookies, and other navigational information to track visitor interactions with our website both on an aggregated and individual basis.

Users can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. If you reject cookies, you may still use our website, but your ability to use some features or areas of our website may be restricted.

Our website includes social media functionality buttons. These features may collect your IP address, which page you are visiting on our site, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function. Social media features are hosted by a third party. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the social media company providing it.

Links to Other Websites

Our website may include links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from our own. Any personal information visitors submit to those sites is governed by their privacy policies. Visitors should read the privacy policy of any website they visit.

SMS Communication Policy

Strategic Research Group may use SMS (text messaging) to communicate with research participants and potential research participants. This communication is limited to requesting participation in a research study (for example, a survey) or sending survey invitations and reminders to those who have already agreed to participate in a research study.

Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan. 

We do not sell, trade, or share your mobile information with third parties for marketing purposes. Your information may be shared only when required by law.

Participation in SMS communication is voluntary. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to unsubscribe. After opting out, you will receive a confirmation message and will no longer receive SMS communications.

We take reasonable precautions to safeguard your information. However, SMS communication may not be fully secure. We recommend not sharing sensitive information via SMS.

You may opt out of SMS communications at any time. To stop receiving messages, reply “STOP” to any SMS. After opting out, you will receive a confirmation message and will no longer receive SMS communications. For additional support or to report SMS issues, reply HELP. You may also contact us directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Children’s Policy

Our website is not intended for children. Strategic Research Group does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 13. No one under the age of 13 years may provide any information to this website. If we learn that we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact Strategic Research Group at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Legal Disclaimer

We reserve the right to disclose your personally identifiable information as required by law and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or the safety of Strategic Research Group employees, our clients or others, or to comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process served on Strategic Research Group.

How to Contact Us Regarding Your Privacy

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to change or update your personal information; to access the personal information we may hold about you; if you have reason to believe that the information we may hold about you is not secure; and to request deletion of your personal information. Also contact us with any questions or concerns you have about your participation in one of our studies.

You may also send written communication to: Privacy Officer, Strategic Research Group, 995 Goodale Blvd. Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43212.

Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to modify this privacy statement at any time. It is Strategic Research Group’s policy to post any changes we make to our privacy policy on this page. The date the privacy policy was last revised is identified at the bottom of the page. You are responsible for periodically visiting our website and this privacy policy to check for any changes. Your continued use of this website after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check the policy periodically for updates.

This privacy policy was last updated January 20, 2026.