A Graduate Student Receives a Mailed Survey Packet Asking the Student

A graduate student receives a mailed survey packet asking the student to participate in research about unpleasant experiences in graduate school. The student is asked to return the survey, with the statement, "Return of this instrument implies consent." Why does this constitute consent?

A) Studies like this are exempt from institutional review board oversight, so consent is not required.
B) Not returning the survey constitutes refusal, and participants may indeed refuse by not completing the survey. The opposite is equally true.
C) The study is anonymous, so there is no risk of disclosure.
D) Only interventional research requires consent.

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