We're glad you asked! We are seeking midlife adults (ages 55 - 57) who currently reside in the City of Evanston or north Chicago area. You must be willing to travel to Northwestern University's Evanston campus three times over the course of the study, which will last a number of years.

Please contact Krysten Lynn Ryba at MCIC (312) 580 -6432 or flsa@mcic.org for further details.

The focus of the Foley Longitudinal Study of Adulthood (FLSA) is the process of understanding how people make sense of their own lives. Therefore, we are collecting and analyzing life stories of "typical" adults from all walks of life, and we are looking for significant commonalities and differences in the life stories people tell us.

Rest assured that telling your life story does not literally mean telling us everything that has happened to you. Instead you will be asked to identify key moments, relationships and themes and discuss why they are pivotal to your life story.

This is a longitudinal research study, meaning we will follow 160 individuals over a nine-year period. Your participation, however, involves only a few key events:

• Online Survey – Each year you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire. The survey is accessible from any computer with Internet access. You can work on it at your own pace, in your spare time. We estimate it will take about two hours of your time (actual time will vary).

• In-Person Interview – Three times over the study period, you will be asked to travel to The Foley Center located on Northwestern University's Evanston campus for a confidential, in-person interview. The interview will last about two hours.

• Telephone Interview – A confidential, 30-minute interview via telephone will be conducted by The Foley Center in the years not involving the in-person interview.

You might say, "That's asking a lot!" And we agree! Your valuable time and commitment will be compensated after each task you complete.

Over and above the honoria you will receive after each completed task, we have a few surprises in store! Including:

• An annual lottery drawing for three great prizes with local flair
  
  
• Monthly "Baby Boomer" trivia quizzes
  
  
• One grand prize drawing upon completion of the study

We strongly believe you will gain much personally from your participation as most people enjoy the opportunity to reflect on their lives and dream about their future.

Additionally, your involvement in this innovative research will make an invaluable contribution to social science and help to further the scientific understanding of adult development.