SONA Tutorial - Researcher Accounts

>> Hello, and welcome.

Thank you for viewing the SONA Systems
tutorial intended for researchers.

This section will demonstrate the process of
creating a researcher account in the SONA System

and how to recover the password
to a SONA researcher account.

To create a researcher account,
navigate to sfsu.sona-systems.com.

On the right side of the screen,
click the Request Account button.

On the following page, enter your
first, and last name, and email address.

You're also required to enter
your SFSU ID number.

Click the Request Account button.

You will receive an automated email with
your login information and an identity code.

At this point, email the SONA
administrator at [e-mail],

and request a researcher role
be added to your account.

In that request, please state that you have
an account but need a researcher role added.

Also include your full name,
email address, and SFSU ID number.

Finally, include your relationship
to the institution,

whether you're an undergraduate
student, graduate student, lecturer,

or full-time faculty member,
and include the name

of the principal investigator
you're currently working under.

Once your account is set up, you're
able to log in and out as needed.

If you ever forget your password, you can
recover by navigating to sfsu.sonasystems.com.

And on the right-hand side of the
screen, click the Forgot Password button.

Follow the steps on the following
screen to retrieve your password.

If you're still unable to log
in or retrieve your password,

contact the SONA administrator
at [e-mail].

The following section will cover the current
departmental and IRB policies for use

of the SONA System as a researcher,
as well as provide answers

to several common questions
regarding SONA credits.

When listing studies in the SONA System,
you're welcome to create your study

by filling out details at any time.

However, you must have IRB approval before
the SONA administrator will review, approve,

or make your study active
for running participants.

If your study was designated as exempt by the
IRB, and does not have an expiration date,

it is a general rule of thumb
to list an expiration date

that is three years after the IRB approval date.

If this study is for a student project,

be sure to list the student's
anticipated graduation date

from SFSU as the expiration date.

Based on department policy, all researchers
are required to follow this set of guidelines

for assigning SONA credits to their study.

First, the time required to
complete the study means the amount

of time a student spends completing
the study should translate

to a certain number of SONA
credits being earned.

This results in 0.25 credits for
each 15 minutes of a student's time.

For example, a 15-minute study
would be worth 0.25 credits.

A 60 minute study would be worth 1 credit, and
a 70-minute study would be worth 1.25 credits.

Notice that researchers should always
round up when assigning credits.

Second, the location of the study means

where the student completes
a study should also translate

to a certain number of SONA
credits being earned.

This results in no additional credit for studies
completed online, but 4.5 additional credits

for all studies completed in person.

For example, a 15-minute study done in person
would be worth 0.25 credits for the time

of the study with an additional 0.5
credits for being done in person.

This results to a total of 0.75 credits.

Remember, researchers should always
round up when assigning credits.

Third, the number of sessions for the
study means how many times a student needs

to complete an action should also translate to
a certain number of SONA credits being earned.

This results in no additional credit for
studies completed in a single session,

but for 0.5 additional credits for all
studies completed as subsequent sessions.

For example, a 15 minutes study with
two sessions would be worth 0.25 credits

for the time of the study in the first
session, with an additional 0.5 credits

for the second 15-minute session.

This would add up to a total of
0.75 credits for the second session.

Remember, researchers should always
round up when assigning credits.

It is important to keep in
mind how long researchers have

to collect data in the SONA System.

SONA opens the first week of instruction
during the fall and spring semesters.

The SONA System closes at 5
PM, Pacific Standard Time,

the final week day before the final exams begin.

Students will not be able to complete
studies once the final exams have begun.

This ensures that all completed credits
will be awarded to students and listed

in the SONA System before instructors
calculate their final grades.

All researchers are welcome to set
earlier deadlines for completing studies.

Note that some instructors
may also set earlier deadlines

in the courses for completing SONA credits.

Please make the deadline for participation in
your study clear on the Study Description page.

This concludes the training on
researcher accounts in the SONA System.

For any questions not answered by this video,

please check our FAQ sheet first
posted on the department website.

If you still have any questions
after reviewing the FAQ sheet,

you can contact the SONA administrator at --

>> [e-mail].

>> Thank you for watching.