This guide is designed for SONA users participating in studies, especially: - Level 3 Psychology Foundation Year students - Level 4 & 5 BSc Psychology & BSc Psychology with Criminology students - Level 7 MSc & MRes students

Quick links

• SONA guidance homepage: https://cocolab.org/sona/home.html
• SONA participant guidance site: https://cocolab.org/sona/participant.html
• SONA researcher guidance site: https://cocolab.org/sona/researcher.html
• SONA principal investigator guidance site: https://cocolab.org/sona/principal_investigator.html # Introduction SONA is the School of Psychology's research participation system. The SONA system allows students and staff to (i) participate in advertised studies and (ii) advertise their studies and recruit SONA users as participants. Staff can also act as Principal Investigators to gain oversight of studies that are being conducted under their supervision / management.

You can access the SONA system here: https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com.

Participating in SONA studies is a great way to embed yourself into our School's research culture and learn about psychological research. It will also help develop your knowledge and skills, which will will be especially beneficial when you conduct your own study, for example, your thesis research project. If you have not participated in other people's research, you should not expect to use the SONA system to recruit people for your own research.

Programme requirements to collect SONA points

BSc Psychology and BSc Psychology with Criminology students are required to collect SONA points as part of their Level 4 PY0419 (Quantitative Psychological Laboratory Skills and Experience) module assessment. This module runs in the second semester of the first year of study. If you are currently studying on this module, please see the Research Culture Experience assessment brief and learning materials on the Blackboard module site to learn about the specific assessment requirements. If you have questions about the assessment, please contact the PY0419 Module Leader via Blackboard module site discussion board or speak to them in a lab class.

Currently, there is no programme requirement for Level 3 (Foundation Year), Level 5 or Level 6 (BSc Psychology or BSc Psychology with Criminology), Level 7 (MSc and MRes), or PGR (PhD) students to collect SONA points as part of their studies. However, there may be other instances during your studies where a tutor asks you to engage with the SONA system as part of your learning activities or assessments to benefit your learning and development.

Irrespective of specific requirements, there are great benefits to engaging with the School of Psychology's vibrant and active research culture via participating in SONA studies on a voluntary basis during your degree. There is no specific threshold of SONA points that an individual must meet in order to use the system as a researcher and recruit participants. However, if you do not contribute to our research culture via participating in other people's research, you should not expect to use the system as a researcher and benefit from this culture to recruit participants.

Reimbursement for SONA study participation

Each SONA study will offer SONA points OR financial reward as reimbursement for participation. You can not receive SONA points AND financial reward for participating in a study. It is important that you understand the value and type of reimbursement, and source of funding, being offered by a study before you participate. This will always be described in the study avert on SONA.

SONA points

Where SONA points are being offered as reimbursement for participation, they must be offered at a rate of 1 point per 15 minutes (e.g., 0-15 mins = 1 point, 16-30 mins = 2 points, 31-45 mins = 3 points, etc) of study duration for online studies and 2 points per 15 minutes of study duration for in-person studies. In some circumstances, if a study is especially demanding or includes complex methods, a higher rate of SONA points may be offered.

Financial rewards

The degree and type of financial reward will depend on the study requirements and funding arrangements. It is generally expected that you will receive rewards that are in keeping with UK national minimum wage on a pro rata basis, but the total value of the reward will depend on the study duration and complexity. The type of financial reward differs between studies, for example, some studies may offer payment via bank transfer, while others may provide financial rewards through electronic shopping vouchers. The value and type of financial reward will always be specified in the study description.

Acquiring a SONA account / Participant profile

You must have a SONA account and Participant profile to participate in SONA studies.

The SONA system is linked to Northumbria University's Single Sign On (SSO) system, which means your SONA account will be linked to your Northumbria University account and you can log in using your Northumbria University email address and password.

To acquire a SONA account, visit the SONA site (https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com) and click Northumbria University Log In. This should redirect you to a Northumbria University log in page. After you enter your Northumbria University email address and password, you should be redirected back to the SONA site.

If the system does not automatically create an account for you and log you in, click Request Account on the homepage to create an account.

If you are a staff member or experience challenges creating an account, please email the SONA administrator (hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk) and provide your Northumbria University email address and username.

When you create a SONA account, a Participant profile will be a added to your account automatically. Your Participant profile allows you to participate in SONA studies, where you will be reimbursed with SONA points or a financial reward depending on the study.

Where do I find available SONA studies?

To find a list of available SONA studies, visit the SONA site (https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com), click Participant to access your Participant profile, and then click View Available Studies. This will take you to a list of all studies that are currently available.

If you are a student, you can also find a list of available SONA studies, including highlighted new studies, in the Research Opportunities Bulletin that are shared through your Blackboard programme site and via email. These bulletins contain a direct link to each study so that you can read more about the study and sign up.

Singing up for a SONA study

If you would like to sign up for a study, visit the SONA site (https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com), click Participant to access your Participant profile, and then click View Available Studies. This will take you to a list of all studies that are currently available.

Next, click on the name of the study or Timeslots available and then click View time slots for this study. For online studies you do not need to select a specific timeslot, you only need to sign up and complete the study by the specific deadline. For studies being conducted on campus or in-person, you will see a list of specific times that are available for you to participate in the study, and you will need to select one of these timeslots. Find a time that works for you and click Sign up.

Please make sure to note down the time and location of the study. If you are not sure where to find the study location, please contact the researcher who is conducting the study. Their contact information can be found on the SONA study that you signed up for.

Each study will provide a short summary and show the type and value of reimbursement that is being offered in return for successful completion of the study (e.g., 1 point for a 10-minute online survey). The description will also outline any restrictions on who can sign up, for example, a researcher may only be recruiting people aged 18-35 years old because their research question is specific to this age group.

Please note that you will be held responsible if you sign up for a study for which you are not eligible to complete. In such circumstances, the researcher may reject your participation and not award SONA points / financial reimbursement.

Receiving rewards after participating in a study

SONA points

For online studies, SONA points should be awarded by the researcher after you have completed the study. If your points have not been allocated within a reasonable time period, e.g., five working days; please contact the researcher to ensure you are properly rewarded for your contribution. If, after multiple failed attempts to contact the researcher, please email the SONA administrator (hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk).

For in-person studies, the researcher will manually grant you SONA points after you have completed the study. If your points have not been allocated within a reasonable time period, e.g., five working days; please contact the researcher to ensure you are properly rewarded for your contribution. If, after multiple failed attempts to contact the researcher, please email the SONA administrator (hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk).

If you do not attend/complete some or all of the study, the researcher may withhold some or all of the SONA points. The conditions of receiving the SONA points will have been explained to you when signing up for the study. If you did not show up for an unknown reason, the researcher can penalise you for an unauthorised no show, which will remove SONA points from your balance.

Financial rewards

For studies where there is a financial reward, for example, shopping vouchers, the researcher should have explained the conditions of receiving the financial reward (e.g., completion of full study) and how they will provide you with the reward should you meet the study conditions. Like for studies offering SONA points, it is expected that you should receive the reward within five working days of completing the study.

If you do not attend/complete some or all of the study, the researcher may withhold some or all of the financial reward. The conditions of receiving the financial reward will have been explained to you when signing up for the study.

Managing and cancelling study sign ups

To view the studies that you have signed up for, click My schedule & Credits. You can use this page to cancel a study participation up to 24 hours prior to the study. You can also use this page to view your past participations, including the status of your participation. For example, you can view whether you have been awarded SONA points for completing a participation or penalised for a failure to show up to a scheduled appointment.

To cancel or rearrange a study participation more than 24 hours before you are scheduled to participate, click Cancel and then Yes I want to cancel.

To cancel or rearrange a study participation less than 24 hours before you are scheduled to participate, you must contact the researcher directly. If your reason for cancellation is not justified, the researcher may penalise you and subtract SONA points from your account. If you are labelled as a no show to multiple studies, the SONA administrator may lock your SONA account.

My profile

Click on this option if you would like to amend your contact information, for example, your phone number. Because your SONA account is linked to your Northumbria University email and password, you should not attempt to change your SONA email address or password.

SONA contact

Please email the SONA administrator if you have questions about the SONA system (hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk). The SONA administrator will respond within three working days, but complex queries may require more time to resolve.

FAQs for Participants

How do I access SONA and create an account?

You can access the SONA system site here: https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com. Please see the information at the top of this page for how to create an account and acquire a Participant profile.

Do I need to collect SONA points?

No. It is your choice to participate in SONA studies. However, we strongly encourage you to participate in SONA studies and become familiar with the system throughout your degree. This is a great way to embed yourself into our School's research culture and learn about psychological research. Participating in SONA studies will also help develop your knowledge and skills, which will will be especially beneficial when you conduct your own study, for example, your thesis research project.

If you have not participated in other people's research during your degree, you should not expect to use the SONA system to recruit people for your own research.

How do I collect SONA points?

You collect SONA points by participating in studies advertised on the SONA system site: https://northumbriapsychology.sona-systems.com. SONA studies typically award points at a rate of 1 point per 15 minutes of study duration for online studies and 2 points per 15 minutes of study duration for in-person studies. Therefore, there is an incentive to participate in in-person research, where the rate of SONA points is doubled.

Can I take part in different studies offering SONA points as well as those offering financial reimbursement?

Yes, There are no restrictions on the number and type of studies that you can participate in, as long as you meet any programme requirements to collect SONA points. You can participate in as many studies as you like.

What are pending SONA points?

If you have pending SONA points on your Participant account, it means the researcher has not awarded the points to you yet. This could for for several reasons, for example, because they have not yet reviewed the quality and completeness of the data that you provided or judged whether met the inclusion criteria.

In most cases, SONA points will be awarded automatically after 24 hours unless there is a reason for these points to not be awarded. If your points have not been allocated within a reasonable time period, e.g., five working days; please contact the researcher to ensure you are properly rewarded for your contribution. If, after multiple failed attempts to contact the researcher, please email the SONA administrator (hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk).

Why do some studies not offer SONA points?

Each SONA study will offer SONA points OR financial reward as reimbursement for participation. You can not receive SONA points AND financial reward for participating in a study. It is important that you understand the value and type of reimbursement being offered by a study before you participate. The degree and type of financial reward will depend on the study requirements and funding arrangements. Examples include bank transfers, shopping vouchers, and lottery draws.

I participated in a study outside of the SONA system. Can I receive SONA points?

No. SONA points can only be acquired by signing up to studies that are advertised on the SONA system. This should not stop you from participating in non-SONA studies that align with your interests in specific psychology topics. Becoming familiar with different types of research will help your development as a trainee psychologist.

What happens if I don't show up for a study?

Your access to the SONA system may be withdrawn. If you repeatedly sign up for studies and do not show up (for unexplained reasons), you will be marked as an "unauthorised no show" and the SONA administrator can withdraw your access from the SONA system. It is therefore important that you either (i) cancel any study participations that you can no longer attend more than 24 hours in advance or (ii) if it is within 24 hours of the study timeslot, you must contact the researcher directly to rearrange or explain why you can no longer attend. Please note that withdrawl of your access could result in you not being able to meet programme requirements to collect SONA points and an inability to use the system as a researcher when collecting data for your own project.

How do I cancel a study appointment?

To cancel or rearrange a study participation more than 24 hours before you are scheduled to participate, click Cancel and then Yes I want to cancel.

To cancel or rearrange a study participation less than 24 hours before you are scheduled to participate, you must contact the researcher directly. If your reason for cancellation is not justified, the researcher may penalise you and subtract SONA points from your account.

I received the incorrect amount of reward

If you have not been awarded the correct number of SONA points or financial reward for a study, contact the researcher of the study. It is possible that they have provided a partial award because you did not complete the study sufficiently. If, after communicating with the researcher, you feel you have not received the correct reward, please contact the SONA administrator: hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk.

I am not eligible for some studies

Many studies are advertised through the SONA system each year. These studies will investigate a broad range of diverse research topics. In some cases, the researchers may be investigating a research question that requires the recruitment of a specific type of person, for example, younger adults aged 18-30 years old. We strive to ensure our School's research is as inclusive as possible, but sometimes strict inclusion and exclusion criteria are required to ensure the integrity of our research. If you are not eligible for some studies, this will be the most likely reason. Because so many studies are advertised each year, please check the system regularly for new studies that you are eligible to complete.

I need further help

Please email the SONA administrator if you have questions about the SONA system that are not answered here: hl.sona@northumbria.ac.uk. The SONA administrator will respond within three working days, but complex queries may require more time to resolve.