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Information for Students Using the USC Psychology Department Participant Pool (SONA)

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Where to start?

Access the website at http://sc.sona-systems.com/.  Make sure you use this specific address!

You must self-register.

• Click the NEW PARTICIPANT link on http://sc.sona-systems.com/ to request an account.
• Enter the information requested. Use your University EMAIL!
• Select your current classes to send participation credits to a particular class.
• After pressing SUBMIT, an email will be sent to you with your username and a temporary password to login to the system.
• Log in to http://sc.sona-systems.com/ with the information in the email.
• Change the password to something unique that you can remember.
• Complete the short prescreening form.

Lost password?

1. Enter your email in the Retrieve Password field.
2. Your password will be sent to your email address.

How to sign up for research studies.

• Log in to http://sc.sona-systems.com/ .
• Click on VIEW AVAILABLE STUDIES to see the available studies and credits offered.
• Click on the study name, or Timeslots Available to view the study information.
• Click on View Time Slots for This Study to find a time to participate.
• Click on an appointment time in the Calendar.
• Click Sign Up on the following screen.
• Select the class to assign credit on the Confirmation screen.
• Each credit can be applied to one class!
• You can change the allocation of credits to courses throughout the semester up to reading day.
• Make sure to note the information on this screen. I recommend taking a screenshot!
• Click "confirm" to sign up or "cancel" if the time works.
• The system will not allow signing up twice for the same study.
• The web will send you an email reminder about the study within 24 hours of the study.

Reviewing Information and Cancellations

• Review what studies you are signed up for by clicking on the My Schedule/Credits.
• The studies you are signed up for are listed under the heading Study Signups.
• Credits are listed under the heading Credits.
• To cancel a study before its start time, click cancel, located to the right of your study time.
• Confirm cancellation on the cancellation screen.
• Study appointments may be canceled up to one hour before the scheduled time.

Penalties and Privileges

• If you sign up for a study and fail to show up without canceling, you will accrue an "unexcused no-show."
• There will not be any penalty for excused or unexcused no-shows.
• If you accrue TWO "unexcused no-shows," you will lose the privilege of participating in the SONA participant pool.
• You may still submit papers for alternative credit (see below).

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Alternative for Students Not Wishing to Participate in Research

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The Participant Pool/SONA offers an alternative for students not wishing to participate in research. Participating in studies helps students to gain hands-on experience concerning how research is conducted. The next best way to gain insight into research is by reading and evaluating articles published in professional psychology journals.

For the alternative assignments, students will select one or more research articles to read from the list of 6 articles below. Students will read the article and register for the associated quiz using the sign-up links. Be sure to select only articles for which you will be available to attend the quiz in person in Walsh Conference Room, Barnwell College (Room 227). Make-up quizzes will not be offered. Each quiz will be paper-and-pencil and consist of 5 short-answer questions about the corresponding research article. Students must get 70% or higher on a quiz to receive 1 SONA credit. Each quiz can only be taken once. If a student receives testing accommodations through the Student Disability Resource Center, they may request to take a quiz at the testing center, but must reach out to the SONA TA at least 5 days in advance of the quiz date to arrange this. *

 Contact the SONA TA at psycpool@mailbox.sc.edu for further questions.

* Articles, quizzes, and sign-up links coming soon!

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