One part of your participation grade for class is based on your involvement in research activities. The purpose of this research requirement is to expose you to how the scientific process works and to provide you with an opportunity to contribute to science and research. The research participation requirement is a comprehensive experience that includes research lab participation and field study contributions as integrated components. To receive full participation credit, please complete these four steps. Please refer to the research participation portion of your BUAD 304 course syllabus for deadlines.
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Step 1: Register for SONA account to participate in lab studies. Click on the blue “Request Account” button on the homepage. You must create an account only using your USC email address; any other personal emails such as gmail, yahoo, etc. will not be accepted/activated. Do NOT enter your student ID# as the user ID.
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Step 2: Complete the mandatory prescreen to participate in studies. Before you can view or receive invitations to participate in studies, completing the prescreening questions is mandatory. This initial step helps to determine your eligibility for various studies and customize your study offerings. Ensure that these questions are answered accurately and thoroughly, as they directly influence the studies available to you. Once the prescreening process is successfully completed, you will start receiving study invitations that align with your responses.
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Step 3: Sign up for and participate in studies. Your goal is to accumulate 2.0 credits over the semester to meet the research requirement. Once you can access your SONA account, you'll receive personalized email invitations to enroll in available studies. These email invitations are unique to you, so it is important to sign up when you receive them. You will have 3 days to secure your spot to participate in the study. Once you sign up, the study webpage will indicate the deadline to complete the study. Studies typically start 3-4 weeks into the semester, offered at various times and days, either online or in-person. For online studies, complete them in one session by the due date listed. If participating in-person, punctuality is critical to earn credit. If you can't attend, cancel at least 6 hours beforehand. These email invitations ensure enough studies are available throughout the semester to meet the requirement. However, delaying participation may result in a shortage of studies during the final weeks. Therefore, seize opportunities to earn credits early in the semester to guarantee meeting the requirement.
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Step 4: Recruit a full-time employee and their coworker and supervisor for a survey. You will submit their information (names and emails) via a webform provided as a link on the SONA platform. This submission, akin to the prescreening process, is required. If for any reason you cannot or choose not to complete this task, you will have the option to elect to do an additional 1.0 credit worth of lab studies. Please refer to the guidelines for an alternative assignment for more details. To fulfill this requirement, you'll need to identify a full-time employee, along with a coworker and a supervisor who know them well, all willing to complete an online survey about their work experiences. This might be a parent or guardian, a family friend, or anyone else who is currently a full-time employee. This (focal) employee must have a coworker and a supervisor who would be willing to fill out an online survey as well. Please note that the coworker and supervisor should know the focal employee. The employee who agrees to participate should provide you with the following information:
Once you submit valid and accurate names and email addresses, your participation in this portion of the research requirement is complete. There is no need to follow-up with your contacts to see if they received a survey. We will at some point in the semester contact them as needed.
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