SONA

SONA is a participant recruitment system, generally used to obtain a convenience sample of USU students. Others (non-students) from the community are sometimes available. To use SONA, the Principle Investigator (PI) must do the following:

  1. Obtain IRB approval for the project. This approval must be in written form and provided in the request form to use SONA.
  2. Set up a SONA project. The PI can set up a project by visiting the SONA website. If the PI does not have a SONA account, please obtain one by clicking on “Request Account” on that same page.
  3. Email sona@aggies.usu.edu with the IRB approval letter, stating that the researchers agree to abide by the IRB and report any changes that are made to the SONA project directly to the IRB and to the SONA administrator.
  4. After the project has been approved on SONA, recruitment will start.
  5. Once recruitment is done, email sona@aggies.usu.edu informing that the project is complete.

Note that the PI is responsible for the SONA project, ensuring that it is used as directed and as approved by the IRB.

Frequently Asked Questions

What forms of incentives can be used in SONA?

The most common form is school credit. Credit is applied at a 1 credit per 1 hour. Partial credit is possible. Monetary incentives can also be used, particularly when using SONA for non-student recruitment.

Can I use SONA as an instructor?

Yes. Instructors can contact sona@aggies.usu.edu to set up a class so students can receive credit from participating in a SONA research project. These should be done before the semester starts.

The instructor is responsible for applying the credit to the students’ grades.

Can I have certain qualifications in place for a person to be able to participate?

Yes. These can include basic demographics and collegiate indicators