Participating in Sprott Research (SONA)
If you are enrolled in BUSI 2204 or BUSI 2208 marketing courses, you have the opportunity to participate in behavioural research and earn bonus credit towards your final grade.
By participating, you not only contribute to the latest research conducted at Sprott, but also gain valuable insights into the research process. This experience can be particularly beneficial for students interested in pursuing careers in market research and/or academia.
Bonus Credits
As a student in BUSI 2204 or BUSI 2208, you will earn 1% bonus credit for each hour of participation in a research study. For example, completing a 30-minute study will add 0.5% to your final course grade. The maximum bonus credit you can earn is 2%. At the end of the term, any bonus credit accumulated will be automatically added to your final grade.
Signing up for SONA
At the beginning of the term, typically after the course add/drop date, all students registered in eligible courses will receive an email from the ‘Sprott Research Study Sign-Up System‘ containing their user ID and password. To participate in studies, you need to sign up through the Sprott SONA research management system using your user ID and password, accessible at https://sprott.sona-systems.com/. The SONA system allows you to register for studies, track your participation, and ensure that your bonus credit is recorded accurately.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that we cannot guarantee the availability of a full 2% bonus credit. The number of studies offered each term may vary, due to research schedules. Additionally, certain studies may have limited space and time availability. We strongly encourage you to register for studies as soon as they become available to secure your spot and maximize your bonus credit opportunity.
What’s involved in participating in SONA Research Studies?
Generally, there are three types of participation, depending on the specific study:
- In-lab studies: These studies are conducted in-person, typically at the Nicol building, where you will directly interact with the researcher and/or other participants.
- Online interactive studies: These studies take place through video/web conferencing platforms like Zoom, where you will engage in real-time interactions with the researcher and/or other participants.
- Online non-interactive studies: These studies involve individual participation through survey websites or online research programs without any direct or real-time interaction.
Details regarding the type of participation required will be provided for each study in the SONA system.
Bonus Marks – Alternate Option
In addition to participating in research studies, there is an alternative option for earning bonus credits through workshops provided by the Centre for Student Academic Support (CSAS).
The completion of these workshops is tracked directly by CSAS, and you must self-enroll through the CSAS Online Learning Community, at: https://carleton.ca/csas/online-support/.
Please note that while you are encouraged to take the Online Learning Orientation workshop, it is not part of the Incentive Program. For each workshop you complete during the semester, you will receive 1% bonus credit, with a maximum of 2%. Only workshops completed during the current semester for this specific incentive program will be counted towards bonus credit.
NOTE: You have the option to combine participation in research studies (if available) with the completion of CSAS workshops (if available). For instance, if you participate in two 30-minute research studies, you will earn 1% bonus credit. If you then complete a CSAS workshop, you will earn an additional 1% bonus credit, contributing towards the maximum of 2%. The total bonus credits can never exceed 2%.
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No, participants cannot be included in the same study more than once, and credits are only counted for the semester in which the participation occurs. Credits cannot be carried over to subsequent semesters. However, you can participate in and receive credits for new studies conducted through SONA.
Alternatively, you can earn bonus credits by completing workshops offered by the Centre for Student Academic Support (CSAS). The completion of these workshops is tracked directly by CSAS, and you must self-enroll through the CSAS Online Learning Community, at: https://carleton.ca/csas/online-support/. Please note that while the Online Learning Orientation workshop is encouraged, it is not part of the Incentive Program. Each workshop completed during the semester will earn you 1% bonus credit, up to a maximum of 2%. Credits from workshops completed for other courses or during different time periods will not be counted.
NOTE: You have the option to combine participation in research studies (if available) with the completion of CSAS workshops (if available). For instance, if you participate in two 30-minute research studies, you will earn 1% bonus credit. If you then complete a CSAS workshop, you will earn an additional 1% bonus credit, contributing towards the maximum of 2%. The total bonus credits can never exceed 2%.
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When you log-on to the Sona system using the credentials and link that were emailed to you, please follow these steps:
On the home page, click on ‘View Available Studies’.
Following that, you will see the list of active studies and if there are any time slots available.
Please click on ‘Timeslots Available’ or on the name of the study. The following page will provide you with brief information about the study and info of the researcher in case you have any questions.
Then, to view the time slots, please click on “View Time Slots for this Study”. The following page will show you the available time slots.
Please click on ‘Sign Up’ to sign up for the timeslot that suits your schedule, which will lead to the confirmation page.
Please confirm your selection by clicking ‘Sign Up’.
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The bonus credit you earn will be automatically added to your final grade. You can track your participation and bonus credits within the SONA system.
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You will receive an email from the SONA administrator whenever a new study is added to SONA. Additionally, you can log in to SONA using your credentials and check for available studies at any time during the semester.
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If you have lost your username and password or are experiencing any login issues, please contact us at behaviourlab@sprott.carleton.ca for assistance