FAQ for Participants using Sona in Psychology
How do I log in to the system? Can I change my password?
Effective May 2019 you will use your WatIAm (Quest) credentials to log into the SONA system. You will only be able to log in to the SONA website once you are on the official class list (i.e., officially registered and fees paid).
Do I have to use my Waterloo e-mail account?
The email entered on your SONA account will be your @uwaterloo.ca email address, you cannot change this address. If you are forwarding your @uwaterloo.ca email account to another account reminder, SONA doesn't deliver to all email accounts (ie - Hotmail) so please check your @uwaterloo.ca email account frequently.
Why should I fill out the Prescreen Questionnaire?
Although you may sign up for experiments without completing the PreScreen questions, completing the pre-testing questions will increase the number of studies that you see available on the list of experiments. Many researchers select participants based on the information in the PreScreen questions, so answering the questions increases the likelihood that you will qualify for these studies.
At first I didn't want to fill out the Prescreen Questionnaire, but now I've changed my mind. Can I still fill out the pre-testing questions?
Yes, you can fill out the PreScreen questions at any time, even if you chose not to complete them the first time you logged in to SONA. If you did not fill out the PreScreen questions, then click on the "My Profile" link. At the bottom of the page, you will see a line for "PreScreen Status". Next to "Declined to Participate", you will see a link labeled "Take Prescreen". Click on this link to begin the pretest.
If you have previously clicked "Declined to Participate" then you must email the REG Coordinator, who will reset that option so that you may take the PreScreen Questionnaire.
If you qualify for a password-protected experiment, you will be contacted by the researcher either by phone or by e-mail. If you do not qualify for an experiment, then you will not receive a password. You should not try contacting researchers to ask for a password-they will contact you if you qualify for the experiment. Please note that many experiments do not have any PreScreen qualifications at all, so you should still have many experiments to choose from to earn your credit points if you choose not to take the PreScreen.
I signed up for an experiment, but I just found out about a scheduling conflict. How do I cancel my appointment?
If it is before 9 pm the night before the scheduled appointment, then you can cancel your appointment from the SONA website. After you have logged in, click on "My Schedule and Credits". You will see a table showing your "Study Sign-ups". Click the "cancel" button next to the appointment that you wish to cancel. You will be asked to confirm the cancellation.
If it is after 9 pm the night before the scheduled appointment, then you will not be able to cancel on the SONA website. However, you can click on the name of the study to obtain the name and e-mail address for the researcher who is responsible for that study appointment. You should then e-mail them to let them know that you would like to cancel or re-schedule your appointment. Please be courteous and let researchers know in advance if you cannot keep your scheduled appointment. Remember, if you fail to appear for a study without canceling or contacting the researcher you will be marked as an Unexcused No-Show and if you acquire 3 Unexcused No-shows you will be denied access to further SONA studies. You would still be able to earn credits by submitting 1 credit Article Reviews.
How can I tell how many credits I have earned so far and how many I still need to earn?
You can view a list of completed credits as well as the number required from the "My Schedule/Credit" link once you have logged in to the SONA website.