SONA SYSTEM
General Information for Students
Experimental Subject Participation
Students enrolled in lower-division psychology courses are asked to serve as experimental subjects for three (3) Sona credits per course. Upper-division psychology courses, as well as courses in Cognitive Science and Linguistics, may also offer Sona credits to their students. The requirement is intended to demonstrate how empirical research is conducted in the UC San Diego Psychology Department and is designed to serve as a positive educational supplement to the coursework. Students always have the right to discontinue participation at any point in any study. Students who cannot participate or choose not to participate must contact their instructor to arrange for alternate assignments that serve similar educational goals.
Using Sona to Manage Your Research Participation
The Sona System is an online scheduling system used to record your research participation credit. You will visit the Sona System website to find out what studies are being offered in a given quarter and use the site to sign up for them. The instructions below will orient you to the system. Reading all the way through will prepare you in advance for addressing any issues that may arise during the quarter.
- Making an Account
- Signing up for Studies and Canceling Timeslot Appointments
- Late/No-Show Policy
- Managing Credits and Other Aspects of Your Account
- Where to Ask Questions
Additional resources:
- Sona Information Sheet: quick reference sheet
- Sona Student Guide: detailed information on creating your account, adding and changing courses, and managing your credits.
- Sona Participant Video Tutorial
A note about participation: A key goal of participating is to gain a thorough understanding of experimental research. As a participant, your time is as valuable as that of the researchers and PIs involved in the studies. You are making a significant contribution to the research community within our department and on the UC San Diego campus. All participants are expected to behave in a professional manner, show up on time, and provide notice to researchers if they need to cancel their appointment. It is essential for participants to take the experiments seriously and dedicate the necessary effort to the studies. You can expect all researchers and Principal Investigators (PIs) to respect your time, clearly describe the research you are contributing to, and accurately award your credit within 3-5 business days.