TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE OF WARWICK UNIVERSITY’S SONA
SYSTEM AND WARWICK EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORIES
In order to be granted access to Warwick’s SONA System
(https://warwick.sona-systems.com/) for managing participation in experiments, and the
Warwick Experimental Laboratories (all laboratory facilities used for conducting
experiments where Participants are invited via the SONA System) for running
experimental sessions, all Researchers are required to abide by the Terms and
Conditions, contained in this document. These Terms and Conditions apply to this
website and all affiliated websites of the users of the Warwick SONA System.
The “Agreement Page”, which accompanies this document as a separate
online form, should be submitted by all Researchers upon gaining access to the
SONA System. Full access to Warwick’s SONA System is granted only to these
Researchers who accept Terms and Conditions specified in this document by filling
out and submitting the “Agreement Page”. Additionally, in order to receive an access
to Warwick’s SONA System, each Researcher should attend a Compulsory
Induction Meeting with an Administrator (please, see below). The instructions
received by the Researcher during the Compulsory Induction Meeting with the
Administrator and Terms and Conditions specified in this document constitute the
Researchers’ Code of Conduct. All Researchers are responsible for following this
Code of Conduct at all times.
Failure to comply with, or breach of, the Terms and Conditions set out below
may result in access to Warwick’s SONA System and Warwick Experimental
Laboratories being withdrawn.
If you have any questions with regards to Warwick’s SONA System please do not
hesitate to contact the Administrators:
Alexander Mushore
Behavioural Science Group
Warwick Business School
The University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
United Kingdom
Alexander.Mushore[at]wbs.ac.uk
Linda Wilson
Psychology Department
The University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
United Kingdom
Linda.Wilson[at]warwick.ac.uk
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CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS IN A WARWICK EXPERIMENTAL
LABORATORY
All research conducted using Warwick’s SONA System and/or Warwick
Experimental Laboratories ultimately falls under the scope of the University of Warwick
Research Code of Conduct. As such, by undertaking research, you agree to abide by the
terms and conditions of the Research Code of Conduct which is viewable at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance_ethics/
Furthermore, the University has introduced a comprehensive ethical scrutiny process
to ensure that all research involving Participants, their data and/or tissue, addresses relevant
ethical considerations and is subject to appropriate ethical review. On the 1st October 2003
the University of Warwick Council approved the establishment of a University Research
Ethics Committee (UREC) to govern ethical policy and establish a research governance
framework across the University.
The University is committed to promoting guidelines on ethical practice and
supporting researchers with emerging issues in relation to ethics across all research fields.
The University expects that staff and students will behave ethically and professionally in all
their activities. It is the responsibility of staff and students to consider the ethical
implications of their research using the Ethical Scrutiny Framework and all relevant
guidelines of appropriate professional bodies to assist them in fulfilling their obligations.
To this end, all Researchers wishing to use Warwick’s SONA System and/or
Warwick Experimental Laboratories should familiarise themselves with the University
Guidelines on Ethical Practice, available at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance_ethics/research_code_of_pra
ctice/researchethicscommittees/
All researchers should also ensure they observe due process, given by the Ethical Scrutiny
Framework available at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/accept_award/policies/ethicsstatement.pdf
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Typically, research to be conducted in Warwick Experimental Laboratories will
fall under the purview of the Humanities and Social Sciences Ethics Committee
(HSSREC), details of which can be found at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance_ethics/research_code_of_p
ractice/researchethicscommittees/hssrec/
As stated “All staff research from the Social Sciences, Arts, Humanities or Psychology
Department that does not fall within the scope of NHS ethical approval and involves
human Participants, their data and/or tissue must be sent to the HSSREC committee for
appropriate approval”. In most cases, ethical approval will have already been obtained in
the grant application process, but, where this is not the case, ethical approval for an
experiment to be run using Warwick’s SONA System and/or Warwick Experimental
Laboratories can be sought by completing an application to HSSREC, details of which can
be found at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance_ethics/research_code_of_p
ractice/researchethicscommittees/hssrec/
It is the responsibility of individual Researchers to ensure they are fully compliant
with the terms and conditions of the University of Warwick Research Code of Conduct,
and, where required, have sought and obtained ethical approval, before commencing any
experimental research using Warwick’s SONA System and/or Warwick Experimental
Laboratories. All Researchers will be required to submit their relevant Ethical approval
number on Warwick’s SONA System for each new experiment they wish to set up. If a
Researcher operates using the internal ethical approval of his/her relevant Department, the
name of the faculty member who has issued approval should be submitted to Warwick
SONA System.
PROTECTION OF PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR RIGHTS
1.
All Participants have the right not to participate in any experiment and this right must
be respected at all times. There should be no coercion of research Participants to take
part in experiments. Students and others in a dependent relationship with investigators
must be assured that any decision not to participate will not prejudice their progress
(academically or otherwise) in any way.
2.
Each Participant must have the right to withdraw easily from the experiment whenever
and for whatever reason without explanation or penalty. That is, Participants should be
free to leave any study conducted using Warwick’s SONA System and/or Warwick
Experimental Laboratories at any point if they wish to do so.
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3.
All Participants and research assistants have the right to expect protection from
physical, psychological, social, legal and economic harm at all times during the
experiment. Participants and researchers’ staff must be fully informed in advance of,
and protected against, any hazardous, stressful or uncomfortable contexts and
procedures. In addition, researchers should attempt to avoid harm not only to an
immediate population of Participants but also to their wider family, kin and
community. Should any adverse reaction / event occur, researchers must report this
immediately via e-mail to the Administrator (please, see p. 1 of Terms and
Conditions). The report should describe fully the adverse reaction /event, the action
taken and the date, time and place of the event.
INFORMED CONSENT
As per the University Guideline on Ethical Practice, all researchers must ensure
Participants are “...fully informed about all aspects of the research project, which might
reasonably be expected to influence willingness to participate. In addition, the researcher
must explain all other aspects of the research about which the prospective Participants
enquire.” The only exception to this rule are studies conducted using deception. In case of
such studies, Researchers must obtain Ethical approval from the Humanities and Social
Sciences Ethics Committee (HSSREC). At the end of any study involving deception, all
Participants should receive a compulsory debriefing where they are informed about the
actual procedures of the experiment. Studies involving deception should not take place in
the Laboratory of the Department of Economics (University of Warwick).
If the HSSREC approval specifies obtaining written consent from Participants,
Researchers are responsible for obtaining written consent from all Participants prior to
commencement of all research projects, taking “...all reasonable and practicable steps to
ensure that they (Participants), or their authorised representatives, have adequately
understood the nature of the research and any anticipated consequences. Under no
circumstances must coercion be used to obtain a person’s consent to participate in research.”
Furthermore “...Participants have the right to change their minds and withdraw consent at
any time” without explanation or penalty. All signed consent forms must be kept securely
by the lead researcher of any experimental project for a period of no less than 10 years, as
per University guidelines. It is Researchers’ responsibility to ensure the security and safety
of all consent materials during the period specified above.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND ANONYMITY
All Participants registered in Warwick’s SONA System were informed at the time of
sign‐up that confidentiality and privacy of their personal data is of the utmost importance
and we take any violations of this trust on the part of Warwick Researchers, extremely
seriously. Specifically, Participants were informed that
“At the beginning of the experiment, each Participant will be assigned a unique
numerical identification number. The study data will include only the identification number
for each Participant. Any personal information collected by the researchers (names and/or
other identifying information) will be kept separate from the study data and never shared
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with third parties. Your personal information will not be linked to your performance in the
experiment.”
As such, Warwick Researchers are required to uphold this code of conduct with
regards to personal information, and must take all reasonable steps to ensure any
personally identifiable information collected is held and stored entirely separate from
study data. All study data collected must be entirely anonymous, and all reasonable steps
should be taken by researchers to ensure Participants are fully aware that the study data
collected will not be linked to personally identifiable information.
To facilitate this, Warwick Researchers have access to the SONA Participant
database, which has been created and populated with individuals who have expressed an
interest in participating in Warwick research projects. All Participants have submitted
personal information and characteristics to Warwick’s SONA System which enables
researchers to recruit and manage participation at experiments entirely online, with the
data held securely on SONA Systems servers, and without the need to mix “study data”
and “personal data” required for managing participation. As such
“All data and personal information entered in Warwick’s SONA System will be
securely held in the SONA Systems servers and will be treated confidentially and
appropriately in carrying out the ongoing business of the University. Only authorized
researchers and administrators will have access to it. Data held on Warwick’s SONA
System will be used to manage your participation at all Warwick research sessions, and
enable us to contact you with dates, time and locations of new research sessions.”
The statement above sets out the only possible uses of personal data held on
Warwick’s SONA System (and, therefore, accessible via Warwick’s SONA System), and
Researchers must strictly abide by this policy. Specifically, personal information,
including, but not limited to, names and e-mail addresses, should not be used for any other
purpose than managing participation at authorised Warwick research sessions and projects.
Use of this data for involvement in other research efforts, which do not fall under our
banner, is prohibited. Personal data held on Warwick’s SONA System must never be
disclosed to third parties.
Data is stored online under the terms of the 1998 Data Protection Act and is
subject to the central University Data Protection Policy, which is available to view at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/legalservices/whentouse/dataprotection
Furthermore, all Researchers should be familiar with the University Information
Security Policy, which is available to download at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/informationsecurity/policies/university_of_war
wick_information_security_policy_d04_2012.pdf
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RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS USING
SONA
All Participants for SONA experiments must be recruited using the Warwick’s
online SONA System, which grants access to the Participant database, held and
maintained at https://warwick.sona-systems.com/). Warwick’s SONA System is
powered by the Online Recruitment System for Experiments (SONA -http://www.sonasystems.com/).
More comprehensive documentation on SONA is available at
http://www.sona-systems.com/support/docs/ems_docs.pdf
Warwick’s SONA System allows Participants to be invited to experimental
sessions based on some personal characteristics such as nationality, language skills and
degree course. Yet, any selection to the study using personal characteristics of
Participants should be approved by the relevant Ethics Committee. It is Researcher’s
responsibility to ensure that Participants in his/her experiment are not subject to any
kind of discrimination.
Participants who have failed to show up for previous experimental sessions can
be viewed by their “no-show” marks. A “no-show” is a term used to indicate a
Participant who signed up for a research session, but did not show up at the appointed
time, or did not cancel in advance and inform the Researcher they would not be
attending.
The system relies on each individual Researcher keeping up to date records about
which Participants “showed” and which “no-showed” for every research session they run.
Attendance at sessions must be recorded online using SONA, and done within a reasonable
time frame after each experimental session. Where possible, attendance should be recorded
online immediately at the start of each experimental session. Failure to maintain accurate
records of attendance at experimental sessions using SONA may result in the right to use
Warwick Experimental facilities being withdrawn. A “no-show” should only be recorded
where a Participant did not show up at the appointed time and failed to inform the
Researcher in advance that they would not be attending.
For each new experiment registered through Warwick’s SONA System, an
“invitation” must be created, to be sent out to potential Participants. The invitation must
be very clear and unambiguous. All conditions in the invitation must be specified
explicitly to avoid any possible misunderstanding.
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The following has to be included in the invitation:
 The “study name” of the research project (e.g. Group decision task) - this is how the
study is identified throughout the system, including to how it is identifiable to
participants. Ensure they are unique as you will be prevented from adding a study if
there is another study with the same name.
 The dates, times, duration and location of every research session that they are
being invited to sign up for.
 A brief nature of the experiment (e.g. computer-based study, group task, etc.)
 A contact email address, to which potential Participants can address queries, and
make changes to their participation at sessions.
 The specific compensation method for the experimental session. Where
appropriate, this should include:
◦ the “show-up” fee (if any) or participation fee;
◦ the maximum available compensation attainable by Participants.
COMPENSATION
As stated previously, the specific mechanism by which Participants receive
compensation for their participation in SONA experiments must be stated in the invitation
email. Where this compensation is monetary, the following rules must be observed by
Researchers:
1. Every Participant who has registered for the experiment, and shows up on the
appropriate day and time, must receive the advertised “show-up” fee (if such a fee was
advertised). This does not apply to Participants who are late for the experimental session.
It is advisable to stress in a manually written reminder to Participants that late arrivals
will be marked as no-shows.
2. All monetary compensations must be paid, in cash, immediately following the
conclusion of the experimental session. The only exception to this rule are studies
which assume delayed payments (e.g., studies on discounting) in which case the
Participants and the Researcher agree that payments will be made a specific date in the
future either prior or during the experimental session.
3. Cash should be paid to Participants in private, ensuring other Participants cannot observe
or hear the Researcher reading the amounts out loud.
4. In no circumstances should the Participants make losses, i.e., earn negative
payments. Researchers must have a procedure in place to deal with the possibility of
Participant bankruptcy (such as providing a higher flat fee or “show-up” fee).
5. Participants must sign a receipt for the payment they receive. Researchers must ensure
secure storage of the copy of receipts for a period of no less than 10 years, as per
University guidelines.
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GOOD PRACTICE AND FACILITIES IN WARWICK EXPERIMENTAL
LABORATORIES
If a Researcher uses Warwick’s SONA System to recruit Participants for a
laboratory experiment, any laboratory facility he/she is using becomes a Warwick
Experimental Laboratory. Good practice must be ensured by Researchers in all
Warwick Experimental Laboratories. The overview of the main laboratories, including
their description and directions, can be found on
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/draw/experiments/resources/
Prior to running any experimental session in one of Warwick Experimental
Laboratories using Warwick’s SONA System, software testing and a pilot session should
be run in the Laboratory to ensure all software and hardware run correctly. The laboratories
in the Economics and Warwick Business School departments provide IT assistance. To
request IT assistance in the Economics lab, contact the Economics IT support team. To
request IT support in the WBS laboratory, contact the lab IT developer. In both of these
instances it is important to contact the relevant support before booking any experimental
session, to ensure all is installed and tested before you run your experiment. Where
additional software on the computers needs to be installed, this must be approved by the IT
team of the relevant department.
In all Warwick Experimental Laboratories, when running an experimental session
there is always a small probability of equipment malfunctions, software problems, or
other chance events that result in a premature termination of an experiment. In the case
of a premature termination of an experiment that cannot be restarted, the experimenter
will be obligated to pay the Participants the show-up fee or participation fee (if no
show-up fee is specified) and dismiss the Participants. Regardless of the cause of a
premature termination of an experiment, we will not reimburse these or any other costs
incurred by the Researcher. If the experiment was not cancelled at least 24 hours in
advance, Researchers are obliged to pay to all participants the show-up fee or
participation fee.
All bookings for sessions to be run in Warwick Experimental Laboratories must
be made through the Warwick’s SONA System to ensure there is no conflict with other
experimental sessions. Software testing or running pilot sessions without Participants
can be done through adding such sessions as studies on the system but making them
invisible to participants. However, all experimental sessions run using Warwick’s
SONA System must be registered using the “add new study” feature.
The Laboratory in the Department of Economics (S2.82) may be used for
experiments after 12 p.m. on Tuesdays, all day on Wednesdays and before 1 p.m. on
Thursdays. If Researchers wish to run an experiment between 9-12am on Tuesday or after
1pm on Thursday, this must also be checked and booked with the administration of the
Department of Economics prior to booking is made on the Warwick’s SONA System. It is
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the Researcher’s responsibility to make sure that other Warwick Experimental Laboratories
are available for booking prior to running their experimental sessions.
In all Warwick Experimental Laboratories, all sessions must be scheduled with
enough time between them. It is imperative that Participants of one experimental
session not encounter Participants from a previous or subsequent session in the vicinity
of the Warwick Experimental Laboratories premises.
When holding a session, it is the responsibility of individual Researchers to ensure
there is sufficient experimental assistance to maintain the smooth running of the session.
Researchers should be aware that, dependent on a particular laboratory facility they are
using, there may be up to 26 students in a tight space outside the laboratory which may
necessitate paid assistance.
Researchers and assistants should aim to arrive at the Warwick Experimental
Laboratories a minimum of 30 minutes prior to commencement of an experimental
session, aware that Participants may turn up much earlier than the scheduled start time.
For the Laboratory in the Department of Economics (S2.82), we recommend that
Participants are advised to wait at the top of the main second floor stairs in Social
Sciences, where there is much more space than directly outside the Laboratory. Depending
on the experiment type, there is a branded (Decision Research at Warwick - DR@W)
“roller banner” which can be erected to let Participants know they are at the correct place
if they have arrived for a DR@W Experiment. The banner is stored and available from the
Economics Laboratory S2.82, or Behavioural Science lab (in WBS) and must be returned
immediately after use. Researchers are liable for any loss or damage to the banner whilst
in their possession.
Experiments should be run in a relaxed but professional atmosphere. It is
particularly important that Participants should not perceive experiments like games or
examinations. If a Participant causes trouble and is sent away, his/her name should be
noted, and then sent to a SONA Administrator to exclude him/her from further
experiments.
After using the Warwick Experimental Laboratories we expect all Researchers leave
them in the state they were found upon arrival. No experiment-related papers should be left
on any desk, and all experiment-specific software and files should be removed from the
computers.
Upon completion of an experimental project, it is recommended that research
material relating to the nature of experiment run, and (where applicable) the software and
other experimental documentation, is made available to other Researchers by uploading all
relevant information to the Warwick’s SONA System. This can be done by adding
additional information in the shared comments section of the study creation page and/or
including links to information. It is also advisable to keep a track of how much money was
paid out to Participants and include this figure within the private comments of the same
page (not viewable by participants or other researchers). Furthermore, a link to the research
paper which was produced from the experimental data should be added to the experimental
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information as soon as is practically possible. This can be used by Researchers to ensure
Participants have not been subject to prior experimental treatments which may bias their
participation in your future experimental sessions.
When producing research papers using data obtained from SONA experiments,
Researchers must ensure SONA is adequately referenced, along with any software used
during the experimental procedure.
If applicable, we encourage all Researchers to present their work at the Decision
Research at Warwick (DR@W) Forum
(http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/draw/forum/).
To request the opportunity to present at the DR@W Forum, please contact the DR@W
Coordinator (Alexander Mushore - see p. 1 of Terms and Conditions).
MISUSE OF WARWICK’S SONA SYSTEM
In order to maintain good reputation among Participants and academic
community it is essential that all Researchers behave ethically and responsibly. Any
failure to comply with, or breach of, the Terms and Conditions may result in
access to Warwick’s SONA System and Warwick Experimental Laboratories
being withdrawn. The fact of breach of Terms and Conditions is determined in
each individual case by the Administrator.
In general,






any activity that damages the image of our online participant recruitment in the
eyes of Participants and Researchers;
usage of system for purposes other than research;
multiple repeated mass mailing to the entire subject pool which causes
inconveniences for Participants;
using any part of Participants’ database for purposes outside the scope covered
by these Terms and Conditions;
unethical behavior during the experiments;
intentional or unintentional breach of confidentiality which violates Participants’
rights
will be cast as a violation of Terms and Conditions and may result in a Researcher’s
account being temporarily suspended or a Researcher’s access to the system
permanently withdrawn.
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In case of detection of direct/indirect violation or suspicion of violation of Terms and
Conditions of Warwick’s SONA System the following procedures will apply:
1. Any Researcher suspected in violation or evidently violating Terms and Conditions,
dependent on the severity of violation, will receive a warning e-mail from the
Administrator asking to either
(a) change their practice and fix the current problem (in case of light violation)
or
(b) to temporarily cease their activities on the system and come in for a
meeting with the Administrator (in case of a severe violation).
The severity of violation is determined by the Administrators in each individual
case.
2. If the Researcher cooperates and takes actions advised by the Administrator, the
matter is resolved either
(a) via e-mail (in case of light violation) or
(b) during the meeting between Researcher and the DR@W Coordinator (in
case of a severe violation).
3. In case when the Researcher does not react to the warning e-mail and/or continues
activities which breach these Terms and Conditions or engages in other activities
which directly or indirectly damage Warwick’s SONA System reputation among
Participants/Researchers, the Researcher’s account is temporarily suspended. In this
case, the Researcher receives a notification e-mail from the Administrator about the
temporal suspension of his/her account.
4. Researcher’s account is suspended until the Administrator has investigated the issue.
Upon completion of investigation, the Administrator organizes a meeting between
Researcher and the Warwick Experiments Team. At the meeting, Warwick’s SONA
System is represented by the Administrator and at least one other Researcher (who is
a member of Warwick’s SONA System). This member of Warwick’s SONA System
is present to witness the meeting and ensure that all procedures are carried out with
objectivity and impartiality. In cases where the Researcher is a
graduate/postgraduate student, the Researcher should inform his/her supervisor or
director of postgraduate studies (other senior member of staff) of the relevant
department and invite them to the meeting. The participation of supervisor or
director of postgraduate studies of the relevant department in the meeting is not
compulsory as long as Researcher informs them about this meeting.
5. In the majority of cases the meeting between Researcher and the Warwick
Experiments team should result in reaching a mutual understanding. Yet, in
exceptional cases of severe violations and Researcher’s reluctance to comply with
Warwick’s SONA System requirements, the meeting may result in the permanent
loss of the Researcher’s right to use the Warwick’s SONA System.
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6. In case when the mutual understanding is found during the meeting, the Researcher
receives a verbal warning and is required to attend another meeting with the
Administrator to be instructed about the rules and procedures of the system again.
This meeting represents a training session similar to the Compulsory Induction
Meeting with the Administrator (please, see p. 1 of Teams and Conditions). In cases
where the Researcher is a graduate/postgraduate student, supervisor or director of
postgraduate studies of the relevant department (another senior member of academic
staff in the relevant department) will be asked to guarantee that further activities of
the student will not result in violations. Once the Researcher has come in for the
training session and, in case of graduate/postgraduate student, once the
Administrator has received an e-mail confirmation of the guarantee from the
supervisor or director of postgraduate studies (another senior member of academic
staff) in the relevant department, the Researcher regains access to Warwick’s SONA
System.
7. In case of repeated violations, further warnings are not issued. If the Researcher with
a record of one verbal warning engages in further activities which violate these
Terms and Conditions, his/her account is permanently deleted without possibility of
reactivation. In this case, the Researcher receives a notification e‐mail from the
Administrator. In cases where the Researcher is a graduate/postgraduate student,
supervisor or director of postgraduate studies of the relevant department (or other
senior member of staff) who acts as a guarantor receives a notification from the
Administrator with a copy sent to the Researcher.
Warwick Experiments
Team, September 2013
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