Research Ethics Review for Experiments that Recruit Participants BOTH FROM AND OUTSIDE the Subject Pool
For experiments that will recruit Participants BOTH FROM AND OUTSIDE the Subject Pool, please obtain two separate Experiment IDs (expIDs) via two different systems. You can refer to the "Application Procedure" section below for further instructions.
Documents required for Research Ethics Review:
- Student Research Ethics Application Form (signed by the Student Researcher and her/his Supervisor)
- Consent Form for Participants recruited from the Subject Pool
- Consent Form for Participants recruited from OUTSIDE the Subject Pool
- Debriefing Form
- Survey and Behavioral Research Ethics Training Certificate
- Merge the Student Research Ethics Application Form, Consent Forms, Debriefing Form, Survery and Behavioural Research Ethics Training Certificate into one file (in docx or pdf format).
- Please name the file using the following convention:
[expIDs-ethicsForm.docx or expIDs-ethicsForm.pdf]*
(e.g.: dre20001+23242001-ethicsForm.docx or dre20001+23242001-ethicsForm.pdf).
*REMARKS: expID is an Experiment ID assigned to an experiment. Two different types of expIDs (e.g.: dre20001 & 23242001) will be needed, if an experiment is intended to have Participants BOTH FROM AND OUTSIDE the Subject Pool.
You may download the forms and templates below.
Application Procedures:
- Submit "Subject Pool Allocation Request" at the beginning of a semester by completing this form. Please note that the window for applying for Subject Pool Allocation is the FIRST TWO WEEKS of a semester. Result of Subject Pool Allocation will be announced at the beginning of Week 3.
- Obtain "Survey and Behavioural Research Ethics Training Certificate" by following the instructions stated in Research Ethics Training website of the University.
- Submit a request here to create a Researcher account in the Sona Systems, and/or to add a new study to your existing account. You will then receive an email with an expID (e.g.: dre20001) assigned to your experiment.
- For Researchers with allocated Subject Pool hours, from the beginning of Week 3 to the end of Week 10, you can submit a request here to obtain another expID (e.g.: 23242001) for your experiment.
- Prepare necessary documents for applying for Research Ethics Review (see Documents required for Research Ethics Review section above)
- To file your Research Ethics Review via the Sona Systems:
- Log into the Department Sona Systems (https://cuhkpsy.sona-systems.com/) your CUHK OnePass credentials.
- Select "Add New Study" in the menu bar
- Select the Study Type that best suits your experiment, and press the "Continue" button at the bottom of the page. Please note that you CANNOT change the Study Type once you have added the study.
- Fill in the study information accordingly and press the "Add This Study".
- for "Study Name", please use this convention [expIDs study_title] (e.g.dre20001+23242001_My Study Title); for a Rerun study, please use the convention [expID study_title RERUN]. You can remove "RERUN" after the study is approved by the Reviewers.
- for "Researcher", please select your name, if it is not already.
- for "Principal Investigator", please select the name of your Supervisor if you are a Student Researcher.
- for "Age Restriction", please enter the targeted age range of your Participants if needed.
- enter "Study URL", "Share Comments", "Private Comments" if needed.
- press the "Add This Study" button once you have correctly entered all study information.
- Press the "Send Request" button in the "Study Menu" page.
- Upload the consolidated file for the required documents. (Consent Form, Debriefing Form, Survey and Behavioural Ethics Certificate, Supervisor Endorsement Form)
- Press the “Send Request” button to submit your request for Research Ethics Review.
- If your study is NOT APPROVED, the Reviewers will contact you via email for providing further clarification / information. Please carefully follow his / her instructions on revising the information accordingly, and re-submit for approval again in the Sona Systems.
- After your study is approved by the Reviewers, you will receive an email notification. You can make your study "Active" under the "Basic Study Information" section, and allow the Participants to sign up for your experiment.
- If you do not hear from us after 10 working days upon sending in an Approval Request on the Sona Systems, please contact the Administrators via email dept-research-ethics@psy.cuhk.edu.hk for assistance.
You may download the detailed procedures below:
For further enquiry, please contact the Department Subject Pool Administrator via email dept-research-ethics@psy.cuhk.edu.hk.
