Running participants

NSF- specific protocols

Before:

Ideally, those who have been assigned to run a participant should be informed by the lab manager, graduate student, or RA in charge of scheduling that participant several days in advance. Unfortunately this is not always possible. Parents have busy schedules, so in some circumstances scheduling personnel will need to assign testing responsibilities the day before, or even the day of. RA's and the lab manager should always assume to be "on call" during their shifts in case someone is needed to assist with a participant last minute.

Personnel assigned to run a participant should arrive to the lab at least 45 minutes prior to the scheduled appointment time. If you have a key, ALWAYS bring it! There is a spare office key hidden for RAs to use, but there is always a possibility that it has been misplaced or someone else has it.

Prep time is essential to ensure that we are well-prepared for each appointment, which ultimately will help sessions run smoothly. Being prepared will also help us gather high-quality data and will make appointments more enjoyable for parents and children alike.

Although appointments for the NSF study should be identical across our 3 sites, there are some unavoidable site-specific differences that require different set-up protocols at each site. Our Cornell-specific protocol is attached here:

Cornell SOP

Be at the front doors of Beebe Hall (next to the parking lot) with the iPad at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled appointment time with the surveys already loaded (but NO information information typed in).

During:

Protocols are divided by age. All age-specific protocols can be found in the Study Visits tab. Additional protocols and procedures are in the RA Docs tab.

It is important to stick to the protocols as much as possible, particularly because we need to remain consistent with the procedures at Davis and Rutgers. That said, every child is different. Some may need to take breaks, have a snack, or take a walk around the building. The most important thing is to get data for as many tasks as we can. It will be up to the experimenter's discretion as to whether a resistant child is outright refusing to play with a toy or if they just need a break.

Pro-tip: When I was a preschool teacher we were instructed to never negotiate with food. You can offer kids a snack break if necessary, but avoid making this contingent upon their cooperation.

After:

Like with all studies, when the participant has left it is important to thoroughly sanitize all lab equipment (including the computers), complete all paperwork, and file everything accordingly. Some things can stay in the cubicle (toys, snacks) but others must be returned to the testing room and locked in when you leave (tablets, gift cards, anything expensive). Specifics for filing paperwork are in the Cornell Specific SOP.

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