BRAD Lab For Researchers

As a researcher, you'll need to know about our Institutional Review Board, the details of using the BRAD Lab and how to use the SONA system.

BRAD Lab Researcher Guidelines

This guide describes best practices when using BRAD Lab to conduct behavioral research experiments.

Contact Us (Early)

Before submitting your IRB protocol, please contact Ornuma Wawsri, BRAD Lab Director or the BRAD Lab Coordinators.

We can help ensure your logistics, costs, and other study details are feasible given our space configurations. We will also begin the process of reserving the appropriate space(s) for your study. The sooner you let us know your plan, the better we can help you.

Lab Space and Facilities

BRAD Lab has one computer lab with 24 computer stations and 6 small focus research rooms each equipped with computers stations. Both the computer lab and research labs are equipped with video recording cameras using VALT IVS software. BRAD Lab has 21 sets of headphones available.

Voluntary Participation and IRB Requirements

Following IRB requirements, participation in behavioral research is entirely voluntary and participants may withdraw at any point and still receive compensation. The IRB office is located at One Morton Dr., Suite 500. They can be reached at (434) 924-5999 and at [email protected]. The homepage of the IRB-SBS is available via their website. The protocol forms can be downloaded via their website and the iProtocol portal can be accessed here.

Researchers should follow the confidentiality requirements promoted by IRB. Information about confidentiality is available via the website.

Every study MUST get IRB approval prior to being conducted at BRAD Lab.

Submit BRAD Lab Request Form

After receiving your IRB approval number, please submit a formal request to use BRAD Lab via our Google Form. After we review the information you provide, we will contact you to set up a meeting to discuss study logistics, and proceed with the experiment.

Acknowledgement

By using the services of BRAD Lab, the researcher accepts responsibility for acknowledging our support in the resulting intellectual outputs, including but not limited to: papers, articles, briefings, books, teaching cases, and conferences.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Thank you!

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia is the IRB responsible for reviewing all non-medical behavioral human research for compliance with federally-mandated research guidelines. Behavioral studies require prior approval of University of Virginia's Institutional Review Board for Social and Behavioral Sciences. Learn more about the training and resources available below. 

IRB Training

All researchers listed on an IRB protocol have to complete IRB's training. If you are a researcher interested in participating, please complete the training via the UVA website.

IRB Documents

IRB policies and procedures can be downloaded via the UVA website. 

Requesting the Lab

If you are interested in collecting data, please submit a study proposal form. Requested details include the expected time spent, a link to the questionnaire, applicable pre-screen restrictions, IRB approval number and any special requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the Lab Director.

Lab Location and Directions

BRAD Lab is located on the Ground Floor of the Darden Camp Library. Please refer to the maps provided below.

• Map and Directions to Darden Grounds
• BRAD Lab Directional Map

Participant Payment

Compensation depends on the type and length of the study. Researcher may use flat fees or performance-based rewards. The payment can be either gift card or cash. If you would like to request cash for your study, please email the Lab Coordinator with the following information:

• The approved IRB protocol number
• Date that you will need cash
• Total amount of cash and in what denominations
• Account that money should be charged to (PTAEO number)

All cash requests must be submitted to the BRAD Lab team at least seven days in advance. If you have any questions, please contact the Lab Coordinator. 

Equipment and Resources

BRAD Lab has one computer lab with 24 computer stations and 6 small focus research rooms each equipped with computers stations. Both the computer lab and research labs are equipped with video recording cameras using VALT IVS software. BRAD Lab has 21 sets of headphones available.

BRAD Lab Combined Study 

The BRAD Lab Combined Study initiative provides researchers with monthly opportunities to collect research data at Darden. The studies will be held once a month. The cost of staffing and participant payments will be shared in proportion to the time spent by participants on each study. For more information, please contact the Lab Director.

Hiring Research Assistants

All research assistants are selected and hired by the Lab Director. Our research assistants have completed human subjects research training as a requirement of all researchers at UVA who conduct human subject research. They have obtained valid CITI certification from Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). If you need a research assistant, please contact the Lab Coordinator with the required qualifications, job description and time commitment. The BRAD Lab Team will find the right research assistant for you.

Recruit Participants

BRAD Lab utilizes various ways to recruit participants to join the lab participant pool. Our current pool consists of both students and working people inside and outside the UVA community. All Darden researchers have access to the participant pool administered through the SONA System. If you have any questions regarding recruiting specific populations, please contact the Lab Coordinator. 

BRAD Lab holds tabling sessions on Grounds, at the Charlottesville Farmer Market, and at the Friday After Five venue as an effort to recruit the Charlottesville community into our pool. During the tabling efforts, we can run short studies that are ideal for a pilot test. If researchers are interested in running a short study during tabling sessions, please contact the Lab Coordinator. 

BRAD Lab uses SONA as an online system to manage the lab participant pool and research studies. The system is administered by the lab coordinator. If you have any questions about using SONA, please contact the Lab Coordinator.

Request an Account

All researchers need a researcher account in order to post and manage their studies on SONA. Please email the Lab Coordinator your full name, affiliation, email address, and phone number. We will create an account for you.

Posting Studies

All studies posted on SONA must have an IRB approval code and study approval from the Lab Director. After you create a study on SONA and complete all required information for your study, the lab coordinator will review and make the approval. You will receive a notification email once your study has been approved.

SONA ID Number

All participants on our SONA pool receive a random five-digit number as their identification number on SONA. You can identify your participants on SONA with this SONA ID number only.

No-Show Policies

BRAD Lab has the policy to deactivate any participant’s account who has three unexcused no-shows automatically. In order to ensure this policy, please mark attendance after each of your studies’ time slot. Participants can be marked as “participated,” “excused no-show” and “unexcused no-show”. This participant will not be able to sign up for any new studies. To reactivate the account again, the participant should contact the researchers of the studies that he/she missed. If you agree to forgive the unexcused no-show, please forward your decision to [email protected] in order to reactivate the account.

Online Studies

Researchers can conduct online surveys (Qualtrics) on SONA. The system can automatically grant credits to participants and prevent them from participating in the same survey more than once. Please contact the BRAD Lab Team if you have any questions.