studies.dualtask2.org FAQs
Q: Are there any requirements to participate in the online research studies?
Q: I’ve completed the registration, so now what?
Q: Do you email me when a study is available or do I need to keep checking back to my account?
Q: What happens when I begin a study?
Q: I participated in a study and earned some money, so how do I cash out?
Q: Can I be paid through Paypal, instead of Amazon e-gift cards?
Q: What if I decide to change my email address?
Q: What if I begin a study and lose internet connection in the middle of the session?
Q: Are there any requirements to participate in the online research studies?
A: To participate, you must be:
- A DAILY email user.
- At least 18 years of age.
- Good comprehension of written English.
Most of our studies involve multiple sessions, with email being used to notify you of follow-up sessions; payment requires completing each session within 24 hours (for some studies, the time window may be narrower--you will be informed of this in the invitation).
Q: I’ve completed the registration, so now what?
A: Thanks for registering. We cannot predict exactly when you will receive your first invitation to participate in a study, but we usually start one or two new studies every week so it shouldn't take too long. The software selects appropriate subjects and issues invitations, partly on a random basis. The exact selection criteria vary from one study to the next, but if you want to have the opportunity to participate in multiple studies, please be sure to read all instructions carefully and to do your best to perform all tasks in a serious manner--our software assess these things using numerous different criteria. Emailing us directly to request a study is not necessary.
Q: Do you email me when a study is available or do I need to keep checking back to my account?
A: There is no need to keep logging in to check for a study, because the portal will automatically send out an email informing you that a study has become available and will provide a link to view the details. However, there is no pressure to begin any study that the portal emails you.
Q: What happens when I begin a study?
A: When you select a study, you will be provided with an Informed Consent form for your approval before beginning. As described on the Informed Consent form, you can quit participating in any study you want and at any time. Also, registering on the portal does not commit you to participating in any study, so there is no pressure to participate.
A: Rate of pay will be approximately US $10.00/hour. In addition, some studies will also offer additional bonuses based on performance. In other words, you can win extra money by paying close attention and trying hard. However, in some studies, luck may also play a role.
A: All payments are by e-gift card at Amazon.com and you may check your balance at anytime, simply by logging into your studies.dualtask2.org account. You will have the option to cash-out at anytime as long as you have over $5.00 (because Amazon requires a $5.00 minimum gift card). You will receive a payment email directly from Amazon with your e-gift card information.
IMPORTANT NOTE: that there is a $5.00 fee for each e-gift card (we have to process these orders manually on our end, so we want you to have an incentive to do multiple experiments between gift card “cash-outs”.) *The $5.00 fee is waived though for anyone who has not been sent an invitation for a time period of 4 months.
Q: I participated in a study and earned some money, so how do I cash out?
A: To cash out, you simply login to your Portal account and click the My Earnings tab. Once you have accumulated enough for an Amazon e-gift card, a "CASH OUT" button will appear with your total earnings. You may wish to cash out immediately or continue to build up your earnings. You will need a minimum of $10 to cash out (please read the other payment related FAQs for more detailed information).
Q: Can I be paid through Paypal, instead of Amazon e-gift cards?
A: Unfortunately, Paypal is not an option for payment at this time. We are only authorized to offer Amazon.com e-gift cards. You may use the e-gift card code to purchase items that Amazon provides on their website. If you have specific questions related to Amazon (eg. Can Amazon ship internationally), you will need to visit the website directly to obtain the information. www.amazon.com
A: Unfortunately, you must respond to the email invitations and reminders that you are sent within a specific time frame. If you miss this window, then the portal can NOT allow you to continue the study, because it could unintentionally corrupt the results of our experiments. If it is the case that you have attempted to login during the appropriate time window and you are still unable to, then double check that you did NOT misspell your login and/or password. If everything is correct, then you may want to try to reset your password. See below.
A: First, you should check your SPAM/JUNK folder, because sometimes the email spam filter prevents the messages from making it to your INBOX. Note: you can always change your password once you login to the portal, using the SETTINGS menu.
Q: What if I decide to change my email address?
A: You may update your email address at anytime and then from that point on, any invitations for new studies, will be sent to your updated address. However, you should NOT change your email address if you are currently in the middle of a MULTIPLE session study, because the portal (i.e. the program that sends out the invitations, stores data, etc.), is independent of the actual experiment programs. Therefore, IF you have started a multiple session experiment under an old email address, any follow-up reminder messages for that specific study will be sent directly from the experiment program. In other words, the reminders will it will be sent to the original email that you started the study with, regardless of any update to email address on the portal.
Q: What if I begin a study and lose internet connection in the middle of the session?
A: Unfortunately, once the session has been launched, there isn't much we can do if your internet signal is disrupted during the task. Sadly, we do *not* have the option to restart the session once the program begins, and we are *not* be able to keep the data without completion of the entire study. Therefore, be sure to use a wired network connection (vs. wireless/wifi), to minimize any temporary loss in signal.
If you still experience problems after following the instructions provided on the FAQ sheet, please email us at studies@dualtask.org with the details of your situation so that we may further assist you.