How to Run an Experiment (In progress

How to Run an Experiment

Human Subjects Training and FID
1. If you are new to the lab, you will need to complete human subjects training, request key access to the lab space, and if you plan to be involved in fMRI studies you will also need to become level 1 or level 2 certified at the BIC. Please see the Onboarding for new members! page for more details and instructions on how to complete your training.
Cash Advances
1. Before you can begin running paid participants, you will need to be able to pay them.
2. The Cash Advance Request Form is available here: Cash Advances.
3. Once you have received your cash advance, you should deposit it in the lab safe (see graduate students for code!).
Tracking Participant Information
1. As you get ready to begin running a study, take some time and put some thought into how you will track all of the subject information you will need such as subject participation info, unique ID #, payment info, contact info etc. Please see the Tracking and Storing Participant Information page for more detailed information about the Lab's policy regarding tracking participant data.
2. Be sure to keep track of your scan times and subject payment information, because you need to send out an email containing information about scanner usage (even if it was just developmental time) and subject payments totals.
Participant recruitment
1. Once you have completed your human subjects training, BIC training if needed, and have been added to the Lab's IRB protocol, you are ready to begin running human subjects.
Scheduling Participants

Running Participants
1. Be sure you have access to a signed check BEFORE running a participant (see the Cash Advances & Lab Bank Account Info page).
2. Behavioral Subjects
  1. Behavioral consent form available on LewPeaLab Dropbox > STUFF > Forms > Consent Forms or here: https://www.dropbox.com/home/STUFF/Forms/Consent%20Forms
  2. Optional demographics sheet available on LewPeaLab Dropbox > STUFF > Forms > Demographics or here: https://www.dropbox.com/home/STUFF/Forms/Demographics
3. fMRI Subjects
  1. Please see the Running Participants page for a more detailed walkthrough on how to run fMRI participants.
  2. If the participant request a copy of their brain image at the conclusion of a scan, please see the Scanning Policies page for information about the current lab policy about sharing images and anatomical information.
Subject Payment
1. At the conclusion of the subject's participation, write them a check from the The Lewis-Peacock Lab bank account based on the Lab's IRB approved rates (see the Subject Payment page).
2. Be sure to have the participant sign your Subject Payment Log form available in the LewPeaLab Dropbox > STUFF > Forms > Subject Payments > Subject Payment Log or here: https://www.dropbox.com/home/STUFF/Forms/Subject%20Payments
Storing Data
1. At the IRC
  1. OSIRIX
  2. Thumb drive
2. In the Lab
  1. Dropbox
  2. Google Drive
  3. Please see the Tracking and Storing Participant Information page for more detailed information about the Lab's IRB approved methods of storing study data.
3. TACC
  1. XNAT
  2. Corral
  3. Please see the How to Process Neural Data page for more information on how to store and process your neural data.
Analyzing Data
1. Preprocessing fMRI Data
  1. Please see the How to Process Neural Data page for more information on how to store and process your neural data.
2. GLM Analysis
3. MVPA Analysis
4. Realtime fMRI
Creating a Poster
1. When it comes time to present your research findings at a meeting or conference, you may need to print a poster. Please see the How to Print a Poster page for a step-by-step walkthrough of how to use the printer in SEA 2.124.
Monthly Scanning Charges and Subject Payments Report
1. At the end of every month the Lab Coordinator will send out a lab email requesting that each experimenter send an email detailing their scanner usage (even if it was just developmental time) and subject payments totals. Please see the Monthly Scanning Charges and Subject Payments Report page for more details on what should be included in your email.