Thank you for considering participating in our study! Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
Q: Do I have to download something to my phone? Is it safe?
A: Yes, we have created our own safe and simple phone app, which has been approved for use by Android and Apple phones. Android users download the app from Google Play Store, and iPhone users from the Apple store. Simply type "Zemi" in the search box and download it on your phone. When the 7 days are over, you can remove the app from your phone.
Q: What exactly will I be doing?
A: If you decide to join this study, you will first indicate the date when you wish to start. Next, you will receive an email confirming your participation dates and providing you with detailed instructions about how to install the Zemi app on your phone and use it to answer survey questions. You will also receive instructions on how to access the online time diary to be completed at the end of each day you receive prompts. To start the study, you will have to log into the Zemi app using your UAS login number and password. Once you are logged in, you will indicate, for each day of the study, your preferred time window during which you will receive survey prompts.
On each of the three days during the study week, you will receive four random prompts on your phone. The prompts will be sent between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM. After each prompt, you will answer a short 2-minute survey using the Zemi app. You will have 30 minutes to complete a survey after the prompt. At the end of each of the three survey days, you will also complete an "End of Day" survey. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes.
Q: What if I can't respond to every prompt during the day?
A: We are asking you to only participate in the study if you think you will be able to answer all or most of the survey prompts each day. Of course, we do not want you to answer if you are driving, or at any time when it is not safe. To make sure you don’t miss a prompt, you should keep your phone nearby during the day while you are participating in this study. If you miss one prompt, that is not a problem. You will just do the next one. We will pay you for every prompt that you can answer.
Most participants find that they are able to manage to answer the prompts quite easily. However, if your work or your duties will not allow you to answer most or all of the beeps during the day, then this project may not be for you.
Q: What is the end of day time diary survey?
A: The end of day survey is an online time diary survey that we will ask you to complete at the end of each of the three days you will receive prompts. You can complete this survey in the same way you usually fill out UAS surveys (using your smartphone or a laptop/computer). You will be asked to report the activities you performed over the last 24 hours, divided in 15-minute time slots and starting at 4 AM. This time diary survey should take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Q: How much time does it take and how much will I earn for participating?
A: Answering the survey questions takes about 3 minutes. Completing the time diary takes about 10-15 minutes. So, answering the four prompts and the time diary in a day takes about 12 minutes. You will earn $2 each time you answer a 3-minute survey and $10 for completing the time diary. Hence, you can earn up to $18 per day or up to $54 for the week of this study.
If you have any other questions about the study before you decide, please give us a call at 855-872-8673 or send an email to the UAS helpdesk:
UAShelp@usc.edu