Field research FAQs
Who can be a Field Research Examiner for Pearson?
Qualified professionals who not only have experience with the assessments that are in development, but who also have access to a broad range of potential candidates. Each project has allowable professions that can participate, but generally Examiners are required to have completed a master’s level assessment course. Our Examiners must be licensed within their field and be in good standing. For some projects, graduate students are allowed to participate as Examiners under appropriate supervision.
Does Pearson provide candidates for me to test?
Pearson will not provide candidates for data collection. Examiners are responsible for recruiting their own candidates. In most cases, Examiners recruit candidates that are clients, students, and friends. Some Examiners are able to recruit from their community by contacting organizations such as daycare facilities, churches, assisted living centers, social services centers, community centers, and clubs.
How do I find willing candidate participants?
Consider using existing networks to recruit candidates and then ask those candidates to refer friends and family to you. Social media posts present a low-pressure way to engage potential candidates and give others the opportunity to like content and share your posts. Do not falsely represent yourself as an employee of Pearson. Rather, explain the process of participating in data collection and your role as a Field Research Examiner. Creating flyers, posters, and letters and displaying them in public spaces (e.g., coffee shops, county service bulletin boards, food pantries, day care centers, community centers) are often permissible. Our Field Research team will provide tools and support throughout the life of the project to help you in your recruiting efforts!
Is there a minimum number of candidates I am obligated to test?
No, you are not obligated to test a minimum number of candidates to participate in data collection. However, as a general rule, we ask Examiners to recruit enough candidates to receive at least 5 assignments per project. Many of our Examiners test more than 5 candidates! (Candidates from diverse ethnic backgrounds and lower education levels are more likely to be selected for testing.)
Will participants receive test results?
No. We are unable to provide scores or results because the tests are conducted solely for research purposes and are not used to provide individual feedback. Candidates will not receive diagnosis, diagnostic information, or test result interpretation. We use the information that we obtain to select items for the final version of the test and to determine the range of possible scores. All the data collected are used for research purposes only and will be kept confidential.
Will the Examiner and candidates receive compensation?
We offer compensation to both Examiners and candidates that complete testing during a data collection project. Examiners are compensated via check or direct deposit for usable tests. Candidates are compensated with a digital gift card for each test completed. *Compensation amounts will vary by project.
How does the field research process work?
Once an Examiner registration has been completed, access is granted to the Field Research Portal and to the Examiner Hub, a website detailing information about current and upcoming projects. Examiners will select the projects they would like to participate in, then work with a Field Research Team Member to recruit candidates, learn to use the Portal, and to manage project assignments.
All candidate information is entered into the Examiner’s Portal Account and will be reviewed by a Field Research Team Member who will select those who qualify, then assign them to specific assessments or a combination of validity and reliability tests. The Examiner may be required to participate in some training before administering any testing for a project, or before coordinating the completion of specific forms.
Before testing any candidates, a completed consent form is required. Examiners can securely email a Pearson-provided consent form via the Field Research Portal to adult participants or the parents/guardians of the child participant.
Some tests are administered digitally while others are completed in a paper-and-pencil format. The assessments are often individually administered by a qualified Examiner such as a Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, etc., while others may be completed by someone who knows the test candidate, such as a parent or teacher. Once an assignment is completed, data is reviewed by Pearson to ensure that all administration rules were followed and to ensure that the data are usable. Feedback related to test administration will be provided as appropriate to ensure the quality of the data.
Whom do I contact if I have more questions?
If you have any questions, please contact the Pearson Field Research Examiner Relations team.
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If you have any questions, please contact the Pearson Field Research Examiner Relations team.