Field Research | Examiner Hub FAQ

Becoming an Examiner

What are the responsibilities of a Pearson Field Research examiner?

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.

Do I need to keep up with my Examiner ID number?

Yes. As a Field Research examiner, you have been issued a Member ID number. This is your unique Pearson examiner identification number. You will include it on record forms that you administer. This number is also used to locate examiners in our data management system; therefore, including it in all communication (e.g., emails, phone calls) can improve your experience.

Other than compensation, what are the benefits to being a Field Research examiner?

There are many other reasons why professionals choose to work with Pearson on product development:

Ability to preview the latest revision of an assessment
Recognition in the product manual
Assurance that the populations you work with are represented in the norms
Opportunity to provide direct feedback to the development team throughout the experience

Is there a minimum number of candidates I am obligated to test?

Do you have recruiting flyers or handouts?

Candidate Assignments

Why do I need to submit candidate names in advance?

Pearson’s data collection projects must be considered “demographically correct”: Pearson must represent the U.S. population based on U.S. Census data for race/ethnicity, region of the country, and socioeconomic background.

Assignment for testing is done in advance to ensure the correct diversity of individuals are tested. In other words, all the candidates cannot be of one race/ethnicity or come from one part of the country.

What information do I need to enter candidates into the Field Research Portal?

Be prepared to provide the following information for each candidate:

Name
Date of birth
Sex
Race/ethnicity
Any formal diagnosis
If candidate has a diagnosis, clinical diagnostic information to support the diagnosis
Medications
Services/treatments
Candidate's highest education completed (if 18 years or older)
Parents' highest education completed (if 24 years or younger)
With whom candidate lives or most recently lived (if 24 years or younger)
Whether candidate speaks and/or understands English
Whether candidate speaks and/or understands a language other than English
If candidate speaks Spanish, what is their country of origin
If candidate is under 18 years and speaks Spanish, what is their parents' country of origin

Can you explain the parent/self-education level requirements?

Pearson uses parent or self-education as a proxy for socioeconomic background because generally, income is proportionate to the amount of education completed. When you nominate a candidate, you will be asked for the education level of the mother, father, and self. Education levels include:

Attended 8th grade or less
Attended 9th grade through 12th grade, without a high school diploma or GED
High school diploma or GED
Some college credit or associate degree
4-year degree or higher

It is important to become familiar with the education levels for your specific project because you will be responsible for verifying that the candidate you tested matches the demographics that were first presented.

How do I find willing 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. Flyer templates are available on the Project Pages of the Examiner Hub.

How do I get consent for testing?

Each candidate will need an Annual Consent Form on file for that calendar year. Annual Consent Forms are required before testing and are sent to the candidate (or parent/guardian) via their email. To send the Annual Consent Form, log in to your account in the Field Research Portal, navigate to the correct candidate, and click the Consent button.

How do I know the population that is needed for the project?

The Examiner Hub is the best place to find this information. The project overview describes a general idea of the population that is needed by age or grade band as well as special needs populations. Consistent among all projects is the need for diversity by region of the country, race/ethnicity, and education level.

As the project evolves, the Examiner Relations team will make available lists of specific needs. These needs are also found on the Examiner Hub under the Projects tab. As specific needs become more urgent, the Examiner Relations team may reach out via email as well. The project needs become more and more restricted as time passes. An awareness of current needs will help in your recruitment efforts to find candidates.

How is a candidate selected for an assignment?

Pearson’s goal is to ensure demographic and socioeconomic neutrality by collecting a sample that is an accurate representation of the U.S. population. Typically developing candidates (i.e., those without any major medical or psychological diagnoses) are selected and given assignments based on this representation. Clinical candidates are selected depending on diagnoses. Often clinical score criteria is required. If you have access to clinical populations, please submit the Clinical Diagnostic Information Form (CDIF) found within the Candidates tab in the Field Research Portal. The specific needs for both the normative and clinical samples are found on the Project Page of the Examiner Hub.

I have a candidate who meets the current needs. Why aren’t they assigned yet?

How do I launch a digital assignment through the Field Research Portal?

If a questionnaire or rating form is needed, you may need to launch that assessment digitally. To do so:

Go to the Assignments tab in the Field Research Portal.
Select the candidate assigned to the digital assignment.
To the right of the assigned digital test, click the Send Test icon.
Review the adult candidate or parent/guardian email address and check the box to the right.
In the Notes section, add any comments that you would like to appear in the body of the email.
Click Send.

How do I return a completed test to Field Research?

For Tests administered Using Q-interactive Assess

Connect to Wi-Fi.
Click Submit Test on the homepage of the Assess app.

For Paper Tests

Ensure the entire protocol has been completed.
Place the protocol(s) in the provided UPS prepaid envelope addressed to San Antonio, TX (multiple tests may be placed in one envelope).

Are there due dates for my assignments?

Will I get feedback on my completed tests?

Typically, you will not receive feedback on your completed tests. However, some projects require a review of your first completed test before administering subsequent assignments. If a review of your first test is required, the Examiner Hub will clearly state this need and the Examiner Relations team will also let you know when making the first assignment. Please reference the Requirements section of the Assignments in the Field Research Portal for administration requirements.

What does Test Status mean for the test events I have completed in the Field Research Portal? 

Usable

The data is good. Payment will be issued to the examiner and examinee.

In Process

The test has been received and is under review. There may be other test components that have not been received or other discrepancies (e.g., education, date of birth, ethnicity) that need to be resolved. The Examiner Relations team will contact you if any additional information is needed.

Unusable

We are unable to use the data in the sample. Contact the Examiner Relations team for feedback.

Why is my test in an Unusable status?

General Questions

Who do I contact if I have more questions?

What is the best way to disinfect the Pearson iPads?

After each test event, place the used devices in a resealable gallon-size plastic bag labeled “dirty.” When cleaning the iPads, use a soft, lint-free cloth to gently wipe the exterior surfaces, including the display, using a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution or disinfecting wipe that does not contain bleach.

After cleaning the devices, return them to their storage box.
Avoid abrasive cleaning cloths including paper towels.
Do not excessively wipe the surface of the device.
Unplug the device from any cables and external power sources.
Avoid getting moisture into any openings.
Do not spray aerosol or other spray cleaners directly on the device.
To learn more about this topic, refer to Apple Support for cleaning guidelines.

How does the Field Research process work?

After completing the examiner application:

Review the projects and the qualified professions for each listed on the Examiner Hub.

Recruit candidates according to the Candidate Criteria for any projects for which your profession is qualified, then add their information to your account in the Field Research Portal.

The Examiner Relations team will send a message to your account in the Field Research Portal to gauge your interest in current data collection projects. If you are interested in participating in the data collection project for the given assessment, respond accordingly.

The Examiner Relations team will continuously review your candidates to look for any who match the demographic needs of the project. Eligible candidates will be assigned a specific test(s). Candidate inclusion and exclusion criteria can be found on the Examiner Hub.

The Examiner Relations team will send you testing materials and you will receive a message that you have an assignment in your account in the Field Research Portal. Please log in to the Field Research Portal and review the assignment requirements. Verify that your candidate is qualified by reviewing the candidate inclusion and exclusion information on the Examiner Hub. If your candidate is not qualified, decline the assignment in the Field Research Portal.

After the test kit has been delivered, review the test materials, and complete any needed training.

Coordinate with the candidate to schedule and complete testing within the assigned due date.

When notified that all testing is complete, send back the completed materials immediately.

How do I receive materials for testing?

How do I access the Field Research Portal if my password does not work/my account is locked?

Reset your password and/or unlock your account using the Field Research Portal by selecting Unlock Account and answering your security question. If you experience issues while resetting your password or unlocking your account, contact the Examiner Relations team at +1 (800) 233-5686 or FRExaminerSupport@pearson.com. You will need to provide the username and email address the account is registered under.

Payments

Will my examinee or I be compensated?

Yes. Examiner payments will process 4–6 weeks after Field Research has reviewed the data and deemed the completed test usable. Examiners will be paid for usable cases only. Once processed, the payment will be issued as a check by mail or direct deposit.

All examinee payments will be digital and will be processed in 1–3 weeks after all test components have arrived at the Pearson office. Examinees will choose to receive the digital gift card via text or email while completing the candidate demographic questionnaire.

How can I avoid payment delays?

There are several ways to avoid payment delays.

Ensure that your Examiner and/or Site Profile is current and includes a mailing address and contact information.
Submit an IRS Form W-9 annually and whenever a name or address change occurs. Ensure that your Examiner and/or Site Profile matches the name and address provided on the IRS Form W-9.
Registering for direct deposit can expedite payment.
Ensure all examinee payment and contact information is accurate and complete in the Field Research Portal.
Never use the examiner or site address and contact information in place of an examinee’s. If an examinee does not have an address, instruct them to use the address of a close friend or relative.

How can I verify if my candidate was paid for testing?

Is there a limit to how much a candidate can earn?

iPad Support

Can I use my personal set of iPads for Q-interactive projects?

No, Field Research will supply participating examiners with a set of loaner iPads for test events administered through Q-interactive. The Assess app on the Field Research iPads is configured for field testing. Regardless of whether an examiner has a subscription to Q-interactive or a set of personal iPads, only the iPads supplied by Field Research will work for field testing.

I got a pop-up about logging into iCloud. What should I do?

What is the difference between the Sync and Submit Test buttons in Assess?

I can't log in to the Assess app. What do I do?

Ensure you are connected to Wi-Fi. Check the iPad settings to verify they were configured correctly.

Login credentials are the same as what is used for your account in the Field Research Portal.

If the settings are correct and you are still unable to log in, please contact FRExaminerSupport@pearson.com.

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