Orientation

Overview

Whether you have just become a new lab member for ten minutes or have been here for five years, full lab members are expected to actively contribute to the lab’s work, create and utilize its methodologies, and be accountable to all stakeholders and rightsholders involved in the lab’s projects. Due to their integral role in the lab community, full lab members undergo an extensive onboarding process.

I understand that this may seem overwhelming at first, but this process is essential for several reasons: it ensures the safety of our data, helps you understand the lab’s research agenda, and guides you in conducting research that aligns with our core values.

First Tasks

  1. Read Parts 1-4 of the Handbook. Feel free to leave comments, questions, and other marks in the Lab book. It is, after all, your lab book, too.

  2. Meet with Dr. Paulette to get access to your student folder and set up QNAP server and Zotero in your computer.

  3. If you are a graduate student or postdoc you will spend the first couple of months reading ALL of our Essential Readings folder. For undergraduates and research interns you will be given select readings based on your project

IRB Training

IRB training, or Institutional Review Board training, is a mandatory program that educates researchers about ethical guidelines and regulations for conducting research involving human subjects. It is crucial in social sciences research to ensure the protection of participants’ rights, privacy, and well-being. Therefore, this process is a mandatory step for all lab members.

Registration in CITI Training

  1. Go to www.citiprogram.org to register for a new account.

  2. Click on “Register” in the box “Create an account” to create a new account.

  3. Select “New Mexico State University” for your Organizational Affiliation.

  4. Provide all pertinent information and create your personal username and password.

  5. Follow the directions to finalize your CITI account registration.

Enrolling in Human Subjects Course

  1. You will be presented with a series of questions or options to enable you to enroll in the Learner Group appropriate to your interests or your role in Human Subject Research.  The course(s) you enroll in depends on your answers to the “Select Curriculum” questions. For Human Subjects training, scroll down to “Question 1” and check the first box titled “Social/Behavioral/Educational Researchers”.

  2. After you click “Submit,” the next page is the “Main Menu”.  This page lists the courses you have selected.

  3. Click the “Title of the Course” to enter the grade book and begin or continue the course.  

  4. Complete the Integrity Assurance Statement presented at the top after clicking a course title. The system will allow you to start taking the course modules after completing the Statement.

  5. Complete the “Required” modules and associated quizzes, as well as the number of “Elective” modules and associated quizzes. You must obtain an average score of 80% on all quizzes. A running tally is compiled in the grade book. You may repeat any quiz if you want to improve your score. However, scores obtained after a completion report has been issued will not be reflected on the completion report.

  6. When all Required modules and appropriate Elective modules have been completed, you will be shown a list of “Optional” modules. NOTE: Optional modules do NOT count toward IRB training certification, nor do they appear on your completion report. You may return to the course site at any future time to review these Optional modules.

  7. When all Required modules and appropriate Elective modules have been completed, you may print or download your Completion Report by clicking on “Print Report” from the Main Menu or your “Previously Completed Coursework” page. Note: You may return to the course site at any future time to print or download a copy of the completion report.  You may access any completion reports you have earned through the “My Reports” page.

  8. If you have completed CITI training from another institution, you can transfer certificate completions from that institution to NMSU.  After logging in to CITI, you will need to affiliate with New Mexico State University.  “Click here to affiliate with another institution” link on your CITI Main Menu to add an affiliation. When you are affiliated with both institutions, enroll in the courses that need to be transferred under both institutions, via the “Add a Course” link under the appropriate institution, if necessary. You will need to enroll in the same stage of the course (Basic/Refresher) for a proper transfer to occur. Once you are enrolled in the courses, any modules that are shared between the institutions will have their credit transferred automatically. The transfer is based on each module’s unique ID number. If the courses do not match exactly, not all credit will transfer and you may need to complete the difference in modules at your new institution to get full credit for a Completion Report. Each institution determines the period in which modules are transferable. This period can span any time between 1 and 10 years. Some institutions opt out of this option and do not allow modules to transfer.