Normative Data Collection FAQs

How Can I Learn More About Becoming a Normative Data Collector?

NDC Overview Video: Watch our introductory video for a quick overview here.

Steps to Becoming a Normative Data Collector (NDCer)

1. Sign into your R-PAS account and click on the “Help with Normative Data Collection” link at the center menu, or click on the “Normative Data Collection” link in the left menu.
2. Review the "Hello Potential Normative Data Collectors" link, read the specific steps and benefits of becoming a data collector. If you prefer, you can read the same documents at this link
3. If you have questions, let us know at info@r-pas.org or ndc@r-pas.org .
4. After clarifying your questions, you can sign the NDC agreement online.

How to Sign the NDC Agreement Online?

1. Login into your R-PAS account.
2. Click the “Help with Normative Data Collection” link at the center menu, or click on “Normative Data Collection” link in the left menu.
3. Click on “Normative Data Collection Agreement” link.
4. Read carefully and complete the agreement.
5. Click on “Submit to R-PAS”
6. Done, you are now an official NDCer!

How to Take the Coding Proficiency Exam?

1. Login into your R-PAS account.
2. After signing and completing your agreement, you will see a new link, "My Normative Data Collection Contributions." From this link you will be able to access links for the Coding and the Administration Proficiencies.
3. Click on the "Coding Proficiency" link and follow the instructions to take the online coding assessment.

For details on the proficiency exam, read the "Hello Potential R-PAS Normative Data Collectors Document" file in our Documentation Folder.

How to Take the Administration Proficiency Exam?

For this, we have two options.(1) Quiz + Live Administration or (2) Video Recording. Both versions are explained in the “Hello Potential R-PAS Normative Data Collectors” file, which can be found here. We strongly recommend you use the option “Quiz + Live Administration.” This option is more streamlined and considerably faster, less time-consuming, and fewer resources are needed.

1. Quiz + Live Administration (Recommended option)

To initiate this option, email us at ndc@r-pas.org to express your interest. We will then send you a link to complete the quiz. Once you pass the quiz, we will assign a reviewer to you, who will contact you to schedule the live administration portion of the exam.

1. Quiz: consists of 20 multiple-choice questions asking what the assessor should do when a specific situation occurs during R-PAS administration.
2. Live Administration: You will administer R-PAS to one of our reviewers. The reviewer will be your respondent, and you will be the assessor. The reviewer will provide six to eight responses and evaluate your skills partly based on the live assessment and partly based on the documented record you generate from the administration.

Feedback and reviewer's letter is received in a few days, usually within a week.

2. Video Recording (Not recommended)

To initiate this option, after you sign the NDC agreement online, follow these steps:

1. Login to your R-PAS account,
2. Click on “Normative Data Collection” link on the left menu.
3. Click on “Original Video Format Administration Proficiency.”
4. Submit all five documents requested (video recording, transcription of the video, location chart, code sequence, and administration checklist)

Feedback and the reviewer's letter are received in a couple of weeks; it takes more time than the previous option.

How to Submit Protocols to NDC?

View Uploading NDC Protocols

You can only submit protocols to NDC after passing both the coding and administration proficiency tests. So, be sure you have achieved your proficiency tests before trying to submit data.

When submitting protocols, make sure you have the following documents organized:

• The protocol's complete coding (coded on the R-PAS website).
• The protocol's transcription (Response Phase and Clarification following R-PAS standards). It does not need to be translated into English; you can submit the transcription in the language you administered the protocol originally.
• The protocol’s location sheet.
• Respondent's sociodemographic information.

Once you have these documents. proceed through the following steps:

1. Login into your R-PAS account.
2. Click in “My Normative Data Collection Contributions” link at the center menu, or click in “Normative Data Collection” link in the left menu.
3. Click on “View Protocols and Copy them to R-PAS”, you will be sent to the your protocol page.
4. Select the protocol you want to submit
   • You have to select one protocol at a time, because for each protocol you have to upload the transcription, location sheet, and/or other supporting documents.
5. Click on “Submit Protocols to R-PAS” to upload your protocol.
6. Next, fill in your respondent’s sociodemographic information and upload your transcription, location sheets, and/or other supporting documentation.
7. After you have uploaded your documents, click in “Submit to R-PAS.”
8. Done! Now you are ready to submit your next protocol (follow the same steps for each new protocol).

What Are the Inclusion Criteria for NDC?

To be included in the R-PAS norms all of the following need to be answered "Yes":

1. Respondent does not know the examiner;
2. Over the last 6 months, has not had severe psychiatric problems (e.g., major depression, psychosis, severe trauma) or been an inpatient or in intensive treatment for any psychiatric, substance-related, or medical disorder;
3. Was not diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder as a child (e.g., mental retardation, autism-spectrum);
4. Was not recruited from a clinical setting (e.g., psychotherapy or diagnostic assessment practice);
5. If an older adult, is living independently with no required assistance for daily living.

Benefits of Being an NDCer

The NDC Agreement provides a complete list of Benefits. The updated version of the agreement is available here.

Do I Need to Translate My Protocols to Submit to NDC?

No, you don’t need to translate the transcriptions (Response Phase and Clarification Phase) to English in order to submit to NDC. You can submit them in the same language you administered the R-PAS. For instance, if you administered the R-PAS in Portuguese or Italian, you can submit the protocols in Portuguese or Italian.