Asa24 login

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Instructions for the ASA24 Researcher Website:

2016 and 2014 Versions

Updated January 2017

ASA24 is a registered trademark of HHS.

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Contents

1. About the ASA24 System .......................................................................................................... 1

2. Key Considerations for Researchers ......................................................................................... 3

3. System Requirements ............................................................................................................... 8

4. Registering to Use the ASA24 System ....................................................................................... 9

5. Overview of the ASA24 Researcher Website .......................................................................... 10

6. Setting Up a Study ................................................................................................................... 15

7. Monitoring Study Progress ..................................................................................................... 38

8. Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 42

9. Key Terms ................................................................................................................................ 46

10. Tips for Managing Studies Using the ASA24 System .............................................................. 50

11. Helpful Links ............................................................................................................................ 51

Appendix A: ASA24 Researcher Agreement ................................................................................. 52

Appendix B: Nutrients and Food Groups Included in ASA24 Analysis Reports ............................ 54

Appendix C: Responses/My Selections Data Dictionary ............................................................... 60

Appendix D: Individual Foods and Nutrient (INF) Data Dictionary ............................................... 61

Appendix E: Items/Individual Foods and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary .......................... 62

Appendix F: Daily Total Nutrients Data Dictionary ....................................................................... 63

Appendix G: Totals/Daily Total Nutrient and Pyramid Equivalents Data Dictionary.................... 64

Appendix H: Individual Supplements Data Dictionary .................................................................. 65

Appendix I: Daily Total Supplements Data Dictionary .................................................................. 66

Appendix J: Daily Total Nutrients from Foods and Supplements Data Dictionary ....................... 67

Appendix K: Modules .................................................................................................................... 68

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Tables

Table 6-1. Import File Specifications ............................................................................................. 32

Figures

Figure 4-1. Registering to Use the ASA24 System .......................................................................... 9

Figure 5-1. My Studies Tab ........................................................................................................... 10

Figure 5-2. Edit Study Details ........................................................................................................ 11

Figure 5-3. Respondent Accounts ................................................................................................. 12

Figure 5-4. Track Recalls/Records Tab .......................................................................................... 13

Figure 5-5. Analytic Files Tab ........................................................................................................ 14

Figure 6-1. Create a New Study .................................................................................................... 15

Figure 6-2. Modules ...................................................................................................................... 19

Figure 6-3. Outline of the Steps in the Respondent Account Wizard ........................................... 21

Figure 6-4. Step 1: Determine a starting ID number .................................................................... 22

Figure 6-5. Step 2: Determine number of Respondents ............................................................... 22

Figure 7-1 Track Recall / Record, by Respondent ......................................................................... 39

Figure 7-2 Track Recall / Record, By Recall / Record .................................................................... 41

Figure 8-1. Analytic Files Tab ........................................................................................................ 45

Figure 8-2. One Respondent (instant) .......................................................................................... 46

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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1. About the ASA24 System

The Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool was developed by

the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to enable multiple, automatically coded self-administered

24-hour recalls. The ASA24 system can be used by researchers for epidemiologic,

interventional, behavioral or clinical research. Clinicians can utilize this tool to collect 24-hour

recalls or food records from patients and receive complete nutrient analysis of the foods

consumed during the collection timeframe. Educators may find it useful to have nutrition

students analyze intake or compare diet assessment methods using ASA24.

The most recent version of the ASA24 system, ASA24-2016, ASA24-Canada-2016, and ASA24-

Australia-2016 can also be used as a food record, also called a food diary. Food records are

useful for real-time data collection and for promoting dietary change.

Researchers should determine whether using recalls or food records best suits their research

needs, as well as how, when and how many recalls or food records should be administered to

produce optimal data. More information about choosing an assessment method can be found

in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Dietary Assessment Primer.

The ASA24 system consists of a Respondent website, used to collect data from participants, and

a Researcher Website, used to manage study logistics and access nutrient and food group data

files.

The ASA24 Respondent Website guides the participant through the completion of either a 24-

hour recall for the previous day (from midnight-to-midnight or for the past 24-hours) or for a

single or multiple day food record. The ASA24 instrument:

 Flows as per modified United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Automated

Multiple-Pass Method (AMPM) for 24-hour recalls, which was further adapted for

collection of food records;

 Allows researchers to specify timing of recall, either from midnight-to-midnight or for

the past 24-hours from time of login;

 Asks Respondents to report eating occasion and time of consumption;

 Requires Respondents to search to find foods, drinks and supplements;

 Asks detailed questions about food form, preparation, portion size, and additions so

that food codes can be assigned;

 Uses images to assist Respondents in reporting portion size;

 Allows the Respondent to add or modify food, drink, and supplement choices at

multiple points during the recall or record;

 Includes optional modules to query where meals were eaten, whether meals were

eaten alone or with others, television and computer use during meals, and source of

foods consumed;

http://dietassessmentprimer.cancer.gov/
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7710
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7710
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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 Includes an optional module to query dietary supplement intake;

 Is available in English and Spanish for U.S. versions; ASA24-Canada-2016 is available in

English and French; and ASA24-Australia-2016 and ASA24-Canada-2014 are available in

English only;

 Is accessible by individuals using assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

 NEW in the 2016 version is an optional Respondent Nutrition Report that Researchers

can choose to make available to Respondents. The Respondent Nutrition Report will

provide feedback on nutrient and food group intake in comparison with U.S. dietary

guidance. This report is available only for Respondents completing food recalls using the

U.S. version of ASA24-2016. This feature is under development for food records.

The versions of the ASA24 Respondent Website corresponding to these instructions are:

 ASA24-2016 (released March 2016);

 ASA24-Canada-2016 (released October 2016);

 ASA24-Australia-2016 (released December 2016);

 ASA24-2014 (released February 2014; no longer available for registering new studies);

 ASA24-Kids-2014 (released February 2014; no longer available for registering new

studies by March 2017);

 ASA24-Canada-2014 (released April 2014; no longer available for registering new

studies).

Information about the current and previous versions of the ASA24 Respondent Websites, the

Respondent Website Methodology, and ASA24 System Requirements is available on the

National Cancer Institute’s ASA24 Website.

The remainder of this document provides detailed instructions on the use of the ASA24

Researcher Website, which allows Researchers to register a study and its Respondents, set

study parameters (e.g., number of recalls, number of attempts per recall, time allowed for

Respondents to complete a recall, number of days in a record), manage study logistics, and

obtain analytic files. Instructions for the previous version of the Researcher Website are

available.

https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/researcher/instructions.html
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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2. Key Considerations for Researchers

Note: Definitions for ASAS24-specific terms and abbreviations can be found in the Key Terms

section at the end of this document; in the following section, the first occurrence of each key

term is linked to its definition in the Key Terms section.

How much does it cost to use the ASA24 system?

As part of its mission to advance measures and methods for monitoring cancer-related

behaviors and other risk factors, the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Risk Factor Assessment

Branch provides tools and resources to the extramural research community. Consistent with

that, the ASA24 system is available for use free of charge to researchers, clinicians, and

teachers.

Costs to consider when planning a study that uses ASA24 include system and labor costs

associated with uploading study details, including Respondent usernames and recall dates.

Costs also are associated with contacting and monitoring Respondents, assessing data quality,

and analyzing data. The labor and resources needed by researchers and associated costs to

configure and manage studies using the ASA24 system are within the purview and the

responsibility of users.

How can a Researcher gain access to the ASA24 system?

A researcher, clinician, or teacher who wishes to use the ASA24 system must create a

Researcher account before setting up a new study. To create a new user account, Researchers

must provide basic information: name, organization, phone number, and email address. All

Researchers must read and accept the ASA24 Researcher Agreement before creating an

account. Upon accepting the Agreement and completing the account creation form, the

Researcher will receive an email with a temporary password. The first time Researchers log into

the website they are required to change their password. Once a new password has been

chosen, a new study may be registered.

What documentation is available for Researchers interested in using the ASA24 system?

General information about the ASA24 system is available on the National Cancer Institute’s

(NCI) ASA24 Website. This Website includes helpful resources, such as Frequently Asked

Questions (FAQs), documents that can be used for funding and ethics proposals, help

documents to provide to study respondents, a list of known issues and workarounds, and links

to relevant publications.

In addition to this Researcher Website instruction document, sample Analytic Files and Data

Dictionaries that enable Researchers to view the nature of the output provided by the ASA24

are available for download from the NCI Website and the Researcher Website. The Data

http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/rfab/
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/rfab/
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/faq.html
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/faq.html
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/funding.html
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/resources.html
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/resources.html
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/issues.html
http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/resources/publications.html
https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/researcher/sample.html
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/researchersite/
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Dictionaries are included in Appendices C-J of this document. A Listserv that allows current and

potential users to communicate with other ASA24 users is also available.

How can a Researcher test or pilot the ASA24 system?

A demonstration version allows any interested user to complete a recall using the Respondent

Websites. The demonstration versions can be completed in English or Spanish for ASA24-2016,

ASA24-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2014. There are no demonstration versions for ASA24-Canada or

ASA24-Australia. Please note that the demonstration version does not provide analysis file

output.

Access to the full ASA24 system requires creating a Researcher user account and registering a

study. Once a study is set up and Respondent Accounts are created, login information for a

demonstration account (Demo_User) for that study’s Respondent Website will be available in

the first Username and Password file obtained after you register a study. Researchers can use

the Demo_User Account to familiarize themselves with the respondent experience and to verify

customizations made to the Respondent Website (e.g., study logo, welcome screen text,

selection of optional modules) during study setup (see Setting Up a Study). Data entered using

the Demo_User Account will not be saved and will not appear in output files available from the

Researcher Website.

To extensively test the ASA24 system, including saved data and output files, Researchers can

set up test user accounts by specifying StudyIDs for testing purposes. It is important to ensure

that these test StudyIDs can be distinguished from valid Respondent IDs in the output files so

that they can be deleted prior to study analyses. Therefore, for testing purposes, it is advisable

to use a distinct range of StudyIDs for test user accounts so that they can be distinguished from

the StudyIDs of study Respondents. Please conduct such testing within the context of an

existing study, rather than setting up a separate study whenever possible. Please see Setting Up

a Study for further information on creating Respondent Accounts in the ASA24 system.

Can the ASA24 system be used with individuals of all ages?

The ASA24 system was initially developed for use with adults. ASA24-Kids-2014 was modified

for use with U.S. children ages 10 years and older, but will no longer be available for new

studies after March 2017. To make the software user-friendly and appealing for this age group,

this version included a shorter list of foods and beverages from which to choose; this list was

based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) recall data for children. It

asked fewer detailed questions about food preparation, which led to more default coding of

foods using the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Surveys (FNDDS) version 4.1.

Funding is not currently available for a mobile accessible version for kids, such as ASA24-2016. Researchers using ASA24-Kids-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2012 will need to transition to ASA24-2016

https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A0=ASA24-L
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/Demo.aspx
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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by March 2017 if data collection for a study will continue beyond this date. More information

can be found on the ASA24-Kids Respondent Website.

What sample size can be accommodated by the ASA24 system?

The ASA24 system was designed to manage multiple, large epidemiologic studies simultaneously. Should a Researcher wish to use the ASA24 system for a very large study (i.e., thousands of Respondents), it is advisable to arrange the timing of recalls and records so that not all Respondents are attempting to access the system on the same days.

The Researcher Website is not currently optimized to manage a large number of Respondents (more than 10,000) within a single study. Please contact the ASA24 Help Desk if you have a need for a high volume of concurrent users to discuss management strategies.

How will study Respondents be notified about visiting the ASA24 Respondent Website to

complete their recalls?

It is the responsibility of the Researcher to contact Respondents to provide the URL for the

ASA24 Respondent Website, usernames and passwords to access the site, and details about

dates to complete their recalls or records. NCI has no access to any contact or identifying

information for study Respondents.

Usernames for study Respondents will be generated by the ASA24 system based on the study

abbreviation specified by the Researcher during study creation. Passwords can either be

provided by Researchers or generated by the ASA24 system. Respondents’ usernames and

passwords will be available for download from the Researcher Website once Respondent

Accounts have been created.

Who will need access to the ASA24 Researcher Website to manage a study?

Any study staff who will be involved in managing study logistics, overseeing Respondent

progress, and requesting reports and analytic files will need a username and password to access

the Researcher Website. Researchers can add or remove study staff at any time by logging into

the Researcher Website, selecting a study and choosing the Edit Study Details tab. To edit staff,

look for the blue button “Manage Study Staff.” Once staff are added to the staff via this

method, usernames and passwords will automatically be e-mailed to staff who were added.

Will my study involve Scheduled or Unscheduled recalls?

For 24-hour recalls only, when setting up a study, Researchers can select either Scheduled or

Unscheduled (or ad hoc) administration. Researchers will need to decide whether to use

Scheduled or Unscheduled recalls before creating Respondent Accounts and before any

Respondents can begin completing recalls.

http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/respondent/childrens.html
mailto:ASA24Helpdesk@westat.com
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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It is important to note that, once Respondent Accounts have been created,

a study cannot be changed from Unscheduled to Scheduled or from

Scheduled to Unscheduled. To do this, you must delete existing Respondent

Accounts, update the Study Type setting, and then create new Respondent

Accounts.

In a study with Scheduled recalls, the Intake Dates are designated during the initial study setup

using either the Respondent Accounts Wizard or the Import File (see Create Respondent

Accounts). The ASA24 Respondent Website will permit Respondent access only on the specified

Reporting Dates. Dates can be specified for multiple attempts for each recall in case the

Respondent does not complete the recall on the first assigned date. In some cases,

Unscheduled recalls may be preferred due to the unpredictable nature of clinic visits or classes.

In a study with Unscheduled recalls, Respondent access to ASA24 is not limited so long as the

Respondent has not reached the maximum number of recalls specified by the Researcher or the

study end date.

Will my study involve Consecutive or Nonconsecutive records?

For food records only, days of data collection can be either Consecutive or Nonconsecutive.

Researchers need to decide this before any Respondents begin completing records.

In a study with Consecutive records, researchers will be asked to specify the Number of

Consecutive Days, which is the maximum number of consecutive days that Respondents will

report for each Record. If collecting multiple consecutive day Records, the number of

consecutive days for each record must be the same.

The system will prevent record completion when Respondents attempt to complete a record

outside the study dates or for a number or days beyond that designated by the Researcher (i.e.,

for a study collecting 3-day records, the Respondent would not be allowed to report for an

additional day).

How many intake days can be reported by each Respondent?

Each unique username can be used to complete only the number of recalls or record days

specified by the Researcher. Recalls and records that are started, but not finished, count

towards this maximum. The maximum number of recalls or record days specified for a study

can be edited in Study Details on the Researcher Website after a study has been created.

How will the ASA24 system help me monitor my study’s progress?

During a study, the Researcher can visit the Researcher Website to view and download data on

Respondents’ progress, including the date of the next Scheduled recall for a Respondent (for

Scheduled studies), the number of completed recalls or records per Respondent, and other

progress metrics.

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Filter options for Tracking Recalls and Records include, among others:

 Recalls scheduled during a specific date range;

 Recalls or Record days not started; and

 Recalls or Record days with both food and supplement information completed.

What analytic output will I be able to access using the ASA24 system?

For the 2016 and 2014 versions of the ASA24 system, Researchers can access the Researcher

Website at any time once a study has begun to obtain analytic output files, including nutrient

and food group analyses. Files include a summary of Respondents’ quick list entries, food codes,

energy, nutrients/dietary constituents, MyPyramid Equivalent/Food Pyramid Equivalents,

supplement codes, and nutrients from supplements. Refer to the Data Analysis section for

detailed information about the analytic output available from the ASA24 system.

Analyses can be run for all Respondents (batch) or for the last recall or record of a particular

Respondent (individual). Output for batch requests is cumulative and will be available the

following day by 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time and output for individual requests will be available in

approximately 15 minutes.

If Researchers have selected the Respondent Nutrition Report option (currently available for

the U.S. ASA24-2016 version, recalls only), feedback regarding food group and nutrient intakes

in relation to dietary guidance is provided by the ASA24 system to Respondents and

Researchers. Respondent Nutrition Reports are downloadable in .pdf form and formatted for

the lay public. They will be available immediately after Respondents complete their recalls.

Respondent Nutrition Reports for food records are under development. More information is

available on Respondent Nutrition Reports.

Is the ASA24 system available in multiple languages?

The U.S. version of the ASA24 system is available to Respondents in both English and Spanish

for ASA24-2016, ASA24-2014, and ASA24-Kids-2014. It is available in English only for ASA24-

Canada-2014, and in English and French for ASA24-Canada-2016. It is available in English only

for ASA24-Australia-2016. When Respondents log in to the site, they can choose their preferred

language from available options. Regardless of which language is used to complete the recall,

all data on the Researcher Website will be in English.

How is Respondent confidentiality maintained within the ASA24 system?

Researchers do not provide NCI or the ASA24 system with any identifying data for study Respondents. Rather, Researchers specify a user ID for each Respondent and download system- generated usernames and encrypted passwords that Respondents use to access the application.

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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The ASA24 system also does not collect any identifying data directly from Respondents. IP

address information is accessed for the purpose of routing information between the server and

the Respondent’s computer. Often, the IP address is that of the user’s Internet Service Provider

(ISP). IP addresses are not stored or tracked by the ASA24 system. However, logs of connections

are kept for audit trail purposes. This information is not harvested in any way but would be

available if there were a legal obligation to release it.

Respondent data are protected by industry standard security controls. All data entered into the

ASA24 system are encrypted by the Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox) while

transmitted to the ASA24 servers using Secure Socket Layer protocol, or SSL. SSL allows for the

authentication of the sending and receiving computers. Only a particular study’s investigator(s)

and the ASA24 operations team can access response data using usernames and strong

passwords.

3. System Requirements

The ASA24 Researcher Website was designed to optimally display on a monitor size greater

than 10 inches. Additionally, a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or larger is recommended for

optimal display of the data grids.

Because data entered on one screen may affect the display of data on another screen, the

ASA24 system does not support the use of the Back or Forward buttons of your web browser.

Please use the tabs within the site for navigation (see Overview of the ASA24 Researcher

Website) for a summary of each tab).

The Respondent Websites for the 2016 versions of ASA24 were designed to display on all size

screens, including mobile devices such as smartphones. A recent version of a web browser

capable of displaying HTML5 is required.

Versions of the ASA24 Respondent Website prior to 2016 were designed to optimally display on

a monitor size greater than 10 inches. Additionally, for versions of the ASA24 Respondent

Website prior to 2016, a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or larger is recommended for optimal

display of the data grids and the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in is required. Browsers supporting

Silverlight can be found at: https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/.

https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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4. Registering to Use the ASA24 System

Registering to use the ASA24 system is free to researchers, clinicians, and educators. To

register, select the Register button on the Researcher Website. This button will take you to a

short form that will prompt you for some basic information required to create an account

(Figure 4-1). Fill in each of the required fields (noted by an asterisk), and select Submit.

After selecting the Submit button, you will receive two emails from

ASA24Helpdesk@westat.com. One email will contain a username and a temporary password;

the second email will contain usage information. Once you log in with the temporary password,

you will be prompted to change the password to one of your choosing. You may then register a

new study or explore the site.

Interested users may view the Respondent Website without registering a study. A

demonstration version of the Respondent Website provides access to view and try out ASA24-

2016. However, the demonstration versions will not save any intake data or provide any dietary

analyses. The full version of the ASA24 system, including access to the Researcher Website, is

available only to registered users.

Figure 4-1. Registering to Use the ASA24 System

https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/researchersite
mailto:ASA24Helpdesk@westat.com
https://asa24.nci.nih.gov/Demo/
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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5. Overview of the ASA24 Researcher Website

Once a Researcher Account has been created, Researchers can set up a study or simply view the

site. Researchers can explore the site and manage studies through the five main tabs at the top

of the page:

 My Studies

 Study Details

 Respondent Accounts

 Track Recall/Record

 Analytic Files

The My Studies tab (Figure 5-1) functions as the site’s home when a Researcher is logged in.

This tab provides a snapshot of all current and past studies registered through a Researcher’s

username. Researchers can view study start and end dates, the number of recalls or records

collected, the date of the last recall or record collected, the total number of Respondents, and a

study’s status (active or complete). Researchers can change the default study (i.e., the study

that is automatically selected when a Researcher logs in) or delete existing studies. Deleting a

study removes all data associated with that study, including completed recalls or records and

those in progress.

Figure 5-1. My Studies Tab

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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The Study Details tab (Figure 5-2) allows a Researcher to edit settings for current studies. These

settings include the study name, description, number of respondents, number of recalls or

records to be completed per respondent, study start and end dates, and other details. Study

settings can be updated at any time, with the exception of Study Type (Scheduled or

Unscheduled for recalls; Consecutive or Nonconsecutive for records); Study Abbreviation and

version of ASA24.

Figure 5-2. Edit Study Details

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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The Respondent Accounts tab allows a Researcher to create Respondent Accounts for any

study (Figure 5-3). Respondent Accounts can be created in two ways: (1) a manual file upload or

(2) a step-by-step “wizard,” available for recall studies only. Before creating Respondent

Accounts, it is important to consider several factors, such as Study Type (Scheduled or

Unscheduled for recalls; Consecutive or Nonconsecutive for records) and the number of recalls

or records allowed per Respondent. For more information on these settings or creating

Respondent Accounts, see Setting Up a Study.

Figure 5-3. Respondent Accounts

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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The Track Recalls/Records tab (Figure 5-4) can be used by Researchers to monitor completion

of recalls or records for a selected study. On this tab, recalls or records may be filtered on a

number of parameters selected by the Researcher, including date completed and completion

status. Researchers may switch the table view to a Respondent-level (number of completed

recalls or records for each Respondent, etc.) or recall/record-level summary (specific

information for each recall or record by each Respondent, such as Reporting Date, Completion

Status, etc.).

If Researchers have selected the Respondent Nutrition Report option (currently available for

U.S 2016 version, recalls only), feedback regarding food group and nutrient intakes in relation

to dietary guidance is provided by the ASA24 system to Respondents and Researchers. A

Respondent Nutrition Report provided to a Respondent can be obtained by a Researcher

selecting the view link in the Nutrition Report column. Respondent Nutrition Reports for food

records are under development. More information on Respondent Nutrition Reports is

available.

Figure 5-4. Track Recalls/Records Tab

https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/asa24/respondent/nutrition-report.html
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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The Analytic Files tab (Figure 5-5) allows Researchers to request and download analytic files for a selected study. For ASA24-2016 and ASA24-Canada-2016, these files include nutrients and the Food Pattern Equivalents data. For ASA24-Australia-2016, files include nutrients only. For ASA24-2014 and ASA24-Kids-2014 the files include nutrients and MyPyramid Equivalents data. For ASA24-Canada-2014, files include nutrients only. For all versions, files can be generated for all Respondents (batch) or for the last recall or record for a single Respondent (instant). Batch files for all Respondents will be available the following morning by 6 a.m. Eastern Time; files for a single Respondent will be available for download in approximately 15 minutes

Figure 5-5. Analytic Files Tab

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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6. Setting Up a Study

Before creating a study, Researchers should consider several parameters that will affect the

completion of recalls or records by Respondents and the study’s overall administration. These

parameters include study start and end dates, number of respondents, number of recalls or

records per respondent, and the number of days desired for consecutive day food records.

To create a study, visit My Studies tab and select the Create a New Study button. This button

will take you to a detailed form (Figure 6-1) where you can specify the study parameters. Once

you complete the form, you can create Respondent Accounts and manage study staff access.

These steps are detailed below.

Figure 6-1. Create a New Study

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Study Parameters

An explanation of each study parameter follows. Note: You can view key information about

each parameter as you are entering information on the Researcher website by selecting the

question mark next to each item.

Study Abbreviation: Researchers must provide a Study Abbreviation when registering a new

study. It must be unique within the ASA24 system and composed of three to six letters or

numbers with no spaces. The username for each Respondent in a study will be a combination of

the Study Abbreviation and a numeric Study ID provided during Respondent Account creation.

For example, if a study’s abbreviation is FRUIT, sample usernames may be FRUIT101 or

FRUIT1001. For this reason, it is a good idea to choose an abbreviation that will be meaningful

to your Respondents.

Study Description: Researchers must provide a brief description of the study; this field has a

200-word limit. This description will only be viewed by the Researcher, their study staff, and the

ASA24 Help Desk (ASA24Helpdesk@westat.com) staff; it will not be displayed on the

Researcher or Respondent Websites.

Example:

This is a cohort study with 100,000 Respondents investigating diet and risk for later

chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a variety of cancers.

The baseline data will be collected over the next five years and the follow-up will be

conducted subsequently.

Number of Respondents: Researchers must specify the anticipated number of Respondents for

a study. This information can be updated as needed after a study has begun.

Tool: Researchers must specify whether they would like to use the ASA24 system as a 24-hour

recall or food record for their study. The option to use the ASA24 system as a food record is

available only for the 2016 versions of the ASA24 system. The tool selected will determine

which parameters follow, described below. For more information about how to select a tool for

your study see the Dietary Assessment Primer.

For studies using ASA24 as a Recall:

Study Type: There are two study types for recalls —Scheduled and Unscheduled. In a

study with Scheduled recalls, the Intake Dates are specified by the Researcher, and the

ASA24 Respondent Web site will permit Respondent access only on the specified

Reporting Dates.

In a study with Unscheduled recalls, Respondents can access the ASA24 system on any

day until the maximum number of recalls (as determined by the Researcher) is reached.

mailto:ASA24Helpdesk@westat.com
http://dietassessmentprimer.cancer.gov/
ASA24 Researcher Instructions

17

Unscheduled recalls may be preferred in clinical or classroom settings due to the

unpredictable nature of the visits/classes or in a study in which the Researchers prefer

more internal controls related to scheduling recalls for Respondents.

Please note that study type cannot be changed once Respondent Accounts have been

created.

Number of Recalls (per Respondent): Researchers must specify the maximum number

of recalls allowed for each Respondent. The ASA24 system does not impose any limit on

the number of recalls Researchers may request to be completed per Respondent. This

parameter can be changed after a study has begun.

Intake Time Frame: Researchers must specify the Intake Time Frame for the recalls to

be collected within a study. ASA24 studies can be set up so that Respondents are

prompted to report their intake in two ways: (1) from Midnight to Midnight the previous

day (i.e., the day before the Reporting Date), or (2) for the Last 24 Hours (i.e., the 24

hours preceding the Respondent’s first log in time to the ASA24 system). For the Last 24

Hours option, recalls must be completed by midnight on the Reporting Date; for

Midnight to Midnight studies, Researchers can choose whether Respondents must

complete their recalls by midnight on the Reporting Date or by 8 a.m. the following day

using the “Finish reporting in” parameter, described below.

Complete Reporting In: Researchers must indicate whether Respondents can complete

their recalls either in one session (i.e., one login with no breaks greater than 30 minutes

to avoid the automatic timeout) or in multiple sessions. The number of sessions a

Respondent used for each recall will be displayed on the Track Recall/Record tab. This

parameter can be changed after a study has begun.

Finish Reporting In: This field refers to the time frame (either 24 or 32 hours) that the

Researcher will permit Respondents to finish each recall. This information can be

updated after a study has begun, but is dependent on the selection made for Intake

Time frame:

If the Intake Time frame is Midnight to Midnight, Researchers must choose between

allowing Respondents 24 or 32 hours to complete their recalls; for 32 hours, the

Respondent will have until 8:00 a.m. the day after the Reporting Date to complete the

recall. These rules apply to both Scheduled and Unscheduled Studies.

If the Intake Time frame is Last 24 Hours, Respondents must complete their recalls by

midnight on the day the recall is started (the Reporting Date).

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The ASA24 system uses the Respondent’s computer local date and

time to verify that the Respondent is completing a recall within the

allowable time frame, as specified by the Researcher. Visiting the

site at any other time will result in the following message:

“Permitted recall not scheduled.”

Consecutive recalls are possible under specific conditions

determined during study setup. See Key Terms for details on

allowing consecutive recalls.

Study Start and End Dates: Researchers must select Study Start and End Dates. The

Study Start Date is the first date that study Respondents may log in to the Respondent

Website to complete a recall. The Study End Date is the last date that study

Respondents may log in to complete a recall.

For studies using ASA24 as a Record (2016 versions only):

Number of Records (per Respondent): Researchers must specify the maximum number

of records allowed for each Respondent. The ASA24 system does not impose any limit

on the number of records completed per Respondent. This parameter can be changed

after a study has begun.

Study Type: Researchers must specify whether they want records to include

Consecutive or Nonconsecutive days. Select Consecutive if Respondents are to report

for two or more consecutive days. A Consecutive Record will begin on the first day a

Respondent logs in. Select Nonconsecutive if Respondents are to report any number of

Nonconsecutive, single-day Records. For either study type, Respondents can log in to

edit the Record one day beyond the Record's last day. Please note that study type

cannot be changed once Respondent Accounts have been created.

If Researchers choose a Consecutive record study type, they will then need to

also specify the maximum Number of Consecutive Days that Respondents will

report for a Record. If collecting multiple consecutive day Records, the number

of consecutive days for each record must be the same. For example, a

Researcher wishing to collect a three-day record would enter “3” as the

maximum number of consecutive days. If they wanted to collect a second record

within the same study, it must also be a three-day food record.

Study Start and End Dates: Researchers must select Study Start and End Dates. The

Study Start Date is the first date that study Respondents may log in to the Respondent

Website in order to complete a record. The Study End Date is the last date that study

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Respondents may log in to the Respondent Website in order to complete a record. The

Start Date and End Date can be updated later if needed.

After completing the study parameters, Researchers are asked to specify their Researcher

affiliation(s) and the Purpose of the study. This information is collected for internal use only

and does not affect study administration.

Modules: This field is used to indicate which optional ASA24 modules will be administered to

Respondents (Figure 6-2). The Location module is selected by default because location may

provide context to aid Respondents in recalling what they ate at a meal; however, this module

can be turned off by the Researcher. Other optional modules query about with whom meals

were eaten, food source, TV/computer use during meals, and supplement intakes. Note that if

the food source module is selected, the location module must also be selected and that a

question regarding source is asked for each food reported; this will increase the amount of time

it takes to complete a recall or record. For ASA24-2016 (U.S. version and for recalls only), you

can select whether or not you want Respondents to be able to obtain a Respondent Nutrition

Report indicating how their intake for the day compares to dietary guidance. Module selections

can be updated after a study has begun. See Appendix K for more information on modules.

Figure 6-2. Modules

Add study staff

Researchers may provide study access to additional staff for administration of the study. Staff

members who are added to the study will be able to log into the Researcher Website to

complete study setup tasks, monitor study progress, and request and download analytic output

files. The Researcher who created the study is assigned as the primary investigator by default.

Only the primary investigator can delete a study (and corresponding data); other study staff can

perform all other actions within the ASA24 Researcher site.

New study staff can be added by visiting the Study Details tab and selecting the Manage Study

Staff button. This link will take you to a tab where you can create accounts for new staff or

manage access for staff members who already have ASA24 accounts. To switch between

studies, select the relevant study from the drop-down menu at the top of the tab. Once the

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

20

appropriate study has been selected, select Add Study Staff and complete the form with basic

contact information for the staff member; the staff member will then receive information

about logging into the site via email.

Create Respondent Accounts

Respondent Accounts can be created in two ways: using the Respondent Accounts Wizard (for

Recalls only) or using an Import File.

Respondent Accounts Wizard (for Recall studies only)

The Respondent Accounts Wizard will walk you through the necessary steps for creating

Respondent Accounts. It may be helpful to consider the parameters described below before

launching the Wizard. The Wizard is only available for studies using ASA24 as a recall.

Once you are ready to start the Wizard, go to the Respondent Accounts tab. On the first

screen, check that the correct study is selected. Then select the Start Wizard button and follow

the prompts in each step.

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

21

Figure 6-3. Outline of the Steps in the Respondent Account Wizard

Description of each step follows.

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Step 1: Determine a starting ID number (Figure 6-4). This number will represent the first

Respondent Account number in the series. If your study abbreviation is FRUIT, and you select a

starting respondent number of 100, the first Respondent username will be FRUIT100.

Subsequent usernames will be FRUIT101, FRUIT102, etc.

If you wish to use a distinct range of usernames for testing purposes only (e.g., in the 500-550

range), you will have to complete the Wizard twice, entering different starting ID numbers for

test usernames as well as active Respondent usernames. Refer to How can a Researcher test or

pilot the ASA24 system? in the Key Considerations for Researchers for more information.

Figure 6-4. Step 1: Determine a starting ID number

Step 2: Determine the number of Respondents who will participate in the study (Error! Not a

valid bookmark self-reference.). The Wizard can be used to create Accounts for additional

Respondents later if necessary.

Figure 6-5. Step 2: Determine number of Respondents

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

23

Step 3: Determine the number of recalls allowed per Respondent (Figure 6-6). If the number of

recalls is 5, once a Respondent has completed 5 recalls, they will not be able complete any

further recalls. This number can be updated later if needed.

Figure 6-6. Step 3: Determine number of recalls

Note: Steps 4 through 7 apply only to Scheduled studies. For Unscheduled studies, skip to

Step 8.

Step 4: Determine the number of recalls to be collected for weekday intake dates (Monday

through Thursday) versus weekend intake dates (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) for each

Respondent (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.). Recalls may be randomly distributed

throughout the week or the number to be completed for weekend Intake Dates (Friday,

Saturday, and Sunday) may be specified (in this case, the remaining recalls will be scheduled for

weekday intake dates).

Figure 6-7. Step 4: Recall Distribution

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Step 4a: The number of weekend recalls may be zero for studies in which Respondents

will complete all recalls for weekday intake dates; similarly, the number of recalls for

weekend intake dates may be the total number of recalls per Respondent, which would

allow for recalls only for weekend intake dates and no weekday intake dates (Figure

6-8).

Figure 6-8. Step 4a: Number of recalls per respondent on weekend days

Step 5: Determine the number of days between recalls (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-

reference.). For Midnight to Midnight recalls where consecutive days are desired, respondents

must finish reporting in 24 hours, the number of days between recalls must be zero, and the

number of attempts must be one. For Midnight to Midnight recalls where Respondents must

finish reporting in 32 hours, consecutive recalls are not possible and the number of days

between recalls must therefore be larger than zero.

To space recalls evenly, specify the necessary interval between recalls. For example, if you

would like each Respondent to complete 3 recalls over a 3-month study timeframe and recalls

to be spaced evenly throughout the study period, enter 30 days between recalls.

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Figure 6-9. Step 5: Days between recalls

Step 6: Determine the number of attempts each respondent is allowed for each recall and the

number of days between each attempt (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.). Specify

one attempt to limit Respondents to a single date to complete each recall or the desired

number of multiple attempts. To schedule attempts for consecutive days, specify one day

between attempts.

Figure 6-10. Step 6: Attempts

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

26

Step 7: Determine whether recalls will be administered in stages. (Error! Not a valid bookmark

self-reference.). In a large study having all Respondents start their recalls at the same time may

be difficult for study staff to manage and support Respondents. Therefore, it may be

advantageous to Researchers to stage recalls over a period of weeks or months so that a

manageable number of Respondents is completing recalls at a given time. Any number of

stages can be created, as long as each stage falls within the study period.

Figure 6-11. Step 7: Staged Starts

Once you have completed the steps outlined above, a summary of your selections will be

presented on a single screen (Figure 6-12). It is important to review this screen carefully; use

the Back button provided on the screen (rather than the browser’s Back button) to make

changes if necessary.

ASA24 Researcher Instructions

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Figure 6-12. Confirmation

Step 8: Choose between randomly generated passwords (e.g. blaCKhaWk421!) for all

Respondents or passwords based on a relevant root word (e.g. Pizzas10) (Figure 6-13).