Online research platforms, such as Prolific, offer rapid access to diverse participant pools but also pose unique challenges in partici- pant qualification and skill verification. Previous studies reported mixed outcomes and challenges in leveraging online platforms for the recruitment of qualified software engineers. Drawing from our experience in conducting three different studies using Prolific, we propose best practices for recruiting and screening participants to enhance the quality and relevance of both qualitative and quantitative software engineering (SE) research samples. We propose refined best practices for recruitment in SE research on Prolific. (1) Iterative and controlled prescreening, enabling focused and manageable assessment of submissions (2) task-oriented and targeted questions that assess technical skills, knowledge of basic SE concepts, and professional engagement. (3) AI detection to verify the authenticity of free-text responses. (4) Qualitative and manual assessment of responses, ensuring authenticity and relevance in participant answers (5) Additional layers of prescreening are necessary when necessary to collect data relevant to the topic of the study. (6) Fair or generous compensation post-qualification to incentivize genuine participation. By sharing our experiences and lessons learned, we contribute to the development of effective and rigorous methods for SE empirical research. particularly the ongoing effort to establish guidelines to ensure reliable data collection. These practices have the potential to transferability to other participant recruitment platforms.

翻译：在线研究平台（如Prolific）能够快速获取多样化的受试者群体，但也带来受试者资质验证与技能评估的特殊挑战。既往研究在利用在线平台招聘合格软件工程师方面，呈现出混合结果与诸多挑战。基于我们使用Prolific开展三项不同研究的经验，本文提出优化受试者招募与筛选的最佳实践，以提升定性及定量软件工程（SE）研究样本的质量与相关性。我们针对Prolific平台的SE研究提出以下细化招聘最佳实践：（1）迭代式可控预筛选，实现对提交结果的有重点、可管理评估；（2）任务导向型精准提问，评估技术能力、基本SE概念掌握程度及专业参与度；（3）AI检测技术验证自由文本响应的真实性；（4）定性化人工评估响应内容，确保受试者回答的真实性与相关性；（5）必要时增设预筛选层级，以收集与研究主题相关的数据；（6）通过认证后提供公平或丰厚的补偿，激励真实参与。通过分享经验与教训，我们致力于为SE实证研究建立有效且严谨的方法，特别是为当前制定可靠数据收集指南的持续努力做出贡献。这些实践方法可迁移至其他受试者招募平台。