> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dscout.com/ai-moderated-studies/manage-an-ai-moderated-study/participant-flow-in-an-ai-moderated-study.md).
# Participant flow in an AI moderated study
If you're inviting your own participants, you might be wondering what their experience looks like. This article outlines an AI moderated session from the participant's perspective, including the emails they receive.
### Begin a session
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Access the study (via the share link, an email invitation, or the Dscout app, depending on how they were recruited).
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
**(If sign-up is required)** Create a Dscout account by providing a name and email and agreeing to Dscout's Terms and Conditions.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
**(If multiple languages are enabled)** Select a preferred language for the session.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
Complete the hardware setup—select a screen to share and grant access to the webcam and microphone.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
Read any custom introduction, then click **Begin recorded session**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** AI moderated studies are desktop-only. Participants can't complete a session on a mobile device.
{% endhint %}
### During the session
As participants move through the study, progress bars at the top of the page show their position. A control bar at the bottom lets them:
* **Flag a concerning moment.**
* **Pause and resume** the session. (Screen capture stops while paused and resumes when they continue.)
* **Mute** their microphone.
In **Turn-based conversation** studies, participants also use this bar to click **Continue** when they've finished answering and are ready for the next question:
Questions with stimuli display their images on screen as the question is asked. Participants can click an image to enlarge it, and must open every image before moving on:
For **Task** questions, participants click **Open popup window** in the control bar:
Then, they must click **Start Task** to begin:
### End a session
At the end of the study, the AI moderator thanks the participant and automatically ends the session. A participant can also end early by clicking **Exit** in the top-right corner:
If a participant loses their connection, they'll see a **Connection lost** page where they can **Reconnect**. They can also click **Copy session link** to rejoin later once their connection is restored:
### Emails and notifications
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** If you skip participant sign-up when building your study, your participants won't receive email notifications. You're responsible for inviting them and reminding them to complete their session.
{% endhint %}
Select your study's recruitment approach to see what participants receive:
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Dscout Scout Panel" %}
Participants recruited from the Dscout Scout Panel receive an invitation at launch (or when added to a launched study) and a reminder to participate if they haven't completed the session. They may also receive notifications through the Dscout app if enabled.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Partner Panels" %}
Correspondence with Partner Panel participants is managed by our third-party partners, like Respondent. Any emails they receive depend on their notification settings on those platforms.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Bring-your-own" %}
Participants invited via share link receive emails only if participant sign-up is required. If you skip sign-up, participants receive no emails from Dscout.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Private Panels" %}
Participants added from Private Panels receive an invitation at launch (or when added to a launched study).
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
---
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```
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