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Psychology Experiment Scheduling |
| Rules, Guidelines, Etc. | |
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Psychology Experiment Scheduling |
| Rules, Guidelines, Etc. | |
Contents
Student Responsibilities for Participation in Research
Part of the requirement for successful completion of these courses is participation in research. This document will describe your responsibilities for satisfying the requirement and describe the procedures that you will need to follow. Your participation serves two important functions. First, most of what you learn in your psychology classes is based on carefully conducted research with human volunteers. That research can seem rather mysterious in the abstract. Participation in research gives you a first-hand glimpse into the research enterprise that uncovers the explanations for human behavior. Second, the progress of psychology as a science would be considerably slowed without the help of research participants. Thus, the research requirement represents, in part, service to the psychological community of which you are a part.
General Information
1. The instructor of your course will let you know the number of participation hours needed for your class. Check your syllabus.
2. Note for students who are currently enrolled in more than one course that is offering credit through participation in research: Credit earned for any given experiment is only applied to the specific course that you designate up to the designated maximum. For example, suppose that you are taking Psychology of Adolescence and Social Psychology during the same semester, and your grade in both courses is based on earning 6 credits of research participation. In this case, each credit you earn can only "count" for one course. So if you earned six credits of experiments, this means that you have 6 credits applied toward one courses. Please note that each instructor specifies the maximum amount of credit you can earn in any given semester; any credit you earn over this amount will not count toward any of your grades.
3. If you do not wish to fulfill your requirement through participation in experiments, that’s fine. The instructor will provide you with alternative projects that you can complete as an alternative to research participation.
4. Usually, the last day to fulfill your participation requirement is on the last day of classes, but check with your instructor. This includes participation in experiments as well as the alternative projects. If you are earning credit through research participation, do not put off completing your hours; there may be far fewer opportunities later in the semester and in fact if you wait too long you may not be able to earn any credit at all.
Website Instructions
1. You will use this web site to sign up to participate in experiments. Simply click on "sign up for experiments" You will be given some simple instructions on how to sign up for experiments. There is on-line help available in case you have any questions.
2. At some point during the semester, it is important that you indicate the names of ALL of the courses you are taking this semester that are offering credit for your participation. This is the only way to ensure that you will get proper credit. You can enter this information by clicking on "edit your profile" and then following the instructions provided.
The following important set of guidelines apply to cancellations. Please make sure that you read and understand these policies the first day of class.
a. Show up for your appointment on time. Plan in advance—give yourself enough time to get to the experiment at the time listed on the sign up sheet. If you must cancel, then it is necessary for you to do so no later than 24 hours before the scheduled experiment. The three ways to cancel: (1) using the "cancel" option on the website (preferred), (2) e-mailing the experimenter, or (c) calling the experimenter on the phone. The e-mail address and phone number of the experimenter are provided to you on the website.
b. Debits will be issued for missing an appointment or for showing up late for an apppointment. Debits will be subtracted from the credits earned and you may not be eligible to participate in additional experiments.
This means that when you sign up for an experiment, you should double-check your schedule to make absolutely sure that you can make the appointment. Also, when you sign up for a study, make sure that you plan for necessary travel time to and from classes or other locations. Again, cancellations must be made no later than 24 hours before the experiment.
4. If you show up for an appointment and there is no one there to conduct the study, wait for at least 10 minutes. Notify the Dr. Gregory M. Corso, the Human Subjects Pool Coordinator,and you will receive credit.
5. The credits you earn in experiments will be stored for you by us in our database. This information will automatically be sent to your instructor(s) at the end of the semester.
6. After you have completed an experiment, you will be given an Experiment Evaluation Form. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions on this form and drop it in the box in the Psychology Department Mailroom. These evaluations are intended to monitor the experiences of research participants so that swift feedback can be given to experimenters if there are problems. Research participation should be a valuable educational experience for you. As a research participant, you can expect to be given a complete explanation (the "debriefing") at the end of each study (either immediately or by mail). The purpose of the debriefing is to provide you with information to help you understand more completely the purpose of the study and its potential impact.
7. Any experiment in which you participate will have already been approved by the Georgia Tech Institutional Review Committee. This insures that someone other than the experimenter has determined that the procedures for a study follow strict ethical guidelines. Any risks must be revealed to you prior to your consent to participate. Despite these safeguards, there are still wide variations in people’s reactions to the different kinds of tasks they are asked to perform in research studies. If you feel that you have been mistreated by the experimenter or asked to perform tasks that make you uncomfortable, remember that you have the right to leave any experiment at any time. If you leave an experiment before completing it, you will still receive full credit for your participation.
8. If you have any questions/concerns about any of these policies, or about particular studies in which you have participated, you may contact Dr. Gregory M. Corso the School of Psychology Human Subjects Pool Coordinator.
9. Finally, be conscientious in performing your tasks in each study. The research is very important to the students and faculty conducting it, and your role is very critical to the success of their efforts. Psychology as a science could not exist without the careful and responsible efforts of research participants. Give each study the effort and attention it deserves.
