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Resources for Students

Psychology 120 - Research Participation

To provide a more detailed and personal understanding of how research is conducted in psychology, students are required to familiarize themselves with the specifics of actual psychological studies. This assignment may be fulfilled in one of two ways.

First, students may participate in ongoing research projects conducted by members of the Psychology Department. Such participation may involve, for example, filling out a questionnaire or engaging in an activity that is part of the experiment.

Alternatively, students may read an article published in a psychological journal and write a short paper on the study.

Students are required to complete FIVE (5) projects in Spring and Fall Semesters and TWO (2) projects during Summer I and II.

For the Summer Sessions Students may either:

1.         Participate in a research study if you are eligible for it. 
2.         Participate in one 1-point research study listed in Sona and one 1-point online study from the following web site:  http://psych.hanover.edu/research/exponnet.html           
3.         Complete two alternative writing assignments.
4.         Participate in one 1-point research study listed in Sona and complete one alternative writing assignment.

 

Research Projects

To sign up for research projects you must use the online sign-up system called Sona Systems. Your instructor will announce when the website is available to begin signing up for projects. Listed below are a few important notes for using the system.

  1. Students must take note of the date, time, location, and the name of the experimenter running the study. If a phone number is provided, take note of that as well.
  2. To receive a reminder, you need to make sure your email address is correct in the Sona Systems system. To verify or change your email address, go to http://ipfw.sona-systems.com/. After logging in, click on the My Profile tab at the top of the page. If your email address is not there or is incorrect, enter or correct it and click the Submit Changes button at the bottom of the page.
  3. If you forget the date, time, or location for your session, go to http://ipfw.sona-systems.com/ and log in. Click on the My Schedule/Credits tab at the top of the page. You will then see a list of projects you are signed up for and you can verify the date, time and location.
  4. To cancel an appointment prior to an hour before the appointment, you can remove your name from the web sign-up sheet using the online system. To cancel your appointment, go to the ONLINE SIGN-UP SYSTEM and log in. Click on My Schedule/Credits at the top of the page, and click the CANCEL button to the right of the experiment you wish to cancel. This method may be used until one (1) hour prior to the session beginning.

    5. To cancel your appointment within one (1) hour of the session beginning, you may call the researcher if a number is available or use the cancellation number: 481-5441 and then dial 19292 followed by the #. Please speak clearly and leave the following information in the message:

    YOUR NAME (spell your last name)
    EXPERIMENT NAME
    PROFESSOR'S NAME
    TIME OF YOUR APPOINTMENT

    IMPORTANT: Please remember that if your information is not clear, we will be unable to process the cancellation and you will not receive credit for the experiment.

  5. Failure to show up for any appointment and not canceling the appointment will result in you receiving a zero for that appointment. You will not be permitted to make up the missed points by scheduling more appointments, so please remember to cancel your appointments in a timely manner. You can make up missed points by completing an alternative assignment for each missed appointment.

  6. You can track the credit earned for participation in research studies with the online system. Check periodically to make sure that your credit has been correctly applied. There is a problem, contact the researcher as soon as you can.

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Alternative Assignments

  1. Go to the section of the library where the psychological journals are kept (at IPFW, it is the second floor).
  2. Choose an article from a recently published scientific, scholarly journal (NOT a magazine) published within the last ten years. The article should describe an actual research experiment using human subjects (as opposed to a theoretical article or review of literature; NO rat studies please).
      3. Examples of scholarly journals:
    • Journal of Abnormal Psychology
    • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Cognitive Psychology
    • Journal of Experimental Psychology
    • Sex Roles
    • Child Development

  3. Read the article.
  4. Write a short summary (1-2 pages) on the study. The following guidelines MUST be followed to receive credit for the summary:
      5. The summary must include:
    1. The goal(s) of the study - what was the study about? The results and final conclusions - what did the researcher's find, and what do they say it means?
    2. What subjects experienced in this study - in your opinion, what would it have been like to participate in the study?
    3. The article title, the author(s), the name of the journal in which the article was published and the publication date of the journal.
    4. Your name, ID#, PSY 120 instructor's name, and class section number.
      Formatting instructions:
    1. The paper MUST be typed -- No handwritten papers will be accepted.
    2. The paper should be stapled in the upper left corner. Do not use paper clips, binders or notebooks.
    3. Use one inch (1") margins all around the paper.
    4. Use 12 point Times New Roman font for the paper.
    5. Be 1-2 pages in length

  5. Finally...turn your summary into your PSY 120 instructor. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

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