NEW COLLEGE

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Research Opportunities

Engage in Research

Core to our undergraduate experience is the opportunity to engage with faculty in their research. SBS students have co-presented papers at scholarly conferences throughout the United States and several have even co-published research papers in scholarly journals. What better way to prepare for graduate school!

Participate in Research

The Psychology Faculty in the Social and Behavioral Sciences department at ASU's West campus conduct research in many different areas, as we describe below. We would like to tell you about our studies, answer some commonly asked questions, and to invite you to participate in them.

What kinds of research are we talking about?

Faculty in the Psychology Program at ASU's West campus are conducting research in many different areas of psychology, including social psychology, clinical psychology, health psychology, experimental psychology, developmental psychology, and psychophysiology. Students who are interested in psychology or other social sciences are encouraged to participate in this research.

Why should I participate?

There are several important reasons to participate.

The first reason is educational. Psychology is a scientific discipline. The laws of behavior in psychology are based on research findings. Thus, an awareness of the research process is very useful for understanding the basis of psychology. One of the best ways to learn about research is to participate, see the process from the inside, and ask questions about it. We hope that having experience in different research projects will give you some basic insight into the research process.

The second reason is both scientific and altruistic. Psychology is a rapidly growing science, expanding on many different fronts. There are many questions to be answered, hypotheses to be tested, and problems to be solved. By participating in research, you contribute directly to the development of the science. The data you provide will become the basis for principles to be studied by psychology students in the future. You will have an opportunity to obtain a report of the results of completed studies and can learn about specific ways in which you have contributed to the development of psychology.

The third reason is to expand your horizons. If you are interested in continuing your psychology education at a university, visiting ASU's West campus and meeting the faculty and students will be a valuable experience. Additionally, your experience will expose you to some of the research that is being conducted at ASU's West campus. Some of the research may be particularly interesting to you and you may want to get involved with this research as a researcher. Faculty members are always looking for strong, motivated students to serve as research assistants.

The fourth reason is to obtain extra credit in your psychology class! This reason is not as important as the other three, but it can't hurt to mention it!

How do I find out what research is going on?

Psychologists at ASU's West campus are conducting research much of the time, and are usually looking for participants. You can find out what studies are in progress, see descriptions of those studies, and determine whether you are qualified for them by looking at the following website: asuw.experimentrak.net. Once you've registered on this site (a description of how to do so is given below), you can learn more about each of the studies and sign up for any available studies.

Who is eligible to volunteer for research studies?

Research participation is required for all students enrolled in Introductory Psychology (PGS 101) and Introduction to Statistics (PSY 230). Instructors for other courses may also encourage their students to participate in the various research projects in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division at ASU's West campus. However, it is up to the instructor's discretion how they would like to handle the administration of research credits to students. The general rule is that students are awarded 1 research credit for each 30 minutes or part of 30 minutes that they participate. Other individuals who are not students at ASU's West campus (i.e., Glendale Community College students, etc.) would like to volunteer are welcome to do so. Some studies may also require individuals who have certain characteristics. For example, an experiment on menopause might call for female participants over the age of 45 years. The posted study descriptions on ExperimenTrak will include lists of any such criteria.

How do I sign up to participate?

All of the projects that require human subject participation are accessible by accessing the ExperimenTrak site (asuw.experimentrak.net). In order to sign up for the research projects, students are required to register on the ExperimenTrak site so that they may access all of the research projects that are available for participation. Students are able to volunteer for research, view the location of each research project, view the number of research credits that they have accumulated, view the number of credit remaining, as well as contact the researchers responsible for each research project. Once students have volunteered for a research project, it is their responsibility to arrive at the experiment on time and at the correct location.

How do I register on ExperimenTrak?

There are two primary parts to registering on ExperimenTrak: registration and verification.

Registration

In order to register, click the PARTICIPANTS REGISTRATION link at the site's main page (asuw.experimentrak.net). Enter the information requested. PLEASE be extremely careful to enter the registration information correctly (particularly your e-mail address). If you enter the e-mail address incorrectly, ExperimenTrak will not be able to send you a verification code. You will also be given the opportunity to select a password. After pressing SUBMIT, an e-mail will be sent to you with a special Verification Code. It may take up to 24 hours to receive this e-mail but is usually within 2 hours.

Verification

Once you have received your Verification code, go to the PARTICIPANTS VERIFICATION link at the site's main page (asuw.experimentrak.net). Enter the information required. After pressing SUBMIT, your account will be Verified and Active. You can then immediately proceed to the Login Screen.

What if I can't make it to my appointment?

If you wish to cancel your participation from an experiment you must log onto the ExperimenTrak site and cancel your participation. This can usually be done 24 hours prior to the start time of the study (or even 1 hour prior) and can be done from any computer with internet access. If you cannot make the experiment, it is extremely important to cancel rather than just not show up. Some of the studies require a lot of preliminary set-up, and if the experimenter sets up for a participant who doesn't come for their appointment, time and materials are wasted.

How do I get there? And where do I park?

Usually the research will be carried out at ASU's West campus (although some studies may be run at GCC). A map of the GCC / ASU's West campus area, a map of ASU's West campus, and written instructions for getting there are provided on another web page that has Maps and Driving Instructions. If you need further instructions, please feel free to call the experimenter or the ASU's West campus Information Desk (543-5510). Parking is shown on the map and described in the written instructions. If you have to come from off campus, you will receive a free token for parking as part of our appreciation for your participation

How do I receive extra credit in my psychology class?

When you arrive for your scheduled appointment, you will be given a Credit Receipt verifying your participation at the end of the experiment. You should keep the Credit Receipt as verification of your participation. The experimenter will also provide your instructor with a record of your participation.

What safeguards are in place to protect me?

  1. All research conducted in the Psychology Program at ASU's West campus is first carefully reviewed by the University to ensure that you will be protected from harm.
  2. All of the information you provide will be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
  3. You are free to withdraw from a study at any time without penalty.
  4. If you feel uncomfortable about your participation in any study, or if you have a problem during an experiment, please discuss it with the researcher or with the faculty member in charge of the study.
  5. After your participation is over, you will be "debriefed." This means the experimenter will explain the study to you so that you can understand the importance of your help.
  6. If you are interested, you can request a copy of the results of the research. It's likely to be quite a few months before you receive it, because it takes time to collect the data, analyze it, and write it up.

What other responsibilities do I have?

First and foremost, PLEASE arrive at the experiment ON TIME. If you can't make it to your appointment, please call or e-mail the experimenter using the contact information in ExperimenTrak.

You may be asked to refrain from discussing your participation or the conditions of the study with other potential participants.

If you participate, we hope you will take the procedure seriously, do your best, and enjoy the experience.