Instructions
for Psychology Department student researchers using human participants
The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Psychology Department actively encourages student research and has established guides for use of human participants including those listed below.
As a student researcher, there are certain policies and procedures that you must follow. There are also several forms that you must use, which can be downloaded from this site (http://www.uwrf.edu/psych/Psyres.html). These forms include (1) the Study Information Form, (2) the Participants Sign-Up Sheet, and (3) the Consent Form Cover Sheet and the Consent Recording Form. The following guidelines have been developed to assist you in conducting your study.
Prior to Collecting Your Data:
Step 1: Complete a STUDY INFORMATION FORM — except for the study number.
Step 2: Give the completed Study information Form to the Psychology Department Program Associate, Ms. Judy Kubera (CSH 151), and retain one copy of this form for your records. Ms. Kubera will assign your study a number. Once assigned, this number should be recorded on all forms pertaining to your study.
Step 3: Reserve a room for your study.
a. Determine the specific dates and times that you will be collecting data.
b. Have the Psychology Department Program Associate reserve a room for these dates and times. Please do not attempt to reserve a room without consulting the Program Associate, Ms. Kubera.
Step 4: Complete and distribute the PARTICIPANTS SIGN-UP SHEET.
a. Record the dates, times and location of your study on the sign-up sheet.
The information appearing on the first page of your sign-up sheet should correspond exactly to the information appearing on your Study Information Form (i.e., the study name, number, description, etc.).
b. Record your study's name, number, and location on the second page of the sign-up sheet, make as many copies as needed, then attach these copies to the first page.
c. Identify psychology professors who teach classes in which students are likely to receive credit for participating in research by consulting the class schedule. Typically, professors teaching General Psychology award extra credit for research participation.
d. Contact these professors in person several days in advance of collecting data to arrange for the circulation of your sign-up sheet.
You are responsible for directly handing your sign-up sheet to a professor—and for picking it up after it has circulated.Please do not ask one professor to pass along your sign-up sheet to another.
In the event that you arrange for several professors to simultaneously circulate sign-up sheets— that is, if you prepare separate sets of sign-up sheets for several sections of General Psychology— do not record the same dates and times on more than one set.
e. Remember, you are responsible for picking up your sign-up sheets from professors.
f. Post information regarding your study on the bulletin board next to the Social Behavior Lab under "Current Studies." Include dates, times and locations of the study. Contact your participants one day prior to study to remind them of their scheduled participation.
Step 5: Complete the CONSENT REPORTING COVER SHEET and the CONSENT REPORTING FORM.*
a. Consent Form Cover Sheet: Make certain that the information on this cover sheet corresponds to the information appearing on your study information form. The study name, number, description, etc., should be the same.
b. Consent Reporting Form: Make as many copies as needed, then staple these copies to the back of the consent form cover sheet.
*In some studies, participants receive individual consent forms. In such studies, the Consent Reporting Form is not used; however, you must still keep track of participants for purposes of awarding extra credit. Please discuss the method of keeping track of participants with your research advisor.
While Collecting Your Data:
Have each participant read the Consent Form Cover Sheet at the beginning of the session; then have them sign the Consent Reporting Form. To ensure that participants receive credit for their participation, also have them legibly print their name on the consent form and indicate their psychology instructor.
Please keep extra copies of the Consent Form Cover Sheet on hand, because some participants may request a copy. In addition, some participants may bring a Study Participation Record sheet to your study. This sheet allows one to maintain a personal record of their participation. Thus, when a participant presents this sheet and requests your initials, you must initial it.
After Collecting Your Data:
Turn in the Consent Reporting Form – or when applicable, all individual consent forms – to the Psychology Department Program Associate, Ms. Kubera. Email the data from the Consent Reporting Form to judy.kubera@uwrf.edu in excel spreadsheet form. Include students' names in alphabetical order (last name, first name), course number, and instructor giving the extra credit. Sort data by instructors' names. After collecting your data, it is advisable to submit these forms as soon as possible. The deadline for the receipt of consent forms is the Friday preceding the last week of class.
