Psychology Experiments and Alternative Assignments
For Summer Session 01:
The deadline for Research Participation is FRIDAY, JUNE 15 @ 5 PM.
The deadline for the Alternative Assignments is MONDAY, JUNE 18 @ Noon.
As part of the PSY 100 and PSY 250 course, you are required to participate in departmental research studies OR alternative assignments based on your reading of predetermined research articles.
Where do I go to sign up?
You will have to create an account using your Oakland email address and a password that will be easy for you to remember. Once you have created an account you can begin signing up for research studies or the alternative assignments.
All experiments and alternative assignments will be posted in the Psychology Experiment Management System, called SONA. You can access SONA here: http://oakland.sona-systems.com/
This document may help you to create an account and find research studies or the alternative assignments to complete: SONA Instructions for Psy 100 and Psy 250 Students.
How many research studies or alternative assignments must I complete?
For the Summer 2012 semester, you will be required to complete 6 credits. Credits are allocated in the following way:
- 1 credit for each ½ hour (30 minutes) of in-person, laboratory research participation
- ½ credit for each ½ hour (30 minutes) of online research participation
- 1 credit for each alternative assignment
How do I complete the alternative assignments?
PSY 100 Students
If you are a PSY 100 student, you will need to choose an article from the list of pre-approved articles (Psy 100 Document) and use the PsychINFO search engine on the Kresge Library website to find the article. (http://research.library.oakland.edu/sp/subjects/bysubject.php?sbj=83&name=Psychology) All articles on the list can be accessed in electronic format. Once you have read the article, you will then be required to answer a series of questions about the article. The questions will be sent to you in a link once you sign up in the SONA system. Once you have created a user account, you should sign up for the Alternative Assignment. Once you have signed up, a link to an online quiz will be available to you. Complete the quiz for the article you read. It may be wise to print a copy of your responses as proof that you completed the assignment (this option is available to you during the quiz).
You will receive one credit for each quiz you complete based on the reading of a different article. If you are only completing the alternative assignment, you will need to read 6 articles, sign up for six alternative assignments in the SONA system, and complete all six quizzes by the semester deadline.
PSY 250 Students
If you are a PSY 250 student, you will need to choose an article from the list of pre-approved articles (Psy 250 Document) and use the PsychINFO search engine on the Kresge Library website to find the article. (http://research.library.oakland.edu/sp/subjects/bysubject.php?sbj=83&name=Psychology) Not all of the articles on the list can be accessed in electronic format. If you cannot find the article in electronic format or at the library, you may need to request an article by Inter-Library Loan. Once you have read the article, you will then be required to answer a series of questions about the article. The questions will be sent to you in a link once you sign up in the SONA system. Once you have created a user account, you should sign up for the Alternative Assignment. Once you have signed up, a link to an online quiz will be available to you. Complete the quiz for the article you read. It may be wise to print a copy of your responses as proof that you completed the assignment (this option is available to you during the quiz).
You will receive one credit for each quiz you complete based on the reading of a different article. If you are only completing the alternative assignment, you will need to read 6 articles, sign up for six alternative assignments in the SONA system, and complete all six quizzes by the semester deadline.
When will I receive credits?
Make sure that you read the instructions or information provided to you by the researcher conducting the study. This information may be posted on SONA or may have been provided to you in a document or online. It may take several days to be awarded credit for participation. Please be patient and only contact the researcher after an appropriate amount of time (i.e., the time specified in the instructions or information) or several days after the closing of the session.
Your credits for the alternative assignment will be awarded at the end of the semester.
When is the last day to complete the research requirement?
For the Summer, Session 01 semester, you must have all research participation completed by FRIDAY, JUNE 15 2012 at 5:00 pm or alternative assignments completed by MONDAY, JUNE 18 2012 at Noon (12:00 pm). This will give researchers and the Subject Pool Coordinator enough time to award appropriate credits before the end of the semester. It will also give participants enough time to manage their credits, if they are enrolled in more than one PSY course.
What happens if I do not complete my credits on time?
For each credit you fail to complete, 2% will be deducted from your final grade. For example, if you fail to complete 1 credit, 2% will be deducted from your final grade. If you fail to complete 2 credits, 4% will be deducted from your final grade and so on. Therefore, if you fail to complete all 6 credits 12% will be deducted from your final grade (NO EXCEPTIONS). If you complete the research requirement, no deductions or additions will be made to your grade.
What if there are no research studies?
Throughout the semester, new experiments and new openings for existing experiments will be posted on SONA. Be patient and check the system regularly.
If it is nearing the end of the semester and you have not completed your credits, you must complete the alternative assignments to complete the research requirement. There are no excuses. If there are no research studies available, you must complete the alternative assignment. A lack of available studies is not a valid excuse. Everyone is required to complete the research requirement either by research participation or the alternative assignments.
What else might I need to know?
(1) If you do not remember your password you can request your password to be sent to you on the SONA main page. Please attempt this option prior to emailing the coordinator.
(2) You need to be at least 18 years old to participate in the experiments listed on SONA, unless otherwise specified in the description of a specific experiment. If you are not at least 18 years old, you will need to complete the alternative assignments.
(3) Students who show up for experiments they are not enrolled in will be refused the opportunity to participate.
(4) If you cannot make a session that you have signed up for, you should resign from that session. If it is too late to resign, you should email the researcher conducting the study to inform them that you will not be able to make the session. This may mean that you forfeit your opportunity to participate in that particular study.
(5) If you are having difficulty with SONA or have specific questions about being a research participant, you may contact the Subject Pool Coordinator, Dr. Scott Pickett, psych@oakland.edu. Make sure that you have attempted to answer your questions on your own prior to contacting Dr. Pickett.
What if I am participating for extra credit?
Extra credit is only awarded by instructors who have designated participation in the Subject Pool as a viable extra credit option. If your instructor has agreed to allow extra credit for experiment participation, information regarding this option should have been made explicit in your syllabus or by your instructor. If your instructor or your course is not listed in SONA, extra credit is likely not an option for you.
If you are a PSY 100 or PSY 250 student, your instructor must have explicitly stated that extra credit is an option. If it is an option, you need to discuss this option with your instructor for the details. However, you must complete the 6 mandatory credits prior to receiving any extra credit for research participation in your course.