Students in undergraduate psychology courses must complete a research participation requirement in each of the first two courses they take. The standard requirement is that they participate in a total of four hours of experimental sessions per course. Instructions for the course requirement will be distributed in class and posted on Blackboard.

Students who do not wish to participate in experimental sessions must complete an alternative requirement, such as writing one critical analysis worksheet from journal articles selected by the faculty for each hour of non experimental participation. The articles can be found in the Psychology Department Library or see RoseMarie Stevenson (Room 1-S-17) for a listing.

Students who do not complete the requirement by the end of the semester deadline will fail the course.

All research involving human beings must be reviewed and approved by the University's Institutional Review Panel for Human Subjects (IRP). Researchers must complete and submit one original and 20 signed copies of either a Questionnaire A or Questionnaire B directly to: Jody Whitehead, Compliance Coordinator, Institutional Review Panel for Human Subjects, ORPA, New South Building. If the research involves school children, you will need to submit a parent/guardian consent form, as well as, a permission letter to parents. Anyone conducting research with children must contact RoseMarie Stevenson, in Room 1-S-17, prior to IRP submission.

All researchers whose work requires human subjects must be certified through the National Institute of Health's training website. All psychology students that are working with human subjects MUST also complete the certification workshop that is provided by the department. Please contact RoseMarie Stevenson, in Room 1-S-17, for details on these certification requirements.

Questionnaires A and B and consent forms are located on ORPA's website at http://www.princeton.edu/orpa/irp.htm and in the Administrator's office, 1-S-17 Green Hall.

The Panel meets once each month during the school year, and your completed questionnaire must reach ORPA twelve days before the committee meets. The schedule of meetings and deadline dates are also posted on ORPA's website.

A student's faculty adviser must review and sign the completed questionnaire before it is submitted to the IRP. All correspondence directed to subjects who will participate in the research must also be countersigned by the faculty adviser.

Each subject must sign an informed consent before involvement in any research. If a subject is under l8 years old, a parent or guardian must sign for him, or her. In addition, all subjects must be given an information sheet that states the title of the research, and the name, address and phone number of the investigator and the secretary of the Institutional Review Panel.

You may obtain the consent forms and information forms in Room 1-S-17, Green Hall. After the study has been run, signed consents should be sent to the Administrator for safekeeping.

The maximum standard rate paid per subject is $12.00 for one hour and $8.00 for a half- hour. Students that participate as a psychology requirement are compensated by course credit, and therefore, cannot be paid. Subjects in school settings are not paid.

When you are running an experiment in Green Hall, you may post a sign-up sheet on the Research Bulletin Board in the lobby. A faculty member must authorize any such research by initialing sign-up sheets. These notices should contain a word about the nature of the research, the time involved, the rate of pay, and number, or location, of the room where the experiment is to be conducted. It is helpful if you provide the Secretarial Center and the Departmental Receptionist with this information as well.

To receive a cash advance for subject payments: fill out request for subject money forms (see Carol Agans, Room l-S-18). An invoice will then be submitted (it takes approximately l0 days to get a check). Each cash advance should be cleared up before applying for another cash advance. Be sure to save all receipts (signature of proof of payment) to present at one time for reimbursement to Carol Agans.

Should you plan to conduct research in a setting outside Green Hall (school, camp, etc.), you must contact RoseMarie Stevenson, Room 1-S-17, as early in the semester as possible, before you begin your research. It is her responsibility to make arrangements for you. You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire that will describe your specific needs, as well as, draft a letter to parents/guardians of minors seeking parental consent. Your research must have the approval of the IRP before any schools or outside groups may be contacted. Prior to your IRP submission and prior to conducting any research with human subjects, you must be certified. Please see RoseMarie Stevenson regarding certification procedures.

You are expected to provide a copy of your thesis to the school upon completion of your research. A letter outlining general results of your research is also to be provided to the school by the end of the school term, as well as, to the parents/guardians of the children who participated in your study. In rare instances, a research study may extend beyond the school year. When this occurs, make certain that Mrs. Stevenson has the information before starting negotiations with schools so that the schools are given a clear commitment as to when staff and parents/guardians are to receive results of the research.

If you plan to use human subjects for your research, please contact RoseMarie Stevenson, 1-S-17 Green Hall, extension 8-6267. If you plan to use animal subjects for your research, you must contact the faculty member who is supervising your research project in order to abide by both Princeton University and government regulations.

Top