Information for Participants/Students
Q: Can my Instructor or GTA answer questions about research studies?
No! Instructors and/or GTAs are not aware of the details of particular research studies. This includes when a study will become available, what the purpose of the study was, and whether or not you received credit for a study.
Instructors are provided with a credit list of participation by the Researchers after the study has finished and closed. NOTE: Researchers have until the end of the semester (the last scheduled week of classes) to provide instructors a credit list. If you are unsure of your participation, please contact the Researcher directly using the contact information provided.
Q: What are some of the types of studies I might participate in?
Every study is different. There are laboratory experiments which require you to come into a "lab" setting where you might be videotaped or asked to interact with another person (or group of people). Then there are survey studies which might require you to fill out a pen/paper survey and then drop it off at a specific location. Other survey studies might require you to complete a web-based survey which you can do from any computer with internet access. Be sure to read the description of each study and its consent documents carefully and contact the researcher with any questions before you sign up to participate.
Q: Why are there no available research studies listed on the website?
It is difficult to predict when studies will become available. This is often dependent on the number of researchers who will be conducting research during a semester, the timing of their research study, and also when they receive approval (e.g., Thesis Committee approval and/or IRB "approval"). Check this website often so that you do not miss opportunities.
Q: Can I just wait until the last week of the semester to participate in research?
This is not advised! If you wait until the end of the semester you might find that there is a limited amount or even no studies available. Researchers expect to get a target number of participants for their studies or may only be able to conduct studies at certain times. Once a participant quota number is reached or the lab study is completed, a study is closed. To ensure you can take part in research, participate as soon as studies are made available and early in the term.
Q: What if I signed up for a lab research study and cannot make the time?
If you need to cancel before the appointment start time, contact the researcher and request a cancellation.
Q: How do I know if my COM instructor is offering [extra] credit to participate in research?
Students should refer to the course syllabus and contact instructors to determine each instructor's policy on participation in SoC research and [extra] credit. If your instructor offers [extra] credit to students enrolled in the course for SoC research participation, it will be identified in the syllabus.
Q: I noticed that with some studies, I could sign up for them again even if I participated before, while others don’t allow for this. Why is this?
Researchers can choose if their studies allow you to participate more than once. Not all studies allow you to participate more than once. Importantly, you will not be able to earn extra credit in more than one communication course for your participation in any one study posted to the Research Announcement Board.
Q: Are there alternative ways to earn extra credit if I cannot participate in research listed here?
If you would like to earn extra credit, but do not want to participate in research check your course syllabus or contact your course instructor for an alternate non-research assignment, which may include attending a lecture or performance, writing a brief report, or the alternate assignments found here.
Q: How many points of [extra] credit do I get for each research study?
The amount of [extra] credit you can earn depends on your instructor. You’ll earn 1 research participation credit for each 60-minute study (or 0.5 research credits for 30 minutes). Each instructor determines how much [extra] credit one student can earn and how much for each study. Refer to the course syllabus or contact your instructor for the amount of [extra] credit you can earn in your specific course.
Q: How/when will my research credit be applied to my course grade and/or appear in the [ReggieNet] gradebook?
Once the research study is completed, the researcher will provide a list of all participants to course instructors so that participation credit can be assigned. All research participation credit is due to instructors by the end of the last scheduled week of classes. However, please bear in mind that participant lists cannot be provided until the study is complete, and instructors may not be able to immediately post credit once received from the researcher because they are busy working on other class projects. Once you have completed participation in the research study, credit should be assigned automatically, and you should not need to do anything else. Your COM instructor will notify you when she or he has assigned extra credit for your participation.
At the conclusion of each study, you will be able to receive documentation that you participated in and completed the research study—either a debriefing form or a completion form; you may need to print this form if completing an Internet-based study. Please retain this documentation for your records. In the unlikely event that your name is not properly recorded or reported to your instructor, this documentation will evidence your completed participation in the research study.
Q: Who do I contact with questions about my rights as a participant in a research study at Illinois State University?
If you have general questions about research participation rights, you may contact the office of Research Ethics and Compliance at (309) 438-2529 or via email at rec@ilstu.edu.