About the PREP Program
About the PREP Program
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Welcome to the Psychology Research Experience Preparedness (PREP) Program
Our mission is to equip undergraduate students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds, with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage in psychology research.
We created PREP because we know that:
Many students feel intimidated or unsure about how to get started with research assistantships
Existing resources often miss the whole picture, including understanding lab culture, preparing for graduate school, or developing research careers
Access to research experience can open doors to future opportunities, but not all students have equal access to these resources
That is why PREP is:
Free
Self-paced
Designed to demystify research and foster inclusion
Our 10-module program includes interactive content, videos, knowledge check, and tools that help students build confidence and readiness for research assistant roles.
How to Use PREP
How to Use PREP
PREP is flexible and easy to access, whether you're a student exploring on your own or a faculty member integrating it into your course. Here are three simple ways to use PREP:
a) Faculty Integration via Google Site
Faculty can assign PREP modules by sharing or embedding our Google Site directly into their course materials. It’s an easy way to bring research training into your classroom.
Tracking & Certificates: When completing the Google Site version, you will receive an email from Google Forms with your score for each module’s “Check for Understanding.”
Once you have completed all 10 modules, you will automatically receive a Certificate of Completion by email.
If you have not yet completed all 10 modules, you will receive a friendly reminder email about your progress every six months. This helps you keep track of your status so you don’t accidentally repeat modules unnecessarily.
b) Faculty Use of the Qualtrics Version
Faculty can also download the Qualtrics version of the modules, allowing them to deploy PREP through their own survey accounts and monitor student responses.
Single-run course: All 10 modules in one continuous experience, with feedback on your progress as you go.
Four shorter courses: Each about an hour long, allowing you to start and stop more easily.
When you complete all 10 modules in Qualtrics, you will be prompted to download or screenshot your Certificate of Completion.
c) Student-Led Learning
Students can choose to explore PREP on their own—even if it wasn’t assigned by a professor. Simply start from the PREP homepage and work through the modules in any order, or choose a topic that interests you from the full module list.
The process works exactly the same as the faculty-integrated Google Site version.
You’ll receive an email with your score each time you complete a module’s “Check for Understanding.”
To receive your Certificate of Completion, you must complete all 10 modules.
If you haven’t completed all 10, you’ll get a friendly reminder email about your progress every six months.
PREP was designed to reduce barriers, support equity, and create a welcoming path into psychology research for all students.
Credits
Credits
The PREP Program was created by:
Ho Huynh, PhD
Malin Lilley, PhD
Dawn R. Weatherford, PhD
Jasmyne Thomas, MS
Isabella Castellanos, BS
Funding for the initial creation of PREP was made possible by National Science Foundation Grant: 2222219. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
We are grateful for the support and inspiration provided by our students, colleagues, and the broader educational community.
Special acknowledgements to Alena Raya, Artemio Gallo, Juliana Arguello and Anisa Halperin.
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