1. Research Participation Information
For University Park students participating in the Subject Pool for course credit

2. What do I need to do?
Students in this course must participate in 6 hours of research activities organized by the department’s Subject Pool system (a.k.a. “the Sona system”)
Participation counts towards 3% of your course grade
Each hour of participation = .5% of the course grade
If you don’t finish, you still get credit for the hours you’ve done
If you are not in a 100-level psychology course at University Park, you should ask your instructor about participation in this Subject Pool

3. Why is this part of the course?
Psychology addresses many interesting questions about human experience, emotion, thinking, and behavior
What we know about these things comes from scientific research
Research participation provides opportunities for you to see and experience the methods and procedures used to study the human mind and behavior

4. Why is this part of the course?
Participation can help dispel myths about psychological research
Most of it does not involve deception, rats and mazes, inkblots, or hypnosis
Some psychology-related careers require an understanding of scientific research
Participation can provide insight into these careers
Some students want to get involved in undergraduate research
Participation provides an opportunity to see what’s going on and to network with researchers

5. Is research participation safe?
Qualified researchers review studies before they are cleared for use
You read study descriptions and pick the ones you want
You won’t be asked to do anything that is obviously harmful or dangerous
Most studies ask you to do some kind of simple task (e.g., paper-and-pencil task, computerized task, use a map, watch videos, express opinions, etc.)

6. Is research participation safe?
Before a study begins, researchers are required to…
Identify any risks beyond those encountered in daily life
Explain study procedures
Give you the chance to ask questions
If you become uncomfortable with procedures, at any time, you can choose to discontinue participation

7. How do I get Started?
Go to the Subject Pool (
Click on the blue 'Request Account' button located at the right side of the screen
Enter your PSU access ID (e.g., xyz123). Do not include
Do not enter your 9-digit PSU number or an non-PSU address
If you want, enter a telephone number so that researchers can contact you
This is not required and researchers will not share your number
When you arrive at the Subject Pool, it will look like you can just type in your Penn State ID and Password to begin – you can’t. The Subject Pool system is independent of other Penn State systems, so you must set up a new independent account.
If you are an undergraduate research assistant, you might need a separate account for course credit. Please talk with your instructor for details.

8. How do I get Started? Select the course you are taking
Students taking a classroom course should indicate UP (for University Park)
Students taking an online course should indicate World Campus
Students at other campuses should not participate in this subject pool
Students taking an introductory psychology course should select PSYCH 100
Take care to select the correct section
Students taking Psychology as a Science and Profession should select PSYCH 105
If you change sections after you have created your Subject Pool account you must update this information or your research participation credit may not be counted towards your course grade

9. How do I get Started? Request an account
Check your PSU for from the Psychology Department Subject Pool
This message will include your password
After receiving your password, login to the Subject Pool and read the preliminary information
Sometimes about the Subject Pool is inadvertently filtered into your junk mail or spam folders. Please check these folders to make sure that you do not miss out on important Subject Pool information (including new account information)

10. How do I get Started? Answer a few short questions (shown below)
A conscientious objection is an objection to participation because of moral, spiritual, religious, or personal beliefs

11. How do I get Started?
If you select 18 or older and have no general objection to participating in research
The system will allow you to sign-up for studies
You will read descriptions and pick the ones you want to do
Some are online and some require you to go somewhere on campus
Some are longer (worth more credit) and some are shorter (worth less credit)

12. How do I get Started?
If you mark that you are not yet 18 or that you conscientiously object to participating in research
The system will give you access to “research alternatives”
You read something educational and submit answers to questions
Sometimes you will do a simulated experiment online
Many fewer options to choose from
You read titles and pick the ones you want to do
Each one takes about an hour and is worth .5% of the course grade

13. How do I get Started? When you are ready, save your answers
If you want, change your password

14. How do I sign-up for Studies/Research Alternatives?
Click on “VIEW AVAILABLE STUDIES.”

15. How do I sign-up for Studies/Research Alternatives?
Click on the name of the study or the “Timeslots Available” box for the study you want to learn more about.
Please pay attention to the information about eligibility. Not everyone is eligible to participate in every study.

16. How do I sign-up for Studies/Research Alternatives?
Read the information about the study carefully
If you are interested in participating, click on “View Time Slots for This Study”
Click on the sign up box for the appointment time you want   
Even if you are doing the Research Alternatives, you still need to sign-up for appointment times and meet deadlines

17. How do I get credit after participating?
Researchers update your Subject Pool account electronically
It may take researchers a few days/week after the study deadline to update credit
Often, credit for online studies is not granted until after the participation deadline, regardless of when you do the study
You can check to see if your credit has been updated by using the Subject Pool web site

18. What if I made an appointment, but can’t remember when/where it is?
Use the 'My Schedule/Credits' link to view appointment information
This link appears after you've created an account and signed up for a study

19. What if I need to cancel an appointment?
Use the 'View or cancel my study appointments’ link
You can usually cancel an appointment without penalty as long as you give more than 24 hours advance notice
If it is less than 24 hours before the appointment, contact the researcher
Try to talk with the researcher directly (phone, in person)

20. What if I need to cancel an appointment?
The researcher is not obligated to agree with a request to cancel on short notice
Some studies require a day or more to prepare
If the researcher refuses to cancel, you must keep the appointment or you will receive an unexcused absence (a.k.a. “a no-show”)
What if I had an emergency or I don’t think the researcher is being fair?
the subject pool administrator to explain
Don’t contact your instructor or TA, help must come from the administrator

21. Keeping an appointment is very important
Most studies require preparation and it is rude to skip when someone has prepared for you
When you skip you take an opportunity to earn course credit away from another student
If you miss too many appointments, you may not be able to complete the requirement and earn the full amount of credit
Students who get a “no show” lose an opportunity to earn extra credit (read on for details)

22. What if I show up for a Study and no one else is there?
Log-in to the Subject Pool and click on the 'My Schedule/Credits’
Confirm that you went to the right place at the right time
If you did, contact the subject pool administrator with details

23. Can I participate in extra studies for extra credit?
Yes
The first 6 hours court for course credit
You can participate in up to 2 additional hours for extra credit*
If you participate in 6 or more hours without getting a "no show," you will earn an additional percentage point of extra credit*
* See the course syllabus/website for details

24. What if I don’t see any studies in the Subject Pool?
It usually takes a week or so for studies to populate the subject pool
Group testing is usually available early in the semester (read on for details)
Only available opportunities appear in the Subject Pool
Once enough people sign-up for a study, that study doesn’t appear anymore
If it looks like no studies are available for you, it is likely that other students signed-up before you and took those opportunities

25. What is Group Testing (a.k.a. The Mass Screening)?
A great opportunity to earn participation credit early in the semester
An opportunity to see and complete a variety of surveys and questionnaires used by psychologists
Researchers use these to identify people with particular characteristics (e.g., highly conscientious)
People with certain characteristics *might* be invited to participate in a follow-up study
You can indicate that you do not want to participate in a follow-up study
Unfortunately, group testing is not available for students in every class every semester

26. What is Group Testing (a.k.a. The Mass Screening)?
Most students are not contacted about follow-up studies
Don’t wait to be contacted, keep participating in studies
Participation in a follow-up study is not required – you can say no
If you are contacted and you are interested, make sure you note the researcher’s name and contact information
If someone contacts you about participating in a study and you aren’t sure it is a legitimate PSU-sponsored opportunity, check with your instructor

27. What else should I know?
You have until the beginning of finals week to complete the requirement
Try to complete at least one hour early in the semester, more hours during the middle of the semester, and a final hour or two in the final weeks of the semester
Successful students check the subject pool for opportunities multiple times a day, checking once or twice a day might not be enough

28. What else should I know?
Once you complete 8 hours of participation, the system will stop you
This ensures that all students have an opportunity to complete the requirement
The Subject Pool Administrator checks in on the system to ensure that there are enough opportunities for motivated students
In the unusual and rare event that intervention is needed, there will be one (but don’t expect one – we haven’t needed one in many years)
The Subject Pool web site tracks your research participation only
Your instructor tracks your course credit

29. What about participation in studies outside of the subject pool?
You cannot get course credit for participation in studies that are outside of the Subject Pool
You can participate in studies outside of the Subject Pool for money instead of course credit
See
You do not have to be registered in the Subject Pool to do this
You cannot participate in a study for both money and course credit

30. What do I do if I still have questions or concerns?
Please bring questions or concerns about research participation and how it affects your course grade to your instructor