All research participation in the Department of Psychology is voluntary. Students have the right to withdraw at any time, without prejudice, should they object to the nature of the research. For reasons of scientific control, students may not know the exact nature of the research before participation but they will be informed of procedures, risks, and benefits. Students are entitled to ask questions and to receive an explanation of the research after their participation. Students' responses will be kept confidential. Any report of the data collected will be in summary form, without identifying individuals.

To volunteer, examine the Research bulletin boards in the lower level of DeGarmo Hall where there are sign-up sheets under code names used to identify the research projects. Read the posted instructions carefully. Students are responsible for following these instructions. After signing up, students should write down the code name of the study, the time and location of their appointment, and the researcher's name and phone number. Students must be 18 years of age to give their consent to participate in research. If under 18, students may not be eligible to participate in some research studies—contact the principal investigator (identified on the posting sheet) for information about age requirements.

Students are responsible for keeping their appointment at the stated time and place. If students must cancel an appointment, contact the researcher immediately;at least one day (24 hours) in advance is best. If a researcher does not keep an appointment, students should double check that they have the correct time and place; if more than 10 minutes has elapsed, inform the staff in the Psychology Resource Center. Students should also call the principal investigator to discuss rescheduling another appointment.

After participation, students will receive an explanation of the research and be given an opportunity to ask questions. Students will also receive a Research Participation Report Card (a "blue card") after the debriefing. The blue card should be given to students' instructor, who will determine how research credit may be translated into course credit. Be careful with this blue card. If students lose their card, they should contact the experimenter to discuss a replacement. Alternative means of earning research participation credit are available; students should consult their class syllabus for more information.

Routine questions about participation can be directed to the principal investigator of the research project, but any ethical questions should be addressed to the department's representative of the Institutional Review Board.

We expect that participating in research will help students learn about the research process and about important topics in psychology. Without students' assistance, much of the research by faculty and advanced students in the department would not be possible. We hope that students' participation will be a mutually beneficial experience.

Policy updated June 2007