All students in C101 must participate as a research subject in one Media School research study. Participation in a study is worth 3% of your course grade. Some studies are conducted in person, while others are online.
The subject pool has closed for the semester and will reopen in the spring.
After signing up, you will receive a confirmation email. Make sure to save this — it includes a link to your appointment so you can cancel or reschedule if needed.
Typically, it takes researchers a few weeks to get studies ready. There may not be many studies available to sign up for at the beginning the semester, so you should expect more opportunities mid- to late-semester. Your 101 instructor will notify you when new studies become available for you to participate in. Additionally, if you wait until the end of the semester, there may be no available appointments left. So plan ahead and schedule early!
One of the goals of C101 course is to help undergraduate students learn about the types of media research that go on at the Media School. Media School researchers conduct many studies that use human subjects. By participating in one of these studies, you will gain firsthand knowledge of the kind of research done in The Media School, the ethical principles of research and the diversity of questions Media School researchers are trying to answer.
Research studies must receive approval from the Institutional Review Board to make sure they are safe for human participation before the study begins. Researchers are also required to get your signed consent before you participate.
The researcher will also explain what will happen in the study and give you a chance to ask questions before you participate. If something about the study makes you uncomfortable, you can choose not participate or stop participating at any time during the study.
All research studies (unless otherwise specified) take place in the Institute for Communication Research. The ICR is in the basement level of Franklin Hall. The easiest way to locate it is to use the front entrance of Franklin Hall and take the righthand stairs down to the basement floor. Follow the hallway to the right, then turn left. The ICR is the second door on the left.
See the ICR on a mapWhen you arrive at the ICR, please sit in the waiting area and wait for one of the researchers to come and check you in.
You must complete this requirement for the course, but your participation in any individual study is voluntary. If you are unable or unwilling to participate in a study, we will arrange a substitute assignment. Please email Megan Connor, research and creativity activity coordinator, to choose this option.
After scheduling an appointment, you will receive a confirmation email from the ICR. The email includes a link to access your appointment details. Click the link if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.
Please note that you are only able to alter your appointment up to 12 hours before it is scheduled. This ensures that ICR researchers can be prepared for the correct number of research subjects the following day.
Keeping study appointments is very important. First, most experiments require a lot of work to prepare. ICR researchers take time out of the rest of their busy schedules to run the study, so it is rude to skip the appointment when someone has prepared for you. Second, when you sign up and then skip the appointment you take an opportunity to earn course credit away from another student.
If you do not show up for a scheduled research appointment, this is called a “no show.” If you no-show for a study appointment, you will be blocked from rescheduling and will receive a zero for research participation in C101.
If you missed your appointment due to an emergency, please email Megan Connor to explain.
The ICR keeps a record of who has signed up and completed participation in research studies. This information will be sent to your C101 instructor.
You are welcome to sign up for more studies if you are interested in learning more about the ICR or the specific types of research being done. However, you are only able to complete one study for C101 credit.
If you are 17 now, but will turn 18 during the semester you have two choices:
Contact Megan Connor, research and creative activity coordinator.
