The Social Science Human Subjects lab is the gateway to a large subject pool of undergraduate students for carrying out "no more than minimal risk" research, and is accessible online via Experimetrix. The Lab will provide you with a logon number and password to post your study on Experimetrix after you've provided us with a copy of your Institutional Review Board (IRB)-stamped protocol.

You or your faculty sponsor or advisor may guide you in the application process.

Human Research Protections Program

This is the starting point for any research involving the use of human research participants. The Research and Graduate Studies site has electronic applications for submittal of your protocol and posts specific guidelines in the use of human research participants. Our research participation pool only allows for EXEMPT OR EXPEDITED research studies to recruit participants. We require you to provide us with a copy of your IRB-stamped protocol package.  You may continue to do research with us as long as your protocol is current.  If it expires, you have 60 days grace period to get it renewed with the IRB.  After that 60-day period, you'll have to resubmit a whole new application to the IRB.

Social Science Research Participation Pool Advertisement

The advertisement form here is in "Word" format.

This is the template to use for creating an advertisement to recruit research participants using our research participant pool. Include it with your narrative when you submit your application to the IRB, and it will be given the stamp of approval along with the rest of your application. Please follow the prompts in each field of the instruction form. Your advertisement must be IRB-stamped in order to recruit through this participant pool. This blank form is in Word format and can be filled out using your computer.  The DESCRIPTION section should simply include an operational definition of what the participants will be doing.  Experimenters must adhere to an equitable recruitment of participants, and should avoid stating anything persuasive sounding such as, "One hour of credit for only 35 minutes of participation!"   There should be a corresponding amount of credit offered for a comparable investment of time; 1/2 credit corresponding to 1/2 hour of participation, 1 credit for 1 hour, etc. using increments of 1/2 hour. For those researchers who have grant money and can pay their subjects, you are welcome to do so at the approximate rate of $8 - $10 per one hour. But you are encouraged to choose between paying or offering credit and not offer an option or a combination.  

Electronic Modification Application

If you would like to make ANY changes to an IRB-APPROVED protocol or advertisement, you must complete this application.  For instance, if you would like to change your recruitment procedures, add or remove personnel, request an increase in sample size, add a study procedure, etc. then you must complete this application and obtain IRB Approval PRIOR to putting those changes in place and carrying them out.  This link takes you to the IRB electronic protocol modification application.

Experiment Scheduling

When your study protocol narrative and advertisement have been approved by the IRB, you can submit them to the Social Science Human Research Lab and we'll issue you an experiment number and password with which you may logon and enter our online scheduling and subject management system to post your study.   If you would like to use space on the 4th floor of the Social Science Lab Building, please speak to one of the Lab Staff members in Room SSL 488 about space availability.

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