Students/Study Participants

On this page you can find information on how to sign-up for experiments, as well as instructions for the Alternative Activity if you do not wish to complete a study (or studies).

Overview

All students enrolled in Political Science courses that have the experimental research component are required to either participate in research conducted by members of the School of Politics and Global Studies or write a report on experimental research in political science. There are several important reasons for this requirement.

The first goal of the SPGS Experimental Lab is educational. The discipline of Political Science is built on previous research and findings. In order to allow students the best opportunity to learn about research first hand, students are required to participate in research directly or to read and write about published research findings. By participating in the experiments, students will see the research process from an inside perspective and have the ability to ask questions about the research process. If a student chooses to write a report on experimental research in political science, insight can be gained as to how researchers take theoretical questions and turn them into testable hypotheses. Either research option is available to students and will give insight into the research process.

The second goal of the SPGS Experimental Lab is scientific. Political science is a vastly expanding and evolving field, with many questions remaining unanswered. Faculty in the School of Politics and Global Studies are active researchers, and the ability to conduct research through the SPGS Experimental Lab contributes not only to their own research but to the field as a whole. The research conducted in the Experimental Lab helps to shape current and future developments in the field of Political Science. Through the participation in the SPGS Experimental Lab, students are contributing directly to the development of the science they are studying. By reviewing and writing a report on experimental research in political science, students are able to examine the finished product of research.

Experimental Participation Sign-Up

In order to sign up for a lab appointment, click on the following link and follow the directions you are given at: https://asu-issr.sona-systems.com. You Username is your ASURITE ID and the default password is Student. Do not try to utilize your ASU password for SONA, it will not work. Please also note that you must log into the ISSR Sona website (linked above). The same link without ISSR is not the correct website and you will not be able to log in.

You will receive an email each time a new study is available. The email will clearly state if the available study is an in-person or online study.

For an in-person study, after logging into Sona Systems you will be able to choose a time slot to come to Lattie F. Coor Hall on the Tempe campus and complete the study in the SPGS Experimental Lab.

After you sign up for a time, you will receive an email confirming your appointment. Please take note of any additional instructions contained in the confirmation email.

Participants completing an in-person study should arrive at the SPGS Experimental Lab sign-in 10 minutes prior to their appointment time. Researchers have the right to expect participants to show up on time, and to begin studies at the appointed hour. Students who arrive late will not be able to participate in the appointed Lab and will have to re-schedule in order to receive credit for the study.

Experimental Lab appointments vary between one and two hours in length, unless otherwise noted. While many experiments do not take one-two hours, please arrive at the lab for sign-in 10 minutes prior to your appointment time and be prepared to spend the one- two hour/s of your appointment participating in the study.

In-Person Studies

Online Studies

After logging in to Sona Systems, for an online study, you will first be asked to complete a prescreen. This is NOT a study and does not count as research credit but is required before you complete the study. After the prescreen you will move on to completing the online study.

After you finish the study, your account will say you have a "pending credit" awaiting action from the researcher. Your credit should record on Sona Systems within a few days. Rest assured that if you receive this message, your credit will be counted.

Click Here To Sign Up

How to Login To Sona Systems

Instructional Video

Alternative Activity

Length of Alternative Activity

Students enrolled in C Session classes: 3 pages

Students enrolled in only A or B session classes: 1.5 pages

Students enrolled in summer session classes: 1.5 pages

Find an article using the experimental method published in a scholarly journal like American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, or Journal of Experimental Political Science by using Google Scholar. Write a summary and critique of the article. In the summary, be sure to discuss the experimental design, the experimental stimulus, the experimental conditions, and the type of experimental subjects used. In your critique, mention one strength and one weakness of the experimental study and explain why these are strengths or weaknesses. When submitting the assignment, be sure to include a full cite of the article that you are reviewing as well as a link to the article online. Also, be sure to include the professor and class for which you are submitting the alternative assignment. Below we have provided a step-by-step process for completing the assignment from start to finish.

Your paper should double spaced (12 pt Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins) and the appropriate length (see above). The alternative activity will be evaluated by the lab director (Dr. Fridkin).

Please submit your assignment through the SPGS Experimental Lab Organization Canvas page (Fall 2024 Canvas Page: https://canvas.asu.edu/courses/192251). The alternative activity is listed under the assignment tab, and each submission will be reviewed through Turnitin software to ensure anti-plagiarism. If you do not choose the alternative activity, you do not need to do anything with the Canvas page.

If you are having difficulty completing the assignment, please feel free to take advantage of the on-campus and online resources designed to assist students. Helpful resources include the ASU Tutoring and Writing Centers. If you are having difficulty submitting your assignment or logging into the Sona Systems booking site, the University Computing Commons sites located throughout campus should be able to assist you.

The deadline for the alternative activity is your session’s (A, B, or C) last day of classes.

The alternative activity does typically take longer than participating in a study, so there are some advantages to completing the study over the essay. Participating in the research studies also really helps our professors and students conducting studies in the lab, and we really appreciate those willing to participate. Scholarly articles are typically 25 pages in length so reading the article and writing a summary and critique should take between 2 and 3 hours.

The alternative activity is also available to students who do not fulfill all credits for their research requirement by the end of the semester after all studies have been closed. If you want to avoid this, please make sure you pay attention to your emails regarding when each study is opening and closing. We cannot re-open a study after its closing date.

All requirements (research studies or the alternative activity) must be completed by the last day of classes. This means that if you are in an A session course you must complete studies offered during A session. Taking a study during B session will not count toward your requirement.

Step-by-Step Process

Locate an Academic Article

Find an article using the experimental method published in a scholarly journal like American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, or Journal of Experimental Political Science by using Google Scholar. To find an article, we suggest starting with the ASU Library resource (https://lib.asu.edu/). When using the online ASU Library, be sure to log into your ASU account using your ASUrite ID and password (otherwise you will not have full access to scholarly journal articles already purchased by ASU). You should NEVER have to purchase an article for the SPGS Experimental Lab using your own money. If you are having troubles locating a suitable article, please contact the Lab Coordinator (abrow189@asu.edu).

Writing the Paper

Write a summary and critique of the article you have chosen. In your summary, be sure to discuss the experimental design, the experimental stimulus, the experimental conditions, and the type of experimental subjects used. In your critique, mention one strength and one weakness of the experimental study and explain why these are strengths or weaknesses.

Length of the Paper

Students enrolled in C Session classes: 3 pages

Students enrolled in only A or B session classes: 1.5 pages

Students enrolled in summer session classes: 1.5 pages

Formatting your Paper for Submission

Your paper should be double spaced (12 pt Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins) and the appropriate length (see above). You must include a full citation of the article that you are reviewing as well as a link to the article online. Also, be sure to include the professor and class for which you are submitting the alternative assignment.

Where to Submit your Paper (Alternative Assignment)

Please submit your assignment through the SPGS Experimental Lab Organization Canvas page (Fall 2024 Canvas Page: https://canvas.asu.edu/courses/192251). The alternative activity is listed under the assignment tab, and each submission will be reviewed through Turnitin software to ensure anti-plagiarism. The alternative activity will be evaluated by the Lab Director (Dr. Fridkin). If you do not choose the alternative activity, you do not need to do anything with the Canvas page.

Helpful Resources

Deadline

The paper must be uploaded to the SPGS Experimental Lab Canvas page by the deadline for the alternative activity, which is your session’s (A, B, or C) last day of classes.

FAQ

Below are some tips for common problems and concerns

students may be experiencing.

The requirement will be due the last day of class.

The link to Sona Systems is listed bellow. If the link does not work when you click on it, copy and paste or type it into the address bar. The same link without "issr" is not the correct link and your credentials will not work.
- https://asu-issr.sona-systems.com
Everyone who was enrolled in a course by the second week of the semester already has an account on Sona Systems. To login use your ASURITE ID and the password Student. (Your ASURITE ID is listed on myASU under the Profile tab).

If the system is unable to find your account, click on Request Account on the right side of the page and fill in the appropriate information. Access to a requested account will not be automatic, as the approval of the lab supervisor is required before the account is created.

Once you are signed into Sona Systems, make sure all of the classes you are enrolled in that require this research participation are listed under courses in your profile. You can change the courses in your profile and should update them throughout the semester if you add or drop a course.

If you are an online student, who takes classes exclusively online, you should also have Online ASU Student listed under your courses.

ASU Online Students (students who do not attend campus for any of their classes) will have an online study available for them to participate in.

The first step to complete the research requirement is an online prescreen survey. This is listed under studies. Note that this prescreen does not count for research credit but is required prior to completing a research study.

After the prescreen survey has been completed, you will need to wait up to several weeks to receive an invitation to participate in a study.

When studies are available for students, you will receive an email announcing that you may sign-up. All invitations for study participation will be sent to your ASU email address so please check that email account diligently throughout the semester.
If you have questions about your research requirement, please always email the current Lab Coordinator first. If they cannot answer your question, they will direct you to someone who can provide the answer you need.
Every study is worth 1 research credit. No student will ever need to complete more than 2 research studies in a semester. See the key below for more details.

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