Psychology Experimental Research Participation (PeRP)
Participation in Psychology Research Projects
Various opportunities are being offered as methods for obtaining extra credit for students taking psychology courses at Sam Houston State University. However, it is each instructor's discretion if they would like to offer extra credit for student participation and how they would like to handle the administration of extra credit points to students. These opportunities are essential for both faculty and students who plan on conducting research projects using human subjects (i.e., honor's theses, masters' theses, dissertations, etc.) and graduate students who are training as therapists (i.e., mock therapy for graduate students). The general rule is that students are awarded 1 point for each hour or part of an hour that they participate. All participation by students in research or mock therapy is handled via the PeRP (Psychology Research Participation) system.
Successful utilization of participants requires the active participation of 4 individuals or groups of individuals: Students, Course Instructors, Researchers/Therapists, and the Research Coordinator.
Role of the Students
Students are encouraged to participate in the research projects in the Psychology Department at SHSU. Instructors are encouraged to provide them with some incentive for their participation but it is ultimately up to each instructor if they would like to allow extra credit. All of the projects that require human subject participation are accessible through the PeRP site. In order to sign up for the research projects or mock therapy, students are required to register on the PeRP site so that they may access all of the projects that are available for participation. Students are able to volunteer for studies, view the location of each study, view the number of research points that they have accumulated, and contact the researcher/therapists responsible for each project. Once students have signed up for a project, it is their responsibility to arrive on time and at the correct location. If a student wishes to cancel their participation from a project they may do so from the PeRP site. They are usually allowed to cancel within 24 hours of the scheduled time but may be allowed as little as one (1) hour for some studies, if approved by the researcher.
Carefully read the Research Participation Policy and Participant Tutorial before signing up for any studies.
Role of the Course Instructors
Instructors are encouraged to allow students the opportunity to participate in the various projects being offered by the SHSU Psychology Department. Instructors who allow their students to participate in studies are asked to explain the basic process of registering with PeRP, signing up for projects, and checking awarded credits. A tutorial can be obtained from the Research Coordinator that may be distributed to the students as well as information that can be included on the course syllabus or posted on Blackboard. At any time during the semester, instructors can log into PeRP to obtain the research credits that have been accumulated by each of his/her students. A passcode that allows instructors to log into the system must be obtained from the Research Coordinator in order to access this information.
Read the Instructor Tutorial
Role of the Researchers/Therapists
Any individual who would like to make their project available on PeRP to potential volunteers must contact the Research Coordinator. They must show proof to the Research Coordinator that they have obtained human subjects (IRB) approval for their research project from SHSU. Once permission has been granted, they will then be given a User ID and password so they may place their project on the PeRP system.
Read the Researcher Tutorial
Role of the Research Coordinator
The primary responsibility of the Research Coordinator is to assist participants, instructors, and researchers in the use of PeRP.
What is PeRP?
PeRP stands for the Psychology Research Program and is the software tool for psychology research testing and subject pool management. Available by subscription to the Psychology Department, this system allows researchers to post relevant information concerning their project online, request volunteers for their study, post a schedule of appointments so that volunteers can sign up, and manage participation credit.
Guides and Tutorials
If you have questions about your rights as a subject/participant in this research, or if you feel that you have been placed at risk, you may call the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs - Sharla Miles at (936) 294-4875 or email ORSP at irb@shsu.edu.