FAQ's About the Experiment Requirement

You may sign up by going to http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301.html, clicking 'Experiment Registration', and logging in using your UTEID and password.

When can I start to participate in experiments?

You may begin participating in experiments on Wednesday, August 27th. You DO NOT have to wait until the end of the prescreening period.

How many online surveys can I participate in?

You can participate in ONE online study in addition to the prescreening survey.

The only exception to this rule is if you are selected for a study based on your prescreening answers.

Can I participate in studies with the same number?

You can only participate in studies with different numbers. For example, you cannot participate in more than one of these studies: 327A, 327B, 327C. You can participate in all of these studies: 37A, 307A, 371A. If you participate in studies with the same number, you will only receive credit for the first study in which you participated. You can participate in studies with the same letter.

Can I participate in studies with the same letter?

Yes. The letter associated with the experiment number only means something to the Research Coordinator and the researcher; students do not have to worry about them.

What is prescreening?

Prescreening is an online questionnaire that the experimenters use to find subjects who are eligible for their studies on special populations.

Do I have to do the prescreening?

You are not required to participate in prescreening. However, it is a good idea for two reasons. First, it gets your first .5 hours of credit out of the way. Second, by doing prescreening, you potentially increase the number of experiments you are eligible for.

When and where can I take the prescreening questionnaire?

See "Important Dates to Remember".

The prescreening questionnaire is available online from Wednesday, August 27th to Friday, September 12th. To register for the prescreening survey, log on to http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301.html and select "Experiment Registration." Then click on "Browse All Experiments." You will see Prescreening Survey near the bottom of the screen, with the surveys that are available online anytime. Click "View." Click "Register for this session."

The survey is not available after Sept. 12th.

I logged off of the prescreening survey, now I can’t find it. Where do I go?

Once you register for the prescreening survey, you will not see it on the “Browse All Experiments” list. To regain access to continue filling out the survey, look at the bottom of the first page you come to after you log into OPERA with your EID. You will see a third option presented instead of the customary two; “Surveys requiring my attention”. Use this link to continue taking the prescreening survey.

Can I still participate in experiments if I do not do the prescreening?

Yes, most experiments do not have prescreening as a prerequisite. Please remember that the prescreening is optional.

What is the last day I can participate in experiments?

The deadline for participating in experiments is Wednesday, November 26th, 2008. No experiments will be run after November 26th/the Thanksgiving Break and it is your responsibility to make sure you have completed all 5 hours by this date.

What if I am re-taking PSY 301 for a better grade; does this mean that I have to participate in the hours all over again?

No, but you will need to notify the Research Coordinator so that you do not receive an Incomplete at the end of the semester for not participating in any research hours.

I tried to log on to OPERA and received an error message that said I am not a valid user. What should I do?

E-mail the Research Coordinator, Abby Black, at 301research@psy.utexas.edu to activate your user account. You must include your EID in the email.

I tried to log on to OPERA and received a message that I am under 18 years of age; what do I do?

If you are under 18 you must first submit a parental permission form (available outside Room SEA 2.216 or on the web in PDF format at "http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/psy301permission.pdf"). Once signed by your parent/guardian, return it to Abby Black in Room 2.216 via hand delivery, mail, or fax (512-471-3413).

I tried to log on to OPERA and received an error message that said "This link cannot be accessed from your ISP. What should I do?

You should try using a different web browser, like Internet Explorer or Safari. OPERA does not interface with the AOL web browser and other web browsers occasionally have problems due to the preferences selected. Additionally, you might need to try a different internet service provider. If you are still encountering problems, try restarting your computer or logging into another computer. If this still does not work, you should stop by SEA 2.216.

What do I do with my green sheet?

The green sheet is your record of the experiments you participated in. It is very important that you keep an accurate record of your experiments and have the experimenter sign it every time you participate. If there is a credit recording mistake, the green sheet will be your proof of participation. Keep any online survey confirmation pages or debriefing forms from experiments you attend in person with your green sheet.

Do I turn in my green sheet when I have completed my hours?

No, please hold onto your green sheets and keep with your class materials until you see your Psy 301 grade post to your transcript.

How long does it take for the hours to show up on my record?

Credit is not reported instantaneously. It may take up to two weeks for your credit to be recorded on OPERA. Some researchers, due to the nature of their study, cannot report credits until the end of the semester.

What do I do if there is a mistake in my record?

E-mail the Research Coordinator, Abby Black, at 301research@psy.utexas.edu.

What if the researcher cancels the experiment?

Just as you are allowed to cancel yourself from an experiment session 6 hours or more in advance, researchers are permitted to modify or cancel a session 6 hours or more ahead of time. When a research cancels a session 6 or more hours in advance, you do not receive credit for the experiment, nor will you receive a penalty. A cancellation notice will appear at the top of the screen when you login to OPERA and on your “Browse Registered Experiments” page. You will want to check OPERA within 6 hours of your session to confirm there has not been a cancellation.

What if I showed up to the session anyway because I did not see that it was cancelled?

I’m sorry, but that is why we have the “six hour” policy for both participants and researchers.

What if the session wasn’t cancelled online, but the researcher did not show up?

If you go to an experiment session, and the researcher fails to show up, submit a Research Error Correction Form within 5 days to the experiment coordinator located in SEA 2.216. Research Error Correction Forms can be found on the wall, outside of SEA 2.216 or on the web as a downloadable PDF file (via the link to Research Error Correction Form). If a researcher fails to show, you will be given 1.0 hour of free credit, regardless of how many hours of credit the experiment session was worth.

Why is there an hour deducted from my record?

If you missed an experiment and did not cancel your participation at least 6 hours before your assigned time, you will be penalized ONE HOUR, regardless of how many hours of credit the experiment session was worth. This penalty applies for each experiment session you miss. If you have a verifiable excuse (doctor’s note, etc.) submit a Research Error Correction Form (found outside of SEA 2.216 in the wall bins) within 5 days of the missed experiment to the Research Coordinator in SEA 2.216 for reconsideration of the penalty.

How can I avoid getting docked an hour?

If you need to cancel an experiment, please make sure to login to the experiment system and un-register for that experiment at least 6 hours before the scheduled experiment.

What do I do if I get docked an hour?

You must earn an extra hour's worth of experiment credit to make up for each penalty deduction you earn.

How can I prove that I participated in an online study?

Always print out and save the confirmation page at the end of an online survey. You should be able to view your credit online within two weeks. If your credit does not show up online within two weeks, send a copy of the confirmation page to the research coordinator. You can hand deliver a copy to SEA 2.216 or fax a copy to 471-3413.

What if I participated in an online study and the “Browse Registered Experiments” site says that my credit is “Pending Verification”?

In this case, please review the instructions that appeared at the end of your survey (and are likely on the confirmation page that you printed out) and make sure that you followed them. If you have already done so, please contact the researcher.

I am unable to attend a study that I registered for. What should I do?

To cancel yourself from an experiment (which must be done 6 hours or more in advance) log on to OPERA and click “Browse Registered Experiments.” Click on “View” next to the experiment that you cannot attend. When the experiment session details come up, click on “Unregister.” You will then see a message saying that you are unregistered from the experiment session.

If you are unable to cancel yourself from a study more than 6 hours in advance due to an emergency or other serious scheduling conflict, contact the Research Coordinator as soon as possible. There is still a possibility that you will be docked an hour without appropriate documentation.

What if the weather was too bad for me to come to campus for my experiment?

If the University is still operating, normal rules for canceling sessions still apply. The status of the University can be verified on the following Emergency Preparedness website: http://www.utexas.edu/emergency/ or you can call the university’s general information number, 512-232-9999.

I was registered for an experiment, but when I looked again, it was not on my list under “Browse Registered Experiments.” What happened?

The most common reason for this situation is that you did not read the eligibility requirements closely enough and signed up for a study for which you did not qualify. Although researchers are asked to notify you via email when they unregister you from their session, they are not obligated to do so, as they have already made their criteria clear.

It’s the end of the semester and I still have hours to finish! Help!

Consider the risk you take by waiting until the end of the term to complete your experiments. For example, if you only have 1.0 hour left to complete, and the 1.0 hour session that you are signed-up to participate in on the last day that OPERA is open gets cancelled by a researcher, you may not be able to finish the requirement by the deadline. Similarly, the only remaining sessions may have eligibility restrictions that prevent you from registering for the experiment. No exceptions will be made for students who leave their participation until too late in the semester.

What if I don’t finish the requirement by the end of the semester?

You will get an X (Incomplete) on your semester grade report for PSY 301 if you passed the course: if you earned an F in the class that grade will be posted even if you did not complete the experiment requirement.

What happens if I get an Incomplete for the course?

You will have until the end of the next long semester (Fall or Spring) to finish the research requirement before the incomplete permanently converts to an "F". Please also note that if you earn a failing grade in PSY 301, an "F" will be released whether you complete the research requirement or not. Once you do finish the research requirement, your grade will be released.

How do I complete the research requirement if I get an Incomplete?

You will have some extra time but must finish the experiment requirement before the end of the next long semester. You can still use the paper option (see the requirements at http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/Psy301research.html) or continue to complete the required number of experimental hours when OPERA opens again in the next semester - just contact the Research Coordinator to have your user account re-activated if you would like to continue participating in experiments. After the first day of class in the next semester, you can log in to OPERA and continue signing up for experiments until the requirement is met. Be sure to finish before the last day for OPERA (usually one week before the end of classes).

Does that mean that I have to start my experimental hours all over again the following semester?

No, you will be able to continue participating with the hours that you earned during the semester you took the class. You will not automatically have access to the OPERA system to find new experiments; please contact the Research Coordinator to regain your access.

Can I participate in the same experiments I did the semester before?

No, absolutely not! This includes the prescreening survey. If you do, you will not get credit for any duplicated hours.

What if I don’t finish the requirement by the end of the next long semester?

The Incomplete (X) automatically and permanently converts to an F! Don't let this happen to you.

What do I do if I think I have finished the requirement (to get my grade released)?

You MUST email the Research Coordinator at 301research@psy.utexas.edu to notify her that you have completed your requirement. She will then give you further instructions about how to get your grade changed from an X to the grade you earned in PSY 301. Be sure to do this well before the last week of classes to be sure the grade change can be processed before last class day.

When is the research paper due (to avoid an Incomplete)?

If you would like to write a paper to fulfill the research requirement during the semester of your enrollment, it is due no later than the last class day of that semester. However, your instructor has the right to set the due date earlier than that (and many of them do). If you are unsure, please ask the instructor.

Where do I go for more information on writing the research paper to fulfill my requirement?

http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/Psy301research.html

Where do students commonly run into difficulties while writing the paper?

The references criteria include scholarly articles, ones from peer-reviewed professional journals. If you have questions regarding the quality of your resources, please ask your TA; he or she is a great resource.

Psy 301 Experiments

Email comments to 301research@psy.utexas.edu

Updated 20 August 2008
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