Running Behavioral Experiments with Human Participants: A Practical Guide (Revised Version)
Abstract
There are few resources providing practical guidance on how to prepare and run experiments with human participants in a laboratory setting at colleges and universities. Undergraduate students are taught how to design experiments and how to analyze experimental data in courses such as Design of Experiments, Statistics, etc. However, the dearth of materials available to students regarding preparing and running experiments has led to a significant gap between theory and practice in this area. This guide is intended to help students run experiments effectively and safely with human participants. We hope the guide will help undergraduates in psychology, engineering, and the sciences conduct studies with human participants in a laboratory setting. We do not cover experimental design or data analyses or how to use complex machinery, such as an fMRI or ERP. We also do not cover field studies or studies that require an Institutional Review Board (IRB) review. This means that we do not cover working with unusual populations, such as prisoners, animals, and children, nor do we cover testing that could be a risk to the subjects (e.g., saliva and blood testing). While the intended audience is advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students who have no previous experience, the guide could also be useful to anyone who is training people to conduct experiments or who is studying the experimental process. The guide contains the following sections: Overview of the Research Process, Preparation for Running Experiments, Potential Ethical Problems, Risks to Validity to Avoid While Running an Experiment, Running a Research Study, Concluding a Research Study, and Example Research Studies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 20, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA558529
Entities
People
- Frank Ritter
- Jonathan H. Morgan
- Jong W. Kim
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University