Experimental Lab
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.
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 participation in the 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.
NEW: Lab Director and Professor Dr. Kim Fridkin will be teaching the PPS 506: Experimental Design this Fall 2025. Get in contact with our advising team to learn more.
Experimental Participation
Get started and sign up for a lab appointment below! Your Username is your ASURITE ID and the default password is Student. Your ASU password will not work.
Upon logging in, you will receive an email each time a new study is available. The email will state if the available study is an in-person or online study.
In-person study
- After logging into Sona Systems you will be able to choose a time slot to come to Coor Hall on the Tempe campus and complete the study in the Lab.
- Once 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 1 to 2 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.
Online study
Upon logging into Sona Systems, 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.
When you finish the study, your account will say you have a "pending credit" awaiting action from the researcher.
Your credit should be recorded on Sona Systems within a few days. Rest assured that if you receive this message, your credit will be counted.
Completing an Alternative Activity
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. 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 Anastasia Brown at [email protected].
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.
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, University Computing Commons should be able to assist you.
What to expect
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.
Important Deadlines
The deadline for the alternative activity is your session’s (A, B, or C) last day of classes.
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.
Eligibility
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.
Format
Your paper should be double spaced (12 pt Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins) and the appropriate length (see box to the right). The alternative activity will be evaluated by the lab director, Dr. Kim Fridkin.
Length
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
Submitting your essay
Submit your assignment through the SPGS Experimental Lab Organization Canvas page. 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.