Running Behavioral Studies With Human Participants

Book excerpt: A practical, concrete road map to running research studies with human subjects. Covering both conceptual and practical issues critical to implementing a study with human participants, this book is organized to follow the standard process in experiment-based research, covering such issues as potential ethical problems, risks to validity, experimental setup, running a study, and concluding a study. The detailed guidance on each step of a study is ideal for anyone who has had little or no previous practical training in research methodology. The book's examples and sample forms are drawn from areas such as cognitive psychology, human factors, human-computer interaction, and human-robotic interaction. Key Features A coherent view of how to implement the experimental process, including detailed discussions of the setup and running of behavioral studies, gives you a practical guide for implementing your own experiments. Concrete examples speak to the diverse needs of the HCl, human factors, cognitive science, and related communities. Practical coverage of risks and problems that can be anticipated and avoided helps you recognize the ethical challenges you might encounter during the course of designing, running, or concluding a study. Three running example scenarios drawn from industrial and academic settings help you understand the major themes of each chapter. Example forms provide you with models you can use as you create your own experimental documents (such as IRB applications, experimental scripts, consent forms, and room layouts) to meet your particular research needs. Practical advice and examples of challenges associated with experimental setup and execution (such as how to set up experimental rooms, manage late or missing participants, and devise an effective experimental script) humanize key points in a memorable way, helping you recall the major points of the book. Built-in learning aids include further readings, an appendix on running studies online, questions at the end of each chapter, and publication paths and types that encourage you to take ownership of the research process and engage in research in a directed and methodical way. Book jacket.