REP: Community College Student Portal

Through REP, you become a participant in social science research projects conducted by Stanford researchers. You earn credit as required by your community college class instructor. The program also offers talks and tours that you can attend to learn more about research in the social sciences.  

If you have any questions, please contact the REP Administration at research-exp-program [at] stanford.edu.

What You'll Be Doing

During REP, you’ll be able to participate in a wide variety of projects that come from business, communications, education, political science, psychology, and sociology. Experiments are in different stages of the research process. This program can be fun for you, but it involves serious work for the researchers, who are using their research projects to write papers or complete their degree. Please answer questions honestly, and enjoy learning about how research is conducted. You might help researchers collect important data that will later be used for presentations and publications or provide researchers important feedback while they pre-test their research design. Students in online classes can complete the REP entirely online. Students in classes that meet in person may have a requirement to take some in-person studies.

Important Deadlines

Please see your REP syllabus materials, provided by your community college course instructor, for current calendar and deadlines. The REP may end prior to the end of the term. You must sign up for the program and complete all the prerequisites by the deadlines listed on the REP syllabus materials. Past the deadline, you will not be allowed to sign up to take part in REP. The deadline for choosing the alternative assignment is the same as the REP signup deadline.

You should participate in studies throughout the quarter in a timely manner.  If you plan to take approximately 1 study each week (2 studies per week in summer), you should have no trouble fulfilling your course requirements.

Experiment Participation Requirement

How do we know what we know in the social sciences? Through research! Participation in 4.3 hours of social science experiments through the Stanford Research Experience Program (REP) is a requirement of this course. The REP is an interesting and easy way to participate in the social research process as a research subject AND you can do the whole thing online. By participating in REP experiments, you gain valuable firsthand experience of social science research and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in fields such as sociology or psychology.   

REP Schedule

Important: Requirements differ for different classes

Step #Important datesNotes
1

Beginning: Monday, April 10

Deadline: 5:00pm Friday, April 21

Create an account & take the prescreen survey at REP Sona System - see page 3 for details. You will receive 1 REP credit. All questions must be answered in one session, so allow 45 minutes to an hour.
2Deadline: 5:00pm Friday, April 21
  • Sign up for and complete at least one research study. You will receive credits as listed on the study.
  • Choose the alternative requirement if not doing REP (see Alternative Research Papers Assignments).
  • REP Studies’ time slots begin to open for sign-up.
3Deadline: 4:00pm Friday, June 9
  • Complete the remaining research studies to reach the number of credits required for your course.
  • If you take at least one study per week, you will easily complete these before the deadline. Do not wait until the last week, as studies may not be available.
4Deadline: 5:00pm Friday, June 9
  • Take the Mandatory Exit Survey.
  • You must have completed all of your research study credit hours, including the **Mandatory REP Exit Survey.**

Note: If you are finishing your study participation late in the session, your credits will likely not be visible before 5 pm on the last day of class. Do not worry - your instructor will receive all your credits.

REP Credit Requirements & Rules

Total REP Credit Requirements: 4.3

  • 1 credit:  Mandatory Prescreen Survey
  • 3 credits: Online Studies
  • 0.3 credit:  Mandatory Exit Survey (starts during last few weeks of course).
    • You MUST take the Exit Survey to complete the REP. If you do not take the Exit Survey, none of your credits will count.

Previous REP Participation

If you have created a REP account in the past, you MUST contact the REP Administration at research-exp-program [at] stanford.edu (research-exp-program[at]stanford[dot]edu) and tell us: 1) Your name or your old identity code, 2) Your current class and section number, and 3) whether you created a duplicate account by mistake. You CANNOT have more than one account with the REP.  We will re-open your existing account. If it is found that you have more than one account, you will have to restart the program from the beginning, and you will not be allowed to retake the same studies.

Multiple Enrollment in REP classes

If you are currently enrolled in more than 1 REP class, you MUST contact the REP Administration after you have signed up and tell us 1) Your name or your identity code, and 2) Your current classes and section numbers. We will manually adjust the number of credits you have due. The prescreen and exit survey credits apply to all classes.

Minor (under the age of 18)

If you are under the age 18, you MUST contact the REP Administration and tell us after you have signed up. We need to know early on in case many of this session’s studies restrict minors so that we can come up with alternatives for your participation. Minors age 16-17 can participate AFTER contacting us. Minors age 15 or under, choose the alternative assignment.

3 Unexcused No-Show Bans

You can incur “unexcused no-shows” for failing to attend or complete online studies, or failing researchers’ attention checks. If you receive 3 unexcused no-shows, you are permanently banned from participating in the REP in this session and any subsequent session. 

When a researcher reports a penalty, you will not receive credit for that study, and you will receive one unexcused no-show. The system will notify you of your unexcused no-shows, and if you receive three, will automatically disable your account. Randomly clicking answers, misrepresenting yourself, or cheating will result in permanent removal. 

Students with Disabilities

If you have cognitive, physical, or other disabilities you may discuss needed accommodations with your instructor or the REP program director. Please let us know early in the session.

Voluntary Nature of Research

You do not have to participate in REP studies, you can choose the alternative requirement by the registration deadline. You do not have to participate in any particular study, and may withdraw participation in a study at any time. If you choose to withdraw after beginning a study, please email the researcher or the REP administration.

Importance of Research

Pay attention to study directions and take studies carefully & seriously. Although your study experience should be a fun learning experience, your responses provide important data for serious research projects. It is important to be truthful and honest in your answers. Please give your full attention to any study you are taking. Randomly clicking answers, misrepresenting yourself, or cheating will result in permanent removal from the program. 

Rule of Thumb for Success: One Study Each Week (2-3 studies in Summer)

If you do one experiment approximately every week, you should have no problem finishing on time. Studies will be available starting the first week of REP. Researchers add timeslots throughout the session. Please do not wait till the end of the session – there may not be enough timeslots to accommodate you if you wait too long.

How to Participate in a Research Experience Program

Please note the deadlines above. By the deadline, sign up and complete the prescreen survey OR arrange with your professor to complete their alternative assignment. Do NOT wait until the last minute!

Create an Account and Complete Mandatory Prescreen Survey

You need to register for the class in the REP online scheduler. (IMPORTANT: Do not search the web for this site – use the url below.)

 Visit the REP Account Creation website:

  1. Find the button titled “Request Account.”
  2. Click on that button and fill out the form. Your user ID is your choice.
  3. An email will be sent to you with a password.
  4. Use your login information to log into the online scheduler.
  5. Fill out the prescreen survey carefully, reading and answering each question. Errors may result in you having to take the survey a second time, or being blocked from taking some studies.
  6. If you are unable to advance to the next page, scroll up to find and correct your error (in red). You then will be able to advance.
  7. You MUST take this survey in one sitting – there is no option to save and come back.  Please allot approximately an hour.
  8. On the top of the final review page, please click “save responses.” You will receive 1 REP credit upon completion of the prescreen survey.

Once you sign into the online scheduler, you will receive a numeric identity code.  This code is very important because it is used to identify you to all researchers.  Researchers do NOT have access to your name, student ID number, or username.

To find your identity code, you must follow these steps:

  1. Click "My Profile" on the menu bar within the REP scheduler.
  2. Look for the words "Identity Code." Your identity code is listed there.

Please see the “F.A.Q” menu for answers to frequently asked questions. Use the “My Profile” menu to change your password, correct your course name, and locate your identity code

Earn Study Credits

After you have finished the prescreen survey, you can participate in experiments. You receive 0.5 credit for every half hour a study is expected to take, and 1 credit for each study hour. Be sure to take the first study by the deadline listed on the first page.

Sign Up for Studies

Go to the REP scheduler system at: REP Schedular System and login with the user id and password with which you registered. To find studies, look under the “Studies” menu, and you’ll see a list of studies available. Make sure you are viewing “All Studies.” You can sign up for a study if you see the words “Timeslots Available” next to the study name. Click on the study title to read more details. To sign up for a study click on “View Timeslots for This Study,” choose a timeslot, and click on “Sign Up.” DO NOT attempt to take a study that does not have timeslots available. If you do so you will not be credited.

Receiving Study Credits

You will receive 0.5 REP credit for every half hour a study takes. If a study is one hour long, you will receive 1 REP credit. See your REP syllabus materials for credit requirements, and check with your instructor for how that factors into your final grade. While some online studies credit automatically, some online studies and all in-person studies must be credited manually by the researchers. Researchers generally credit you within 3 days after a timeslot deadline. Please read the study description-many researchers tell you exactly when they intend to credit students. If a week goes by and you haven’t received credit, please contact the program-the program administrators will help resolve the issue

Mandatory Exit Survey

You are required to take an end-of-term exit survey about your experience with the Research Experience Program AFTER you have completed your credits. The mandatory exit survey is worth 0.3 of a credit and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Starting a couple weeks before the end of the term, the exit survey can be found under “studies” in the scheduling system. Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to individual requests to take the exit survey early.

Take the exit survey as soon as your participation in all the REP activities has been completed. You do NOT need to wait to be credited for your last studies to take the exit survey.  If you take the exit survey before completing participation in all studies, it will be invalid, and you will not have completed the REP requirement.

Researchers have until midnight to credit anyone who took their study by the 5 p.m. deadline. All credits may not show up in your account before the participation due date, but teachers will receive credits on time for the course. Your account will be closed after the deadline, but should be reactivated by email request if you participate in REP in a future course.

Types of Studies
  • Online Studies  which are administered online. The study description includes the words “(Online Study).” Timeslots for online studies indicate the deadline by which you must have completed the study. You should complete the study before the deadline. Take the study immediately upon signup to ensure you meet the deadline.
  • Talks and tours (May be available; if so notice will be sent from the REP system)

Cancelations and No Shows

Canceling an Appointment

To cancel an existing appointment, in the online scheduler:

  1. From the home page of the REP scheduler, click on the menu item “My Schedule/Credits,” or on the home page click on “View or cancel my study appointments.”
  2. Scroll down to find the study title.
  3. Under the “Cancel?” column, click cancel, then “Yes, I want to cancel.” For most studies you can cancel without penalty up to 24 hours before the timeslot. Check the study description to make sure of the cancellation deadline.

Cancelation Penalties

  • If a student cancels participation in a study more than 24 hours in advance, there is no penalty.
  • If an emergency arises within 24 hours of the session, students are to contact the researcher (and at least leave a message) AND notify the REP Office (through e-mail). Your instructor will have final say on whether or not you will be penalized for not showing up. The program will always defer to your instructor’s decision.
  • Researchers who want to cancel studies MUST notify students prior to cancellation. If a researcher cancels with less than 24 hour notice, the student will be credited. 

Online Study Penalties

If you do not take a study by the timeslot deadline or within any other timeframe stated in the study description, you will not receive credit for the study, and you will receive an unexcused no-show. If you fail to pass simple attention checks, or it is obvious you did not read or engage in the study, you will NOT receive credit for the study AND you will receive an unexcused no-show.  

For example, in an online study, if you read a paragraph about a cat and when asked if you read about a cat, you state “no.”  This will be considered a sign of non-engagement with the online study. If it is obvious that you were just clicking on answers without reading or engaging in a study, that is grounds for receiving an unexcused no-show or being immediately removed from the program.

Helpful Reminders

  • Enroll in the correct class.  When you set up your account in the REP scheduling system, make sure you are in the correct class and section number. If you place yourself into the wrong class, you can change it under “My Profile.” If you are not enrolled under the correct class, you will not receive credit for participation.
  • ALWAYS use your numeric identity code.  Researchers only know you by your REP identity code and cannot give you credit without it. If you provide the wrong code, you will NOT receive credit for your participation.
  • To find your numeric identity code, you must follow these steps after you login into the online scheduler (stanford-rep.sona-systems.com):
    • Click “My Profile”
    • Look for the words “Identity Code.”  Your ID number is 5 or 6 digits.
  • Do not try to take studies without first signing up in a timeslot (when viewing the study description, click on “view timeslots for this study”). If you do not sign up for a timeslot, you will not receive credit.
  • ALWAYS read the study description for any study for which you sign up, so you know what to do. If you miss the study or do the study wrong because you did not read the study description, you will be penalized. Take studies carefully and seriously.
  • Crediting is not automatic. Sometimes researchers have to manually give you credit. Please read the study description for crediting guidelines. You should wait up to 3 business days after a timeslot deadline to receive credit, before contacting the REP administration with any concerns. (You may receive an automatic reminder to take a study. If you receive such an email after you have already taken the study-just ignore the email.)

  • Be Respectful and do not spam, threaten, or harass your classmates, researchers, or the REP administration. Please use respectful professional email etiquette, a skill you will need after graduating. Fostering a hostile environment is grounds for having an incident report filed with your school’s Dean of Student Affairs and being removed from the REP. If an upsetting incident occurs within the program, immediately report it to your instructor and to the REP program administration. We have official procedures for investigating any issues.

    For more information:  IRISS Community College Students 

    Email:  research-exp-program [at] stanford.edu (research-exp-program[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Alternative Research Paper Assignments

If you do not wish to take part in social science experiments by participating in the Research Experience Program, you may satisfy this requirement by writing six 2-page mini research papers or a separate assignment prepared by your instructor.  You MUST get approval from your professor if you intend to do the alternative assignment. Deadline for approval is the registration deadline for REP. Potential Topics for papers are listed below (list below is a sample and topics and format of alternative assignment is subject to change):  

  • Paper 1: the history of experiments on human behavior
  • Paper 2: the basic methodology of social science experiments, and its pros and cons
  • Paper 3: comparison of the different kinds of social science experiments (ex: field studies, vignette studies, survey studies, behavioral studies)
  • Paper 4: comparison of social science experiments with a different social science methodology (ex: conducting surveys, participant observation)
  • Paper 5:  the ethics of experimentation on human beings
  • Paper 6: case study of an experiment
  • Paper 7: critique an experiment
  • Paper 8: design your own experiment  

If you are approved to do the alternative REP assignment instead of participating in the regular REP, you will need to turn in all the papers or assignments in a timely manner on a schedule prepared by your professor. The alternative REP assignments may differ from the above outline. Your professor will provide you with instructions regarding the alternative REP assignment expectations. To do this or ask any other questions about the alternative REP requirement, please contact your professor.

Log Into the REP Sona System

Parking at Stanford

Please see your REP syllabus materials for parking information, for in-person studies conducted at Stanford. All parking rules and regulations are adhered to at Stanford. General visitor parking information is available on the Stanford Parking & Transportation website.

Have other questions?

Take a look at the FAQ page for more information on using the online scheduling system and participating in the studies.

Current students: please research-exp-program [at] stanford.edu (email us) with any questions that are not addressed in syllabus materials.

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