The School of Communication both welcomes and encourages undergraduate student involvement in the research programs of faculty and graduate students by serving as undergraduate research assistants. Research assistants play a vital role in the research of any university, by helping with data collection and analysis, computer programming, library research, and writing of research reports for presentation and conferences and for publication. Undergraduates in the social sciences with research experience (especially in the form of an undergraduate thesis) and who meet other entry requirements are often highly sought out by graduate schools, including the graduate program in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University. Furthermore, people with research skills are also sought out in industry and the corporate world. Thus, serving as a research assistant can give you a competitive advantage in your quest for furthering your education in the social sciences or obtaining employment upon graduation. If you need a letter of recommendation from a faculty member for graduate school or a job, you will get a much stronger letter if you work in a faculty member’s lab. Because there is no such thing as too much experience, we especially encourage students to get involved early in their education, at least a year before graduation. It sounds a lot better for a faculty member to say that that you worked in their lab for two, three, or even four years than only a semester.
The School of Communication recruits undergraduate research assistants for ongoing research projects. You may earn "independent study" course credit by working on these projects or get involved on a voluntary basis—details are to be discussed with the faculty/project contacts.
Spring 2025 Opportunities:
Scientific Project Coder
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Brad J. Bushman
Contact information: bushman.20@osu.edu
Total number of research assistants sought: 2
Project location: Remote/online
Minimum commitment per week: 3 hours
Preferred qualifications: Experience with Excel, organized, close attention to detail, strong reading comprehension, interest in replication.
Project description: This project involves coding research studies for meta-scientific traits including how many studies are in the paper, whether any pilot tests were reported, number of collaborators, etc. This is a project looking at how psychological studies are carried out. This quantitative review will look for relationships between the measured variables and replication success. I am conducting a meta-scientific review with colleagues on the topic of replication success. Preference will be given to those who can work SP25 and also AU26 semesters. This opportunity can be taken on a voluntary basis or for credit in Communication (COMM 4998).
Remote or in-person: Remote/online, emails and weekly Zoom meetings.
Format of remote interaction: There will be held weekly Zoom meetings to go through the information collected and any questions you might have.
User Experiences with Technology
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Jesse Fox
Contact information: Link for application is below; do not email to apply. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Fox at fox.775@osu.edu.
Total number of research assistants sought: 4-6
Project location: Journalism Building, room 347
Minimum commitment per week: 6 hours (2 credits); up to 3 credits available
Preferred qualifications: Good interpersonal and professional communication skills; attention to detail; ability to adhere to strict research protocols; independent, responsible, reliable, and timely. Students with an interest in human-computer interaction, user experience (UX), or user testing are strongly encouraged to apply. You must have some blocks of time available (2 hours or more) to run experiments in person in the laboratory Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
Project description: We are seeking research assistants to help conduct studies in the Journalism Building. You will be conducting live experimental sessions on a regular schedule. You will develop several research skills that are useful for careers in UX/UR/HCI, user experience, and market research more broadly.
Remote or in-person: In-person
To apply for this position, please fill out the following link: https://forms.gle/WSe7dJMLfxUAtfSn7
Tech Use in Relationships
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Jesse Fox
Contact information: Link for application is below; do not email to apply. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Fox at fox.775@osu.edu.
Total number of research assistants sought: 2-3
Project location: Journalism Building and Derby Hall
Minimum commitment per week: 6 hours (2 credits); up to 3 credits available
Preferred qualifications: Good interpersonal and professional communication skills; attention to detail; ability to adhere to strict research protocols; organized and able to oversee multiple things at once; reliable and timely. You must have some blocks of time available (2 hours or more) to run experiments in person in the laboratory Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
Project description: We are seeking research assistants to help conduct studies in the Journalism Building and Derby Hall. You will be interacting with participants, determining eligibility, and overseeing data collection.
Remote or in-person: In-person
To apply for this position, please fill out the following link: https://forms.gle/WSe7dJMLfxUAtfSn7
Video Coding
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Jesse Fox
Contact information: Link for application is below; do not email to apply. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Fox at fox.775@osu.edu.
Total number of research assistants sought: 4-6
Project location: Journalism Building, room 347/ Remote
Minimum commitment per week: 6 hours (2 credits); up to 3 credits available
Preferred qualifications: Attentive to detail; ability to self-regulate and work independently, including making steady progress on long-term projects without constant supervision; reliable and timely; availability for up to 3 training meetings between 10 AM & 5 PM Eastern time (times to be determined). Students with an interest in human-computer interaction, user experience (UX), or user testing are encouraged to apply.
Project description: We are seeking research assistants to help code and analyze videos. You will develop several research skills that are useful for careers in UX/UR/HCI, user experience, and market research more broadly.
Remote or in-person: Both
Format of remote interaction: Meetings will be in person or over Zoom. Coding may take place in the lab or remotely.
To apply for this position, please fill out the following link: https://forms.gle/WSe7dJMLfxUAtfSn7
Coding Experiences
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Jesse Fox
Contact information: Link for application is below; do not email to apply. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Fox at fox.775@osu.edu.
Total number of research assistants sought: 4-5
Project location: Remote
Minimum commitment per week: 6 hours (2 credits); up to 3 credits available
Preferred qualifications: Attentive to detail; ability to self-regulate and work independently, including making steady progress on long-term projects without constant supervision; reliable and timely; availability for up to 3 training meetings between 10 AM & 5 PM Eastern time (times to be determined).
Project description: This position will entail coding sensitive data tied to experiences in health or educational settings. Some data will include negative emotional experiences tied to one’s identity. Please note these descriptions can be upsetting, and some include offensive and hurtful language.
Remote or in-person: Remote, although you will need to pick up some materials in person.
Format of remote interaction: You will need to have stable synchronous access for training and meetings over Zoom. Regular tasks can be done offline and uploaded weekly.
To apply for this position, please fill out the following link: https://forms.gle/WSe7dJMLfxUAtfSn7
Trust in News Media Database Project
Faculty supervisor: Dr. Dominik Stecuła
Contact information: stecula.3@osu.edu
Total number of research assistants sought: 1
Project location: Remote/online
Minimum commitment per week: 3 hours
Preferred qualifications: Experience with database management and Excel, Google Sheets, or the equivalent; organized, meticulous attention to detail, strong reading and analytical skills.
Project description: This project involves the collection and organization of survey data on public trust in news media in the United States. Research assistant will gather data from various survey depositories, code, and classify the survey questions into specific categories relevant to trust and media consumption. The data is part of an ongoing empirical project understanding trust and distrust of the news media and its measurement. Preference will be given to candidates available to work through the SP25 semester. This opportunity is available on a voluntary basis or for credit in Communication (COMM 4998).
Remote or in-person: Remote/online, with communication through emails and weekly Zoom meetings.
Format of remote interaction: Weekly Zoom meetings will be scheduled to review the data collected, discuss classification strategies, and address any questions or challenges that arise during the data handling process.
Communication Research Experience Program (C-REP)
Research experience is an important part of undergraduate education in the School of Communication. Some classes require student participation in research, while others allow students to earn extra credit in this way. The Communication Research Experience Program (C-REP) helps to connect students and researchers, and provides a way to track which studies a student has completed. The resources listed below provide more information about C-REP.
Video: A Student Guide to CREP
Sona (School of Communication Research Participation Portal)
Some links on this page are to Adobe .pdf files requiring the use of Adobe Reader. If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact schofcomm@osu.edu.