Teaching

An important mission of the Media Effects Research Laboratory is to serve as a training ground for young media effects researchers. As part of its teaching mission, the lab offers hands-on experience with the practical aspects of conducting laboratory experiments to undergraduate as well as graduate students. Students enrolled in Penn State classes on media effects and research methods use the lab for conducting their class assignments on observation and measurement techniques as well as for performing their end-semester group projects.

For syllabi of current courses which make use of the lab, click any of the course links below:

Undergraduate Courses

COMM 118 Introduction to Media Effects
COMM 418 Media Effects
COMM 420 Research Methods in Advertising and Public Relations
COMM 413W Mass Media and the Public

Graduate Courses

COMM 517 Psychological Aspects of Communication Technology
COMM 518 Media Effects
COMM 597C Video Game Effects
COMM 506 Introduction to Mass Communications Research
COMM 516 Quantitative Data Analysis
COMM 597B Advanced Data Analysis

Undergraduate Grant

Since 2005 we have been able to train select undergraduate media effects students in collecting psychophysiological data thanks to the President's Fund for promoting theory-based undergraduate research. Students who apply and are selected typically meet with lab coordinators once per week throughout spring semester to learn the various methods and even collect some data from participants.

This is a great opportunity for those interested in media effects research, and especially those considering graduate school in the field. Psychophysiological measures are being looked to more in the research field, especially as technology advances, so experience in collecting and analyzing a variety of psychophysiological data is a strong selling point for any media effects student.