Training the Future: Themes From a Content Analysis of Psychology Research Lab Manuals

Background Lab manuals help researchers and students share a common understanding of the rules, guidelines, and expectations related to being involved with a research laboratory. However, no formal guidelines direct the creation of lab manuals in psychology. Objective In this study, we conducted qualitative analyses of 10 psychology lab manuals to provide some broad guidelines for crafting a lab manual that would improve the research experience for undergraduate students. Method Taking an inductive approach, a team of researchers created codes from the contents of the manuals, and then derived themes from those codes. Results Themes included lab philosophy and direction, expectations and roles in the lab, communication inside and outside the lab, ethics, preparing for research, conducting research, presenting research, networking, and benefits of undergraduate research. Conclusion We defined and provided specific examples of each theme for consideration by educators and discussed limitations of our approach. Teaching Implications Ultimately, these themes could serve as a modest outline from which teacher-scholars can create their lab manuals from scratch or to revise/expand current manuals.