Student Resources

Participating in the Research Participation Program (RPP)

Your instructor has chosen to offer the Research Participation Program (RPP), where you can participate in ongoing research studies to earn required class credit or extra credit. The RPP aims to introduce you to the wide variety of research being conducted in the College of Business at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

As you become acquainted with professors and graduate students who are actively contributing new findings to the field of business, we expect that you will learn about how business research is conducted.

To fulfill the research experience requirement, you can participate through any combination of the following activities:

1. Serve as a research participant in one or more ongoing research projects.
2. Write a research brief.

Through your participation, you will earn units of participation, which will be reported to your instructor. In total, students must earn the number of units of research participation (RPUs) specified by their instructor(s). Units cannot count twice, meaning one credit cannot be applied to different courses. If there is a shortage of studies or if your schedule makes it impossible for you to attend sessions, or if you are uncomfortable with participating in research for any reason, you can fulfill the course requirement by writing one or more research briefs.

1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPATION FOR STUDIES COMPLETED IN KORALESKI CAB LAB.
   
   • Students with in person classes must come to the Koraleski CAB Lab, located in Mammel Hall suite 270, to complete their studies in person.

   • Online classes/students can complete their studies online/remote OR they may make an appointment to come to the Koraleski CABLab, located in Mammel Hall suite 270, and complete their studies in person. We strongly encourage students to complete at least one study in the lab to experience the cutting-edge lab facilities and interact with all the technology the lab has to offer.
     

   • We will offer lab appointments starting on September 6th. Check SONA for available study times. The last day to complete studies is November 30th at 5:00 PM unless your instructor has indicated an earlier completion date.

   • If, for some reason, you are unable to find a timeslot that works for you, please email muntahabanihani@unomaha.edu to make an appointment outside of our normal business hours. We will accommodate your request to the best of our ability.

     
     Online Study Instructions
     
     
2. RESEARCH BRIEFS
   
   One unit of research participation is awarded for a written research brief (e.g., two research briefs are equivalent to two units of research participation). When completing this assignment, anticipate spending approximately one hour reading and writing a brief that compares two specific theories/concepts related to the course you are taking.
   
   If you are having trouble finding studies in which to participate in at midterm or later, we encourage you to fulfill your remaining research experience requirements by preparing research briefs. All research briefs are graded during the last week of each semester. While we will gladly accept research briefs throughout the semester, your account will not be credited until the end of the semester due to the grading procedure.
   
   Sources for these assignments are available via the electronic journals link on the Criss Library website. If necessary, librarians and support staff are available at the Criss Library help desk to guide you in using electronic journals. Alternatively, contact the library help desk at (402) 554-3206.
   
   The Assignment. Select two specific theories/concepts that have been covered in your class or emphasized by your textbook author. For each theory/concept:
   
   
   • Summarize the basic assumptions proposed by the theory (e.g., what is the causal path? How does this theory explain questions regarding marketing/management?). Examples are often useful in illustrating the theory's connection to actual business practice.
     
     
   • Describe the similarities you think these theories share (e.g., do they incorporate similar concepts? Have similar times of origin?). Note: Ensure you provide adequate comparisons/contrasts. Stating that “they both explain marketing/management” is NOT a sufficient example.
     
     
   • Highlight the differences between the theories (e.g., do they explain different business concepts? Are they better or worse at explaining consumer behavior, management strategy, etc.?)
     
     
   • Finally, explain which theory you believe is superior, providing support for your argument (e.g., better evidence; ability to answer more questions).
     
     
   Reference both your textbook and ideas presented in class to support your arguments. You are also required to use outside sources to supplement your paper; please provide references at the conclusion of your paper. The brief should be a minimum of 3 pages, single-spaced.
   
   The body of the report should indicate the student’s name, ID number, and the class for which the paper is submitted for to receive RPP credit. The report must be typed (12-point font with standard 1-inch margins) and submitted electronically. To do this, email a copy of your summary to muntahabanihani@unomaha.edu (acceptable formats include: .docx; .doc; or .pdf).
   
   This file must be named: last name, first initial, middle initial, and the number of alternative research papers that the document represents (e.g., Jane Marie Doe’s file would be named doejm1).
   
   The responsibility to ensure that a file was received is placed on the participant. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you request an email confirming that your file has been received and print a copy for your records.
   
   Due date - The alternative research assignment(s) are due no later than November 30th at 5:00 PM. Student reports must be turned in to muntahabanihani@unomaha.edu by this date, or they will not receive credit for their participation; late papers cannot be accepted.
   
   
   1. IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES
      
      

      Date	Event
      Immediately	Sign-up for an account now: http://unocablab.sona-systems.com.
      September 6	Initial studies will be made available
      November 30	At 5:00 PM: Last day to turn in research paper to muntahabanihani@unomaha.edu Last day to participate in a study (some instructors require an earlier completion date)

   2. PERSONAL RECORDKEEPING
      
      Fill in this information at the time you sign up for a study. If you encounter a problem at the end of the semester or have questions about specific credits or studies, you will be asked to show this record. Additionally, please save emails that contain information about your registration, sign-up, cancellations, and other information: otherwise, it will be difficult to assist you.
      
      

      Study Number and Title	Administrator Name, Email, and Phone	Date/Time/Place	Credit Hours
      eg., Study 108: Leadership styles	Muntaha Bani Hani muntahabanihani@unomaha.edu 402.554.2224	Sept. 1st: 2 P.M., 270 MH	0.5