👍Etiquette & Expectations
Absences & Tardiness ⏰
The absence allowance for personal or sick days is based on a RA's relative weekly hours compared to the hours worked by others in the lab. Each RA's absence allowance will allow for at least one week's worth of shift coverage for sick days and planned personal/academic time off. If a RA is able to find coverage for their shift or trade shifts with another RA, then their absence allowance will not be impacted. Emergency absences will be granted as needed and will not effect absence allowance. Going over one's absence allowance will result in a warning and discussion with the lab manager.
The late policy is strictly enforced with only a 10-minute grace period. RAs are to notify the lab manager if they will be more than 10 minutes late. Arriving 15+ minutes after the start of one's shift, or leaving 15+ minutes before the end of one's shift will be deducted from their absence allowance. Regular tardiness or early leave will result in a warning and discussion with the lab manager.
Coursework 📓
Georgia Tech has a heavy course load, and academics should be your top priority. However, RAs should not do class-related work while on the clock unless they've received permission from the lab manager.
Dress Code 🥼
There’s no official dress code for the lab. However, we do ask that you keep it professional. As Randy puts it, “Dress like you’re going to meet your significant other’s parents for the first time.”
Research shows that participants respond more positively to well-dressed experimenters (Bushmann, 1984; MacArthur & Baron, 1983;). A professional appearance conveys authority, earns respect, and can lead to more motivated participants and higher-quality data.
With that in mind, please use discretion and dress modestly and professionally. RAs in our lab will interact with a wide range of people, and their appearance helps set the tone for the lab environment.
Food 🥪
Feel free to use the coffee machine, microwave, fridge, etc. However, clean up after yourself and do not eat in front of participants or in the running room. Keep the food in the control room and please be considerate regarding pungent, strong-smelling foods. Do not leave dirty dishes or utensils in the sink. RAs are responsible for washing, drying, and putting away dishes at the end of every shift.
Participant Conduct 🤝
When interacting with participants, it’s important to be confident and well-prepared by thoroughly rehearsing the study protocol in advance. Begin each session by establishing authority. Greet participants professionally and assertively to set the tone. Standardize your delivery by using the same language and tone across all sessions to ensure clarity and reliability. Always explicitly ask for consent before initiating any physical contact, clearly explaining what will happen beforehand to maintain transparency and respect.
Control Room 🕹️
The control room holds important materials like the participant database, schedule, consent forms, and folders. Both the control room and the running room are workspaces and should only be used for lab tasks.
Do not use this room for personal activities like social media, homework, phone calls, games or hanging out. If needed, please go to the seating area near the elevator and be considerate of others.
DO NOT:
Leave food/dirty dishes behind
Talk loudly/be disruptive
Have personal conversations/phone calls
Do homework (unless permission is given)
Remove/share lab materials without permission
Let participants into the control room unless necessary
Keep the space quiet, professional, and organized so the lab can run smoothly.
Running Room 🖥️
Most data collection happens in the running room, using computers for behavioral and eye-tracking data. Both the control room and the running room are workspaces and should only be used for lab tasks.
Do not use this room for personal activities like social media, homework, phone calls, games or hanging out. If needed, please go to the seating area near the elevator and be considerate of others.
DO NOT:
Eat/snack
Talk loudly/be disruptive
Have personal conversations/phone calls
Do homework (unless permission is given)
Leave participants unattended
RAs are responsible for making sure we collect high-quality data. That means paying attention, helping participants follow instructions, and keeping the room quiet and focused.