UROP Project

APPLES: Academic Progress in Phonological Learning in Elementary School children with speech sound disorders

Examining reading, spelling, language, cognitive, and speech abilities in children with communication disorders

Research Mentor: Dr. Farquharson or Dr. F Kelly Farquharson, she/ her/ hers
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication Science and Disorders, Communication and Information
Contact Email: kfarquharson@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors, but particularly strong option for communication science and disorders, special education, all psychology, biology, etc. Opportunities available for students wanting to use data for methodological or statistical analysis in various majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 3:30
  End Time: 4:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9245822071
• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 5:00
  End Time: 5:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9245822071

Project Description

APPLES is a 4-year, NIH-grant funded study examining the reading, spelling, speech, language, hearing, memory, and cognitive skills of children with speech sound disorders. Children are in kindergarten, first, or second grades. Speech sound disorders are communication disabilities that cause (for unknown reasons) difficulty with producing certain speech sounds. Our research team directly tests the children in their schools. All scoring and processing of data happens in the lab. The lab is located in the Warren Building, which is 201 W. Bloxham Street (room 512). It is a campus building, but not walkable from campus. Reliable transportation is required. UROP students are asked to work in-person (only) in the Warren building. Hours are flexible week-to-week; however, students can only enter the building when the building is unlocked (~8:30 am - 4:30 pm). We do not allow students in the building past 7:00 pm. Students are asked to put their scheduled hours on a shared Google calendar the Thursday of the week prior, at the latest. Students have the option of working the same hours every week (e.g., every Monday and Wednesday 2-5), or change their schedule weekly as needed. STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE CITI (Human Subjects) TRAINING BEFORE BEGINNING. This training can take some time and from there, you will be added to the IRB. This also takes time; expected start dates are in November as a result.

Research Tasks: Most tasks involve data processing, scoring, and entry. Extensive training and support will be provided. No direct contact with children is provided or required. All tasks administered to children are video and audio recorded. UROP students will watch videos and score tasks and enter data into REDCap databases.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Excellent communication skills. Prompt. Reliable. Eager to learn. Extremely organized. Must have access to Microsoft Teams on phone and computer. Must have strong skills with Excel, Word, and PowerPoint (the microsoft versions are required; the Apple/ iPad versions are not acceptable).