The Politics and Communication Lab (PAC Lab) is a collaborative research group that investigates the role of digital and social media in the political process. Based in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan, the PAC Lab is committed to faculty-student collaborative research that addresses important questions
related to contemporary political communication.
Using quantitative methodologies such as surveys and experiments, we are particularly interested in understanding how citizens use the internet and social media to consume news and political information, learn about politics, discuss and share political content with others, and engage in the political process.
The PAC Lab is dedicated to providing an open, diverse, inclusive, and collaborative space for students interested in political communication to develop their research skills. Through close faculty mentoring and weekly meetings, students are involved in all phases of the research process including idea generation, research design, data collection, analyses, and writing. Graduate student involvement in the group is centered on providing research experiences to prepare them to later conduct independent research as faculty. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to work directly with faculty and graduate students on research projects outside of the classroom.