The　steel　slit　shear　panel　(SP),　made　by　cutting　slits　in　a　monolithic　steel　plate,　dissipates　seismic　energy　through　the　flexural　behavior　of　individual　plate　links　separated　by　slits.　To　investigate　the　influence　of　different　link　designs　and　steel　properties,　three　scaled　SP　specimens　are　designed　and　tested　under　quasi-static　cyclic　loading.　Test　results　show　that　plate　links　with　a　larger　width-thickness　ratio　buckle　earlier　and　larger,　and　associated　pinching　in　hysteresis　is　more　serious.　Significant　strain　hardening　of　low　yield　steel　promotes　plump　shear　hysteresis　even　with　obvious　out-of-plane　buckling　deformation.　To　investigate　the　effect　of　different　SPs　on　the　overall　structural　performance,　moment　resisting　steel　frame　(MRSF)　structures　installed　with　SPs　are　built.　Time-history　analysis　results　show　that　the　installation　of　SPs　reduces　the　story　displacement　responses　but　increases　the　floor　accelerations.　The　low　yield　SP　works　best　in　reducing　both　the　maximum　and　residual　inter-story　drift.　©　2022　World　Scientific　Publishing　Company.