Advice on first year project?

[polarbearscafe]

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Hi! I'm seeking advice on how to approach the first year project in a clinical psychology phD program. Namely 1) is it better to be collecting data vs. using existing data, and 2) how to make the project publishable (because it would be small in scale compared to a thesis or a dissertation).

Also, I've done some research on awards and it seems that most awards are geared towards dissertations (NIH, NIMH, etc.). What are some awards that first years can apply to (research related or otherwise)?

Thank you for your input!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Probably depends in part on what the requirements are. It's almost always easier to use existing data if you can develop an appropriate research question, so if the idea of the project is just to start getting your feet wet, that may be the way to go (especially as you're also juggling classes, adjustment to grad school in general, etc.).

However, if there's the option of later expanding on this project and rolling it into your thesis, then collecting your own data may not be a bad idea.

In the end, it's often said, "the best dissertation is a finished dissertation." Same would apply here. See what other students typically do, and try not to significantly overburden yourself.

 

[bcliff]

wrong thread

 

[deleted343839]

It's really going to depend on your advisor, your lab, and your timeline. Your advisor might have a large project from which you spin off, or they may have an expectation that you design and carry out a completely independent study from start to finish. In either case, original data collection tends to be viewed more favorably.

Look at professional societies for small research grants for trainees. Your institution may have some small grants available too. You're right though, the earliest most people will see real money is for a dissertation grant (and even those are hard to get).

 

[Ollie123]

I think it would be very tough to do original data collection within the span of one year at a new institution as a first year graduate student. You certainly don't have any time to apply for funding for it since that would add a minimum of a few months (and possibly a year or more) just to get the money in hand.

I'd expect to use data available to you through other sources, though obviously it all depends on the expectations for the program. I'm assuming you are starting graduate school in the fall, so I'd start talking to your mentor about it shortly after your arrival (or even starting to discuss by email now). If you want to make it publishable you are probably better off using someone else's data because the scope of a project that can be completed start-finish in a year is going to be very small. I think the only thing that would realistically be doable is some sort of Mturk survey or experiment. You'll get far more mileage out of using available data from other sources. MamaPhD is right that original data collection is viewed more favorably, but I don't think anyone would expect that for a first year project. I'd take a strong secondary data analysis paper over a crummy pilot study with original data collection in that context.

I think NSF is the only major fellowship open to early graduate students. Its intense and extremely difficult to get, but very prestigious if you can pull it off (arguably even moreso than an F31 from NIH - the "dissertation grant" you were likely referring to).

I agree with AA that a good dissertation is a done dissertation, but if you are vying for an academic career I think its important to find a middle ground. Individuals who get through graduate school exclusively working on secondary data analyses tend not to be viewed as favorably, for example. My projects definitely opened doors for me and helped get me where I am right now. We had some faculty who pushed small projects just because its obviously much easier to get done quicker. My lab took the opposite approach and has a longer time to graduation, but probably the highest percentage of students who go on to faculty jobs (I think all but 1-2 in the history of the lab?).

 

[Justanothergrad]

I'm a fan of measurement validations as an important area of growth in the literature, and that can be done in relatively quick order without funds. Instruments tend to get validated (often poorly) and then let to run free. Depending on your statistical know-how, this can lead to useful and meaningful projects. These validations can also couple nicely with projects resulting in several manuscripts from a small project. I've done several single year projects that have resulted in multiple publications in good journals. Here are three key questions as you consider formulating a project:

1. What is your access to participants like for whatever population, be it students, community sample, clinic sample, graduate trainees, licensed individuals, etc...and who do you want to be studying?
2. What is your area of study / area of interest / the latest thing you think sounds neato and interesting / whatever
3. What level of statistical training do you have / how comfortable learning are you / How can your adviser help you?

Oh yeh...

4. How much time do you have for the project