MS/Ph.D level research...what is it all about

[army0341]

I plan on attending a MS program here real soon and I have some questions about research. In my undergrad education (also in psych) I wasn't exposed to too much psych research (conducting not consuming) and was wondering what can I expect from graduate level research? I took stats and research methods but how well does that prepare me for research at this level? Also, does the process usually have a "break-in" period where you assist and move up to running research project or what? Any help is appreciated.

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[erg923]

Research is anything where you are participating in the gathering/collecting, entering, analyzing, or writing-up of data for research purposes. Optimally, this begins with doing grunt such as entering data so you can learn statistical analysis software and learn how to code various data variables. Further down the line your role can become more involved, such as helping the professor conduct literature reviews, score questionnaires or assessments, writing sections of the manuscript, etc. How far and how fast you progress in this sequence is function of many factors including, the funding source for said research, your competence/experienced level, the professor's/lab's needs and preferences, whether you are working on an already establish project, or are trying to start and run your own.

Many MS programs require that you conduct an empirical research project (masters thesis) as part of the degree. If this is the case, you will move through these steps rapidly and need to learn pretty quickly. Good luck.