Some questions about my ongoing app-

[brightness]

Hi all,
A few things I'd like some imput on from some experienced psych folks-
- Research experience: We have a class here, that is called "applied research methods" in which, with the help of our professor, we conduct original research over the course of a semester. Is this applicable to the research requirements for graduate school? I'm not saying I don't intend to continue looking for experience with research, but I'm wondering if because this is in the context of a class, does it not count for much?
....Also, I have contacted a ton of people in our psychology department for research assistantship. Finally I got a reply from a graduate assistant, but the research assistant thang...isn't much of anything. My job is just to spend time transcribing tapes of parent-child interactions. The graduate students work for a parent child interaction clinic, which would be an excellent place for me to get involved, and the GA I spoke with seemed that it was likely I might be able to "move up" in the lab by taking this admittedly mundane task. What do you think? Will it probably get me somewhere?
- Finally, I am working as a teacher's assistant for one of our developmental psychology professors. I will be her TA for the PSY 220, which is the intro level developmental psychology course, so I will be able to tutor students, have exam study sessions and of course, grade examinations.
How am I doing to getting on the road? I am scrambling to make as many contacts as possible and get involved in both my studies and extracurriculars. Am I missing anything, or can you think of a requirement I'm not on track for?
Also, I am planning to take the GRE next year with the intention of applying for the fall '10 school year.

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[Therapist4Chnge]

If you are looking to apply in '10 you are ahead of the game. Definitely try and get involved in some research. Most likely you'll need to data collection and whatnot first, but you should be able to move up once you are doing it for awhile. It is a great idea to get involved early, it can only help.

-t

 

[brightness]

If I am applying to matriculate in Fall '10, when do I apply? Would it be in the Fall '09 or Spring '10?

 

[ResearchGirlie]

Sounds like you are off to a good start! Unfortunately a lot of the research experience undergraduates can participate in is dull and involves duties such as data entry and coding. The best RAs get that work done efficiently and show interest in the research. Be sure to ask questions! It shows your interest and desire to learn more and get involved. Don't be afraid to ask for more responsibility or look for additional experience in other labs.

 

[psychwanabe]

If I am applying to matriculate in Fall '10, when do I apply? Would it be in the Fall '09 or Spring '10?

Matriculating in Fall '10 means you apply the previous fall (2009), hopefully having taken the GRE sometime during the summer of 2009.

I've yet to work in a lab where you start out doing the "fun stuff." Everyone puts in their time with the mundane tasks. Keep in mind that the coding/data entry type tasks are vitally important to the research findings and eventual publications. If they aren't done right, the study is worthless. Don't take that work lightly. It still counts as solid research work on your CV.

 

[JockNerd]

Definitely that RA stuff counts. That's what it means to be an undergrad RA! Ah, I remember my days of writing other people's bibliographies. And the photocopying! Oh, the photocopying.... At least you're transcribing, and not doing data-entry for hours a day. If you're looking to apply in '09, then you've got plenty of time to move up in the lab. Be sure you express to your prof your interest in working on more advanced things, too, so that you aren't doing transcription for 2 years. Ideally you want your RA experience to translate into (a) a significant enough contribution to something to have your name on a poster or a publication and (b) training in some more advanced statistical/analysis techniques (I don't know what you do in that lab, but learning to use the transcription-analysis software would be good, as would learning things like EFA or CFA).

Do that course! It counts as direct research experience! I thought this was typical, but at my UG the senior honours thesis came with a course that everyone had to take while they did this project. Exactly what you're looking for.

I don't know about TAships. It looks nice as a topping on the rest of this stuff--admissions committees will see that you can apparently teach as well as do research. But I don't think TA stuff is super-highly rated on those "what do you look for in applicants" lists.

Good luck! I think you're off to a fantastic start!

 

[Ollie123]

Jump on the RA thing. Were you expecting more? Research works just like anything else, you start as the low man (or woman) on the totem pole. I'd wager half the folks in grad school got started doing something equally or more tedious than coding videotapes. Its just the nature of the beast. That's where you start and you gradually start to pick up more duties. Than after awhile new RAs come in and you're put in charge of training them....than a new study starts up and you are moved over to sort of "supervise" it, than a friend of that professor gets a big grant funded and starts looking for a Project Coordinator, and you end up with a part or full-time job when you graduate.

That's how it worked for me and just about everyone I know. Once you get your foot in the door and convince one professor you're a great addition to the lab, you start to get alot more opportunities.

I've said it before (and I think T4C will agree with me on this subject), networking is everything.

 

[psychwanabe]

Jump on the RA thing. Were you expecting more? Research works just like anything else, you start as the low man (or woman) on the totem pole. I'd wager half the folks in grad school got started doing something equally or more tedious than coding videotapes. Its just the nature of the beast. That's where you start and you gradually start to pick up more duties. Than after awhile new RAs come in and you're put in charge of training them....than a new study starts up and you are moved over to sort of "supervise" it, than a friend of that professor gets a big grant funded and starts looking for a Project Coordinator, and you end up with a part or full-time job when you graduate.

That's how it worked for me and just about everyone I know. Once you get your foot in the door and convince one professor you're a great addition to the lab, you start to get alot more opportunities.

Ain't that the truth!! I started in a lab as a glorified clerk, doing everything from making copies to looking up phone numbers and compiling a database for use in recruiting from preschools. Later, I was offered the job of lab manager and then was offered a spot with that prof as a graduate student. (I turned it down because the research was of no interest to me whatsoever). You definitely have to put in your time as a grunt before you get to do any good stuff.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

For every 1 great RA position with a ton of fun stuff, there are 19 that involve mostly grunt work. Of course, learning the 'grunt work' is important because collecting data, coding, and whatnot are all important aspects of the research process....albeit the less sexy part of research. Oh yes....I called research Sexy!

-t

 

[brightness]

I guess I did expect more, but I think that is mainly because I recieved an offer from a psychology faculty member to do paid research in parent child interactions. It was very hands on and it would have been an excellent opportunity, but alas, it was also a competitive opportunity and I didn't make the cut. So I really had no idea what to expect. I do feel that transcribing these tapes will be more interesting than like, data coding, so I'm fortunate. I will take these duties seriously, I just didn't know what normally happened in these RA positions.

Jump on the RA thing. Were you expecting more? Research works just like anything else, you start as the low man (or woman) on the totem pole. I'd wager half the folks in grad school got started doing something equally or more tedious than coding videotapes. Its just the nature of the beast. That's where you start and you gradually start to pick up more duties. Than after awhile new RAs come in and you're put in charge of training them....than a new study starts up and you are moved over to sort of "supervise" it, than a friend of that professor gets a big grant funded and starts looking for a Project Coordinator, and you end up with a part or full-time job when you graduate.

That's how it worked for me and just about everyone I know. Once you get your foot in the door and convince one professor you're a great addition to the lab, you start to get alot more opportunities.

I've said it before (and I think T4C will agree with me on this subject), networking is everything.

 

[brightness]

Question-
I am going to start my transcribing tapes with a graduate student. I am wondering, for graduate school, do I log my hours doing various activities or does graduate school just take my word for it that I did it?

 

[BorntoRun]

Question-
I am going to start my transcribing tapes with a graduate student. I am wondering, for graduate school, do I log my hours doing various activities or does graduate school just take my word for it that I did it?

The short answer is, grad school takes your word for it. But you might want a recommendation from whomever is supervising the transcribing, and logging hours and activities might be useful to that person.