Undergrad research

[Psychology 76]

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I understand how vital research experience is to applications of graduate school. But I'm a bit fuzzy on what is considered quality research experience. For example, my sophomore year I was a research assistant for a student in her honors thesis on got my name on her poster and we presented at EPA. I also did my own research project and presented a poster at an undergrad conference. I'll also be working as another RA for another student this year. I've done all the researchy type stuff such as running participants, data entry, data coding, stats, analysis, writing, blah blah blah but does it not mean much because its for undergrad research? I go to a very small college and I don't have opportunities to work with professors. However, I am going to be a first author on a project I worked on with a neuropsychologist I interned at this summer so that makes me feel slighty better. This is a longer post than I wanted so to surmise: Is doing undergrad research with other students and by yourself still looked as quality research in the application process? Thanks!

 

[cara susanna]

Do you mean undergrad vs. paid RA job? I got in and all I had was undergrad experience, but I wasn't applying to top research-oriented programs either.

And, yeah, they want to be able to see that you can think critically and formulate research, as opposed to just entering data or something.

 

[Psychology 76]

Do you mean undergrad vs. paid RA job? I got in and all I had was undergrad experience, but I wasn't applying to top research-oriented programs either.

And, yeah, they want to be able to see that you can think critically and formulate research, as opposed to just entering data or something.

Yes, just undergrad experience. Like I did research at a hospital and I'm hoping to get into an REU next summer. If I'm doing the same research skills with undergrad type stuff opposed to professional RA stuff or working with a professor at a big school, is there much of a difference? I mean critical thinking is critical thinking. I just wasn't sure if there's a stigma because I would be doing EEG and rat studies instead of funded fMRI studies at some huge university. I'm guessing it's okay but just wanted some feedback 🙂

 

[cara susanna]

I think you'll be okay, unless you're applying to top research schools.

 

[futureapppsy2]

From what you've posted, it sounds like you have excellent research experience! Your posters and REU (congrats!) will be huge boons to you.

Like you, I've done a lot of varied tasks as an undergraduate, including:
-Lit reviews
-Writing/editing manuscripts (to the nth degree)
-(pretty minimal) data entry
-Running participants
-Qualitative coding
-Project conceptualization
-Some (very basic) quant. data analysis
-Analysis/discussion

(I'm an odd ball in the sense that I've had a paid RAship as an undergrad in addition the "usual" undergrad research).

I'm just going through the process myself, but I think the most important thing is probably to show that you *understand* the research--what you're doing, why you're doing it, what it means, what are the strengths/limitations, etc., which you usual don't get with just data entry. If you can do that--and it sounds like you'll be able to--you'll probably be fine, IMO. Good luck!

 

[Psychology 76]

Thank you both for the replies 🙂

I'm going to try to apply to some more balanced funded phd programs with a neuropsych track and neuroimaging research opporuntities. That's what i want to do. I just wanted to ask if just for mid-range programs you have to have paid RA research or work with faculty to have a good shot.

I didn't get into an REU yet but I'm going to apply to a lot for next summer and I know a lot more about the process so hopefully that will help 🙂