PhD/PsyD Would this be a good experience?

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I have been talking with one of my old psych professors about possibly getting involved in her lab on campus and she told me that in her lab, she has her students conduct their own studies on their own topics (that are related or similar to her research) with her guiding and advising them along. Do you all think this would be a really good experience for me to boost my application to graduate school even if there is a low possibility of getting a poster (except for at my school's research day)? Also do you all think I should let my professor know that I am joining her lab with the intention of trying to get a poster while also learning and participating more in the research process?

 

[deleted760483]

It sounds like it could be a great experience for someone who has enough drive and internal motivation to do the bulk of the work on their own and stay on track. If you haven't done a research project from start to finish before know that it can be long, tedious work and be honest with yourself about whether you are ready to take that on with this much autonomy.

 

[Harry3990]

Also do you all think I should let my professor know that I am joining her lab with the intention of trying to get a poster while also learning and participating more in the research process?

Yep, this would probably be helpful. That way the prof can help you achieve the poster goal if they are able to. I've worked in labs in the past where there are usually several undergrads who want to put in the minimum amount of work to get the experience, and that's fine and still helpful to the lab as a whole. But the ones who complete posters or papers are always the ones who have had this as a clear goal from either the start or near the start. The earlier you know, the sooner you can plan, which is essential for a lot of major conferences that might require abstract submissions a up to a year in advance of the conference itself.

 

[PsychMajorUndergrad18]

I decided that I am gonna go for the experience and take it to further research the topic I did for my research methods class