Expectations of CCN Graduate Students Cognition & Cognitive Neurosciences Program Department of Psychology Michigan State University Prepared by Mark W. Becker Last Updated: 9/9/11

Teaching and Research Assistantships It’s your JOB & your professor is your BOSS ◦ Basics: show up, be on time, get your work done in a timely and professional manner. ◦ You are a representative of CCN ◦ Contract - 20 hrs/week

Be a good CCN citizen Attendance at  Cognitive Forum  Cognitive Science Distinguished Speakers  Cognitive Job Talks (and Lunches)  Cross Interest Groups Job Talks  Other interest group talks  Others’ Dissertation Defenses Contribute to CCN community  Cognitive forum talk each year  Recruiting students/faculty Keeping an Expanded Vitae  Need to have this for annual reviews

Lab Commitments Contribute to the running of the lab Tasks may or may not be paid or directly related to your own research, but they indirectly support your research and the lab Expectations about commitment (e.g., hours, authorship) differ across advisors. Be sure you understand your advisor’s expectations for you.

Summer This is a full-year program. Catch up on research and writing (thesis, comps, dissertation) Be clear about expectations regarding lab commitments Be clear about expectations regarding vacation

Become a Well-Rounded Psychologist Breadth of knowledge is key to assimilating information and developing novel approaches Achieved by course work, attendance at talks with diverse topics, gaining experience in range of methods and analysis techniques READING THE LITERATURE

Become and Effective Communicator Lecture in courses you are TA’ing Teach your own course Give talks in-house and at meetings Write, write, write….

Become an Expert in your Specialty At your dissertation proposal you should be the person in the room who ◦ Has thought most deeply about your topic ◦ Knows the most about the topic At your defense you should be an independent investigator and the world’s expert on your topic. NOTE: Your presentation at both meetings should be professional!!!

How Do I Become the Expert? Need the tools ◦ Statistical knowledge, methodological knowledge, and strong knowledge of the literature. ◦ Familiar enough with tools that you are confident applying & modifying them in novel ways. Need to be fully engaged with your topic!! ◦ Obsessive/passionate about it! Bottom Line – IT TAKES TIME!!! ◦ Time thinking & reading, as well as doing ◦ SUMMER IS A GREAT TIME TO GET THINGS DONE

The metrics have changed ◦ Undergraduates get rewarded for coursework ◦ Graduate students get rewarded for research

Bottom Line Grad courses develop a basic foundation for research The real goal is to expand on that foundation to perform creative, novel, and insightful research. IT TAKES TIME !!! Important to be ENGAGED & PRODUCTIVE (i.e. PUBLISH) in your research

A few pieces of advice Develop productive relationships ◦ With your advisor; others who you respect and would like to be like. Read – ◦ the classics and cutting edge (journal content alerts) Have goals & track your progress- ◦ Daily, weekly, monthly, annual goals Stay focused/manage time wisely Publish (early and often) Aim to (eventually) have multiple projects. Attempt to develop a narrative for your research (something that makes a compelling job talk).