Psychology 366 Research Project Jen St.Onge Kenny Building, Room #3506 Website: **no office hours – appointments by request

Lab Objectives/Goals Learn how to conduct an independent research project from start to finish Learn how to conduct an independent research project from start to finish Gain hands on experience collecting and analyzing data Gain hands on experience collecting and analyzing data Become familiar with common techniques for analyzing data using SPSS Become familiar with common techniques for analyzing data using SPSS Write an APA-style summary of your research study that could potentially be part of a published manuscript Write an APA-style summary of your research study that could potentially be part of a published manuscript

General Lab Guidelines Be respectful and courteous to others Be respectful and courteous to others Listen when others are speaking Listen when others are speaking Turn cell phones off please! Turn cell phones off please! Come to the labs and be on time Come to the labs and be on time Questions: expect at least 2 days to respond (i.e., don’t send the night before something is due!) Questions: expect at least 2 days to respond (i.e., don’t send the night before something is due!)

More Guidelines?

What are your fears about doing research? What are some potential skills you’d like to learn?

Step 1: What do you like to do? Choose the field (clinical, cognitive, behavioural neuroscience, social, health, developmental, etc) Choose the supervisor (and the project) either from our list (posted Friday!) or approach lab on your own Complete the Research Supervision Form (both you and the faculty member should sign it). Return the Research Supervision Form to my mailbox (Kenny Building) no later than September 30th, 4:00 pm.

Step 2: What do you need to do? Get Involved in an experiment: - Design - Read about the background and key papers - Talk to your “supervisor”, ask questions… - Run subjects - Collect data - Analyze data - Interpret results

Step 3: What do you need to do next? Write an experimental report: Follow the guidelines in the 5 th Edition of the APA Publication Manual

The Main Parts of Your Report: Introduction Methods Results Discussion

The critical deadlines (late submission will be penalized 1 point for each late day) 30 th September, 2009: Research Supervision Form 13 th January, 2010: Introduction 10 th February, 2010: Methods 24 th March, 2010: Discussion 14 th April, 2010: Completed Paper 4 th November, 2009: Project Idea and Scope 3 rd March, 2010: Results

Breakdown of the marks: Project Idea and Scope: 5% Introduction:…………………15% Method:………………………….15% Results:…………………………..15% Discussion:……………………..15% Final Paper:…………………….20% Supervisor:…………………….15% **See “Grading Schemes” on Website for full details about what I’m looking for!

The Lab Itself Come to the lab prepared to: Come to the lab prepared to: Do a bit of group work Do a bit of group work ask questions after having read the instructions in the Research Project Details Handout ask questions after having read the instructions in the Research Project Details Handout Learn how to use SPSS Learn how to use SPSS Take a break from material-intensive lectures Take a break from material-intensive lectures Is there anything else you’d like me to cover in the lab? Is there anything else you’d like me to cover in the lab? Research designs? Research designs? How to do a lit search? How to do a lit search? How to use Refworks? How to use Refworks? Your suggestions? Your suggestions?

Jen’s Top 10 Tips about Research Form a good relationship with your supervisor Form a good relationship with your supervisor Get ahead when you can Get ahead when you can “Skepticize” “Skepticize” Talk to people about your research Talk to people about your research Don’t rely on others to get things done Don’t rely on others to get things done Be patient and flexible Be patient and flexible Keep track of *everything* you do Keep track of *everything* you do Be open to changing your ideas/beliefs Be open to changing your ideas/beliefs Ask for help Ask for help The Bottom line: **Be interested** The Bottom line: **Be interested**