Success as a Psychology Major

David E. Copeland is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He earned his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from the University of Notre Dame in 2003. He has published psychology research articles in journals such as Memory & Cognition, Psychology and Aging, and Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, and has co-authored several book chapters. He has been recognized with three teaching awards, an outstanding mentorship award, and an outstanding faculty advisor award (for the UNLV Psi Chi chapter). He has been the Undergraduate Director for the Department of Psychology, a faculty advisor for Psi Chi, and has taught a variety of psychology courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In particular, he designed and has been teaching an Introduction to the Psychology Major course for psychology majors and minors at UNLV. In addition, he has supervised and mentored doctoral students who have gone on to careers in both academia and the private sector, has helped numerous undergraduates prepare for and gain admission into graduate school, and has also worked with students to help them find jobs or volunteer opportunities after completing their bachelor's degree. Dr. Jeremy Ashton Houska is Director of Educational Effectiveness at the University of La Verne (ULV). Prior to that, he enjoyed serving as Vice President for Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Design, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, as well as an Associate Professor of Psychology. His teaching has been recognized by a number of awards, including the Society for the Teaching of Psychology's (Division 2 of the American Psychological Association) Wilbert J. McKeachie Teaching Excellence Award in 2009. Houska has taught a variety of courses in the psychology curriculum, namely the Introduction to the Psychology Major course for first-year students, and a section of Introductory Psychology specially designed for psychology majors. As an advisor to organizations such as Psi Chi, he partners with students to design opportunities that foster their professional growth and leadership development. Houska earned his Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, M.A. in general-experimental psychology from California State University, San Bernardino, and B.S. in psychology from ULV.

Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Chapter 1: Welcome to Psychology . . . Now Let's Get Stuff Done (1.0) Meet Kris (1.1) The Good (and Bad) About the Psychology Major (1.2) Does a College Degree Guarantee Success? (1.3) Superstar Psychology Students (1.4) Motivation for College Success-What is Your "Why"? (1.5) Setting Goals and Creating Systems to Achieve Them (1.6) Overcoming Procrastination and Getting Stuff Done (1.7) Living the "Getting Stuff Done" (GSD) Lifestyle Chapter 2: Practical Student Tips (2.0) Meet Nicole (2.1) Due Dates? Grading Policy? It's in the Syllabus! (2.2) Classroom and Note-Taking Tips (2.3) Study Skills-Study Like a Champion! (2.4) Quiz and Exam Tips (2.5) Learning From Graded Activities (2.6) Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Online Student Chapter 3: Adopting the Right Mindsets-Deep Learning, Critical Thinking, and Ethics (3.0) Meet Emerson (3.1) Approaches to Learning (3.2) Adopting a Critical Thinking Mindset (3.3) Regrets, Failure, and Luck-Challenge Yourself! (3.4) Thinking About Ethics in College and in Psychology Chapter 4: Navigating the Psychology Curriculum and Meeting Your Professors (4.0) Meet P.J. (4.1) Typical Psychology Courses (4.2) Skills You Develop as a Psychology Major (4.3) Double-Majoring or Picking Up a Minor (4.4) Meet Your Professors (4.5) Communicating With Professors (and Others) (4.6) Meeting Others at Your Institution Chapter 5: Research, Teaching, and Service Opportunities (5.0) Meet Trinity (5.1) Succeeding With Research (5.2) The Life of a Research Assistant (5.3) How to Become a Psychology Research Assistant (5.4) Become a Teaching Assistant (5.5) Another Type of Experiential Learning-Service Learning Chapter 6: Finding, Reading, and Thinking About Psychology Research (6.0) Meet Hayley (6.1) Library Skills, Part 1-Evaluating Sources (6.2) Library Skills, Part 2-Using Databases to Find Sources (6.3) A (Relatively Painless) Introduction to APA-Style Formatting (6.4) Practical Advice for Reading Psychology Research Papers (6.5) Understanding the Methods and Results (6.6) Critically Thinking About Psychological Research Chapter 7: Writing Papers and Presenting (7.0) Meet Alex (7.1) Writing a Research Paper (7.2) Plagiarism-Do Not Do It! (7.3) APA Citations and References (7.4) Create Your Own APA Template (7.5) Computer Skills That You Need to Know (7.6) Presentation and Poster Tips Chapter 8: Student Clubs, Professional Organizations, and Conferences (8.0) Meet Dhruv (8.1) Student Clubs and Organizations-The Importance of the Co-Curricular (8.2) Psi Chi-The International Honor Society in Psychology (8.3) National and International Psychology Organizations (8.4) Regional, Local, and Specialty Psychology Organizations (8.5) Attending a Psychology Conference and Doing it Right (8.6) Get Involved-Do More Than Sign Up! (8.7) Other Co-Curricular Resources Chapter 9: Career Search (9.0) Meet Tia (9.1) The Career Search-It Is Your Current Job (9.2) Picking a Career and Plotting Your Career Path (9.3) Jobs With a Psychology Degree (9.4) The Helping Professions (9.5) More Psychology Careers (9.6) Choose Your Own Adventure-Design Your Own Career Path (9.7) Resources for Finding Careers Chapter 10: Career and Professional Development (10.0) Meet Akira (10.1) Networking for Careers (10.2) Networking Myths (10.3) Conduct an Informational Interview (10.4) Internships-Why You Need One (10.5) Preparing for Interviews Chapter 11: Graduate School (11.0) Meet Amirah (11.1) Is Graduate School Right for You? (11.2) Types of Degrees and Programs (11.3) Finding Graduate Programs (11.4) How Graduate School Differs From Undergraduate Studies (11.5) Grad Students Describe Their Experiences Chapter 12: Getting Into Graduate School (12.0) Meet Jermaine (12.1) What Do Graduate Programs Want? (12.2) The Grad School Application Process (12.3) Letters of Recommendation (12.4) The Graduate Record Exam (12.5) Personal Statements and Essays (12.6) Interviews and the Acceptance or Rejection Decisions Chapter 13: Documenting Your Accomplishments (13.0) Meet Hannah (13.1) Resume Tips (13.2) Constructing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) (13.3) Building a Portfolio (13.4) Your Online Presence-Social Media (LinkedIn) and Personal Websites Chapter 14: Money Issues for Psychology Students (14.0) Meet Arianna and Brianna (14.1) Why Are We Talking About Money? (14.2) Scholarships (14.3) Research Grants, Travel Grants, and Awards (14.4) Money, Career, and Happiness (14.5) Money and Graduate School Chapter 15: Closing Advice (15.0) Meet Jenny (15.1) Are You Committed to Psychology or Considering Options? (15.2) Advice From Employers and Career Counselors (15.3) Get the Most Out of Summers (15.4) Your Path to Being a Superstar Psychology Student (15.5) Say Thank You to Those Who Helped You (15.6) Final Advice From the Authors References Index

I would say that it is more approachable and has information the other texts do not cover like money management, online presence, and how to learn. It has an impressive breadth of coverage without being overwhelming. -- Rachel A. Ritchie A book that answers all the questions Psych majors didn't know to ask. -- Alexandra K. Frazer This textbook offers students a pathway through the major with timely important steps to take along the way. It also works really well as a reference book to help students with specific problems they may be having. -- Jason Whetten This text reviews the expectations of students in detail to increase the likelihood of your success. The authors are correct in their advice to psychology majors and if you follow their directives you will be successful in achieving a degree that has prepared you for the next step in your life. -- Betty Dorr I am actually going to share my enthusiasm for this book with my colleagues. I will explain to them that the textbook covers all of the important content that we want our students to know when they join the major...and then some! The authors have anticipated all of the students' questions and provided step-by-step action plans for students to discover their own place in the field. I would explain to students that this is the kind of book they should keep on their desk over the next few years. When they have a question about any issue, they open the book to find the answer. They could also bring the book to an advising session and ask what their advisor thinks about the advice in the book and whether he or she has any additional suggestions or tips. -- Jamie L. Franco-Zamudio This text shows students how the situations they face are normal while at the same time giving them the skills to change negative behaviors and thoughts into more helpful and functional behaviors and thoughts. It is also constructed in a modular format to allow you to pick and choose what to focus on and what to eliminate more easily. It can also be a resource that you recommend to students to hang onto after leaving your course. [To Students] It gives a student the skills to become more involved and intentional about their choices for succeeding as psychology major. It leads you along the pathway as you move from a first-year student throughout the remaining years in your undergraduate education. -- Brian A. Johnson