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Psychology Comps 2008-09

Psychology Comps 2008-09 . An overview for junior majors Kathie Galotti Comps Czar for 2007-08 February 19, 2008. Get Ready…. Take 4 mid-level courses (200 level) Take Stats course and lab Take 2 lab courses

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Psychology Comps 2008-09

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  1. Psychology Comps 2008-09 An overview for junior majors Kathie Galotti Comps Czar for 2007-08 February 19, 2008

  2. Get Ready….. • Take 4 mid-level courses (200 level) • Take Stats course and lab • Take 2 lab courses • Best if these are done before your senior year, though many students finish them during senior year

  3. Get Set…. • Spring Term of Junior Year • Take 298 (3 credits) • Review stats and research design • Identify your main interests • START DISCUSSIONS WITH POTENTIAL ADVISORS, especially if you want to pursue Thesis Comps

  4. Comps Tracks: 2 Choices • Thesis Comps • Year-long investment of time • 25-40 page paper • Public presentation required • Empirical projects OR • Complex literature reviews

  5. Comps Tracks: 2 Choices • Essay/Exam Comps • 10-page essay • Faculty-written question or • Your own question (with prior approval) • Written during first two weeks of Winter Term

  6. Exam • ETS constructed standardized achievement test • Like the Psych GRE but not the same • Two hours • Usually administered on a Saturday, late in Winter Term • Usually taken on-line

  7. BOTH Comps Tracks are eligible for DISTINCTION

  8. GO!!! • FALL TERM • If Doing Thesis, Enroll in Psych 396 with your advisor (3 credits) (can enroll during Spring Registration) • If Doing Essay/Exam, Decide if you want to write your own question or answer a faculty-written one • If your own question, find an advisor and sign up for Psych 394 (1 credit) • If answering a faculty written question, notify Comps Czar of your choices

  9. Caveats • Assignment of students to comps track is not automatic • Advisors sometimes have to limit how many students they can take • Advisors are most interested in working with highly self-motivated students, students who get an early start, and on projects for which they have relevant expertise

  10. Caveats, continued • Assignment of students to essay questions is also not guaranteed • If you want to write your own question, move fast • Decisions on which essay question you will write on are made EARLY in the fall term

  11. Still More Caveats • Things generally work out • There really is no need for panic • Even if your first plan or choice doesn’t come through, most students end up pretty satisfied with their comps experience • Beware the rumor mill--come ASK

  12. Winter Term • Thesis comps: Be signed up for 6-credit independent study with your advisor, usually for a grade (number of credits is also negotiable) • Essay exam students: Be signed up for Psych 400 (3 credits) with your advisor. Write essay (1st 2 weeks); Take exam (around 7th week)

  13. Caveat • Dates are not set in stone; sometimes need to be adjusted. Comps Czar will inform you • Communication with comps Czar is important! (Don’t automatically send her emails to your junk folder)

  14. Spring Term • Essay/Exam students: You’re done! • Thesis students: Be signed up for Psych 400 (3 credits) with your advisor for 2nd 5 weeks • Get your winter term paper back in week 1 with extensive comments • Revise your paper. Turn in 2 copies sometime in Week 3

  15. Public Presentations • Required of Thesis students • Optional (but encouraged) for Essay/Exam Students • Give talk or poster at Super Friday (or, sometimes, at MUPC)--both in the Spring Term

  16. Pass or Fail? • Essay: 2 Readers (dept faculty) have to judge it pass • Exam: Must score at or above 70th percentile of national norms • Thesis: 2 Readers (dept faculty) have to judge it pass • Presentation: Must do it in a competent fashion; otherwise not formally assessed

  17. “What happens if I fail?” • We expect this to happen RARELY • If you fail the exam, get a second chance to take it spring term • If you fail the essay or thesis, get a chance to revise it late spring term

  18. Distinction? • External panel of psychologists invited (one from each of our three areas: Bio/Behavioral, Cognitive/ Developmental, Everything Else • Advisors (or 2nd readers) nominate papers--this info kept confidential • Panel reads all nominated papers (Thesis and Essay), along with the criteria posted on the web site, and decides.

  19. Distinction? continued • Distinction on exam: Must score at or above 90 percentile of national norms • Distinction on comps and a minimum GPA in the major (3.50) needed for distinction in the major (only thing noted on transcript)

  20. Final Thoughts • We WANT you to pass! • We want this to be a meaningful, rigorous, important experience for you • We want you to feel pride in completing this process • We also take your feedback seriously

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