Research experiences can help clarify your career goals, increase the competitiveness of your grad school or job applications, develop critical thinking skills, and create significant mentoring experiences! And more! But how do you get started when you don’t have any experience? Here are some tips to help you!
Identify your interests
One of the best first steps you can take is to reflect on what interests you. What was your most interesting class? Is there a problem or issue you want to know more about? What are your career goals? Once you identify this, it can help you decide on your next steps.
Use key resources to find potential research opportunities
Explore the Department of Psychology’s directory to learn about faculty in the department. You can narrow it by Program to explore the six research areas within the department. From there, click on faculty to see what their research areas are. Take some time to explore their lab's website that are often linked from their directory. See what projects are currently active and think about if it's something that aligns with your own interests. You can also explore their recent publications, as well, to learn more.
Another great option is MSU Scholars, a large database that includes faculty from all around Michigan State University. You can explore research topics that interest you. Start with broad search terms and you can then narrow it down.
Handshake is a good option when looking for posted internships or research experiences. You can search for “Research Assistant” positions to easily apply.
Looking for some extra help? Check out the Pathway to Research Program! You can join a 4 week online synchronous program that will pair you with an advisor. They host workshops to help walk you through the process.
Communicate with faculty
After you’ve explored a faculty member’s papers or lab site, it’s time to reach out to them! Make your emails brief and professional. Share why you’re interested in their work—make it obvious that you did your research and are a good fit for their interests.
A handy tip is that The Writing Center will help review your emails. You can also reach out to the Undergraduate Research Ambassadors and they will help review your email, too!
It might take some time for the faculty member to respond, so be patient! Labs vary quite a bit in size so there will also be variety in the number of research opportunities that are available.
Interview
Before you’re accepted into a lab, you’ll meet with the faculty member. For this, make sure to prepare like you would for any interview. Do some basic research and be prepared to talk about how the professor’s research aligns with your interests.
Many professors understand that you may be brand new to research—and are even figuring out what your interests are! During the interview, they will likely look to see if you’re reliable, detail oriented, curious, and able to collaborate with a team. Make sure to prepare some examples to help illustrate that.
Earn credit towards your degree
Once you’ve been approved by the faculty to join the PSY lab, you can earn credit towards your degree by enrolling in PSY 490 or 491. This is a very popular option for students to fulfill the College of Social Science experiential learning requirement. Learn more about this independent study option here.