Writing About Psychological Science for the General Public

REPOST from the APA Psychological Science Agenda | November 2015

From The Science Student Council

Writing about psychological science for the general public

Considerations and strategies for effectively sharing your research with the world.

By Daniel R. Rovenpor

Imagine the following scenario: You spent years working on a project that aimed to produce a novel data-driven insight into a problem in the world. Then, with some luck, your work is successful and your insight gets published in a prestigious academic psychology journal. You hope that many people will see your article and learn about your insight, but you know that the chances are slim that the average person will see your article in an academic journal. This discrepancy between psychology’s potential to do good in the world and the fact that only a small fraction of the world’s population reads our journals is often frustrating. How can psychological scientists communicate to a broad audience? There are a number of ways to do this, including teaching, community outreach and advocacy. This article focuses on another way: writing for the general public.

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Getting a Tenure Track Position

While there are many jobs that psychologists can do well after graduation, tenure track professorships are among the positions that many students aspire to. Getting a tenure track faculty position right out of your doctoral program is not easy, but it can be done. Here, five new assistant professors in counseling psychology share tips on what they believe helped them be successful during the job application process last year. These (now) assistant professors were asked, “What made you competitive for a tenure track job?”

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Obtaining Clinical Experience Through an Undergraduate Applied Experience

If you are interested in applying to graduate school, obtaining clinical experience may be beneficial in creating a memorable graduate application, as well as preparing you for future graduate studies. Discussing your clinical experience both in your graduate applications and in interviews may provide the important hook that makes you stand out to admissions committees. Many universities offer variations of an “Applied Experience” or “Undergraduate Practicum.” This experience also allows you the opportunity to learn more about the population you are interested in working with and apply psychological principles in a multitude of settings or human services agencies.  It is important to realize that although doing an applied experience is a great opportunity to be exposed to specific populations experiencing a variety of psychological symptomatology, your role during an undergraduate applied experience or practicum is far different than that of the role you may expect in graduate school or as a clinician.

Steps to Obtaining an Applied Experience
1. Check your university’s course catalog that there is a practicum for course credit.
2. Identify your local human services agencies (referral agencies can be found on your County’s Human Services web page) and if applicable, faculty clinics.
3. Review the agencies and call the ones that serve the clients in whom you are interested.
4. Speak with your advisor and express your interest in a supervised volunteer experience for course credits.

Reflecting On My Experience
I opted to complete an Applied Experience with the Department of Child and Family Services in Corpus Christi, Texas.  At Child Protective Services (CPS), I had the unique opportunity of working with social workers and meeting with the licensed clinical psychologist who works with cases referred by CPS.  I was able to ask questions and understand the process of getting families the help and services that they need.  This was also my first opportunity to speak with a psychologist and learn about the day-to-day life of working with clients.  At CPS, I observed interviews between the caseworkers and children and shadowed caseworkers during home visits.  I attended court hearings and witnessed parents lose custody of their children and had the opportunity to provide guidance and modeling during parent- child supervised visits.  Each caseworker that I shadowed was such an inspiration to me and I was amazed at the training they received in self-care.  In a career that experiences so much burnout and stress, these social workers demonstrated the importance of mentally removing themselves from their jobs and “detaching from the office.”  This was one of the best pieces of advice that guides me as a graduate practicum student now working with my own clients.
This experience allowed me the opportunity to realize my interest in working with trauma cases and specifically survivors of childhood abuse.  When applying to graduate Clinical Psy.D. programs, I knew that I wanted to be in a program that would allow me the opportunity to develop specialized knowledge in the field of trauma psychology. If you are able to complete an applied experience, remember that it is what you take away from the experience that will help you to develop professionally and set you apart from other applicants!

Editor’s Note: Jenna Lyons is a third-year clinical PsyD student at Nova Southeastern University.

Living at the Intersection: Reflections on the Graduate Student Experience

A Moment in the Life of a Single Mom Graduate Student

Guest columnist: Teresa Hulsey, B.A., University of North Texas

I look at the clock. It is 2:00 in the morning and I can finally sleep after finishing my report. Suddenly, I wake to the sounds of my three-year-old daughter crying. I look at the clock again; it is 3:00 in the morning. I rush to her bedroom and recognize the telltale signs of a stomach virus. As I gather a change of clothes and carry her to the bathroom my mind begins to rush through all of the work that will have to wait, and all of the people I now need to reschedule with or notify that I will not be attending school. Despite knowing the understanding nature of both faculty and students, I am still frustrated that I cannot be two people at once: the single mom who takes care of her daughter and the graduate student who gets all of her work done on time.

Later, after contacting necessary people, no one implied that I am irresponsible or using my daughter as an excuse. Actually, everyone expressed concern, sent well wishes to my daughter, and relayed desires for me to get back to them later. Times like these contributed to me allowing myself the space to discover what life looks like for me as a mother and a graduate student. The best student I can be looks differently now that I have my daughter, and the best mom I can be has changed now that I am a student. I have spent this first year of graduate school learning and redefining what being the best me in these important life roles means.

Ultimately, my daughter reminds me that graduate school is not my life. I also discovered that the world will not end if I cannot attend school, am late to a meeting, or turn in late work. I have been able to witness how resilient my daughter is and that the quality of our time together can be more meaningful than the quantity. I have experienced the outpouring of love and support from close family and friends who contribute to my daughter’s development.

Advice from my mentor and program director significantly helped me this past year. These pieces of advice were to first, accept help and second, when completing work think “done, not perfect.” I still struggle with both of these, but am willing to appreciate that I am human. If I could go back,  I would tell myself to appreciate the struggles. The struggle represents being blessed to be a mother while able to pursue my passions. So, in that moment while my thoughts rushed about school as I carried my daughter to the bathroom, I then became aware of whom I was carrying. I realized that my daughter needed me in this moment, and all else could wait. The best me, even with the demands of school, refocused on her. This 3:00 AM moment filled with an assortment of stomach virus symptoms warranted appreciation. This was a moment I could never get back.

This column is part of a series highlighting the experiences of students and professionals with diverse intersecting identities and is sponsored by the APAGS Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity and the Committee for the Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Are you interested in sharing about your own navigation of intersecting identities in graduate school? We would be happy to hear from you! To learn more, please contact the chair of APAGS CSOGD (Julia Benjamin, jzbenjam@gmail.com) or CARED (James Garcia, jjg0136@gmail.com)

5 Tips to Help You Manage Your Public Speaking Anxiety

davisMiller3Many students dread making public presentations. Glossophobia, or fear of public speaking and speech anxiety, is one of the most common phobias, effecting as much as 75% of the population. Yet giving presentations and other forms of public speaking is an important part of developing professionally. Therefore it is important for students to overcome these fears and to find ways to excel at public speaking.

Here are 5 tips for students to help overcome a fear of public speaking:

1. Know your material. It is important to know the material you are presenting well and to be able to speak fluently about the subject matter. Having a firm grasp and understanding of what you are presenting will help you feel more comfortable during your presentation and will also project confidence to your audience. Be sure that you understand the material being presented inside and out. Come up with potential questions that the audience might ask and be prepared with your answers. Again, the better you know the subject matter, the more confident you’ll feel.

2. Think positively. We’ve all heard the benefits of positive thinking. These benefits can also apply to your presentation. Going into the presentation with a positive outlook will not only give you a boost of confidence, but that will also be projected to the audience. Thinking positively in general has been known to lower stress levels. Focusing on a positive reaction to your presentation and successful outcomes will help reduce your anxiety around public speaking. Do you remember the last time you achieved something amazing? How did that feel? Use those emotions to your advantage and make them your weapon on stage. Focus on these good emotions and try to avoid thinking of things that might go wrong during your presentation.

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. –Zig Ziglar

3. Learn from others. Public speeches come in a wealth of forms: Seminar series, conference talks, journal club meetings, student presentations and more. One can learn a lot of things from observing these talks. Make a point to observe others in public speaking roles and consider: Which speech did I enjoy and why? Which speaker was most appealing? What made one speech better than another? After assessing other speakers, think about your presentation style, and how you can imitate some of the characteristics of the speakers you preferred.

4. Be aware of your body language. Non-verbal communication is an important skill to master when giving presentations. Your body language may convey unintended messages to your audience. For example, excessive fidgeting shows nervousness and conveys a sense of anxiousness. When practicing your speech, do so in front of a mirror. Notice any repetitive movements you may be making. Make a concerted effort to avoid fidgeting, shuffling, or any other movements that may indicate to the audience that you are nervous. There are several tricks to help you avoid making these unconscious nervous movements  (e.g., mindfulness, holding a pen or paperclip firmly when speaking, and so forth). Avoiding these movements should help you as the presenter to feel a sense of calmness and ease during the presentation.

5. Practice. One of the most important things you can do to lessen anxiety before a big presentation is to practice. For one, this will allow you to find any hiccups in the presentation that you’d like to avoid. If there is a phrase or sentence that causes you to become tongue-tied, toss it or change it. Record yourself. Hear how the presentation sounds. Practice in front of a mirror and in front of friends. Allow others to give you honest feedback about the presentation. Determine what your strengths are in presenting and focus on those, and work on areas that need improvement.

 DavisMiller2You can do this!

Humans are often terrified that our deepest fears and emotions will be noticed by other people. We sometimes believe that they’ll uncover these fears through our tone of voice, sweaty faces, or accelerated breathing. Fortunately, we can give ourselves a boost of confidence by becoming comfortable with what we’re trying to convey.

It is common to be nervous when giving public speeches. Many people have this fear, so know that you are not alone! Public speaking is not a natural-born skill for anyone, nor is it even a miraculous talent for most people. Consider it a learned ability that can be mastered over time by trying some of these tips. Visit the London Speaker Bureau for more information about public speaking.

Editor’s note: Davis Miller is a student in psychology at the University of Alberta.