Work Hard, Play Hard, Be Mindful: Getting the Most Out of NASP as an Early Career Professional

February 13, 2017

By Leandra Parris, Illinois State UniversityAttending professional conferences is arguably one of the biggest perks of being in school psychology. The week of NASP offers some of the greatest opportunities to network, explore research topics, and increase your involvement in the field. There is, of course, the added bonus of traveling to cities that you might not have otherwise visited, catching up with friends, and perhaps enjoying an afternoon by the hotel pool. For many of us, the week of NASP is a respite from our day-to-day grind and, dare I say it, a chance to relax a little. But despite all that NASP has to offer, it can be easy to let the week pass by without being productive. Here are some lessons learned and tips to help you get the most out of this year’s conference.Prepare. As a graduate student, I could not wait to get my convention program and read through all the sessions, planning out my week. Unfortunately, I often waited until the first day of the conference to do so. Early career professionals will find that their time is quickly filled up if they are not careful. Between sessions, workshops, meetings, and social hours it’s hard to keep up with everything you need to be attending. Instead of waiting until you get to the conference hotel, look ahead weeks in advance. Treat the week the same as you do any other work week, be it Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or the tried-and-true paper agenda. Block off events as you agree to them and organize your commitments carefully, keeping in mind that you may have to travel from one hotel to another between events. As good as a blank week in your calendar looks, you’ll be grateful for the advanced organization once you get to NASP.Network, Your Way. For some people, networking is fun and exciting. For others, it can be one of the most anxiety provoking or exhausting aspects of their career. The trick is to find the strategy that is most comfortable for you while also meeting your needs. The good news is that they are many ways of networking at NASP. In fact, there are so many we had to break this category down:Seek support from colleagues. One strategy is to attend events or meet up with your senior colleagues. Having been in the field longer they have already built their network and being introduced by a colleague can be less stressful than the walk up version of a cold call. Pairing yourself with someone they already know also helps other professionals remember you, while giving you a slight boost in comfort approaching them on your own in the future.Get out and about.Whether it’s dinner, a social hour, or conference event, if you are asked to join someone or a group, do your best to seize the opportunity. Some of the best working relationships I have were the result of a spontaneous coffee break. If you are less comfortable working a large room, smaller venues such as lunches or group receptions may be your best opportunity for networking. Regardless, the more visible you make yourself, the greater your chances of expanding your network.Participate in mentoring events. There are multiple mentorship opportunities throughout the convention. From the Early Career Forum Speed Mentoring to the Student and Early Career Professionals of Color Mentoring Round Table, these events provide structured opportunities to network with others in the field. The purpose of these events is not only to provide a chance for mentorship for one night, but also to help you establish connections that last beyond the conference. Whether you’re looking for advice for training, research, service, or navigating the field in general, these events are a must for early career school psychologists.Reach out. It helps look up sessions and events where you are most likely to meet the people you are hoping to add to your network. For example, poster sessions are often a mingling spot for those interested in similar research. If there is a particular person you have in mind, attend their talk and introduce yourself afterwards. This strategy is also helpful for building a network that includes faculty in similar stages of career development. Most people think of networking as building relationships with already well-established individuals. Just as important is the ability to build working relationships with those who share your interests (e.g., research, training) and will have similar experiences as a growing professional. A strong, collaborative cohort is priceless.Distribute business cards. For those times that you only have a few minutes to introduce yourself, always have a business card as a back-up. This is a good way to handle the “I really want to touch base again but I need to go” moment that so often happens. And don’t be afraid to ask for contact information in return.Rinse and repeat. Regardless of your personal style, repetition is required for successful networking. Everyone is busy and often introduced to many people throughout the week. So don’t be surprised if someone you met at the last conference doesn’t remember you. Be prepared to re-introduce yourself, and your interests, multiple times. And if your first meeting didn’t go quite as well as you had hoped, start over with a clean mind set the next time you get the chance to introduce yourself.Attend Special Topic/Group Events: There is always at least one, if not more, break out sessions that you will find helpful for improving your research or training. There are also events sponsored by the Society for the Study of School Psychology that offer guidance and networking related specifically to research. In particular, the Early Career Forum is also hosting several events, listed at the end of this post. Additionally, there are several interest groups that meet throughout the conference. Learn more about groups you may want to join by visiting booths in the exhibit hall or reaching out to the organizers. These groups are a great way to get involved.Be a Learner. With all the networking, socializing, and business meetings it can be easy to forget that one of the main purposes of the conference is to learn from others. While it is good to attend sessions relevant to your research, it is also helpful to attend sessions about topics you don’t know as much about. This is particularly important if there are topics included in your courses that you are not as familiar with through your research or clinical experiences. This is a chance to learn something new, as opposed to spending the week absorbing information you already knew. Listen to those around you, hear others’ ideas and experiences, and learn from them.Get Comfortable. NASP can be a long week and involves a lot of walking. At the same time, there are also long periods of sitting in chairs that vary in comfort (or even the floor). You should dress for the occasion, but do so comfortably. Breaking in a new pair of shoes is not recommended, nor is wearing clothes that would keep you from power walking to your next event. Along those lines, it’s helpful to pack a snack and bottle of water just in case meals are delayed (or missed entirely).Work Hard, Play Hard, Be Mindful. As school psychologists, we work hard. And we know how to play hard. The most successful of us do both in equal measure. The NASP convention offers plenty of opportunities to get work done while having fun as well. Plan out a path for the week that gives you the greatest chance of meeting your professional goals (e.g., professional development, networking, getting new research ideas), but be flexible in its execution. Explore the local culture, but be back in time for that reception/social hour/networking event. Be mindful in the experiences you seek out by choosing activities that will be the most beneficial to your professional growth, do not try to do it all. And if you have a moment, stop and take in the fact that you are in a field that allows you to be a lifelong learner, build lasting professional relationships, and all while impacting the services provided to those who need it the most.Finally, don’t forget about the Early Career Forum events at NASP 2017 listed here.See you in San Antonio!

Congratulations, You've Been Invited to Campus! Now What?

January 4, 2017

A delightful idiosyncrasy of tenure-track positions is the rigorous selection process, which, if you are successful in your applications, includes an invitation for a campus visit. The campus visit is more than an interview; it generally consists of a series of meals, meetings, tours, and presentations with members of the search committee, other faculty, students, and administrators over one to two days. Most campus visits involve a job talk, or colloquia, on your research agenda or a single project, and may also include a teaching demonstration or case study presentation. The campus visit provides an opportunity for the search committee to get to know you better and to solicit feedback from other stakeholders, but it is also a chance for you to determine whether you want the position, so it’s important to make the most of the trip.Prepare for Your VisitTake time to learn about the program, unit, and institution. You’ll encounter questions about your fit and goals relative to the unit and program, so be prepared. It’s also good to have a basic familiarity about the faculty. We’ve provided sample questions you may encounter and may ask elsewhere. I’ve been on search committees where candidates have disarmed committee members with their lack of knowledge about the program and faculty. For example, when asked with whom you might collaborate, “I don’t know” isn’t a good answer and the name of a professor at the peer institution one state over is an even worse one. Likewise, if you are asked what you are interested in teaching and you list courses incompatible with the program orientation, you’ve just provided a major red flag to the faculty. In addition, you’ll likely be offered numerous opportunities to ask questions about the positon and program, so if you have absolutely no questions about the program, unit, or department, the committee will likely infer lack of interest in the position. It’s perfectly acceptable—and expected—that you will come with a list of questions, so do so.Know your itinerary. The search committee will generally make your travel arrangements and itinerary. You can expect the university to pick up the tab. You may have the opportunity to request specific meetings, so knowing the program is helpful there. You should also request breaks if needed if they aren’t offered (e.g., don’t be afraid to let them know you need a couple 20-30 minute breaks if you are nursing, or to ask for 15 minutes or more before your job talk). You’ll likely be involved in meetings and presentations from breakfast through dinner, so be prepared to be on all day. Plan your attire accordingly. Use the itinerary to tailor your questions to the specific groups and individuals with whom you’ll meet.Wow Them with a Great Job TalkFor most tenure-line positions, the job talk is the highlight of the visit because it provides the opportunity for the broadest audience to get to know you (they’ll likely be surveyed afterwards to provide feedback). The talk usually last 45 minutes to an hour, including time for questions. Query the search committee chair about the type of talk expected—sometimes they’ll want a detailed overview of a single project, but other times they’ll expect a more general overview of your research program with projects highlighted. You can expect the attending faculty to inquire about the specific studies discussed, implications, future directions, and the links to their own work (which is why it helps to do your homework in advance). When posed with challenging questions, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or to say, “I don’t know” or “I don’t know that yet.” Use those tough questions to acknowledge a new angle or unanswered question.This is the main opportunity for your potential colleagues to get to know you as a scholar; make the most of it. Structure your talk in a way that reflects your scholarship and desired trajectory. Be concise in your preparation of visual materials, avoiding wordy slides, or overly complex graphics. Keep in mind that if you aren’t required to do a teaching demo, your audience may also use your job talk to infer your potential to teach effectively. You should gear your presentation to both generalists and specialists since your audience will likely include faculty who do not have a background in school psychology or your area of concentration.Be sure to practice your talk, preferably with an audience to ensure timely progress and clarity. You should also be familiar enough with your talk to proceed without slides or other visuals if necessary. Prepare for the near inevitability of technology mishaps by having access to your presentation in multiple places (e.g., flash drive, email, cloud) and being prepared to present without PowerPoint should hardware fail (e.g., have a hard copy of notes and handouts that can be copied last minute).Make Every Interaction CountYou will likely engage in several meetings and meals with faculty, students, and other university stakeholders. Meals may occur in formal restaurants, campus eateries, or even a faculty member’s homes These meals are intended to provide an opportunity to evaluate applicants’ fit as a colleague— that is, beyond your potential to contribute to the field as a scholar and trainer, are you someone who others will want to have as a colleague. That is, do they want you in the office next door/down the hall for the next one to forty years?It is likely that meals will include program faculty, departmental faculty, and at times, students. As previously noted, you will also be evaluated during informal interactions (e.g., meals, in the car on the way from and to the airport, walking from one meeting to the next with a student or faculty host, etc.). You should engage everyone who joins you. It is important that you maintain a professional, approachable, and authentic demeanor.If It’s a Good Fit, Hope for an OfferIdeally, the result of your visit will be a contract offer. An offer will typically be made by the department chair or dean and will include some or all of the following: title; contract term; salary; responsibilities teaching load; course assignments; probationary period; terms of performance evaluation; allowances for travel, research, professional development, graduate/research assistants; relocation expenses; equipment and office space. If you’ve not yet completed your dissertation, it may also include the terms of a conditional appointment until your degree is completed which may include an alternate title, reduced salary, and a deadline to defend. In many institutions, many of the terms of an offer are negotiable, so you should be strategic, yet honorable, in requesting modifications. If any of these items are not included in the offer letter and are of concern to you, you should inquire through the person who delivered the offer.Your requests should be based on your short and long-term goals and what you think you need in order to be effective in your position. In some instances, this will largely be informed by the circumstances  most conducive to your research productivity. Some of the items you request will be essential (e.g., critical materials or funds to initiate your research program at the institution) and others preferred but not necessary (e.g., summer salary, course releases). This is another area in which doing your homework is important because it can provide information regarding the types and amount of resources you can procure. For instance, salary requests should generally be within a range typical of that position at the institution and peer institutions based on your qualifications and accomplishments. Likewise, start up requests should reflect actual needs. Typically, stronger qualifications and accomplishments give you more bargaining power.If you have applied for multiple positions, you might find yourself choosing between multiple offers. Both the data gathered during the campus visit and contract terms will inform your decision. You should also consider promotion and tenure criteria, workload, institutional resources, professional development opportunities, research support, teaching supporting, mentoring opportunities, collegiality, faculty governance, community characteristics and resources, location, and anything else that may be germane to your professional development, lifestyle, and general satisfaction.When faced with two or more attractive positions in which you could envision yourself, your decision may be decided by the terms of the contract. In these cases, you may ask a school to change their offer to match or trump what you have been offered elsewhere. If you have no intention of accepting a position, you should let them know promptly so that the search committee can move forward with other options. Because many programs are hiring simultaneously and may share candidates, you cost a program their other candidates if you keep them on the line even when you know you won’t accept. In general, you should be discreet and forthright with all parties since your behavior in this process will contribute to your professional reputation. Whether you accept a given position or not, the faculty on the search committee are now part of your professional community.If At First You Don’t Succeed, Regroup, Reflect, and ReapplyThere may be times when your job search is unproductive or you are not offered the position for which you hoped. If you are not invited for any phone interviews or campus visits, you may ask a mentor or other trusted colleague to review your materials to identify potential improvements. Poorly presented application materials can lead to negative evaluations of your appropriateness for a position. Even when your credentials and experience are strong, failure to follow directions or conform to expectations in your field can undermine the success of your application. Conversely, you may not be a competitive candidate for the positions you seek, so additional research, teaching, or field experience may be needed.If you participated in screenings or campus interviews and didn’t garner an offer, it could be that there was nothing wrong with your qualifications or fit per se, but that there was simply a stronger candidate. It will often be difficult to determine why you were not offered a position since multiple factors inform the decision. If you have a trusted colleague at the institution(s) you visited, you may seek feedback regarding your performance during the research talk and other activities. After each visit, you should also have reflected on what worked and didn’t; what questions or interactions you struggled with; and what information you needed but didn’t get so that you can do better the next time. You can use this information to fine-tune your efforts when a new position becomes available.Do you still have questions about what to expect or how to navigate the process? Post your questions here and we’ll respond ASAP.This post is a short form of: Sullivan, A. L., Proctor, S., & Clemens, N. (2012). So you want to be a professor? Perspectives on the academic job search process – Part II – Interviewing and beyond.The School Psychologist, 67(1), 74-83. 

Fall is in the Air: It's Hiring Season for Academic Positions!

October 10, 2016

Tis the season for the faculty job search. Universities have been announcing openings for faculty positions since mid-summer, but now is the time that the job market really heats up. If you are a member of professional listservs for Division 16, Trainers in School Psychology, or CDSPP, you likely receive multiple position announcements each week. One upside of our field is that there tend to be an abundance of open positions. So what can you do to enhance your competitiveness for your dream job?1. Reflect carefully on your goals and preferences before applying.Beginning the academic job search can be an intimidating process. There are numerous opportunities in institutions, units, and programs that vary widely. Few people will move into positions exactly like those of the programs from which they graduate, so it is essential to consider what you want in a position. Future faculty may ask themselves:

• What do I know about potential academic careers and what additional information do I need? Because of the variety of opportunities available in school psychology, it is important to think carefully about the options available and engage in some fact-finding. Talk to your professors and other researchers. Make use of the networking opportunities provided at local, regional, and national conferences to talk with people in different types of positions, programs, departments/units, and universities. The goal is to ascertain the type of position you think will fit best.
• What aspects of faculty roles do I enjoy most or do I most want to focus on? What are my long-term goals? Where do I want to be five, ten, or twenty years from now? These goals are important because, ideally, you will pursue positions conducive to meeting goals, particularly as they relate to research and teaching since these are the primary domains of academics’ work. Different types of positions and institutions place varying degrees of emphasis on research, teaching, and service. If the idea of spending the majority of your time designing, conducting, and disseminating research is thrilling, a research position or traditional tenure-track position at a research-intensive university will likely be a good fit. Conversely, if you have little interest in conducting research, a teaching intensive position is probably a better fit. After these big-picture questions have been considered, there a number of more narrow considerations that might be made.
• What types of positions will I consider? You should consider the variety of dimensions of available positions including: (a) tenure-track assistant professorships versus non-tenure track (instructor, adjunct, researcher positions); (b)  discipline (e.g., school psychology, educational psychology, psychology, special education, interdisciplinary); (c) program type (e.g., master’s, specialist, PhD, PsyD, EdD; APAand/or NASP-accredited); (d) research expectations; (e) teaching load; (f) administrative and service requirements; and (g) institution type (e.g., research intensivity, public v. private, size).
• What, if any, are my geographic restrictions (e.g., region, state, weather, and urbanicity)? What other personal considerations (e.g., family, partner, lifestyle) will influence my search?

It can also be useful to talk through some of these considerations with advisors, mentors, and peers. The goal is to identify your parameters for the job search. Everyone’s goals, priorities and preferences will be slightly different and will likely fluctuate throughout one’s career. Be prepared to be flexible. The available positions will be different each year and while you may have a handful of preferred universities or programs in mind, it is unlikely that all (or any) of them will be hiring in a given year.2. Dissect job postings and program websites.Before applying for a position, it is important to carefully review the job description. Most postings will include information specific to the position, including type (e.g., tenure-track faculty, lecturer, clinical instructor); duration (e.g., tenure- or non-tenure-track, 9-month contract, 12-month contract); start date; teaching load; expectations for research productivity and external funding; advising, administrative, and service expectations; required and desired qualifications; application materials; timelines for review of applications; and contact person for the search committee.These elements should be reviewed to determine fit with individual preferences and qualifications. The information in the published posting may be sufficient to inform the decision to apply, but it’s always a good idea to learn more about the program and unit where it is housed. If you aren’t sure about your eligibility for a position, contact the search chair. When available, program handbooks and faculty webpages and vitas can provide valuable insight into various facets of a position and in some instances shed light on overarching programmatic goals and philosophical orientations. Job candidates are generally expected to demonstrate basic familiarity with the program and institution when applying and interviewing for positions, so it makes sense to seek additional information before you apply.3. Prepare a strong application package.You want to put your best foot forward when you apply for a position. Follow all directions. Make sure your materials are clear and error-free. Failure to follow instructions can undermine an otherwise strong application. Application materials often include a cover letter, curriculum vita, letters of reference or contact information for references, and transcripts. You may also be required to submit representative publications, syllabi of courses taught, course evaluations, or teaching portfolios.Your cover letter and CV are often the most important elements of your materials. Cover letters should be crafted to match the posting of each individual position to which one applies. The point is not to pander or implore, but to clearly and compellingly articulate your qualifications, fit, and interest. Use headings to clearly indicate where each qualification is discussed. Be explicit about what you can bring to the position while providing a cogent presentation of your scholarly identity. For positions where research is emphasized, clearly describe your research agenda and its potential value to the field. Keep in mind the typical purposes of the statement—whether articulated in a paragraph or a couple pages—is to describe your interests, major accomplishments and contributions, and future work. For early career scholars who have few independent projects beyond their dissertation, this statement can be particularly important to communicating a coherent program of research that can carry you to tenure. This statement can also be helpful to reviewers when your research experience is limited or disjointed because of required projects undertaken through assistantships and other experiences that were directed by others.Your CV will be scrutinized by the search committee and will likely be circulated throughout the unit if you are a finalist for a position. It is important to be comprehensive without padding. To that end, think carefully as to whether you will include “in-progress” papers on your CV. It may come off as padding, so consider instead discussing work in progress in your cover letter or research statement and limit manuscripts listed in the CV to those published, in press, and possibly under review (without journal names given since they may not be accepted). A CV typically includes several main elements:

• Contact information: full name with credentials, mailing address, email, phone number, fax number
• Educational background: degrees received with institutions, major, location, and year awarded; thesis and/ or dissertation title, advisor names, program accreditations
• Professional experiences/positions: titles, institutions/organizations, dates, locations, duties
• Honors and awards
• Sponsored Projects (including grants, fellowships, or contracts)
• Publications: peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, technical reports, other publications
• Teaching: courses taught, identifying roles (e.g., instructor, lecturer, teaching assistant), titles, dates, and evaluation summaries; research advising
• Service: editorial work, professional memberships, leadership positions
• Fieldwork/practical experiences: predoctoral practica and internship with site names, locations, dates, duties, supervisor name

Although contact information, educational background, and professional experience should almost certainly appear at the beginning of any CV, the remaining sections may be best ordered according to the priorities of the position to which you are applying.A teaching statement can be quite challenging to prepare because few of us have formal training in pedagogy and mentoring. Length may vary depending on whether you address both classroom instruction and graduate research advising, but the purpose of this statement is to describe the basic principles guiding your teaching and how they are reflected in your course planning, instructional practices, and learning activities, as well as your efforts to improve your teaching and mentoring. One way to structure this statement is to describe what you consider effective teaching, the corresponding practices in which you engage; provide examples from specific courses you have taught (or, if you haven’t taught yet, specific examples of what you would do), and evidence of effectiveness (e.g., summary data from course evaluations, students’ qualitative feedback). Where appropriate, link your teaching and research (e.g., how similar goals or principles underpin both domains of work), and strive to be factual rather than sentimental. Postings may only provide a vague request for “evidence of teaching effectiveness,” in which case you have to decide what information and documentation to provide. In these cases, you may submit a list of courses taught, a summary of student evaluations or unsolicited student feedback, a sample syllabus, and a brief teaching statement which may be a separate document or a paragraph incorporated in your cover letter.Reference letters should be sought only from individuals who are willing and able to provide strong, positive recommendations—if you aren’t sure, ask them. Lukewarm letters of recommendation can be just as damaging as blatantly negative letters. Because search committees are invested in identifying individuals who may become long-term colleagues, positive recommendations are highly valued. Applicants should be careful to provide their reference providers as early notice as possible and should provide the job posting, CV, and cover letter so that they can also provide a letter that speaks to the specific requirements of each position. As with cover letters, reference letters tailored to a position are more compelling than general ones.Proof-read all of your materials multiple times and get others (e.g., peers, your advisor, a friend willing to provide constructive criticism) to provide feedback to ensure your materials are error-free, coherent, and compelling.What happens after your submit your application materials?You wait. Hiring for tenure-track positions follows a fairly predictable sequence (this may not apply for non-tenure track positons). Once the application materials have been received, the search committee will review application materials to identify the top candidates for further consideration. If you submit your materials through a university portal, check for a confirmation email. If submitting your materials to an individual, a polite request that the individual confirm that they have received your materials is acceptable. In some cases, phone or virtual interviews will be conducted with several individuals before final candidates are selected for campus visits. In other instances, the committee will select immediately the most promising individuals, usually three to five people, to invite to campus. These visits often take place in early to mid-spring. After all candidate visits are complete, the committee generally will review the feedback from faculty, staff and students who interacted with the candidates and make recommendations to the administration about hiring, often in the form of a rank ordered list or description of candidates’ strengths and weaknesses relative to the requirements of the positon. The administration will make a decision regarding who, if anyone, from the pool to offer a contract. At that point, the candidate can accept or decline the position, or enter into further negotiations regarding the details of the contract. If the candidate declines the position, the administration can choose to offer the position to one of the other candidates, request that new candidates be considered, close the search without a hire, or continue the search.This post is a short form of: Sullivan, A. L., & Harris, B. (2012). So you want to be a professor? Perspectives on the academic job search process – Part I – Planning your search. The School Psychologist, 66(3), 23-28.Next month, we’ll address what to expect in campus visits. Feel free to share your experiences on the job market or recommendations for prospective faculty on the market now. Post your questions to the comment section below for more information.

Archived Webinar - Demystifying Academia: Faculty Roles and Opportunities

September 30, 2016

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Division 16 webinar, Demystifying Academia: Faculty Roles and Opportunities. Bryn and I were very pleased to join Prerna Arora and Jacquie Brown in talking about how to prepare for faculty positions in school psychology. If you have any questions that weren't answered during the webinar, feel free to post them in the comment section here, and we'll respond soon. Listen to the full webinar here.

Battling Imposter Syndrome in Academia

June 16, 2016

By guest blogger, Ima Syke Many months ago, following a reader request, I was tapped to guest blog on the topic of Imposter Syndrome (cue internal voice asking, “Am I worthy of writing this post? Did they ask me to write it because they know I don’t belong here? How did they figure me out?”). I’ve been assured the invitation had nothing to do with anyone’s perceptions of my inadequacy but rather a belief that I could do a great job and hopefully help many others similarly plagued by this type of pesky internal monologue. So here goes…Imposter Syndrome is generally defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that are prevalent despite success. Researchers have found this is more prevalent among women, graduate students, academics and interestingly, among those with evident success. This topic interested me for personal reasons; I have battled with aspects of Imposter Syndrome for years. While this is not a DSM diagnosis, it has impacted my career in academia in various ways. Let me give you a few examples from my professional life, hopefully others can relate.Recently, I sat in a meeting with a group of fellow academics as we prepare to write a large-scale collaborative grant. As I hear what other people can contribute to the data collection, writing the grant and other key aspects of this work, I wonder, “What can I contribute that others can’t?” and “My section will not be nearly as strong as theirs” and countless other comments revolving around self-doubt that ran through my mind. In other situations, I have remained silent during conversations that directly relate to my teaching or research for fear of “intellectual fraudulence.” And don’t even get me started regarding reading vitas! Others with Imposter Syndrome may feel like “luck” has more to do with their success than ability, or they may downplay their success. While I logically know that these behaviors hinder my productivity, collaborative relationships, and ultimately my perception in academia, I also never knew how to change these feelings until working on this blog post.Like any good academic, I started my assignment by doing research (i.e., investigating what has already been written on this topic). Perhaps unsurprisingly, Imposter Syndrome has been addressed in numerous academic magazines and blogs because it is all too common. Below are some strategies I have found in the literature for battling Imposter Syndrome.Recognize it within yourself and in others. Imposter Syndrome does not necessarily relate to low self-esteem or confidence; these are two different issues. If you suffer from chronic self-doubt and feelings of intellectual fraudulence, these are signs that you are battling Imposter Syndrome. If you see these traits in others, acknowledge what you see and allow for conversation on this topic.Regularly remind yourself of your accomplishments. Create lists or email folders of accomplishments and refer to them when these feelings of inadequacy strike. Part of Imposter Syndrome is the inability to internalize accomplishments, even when highly successful.Become keenly aware of your strengths. Learn what you excel in and utilize these abilities often, especially in collaborative relationships. This will heighten feelings related to your usefulness and contribution. Utilize others to help you with this task as it may be challenging for some to identify personal accomplishments.Discuss Imposter Syndrome with your students. Recognize patterns within the classroom (such as comments from students that may indicate these feelings) and have open discussions about this topic. Furthermore, talk with your students about how you overcame your own doubts or how you are still working to overcome them.Seek support. People who have Imposter Syndrome may find benefit in seeking therapy to improve their coping mechanisms. Group therapy might be particularly beneficial as relating to others and their experiences and coping strategies can be powerful.If you are interested in learning more about how to overcome this problem, Academic Coaching and Writingis offering a free webinar, Managing Imposter Syndrome in Academia, on June 30th, 2016.Additional resources on this topic:Feel Like a Fraud by Kirsten Weir in APA’s gradPSYCH MagazineFaking It: Women, Academic, and Impostor Syndrome by Kate Bahn in VitaeThe Imposter Syndrome, or, as my Mother told me: “Just Because Everyone Else is an Asshole, it Doesn’t Make you a Fraud” by Phyllis Rippeyoung for The Professor Is In‘I’m not worthy!’ – Imposter Syndrome in Academia by Jay Daniel Thompson for The Research WhispererAn Academic With Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Kasper in the Chronicle of Higher EducationDo you have any further coping strategies for imposter syndrome? What works – and doesn’t work – for you? Don’t be afraid to share. You are not alone.

Resources from NASP Funding Symposium and EC Meeting

February 29, 2016

It was wonderful seeing so many early career faculty at NASP! Thank you to Ed Shapiro, Rob Volpe, Erin Dowdy, and Katie Eklund for presenting in the ECF’s NASP Symposium, Strategies for Securing Funding as an Early Career Scholar! And thanks to all of the early career scholars who attended. Below are several useful websites and resources mentioned during the session. If you know of other great resources, please feel free to share via the comments. Websites to Explore for Funding Opportunities

1. Your university – Take advantage of internal grant opportunities to support pilot projects and develop your research program in order to increase your competitiveness for external funding.
2. General sites for both pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholar

• gov
• Community of Scholars
• APA Awards, Grants, and Scholarships
• AERA Fellowships and Research Grants
• Science’s Where to Search for Grant Funding(also includes advice on grant writing)
• SocialPsychology Network’s Sources for Research Funding

3. For Graduate Students

• NASP Awards, Grants, and Scholarships
• UCLAGrad Student Funding Search Engine

4. Select Non-Profits That Administer Research Grants and Fellowships

• MacArthur Foundation
• The Spencer Foundation
• William T. Grant Foundation
• Lumina Foundation
• Ford Foundation
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
• Joyce Foundation
• The Teagle Foundation
• The Chicago Community Trust
• The Foundation Center

5. Other Resources on Grant Writing

• Nancy Guerra’s Preparing Research Proposals in Psychology: The Graduate Student Guide to Funding
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: Debunking Some Myths about Grant Writing
• UW-Madison’s List of Grant Proposal Writing Resources
• TAMIU’s Grant Writing Resources

Thank you to all the new faculty who participated in the Early Career Faculty meeting at NASP on Thursday, February 11. Below is the resource list discussed during the meeting. We look forward to seeing you all—and many new faces—next year!General Early Career Scholar Resources

• Akin-Little, A., Bray, M., Eckert, T. L, & Kehle, T.J. (2004). The perceptions of academic women in school psychology: A national survey. School Psychology Quarterly,19, 327-341. doi: 10.1521/scpq.19.4.327.53404
• Ammerman, C. & Tseng, V. (2011). Maximizing mentoring: A guide for building strong relationships.New York, NY: William T. Grant.
• Bain, K. (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Berstein, D. A. & Lucas, S. G. (2004). Tips for effective teaching. In J. M. Darley, M. P. Zanna & H. L. Roediger (Eds.), The complete academic: A career guide 2^ndedition (pp. 79-115). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Boice, R. (2000). Advice for new faculty members. New York: Pearson.
• Darley, J. M., Zanna, M. P. & Roediger, H. L. (Eds.). (2004) The complete academic: A career guide2nd edition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Grapin, S. L., Kranzler, J. H., & Daley, M. L. (2012). Scholarly productivity and impact of school psychology faculty in APA-accredited programs. Psychology in the Schools, 50,87-101. doi: 10.1002/pits.21658
• Harris, B., & Sullivan, A. L. (2012). Faculty roles: A primer for students and professionals interested in careers in academia.NASP Communiqué, 41(2), 20-21.
• Harris, B., & Sullivan, A. L. (2013). Work-life balance in academic careers. The School Psychologist, 67(2), 23-26.
• Lucas, C. J., & Murry, J. W. (2002). New faculty: A practical guide for academic beginners. New York: Palgrave.
• Martínez, R. S., Floyd, R. G., & Erichsen, L .W. (2011). Strategies and attributes of highly productive scholars and contributors to the school psychology literature: Recommendations for increasing scholarly productivity. Journal of School Psychology, 49,691–720.  doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2011.10.003
• McKeachie, W. (Ed.). (2003). Teaching tips(10th ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin.
• Schoenfeld, A. C., & Magnan, R. (1994). Mentor in a manual: Climbing the academic ladder to tenure. Madison, WI: Magna Publications.
• Silva, P. (2007). How to write a lot. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Ward, L. & Wolf-Wendel, L. (2012). Academic motherhood: How faculty manage work and family. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.

Give Yourself the Gift of No

December 14, 2015As an early career scholar, you have a finite amount of time so there reaches a point where saying yes to one thing means saying no to another—or where you risk overburdening yourself to the point where your performance in many or all areas of work suffers.  Saying yes to x often means less time for y. This becomes problematic when x is a nonessential, unwanted task and y is a highly valued or necessary task (e.g., writing).  Ideally, such decisions are driven by your professional and personal goals in conjunction with institutional expectations, especially if you are concerned about promotion and tenure. Maintaining any sense of balance in one’s professional roles and with one’s personal life will likely require accepting that we cannot and do not have to do everything. Often, this requires releasing ourselves of unrealistic expectations of personal perfection and pleasing everyone around us. Further, protecting the time needed to do well the things you need and want to do will require learning to say no to other nonessential opportunities and tasks.Learning to say no first requires identifying your priorities so that you can easily identify requests and opportunities inconsistent with those priorities. After identifying priorities it can be helpful to build time for necessary and desired tasks into you schedule and calendar. Just as you block out time for commitments to others (e.g., class, advising appointments, committee meetings), you should schedule time for commitments to yourself to better account for your time and to ensure necessary or desired tasks do not fall by the wayside. This is especially important with research and writing time since these are often the first to be sacrificed when faced with competing demands. For many scholars, these are also the highest priority. I routinely schedule writing time on my calendar. Treating these times as nonnegotiable helps to ensure you don't abandon this priority. Few of us would accept competing appointments when we are scheduled to teach, but it is not uncommon to accept competing appointments when we plan to write even though it is counterproductive in both the short and long term.For those who have difficulty saying no, I have a colleague who admitted she notates writing time on her calendar as meetings with administrators so that others who view her calendar won't consider infringing on the time and to remind herself of the importance of these appointments. A similar strategy may work for you if you are concerned that your commitment to research time won't be accepted or respected by colleagues. The important thing is to carefully guard your time so that other activities don't crowd out your priorities and prevent you from being productive and efficient.Another strategy that can make it easier to say no is giving yourself a minimum amount of time to consider any request or invitation. For instances, I know other EC scholars who wait at least 24 hours before responding to invitation or request for time or involvement. This disrupts an otherwise automatic tendency to say yes to everything and provides the time needed to reflect on whether an opportunity or request is consistent with one’s priorities and availability. Rather than blindly saying yes to everything, consider the potential benefits and costs, including the impact on your other work. Mentors and more senior scholars can provide valuable guidance in this decision process.You will also have to accept the need to practice pleasantly and unapologetically saying no. Some people are incredibly uncomfortable with the possibility of disappointing others or are so conflict-avoidant they would rather say yes to everything than risk that discomfort, only to fall short on their own goals. Still others are motivated by some mistaken belief that they are so important that others need them to the point that they cannot say no. This is very rarely the case. Once you've accepted that there are times when you can and should say no, do so simply and unapologetically. It's okay to say no without offering any more justification than you are simply unavailable. That is generally all the requester needs or is entitled to know. Practice saying, "Thank you for the invitation, but I am not available at this time." Or "Thank you for this opportunity, but I'm unavailable." When justification is needed, it can be helpful to link you refusal to you job duties or tenure expectations, or to have a senior colleague--generally your program or area coordinator-- back up your decision (e.g., "My program coordinator advised me against taking on additional service activities at this time."). Certainly some individuals may make requests that you shouldn't refuse, but don't assume every request they make is one of those. Instead, ask for time to consult with your colleagues and verify your availability and then speak with more senior colleagues and/or you program/area coordinator who can help you evaluate the request, and, when appropriate, plan your refusal. At times, your coordinator may want to say no on your behalf depending on who the requester is in order to more convincingly state your need to focus on your priorities.Another helpful strategy for people who tend to reflexively say yes is to remind yourself that no is the default decision unless you can identify sufficient professional or personal benefits to saying yes. For a few years, I posted a small note on my computer that read, "Just say no." For me this visual reminder was needed to counter my knee jerk reaction to accept every research and service opportunity that came my way. In the end, it saved me a lot of unwanted stress and time.In the end, learning and practicing saying no is necessary to bring strategic in managing your time and commitments.  Time management is key to being efficient and productive and avoiding overextension and burnout.  Chances are you'll enjoy your work more when you are judicious with your time. Be kind to yourself by giving the gift of allowing yourself to say no when appropriate.

Foundations for Successful Scholarship in School Psychology

August 31, 2015

This year, the ECF invited Randy Floyd, professor at the University of Memphis and previous editor of SSSP’s Journal of School Psychology to share his advice for early career researchers. In this first installment, Randy offers general recommendations for successful scholarship in school psychology.  Foundations for Successful Scholarship in School PsychologyBy Randy G. Floyd, The University of MemphisAs a participant in the 2005 School Psychology Research Collaborative Conference, I am the beneficiary of the numerous, ongoing efforts of the Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) to enhance the scholarship of the field through professional development activities and generous funding of several initiatives. Thus, I appreciate this opportunity to contribute to the SSSP Early Career Forum and focus on publishing and the peer-review process. I hope to offer, in a series of five blog posts, (a) practical insights from both my experience as a university professor and as a former editor of one of the major journals in the field and (b) information from reviews of the literature and research with close colleagues (including Craig Albers, Tom Fagan, Rebecca Martinez, and Sterett Mercer). Future posts will address employing specific strategies (and avoiding common mistakes) in submitting to peer-reviewed journals, finding the best resources to which to turn, and responding to reviewer and editor feedback. In this post, I want to offer 10 broad recommendations for scholarly success:1.      Be a student of the game. Devote time, money, and effort to securing resources and participate in trainings that will enhance your skill set and strategy use as a scholar. Although the strongest scholars continue to expand their competencies throughout their development, your early career is the time to establish a strong foundation on which the remainder of your career can rest. It is likely, too, that you will have more time early in your career to reach this goal than later in your career, when service responsibilities tend to increase. Find articles, book chapters, books, and blogs that address career success (see for example, Prinstein, 2013), and read voraciously. Seek out and attend presentations at professional conferences and use start-up monies and department funding to attend specialized workshops (e.g., focused on grant writing and advanced statistics and research designs). I will address some of these resources in my next blog post.2.      Finish what you started as a graduate student, intern, post-doc, or early career practitioner. If you have not already, work to publish your thesis and dissertation research. In the same vein, discuss with your major professor, supervisors, and research team members ways to present and publish research results or other projects from your graduate training, post-doctoral experience, or earlier career in practice. Find ways to channel what you have learned from those experiences into other published products (e.g., a narrative review of the literature, a test review, a newsletter article, or a guide for practitioners).3.      Collaborate selectively with others who have a scientific orientation, data analysis skills, or are generally good at writing. The best collaborations are synergistic—or at least mutually beneficial. There is no sense in collaborating for its own sake; some collaborations may produce more cost than gain. As you establish your competencies, know where you are weakest and seek out others who will complement you. Unless you anticipate more cost than gain, continue research and writing collaborations with major professors, supervisors, and research team members (as previously noted). Do not hesitate to contact more senior members in the field about collaborating in areas of their most intense interest. They may be overjoyed to team with energetic early career scholars and very willing to provide guidance. Their contributions will likely complement your own; they will be less likely to generate text for a manuscript but more likely to offer advice regarding study conceptualization, manuscript preparation, and viable publication outlets.4.      Identify when and where you work best and protect it. Focused, productive writing and thinking time is vital to the success of an early career scholar, so give generously of your time to service throughout the week, but do not hesitate to say (without elaboration) that you cannot meet during sacred periods. In selecting them, reflect on what time of the day you are at your cognitive best, and complete your most challenging work then. Save less demanding tasks (e.g., responding to emails) for when you are not at your cognitive peak. Although these periods may change throughout your career (and due to variable home and work schedules), strive foremost to protect your best time. In addition, work where there are few distractions—which often means not in your university office. Many of the most productive faculty work at home—often staying home at least a day a week or during long mornings or afternoons throughout the week. Others find hiding places on the university campus (including library study carrels or empty classrooms) or in coffee shops (when neither home nor work offices are quiet options). Consider employing time management strategies (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique), but whenever and wherever, turn off email, text, and phone message notifications during these thinking and writing sessions.5.      Spend at least 8 hours (1 work day) a week writing. As you consider your schedule each week, stay aware of the amount of time you engage in writing activities (see Silva, 2007). Writing in the broad sense includes everything supporting scholarship and manuscript development. For example, when you feel unable to produce some semblance of coherent text during a scheduled writing period, reading and taking notes from articles, adding and formatting references, and writing incomplete sentences in manuscripts will support your broad writing goals. Write what comes easiest to you, which rarely reflects the standard Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion sequence of manuscripts. When writing, many productive scholars start with the most concrete elements—in Method and Results sections—and extend writing from there. For me, each section of the manuscript requires different thinking and text construction processes, so I tend to develop those sections somewhat independently. Reviewing the text structure and content of articles and other publications as models as well as journal article reporting standards (see Cooper, 2011) will assist you in developing manuscripts.6.      Use your breadth of experiences as a foundation for your research. For professors, use readings from your courses, student questions, and student projects to generate ideas and projects to enhance your research agenda. For practitioners, develop manuscripts focusing on research based on single-case studies and program evaluations to address practical questions in the field. Generate ideas for literature reviews from questions posed to you during workshops or from pressing issues facing practitioners and administrators in schools and clinics. You should strive to never be without data or an idea for your next manuscript.7.      Find your publishing niche (or niches). With a variety of publishing outlets—including journals, newsletters, and books—you should consider your interests and skills and how they might be best aligned with these outlets. Rather than always striving to publish in journals, some scholars with strong writing and editing skills publish more authored and edited books than research articles. Others with a strong leaning toward practice-based issues publish in professional newsletters. Still others publish commercially developed assessment instruments, test reviews, and book reviews. In the same vein, let your data analytic skills help fill a niche. Consider ways to develop skills in specific areas that will allow you to use them repeatedly to answer questions in a novel way across parallel projects. For example, some research teams focus on publishing meta-analyses or qualitative analyses and publish multiple studies using these methodologies. Others employ sophisticated quantitative analyses (e.g., structural equation modeling) and archival data sets from test publishers or longitudinal data bases to produce a series of related articles.8.      Consider multiple outlets for your publications. It is easy to gravitate toward submitting manuscripts first to the journals you know best and then giving up when these journals do not agree to publish your work. Do not be disheartened. There are a wide variety of school psychology generalist and specialty journals and professional newsletters that target and publish quantitative and qualitative research, systematic and narrative reviews, descriptions of best practices for the field, test reviews, book reviews, and “thought pieces.” Another blog post in this series will focus on this array of publishing outlets.9.      Use national presentations as motivation. Professional publications (even books and associated chapters) rarely have hard deadlines associated with them. As such, determining when to submit your manuscripts to journals is almost always completely up to you. Some of the strongest scholars in the field (and their students) appear to use (a) proposals for presentations (as posters or papers) at national conventions and (b) the presentations themselves to motivate them to complete their projects. Frequently, these presentations yield feedback that can be used to refine subsequent manuscript development. Plus, each presentation will add to your count on your curriculum vitae.10.     Be a strong mentor in guiding students toward publishing. Just like your collaborations with your major professor and supervisors, your efforts with your students can produce publications about which you can be proud. When well designed, theses and dissertations developed under your mentorship should be publishable. Additional scholarly projects with individual students or across your research team members not only assist the development of your students’ skills and careers but also increase your publishing productivity.ReferencesCooper, H. (2011). Reporting research in psychology: How to meet journal article reporting standards. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Prinstein, M. J. (Ed.). (2013). The portable mentor: Expert guide to a successful career in psychology (2nd ed.) New York, NY: Springer.Silva, P. (2007). How to write a lot. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.The author would like to thank Dr. Ryan Farmer, Dr. Xu (Lilya) Jiang, Dr. Beth Meisinger, and Dr. Colby Taylor for their feedback on earlier drafts of this post.

Capitalizing on Technology to Facilitate Writing Partnerships

August 3, 2015

By Anisa N. Goforth, University of Montana and Natasha K. Segool, University of HartfordHere’s the challenge: Get two highly motivated research partners and friends to work together on research studies and manuscript writing, while one is working at a young doctoral program that is focused on APA-accreditation in frontier Montana and the other is balancing different priorities in a teaching-focused specialist program across in Connecticut. It’s no small feat, and one with which that we have grappled with for four years. Yet, we have been very successful in developing two large-scale studies and data collection efforts, producing three peer-reviewed articles, two peer-reviewed conference papers, and three peer-reviewed conference posters, with more scholarship underway.The BackstoryWe met in graduate school at Michigan State University’s school psychology program. Currently, Natasha is an assistant professor at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut and Anisa is an assistant professor at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Natasha was able to provide some support and advice to Anisa during her academic job hunt and during her transition into her academic position, which followed a year after Natasha’s own career started at the University of Hartford. Given our distance from one another, our friendship has mostly occurred through phone conversations and visits during academic conferences.As early career faculty, we often talked about the challenges of academic life, particularly developing and growing a research agenda amid multiple competing demands for our time. During one of our discussions, we talked about our mutual concerns and questions about the use of social media among our graduate students, some of whom did not appear to have a sense of professional etiquette online.  It was our big “Aha!” moment and we encourage everyone to look out for theirs—it is easy to miss. Prior to this, we had discussed doing research together, but those plans never took shape. We had tried to brainstorm research ideas, often forcing projects in which we had some shared experience. Yet, without passion and genuine interest, these ideas perished tragically in our shared Dropbox with documents that went unedited, and frankly unseen, for months at a time.The key to our success has been capitalizing on our shared questions and curiosity. Once we realized that we were both having similar conversations in our classrooms about professional behavior and etiquette online, we wanted to examine these issues further. However, we were traversing an area of professional psychology that had limited research to turn to related to the ethical and legal ramifications of social networking use. Thus, with little fanfare, we launched into a new phase of our relationship. From friendship alone, we added “collaborative researchers” to our identity. Technology helped with this immensely.The LogisticsOver the past two years, we have designed and conducted two studies related to social media in school psychology. Both projects have led to peer-reviewed journal articles (one article in the Trainer’s Forum, one articleled by our colleague and another MSU alum Andy Pham, and another one currently under review) and conference presentations. All of these projects have been developed and written collaboratively using various technologies. Through these projects, we problem-solved through trial and error to develop working habits that were efficient and effective.Creating accountability.We set up bi-weekly meetings to ensure accountability and keep our projects moving forward. Like many of us who are early career faculty (or mid- or later-career!), competing responsibilities seep in, and consequently, our work often occurred just prior to the upcoming meeting, knowing that our colleague was relying on the other to complete tasks. Our meetings were held using Google Hangouts, which allowed us to use the video call feature from our computers. After our meetings, the project leader sent an email with assigned tasks discussed during the meeting.To organize the meetings, we often used Doodlebecause our schedules were already busy and our two time zones made it difficult to find overlapping work hours. Although it was only a two-hour difference (EST and MST), we had to balance meetings around students, teaching, writing times, and truthfully, our personal lives! Between other responsibilities and our desire to not schedule meetings after 5pm, we were left with a single hour from noon to 1pm on Fridays.  Protecting this time for our meetings was essential, and by prioritizing it, we believe this resulted in our success.Although we did not always have significant progress to report, by meeting face-to-face every two weeks, we held each other accountable. In addition, we were able to consistently discuss our project, our expectations of ourselves and each other, and we were able to problem-solve before major barriers arose and derailed our vision. By seeing each other, we maintained a close working relationship together and communicated effectively.  In retrospect, in the rare circumstances when we canceled our meetings, our emails to one another were indications of being side-tracked or caught up with other competing responsibilities. It was our face-to-face meetings, however, that got us back on track and moving forward.Writing and research materials. In order to collectively work on our project, we primarily used DropBoxto share research documents (e.g., IRB documents, research questionnaires, manuscript drafts, etc.). The key advantages to DropBox were that 1) we were both already using it for our other professional responsibilities, 2) we could easily use it from our work and home computers, 3) it provided notifications to us whenever a document was updated document, and 4) it retained documents in typical formats (e.g., Microsoft Word). At other times, other writing tools have been more helpful. We have used Google Driveand its tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides) while on a Google Hangoutvideo call so that we could work collaboratively on content in real time.Challenges and RecommendationsThere were a number of challenges that we needed to problem-solve, including time zones, accessing files, and troubleshooting technology (e.g., connectivity problems, dropped video call, camera errors). At times, this certainly hampered productivity in addition to causing frustration when we had set aside precious time to work together. In the end, however, we firmly believe that use of video-calling technology and file-sharing technology has facilitated much more productivity and accountability in our work together.  The technology allowed us to meet frequently, feel connected with one another, and have the opportunity to incrementally advance our work. More often than not, we spent our first five to ten minutes checking in with each other about our personal and professional lives before launching into our work, which was important for us to maintain and grow our friendship as well. We see our work together as a win-win!A few other things to consider:

• Some researchers are going to be more adept to technology than others. Expect to provide some on-the-go tech support in addition to developing unique research ideas and empirically rigorous studies.
• Compromise on technology options and choose ones that suit the needs of mostof the researchers. We recommend considering the reliability of the technology, ease of use, and cost effectiveness.
• Be patient when there are technology issues (internet connectivity, video chat drops). Sometimes you just have to shrug your shoulders and laugh.
• Designate one person to be the group leader for the meeting (perhaps the PI or another researcher). As with in-person meetings, virtual meetings are more efficient and effective when someone keeps the meeting on track.
• Designate someone to email everyone after the meeting with a summary and specific tasks, including due dates.
• Build in time to socialize. Expect to spend 5 to 10 minutes chatting and updating about each other’s lives. This is a surprisingly important and rich part of research collaboration!

Resources for Interactive Research CollaborationsVideoconferencing and Communication Tools:Google Hangouts·         Advantages: Allows for video calls with up to 10 people; group conversations are easy and video facilitates understanding and quality interactions; allows for screen sharing to discuss specific issues (i.e., data analysis); integrated with the Google platform, facilitating communication across email, documents, and video.·         Disadvantages: User interface is difficult to navigate and can result in delays making initial connection; requires a Google or Gmail account; requires one time download of Google voice and video free plugin.Skype·         Advantages: Allows for video calls with up to 5 people; screen sharing is free.·         Disadvantages: Requires installing a program onto a computer.GoToMeeting·      Advantages: Allows users to share screen; personal “meeting room” for users; users can connect by computer or phone; can set up a schedule of repeated meetings.·      Disadvantages: Costs $24 to $49 per month; must install a program; voice calls often have feedback.FaceTime·      Advantages: Since many people use iPhones, video calls are easy.·      Disadvantages: Inconvenient for those without an iPhone or Mac; does not yet have a group video chat option.File Sharing Tools:DropBox·      Advantages: Allows users to share documents with a group; documents retain formating (e.g., Word, Excel); backups of files are created and files can be recovered for up to 30 days.·      Disadvantages: Editing must be done one person at a time, otherwise conflicted files are created; any change by a collaborator affects everyone else who has the shared file (e.g., it could be deleted).Google Drive·      Advantages: Allows for real-time simultaneous editing; facilitates team writing and collaboration.·      Disadvantages: Formatting between Google Drive files and mainstream Microsoft documents is problematic.Box·      Advantages: Allows for real-time simultaneous editing.·      Disadvantages: Less commonly used among researchers.

#makingresearchmatter

July 8, 2015

By Julia Ogg, University of South FloridaWhen thinking about dissemination and impact, those of us on the tenure-track typically focus on peer-reviewed journal articles and professional conference presentations. However, a presentation I recently attended at my university showed me how non-traditional outlets such as social media and mainstream publications can extend the reach of our scholarship. Indeed the popularity of TED Talks and websites devoted to making science interesting and understandable illustrate the public’s interest in obtaining information about contemporary research topics. Using non-traditional outlets could increase the impact of our research by creating an opportunity for people to be exposed to our work who would not see it otherwise. This could ultimately lead people to our more traditional and detailed dissemination efforts. Despite recognizing the potential of these venues for getting our research distributed broadly, many in academic positions (including myself) have reservations.  Below I consider a few common concerns in regard to dissemination through popular media and potential solutions.Concern: You are hesitant to share your research in non-traditional outlets like social media or mainstream publications because the information we generate from research is so nuanced.  That is, you do not want to oversimplify or fail to share the intricate nature of your findings.Potential Solution: This is a valid concern; however, one perspective is that getting evidence-based information out there may encourage people to read more in depth on the topic. Although the message may not be understood in the exact way you intended it, by sharing you may open doors. This point was made very eloquently by Jonah Berger, a professor of business and social media expert, when asked if he has ever seen any of his studies misquoted, “That is the danger. And there are definitely quotes where you talk to someone for a half-hour, and they pick out the one thing that you said that you wish you didn’t say. And then you have a choice though. Do you not want to speak at all about your work or do you want to do your best to get it out there in a rigorous way. And if it takes a life of its own, try to correct that. And I think, personally at least, I am interested in making sure that my work is useful to people, and so that’s a risk you have to take” (Scott, 2012). Another point to consider here is that it is important for us to learn how to talk about our research in a way that is both understandable and engaging to the public. Certainly publications in peer-reviewed journals are essential to advance science, but also making our work useful to more people can also be considered an important goal. These two goals do not have to be in opposition. When it comes to writing for mainstream publications, just like writing for peer-reviewed journals, practice and experience will help.  Learn and practice how to succinctly share what you are learning with your research.  What we are doing when presenting our research is telling a story (a non-fiction story of course). Any good story-teller appreciates the utility of a narrative arc.  Authors like Malcolm Gladwell have made a career publishing popular books (i.e., Outliers, The Tipping Point) known for integrating research with a human-interest story.  In addition, adopting other strategies, such as using infographics or pictures, can help draw people into your message in a powerful way.Concern:I don’t have time or this is too overwhelming. This will be way too difficult to sustain. Potential Solution: You do not have to become a media guru by tomorrow, but you do something as simple as joining Twitter and start following others with similar interests.  By becoming a consumer, you can learn about ways to use social media and other non-traditional outlets for disseminating your research. You may also gain information you would not have gotten via more traditional formats. It may be helpful to look at how other faculty use social media to share their work and I have provided a link below to an article on 50 media savvy professors.In terms of sustaining your efforts, one strategy is to try and find ways to make this part of your routine by building in a short block of time to engage each day or week. Using features like scheduling when a tweet goes out (which can be accomplished through Twitter add-ons such as Hootsuite), you can be present at times beyond when you are online.  One other nice factor is that you can also be on Twitter even when you have just a short period of time (e.g., while waiting at the doctor’s office).  Ultimately, you could consider institutionalizing your efforts by including a graduate assistant on grants that assists with disseminating results via these methods.I still have a lot to learn about how to effectively use and manage media to help disseminate my work; however, I think this is a topic that needs to be considered.  Sharing in these non-traditional ways may not be for everyone, but recognizing that the world we live in is changing and that these are increasingly widespread ways for interacting with others is important.  As academics we should consider how we can embrace these changes and use them to help our work inform policy and practice.ReferencesScott, M. (September 28, 2012). Good bye ivory tower, hello social media: academics struggle to make ideas accessible. The Pulse. 50 most social media savvy professors in America.Related Resources of Interest

• The Just a Click Away column in the Communiquéby Dr. Dan Florell is a great way to stay on top of emerging technologies.
• Reviews on mobile Apps on the NASP webpage
• The Best Educational Apps of 2014(these are apps for kids)
• Excellent example of a psychology professor who uses a variety of media outlets for his work ( Todd Kashdan)

In the comments section, please share any apps you use professionally that may be beneficial for others.