Tips for Writing an Academic Cover Letter

By Lindsay Fallon, PhD, University of Massachusetts Boston Contributors: Robin Codding, PhD, Northeastern University; Anisa Goforth, PhD, University of Montana; Tyler Renshaw, PhD, Utah State University; Amanda L. Sullivan, PhD, University of MinnesotaWhen applying to faculty jobs, it’s important to craft a compelling cover letter. A strong cover letter conveys your story, integrating your experiences, skills, interests, and accomplishments. It is your opportunity to share with the search committee why you are a great candidate for the position, linking your story to the requirements and responsibilities of the position. A cursory search for tips about how to write a strong cover letter yields suggestions such as writing in a manner that is clear, concise, and free of jargon. Yet there may be more to it than that. Below, we share guidance from four tenured university faculty members who have chaired search committees. They offer advice about what to do and what to avoid when writing an academic cover letter. We follow their advice with resources for continued reading and learning to support writing a strong cover letter, with the hope that such a cover letter will promote your chances of landing an interview with the search committee when combined with the other advice offered in our other ECF posts on the job search process.What is important to include in an academic cover letter? RC: An academic cover letter is usually the first impression you give to the search committee. This letter gives you the opportunity to indicate how your professional experiences and goals align with those advertised in the job posting. It is your opportunity to tell the story of what you have done and how you will contribute to the university, college, department, program, and profession. The cover letter also gives you the opportunity to explain and summarize the experiences listed in your CV and tie them to the position you are applying for.AG: ​​ The academic cover letter is my first opportunity to get to know the applicant. As someone who has chaired or been a member of a search committee in our Department of Psychology, it is an incredibly valuable way to get a full picture of the applicant. It is an opportunity to understand their passion, their vision, and their experiences. It is so important that I often begin my review of an applicant with the cover letter.Thus, I recommend that the academic cover letter convey the applicant’s story. This story moves beyond what is listed in the CV, but highlights the major themes of their academic and professional life. The thematic approach to storytelling is really helpful for me, as a reviewer, as I can see how their clinical work (e.g., internship, post-doc), research expertise, and teaching experience tie together, and how this would contribute to our program’s needs.Take for example an applicant who is seeking an academic position after internship or post-doc, in which they conducted their dissertation research related to progress monitoring and reading interventions. During practicum and internship, the applicant had the opportunity to implement CBMs and reading interventions in the schools, as well as to provide consultation to teachers. In the cover letter, the applicant could discuss the theme of “importance of academic assessment and intervention for students,” and highlight their dissertation research as well as their clinical experiences within this theme. Perhaps the applicant didn’t have graduate-level teaching experiences in this area, but they could indicate their excitement about teaching related courses. They could also highlight their vision for their work in the next few years that ties to this theme. Thus, the theme (i.e., academic assessment and intervention) guided the applicant’s broader story.TR: ​​Sometimes position announcements will say what they’d like you to include in the cover letter. If they do, make sure to at least cover that content. I also think it’s important to cover three main topics, regardless of what else might be included: (a) describe your training background and work history in the field, (b) talk about how you meet the required and preferred qualifications for the position, and (c) say why you’re personally excited/interested in the position. I suggest leading with (a), spending the most time on (b), integrating (c) throughout your discussion of (b), and then strongly emphasizing (c) again at the end of the letter. AS: To me, the cover letter is a crucial part of the application materials because it gives each candidate the opportunity to describe exactly why they are a great fit for the position.  Be sure to respond to each specific posting rather than using a form letter for all applications. This may just be my own preference, but I don’t think generic letters serve candidates well because they generally mean that committee members have to infer why the candidate may be a good fit when a candidate’s fit with required and desired qualifications isn’t clear. One thing I observed several years ago—and that’s been repeated many times since—was that committee members will come to wildly different interpretations of the extent to which given criteria are met if the candidate doesn’t make it explicit, especially if the details are basically buried elsewhere in the application materials that can include dozens if not hundreds of pages of materials per candidate. It’d be great if every committee member had the time and inclination to pour over every word of the application materials, attending to every detail, but that’s simply not the case. Instead, cover letters are a great opportunity to shape readers’ interpretation of your qualifications, particularly those that are more subjective (e.g., criteria related to potential contributions or leadership), and to make them want to spend the time to really engage deeply with the other components. So as a candidate, you should take the time to tailor your letter to each position’s required qualifications and specified roles. Tell the search/hiring committee why you're a strong fit for the position—and be as direct and explicit as possible. Don't hope or assume they'll make certain inferences from the materials as a whole. Use the cover letter to tell them exactly why.How might an individual convey they are a strong candidate for the position within the cover letter?RC: Provide context for the accomplishments and experiences listed in the CV and align those with the job posting. Including and highlighting (using bold or italicized font for example) words from the job posting as opening sentences for each paragraph of the cover letter ensures that you are addressing the key responsibilities that are posted.AG: My biggest recommendation is to look closely at the position announcement and align the cover letter with each of the points in the announcement. As a search chair, we work very hard to write those announcements—often hours of deliberation with our colleagues, administration, and current students! Sometimes we’re very specific—we are looking for a particular area of expertise, while other times, we write it purposefully broad. If there are specific requirements, it is helpful to indicate that within the cover letter.For example, as a program in the Department of Psychology that is APA-accredited, we often require that the applicant be eligible to be licensed as a psychologist in our state. We don’t necessarily require them to be licensed immediately, but that they are eligible (side note for those interested: some programs like ours provide post-doctoral supervision in order for our faculty to be licensed). Thus, it is helpful if the applicant has done some homework by looking at the Board of Psychologists licensure rules and indicates whether they are eligible in their cover letter.TR: I appreciate when applicants just tell you—straightforwardly—why they believe they’re a good fit for your position. The cover letter takes care to clearly connect the dots, so the search committee doesn’t need to spend time deliberating about the goodness of fit. This includes both (a) outlining how you meet the required/preferred qualifications in the position announcement as well as (b) talking about how you see your background or interests or expertise as adding value to the current faculty/program. I think the tricky part here is being straightforward while preventing arrogance or misunderstandings. Job ads and websites can only tell you so much, and they don’t provide insight into program history, culture, or context. So, there’s always a chance that what you think about your goodness-of-fit or value-added is wrong (because of incomplete info or bad assumptions). I suggest using first-person phrasing that conveys how you are seeing the situation, as opposed to telling them how it is. Starting sentences with “I believe …” and “I hope …” can be helpful. For example, instead of saying something like, “Your program could benefit from my expertise in X and Y,” you might say something like, “I hope I might add value to your program by X and Y.”AS: I recommend explicitly addressing how you do or could fit each of the minimum requirements/qualifications and as many of the desired/preferred qualifications as possible. Candidates often prepare a general cover letter or template to be tailored for specific positions. How would you go about developing a cover letter that can be used for multiple applications? How would you tailor letters for specific institutions when applying to multiple positions? In particular, which areas of the letter should be tailored? RC: A template is a great idea! The basic cover letter begins with the opening paragraph that describes why you are an excellent candidate for the position. Then, for a traditional academic position, the three following paragraphs might describe research, teaching, and service, with the goal of explaining and highlighting the contents of your CV. The closing paragraph might add an anecdote that you did not already discuss that once again emphasizes why you are an excellent match for the position. The order of the three traditional paragraphs might change according to the type of academic position you are applying for and the job posting can serve as a cue for which aspects of your experiences and aspirations you should emphasize.AG: If the cover letter is the applicant’s story in which they share their passion, their vision, and their experiences, then that should be the foundation for applying to any position. That is, the most important thing is for the applicant to reflect on themselves first, and develop a draft of a cover letter that aligns with their vision and experiences (maybe even before they look for specific positions). Then, when new positions come up, the question they can pose to themselves is: Does this position align with my passion? My vision? My experiences?If so, then the next step is highlighting experiences that align with that specific position (that is, making it specific to the job announcement). For example, if the applicant’s research expertise is related to equity and inclusion among minoritized students, and the job announcement emphasizes the ability to teach a course on cognitive testing, then the applicant could highlight in their cover letter their experiences with conducting cognitive testing on internship/post-doc (their clinical experiences), their enthusiasm in teaching this particular course (even if they didn’t teach it before), and how they might incorporate discussions and assignments on equity and inclusion in this course. That way, the applicant is integrating their passion/vision with the needs of the position.TR: I think my response to Question #1 applies here as well. I suggest all cover letters hit on three big things: (a) your training background and work history, (b) your fit with required and preferred qualifications, and (c) your reasons for being excited/interested in the position. Part (a) could be standardized across letters, whereas part (b) is likely to be semi-tailored and part (c) should probably be highly-tailored. I think this three-part approach is amenable to a template that could be adapted for multiple positions/applications.AS: I recommend tailoring sections to the qualifications as much as possible. So you might have a template that sets up a format and includes boilerplate language about your experiences/training and general statements to convey interest and fit at the beginning and end of the letter, but the main content should be tailored to the position and program/institution/organization. Consider including headings that align with the requirements or roles to make it really easy for reviewers to evaluate fit. Basically, make it easy for readers to locate details and leave nothing up to chance. When I think back on the various committees I’ve served on, a common experience is spending far too much time debating whether individual candidates meet specific criteria, even seemingly discrete or objective ones not up for differing interpretations, because it was unclear or unaddressed in the letter or represented in a single entry in a CV that could (and was, for some) easily missed. As an applicant, I wouldn’t want to leave it up to chance, so I recommend others be as explicit as possible about such things. What is something (or a few things) to avoid when writing an academic cover letter? RC: Making the cover letter too generic is a mistake given that for many search committees the cover letter is reviewed first and could be used to rule out candidates. Another mistake is failing to explain an accomplishment on your CV that is not obvious. For example: Why was that research team important to your research trajectory? What did you gain from the clinical experience that will be used when supervising students? How did that fellowship impact your professional values or build a specific area of expertise?AG: ​​I am having difficulty answering this question because I think there are differences in opinion about what should or should not be included. I have heard colleagues mention that it is not appropriate for applicants to include personal information in their cover letter, but I also believe that sometimes, personal information can be helpful. For example, some may argue that including information about family or personal life is not appropriate; however, I have also appreciated when an applicant indicates that they are applying to a particular position because it is located in an area where their family is from. As a committee member, that’s helpful for me to consider their commitment and interest in the position. On the other hand, it can feel uncomfortable for a reviewer to read deeply personal information that is shared in this professional context, such as the applicant’s history of suicidality. Overall, my recommendation is to reach out to a trusted mentor to have this discussion.  TR: Here’s three things that come to mind. And the first two are mostly derivative of my responses to previous questions. First, strive to prevent coming off as arrogant or overconfident. Watch how you phrase things; be sensitive to the fact that you are unaware of program context, culture, and history. Second, don’t forget to go beyond the basics. Yes, it’s necessary to outline how you meet the requirements listed in the job ad. But don’t stop there. Also talk about how you might add value to the program; give reasons for your enthusiasm about the position; talk about potential collaborations, etc. Third, don’t submit a cover letter with inaccurate (or failed-to-update) information about the position/program/university. This sometimes (accidentally) happens when using a template and submitting to several positions. Search committees literally cringe when they see another program/university named or described in your cover letter for their position. So, triple-check your letters for accuracy prior to submitting!AS: Be sure to fully read the posting and any specifications for the cover letter. It’s always surprising and disappointing when applicants clearly did not read the entire posting, particularly when explicit directions about desired content are provided. That makes it the job of the committee harder and can be disqualifying, particularly when committees use standardized procedures or rating systems. Do not submit the kind of vague, brief letters that might accompany a resume in non-academic job search. Be sure to proof and to verify the institution’s name. It's woefully common for applicants to submit letters prepared for other jobs and that undermines the application. It’s not that committees assume folks aren’t applying elsewhere, but attention to detail matters--your application materials will serve as an example of how you conduct yourself professionally and for many people, might be your first impression on them. Don’t name drop excessively or tout status at the expense of substance. That is, listing off senior scholars you’ve worked with or the rankings of programs you’ve attended won’t generally advance your application whereas discussing how the experiences you’ve had contribute to your preparedness to thrive in the position will. In the case of a letter writer waxing poetic about the brilliance and success of their advisor, a former search committee memorably commented that they wished we could just hire the advisor…needless to say, that enthusiasm did not confer to the letter writer.What might you include in a cover letter when you’re also submitting separate research, teaching, diversity, etc. statements? In other words, how do you differentiate what you write in the cover letter?RC: The cover letter is like an abstract of what is to come – hit all the main points and be sure to emphasize the most important aspects that will be unpacked in more detail in the individual statements.AG: ​​I like to think of the cover letter has the broad story of the applicant’s experiences, and the separate research, teaching or diversity statements as an opportunity to provide deeper and richer stories. That is, the cover letter is the summary and the individual statements contain the details.TR: I think my responses to Questions #1 and #3 applies here, too. I’d suggest covering those three big topics no matter what. It seems that research, teaching, and diversity/EDI are mentioned in the required/preferred qualifications for most positions. So a summary or highlights on each area is nice to include within the cover letter. But I guess it depends on the ask for materials. If the application requires separate statements on specific topics, I’d suggest keeping that content briefer in the cover letter—and referring to the other statements for more. But if they don’t ask for separate statements, I’d suggest hitting on all those topics at length in the cover letter.  AS: As indicated in my responses above, I think the letter should be oriented around the specific criteria and directions in a posting, which can introduce or complement the narrative provided in statements. The statements can be general or the same for every/most application but the cover letter should be tailored.Many institutions do not specify requirements for content or length. How detailed should a cover letter be? How can one ensure that the most important information stands out to readers?RC: Two pages is about right for the cover letter. One page could suffice if you are an early career professional. Three pages is too long if you are also writing separate statements. If you are not asked to write separate statements and instead only a cover letter, then your cover letter could be 3 to 5 pages. If you are only asked to write a cover letter, then you will want to have longer or more paragraphs highlighting teaching, research, service, as well as how you consider and actualize equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout your professional activities. The exact point of the cover letter is to ensure that the most important information stands out & is connected to the job responsibilities requested in the posting. AG: My recommendation is that if the institution only requires a cover letter (so no research, teaching or diversity statement), then the applicant can go a bit longer on the cover letter length (approximately 3 pages max). If the institution does require a cover letter and separate statements, then I would suggest 1-2 pages of the cover letter, and then 1-2 pages each for the statements. Again, I would recommend that there is a continuous theme across each of the statements and that the cover letter summarizes those themes.TR: I think this depends on the ask for materials and the need for separate statements (or not). If there are separate statements for research, teaching, and EDI, I’d suggest a 1–2 page (single-spaced) cover letter. In this scenario, I see the cover letter as more of an executive summary. Then you can dig into the details in the stand-alone statements on each topic (also usually 1–2 pages). If there are not separate statements for any given topic, then I would expand the length of the cover letter accordingly to ensure good coverage of the big topics. Also, pro tip: if your cover letter is long (>2 pages), don’t be afraid to use section headings! Headings can give some organization and breathing room in letters that cover a lot of ground.AS: Length should depend on how many unique points need to be made relative to the posting--that is, how many criteria, roles, etc. does the posting specify? Some letters will be brief when a posting delineates a few unique criteria or expectations for the role. Others are more extensive and the letters should be as well. I’m not too concerned about length because I think candidates do themselves a disservice with overly brief letters and that some job postings might necessitate long ones (3-5 pages). Basically, content matters more than length to me. What is something you wish you knew when you wrote your first cover letter for an academic position? RC: I wish I had (a) developed a template that could be adjusted annually and then tweaked for the academic position that I was applying for; (b) spent time in graduate school thinking about and practicing how to summarize my CV so that I could tell a good story about my work. I also wish I had considered the importance of the cover letter and given myself adequate time to carefully craft the letter. The cover letter (and corresponding statements) requires more time than you might think to construct well and I was up way too late at night finishing it, unfortunately often at the last minute.AG: I wish I had known that the cover letter is simply one piece of the larger puzzle about finding someone who will fit within the program or department. I think it’s important for any applicant to realize that they may not be invited for an interview not because of the quality of their work or their experiences, but simply because the program/department is looking for something very specific. It is a deeply personal experience to apply for a job; yet, the decisions may have nothing to do with the applicant’s ability or quality of experiences. Having a mentor to guide the process of writing a cover letter, and navigating the application process, is incredibly important.TR: I wish I would’ve known it was permissible—and a good idea—to solicit feedback from mentors and peers who are experienced with the application process. I really can’t recommend this enough. I suggest getting feedback about both the content and structure of your cover letters prior to applying. And I suggest asking both (a) mid-to-late-career faculty who’ve been on several search committees (and therefore have read lots of cover letters) as well as (b) early-career peers who’ve successfully landed an academic position (and therefore have recently written cover letters). If you’re applying to several positions, it’s probably unrealistic to ask for feedback on every letter. But at least getting feedback on an exemplar or template letter can be extremely useful for gauging how well you’re communicating.  AS: In addition to all of these great suggestions, I wish I’d known how important it was to be my own strongest advocate in the letters. There’s a fine balance between humble and undermining, and for many of us, this can be tied up in our cultures and the racialized, gendered nature of academia. Yet, we have to be our own champions in these letters (as well as the interviews that hopefully follow), no matter how uncomfortable it may be. This often comes through in active voice and action verbs. Consider for example, “I was afforded the opportunity to lead,” versus “I spearheaded/initiated/convened…” Basically, I had to learn to write like I believe in myself even when mired in imposter syndrome and self-doubt. It’s not about arrogance but rather being appropriately descriptive of your experiences and potential. ConclusionThis final point by Dr. Sullivan is so important, especially for those who have felt silenced or undervalued in systems that often espouse a white-dominant, patriarchal hegemony like higher education. Learning to write like you believe in yourself using action verbs and an active voice will appropriately convey that you are an excellent candidate for the position with humility. As Dr. Renshaw writes, your cover letter “connect[s] the dots” for the search committee and is an opportunity to explain how you will add value to the program. Dr. Codding echoes this by encouraging you to describe the impact of your experiences and accomplishments to extend what is listed on your CV. Dr. Goforth shares that your cover letter can offer a brief preview of the rich details you might provide in supplemental materials (e.g., teaching and research statements), recommending you work closely with a trusted mentor to navigate the often opaque process of applying to academic positions. We hope the suggestions above are of value to you as you apply for faculty jobs and encourage you to read the additional resources listed below.What questions do you have about preparing cover letters?Cover Letter ResourcesHow to Write a Successful Cover Letter from Inside Higher EdCover Letters for Academic Positions from University of IllinoisAcademic Cover Letters from Purdue UniversityAcademic Cover Letters: 10 Top Tips from The GuardianGeneral ResourcesFall is in the Air: It’s Hiring Season for Academic Positions!Making the Most of Your CV: Talking About Yourself in Bullet PointsThe Job Search – What Not To DoCongratulations, You’ve Been Invited to Campus! Now What?So You Have Been Offered a Virtual Interview! Now What?Preparing a Job Talk: Maximizing Your Impact During Campus VisitsShould I Stay or Should I Go?

Considerations when Applying for a Fulbright Award

Kathleen B. Aspiranti, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky

In the fall of 2021, I embarked on a journey to complete a Fulbright award at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary. When I began my position at my current university in 2019, I soon met three colleagues in my field who had recently completed Fulbright awards: one to Southeast Asia, one to Finland, and one to Hungary. Through conversations with these colleagues, I learned that although all three had very different focuses for their projects they all had amazing experiences, would recommend the Fulbright program to others, and would most definitely do it again. After encouragement from these colleagues, I decided that I would apply for a Fulbright. But where to start? Below I discuss some considerations when applying for a Fulbright award.

Where do I want to go? The Fulbright program partners with over 135 countries across the world, which can be quite overwhelming as you can only apply for one Fulbright award at a time. An important part of the application is to highlight the specific award that you are applying for and why you need to be in that geographic location to complete your project. For this reason, many Fulbrighters have a specific reason to apply for an award located in a certain country based on ongoing research or professional goals. For instance, perhaps you already have a connection with a research lab in Myanmar working on a specific research question. Or maybe you have always been interested in how the education system in Singapore compares to that in the United States.

The catalog of current Fulbright awards lists all of the available awards for the upcoming cycle. Each award specifies the requested discipline. In some instances, the title of the award will specify the discipline. In others, the award will be titled ‘All Disciplines’, but then at the bottom of the Award Details page there will be a list of specific disciplines that will be considered. Some awards even specify areas of interest, for example, in one case within the discipline of Education the award is really interested in the areas of Higher Education Administration or Curriculum Development. By filtering through the countries and the disciplines, your choices narrow significantly. For me, there was an award for Hungary titled Education and Psychology, which was perfect for school psychologists. I had no previous connections to Hungary but I was able to tailor my application to my match to the specific award, my contribution to the host institution, and my desire to learn more about the country.

Awards for some countries are more competitive than others. Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and France typically get a lot of applicants, but they also have more awards available. Countries such as Hungary, Romania, and Serbia typically have fewer applicants, but they also offer fewer awards. The award I applied for only grants two awards per year, but the number of applicants received for each award are not published.

What do I want to do? There are four main Fulbright activities: Research, Teaching, Teaching/Research, or Professional Projects. In research, you are conducting a specific research project. This could take place in a lab, school, using secondary data, or archival data. There should be a tangible outcome such as a journal article as a culmination of the Fulbright. For a research award, it is preferable to already have a relationship with collaborators in the host country to make it easier to conduct research. If you want to do a research-based Fulbright, think about the time and resources needed to make the project happen from beginning to end. With the applied school-based focus of my research, it was not feasible to obtain IRB permission from both my university and the host institution, find a willing site, obtain permission and parental consent, and complete a research project all in one semester.

A teaching activity Fulbright requires teaching classes, usually two per semester, as well as providing guest lectures, workshops, and seminars. My Fulbright was a Teaching award, and I taught two graduate-level courses in English, attended conferences and workshops, visited and observed in several primary schools, and provided eight guest lectures/workshops. I also had the opportunity to consult with several graduate students on their theses.

A teaching/research Fulbright combines both the research and teaching responsibilities, although the teaching load would be lessened. For a professional projects Fulbright, you would engage in various activities in your area of expertise. This could include serving as a consultant, gaining practical experience, or visiting scholars and practitioners in the field. The professional project can vary, but the primary focus is not either research or teaching.

How long is my project? Typically, Fulbright scholar awards are either one or two semesters, varying from four to nine months. This usually depends on the award and the country. In Hungary, all scholar awards are four months, whereas all student awards are nine months. In other countries (such as Czech Republic), the applicant is given the option of award length based on the specific award. Some awards have the option of a flex grant, where scholars can propose multiple stays in the host country of one to three months over the course of two to three years. This may be useful for someone doing a longitudinal study who would want to return to the country for short periods of time. It is important to ensure that your award length is long enough to be able to accomplish what you have planned for your project.

But what about funding? It is daunting to think about continuing payments on responsibilities from home (such as house or car payments) while having to pay living expenses in a separate country. All Fulbright awards will provide some sort of funds to complete the program. This typically includes a monthly stipend and may also include a housing allowance, travel allowance, and extra allowance for dependents. In some cases, the university will provide housing; in other cases you will need to find your own place to live.

Many scholars will complete a Fulbright during a sabbatical to alleviate concerns about funding. If that is not possible, speak with your administration about creative solutions. My administration was very supportive of the Fulbright award and agreed to supplement the Fulbright stipend with additional funds to match my current salary. Have conversations with your institution about funding and coverage of your current responsibilities prior to applying for the Fulbright; you don’t want to get stuck in a financial bind.

What if I have a family? Many Fulbrighters complete their award alone, but plenty others bring their family along! This is definitely a personal consideration, but if you have a partner that can travel it can be a wonderful experience for them. My entire family came for the Fulbright, including my partner and our three preschool/elementary school aged children. It was very daunting to organize everything and there were many more logistics to consider when bringing a family, but it was a wonderful experience for our family. We collaborated with our public school and while we technically homeschooled our kids while in Hungary, their teachers would email us the lesson plans each week and we would work from those to ensure our kids were on track when returning to school. In Hungary there were a few Fulbrighters who travelled with their partners and there was one other family; the Hungarian Fulbright Commission and the other Fulbrighters were very supportive of the families and our children still talk about the other Fulbrighters they met.

What else do I need to consider? By carefully reviewing the Award Details for each award, some awards specify the host institutions that are approved for that particular award or will provide a list of potential institutions in the country who can host that award. If you want to work with a particular institution make sure they are authorized as a host institution. The Award Details will also tell you if a letter of invitation from the host country is required. In my case, a letter of invitation was recommended but not required; I obtained a letter by cold-emailing the chair of the department at the university I wanted to host me. This allowed me to show the committee that there was a university who valued my expertise and wanted to host me. Some countries do not allow you to contact the universities in advance, for example, awards in Bhutan indicate that a letter of invitation should not be sought.

Many Fulbrights can be completed without any additional language expertise. The Award Details will let you know if another language is required or if English is sufficient. In many cases, there is no need to be proficient (or even know a word) of the host language. I didn’t know any Hungarian prior to applying, and my current Hungarian is very rudimentary. All the courses I taught were in English and the majority of my students were Erasmus students (foreign students in Hungary for an exchange semester/year). There are several other types of Fulbright awards in addition to the traditional Fulbright Scholar award. These include the International Education Administrators award, Distinguished Scholar awards, Postdoctoral awards, Student awards, and English Teaching Assistant awards.

On the Fulbright Scholar Directory | Fulbright Scholar Program (fulbrightscholars.org) website, you can search by person, host country, home institution, discipline, and other filters to learn about past Fullbrighters. It is highly beneficial to hear about the experiences of other Fullbrighters as you determine the specifics of your application. Each university should also have a Fullbright liaison through their international center that will be able to connect you with Fullbrighters at your own institution.

Is it worth it? The unanimous vote from me, my family, my colleagues who have been on Fulbright, and the other Fulbrighters from my semester in Hungary would be yes, the Fulbright experience is definitely an experience that will not be forgotten. The best advice I can give is to make the most of the Fulbright experience and immerse yourself in the host country’s culture. Learn at least the basics of the language and experience the country’s food, music, history, and holiday traditions. Visit the local markets, playgrounds, ruin pubs, hillside wineries, and ride public transportation. The Hungarian Fulbright Commission sponsored excursions at least monthly for all the Fulbrighters with trips to historical sites, experienced guides, and special customs such as traditional gingerbread decorating. Talk to people and learn from those that live in the country. We were able to get to know the other scholars and students within the program, none of which had expertise in psychology or education but were studying other fascinating areas specific to Hungary. Our building landlord was wonderful and brought our children holiday treats while trying to teach them Hungarian.

Finally, make sure to explore! This was the first time I had been out of the country for an extended amount of time and the first time I was fully immersed in a different culture. On the weekends we visited many different cities and towns within Hungary and the surrounding countries, most of which were easily accessible by train. Although the Fulbright awards limit the amount of time during your actual award time period that you are allowed to spend out of the country, we took several longer trips before the Fulbright started, after the Fulbright ended, and during the university’s fall break week to visit other countries and explore more of Eastern and Western Europe. Overall, the Fulbright was an incredible experience that I would recommend to anyone wanting to immerse themselves in another culture while working on a special project related to school psychology.

What intrigues you about obtaining a Fullbright? How might this experience benefit you as an early career scholar?

Developing Research Partnerships as an Early Career Scholar

By Kathrin Maki, Assistant Professor, University of FloridaDeveloping research partnerships with schools, communities, and other organizations can be an exciting yet challenging endeavor, particularly for early career scholars. Most often, academic positions require moving to a new community, often away from professional and social networks, thus requiring scholars to develop new relationships with community organizations to engage in their work. We asked three scholars engaging in research in schools and communities to discuss how they approach, expand, and sustain their research partnerships.Lisa N. Aguilar is an assistant professor in the School Psychology Program at Indiana University. Dr. Aguilar’s work centers Indigenous youth, families, and communities with the aim to Indigenize and decolonize educational spaces.Katie Eklund is an associate professor and co-director of the school psychology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on school mental health, including early detection and intervention for children who have behavioral and social-emotional concerns, culturally-responsive mental health interventions, social emotional learning, and school safety.Stacy-Ann January is an assistant professor in the school psychology program at the University of South Florida. Her research primarily focuses on data-based decision making and academic interventions in school settings.What big picture ideas do you think early career scholars should keep in mind when establishing research partnerships?Lisa: Early career scholars should ask themselves: How will I sustain this relationship in a meaningful way? Partnerships should be developed with the intention that the relationship between the researcher and the organization will be ongoing and reciprocal. This advice is targeted toward those of us who do research with marginalized communities or schools that have a high population of marginalized students. I don’t believe that a relationship can be meaningful if it is not sustained through reciprocal action. We are simply contributing to the problem that researchers have created of entering a community, taking what they need, leaving, and not giving anything back to the community if we don’t plan for HOW we will engage and WHY we want to engage. If you enter a partnership solely for the benefit of what it will bring you as a researcher, then it is important to be transparent about that with the organization. I don’t doubt that some organizations will be okay with that but there are also organizations that would not be.Katie: Before establishing a research partnership, it is important to discern if you are hoping to engage in a fully-formed research-practice partnership or if this is more of a traditional research relationship where you are seeking to gather data from a local school district for a particular project. There is a clear difference between the two. Research-practice partnerships (RPPs) are defined as “a long-term, mutualistic collaboration between practitioners and researchers that are intentionally organized to investigate problems of practice and solutions for improving district outcomes” (Coburn et al., 2013; p. 2). RPPs represent dedicated, ongoing relationships that often include multiple projects that are beneficial to both partners in the relationship. For example, those working in the schools offer an expertise around problems of practice and can spark new directions for future research. For practitioners, much of their time is already accounted for by their primary job responsibilities and they may not be able to engage in their own research. Partnerships can act as a research branch to this work, supporting valuable, independent, third-party evaluations of practitioner-driven practices.Within an RPP, it is important for the work to be mutually beneficial. In this manner, research questions of practice should be developed jointly between researchers and practitioners. This ensures that they are directly relevant to practitioners and increases the likelihood that research will get used in practice. Engaging in RPPs is also an excellent way for researchers to stay attuned to what is happening within the larger world of education and certainly within the field of school psychology.Stacy-Ann: Think about and decide what your framework for research partnerships will be. The things that you value will inform how you approach partnerships. It is also important to think of the organizations with which you’re attempting to engage. Consider the extent to which you have shared values and goals. Engage in work to understand your biases and how you can promote equity and social justice in your research partnerships.I’ll also say that knowing that building research partnerships takes time and there will be bumps along the way. It also helps to be persistent, to reflect on how it’s going, and adjust as necessary.What specific actions or activities have you engaged in to form successful research relationships with schools or other organizations?Lisa: First, be present. Attend organizational events, get to know people, volunteer, put away your agenda, and engage with the organization and its people as a person. Being present and volunteering your time addresses the idea of reciprocity. This is particularly important when developing relationships with Tribal schools. Indigenous communities have been mined for data for centuries. We must think differently about how to be in relation with communities that have been harmed by research practices. So, a large part of this must be you showing how you can be of service to the organization. Why should they allow you into their space? What benefit do you bring to the community? Second, assess the needs of the community. This is something that I plan to do when I switch institutions to get to know the Indigenous communities near my new institution. However, this is not just a survey that I will send out via email. This needs assessment will take place in a community space, with food and childcare provided through research funds. I plan to introduce myself, my positionality, and the research that I am passionate about. I will invite children, adults, and elders and incorporate culturally relevant pieces like starting with a prayer, smudging, and making an offering to the community members.Katie: When I came to UW-Madison almost four years ago, I was fortunate to be invited to co-direct a newly formed Madison Education Partnership (MEP), an RPP between our campus and Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). MEP is designed to improve experiences and outcomes for all MMSD students and reduce gaps in opportunity and achievement. It is co-led by three directors; two of us are faculty at UW-Madison and our third director oversees the Research and Innovation Office in MMSD. MEP is designed to intentionally disrupt the power relations between educators and researchers. Our partnership deliberately opens up spaces where educators can center everyday problems that they confront in the classroom, problems to which researchers can apply their scientific and methodological expertise to solve.MEP has provided a wonderful opportunity to build relationships not only with district leaders in our local schools, but to understand problems of practice that are pervasive throughout the system. It has allowed us to connect faculty interested in educational research with building principals or teachers who want to do more to help their kids. The formal relationship between the university and the district has helped to establish trust and to ensure both groups can support one another. It goes much further than researchers simply “pitching” a project that a school may or may not be interested in, but rather centers the larger needs of the district to solve questions of practice.Stacy-Ann: I try to take a multifaceted approach to forming research partnerships and some strategies have been successful. For example, I have asked researchers with extant partnerships to facilitate introductions with key stakeholders. If the researcher has similar and complementary research interests, then it may be possible to collaborate with them on a project that is ongoing/beginning. When the researcher has not had similar interests, I follow up those introductions with offers to meet and discuss the potential for a partnership. Many universities have offices of community engagement. It may be useful to reach out to individuals in those offices to learn more about how they can connect you with organizations in the community that may be interested in a partnership. Finally, I have reached out to schools and districts directly to initiate conversations about a potential partnership. Although not every contact led to a partnership, some have.How have you navigated the hidden or implicit rules and cultures that are often evident in schools and other organizations?Katie: I think it’s important to develop relationships with the individuals who are the closest to the actual work. For example, if you are examining the impact of a social-emotional learning intervention in an early childhood classroom, spend time with the preschool teachers to better understand their classroom norms, personal values, and the challenges they are facing with implementation. Talk more with the director of the early childhood center to understand the systemic supports and barriers to implementation and to gain a deeper understanding the role of the center in the larger community.As I quickly learned as a school psychologist: if you have been in one school, you have been in one school. Just because you successfully implemented a research project in a middle school in one district does not mean that it will be equally successful in its partner school down the road. The culture and climate of each school can make or break even the best laid plans for research. Build relationships not only with the school administrators who are often gatekeepers to your research; spend time learning from children, parents, and those in the larger community about how your research will intertwine or complement their existing practices. And don’t forget that when the project is done to share your findings and determine how it might most be useful to those it is intended to serve.Stacy-Ann: Fortunately, my background as an elementary teacher has helped with this some. But I’ve also asked faculty who have formed research partnerships with schools in that district/area about what hidden rules may exist and how they’ve navigated them. I’ve also found it helps to be open and collaborative while building relationships with educators. As you become immersed into the culture of the school, you may be seen less like an outsider and more like a partner.What barriers have you faced in forming relationships with organizations and how have you overcome them?Katie: Be prepared for individuals to say no to your proposed work. Just because you spend time establishing a working relationship with a local school or district does not mean that they will always say yes to every project that you propose. When describing a new project to a potential partner, I always leave room for them to decline or say no. If the project is not aligned with their core values, mission, or interests, they should not be persuaded to say yes. Better yet, work with your school partners to co-develop research questions that will directly impact problems of practice. This will ensure there is buy-in to the project while increasing the likelihood that your collaborative work will have a direct impact on practice.Stacy-Ann: There are several potential barriers to forming relationships with stakeholders in schools. One of the biggest factors is time. Educators are quite busy with many and sometimes competing demands for their time and energy. That said, people make time for things they value and that they find beneficial. To help mitigate this barrier, I have tried to match schools’ goals with my goals. I also maximize the time with stakeholders, by being organized, responsive, and efficient. Another factor is the possibilities of being viewed as an outsider and/or not being trusted. This could be due to individuals’ or organizations’ history with researchers in this past, as well as structural and systemic issues like racism. I approach partnerships from a strengths-based perspective and with the goal of building mutually beneficial partnerships. I recognize that stakeholders are the experts in what they do and their schools/community. There are many strengths that they have, and those strengths should be prominent in our work together. Also, regardless of what their goals for improvement are, it is not my job to come in and “fix” them, their students, or their caregivers.How do you balance your research agenda and goals with organizational needs? What steps have you taken to ensure your research was mutually beneficial (e.g., pro bono professional development)?Lisa: My research agenda is grounded in my lived experiences as an Indigenous person who has had to navigate predominantly white institutions. I am clear when I describe my research that I am doing research WITH Tribal communities, schools, and peoples and not ON them. Therefore, I do not have to try very hard to find balance between my goals and Tribal goals because they match fairly well. Now when it comes to schools, this has been more difficult because schools are very hesitant to engage in Indigenization and decolonization efforts. But all that to say I don’t compromise my research agenda to align with a watered down version of what public school administrators and educators would like to see.Katie: Within MEP, our local RPP, every project must be specific to an important problem of practice for our school partner and involves commitment from both district and university experts. In this manner, the project must have (1) buy-in from the district administration, (2) a lead in the district with authority to either make or effectively advocate for changes based on research, and (3) a UW investigator with the expertise and interest necessary to ensure success. This framework ensures that the work may not only help a researcher with a specified project but shows direct benefit to our local schools. Obviously, this framework is used for multiple projects beyond my own research, so I can offer a few thoughts regarding what steps I have personally taken.In my own research, I first try to ensure that the school has a specific need that will be met by a proposed project. For example, they may be interested in a new Tier 2 intervention or want to learn new strategies for progress monitoring for student behavioral concerns. Data gathered from their school may not only answer our research questions, but more importantly help the school in addressing needs of students and educators. Second, if you have funds, talk to the school about how to best support the participants in your studies. Some schools will allow you to pay teachers directly while others have rules about only allowing payments to schools or to teachers outside contract time. Identifying these needs early on in the project can help ensure individuals are adequately compensated for their time.Stacy-Ann: I am always up front about the goal of having a mutually beneficial partnership. I talk about these during my initial and ongoing contacts/meetings with relevant stakeholders. This helps to set the stage early in the partnership. In my initial meetings with school partners, I try to learn as much as I can about their needs and offer pro bono professional development aligned with my expertise around these needs. This has sometimes happened before the school participated in any research project. For me that’s okay, because my aim is to build long-term partnerships. I tend to lean on the side of giving more, for better or worse. When I have had research projects in mind that are consistent with the school’s goals and I have built a relationship with them, then I talk with them about the project. I also try to have discussions about their topics of interest that are consistent with my expertise. We have these discussions with the goal that together we can develop ideas for studies.What actions have you taken to successfully recruit participants? How have you gained administrator, teacher, and other leaders’ buy-in to conduct your research?Lisa: Pay them! I believe it is super important to pay research participants or create ways that they can get some other material benefit. Can the student get high school credit for participating in a yearlong project? Can they get extra credit for a shorter project? Can we pay them a small stipend? Provide food? Tangible benefits are one successful way to recruit participants and I also think the methodology used is important. For example, I am beginning to explore Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methodology, and I anticipate that lots of students will want to engage in this type of research because it centers their voices and experiences in a way that mainstream public schools don’t.Katie: We have a small group of school psychology faculty at UW-Madison who meet monthly with district school mental health leaders from our local school district. This ongoing partnership has been wonderful in terms of developing trust, rapport, and a better understanding of each group’s priorities. We really just spent time learning more about one another for the first 6-9 months that we met. This included better understanding the roles and functions of school psychologists, social workers, and counselors in the district, as well as our current and future plans for research as faculty. This time together established a wonderful foundational relationship for exploring future research projects together.Our partnership is now in its third year, and I consistently look forward to our monthly time together. Our relationship has been critical to understanding when research projects may or may not be a good fit within the district. The central district team is able to suggest schools who might be interested in particular projects and to help introduce us to building principals or school mental health principals who might be interested in our work. When we have this “warm hand off” and introduction to potential participants, it goes a long way in quickly establishing trust and allowing us to better meet the needs of the school.Stacy-Ann: I usually gain administrator buy-in for the project first. Strong relationships with administrators have been key to any project that I have led in schools. It is also important that the project aligns with topics of interest to them as well. I have had success with projects that have a clear and direct benefit to the school. Ideally, not just for the students who participate, but potentially other students as well. Another factors that has helped is having research with minimal involvement from teachers or administrators at the school. Educators have so much on their plate, I try not to add any more.Once I have administrator buy-in, I meet with teachers about the project. Some of the same reasons why administrators become interested in the project are the ones that draw in teachers. They especially appreciate projects that don’t ask them to do much and that don’t disrupt their schedules. As a result, I’ve conducted research outside of core instructional time (e.g., before school) and during intervention blocks (when conducting intervention studies). I have successfully been able to have teachers help recruit participants by sending informed consent forms home with students who may meet eligibility criteria for the study.How have you navigated the challenges associated with conducting research in applied settings during COVID?Lisa: I have actively chosen not to conduct research in applied settings during the pandemic. Communities like mine have been hit HARD and I didn’t think it was right to ask more of them so that my research agenda could benefit. Instead, I have focused on other papers like theoretical papers, commentaries, meta-analyses, etc.Katie: I have tried to provide grace and space for myself, my colleagues, our students, and our school teams around engaging in research during the pandemic. My larger school community (where most of my research was taking place) was fully virtual from March 2020 until May 2021. Unless we had projects where it made sense to pivot to a virtual platform (only one of our projects fit this description), active data collection on the remaining projects were placed on hold. It was more important to our team to be respectful of the challenges associated with virtual learning during the pandemic, than to push forward research projects with impending deadlines. Thankfully, my academic home has offered support for that to happen, and no-cost extensions were granted by many funding agencies.As a research team, we worked to evaluate how extant data could address our new and existing research questions. This led to a few unexpected manuscripts and projects that might not have happened otherwise. Our team was also able to spend more time evaluating qualitative data we had gathered from stakeholder focus groups for a new intervention we were evaluating, and quickly learned that this work was actually thriving during the pandemic. Many educators and parents had more time to participate in a virtual focus group during the first year of the pandemic than they may have otherwise.What approaches have worked well for you for engaging in research partnerships? Comment below.

Addressing White Privilege in School Psychology Research

By Sally Grapin, Associate Professor, Montclair State University & Lindsay Fallon, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts BostonRacial privilege and oppression impact not only practice but also research activities in school psychology. In research contexts, white privilege can be defined as unearned advantages (e.g., social, professional, economic, and other benefits) conferred on white* scholars, as well as on white communities impacted by their work, by virtue of institutional and structural racism (adapted from Sue, 2006). Since the earliest years of the field’s development, a number of school psychology scholars (often scholars of color) have illustrated the many ways in which racial privilege and oppression impact research and practice (e.g., Graves, 2009). Nonetheless, these violent dynamics continue to permeate research activities in ways that harm scholars, practitioners, children, families, and communities of color alike.Building on the work of researchers both within and outside of school psychology, we (the authors of this blog post) published an article in March 2022 on dismantling white privilege in school psychology research (Grapin & Fallon, 2022). Drawing from Mintrom (2008), our article described white privilege as permeating four stages of the research process: (a) inputs; (b) transformations; (c) outputs; and (d) applications to practice (all of which are defined below). We also offered a number of examples of white privilege in school psychology research. For example, white school psychology researchers can:

• be assured that ethics review boards will uphold standards that protect the well-being of their racial group;
• remain oblivious to research methodologies and paradigms that do not reflect the values of their racial group with minimal to no penalty for doing so; and
• be assured that they will not be asked to justify the relevance or generalizability of interventions developed to support youth and families who share their racial background (Grapin & Fallon, 2022).

As a follow-up to this article, we hope to further encourage school psychology scholars—particularly white researchers and practitioners—to consider the ways in which white privilege impacts the execution and application of research in school psychology. To this end, we have developed a number of reflection questions for scholars to consider as a guide for engaging in this work. We also provide recommended resources and readings for further study. While these prompts and resources reflect only a small range of issues and resources around this topic, we hope they will be helpful for facilitating further dialogue and action. Research InputsDefinition: Resources, including financial, personnel, and other types, that support the initiation of research (Mintrom, 2008) 

• Have I taken steps to educate myself about the history of racism in psychological research? Can I articulate the ways in which legacies of racial privilege and oppression continue to manifest in contemporary research activities (especially within the field of school psychology)?
• Have I considered the ways in which institutional review boards (IRBs) may prioritize ethical standards consistent with the values of my racial group while decentering ethical principles of others? Have I considered seeking additional approvals from community-based IRBs?
• Have I considered how racism may potentially impact dynamics within and among research team members and community partners? How will (or have) I contribute(d) to the disruption of oppressive dynamics?

TransformationsDefinition: Processes by which research inputs are utilized and translated into outputs using field or discipline-specific practices (Mintrom, 2008)

• Have I considered the ways in which the research paradigms I am utilizing may reinforce the worldviews and biases of my racial group? Have I considered other paradigms that challenge my racial worldviews?
• Have I considered the ways in which existing research in my area of study reinforces norms of whiteness? Is my approach to research design, methodology, etc. replicating these oppressive dynamics?  
• Does my research testify to the experiences and perspectives of racial groups other than my own? Does it assume an ecological/systems approach to conceptualizing and addressing racism?

Research OutputsDefinition: Proximal outcomes and byproducts of the research process (e.g., journal articles, technical reports, augmentation of researcher’s influence or reputation; Mintrom, 2008)

• Am I submitting my work to journals whose editorial boards reflect racial backgrounds other than my own? Are these journals making intentional efforts to center a diverse range of voices, perspectives, and epistemologies?
• Am I submitting my work to journals that will interrogate the explicit and implicit assumptions of my work?
• Am I ensuring that my work is accessible to a wide range of audiences outside of academia (particularly individuals, groups, and communities that will be directly and/or indirectly influenced by my work)?

Applications of Research to PracticeDefinition: Translation of research to service delivery or applied practice (Mintrom, 2008)

• Am I monitoring the ways in which my research is being translated and/or applied in practice? Is it being used in ways that perpetuate racial privilege and harm marginalized populations?
• Have I presumed applications of my work to be “race-neutral,” despite their reinforcing whiteness as normative?
• If I find that my work has contributed to the reinforcement of racial privilege and oppression (albeit inadvertently or unintentionally), have I actively named, held myself accountable for, and taken measures to deconstruct this harm? How will I ensure that my future research efforts (and the efforts of my collaborators and others) DO NOT replicate these harms?

Enacting an anti-racist approach to producing, disseminating, and applying research will inevitably require school psychologists to proactively disrupt violent assumptions and practices that marginalize the voices of historically minoritized populations. Beyond reading and reflection, we emphasize the importance of taking decisive action to disrupt dynamics of privilege and oppression in research activities. We welcome feedback on this topic as well as comments about the many ways in which early career researchers and their collaborators can tackle (or are already tackling) these issues.What other prompts, processes, or resources can you share to help address white privilege in school psychology research?Note: * We intentionally use lowercase style for the term “white,” as uppercase style is traditionally favored by white supremacist groups. It also reinforces the need to decenter whiteness in academic and other spaces.Recommended Readings and ResourcesBaffoe, M., Asimeng-Boahene, L., & Buster, B. (2014). Their way or no way: “Whiteness” as agent for marginalizing and silencing minority voices in academic research and publication. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 3(1), 13–13. https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2014.v3n1p13Bonilla-Silva, E., & Zuberi, T. (2008). Toward a definition of white logic and white methods. In T. Zuberi & E. Bonilla-Silva (Eds.), White logic, white methods: Racism and methodology (pp. 3–27). Rowman & Littlefield.Fallon, L., Grapin, S. L., Newman, D. L., & Noltemeyer, A. (2022). Promoting equity and social justice in the peer review process: Tips for reviewers. School Psychology International, 43(1), 12-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343211070165Roberts, S. O., Bareket-Shavit, C., Dollins, F. A., Goldie, P. D., & Mortenson, E. (2020). Racial inequality in psychological research: Trends of the past and recommendations for the future. Perspectives on Psychological Science: A Journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 15(6), 1295–1309. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620927709 Settles, I. H., Warner, L. R., Buchanan, N. T., & Jones, M. K. (2020). Understanding psychology’s resistance to intersectionality theory using a framework of epistemic exclusion and invisibility. Journal of Social Issues, 76(4), 796–813. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12403 ReferencesGrapin, S. L., & Fallon, L. (2022). Conceptualizing and dismantling white privilege in school psychology research: An ecological model. School Psychology Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1963998Graves, S. L. (2009). Albert Sidney Beckham: The first African American school psychologist. School Psychology International, 30(1), 5–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034308101847.Mintrom, M. (2008). Managing the research function of the university: Pressures and dilemmas. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 30(3), 231–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600800802155028Sue, D. W. (2006). The invisible whiteness of being: Whiteness, white supremacy, white privilege, and racism. In M. G. Constantine & D. W. Sue (Eds.), Addressing racism: Facilitating cultural competence in mental health and educational settings (pp. 15–30). John Wiley.

Opportunities to Reconceptualize and Advance Mentoring Practices

By Bryn Harris, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Colorado Denver & Sally Grapin, PhD, Associate Professor, Montclair State UniversityIn their recent article, Grapin et al. (2021) review 16 empirical studies of mentorship in the field of school psychology. In line with previous work (Cobb et al., 2018; Johnson, 2014), the authors define mentorship as “a positive, reciprocal, and proactive relationship in which a less experienced individual receives intentional support (e.g., career and psychosocial support) from a more senior one.” There are multiple empirically supported benefits of mentorship, ranging from guidance on career planning to supports for psychosocial well-being. However, the article also discusses several barriers to mentorship; particularly among individuals with racial, ethnic, sex, and gender minoritized identities.Grapin and colleagues (2021) identify a number of descriptive themes across the school psychology mentoring literature. While more detail can be found in the manuscript, we have summarized selected themes from the article and provided reflection questions to assist with furthering your own mentorship abilities.Access and Availability Key Takeaway: Being accessible (within reason) to your mentees is important for building positive relationships. For mentees, having access to networks of multiple mentors can be beneficial as well.

• In what ways do you demonstrate availability and accessibility with your mentees?
• Are the ways in which you demonstrate this availability clear and consistent among mentees?
• Have you explored and disseminated information about other formal and informal mentorship opportunities?

Structure of MentoringKey Takeaway: Mentees can benefit from both formal and informal mentoring experiences. Mentees may have different preferences and needs, so discussing expectations for the mentoring relationship in advance can be helpful.

• Have you explicitly discussed expectations for the mentoring relationship with your mentees?
• What type of structure do your mentees desire from your mentoring relationship? How can you work with mentees to ensure they have access to the supports they need?

Supporting Mentees with Minoritized IdentitiesKey Takeaway: Mentoring occurs within a variety of larger programmatic, institutional, societal, and cultural contexts. Understanding how dynamics of power, privilege and oppression can shape mentoring processes is essential. Proactively disrupting injustice in the context of mentoring relationships is imperative.

• How might dynamics of social power, privilege, and oppression impact your relationships with your mentees?
• How might aspects of identity such as sex, gender, race, and ethnicity (and their intersections) impact your interactions?
• Are you ensuring that your mentees have access to supportive and affirming learning environments?

Modeling Key Takeaway: Modeling constructive, just, and ethical behavior can support mentees’ personal and professional development. Mentees may look to their mentors to model behaviors they can replicate in their own careers.

• In what ways do you model collaborative research skills?
• In what ways do you model socially just approaches to your professional activities?
• In what ways do you model self-care and work-life balance?

Personal and Psychosocial SupportKey Takeaway: Mentees may value not only professional support but also personal and psychosocial support in mentoring relationships. These types of supports can facilitate strong, positive relationships that empower mentees.

• How are you expressing empathy, care, and warmth to your mentees? Do you express these supports differently among mentees, and if so, how?
• How do you take a personal interest in their lives?
• How do you ensure that you are conveying encouragement instead of discouragement?

Career Exploration and Decision-MakingKey Takeaway: Mentoring relationships can be powerful facilitators of career exploration and decision-making. Ask your mentees about the types of career supports that would be most helpful to them.

• How are you supporting your mentees in experimenting with a wide variety of career roles?
• How are you increasing transparency within areas of career advancement that may be difficult to navigate (e.g., tenure and promotion)?

Collaborative and Reciprocal PartnershipsKey Takeaway: Involve mentees in research and other professional activities in meaningful ways. Providing opportunities for mentees to incorporate or pursue their professional interests through this work may promote engagement.

• Are you providing meaningful opportunities for collaboration with your mentees?
• Are these experiences allowing your mentees to substantively engage with the research process and understand it holistically?

Socialization and NetworkingKey Takeaway: Mentoring can be a valuable outlet for socializing and orienting mentees to the field as well as building professional networks. Provide support for mentees in building their professional networks and connecting with others who share their interests and career goals.

• How are you encouraging the creation of collaborative partnerships among your own mentees within their graduate programs and across various professional networks?
• Are you supporting your mentees in developing and applying networking skills?

What ideas do you have for advancing mentoring relationships? What advice might you give others to improve their own mentorship skills?ReferencesCobb, C., Zamboanga, B., Xie, D., Schwartz, S., Meca, A., & Sanders, G. (2018). From advising to mentoring: Toward proactive mentoring in health service psychology doctoral training programs. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 12(1), 38–45. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000187Grapin, S. L., Collier-Meek, M. A., January, S. A. A., Yang, C., & Portillo, N. L. (2021). Reconceptualizing Mentorship for the 21st Century: A Systematic Mapping of Research in School Psychology. School Psychology Review, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1910861Johnson, W. (2014). Mentoring in psychology education and training: A mentoring relationship continuum model. In W. Johnson & N. Kaslow (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of education and training in clinical psychology (pp. 272–290). Oxford University Press.  

So You Have Been Offered a Virtual Interview! Now What?

By Lindsay Fallon, University of Massachusetts Boston & Bryn Harris, University of Colorado Denver Being on the academic job market is a unique experience. It is an opportunity to share your strengths and what you might offer in your application materials. If an interview is offered, it is an opportunity to learn more about how the position will fit with your strengths and interests. Interviews are also a time when you might gather information to decide if the job is located in a place you can see yourself living. Prior to COVID-19, it was common for a phone interview to be followed by an on-campus interview. In the past year and a half, it has become increasingly common to have virtual interviews in place of campus visits. Although our past advice and resources for making the most of job talks and data gathering about potential colleagues and institutional characteristics still applies, a lot of the advice about the social dimensions of the process is complicated by reliance on Zoom and other platforms for talks, interviews, and meetings, as well as loss of much of the incidental and formal social interactions (e.g., meals with the search committee and potential colleagues). For example, the lack of spontaneous conversations with faculty, students, administrators, and others makes advanced preparation of your questions for prospective colleagues and students especially important. But what else can candidates do to prepare?As virtual interviews are a relatively new practice, we asked three early career faculty to share their perspectives about the experience of interviewing from a distance. (To give these faculty the opportunity to speak freely about the process, we are not sharing their identities.) These early career scholars represent an array of professionals applying to diverse academic positions at various stages of their career (e.g. graduate students, assistant professors). Following their responses to our five questions, we offer additional resources to help those on the virtual job market succeed when interviews are virtual. Please briefly describe what it was like to engage in a virtual job interview for a faculty position. 

• ECF 1: The event was completely virtual. I was sent a schedule of events, similar to an in-person interview. I did all my meetings/interviews on a single day. I was also sent a small care package that had information about the city, university, college, and department, along with a small gift (coffee mug). There were separate Zoom links for each event, so the day flowed smoothly. 
• ECF 2: I felt way more comfortable when I delivered my job talks because I was able to see my notes on the side and was able to be in my own room. Also because I only applied to positions overseas, it makes it so much easier for me, so that I don't have to travel abroad for interviews. But it was also difficult for me to read other people's reactions for me most of the time. When I gave my job talk, I had to do screen sharing and could only see my PowerPoint (rather than the audience) most of the time, which felt a little unnatural and makes me constantly wonder if the internet is still working. However, I also felt more prepared when doing a virtual job interview. 
• ECF 3: I had several virtual interviews and they all were slightly different. All institutions gave me a few days to choose from so I could schedule around them. Most were over 2 days and consisted of meetings with the hiring committee, students, various stakeholders at the university, job talk, and a teaching demonstration. One institution spaced out the two days over a week apart while the rest were back to back or at the very least in the same week. Interviews were conducted using various platforms as well so I had to download and test each to make sure that I was set up and things worked properly.

What surprised you about engaging in a virtual interview? 

• ECF 1: Nothing really surprised me during the interview. It felt very similar to in-person interviews, except I was at my apartment. 
• ECF 2: I actually felt more comfortable with the virtual interviews. I was worried about others not being able to get to know me through virtual interviews compared to the in-person interviews when we got to be there all day. I was able to take multiple real breaks in between each interview activity by signing off from the computer. However, if it was a full-day in-person interview, I think I won't be able to take real breaks, which could interfere with my performance in the afternoon interviews. When difficult questions were asked during the job interviews, I think I get more mental space to calm myself down and think about the answers, as I felt the audience would not be able to scrutinize my body language or my facial expressions, which made me feel calm to think through the questions.
• ECF 3: There was not much downtime during virtual interviews. Meetings were back to back and I did not have time to step away for a snack or to use the bathroom. Having the interview days spread out over a few weeks was also a surprise as generally they happen back to back. In all of my interviews, I had quite a significant turn out of other faculty and students. During in person interviews it was generally just program faculty and the students who I was directly teaching. I was unprepared for the larger turn out.

Do you feel as though you gained the information you needed to make an informed decision by engaging in a virtual interview? 

• ECF 1: Yes and no. I think I gained enough information about the college and program, but I would have liked more opportunities to engage with faculty outside of the interview. I also interviewed in 2019 in-person, and a big influence on my decision-making were the interactions that occurred during meals. It was hard to understand the non-academic life at the university. I had already lived in the [region] for 5 years, which made me more comfortable accepting a position without visiting. 
• ECF 2: I felt I was not able to get as much information as I would like to. For example, I want to know the collegial dynamics of the department, but it is difficult to tell when everyone is online and is in separate "boxes." However, I feel that I had more opportunities to talk to each faculty one-on-one to gain more information about their experiences.
• ECF 3: I did not feel virtual interviews were enough for me personally. Any institutions that were contenders for me or I had an offer from, I made it clear that I needed to visit the area prior to making any decisions. It is difficult to move to a new area with no idea what it might be like and if you could make a life there. As much as we get to know people virtually it is also not the same as meeting them in person. If you are able to, I believe it is worth a visit even if it comes out of your pocket. I had help with some expenses and others were funded fully myself, but helped me make final decisions.

What advice would you give to others engaging in a virtual interview? 

• ECF 1: Ask questions that will help you learn about what it is like to live in the place. All the people that are part of the interview already decided to live there. What are things about the university/city in which a new person may find difficulty to adjust? 
• ECF 2: First, congrats on getting the interviews! Even though virtual interviews might not be ideal as in-person interviews as they might sound, it actually has several advantages for us as interviewees, such as being able to take multiple breaks in between and feeling more comfortable at home/in a private office. Ahead of the interviews, I would suggest having a few backup plans (e.g., providing phone number to call in, if the internet is down, etc.) and share and discuss with the administrative.
• ECF 3: I made the mistake of scheduling pieces of interviews while I was at work and I would not recommend this. It is difficult to adjust from one to the other and running to an IEP meeting or evaluation between interviews was stressful. Block those days out as if you are traveling there in person so you don’t have any added stressors. Also, make time to get time with the students away from any faculty. The students are very insightful and will be very honest about their programs and faculty. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

• ECF 3: Virtual interviews can be challenging and exhausting. Make sure to take all the time you need to ask the questions you want answered. Reach out after the interviews if need be to gather more information. Institutions also would prefer in person and I found they were very accommodating to make extra time for me when needed.

The Professor Is In provides additional recommendations for candidates while (the other) APA and Case Western Reserve University provide guidance to search committees on making these informative, productive experiences for all involved. Happy interviewing! Have you participated in a virtual interview? What went well? What could have been improved? What additional questions do you have about virtual interviews?

Faculty Job Search Resource Re-boot

The faculty hiring season is heating up after a protracted freeze. The ECF has provided several blogs and resources that might be helpful.

• Fall is in the Air: It’s Hiring Season for Academic Positions!
• Archived Webinar – Demystifying Academia: Faculty Roles and Opportunities
• The Job Search – What Not To Do
• Should I Stay or Should I Go?
• Making the Most of Your CV: Talking About Yourself in Bullet Points
• Congratulations, You’ve Been Invited to Campus! Now What?
• Preparing a Job Talk: Maximizing Your Impact During Campus Visits

There are a variety of places you can learn about available positions. These include: 

• APA Division 16 Jobs page
• APA Monitor’s PsycCareers
• NASP Career Center and Communities
• Psychology Jobs Wiki
• The Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (unique dual-career search feature)
• The Chronicle of Higher Education - Jobs 
• Listservs of the Trainers of School Psychologists and the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs
• Twitter and other social media
• Faculty, advisors, and mentors

We’ll likely see a combination of in-person and virtual interviews this season. Our past blogs provide general information on processes to expect during campus visits and you can find info specific to virtual processes blogs and articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and Interfolio. Plus, there’ll be more on this from us in the weeks to come. What resources or sites have you found helpful in preparing for the faculty job search? Share them below. 

Making the Most of Your CV: Talking About Yourself in Bullet Points

By Ryan L. Farmer, Oklahoma State University Assembling a curriculum vitae (CV) can simultaneously be exciting and daunting. Okay, maybe exciting is an exaggeration. But some folks—myself included—really enjoy updating their CV. Why? Well, it’s an opportunity to reflect, to think about what I have accomplished, and to compare what I have done with what I would like to do. In this way, I use my CV as a self-evaluation of my progress. Whether you want to use your CV in this way or not, there’s no denying that the CV is used as an evaluation tool by others. Whether you’re applying for an internship, a postdoctoral fellowship, an academic position, a clinical position, or going up for promotion or tenure, the CV plays an integral role in documenting your professional identity and activities. In fact, the CV is one of the first documents that hiring, search, and tenure and promotion committees will look at. Just because the CV is used as an evaluation tool doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve other purposes; you can use your CV to inform and persuade others. It can also serve as a reflection of who you are as a professional. A well-formatted, informational CV can go a long way. In comparison, a sloppy or uninformative CV can make a committee’s job harder, which can mean losing the position or not getting a promotion. So why are we here? The goal is to talk about some standard CV guidelines (not rules), to talk about different ways to document your professional activities, and to share some ideas and templates. First off, a CV is different from your more traditional resume in that it’s longer and more comprehensive. Some would say, there are no length or space restrictions. Secondly, the traditional CV isn’t the only game in town (though it is by far the most common). There are two general types of CV: The traditional CV and the narrative CV, which was developed by the Royal Society & UK Reproducibility Network. The primary distinction between these formats is the former encourages listing activities and products with brief descriptions while the narrative format uses a series of prompts to evoke a narrative response about one’s professional activities and products. The purpose of the narrative format was to de-emphasize the notion of performance indicators (e.g., publication count) and to build a more comprehensive narrative of a person’s professional work. While this is a noble goal, it has not been readily adopted by many programs at this time and so our focus will be on the traditional CV in this blog post. General AdviceWhen developing your CV, remember that your ultimate goal is to communicate your professional activities and details to someone who may not be familiar with you or your work. As a result, being straightforward, well-organized, and focused will help you in achieving your goals. Additionally, while the CV is pretty structured, you should focus on you and your goals. Both the content and the order of the content are flexible, and so you should design your CV to highlight aspects of your professional work that are relevant to the situation. Treat it as a dynamic document that can be reorganized for particular uses. If you’re applying for a research position, you might lead with publications, presentations, and grants. In contrast, if you’re applying for a clinical position, you may want to highlight your clinical license(s) as well as your past clinical positions and field-based or applied experiences. Finally, those applying for predominately teaching positions may want to highlight their past teaching experiences and the courses they’ve taught in the beginning while moving research activities and publications to the end. There is no right or wrong way to build your CV--just make sure it fits your purposes.Also remember that your CV is an evolving document, and so frequently updating the content is crucial to communicating accurately. While it may be feasible to update after a long period of time, you may find it more difficult to recall details. What was the name of that committee? What presentations did I do, again? Many folks update monthly, though, for major products (e.g., a publication), I strongly encourage dropping the details in as soon as you have them. For me, I am sure to forget something I’ve done—a local presentation, an open-source document or figure, or a science communication effort—if I try and do it in batches later on. Before I jump to some basics, I wanted to provide a few wonderful links. Dr. Sara Hart provided this wonderful PowerPoint on CV basics. Some other folks offered their insights, examples, and a bit of humor that folks may find useful.[embed]https://twitter.com/rfarmer27/status/1373733643978432515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw[/embed][embed]http://twitter.com/SMasonGarrison/status/1374135934493601800[/embed][embed]https://twitter.com/madDoctorAlex/status/1374135236871782406[/embed]When writing a CV, it’s crucial that it appears clean and polished at the end. One way to do that is to ensure that your formatting is thought out and consistent throughout the document. Pick a font (at max, two) and use them strategically. All of your text at a given level (e.g., body) should be in the same font and at the same size. It’s okay to vary up your headers a bit (different font or font size) to help others navigate your document. But for the love of all that is good in this universe, don’t treat this as an abstract art exhibit. While it’s the content that matters, how we present that content may bias reviewers.Screen capture of a CV that uses three different fonts across three sections. The third font is illegible. Another good thing to consider here is the readability of fonts. While it’s not wise to vary up the fonts across your document, at least the fonts in the first two sections (Education and Certification & Licensure) are easily read. Fonts.com argues it’s “all about legibility” in design, and I argue that this is true for CVs as well! Keep it clean and make it easy for others to read. Fonts.com provides wonderful information about selecting fonts. Like Fonts.com, Adobe Fonts lets you search and filter by type of font. However, there’s still a lot of options and it may not always be evident which ones will translate well to print or a pdf document. These excellent blog post from The Paper Mill Store and Practical Typography discuss many of these issues and offers suggestions for fonts. You won’t be surprised to learn that Times New Roman is amongst those suggested. If you’re not feeling adventurous, no one will judge you for sticking with the classic. In general, you want to avoid stylized, cursive, and impact fonts as those tend to be harder to read. Another CV basic is the margins of your document. Arguably, this is a preference to some extent. Those who want to read more can do so here at Practical Typography. That said, I’m a big believer in not trying to fix something that isn’t broken. The defaults in your word processor are fine. That said, you want to keep it consistent throughout your document. The last big decisions you’ll have to make are how to use spacing, tabs, tables, and horizontal rules to organize your document. There are wonderful resources for learning about the details at Practical Typography, but you may want to look at examples from others in the field and see how they’ve managed these elements. Find something you like or mostly like and tweak it. The best advice I can give here is to keep it consistent throughout your document; this may require slightly more planning upfront, but it’s worth it in the end. Okay, enough of the nitty-gritty. Let’s talk content!The ContentFor the most part, there are a number of standard sections and you can find a plethora of ways to organize and format these sections online. Note that some universities or committees may request specific breakdowns, such as the Boyer categories or institution-specific (e.g., Scholarship, Service, Outreach) categories. As such, the following should be taken as general advice, and readers should check with their institutions to see if there are specific requirements.

• Education
• Clinical experiences (e.g., practica, clinical positions)
• Professional experience (e.g., professional, non-clinical positions)
• Teaching experience (e.g., courses taught, teaching positions)
• Publications with subsections
  • Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
  • Book Chapters
  • Reviews (e.g., test reviews)
• Presentations with subsections
  • National
  • International
  • Regional
  • Local & University Presentations
• Funding
• Certifications & Licensure
• Honors & Awards
• Membership and Professional Affiliations
• Service with subsections
  • National (e.g., NASP, editorial boards)
  • State & Regional (e.g., state associations)
  • Local & University (e.g., committees, organizations)
    • You may need to break this down further to document service at the department, college, and university levels, depending on the expectations of your promotion committee.

Since we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, we’ll only cover these briefly with a few pieces of general advice. For instance, what if you don’t have content to go under each section? Some good advice I’ve gotten is to simply exclude a section or to combine sections. For instance, early career researchers may not have a ton of publications, and so dividing them out in subsections may look a little odd. So long as you’re candid about your content (e.g., specifying that a publication is a chapter versus a peer-reviewed publication), this shouldn’t be a problem. Another piece of general advice here is to add totals at the top of each section (and maybe subsection). Yes, we know that counting publications is a pretty poor way of accounting for a person’s contributions (e.g., Büttner et al., 2020), but unfortunately many of the committees we’re submitting CVs to still operate under this paradigm, so let’s make the process clearer when we can.While how you document this information is a bit of a personal preference, there are a few standards you should be aware of. For instance, reverse chronological order (i.e., newest at the top) should be used whenever possible to highlight what you’ve been doing most recently. Whenever possible, use APA style to format information. While APA doesn’t offer styles for everything (e.g., funding) you might want to include, they offer a great deal of information about how to document publications, presentations, podcasts, and so forth that may be useful. A lot of the standard approaches to building a CV have been around for a good long while, and that may make it difficult to figure out how to include other types of content. For instance, it’s surprisingly hard to find a good, authoritative source on how to document awards and funding. One great source is Walden University’s section on documenting grants. For instance, they recommend this general format:

• Current Research
• Grant # (PI Name)
• Name of Funding Organization (no acronyms)
• Amount of Award
• Period of Grant Award
• Title of Project
• Role on Project (if not PI)

Certainly, the key elements are there and it may be worth documenting your funded (and unfunded) projects in this way, especially if you want them to stand out in your CV. A more streamlined approach, however, might be to approximate an APA format for the funded project. Something like this.

• Name of Funding Organization (no acronyms). Amount of Award, Period of Award. Title of Project & Grant # (if applicable). PI Name. Role on Project (if not PI). 

Documenting Non-Traditional ContributionsThere don’t seem to be any hard and fast rules here, so find a format that works for you and—you guessed it—be consistent. Similarly, there’s little guidance out there on how to document more contemporary contributions to science and practice, such as the creation of software, leading national book or journal clubs, engaging in science communication, and so forth. One option is simply to create subcategories, or a new section, called Public Scholarship to capture some of these activities. This can be a bit imprecise as some are more like traditional scholarship (e.g., an open data set) while others are not (e.g., science communication). I have taken the route of creating a Public Scholarship section and specifying that it is not peer reviewed. Under that, I list subsections for podcasts, science communication and white papers, and blog posts (like this one!). That said, I’m not claiming my approach is right. Some authors have started thinking and working on these issues. Recently, Acquaviva et al (2020) helped to define the notion of Social Media Engagement as an aspect of Public Scholarship both in terms of including social media outreach and activities in the promotion and tenure process, but also in offering guidelines for how such content might be documented. For instance, documenting engagement in social media overall is relatively straightforward, and may look something like this:

• Twitter: @rfarmer27. 2019 to present
• 897 followers. 37,100 impressions.
• 87 tweets. 

or

• Facebook: EBSPsych. 2018 to 2020
• 7,382 followers. 27,000 user reach.
•  https://www.facebook.com/EBSPsych/notifications

Acquaviva et al. (2020) offer more specific guidance for individual social media efforts, but I don’t wish to repeat them here. I strongly encourage folks to check out their work for more details. In addition to how we document public scholarship, I want to talk a little about how we might verify these contributions. For instance, when creating and uploading digital presentations, podcasts, or static images (e.g., infographics), users might consider Figshare or Open Science Framework (OSF). Figshare may be ideal for individual files or presentations whereas OSF more appropriate for projects that consist of several files. The benefit of these services over personal repositories is the ability to generate digital object identifiers and static links. An alternative for video recordings is YouTube, which also provides a permanent link. In addition to details for describing and accessing the content, scholars may want to provide metrics for these materials, such as the number of participants, the reach, and so forth. This said, these guidelines are very much in their infancy and there are a number of ways to document these types of activities. For instance, Dr. Garrison offered a few screen-captures from her CV demonstrating how she documents her contributions to online forums, software packages, and even skills![embed]https://twitter.com/SMasonGarrison/status/1374135407760318467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw[/embed]Documenting Transparency & Open Science EffortsAdditionally, we might go about documenting various transparency efforts on our CV as an indication of our contributions and as indicators of scientific rigor. Some of you may be familiar with open science badges. It’s relatively straightforward to include these badges and relevant links right into your CV to highlight your transparency efforts. Consider this example from my CV.We’ve documented that we have open stimulus materials (in this case, a survey) and a hyperlink to the OSF project where those details can be found. It would be relatively little effort to modify this to specify that we’ve posted open data, open code, or that we pre-registered the project. We didn’t, so we don’t have those elements here. These badges are available with attribution to the OSF and can highlight these efforts. It might be virtue signaling, but it’s also an indication that you value transparency in your work, and it just might be viewed fondly by your committee! ConclusionFrankly, there’s so much content here that it was hard to select what to include. I tried to be responsive to questions we received following our blog post on science communication, to address common concerns, and to provide a plethora of resources. Toward that last point, we’ve assembled an OSF project on CV construction. If folks want to contribute by adding resources, examples, or templates, please contact Ryan Farmer at r.farmer@okstate.edu or request access as a contributor via the OSF project page. What other recommendations do you have for making the most of CV prep? What tips or tricks make the process less arduous? Let us know what we missed and how we might expand on these and related topics!

Opportunities for Pivoting Research Part 2: Getting Started with Secondary Research

By Amanda L. Sullivan, University of Minnesota; Ethan Van Norman, Lehigh University; and Ryan Farmer,  Oklahoma State UniversityIn our March 2021 post, Katie Maki and Bryn Harris discussed how scholars whose projects were disrupted by the pandemic can leverage meta-analytic methods to jump start their research programs. In many settings, scholars may experience continued challenges to returning to their past work when school partnerships and processes remain hampered by various effects of the pandemic (e.g., remote schooling, P20 staffing or enrollment challenges, budget challenges, administrator reluctance). With many scholars looking forward to the winding down of a uniquely challenging (and long) academic year, we wanted to take a bird’s eye view and discuss the broader utility of secondary research and provide some resources to help you get started (unless you plan to spend the summer on much needed rest and recuperation which you absolutely should—without guilt). Secondary research includes a broad range of approaches that use existing qualitative or quantitative data in a systematic study. They may be particularly attractive to scholars whose applied projects were derailed by pandemic-related challenges to recruitment, data collection, or community engagement given that secondary approaches rely on data that are already available for use. Potential secondary data sources include public or private documents (e.g., state or federal policy, case law, education or health records, as well as other research as was the focus in the previous post), media (as in bibliographic methods, textual analysis), and extant quantitative datasets (e.g., re-analysis of prior study data or large-scale quantitative data), to name a few. Notably, there’s no one way to do secondary research or specific problems that can be answered through secondary methods. And secondary research needn’t be a solitary activity—it’s highly amenable to team science and community-engaged scholarship. Our goal here is to give you some resources to learn more and potentially get started if secondary methods would be useful to your program of research.Although misconceptions about secondary research are commonplace, secondary researchers follow the typical empirical process of generating and refining research questions or hypotheses, identifying data appropriate for addressing those questions or hypotheses, designing a study to address those questions or hypotheses, gathering and preparing data, and analyzing and interpreting data to offer interpretations and recommendations. The data collection process often involves exploring potential data sources and isolating relevant data from the universe of available options, often before finalizing research questions and hypotheses. These processes generally replace the effort typically involved in selecting or developing study implementation, participant recruitment, and data collection, but may be no less time intensive or important and can certainly offer scholarship as rigorous and consequential as any other approach. The following publications provide a helpful introduction to secondary research approaches:

• Jones, C. (2010). Archival data: Advantages and disadvantages for research in psychology. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4, 1008-1017. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00317.x
• Heaton, J. (2004). What is secondary analysis? In Reworking qualitative data. Sage.
• Smith, E. (2008). Pitfalls and promises: The use of secondary data analysis in educational research. British Journal of Educational Studies, 56, 323–339. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8527.2008.00405.x
• Chatfield, S. L. (2020). Recommendations for secondary analysis of qualitative data. The Qualitative Report, 25(3), 833-842.

You may not have a specific question in mind and rushing hypothesis development could lead to false-starts, false-positives (especially in large data sets), and wasted resources. It’s okay not to jump straight to hypothesis testing (Scheel et al., 2020). Exploring secondary data may provide a wealth of information, including better problem definitions, more informed questions, a more complete picture of the relationships between variables, and so on. This may be especially useful at the beginning of a research line, but may still yield fruit for more established scholars. In addition, large-scale quantitative data can be useful in estimating causal effects and can allow for exploration of other research problems and questions not otherwise feasible without massive financial and human resources. Given that early career scholars don’t generally have millions of research dollars and a team of experts, data collectors, coders, and other staff at the ready, secondary quantitative analysis can be a cost efficient way to investigate consequential questions by taking advantage of others’ prior investment in study design, data collection, and database preparation. The following resources are especially useful to aspiring secondary quant researchers.

• Andersen, J. P., Prause, J., & Silver, R. C. (2011). A step-by-step guide to using secondary data for psychological research. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(1), 56–75. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00329.x
• Trzesniewski, K. H., Donnellan, M. B., & Lucas, R. E. (Eds.) (2011). Secondary data analysis: An introduction for psychologists. American Psychological Association.
• Else-Quest, N. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2016). Intersectionality in quantitative psychological research: I. Theoretical and epistemological issues. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40(2), 155-170.
• Sullivan, A. L., Weeks, M., Kulkarni, T., & Nguyen, T. (2020). Large-scale secondary data analysis—Part 1: For researchers. NASP Communiqué, 48(5), 16-19

Many popular publicly available datasets are already formatted appropriately for cross sectional and longitudinal analyses. In addition to learning the quantitative approach (or collaborating with individuals well versed in the analyses you intend to conduct), it can be wise to familiarize yourself with methods to format or otherwise “clean” quantitative data. This point is especially salient if you are partnering with schools or other community agencies who may not necessarily be mindful of the requirements of data formatting for quantitative analyses. Although different software will have different requirements for data formatting, in general, you can differentiate between “long” format and “wide” format. In the latter each row represents outcomes from one unit of interest (e.g., school, student, etc.), whereas “long” format includes repeated rows from an individual unit. Some analytic approaches (e.g., SEM) often use “wide” data whereas others (e.g., “linear mixed effects regression) use “long” data. It is very likely that you may need to convert raw data from one format to another, such as changing data from wide to long and vice versa (e.g., Reshaping Data in R, Reshaping Data in SPSS, and Reshaping Data Long to Wide in SAS).  To learn more, there are a variety of archived webinars available that provide general information and training, such as this one by the American School Health Association or this handout and archive (scroll past the COVID webinars) from Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for research on child health, autism, and other salient topics.For quantitative researchers in particular, there are a variety of ways to find and access potential data sources, including:

• Pamela Davis-Green's List of Secondary Datasets
• Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Find Data Tool
• National Surveys of Children's Health
• Virginia Tech’s Data Resources For Social Science
• Google Dataset Search Engine

If you are interested in datasets available from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Distance Learning Dataset Training is a great way to familiarize yourself with specific longitudinal and cross-sectional datasets. Scholars using these datasets and others are also eligible for targeted funding opportunities like these from AERA or the HRSA Autism Secondary Data Analysis Research Program, as well as being eligible for general funding opportunities from various agencies and foundations. As you get started, keep these tips in mind: 

1. Take time to learn about secondary data analysis.
2. As you hone in on a potential data source, be sure to read any technical materials, methods reports, and previous research using the data. Take time to really get to know the data so that you aren’t misusing it.
3. Leave time in your research plans for completing necessary procedures to access the data (e.g., application processes, security requirements, university approval) and secure IRB approval of your project (if applicable; when in doubt, ask your IRB).
4. Document everything you do in the process (e.g., any data manipulation) and keep backups of everything. (Many an analyst has wept over failure to document something key or to save prior code or data files after realizing they needed to backup a few steps to change course). 
5. Don’t be afraid to consult with the original researchers or methodologists if you have questions about the data source.

What questions or concerns do you have for getting started with these approaches? If you’re already doing this work, what professional learning materials and opportunities have you found helpful?

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Opportunities for Pivoting Research during COVID-19

By Kathrin Maki, University of Florida & Bryn Harris, University of Colorado DenverGiven the ongoing pandemic, many early career researchers may need to pivot their research programs because timelines for tenure and promotion and annual expectations may be unchanged and there may be ongoing disruptions to prior research activities. This leaves researchers looking for new, creative ways to advance their research agendas – a challenging yet exciting process. Completing systematic reviews and meta-analyses may be one method of advancing research and productivity during the pandemic, while also contributing to the literature base and knowledge in the field.Defining Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysesThe aim of a systematic review is to use systematic methods to summarize empirical evidence to produce reliable findings that inform decision making (Cochrane, 2021). Many literature reviews within articles in peer-reviewed journals differ from systematic reviews because they do not involve a systematic search of the literature, but rather authors select the articles reviewed, which may result in selection bias. Systemic review is an umbrella term for approaches that attempt to reduce this bias to provide a comprehensive synthesis of available evidence on a given topic.Like all research, systematic reviews vary in quality. Robust, reproducible methods for determining eligibility criteria for studies will result in a higher caliber systemic review. The comprehensiveness of the systematic search is particularly important in systematic reviews. The creation of a comprehensive and well-conceptualized protocol for study inclusion is an essential component of a strong systematic review. This article provides a detailed overview of conducting a strong systematic review in the field of psychology. For example, researchers need to decide on study inclusion criteria such as participant age range, study design, conditions, language of publication, and publication type. Researchers will need to select the type of studies to include such as RCT only, quasi-experimental designs, single-case designs, or qualitative research. Researchers will also need to determine what type of literature to include, for example, the potential inclusion of unpublished studies.Meta-analysis is a subtype of systematic review. Meta-analyses use statistical methods to summarize the results of the included studies. By quantitatively combining outcomes from all relevant studies, a meta-analysis can provide specific estimates of efficacy that are more precise than single studies because they are computed from a larger body of information (Cochrane, 2021). Like systematic reviews generally, the protocol process for study inclusion is often the most time intensive aspect of meta-analysis. Many published meta-analyses do not include important variables such as race, culture, and indicators of socioeconomic status, thus leading to large gaps in the literature. Examining such variables provides comprehensive information on treatment effectiveness across populations. In systematic reviews generally, and meta-analyses specifically, a discussion of the way in which the authors reduced their risk of bias is also considered best practice (referred to as publication bias; McClain et al., 2021). Although meta-analyses rely on quantitative data, a different form of systematic review called a meta-synthesis summarizes qualitative studies. See Lachal et al. (2017) for an overview of this methodology.Advantages of Systematic Reviews There are several potential advantages of systematic reviews for early career scholars’ research agendas. Many early career scholars experience the pressure of demonstrating research productivity through consistent publication of articles in high quality journals relevant to their field. As part of the tenure and promotion process, early career scholars often need to demonstrate their research productivity (in addition to teaching and service). Systematic reviews contribute to research in school psychology by providing a comprehensive understanding of the state of the evidence for a specific topic. The knowledge gained through systematic reviews can provide synthesized empirical support for implementing certain practices or it can suggest areas in need of further research when results suggest practices may be ineffective or lacking support.Systematic reviews are also often highly cited, and if conducted rigorously, may be published in strong journals. At some institutions, metrics such as impact factor and citation counts factor into tenure and promotion decisions. Regardless of how closely impact factors and citation counts are examined at your university, you will want to show how your research contributes to the field and such metrics are one way to do so. All school psychology journals welcome systematic reviews and meta-analyses submissions.Advantages to Conducting Systematic Reviews During the COVID-19 Pandemic One year into the pandemic, scholars continue to deal with its effects on their research productivity and teaching. For many school psychology researchers, our work is dependent upon collecting data in K12 schools, but many school districts across the country continue to provide instruction virtually. Even in school districts where face-to-face instruction is provided, students’ educational experiences are anything but traditional. Further, many schools are restricting visitors from school campuses in an effort to minimize opportunities for spreading the virus. Similarly, data collection in other applied settings (e.g., clinics, hospitals) has also been impacted by changes in how services are provided to clients (e.g., telehealth). As a result of these significant changes in systems’ functioning, applied researchers are experiencing significant setbacks in conducting research.Systematic reviews can offer an alternative research pathway for students, faculty, and other early career scholars who have hit significant roadblocks in conducting research during the pandemic. The most meaningful, and perhaps obvious, advantage to conducting systematic reviews is the elimination of the logistical challenges of conducting traditional research in applied settings during the pandemic. Data collection for systematic reviews is dependent upon accessing published articles (and perhaps dissertations and grey literature) from your university library, which you can comfortably do while you work from home during the pandemic.Speaking of your university library, your librarian can be a valuable resource if you conduct a systematic review. They are experts in how to navigate the library databases, which databases may be most appropriate for your area of research, how to effectively search the databases, and many other related areas as well. In our experiences, university librarians have been extremely helpful for accessing and learning various resources to support such work.Challenges and LimitationsFor many of us in school psychology, we are all too familiar with the logistical challenges and time intensity of collecting data in complicated systems (e.g., schools, clinics, hospitals). Systematic reviews, therefore, may appear to be the answer you’ve been hoping for to continue your research while alleviating the challenges associated with traditional data collection. And they can be. However, it is also important to be aware of the challenges of conducting systematic reviews before getting started.Systematic reviews can be time intensive and, like all research, require a rigorous methodological approach. They require significant planning and forethought to develop your methodology as you plan and revise appropriate search terms, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and coding schemes before implementing your study. Like school-based research, ensuring you have enough personnel resources can also be a challenge. Your systematic review will be more methodologically rigorous and the results more reliable if more than one researcher determines study eligibility and codes at least a portion, if not all, of the articles and variables. Ensuring you and your collaborators reliably determine study inclusion and code variables typically requires an iterative process of practice coding (and resulting revisions to the criteria and codes), all of which can take an extensive amount of time.There are also methodological challenges associated with systematic reviews. Attempting to review studies that have been conducted in different ways and incorporate different variables or measures can present a quandary as to how best to capture study methods and appropriately synthesize or meta-analyze findings. Further, meta-analytical approaches continue to advance including, but not limited to, the use of multilevel modeling, effect size calculation for single-case design studies, and means for assessing publication bias, all of which require methodological and analytical skill fluency. It may be helpful to consult or collaborate with a methodological or quantitative expert for procedural and statistical support.More systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted during the global pandemic across the world. However, a recent meta-analysis of medical studies pertaining to COVID-19 interventions has uncovered substantial flaws in research design, thus leading to potentially problematic medical intervention decisions based on the results. This finding also raises the issue of promoting expedited science and the need for scientific rigor regardless of global context. School psychology researchers must understand the nuances of this method and work to produce rigorous studies in order to support effective decisions among stakeholders using study results (e.g., practitioners, policy makers, other researchers).Introductory Readings and Resources The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) provides guidance on the reporting of systematic review methodology and results. It outlines a protocol for conducting systematic reviews, the information that should be included in each section of the resulting manuscript, and provides a diagram template for reporting of study inclusion procedures. Many journals will encourage or require that systematic reviews are conducted and reported in line with the PRISMA guidelines.For general information on conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses:

• Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.1 (updated September 2020). Cochrane, 2020. Available from http://www.training.cochrane.org/handbook.
• Siddaway, A. P., Wood, A. M., & Hedges, L. V (2019). How to do a systematic review: A best practice guide for conducting and reporting narrative reviews, meta-analyses, and meta-syntheses. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 747-770.
• Uman, L. S. (2011). Systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20, 57-59.
• Zelinksky, N. A. M. & Shadish . W. (2016). A demonstration of how to do a meta-analysis that combines single-case designs with between-groups experiments: The effects of choice making on challenging behaviors performed by people with disabilities. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 21, 266-278. https://doi.org/10.3109/17518423.2015.1100690

For information on methodological considerations for systematic reviews:

• Ahn, S., Ames, A. J., & Myers, M. D. (2012). A review of meta-analyses in education: Methodological strengths and weaknesses. Review of Educational Research, 82, 436-476. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654312458162
• Hohn, R. E., Slaney, K. L., & Tafreshi, D. (2019). Primary study quality in psychological meta-analyses: An empirical assessment of recent practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02667

For information on examining and addressing publication bias in meta-analyses, see:

• McClain,M. B., Callan, G., Harris, B., Floyd, R. G., Golson, M. E., Haverkamp, C. R., Longhurst, D. N., Benallie, K. J. (2021). Methods for addressing publication bias in school psychology journals: A descriptive review of meta-analyses from 1980 to 2019. Journal of School Psychology, 84, 74–94.