Research for Course Credit (397/399)

Overview

A great way to learn more about psychological research is to become actively involved through 399-Independent Study or through the two-quarter 397-Advanced Supervised Research. Participating in 399 or 397 lets you learn more about the methods used by psychologists and about the topics they study. This is especially valuable for students considering graduate study in psychology, and it can be an educational and enjoyable experience for others as well.

Undergraduate students working with Northwestern faculty members have been co-authors of research papers published in several top psychology journals. Students have also presented their work at professional psychology conferences, including the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association.

397 is designed to provide research training that is comparable to an upper-level research course. In contrast, 399 is designed to provide students with an introduction to conducting research. 399 is generally less comprehensive than 397, and does not fulfill the upper-level research requirement for psychology majors at Northwestern.

Psychology 397-Advanced Supervised Research

This two-term sequence (397-1 and 397-2) is designed to give students time to complete a substantive research project. The experience should involve conducting original psychological research. The content and methods of the research will vary substantially and will depend on the questions that the student and faculty member choose to pursue. Most 397 projects involve testing a group of subjects, but the secondary analysis of existing data is also acceptable.

Often students enrolled in 397 are involved in more than one research project, and they may not see an entire study go from development to completion. As part of the 397 experience, however, students should be exposed to all stages of the research process (either all with the same study or with different studies). Many students spend the first term of 397 reading background literature, becoming familiar with methods, conducting pilot studies, and developing a plan for testing hypotheses. The second term is often devoted more to testing participants, conducting analyses, and preparing a final report of the work done across both terms.

Key characteristics of 397-1, 2

  • 397 is a two-quarter sequence.
  • Prerequisites: Psychology 205-Research Methods is a prerequisite for 397-1. Psychology 397-1 with the same professor is a prerequisite for 397-2. (Students who have not completed 205 may be eligible for 399.) Individual faculty members supervising students' research may require certain grades in 205. They may also require the completion of other courses, in addition to Psychology 205, before enrollment in 397.
  • Class standing: Most students who take 397 are juniors or seniors. 397 is also open to sophomores who (1) have taken at least four psychology courses, including Psychology 205-Research Methods, and (2) have a grade point average of at least 3.4 in their psychology courses. Exceptions require the signature of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). The Psychology 205 prerequisite cannot be waived.
  • Content: Students in 397 should be exposed to all stages of the research process: the development of hypotheses, the review of relevant literature, the development of a plan for testing hypotheses, the collection of data, the analysis of data, and the preparation of a research report.
  • Papers are required. Students are required to write papers during each term of 397. Faculty should evaluate the papers and provide feedback. In many cases, the paper for the first term of 397 will be a literature review and/or a research proposal, and the paper for the second term will be an APA-style report on a research project. The content of the papers should be a key factor in determining students' grades, and students should receive substantive feedback on their papers.
  • Abstracts are also required. Students must prepare an abstract of their work and give two copies of the abstract to the Undergraduate Secretary at the end of each quarter.

back to top

Psychology 399-Independent Study

399 is a one-term course, although students may enroll in multiple terms of 399. 399 is designed to expose students to research on a particular topic. The content of 399 experiences varies widely, which reflects the variety of questions and methods that are used in psychological research. However, all experiences should be aimed at providing substantial training in and exposure to research. The student should not, for example, only code data for the entire term, as this does not provide sufficient exposure to research questions and methods.

The 399 experience also should include background reading. The student should become familiar with the questions that are being addressed and with the larger context in which the questions are set. Typically, the reading includes a few key articles or chapters that the professor considers to be most relevant. In summary, the student should become familiar with a question and with the methods used to address that question. In many cases, this will involve testing subjects, but this is not a requirement for all 399s.

Key characteristics of 399:

Prerequisites: There are no general course prerequisites for Psychology 399. However, individual faculty members supervising students' research may require the prior completion of certain courses and may specify the grades that must be attained.

Class standing: Most students who take Psychology 399 are juniors or seniors. 399 is also open to sophomores who (1) have taken at least three psychology courses and (2) have a grade point average of at least 3.4 in their psychology courses. Exceptions require the signature of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

Papers are often required. The content of the paper should be determined by the supervising faculty member. In many cases, the paper will take the form of a brief research report, in which the student introduces and reports the results of his or her research. Another possible format is a research proposal, in which the student introduces a topic and proposes a study. In other cases, the paper may be a written summary of the experiences that constituted the Independent Study. The content of the paper should be a key factor in determining the student's grade.

Abstracts are required. Students must prepare an abstract of their work and give two copies of the abstract to the Undergraduate Secretary at the end of the quarter.

back to top

Use of 397 and 399 to Complete Graduation Requirements

The following rules apply to the use of 397 and 399 to complete requirements for graduation and for a major or minor in psychology:

  1. Only one credit total from 397-1 and 399 may be counted toward the psychology major or minor; a student may count one 397-1 or one 399, but not both.
  2. Only one credit of 397-2 may be counted toward the major or minor requirements.
  3. 397-2 fulfills the upper-level research requirement for the major.
  4. Students may not register for more than two total credits of 397 and 399 in any quarter. This includes 399s done in other departments as well.
  5. No more than nine total credits of 397, 398, and 399 may be counted toward the requirements of the Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

    back to top

Identifying a Research adviser

Students initiate undergraduate research experiences by identifying professors with whom they think they might want to work. They then contact the professors to talk about the possibility of enrolling in 399 or 397.

Only core members of the psychology department faculty can supervise Psychology 397. Both core department faculty and those with joint appointments in the department can supervise Psychology 399. (Most 399s are supervised by core faculty.) Exceptions require the signature of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

Here are some ways to learn about the research activities of faculty members:

  1. Read the online faculty profiles. Each profile includes a brief description of the faculty member's research interests, as well as a link to additional information about his or her research.
  2. Look at recent publications by faculty members. Some are on the bulletin board on the second floor of Swift Hall, and you can find many others in the university library.
  3. Look at flyers posted in Swift Hall by faculty members actively seeking students to work with them. Faculty members also sometimes announce in their classes that they are looking for 399 and/or 397 students.
  4. Look at the Independent Study Opportunities Notebook, which you can borrow from the Undergraduate Secretary in the department's main office. This notebook contains abstracts in which former 397 and 399 students describe their research experiences.

back to top

Enrolling in 397 or 399

To enroll in 397 or 399, follow these steps:

  1. Identify a research adviser. The student should contact a faculty member and ask whether he or she would be willing to supervise the student for 397 or 399. Keep in mind that only core members of the psychology department faculty can supervise Psychology 397. Both core department faculty and those with joint appointments in the department can supervise Psychology 399. Exceptions require the signature of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).
  2. Get an application form. The student should obtain a 397 or 399 application form from the Undergraduate Secretary in the psychology department office, Swift 102.
  3. Meet with the research adviser to complete the form. Be sure to get the faculty member's signature. Some students will also need the signature of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. (See other sections of this document, or the application form, for details.)
  4. Take the completed form to the department office. Give it to the Undergraduate Secretary, who will issue a permission number. Permission numbers must be used to register for 397 or 399.
  5. Enroll in the course through CAESAR.