Timothy W.

McAlister UNIV 391 Final Reflection Patrick Green, Kelly Christopher Final Reflection I have had a very great undergraduate research experience. I have been involved in undergraduate research since my second year of undergraduate study. I fell into the process by accident when I saw a poster for the CAURS undergraduate research symposium in the hallway of Mundelein during spring of 2008. I immediately went to Dr. Anthony Burrow and told him that I wanted to start my first research project. When I started, I did not know anything about the research process or symposiums except for the fact that I would have to get IRB approval. After three years of doing research and taking different research methods classes, I have grown significantly as a researcher. I may more attention to small details about my research projects. When I first started, I would put off or ignore emails from IRB. I would also stick surveys from participants into folders with my schoolwork. Overall, I felt that I was a very sloppy researcher. Now, I respond promptly to message from the IRB because I understand the value of having their approval and support through the research process. I also have better methods for storing and keeping responses from survey. If I could paper survey or do field work, I make sure to have special folders for my survey so they do not get mixed up of lost. I have also transitioned of all of data into Excel and SPSS spreadsheet so they can be easily accessed and kept safely. I also have a better understanding of the research process. When I first started, I knew that I would have get approval for my project from IRB, but I did not know how the process would go. I heard so many horror stories about getting projects approved by IRB that I was afraid that the process would be long and tedious. After submitting three different research projects to IRB, I have a better idea about the time frame that it will take to get my projects approved. I also am

more confident about filling about the IRB application. The first time that I filled the application out, I was consistently second guessing myself, but I can now use my first application and the corrections that IRB sent back as a template for current IRB applications. I also feel that my researcher methodology has fewer holes in it because of my growing experiences. Every time I speak at symposiums, professors and other professionals ask my questions about my research, challenge my methods, and give me feedback that helps me to continue to develop my research ability. I feel that when I plan a project now, I think about the questions that I have been asked in the past and challenges that I have been presented with and created projects that have stronger methods. I also feel that I am able to explain my research better. When I first presented at CAURS, I was very nervous. I did not have a clear plan for the flow of my presentation or which topics that I was going to cover. Now, I am hardly nervous when I present my research. I am confident in the work that I was done, and I am pleased to share it with everyone. I do take time to plan out what I am going to say. I am still not a person who likes to use note cards, but I will make mental notes to myself the night before about what I want to say. Along with better presentation skills, my ability to create research posters has improved. The first poster that I made was a handmade tri-fold board. Through taking this class and experimentation, this year I was able to create a poster that I was extremely proud of that was graphs, boarders, and even a flow chart. Another improvement as a research has come in my ability to analyze data better. When I first began the research process, I collected the data, and Dr. Burrow ran the statistical test. I am able to take hold of the mouse and run my own statistical tests now. I can also better manage the business aspects of research better. Initially, I was not always prompt when responding to email from IRB. I was also pretty lackadaisical with my participant management. I treated my participants like that were disposable game pieces in my overall plan. Now, I stop and

respond to email for IRB as soon as I see them. I also manage my participant pools much better than in the past. Overall, I feel that I able to conduct my own research from start to finish smoothly without much help. To me honest, I did not learn about any different or new aspects of research as apart of this class. As a psychology major, we have required to take at least three different research methods class if you are not on a pre-med psychology track. I had already been exposed to community based research through my classes and through Dr. Burrow, since he had collaborated with them on multiple projects. I had also made symposium presentations before, won an award for research excellence at CAURS, and had started working on my first publication. However, I can say that class did help my look at research in a new perspective. When I think about finishing a research project, often times, I would think about the personal benefit that completing the research would have for my career. Since talking this class, I think about the benefit that my research can have on the larger world. I never connected the fact that my research on sexual orientation could possible help people in civil rights cases and in the push for homosexual men and women obtaining the right to marry across the US. I think that as researchers, everyone gets caught up in the fact that they need research to get into graduate school, gain respect, and obtain tenure. But, I have learned that the research that we conduct can have an effect of the way that social policy is enacted, medical advances, and social programs. Research just isnt for the research; the whole world should be able to benefit from the findings. Though I did learn a great deal of new information about research, the class was very helpful in terms of my professional development. Even though we have mentors, many of them do not have time to workshop personal items such as resumes, research statements, and CVs with undergraduate students. This class was very helpful in helping me to develop my resume and

CV. I never felt that my CV and resume was bad, but I felt that I could be better. Since I never lived on campus my whole career at Loyola, I was not aware of all of the services that Loyola had that could help students with their personal development. Since I have had someone to help me with my resume and my CV, I am proud to send it to graduate schools when I reapply and to send them in with job applications. I am also much happier with the abstract that I send out to conferences. Abstract were typically the last part of the project that we would finish in the research process. I have had professors in research methods class tell me that it was OK to do the abstract that the very last minute. With the guidelines that I was provided with in the class, I feel that my abstract in much stronger this year and adequately reflects the depth of my research. In terms of the readings on ethnics, I related to the parts that spoke about the proper way to handle data. I was collecting very sensitive information from participants about their sexual orientation and their sexual behavior. This information could have been possibly damaging to personal and professional relationships. When collecting this information, I had to be extremely careful that I was properly coding the information so their identity would remain anonymous. I also had to make sure that only Dr. Burrow and I had access to the data. This meant that I had to make sure that passwords were kept safe and that I logged out so computer after checking or collecting data. Also, I had to conduct my research with a high moral code like expressed in the readings. I was having a drawing as compensation of completing my survey. Several of my friends, coworkers, and peers took the survey. I had to make sure that the drawing was completely fair and balanced at all times. From the leadership and management readings, I related to the aspects of having to manage myself and my time in order to finish my research project. Since I did not work in a research lab, I had to make sure that I was managing my deadlines and time in order to meet

deadlines for class, the psychology department, and personal deadlines that I set for myself. From the reading about community based research, I realized that I could collaborate on my projects with members of different disciplines. Since I am doing research on sexual orientation, I could collaborate with department members from Womens and Gender Studies and Sociology. I realized that research does not have to be from one sole perspective, a group of research can collaborate on a research project and each bring something interesting to the table. From the readings on research methods, I related the reading about mixed method studies. For my current research project, I choose to make it a mixed method project because I am attempting to define and establish new sexual orientations. I need some quantitative information that I could code, but it was also important for me to have participants explain that answers with an additional qualitative method to better understand the data that was given to be in the baseline survey. The experience of conducting research has been extremely helpful in my personal development as well. It has taught me better personal work habits. Like a typical college student, I used to have periods where I would procrastinate doing my work. However, it would always work out in the end because the workload was never to the point where I could not finish it. A research project was not something that I could pull an all-nighter on. Because I stated to do research, I had to make sure that I finished my classwork in order to have time to concentrate on my research project. Through finishing several research projects, I started to become very organized with my time. I have also become more confident about speaking in public with my involved in undergraduate research. When I arrived at Loyola, I did not even want to give group presentations in class. Now, I am not afraid to speak with Father Garanzini about the research that I have conducted. This confidence that I have acquired through my oral presentation has carry into other aspects such as confidence in my visual presentations. My involvement in

research has helped me to be able to respond to adversity in a positive manor. Throughout the research process, I experienced several different challenges with participant management, the workload, and things just not going as planned. Responding to those challenges was improved my ability to respond to other challenges in my life. My research experience, not only my experiences this semester, has had a significant effect on the development of my professional skills. I feel that all of the skills and knowledge that I have acquired would make me an excellent candidate for graduate schools or a professional job. I know how to work independently and work as apart of a group. During my academic experience, I work in Dr. Burrows lab on racial perceptions. As apart of a research team, I learned how to work well with others and collaborate on ideas to help make Dr. Burrow research better. As an independent researcher, I know how to manage my time, manage my workload, and obtain results with the assistance of a large team. During the last semester of my research experience, my faculty mentor moved to another university, and I had to take on even more responsibility for my research project. I feel that I was able to accomplish all the goals that I set for myself and presented an excellent poster at LUROP. I think that my leadership experience was significantly impacted by my involved in undergraduate research. Since I was doing my project independently of a lab, it was important that I became a leader of my own ship. I had to set firm deadlines and well defined goals for myself. Since this was an independent project, I did not have a deadlines set in stone for me. I had a few dates where I was required to present information like LUROP or Psychology Honors Thesis Ceremony, but other than that, I could do my work at my leisure. I had to impose strict deadlines on myself because I needed to properly manage the workload of my project and keep myself on task. At by setting a set of goals of myself, I was able to hold myself accountable for

the amount and quality of work that I was producing. I also had to maintain a locus of control like that was expressed in the Leadership and Management reading. There are aspects of the research that were outside of my control, such as the number of participants in the study, the answers the participants gave, or if the results would prove my hypothesis. However, I could control the participant management, make sure that all participants questions were answered about the study, and make sure that research was conducted ethnically and under good scientific standard. Another aspect of my leadership that was strengthened was my sense of mission. I realized that was the principle investigator for my research project that I had to be the biggest spokesperson for my research project. The way that I have become an effective spokesperson for my research is my applying for fellowships and grants, presenting my results and finding, and publishing papers about my work. By getting exposure for my research, other people can see the same importance in the issues that I am researching as I do. I have also developed into a better leader by learning to preserve through challenges. Completing a research project is an extremely difficult process with obtaining IRB approval, recruiting participants, and analyzing data. Throughout the process several different problems can arise, I had to be ready properly able to address those problems. The Jesuit mission of Loyola has significantly impacted my outlook on research. As I have stated before taking UNIV 391, I had not thought about the possible effect that my research could have on policy and program implication. I only thought about the awards and way that research could help me. After taking this class, I feel that it is my duty to design research projects that are of service to others. With research, I have to ability to give a voice to people who cannot expressive their view, values, and desires like they want to. I need always remember that my research to help so many people in various different ways, and I need to present and publish

research for the betterment of society and to add knowledge to the world- not just to win an award. This also means that I need to be aware of the needs in research. I cannot just conduct research on any random topic. I need to survey the research that was already been conducted and the continuing needs of the community that I am researching so I can find ways to add to the existing literature and not just repeat information that we already know. If I do not actively search for new ideas to research, the pool of knowledge in an area will begin to stagnate. Reflecting on the Jesuit mission this semester also made me renew my commitment to excellence in research. As any college student, I have moments when I just want to throw something together at the last minute because I just do not want to take the proper time to do it. This semester has challenged me to put my best foot forward when conducting, analyzing, and reporting my research. I will that I was a moral responsibility to the scientific community to produce the best research project that I can. If I do any less than my best, I am not capturing the heart of the research process.