Who is doing research in the Psychology department? How can I help? Do I need to be certified to work with them? These are the type of questions members of Psi Chi should be asking. Because you need to be a second semester sophomore to apply you have already proven that you are interested in psychology and want to pursue it further. This is your chance to excel over your peers. Anyone can attend class and learn about psychological research. Psi Chi members do psychological research.

First thing on your "to do" list should be to find a professor or graduate student with whom you share a research interest. Think about the topics you have learned in class. Did you enjoy what you were learning? If so, pursue it further. Check out the research interest document available outside the Psi Chi office in Shannon Hall. This page will tell you what type of research different professors are interested in. once you have identified a few you are interested in you can go on to step two.

You are going to want to talk to a professor that you want to do research with. But first you have to prepare. Read some articles they have published, some well informed flattery never hurt anyone. Once you are certain you want to work with a professor you then have to convince them that you are worth working with.

Understand that research is the heart and soul of what a professor does. It is not a side project, it is their job to advance scientific knowledge. If you feel you cannot give adequate time and effort to their interests then do not even bother. Professors don't have time to motivate undergraduates.

Once a professor has decided he wants to work with you the next step is to get IRB certified. The IRB or Institutional Review Board is a governing body that oversees all scientific research. They make sure all research is legitimate and ethical. Anyone who wants to publish must be IRB certified and apply to have an experiment approved. Certification can be done through the IRB website available through the SLU website that is linked above.

Research can be done with or without credit. This can be worked out between you are the professor. If you are considering graduate school then the experience is much more important than a few credit hours.

Finally, don't forget about the graduate students. They are also doing research and may be in need of assistants. This has its advantages in that they are closer to your age and could even give you pertinent information about getting into graduate school. However, the same rules about being motivated and working hard still apply.