As part of her PSY 490 research experience, Jessica Rumsey

• Entered and checked data for our project into the SPSS program
• Found and read resources for our paper
• Wrote different section for our paper

About her research experience, Jessica wrote

 "I have learned a lot about gifted children. I have learned that there are many considerations to be taken into account when dealing with gifted children, including the effects of gifted programs, keeping an eye on their self-concept and achievement in all academic areas, the gender differences that may arise, and making available any extra help or counseling that may be needed.

I have learned a lot about how to write in APA style- more so than in any other classes I have taken.

I have also learned a lot from the graduate students who are in our lab. They have taught me what is expected for when I go to graduate school, and they have helped me when writing our research paper or other papers that were for other classes. I have learned so much from working in the lab with everyone and with Dr. Rinn. I look forward to my continuance while working in the lab."

Commenting on her experience in Dr. Rinn's lab, Gina Leclere wrote:

"During the first of the semester I began entering data, and once this was completed I started to do research over our topic.  I collected research concerning gender differences in gifted adolescents, math/verbal self-concepts and math/verbal ability, performance on SAT/ACT, and the internal/external frame of reference model.  After enough research was collected I started to make an outline for the manuscript.   Next I began to write sections of a literature review which covered descriptions of the internal/external model, predictions of the internal/external model, and past research on the internal/external model.  After I completed these sections I wrote the purpose of our study, and predicted internal/external pathways between gifted males and gifted females for the current study.

I have learned how to enter data and how to prepare a manuscript.  Additionally, I learned what information was considered essential to include in a literature review, and how to write a literature review.  Moreover, I learned about what the internal/external frame of reference model consists of; and how researchers use this particular model to compare math/verbal self-concepts and math/verbal achievement in a study.  Furthermore, I learned the significance of doing research, and the impact it has on individuals’ futures."