Success as a Psychology Major

David Copeland is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and he earned his PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Notre Dame. He has published psychology research articles and book chapters and has been recognized with three teaching awards, a mentorship award, and an outstanding faculty advisor award. He has been the undergraduate director in psychology, a faculty advisor for Psi Chi, and has taught a variety of psychology courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In particular, he designed and has been teaching an Introduction to the Psychology Major course for psychology majors and minors at UNLV. In addition, he has supervised and mentored doctoral students who have gone on to careers in both academia and the private sector, has helped numerous undergraduates prepare for and gain admission into graduate school, and has also worked with students to help them find jobs or volunteer opportunities after completing their bachelor’s degree.Jeremy Ashton Houska is a psychological scientist, educator, and higher education leader whose career has focused on helping students, faculty, and institutions use evidence to learn, adapt, and improve. He earned his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Before moving into higher education leadership, he served as a tenure-track and later tenured Associate Professor of Psychology, teaching a broad range of undergraduate psychology courses and mentoring student research teams. His later leadership work extended his interest in learning and evidence from the classroom to the institution as a whole. Across senior administrative and executive roles, he has helped institutions strengthen educational assessment, academic program review, accreditation strategy and response, strategic planning, data-informed decision-making, faculty development, and continuous improvement. This work reflects his consistent commitment to helping colleges and universities better understand their students, improve their programs, and align evidence with institutional purpose. Drawing on his experience as a professor and university leader, Dr. Houska helps students think critically and creatively, use evidence thoughtfully, collaborate across differences, and lead purposeful lives.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: Welcome to Psychology . . . Now Let’s Get Stuff Done(1.0) Meet Kris(1.1) The Good (and Bad) About the Psychology Major(1.2) Does a College Degree Guarantee Success?(1.3) Superstar Psychology Students(1.4) Motivation for College Success—What is Your “Why”?(1.5) Setting Goals and Creating Systems to Achieve Them(1.6) Overcoming Procrastination and Getting Stuff Done(1.7) Living the “Getting Stuff Done” (GSD) LifestyleChapter 2: Practical Student Tips(2.0) Meet Nicole(2.1) Due Dates? Grading Policy? It’s in the Syllabus!(2.2) Classroom and Note-Taking Tips(2.3) Study Skills—Study Like a Champion!(2.4) Quiz and Exam Tips(2.5) Learning From Graded Activities(2.6) Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Online StudentChapter 3: Adopting the Right Mindsets—Deep Learning, Critical Thinking, and Ethics(3.0) Meet Emerson(3.1) Approaches to Learning(3.2) Adopting a Critical Thinking Mindset(3.3) Regrets, Failure, and Luck—Challenge Yourself!(3.4) Thinking About Ethics in College and in PsychologyChapter 4: Navigating the Psychology Curriculum and Meeting Your Professors(4.0) Meet P.J.(4.1) Typical Psychology Courses(4.2) Skills You Develop as a Psychology Major(4.3) Double-Majoring or Picking Up a Minor(4.4) Meet Your Professors(4.5) Communicating With Professors (and Others)(4.6) Meeting Others at Your InstitutionChapter 5: Research, Teaching, and Service Opportunities(5.0) Meet Trinity(5.1) Succeeding With Research(5.2) The Life of a Research Assistant(5.3) How to Become a Psychology Research Assistant(5.4) Become a Teaching Assistant(5.5) Another Type of Experiential Learning—Service LearningChapter 6: Finding, Reading, and Thinking About Psychology Research(6.0) Meet Hayley(6.1) Library Skills, Part 1—Evaluating Sources(6.2) Library Skills, Part 2—Using Databases to Find Sources(6.3) A (Relatively Painless) Introduction to APA-Style Formatting(6.4) Practical Advice for Reading Psychology Research Papers(6.5) Understanding the Methods and Results(6.6) Critically Thinking About Psychological ResearchChapter 7: Writing Papers and Presenting(7.0) Meet Alex(7.1) Writing a Research Paper(7.2) Plagiarism—Do Not Do It!(7.3) APA Citations and References(7.4) Create Your Own APA Template(7.5) Computer Skills That You Need to Know(7.6) Presentation and Poster TipsChapter 8: Student Clubs, Professional Organizations, and Conferences(8.0) Meet Dhruv(8.1) Student Clubs and Organizations—The Importance of the Co-Curricular(8.2) Psi Chi—The International Honor Society in Psychology(8.3) National and International Psychology Organizations(8.4) Regional, Local, and Specialty Psychology Organizations(8.5) Attending a Psychology Conference and Doing it Right(8.6) Get Involved—Do More Than Sign Up!(8.7) Other Co-Curricular ResourcesChapter 9: Career Search(9.0) Meet Tia(9.1) The Career Search—It Is Your Current Job(9.2) Picking a Career and Plotting Your Career Path(9.3) Jobs With a Psychology Degree(9.4) The Helping Professions(9.5) More Psychology Careers(9.6) Choose Your Own Adventure—Design Your Own Career Path(9.7) Resources for Finding CareersChapter 10: Career and Professional Development(10.0) Meet Akira(10.1) Networking for Careers(10.2) Networking Myths(10.3) Conduct an Informational Interview(10.4) Internships—Why You Need One(10.5) Preparing for InterviewsChapter 11: Graduate School(11.0) Meet Amirah(11.1) Is Graduate School Right for You?(11.2) Types of Degrees and Programs(11.3) Finding Graduate Programs(11.4) How Graduate School Differs From Undergraduate Studies(11.5) Grad Students Describe Their ExperiencesChapter 12: Getting Into Graduate School(12.0) Meet Jermaine(12.1) What Do Graduate Programs Want?(12.2) The Grad School Application Process(12.3) Letters of Recommendation(12.4) The Graduate Record Exam(12.5) Personal Statements and Essays(12.6) Interviews and the Acceptance or Rejection DecisionsChapter 13: Documenting Your Accomplishments(13.0) Meet Hannah(13.1) Résumé Tips(13.2) Constructing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)(13.3) Building a Portfolio(13.4) Your Online Presence—Social Media (LinkedIn) and Personal WebsitesChapter 14: Money Issues for Psychology Students(14.0) Meet Arianna and Brianna(14.1) Why Are We Talking About Money?(14.2) Scholarships(14.3) Research Grants, Travel Grants, and Awards(14.4) Money, Career, and Happiness(14.5) Money and Graduate SchoolChapter 15: Closing Advice(15.0) Meet Jenny(15.1) Are You Committed to Psychology or Considering Options?(15.2) Advice From Employers and Career Counselors(15.3) Get the Most Out of Summers(15.4) Your Path to Being a Superstar Psychology Student(15.5) Say Thank You to Those Who Helped You(15.6) Final Advice From the AuthorsReferencesIndex

I would say that it is more approachable and has information the other texts do not cover like money management, online presence, and how to learn. It has an impressive breadth of coverage without being overwhelming.