American Psychological Assn.

Applying to graduate school in psychology; advice from successful students and prominent psychologists.

With plenty of straightforward advice augmented by personal and professional memoirs by practitioners and students on their own experiences, this collection of nine articles and essays still does not assume that readers have already made a decision to sign up. Instead, contributors urge readers to do what is right for themselves. They examine the field and its opportunities, describe the life of a psychology graduate student, consider the financial end, and show how to conduct research on schools and programs. They also cover the application process (and the bolstering-an-application process), campus visits, interviews, how to field offers, make a final decision and, if necessary, seek alternatives if applications are rejected. The personal essays describe applicants' feelings as they pursue information, scholarships, assistantships, and that golden letter of acceptance. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Ethical conflicts in psychology, 4th ed.

This book introduces psychologists and students to different perspectives on ethical issues related to professional, scientific, and academic conduct. Material is drawn from articles, book excerpts, legal decisions, statutes, and policy documents. Excerpts are accompanied by original commentary that highlights opposing viewpoints, poses lively discussion questions, and suggests additional readings. This fourth edition adds about 20 articles published since 2003, plus additional commentaries, on topics such as conducting research on the Internet, federal regulations regarding the transmission of health care records electronically, and practicing ethically within the boundaries of managed care. This edition covers the major changes made in 2002 in the APA Ethics Code as well as the 2001 revision of the Rules and Procedures by which complaints of ethical violations are adjudicated. The book can be used as a text in graduate psychology courses in ethics and in continuing professional education. Bersoff is a member of the faculties of Drexel University's College of Law and Department of Psychology. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Favorite activities for the teaching of psychology.

The 67 classroom activities in this collection have been selected from the 350 activities published in four volumes under the same title since 1981. Each activity has been updated and placed into one of the 12 sections on such topics as research methods, perception, learning, personality, and gender, paralleling the organization of the typical introductory psychology textbook. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Internships in psychology; the APAGS workbook for writing successful applications and finding the right fit, 2d ed.

This workbook, now in its second edition, has been designed under the auspices of American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) to give step-by-step instruction on how to successfully apply for internships in the field. Williams-Nickelson (APAGS), Prinstein (U. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and Keilin (U. of Texas, Austin) stress the need to find the right fit for every applicant by helping graduate students define their purpose and career objectives before showing up for that first interview. A section is devoted to writing introductory essays that will set the applicant apart from others, and includes several samples that have produced results in the past. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Psychology as a major; is it right for me and what can I do with my degree?

Schultheiss (counseling, administration, supervision, and adult learning, Cleveland State U.) writes specifically for high school students or undergraduates considering psychology as a major, using self-exploration tools to help students in their determination. Topics include an introduction to the field of psychology, what to expect as an undergraduate major, career counseling, managing stress while choosing a major, getting the most out of a psychology major, the strength of a multi-cultural field, occupational opportunities, and graduate studies. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Surviving graduate school in psychology; a pocket mentor.

Kuther (psychology, Western Connecticut State U.) offers advice on how to survive a graduate program in psychology, covering a range of topics, from finding a place to live to getting a job after graduating. She discusses coursework, time management and stress, mentors and peers, relationships with friends and family, dating, practicum and internship, teaching, writing a dissertation, networking, and developing oneself as a psychologist. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Transcending self-interest; psychological explorations of the quiet ego.

Not religious leaders, but psychologists grapple with what it means to transcend individualistic aspects of the self such as excessive self-interest and ego defenses, which have dominated American society — or at least marketing — since the 1970s. Recognizing connections to something larger than self, they explore how people transcend narrow self-interest, and address the benefits and drawbacks that may be encountered. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Undergraduate writing in psychology; learning to tell the scientific story.

For undergraduate psychology majors, this guide explains each step in writing a research paper or conducting a literature review. Landrum (psychology, Boise State U.) takes students through the process from selecting a topic to writing, with an emphasis on telling a story. He includes chapters on abstracts, references, and tables, and other types of writing, such as presentations and essay exams. Samples are included, in addition to papers that are presented in draft, marked-up, and final forms. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)