New Year's Resolutions? Eh! I'll think about it....

Last January, I set up a few resolutions for the new semester. Let's review:

Goal #1: Phffft! Those aged projects are still sitting in dusty folders.

Goal #2: Amazingly, I actually did make an attempt to read everything before the class and I carried that through the whole rest of the year. Yes! Goal accomplished! In fact, goal internalized. I don't even have to set this goal anymore because it is a given.

Goal #3: I would say this was partially accomplished. I didn't have an opportunity to actually play with some data. Conducting IRT analyses are essential for deep learning. Therefore, I plan to continue collecting data. Hopefully, I can conduct analyses later this year.

Goal #4: We actually conducted that study, but it was shot down by unreliability of measurements. So sad. It was a good experience, though. (Snort! But, I have nothing tangible to show for it.)

Goal #5: Not accomplished! I didn't get involved in that project at all. However, I am hoping that they will collect data that I can play with on my own time.

Goal #6: Partially accomplished. I ran the research colloquiums, but the lecture series never took place.

And now that I think about it, that was not really all that much to do. Just wait until 2007. I'm setting new goals with one major resolution, which is to graduate as soon as humanly possible. I've been in grad school waaaay too long. In general, I've been in the grad school enterprise for 5 and a half years. However, my situation is strange because I've only been in this particular program for one and a half of those years. Most people in my situation would be newbies with no intention of graduating any time soon. Not so with me; I'm planning to graduate in 3 and half years, which means I have one and a half years left and I'll be taking classes all the way through. Ugh!

So here are my goals:

Goal #1: Finish collecting data for comps project #1. Write up project over summer. Oral and written defense Fall 2007. Submit for publication.

Goal #2: Begin collecting data for comps project #2. Continue writing up project over summer. Conduct immunoassays and analyze data with Frontiers of Science students over summer. Oral and written defense Fall 2007. Submit for publication.

Goal #3: Learn Structural Equation Modeling deeply through class with Scary Prof. Learn more deeply by conducting analyses on SEM project that Advisor never wrote up. Write the results section. Try to get the article published through collaboration with Advisor and another person who worked on the project.

Goal #4: Develop collaboration with individual who is collecting data on same personality survey that I've been using. Consider collecting data for his study at this site. Consider writing up article for publication on test-retest of survey. Consider conducting IRT analysis on my 4-point vs. 5-point likert scale. Consider contributing to his study on impressive IRT analyses (unfolding model, yikes!).

Goal #5: Collect data on College Adjustment Survey that I'm in the process of developing.

Goal #6: Lead weekly research meetings with four other grad students. Make progress. Mini mentor the grad students on the research process.

Goal #7: Make the most out of my three classes for the Spring semester: Structural Equation Modeling, Advanced Learning and Cognition (the prof plans on focusing on recent Cog Neuroscience findings, yes!) and Educational Assessment (with my two favorite people as instructors!).

Goal #8: Make the most out of my Neuropsychology externship. Don't let the externship sap my energy and draw time and resources away from the rest of my goals.

Take that 2007! Now for the immediate, short-term mini-goals:

Mini-goal #1: Read book on Structural Equation Modeling before the semester starts. This will provide good conceptual background knowledge for the mathematical theory that I'm sure Scary prof will spend most of her time teaching us.

Mini-goal #2: Finish creating the poster presentation for the conference I'll be attending this February.

Mini-goal #3: Apply for funding to attend the conference.

Mini-goal #4: Submit an abstract for a paper presentation at a different conference later in the year.

Mini-goal #5: Read Neuropsych book in preparation for externship.

Mini-goal #6: Write IRB applications for survey development project and Psych research pool applications for my other projects in preparation for data collection at beginning of semester. There will be nothing left in the Psych research pool by the time I'm done with it. He, he, he.

There's more, but I'll stick with these for the present. Whew! Looks exhausting! Let the new year begin!