What is I-O?

Tip-Topics for Students

Nancy Yanchus and Marcus Butts
University of Georgia

Youve just gotten a few more gray hairs, and youve just noticed that Dick Clark hasnt aged in the past 30 years. You know what that means, dont you? Happy New Year!! Wowwe cant believe its already 2003. Another year has come to an end, and our tenure as student columnists also will soon be expiring. This edition of TIP-TOPics is our next to last, as all good things must come to an end. We have truly enjoyed our time as student editors, but it is time for us to pass the torch to a new group of inspiring writers. If you wish to attain the fame and admiration that goes along with writing TIP-TOPics for Students, then its time to participate in the TIP-TOPics writing contest! We know that you are up for an opportunity to express your creative nature and participate in a little friendly competition, so the specifics are below.

You, by yourself or with one or two other graduate students, are invited to design, develop, write, and submit your very own TIP-TOPics column. Individual submissions are welcome, but we encourage you to try a collaborative effort, either within or between institutions. You are encouraged to address any issues you see fit, and format the column as you would like. You are to write the column as if you ARE the next editor(s) and this is your first issue, your debut, your grand entrance (you get the idea)! Feel free to be creative as youd like with your submissions or keep some of the content topics weve provided in previous issues and add your own flair. The specifics are up to your own imagination, so have fun with your submission.

After sorting through the truckloads of submissions, the current TIP editor will select the student team to have the proud distinction of serving as the columnist(s) for the next 2 years. Although some content may change, your submission may in fact become your first issue of your tenure, which will appear in the July 2003 edition of TIP.

To give you a little insight into what goes through our minds (or at least the portion that is not devoted to our next major exam) when writing, here is our perspective on this column. First, this column is a vehicle for you to address, reflect, ponder, or discuss issues faced by thousands of students in I-O programs (or related fields) across the nation. This column is written for peers by peers. Second, TIP is not a refereed journal. We try to tackle issues that are of interest to students, but we also maintain an informal approach to keep you informed of the latest issues, events, and happenings in the field. The information provided by this column has traditionally been anecdotal and qualitative (and far from empirical), as we attempt to query various experts about their knowledge in important issues facing students. We also try to pass on helpful information and provide a light-hearted escape from your day. In summary, we try to provide you with useful knowledge, insight, and fun rolled up into one column (kinda like a cannoli). Anyway, feel free to submit your own design for the column, making as many or as few changes as you see fit.

Now more about the particulars of the contest. Submissions are due no later than 5:00 pm on February 28, 2003 (and early submissions are welcomed and encouraged). In keeping with the current format, the submission should be no longer than 3,000 words. Please use 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Put the title TIP-TOPics for Students on the cover page along with your name(s) and affiliation(s) underneath the title. On the cover page, also include your e-mail addresses and your contact information (e.g., address, phone number, and fax number). The next columnist(s) will be chosen using a blind review process, so please affix a five-digit number in the top right corner on all pages of your submission (including the cover page), but do not include identifying information anywhere except the cover page. Please send all submissions electronically to Marcus, Nancy, or Eyal (e-mail addresses appear at the end of the column). The subject line should read: TIP-TOPics contest. 

All individuals who submit an entry must have their faculty advisor send an electronic letter of recommendation (e-mail or word document) to the current TIP editor, Debra Major (dmajor@odu.edu). One letter of recommendation is needed for each individual. All individuals who submit an entry must be current Student Affiliates of SIOP in good standing as of February 28, 2003. In other words, your dues must be paid. The new columnists will have a 2-year tenure beginning with the July 2003 issue and ending with the April 2005 issue. And, you must be a graduate student throughout your tenure, thus all submitters should be at least 2 years from graduation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Thanks and good luck. We look forward to hearing from you.

And now for your latest edition of TIP-TOPics, weve put together a dandy. After a short hiatus, weve brought back Psychology et al. and Career Corner to go with another rendition of Scientists AND Practitioners. We hope you enjoy the column and we look forward to providing you with our musings one last time (in the April TIP). We hope to see you in Akron at IOOB in Akron (March 79), and well be looking for you at SIOP in Orlando because its a small world after all. 

Psychology et al.

It seems that everywhere we turn we see the judicial system. Important court cases are reported on the daily news, and we are constantly trying to stay abreast of new legal developments. And for heavens sake, theres even a TIP column, On the Legal Front (not to mention three versions of Law & Order on TV). Thus, in this issue we wanted to give a little insight into an aspect of law that you may very well participate in one day: being an expert witness. While there are other sources of information on the topic, our goal was to provide some initial considerations for those of you having little past exposure to this topic. Since we do not have much experience in this area either (besides watching CourtTV), we queried a couple of expert experts who could give us information that would be important to consider when and if you are ever called upon to give expert witness testimony in court.

Frank Landy (FL) has been an expert witness for 17 years and mainly provides testimony in the areas of human factors and employment discrimination. Ray Mendel (RM) has had 23 years of experience as an expert witness, mainly in the areas of validity and selection issues involving race, gender, and age claims. Wed like to thank both Frank and Ray for their contributions and insights for this piece. We greatly appreciate it.

When approached by the plaintiff or defense, what should the potential expert witness consider in deciding to agree to be a witness?
(FL): First, whether he or she has anything to offer that might help illuminate issues in the case. Often, the lawyer who contacts you may not understand what I-O psychology is, nor the difference between the popular beliefs about a phenomenon and the scientific foundation (or lack thereof) for the myth. If science has nothing to offer to the discussion, neither does the scientist.

(RM): The most important consideration is whether you genuinely believe in the clients claim. Some of the other issues are (a) has the client approached you early enough in the discovery process to allow you to access and process the information you will require to render a fully informed decision, (b) is the client willing to allow you to examine any and all documents you regard as necessary to rendering an informed opinion, and (c) do you have the time available to devote to the case in a timeframe dictated by a judge.

How does an expert witness substantiate their overall and specific expertise in court?
(FL): There are two separate issues here. The first is the status of the witness as an expert. This is defined by Rules of Procedure followed by the courts. The psychologist will be offered as an expert and there will be some discussion of the foundation for that claim of expertise. It can be based on formal education, ad hoc training, publications, or experience. The second issue is the substance of what the expert will offer as testimony. Not everything said by a scientist is scientific. The judge may be asked to apply a set of rules called Daubert Standards to determine if the testimony will be real science or junk science. The rules involve things such as acceptance of the theory by other scientists, reasonable methodology, known error rate, and a few others. The issue of whether someone is qualified to speak as an expert and what they will speak about are two separate issues. [For further information on the Daubert Standards, please see the October 2000 and January 2001 issues of TIP.]

(RM): First, clearly explain your positions and link them directly and understandably (to lay judges & juries) to uniform guidelines and standards. Secondly, an impressive vita helps, but is FAR LESS important.

What steps should the expert witness take to prepare for testimony?
(FL): Preparing to testify is like preparing for a comprehensive examination. You must have facts, opinions, and research at your fingertips. This means reading and re-reading. You are not expected to use notes. In cross-examination, the goal of the opposing attorney is often to simply create some testimony that can be used to support his or her case. That means that they will often word questions in very subtle ways to elicit some agreement that can be used later in their legal arguments. You must listen carefully to every question, request clarification when needed, and make any qualifications necessary to make your answer correct. In trial, you will often be required to answer yes or no questions. Even then, you should ask May I explain? May I elaborate? The cross-examining lawyer will most often say no, but your lawyer will be able to question you again after cross-examination and at that point, you will be permitted to elaborate. Judges and juries are not amused by experts who refuse to answer yes/no questions. 

(RM): (a) Have thorough knowledge of facts in the case; (b) have thorough knowledge of prevailing guidelines and standards; (c) have reasonable familiarity with relevant case law; (d) do a detailed examination of the oppositions opinions and analyses; and (e) have serious demeanor that reveals desire to teach your position because you genuinely believe it.

What key lessons have you learned from your experience as an expert witness?
(FL): Understand the limits of your knowledge, experience, and training and do not wander outside of those limits, no matter how much your lawyer or your ego would like you to. And finally, dont drink a whole lot of fluids before you take the standyou may be there for a few hours. 

(RM): A good expert is a good teacher who is able to understand his/her audiences level of understanding and adjust accordingly. Believe in your testimony.

Career Corner

Along with winter comes the start of many I-O students final semester in graduate school, a period that brings to a close the graduate school experience and opens the door to the real world of work. So lets face ityou need to think about getting a job!! What better moment to bring back Career Corner and highlight an area of employment for the I-O graduate we have not yet addressed. In this section we focus on what it is like to work in industry, specifically in jobs within organizations. Internal industry offers a myriad of opportunities for I-O psychologists, both for the I- and the O-oriented, as well as for the psychometrically inclined individual. What follows are two perspectives on working in industry. We hope you find them helpful when thinking about your future career.

Richelle Southwick, Organization Effectiveness Manager, Georgia-Pacific
I became interested in a career in industry when I took Introduction to I-O Psychology as an elective course during college. I really liked the blend of psychology with workplace issues.

My work includes, fortunately, a variety of assignments: talent planning; conducting validation studies, survey research and analyses, and team buildings; working with businesses on team development; and assisting with leadership development/coaching activities.

One of the exciting aspects of my job is the variety of projects and the ability to partner with different business units and HR professionals. On the downside, however, is being involved in some projects which may not have the organization-wide commitment that is needed for the project to succeed. 

For I-O graduate students trying to decide between industry and academics, think about how much you enjoy research when you consider your options. If research is of less importance to you, then industry may be a better fit. The best advice for getting jobs in industry is to take advantage of internships, summer jobs, and applied experiences during graduate school. In addition, when you are ready for a full-time job, really think about the type of work you would like to do. Positions in internal industry can be found in staffing departments, leadership development, training and development, diversity/EEO, organization effectiveness, and as HR generalists/HR managers. 

Michael Parker, Human Resources Consultant, Georgia Merit System
My decision to pursue I-O psychology resulted from the combination of being good at math as well as having an interest in psychology. This is the most math-oriented psychology I could find!

I am in the Compensation section of the Policy, Data, and Audits Division at my organization, but I participate in a variety of projects. The following are some examples of my work. 

• Project lead for incentive compensation and award project
• Created an updateable contacts database (Microsoft Excel)
• Developed a multirater competency assessment survey
• Developed users manuals for salary-planning computer programs 
• Performed beta testing and troubleshooting on salary planning programs
• Developed proposals for a multirater (360-degree) survey, an employee climate survey, and a data clearinghouse function
• Worked on committees to establish both an agency-level employee recognition program and a statewide employee recognition program
• Evaluated workforce-planning vendor proposals and agency workforce plans

What excites me most about my job is implementing new programs that I have worked hard to develop. On the flip side, as with all government jobs, the pay could be better.

Since I am early in my career, my best advice to I-O graduate students interested in industry is to make connections where possible. These are very valuable, and a reputation for high performance may land you a job in the future. 

Scientists AND Practitioners

This section has unwaveringly brought you glimpses of the scientist and practitioner arenas. We can all agree, at this juncture, that the two fields have a multitude of differences as well as several similarities. However, an angle we have yet to present to you is the perspective of scientists and practitioners who cross over the boundaries of applied and academic work. In other words, there are those who maintain academic positions that also do consulting projects, and there are those who hold down practitioner jobs that additionally volunteer their services to academia. In order to provide you with the two different positions, we asked a couple of individuals with experience in each arena to provide their perspectives. These individuals definitely have one thing in commonthey are busy as all get out! But they were gracious enough to take a moment and write few words for us to capture their experiences, which involve wearing the hats of both scientist and practitioner. Hopefully the editorial segments will provide you with insight into the synergistic relationship that occurs when individuals engage in both roles and use their energies to advance their knowledge as well as students knowledge in the I-O field.

Karl Kuhnert, The University of Georgia
My current position is associate professor of psychology and J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership senior research fellow. I consult in the areas of leadership and organizational development. My duties at Fanning are broad, everything from helping to set the strategic direction of the Institute to writing grant proposals, developing curriculum, and designing and conducting leadership programs for diverse audiences. Over the past 15 years I have consulted with a wide range of clients from Fortune 50 companies to the federal government, state agencies, communities, and all the way down to a local restaurant and even an elementary school. In every consulting experience I have grown to appreciate the importance of effective leadership and the complex challenges facing todays leaders.

In most of my consulting activities I am able to use graduate and undergraduate students and involve them in projects. For example, I am currently using graduate and undergraduate students in the content analysis of comments from a corporate survey. The students are not only involved in the analysis of the data, but also help in the report writing and presentation of the results to corporate executives. Students as well as the corporation benefit from the consulting experience. Of all the ways to teach, I believe nothing is more effective than experience combined with theory. Students directly see what works, why it works, and what really makes a difference in the lives of others.

Being an academic who also consults means that you will have multiple as well as competing commitments. By this I mean your client may care very little about your teaching schedule and most academic psychology departments often fail to recognize, let alone reward, consulting work. Despite the incredible richness consulting adds to my teaching and professional development, I can only handle a few consulting projects a year and that depends on the size and scope of the project. One of the most rewarding aspects of what I do with students is to offer organizations a different solution to their problems that they may not have heard elsewhere.

J. Timothy Irwin, Right Management Consultants
My professional life as an I-O psychologist has spanned two organizations over the last 18 years. For the first 16 years, I was the managing partner of a small entrepreneurial consulting firm. Two years ago, my partners and I merged our firm into a large global organization, which is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. My new role involves much more time in day-to-day management of a larger consulting practice in the Southeastern United States and in collaborating with colleagues around the world. 

Five years ago I accepted an invitation to serve as an adjunct faculty member in the applied psychology program at the University of Georgia. My role has primarily been to assist students by serving on dissertation committees, speaking several times each year to student groups about the nature of business consulting, and by assisting students in finding data-gathering opportunities in applied settings. I have also helped advanced doctoral students in finding internships and other practical work opportunities.

I especially enjoy interacting with students and faculty because it allows me to stay abreast of the latest theoretical work and research in I-O psychology. The disciplines of the academic setting provide a frequent reminder of the scientific rigor that needs to serve as a basis for all applied work. Conversely, I often help students better understand the realities and challenges of being an I-O psychologist in the business world. I further advise them on how to create the sponsorships that are so essential to data-gathering opportunities in applied settings.

Because I am more temperamentally suited to work in an applied role, I do not anticipate ever seeking a full-time faculty position. However, it is very gratifying to serve as an adjunct professor, and my aim is to continue to serve students by helping them use their knowledge, skills, and abilities in applied settings. I also look forward to the continued professional growth I experience through my association with academia. 

To contact the TIP-TOPics columnists: Marcus Butts (mmbutts@arches.uga.edu), Nancy Yanchus (nyanchus@hotmail.com), and Eyal Grauer (eyal@bgnet.bgsu.edu).

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