Steven Arriaza
Psychology and Business Administration
Research
My Views
Research is the foundation upon which all subsequent learning occurs. Research gives us an opportunity to advance a field of study and explore questions that may not have been possible before. Isaac Newton's writings perfectly summarize the importance that research plays in academia
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants"
-Isaac Newton
The Importance of Research
My First Experience
I previously mentioned my first experience with research in my Research class. This was the first time that I was able to design and carry out my own research after weeks of literature review and preparation. While reflecting back I see many areas of improvement in this study, part of which can be found on the margin, I see this as the stepping stone to my research career. The attached essay briefly recounts that experience and covers the importance of good information literacy. If it is true that research represents the foundation upon which we stand, then it can be equally stated that erroneous or misleading research represents a foundation bound to crumble under its weight. As I mention in my essay, I find it is my responsibility to approach my research with great fervor and to ensure the validity and credibility of my work
Research
Projects
My first experience with academic research was in my Research Methods and Design class where I designed my first study. I quickly fell in love with research and have been pursuing research opportunities ever since, both independently and with research teams. Some past and current research includes:
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Student and Professor Rapport in a Colombian University (current)
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The use of Flight Simulators by Aviation Programs (past)
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Evidence Processing and Reception Between Different Political Ideologies
I find research to be critical both for academics and for those impacted by its findings. Below I reflect on my early beliefs of research as well the multitude of experiences I have had while researching.
Research Team
Junior Year Research Team
I approached Dr. Kristie Campana with hopes of joining her research team my Sophomore year of college. I had done well in her classes and it increased my interest for Organizational Psychology. During my Junior year I was part of her research team and I began to experience what a research team is like. The first study our research team helped with was one that looked at student and professor rapport in a midwestern university. This study was very interesting to me, so much so that it is the foundation for my current research—Professor and Student Rapport in a Colombian University. Another memorable experience was helping a graduate student with a portion of her literature review for her thesis. After meeting with her a couple of times and understanding the topic of her thesis, I began to find literature to expand her research. It was a unique experience where I got the opportunity to see the wealth of knowledge in a field expanded by a student not much older than me. It was humbling and encouraging. A subsequent study, regarding Aviation programs use of flight simulators, served as an example of the realities of research—things do not always go as planned. Despite not gathering many responses, we still decided to present it at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at MNSU. The attached presentation shows how we presented our research while acknowledging our shortcomings. Lastly, working with my research team presented me the opportunity to see a research study that would later be distributed to the university. It was evident to me the real-world impact that research has.
Origins of Abstract Expressionism
Art and Politics Honors General Elective
This Honors level elective serves as culminating experience that adequately displays my proficiency in Information Synthesis and Information Literacy. Due to the nature of the class, appropriate, scholarly information had to be sought from a variety of sources. This class served as a way of exploring two seemingly distinct areas and delving deeper in order to understand the ways in which they are interconnected. In the artifact attached here, I describe the ways in which the Abstract Expressionist movement borrowed from other Modernist movements and later became a driving force in the fight against communist ideology. If one were to look at only the art without the political context, it would be difficult to understand its broader impact. Therefore, careful analysis must take place regarding the artists, methods, and sociopolitical influences of the period. This was a great class that helped me understand the value of a broader analysis and the different ways in which one can synthesize this information to produce credible and distinct research.
Senior Year Research Team
Evidence Reception and Political Ideology
The experiences gathered from my senior year of research have been innumerable and invaluable. It is my first glimpse into the practical structure of academic research and all its inner workings. This includes both successes and shortcomings, excitement and a new found appreciation for the mundane. Scheduling and running participants through experiments becomes an exciting occasion as the possibility of impact results draws closer. The joy in research also comes from the constant learning that takes place in the creation of research, refinement, analysis, and all aspects of research. This multitude of occurrences that happen throughout the entirety of research has helped me develop an deeper and fuller understanding of experimental research and the real life impact that it has. Ultimately, we hope to bring the projects we are currently working on to different conferences as we present our findings.