Research vs Employment (detailed sketch)

[patch]

Would a summer job where I worked in a lab doing research be placed under "research" or "employment"? Reason I ask is because I didn't really have a "project title" and I did not get any publications from it (at this point) so the "publication type" box would be left empty.

Thanks.

[silverjelly]

Originally Posted by patch

Would a summer job where I worked in a lab doing research be placed under "research" or "employment"? Reason I ask is because I didn't really have a "project title" and I did not get any publications from it (at this point) so the "publication type" box would be left empty.

Thanks.

I've had similar situations and always put it under employment.

[EESH]

Originally Posted by patch

Would a summer job where I worked in a lab doing research be placed under "research" or "employment"? Reason I ask is because I didn't really have a "project title" and I did not get any publications from it (at this point) so the "publication type" box would be left empty.

Thanks.

If you had an independent project, I'd put it as research (for example, an NSERC). You can always email your supervisor and ask for a proper title. As for publication type, you would just put "ongoing project".

[patch]

Ah I see, thanks. I think both ways will work although the first leaves my sketch with nothing under research.

[patiently waiting]

I'd put it under research, especially if you have nothing else under that category. Even if you didn't have an official title for your project...you can put something like: The role of X protein in Y process/disease. Or something vague like that...whatever applies. You don't have a lot of room to put a long fancy title anyway. If you don't have a publication from it, you can write "in progress" if you think your work will eventually get published. Good luck!

[blinknoodle]

Not at all research will lead to a publication, so it is perfectly fine to have that section blank. I would caution you from saying "in progress" (or the like) if you are not actively involved in publishing it now... Imagine something like this during your interview: "I see you did research during the summer of 2006 and you had some publications in progress last Sept. What have you learned about the process for publication? Six months later, where stage are you at?" Or something of that flavour. Don't ever lie on your application.

[EESH]

Originally Posted by blinknoodle

Not at all research will lead to a publication, so it is perfectly fine to have that section blank. I would caution you from saying "in progress" (or the like) if you are not actively involved in publishing it now... Imagine something like this during your interview: "I see you did research during the summer of 2006 and you had some publications in progress last Sept. What have you learned about the process for publication? Six months later, where stage are you at?" Or something of that flavour. Don't ever lie on your application.

Most projects taken on by summer students don't get finished by summer students. In most cases, it's a new idea that the PI is trying to determine whether he should put an honors/masters/PhD student on. So in most cases, a summer student won't end up publishing. I think the admissions committee expects that.

That having been said, projects that are started by summer students are continued after the summer student is gone. So yeah, it's "in progress" or "ongoing", as in the project is still in the research stage. There's nothing wrong with saying that, even if it's not you continuing the project (as long as you don't specify that you're continuing the project when it's someone else - that's a lie).