What is an SMP?
The St. Mary’s Project (SMP) is a year-long, eight-credit, independently executed course of study intended as a capstone experience for a student’s time at SMCM. Working in close conjunction with a professor, you have the opportunity to explore, in depth, a research question or idea that intrigues you. Psychology majors may complete the St. Mary’s Project in any established academic discipline or cross-disciplinary study area.
This project is typically completed over two semesters but can also be extended to additional semesters in special circumstances. Because it is a capstone experience, it must demonstrate the mastery that is ordinarily expected of a person receiving a B.S. degree. Specifically, your project must demonstrate (at a minimum) satisfactory performance in regard to the following criteria:
- It must demonstrate methodological competence (by identifying an area to be explored and proposing a method of inquiry appropriate for the topic).
- It must draw on and extend knowledge, skills of analysis, and creative achievement developed through previous academic work.
- It must include a reflection on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which the project is a contribution.
- It must be shared with the larger community through some form of public presentation (e.g., posters, lecture presentations, or other means).
Psychology majors planning to complete an SMP with a mentor outside of psychology must indicate as such using the online SMP Interest Form on or before the Friday of the 6th week in the second semester of your junior year. If you choose to go this route, you will need to follow the policies established by those departments to declare your interest and/or solicit a mentor in the field you have chosen.
What do you do for your St. Mary’s Project in Psychology (PsycSMP)?
You have two options. In both options, you will first complete a comprehensive literature review of a research topic.
- The first option is empirical: using data (newly collected, archival, interview, etc.) to answer a research question. This may involve hypothesis testing and use of statistical methods to analyze the data.
- The second option is product-based: applying what you learned from your literature review to create a product. For example:
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- a book ( for “The Consequences of Negative Representation of People Who Stutter (PWS) in the Media,” after completing a review and analysis of available media, student authored and illustrated a children’s book with a main character who stuttered)
- a handbook or brochure (“If #MeToo Happens To You: Research Driven Pathways For Survivor Recovery And Empowerment” created a brochure)
- an informational website (“The Risks and Motivations for Nonsuicidal Self-injury among Adolescents and Young Adults” resulted in the creation of self-harm resource website
- a project proposal (“Using Dolphin Assisted Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders”), or program proposal (“Prejudice Program Designed for First-year College Students”
- a documentary
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How to choose a topic for your SMP
In general, PsycSMPs are related to a SMP mentor’s area of research. Why?
We’ve found it is especially beneficial for the SMP student if they work within an area in which a faculty member has previous research experience or content knowledge. It is likely you will have not had a class with every psyc dept. faculty member and are not aware of their specialty areas. Thus we have provided you with detailed Faculty Research Interest Info on our website; each faculty member has listed possible SMP topics that are within their area of expertise & interests and that they would be especially well-qualified to supervise. There is also a Faculty Research Interests Quick Guide in print copy in the psychology majors’ resource area by Goodpaster 127.
Also think about:
- What are your career interests?
- What was your favorite class in terms of content?
- Would a project you worked on during a directed research experience be something you would like to pursue further?
Since you will be working on this project for a year, if not longer, you want to identify a topic/research question in which you are interested. It must be something that is realistic to accomplish given the resources available to you. In most cases, this is not an issue, but if it is, your mentor will help guide you to a more feasible path.
Some other things to keep in mind
Remember, this is a 400-level project and you need adequate preparation. Successful completion of Research Methods or Psychological Research, Analysis, and Writing II is a prerequisite. Although it is not a requirement, it is especially helpful to have completed at least one 300-level lab course.
Working on your SMP will be intense at times (what course isn’t?) While course preparation helps, ultimately your time management skills will be the biggest help. You will be meeting with your mentor, in most cases once every one or two weeks. Since you are not required to be sitting in a classroom at a specific time on a few specific days throughout the week, it is mainly up to you to keep yourself on task.
When to start thinking about your SMP
Start thinking about ideas early in your college career. Exploring possible topic ideas during your sophomore and early-junior years gives you plenty of time to make decisions before your senior year. Here’s a suggested timeline:
First year
- Consider your interests in the various areas of psychology offered at SMCM. As you progress through your psychology major, you will be exposed to different faculty members’ research interests. Keep track of those research areas (and questions) that you find particularly exciting; these interests will be used to pair you with an SMP advisor.
- Don’t be too specific, keep it broad.
- Browse the PsycSMP abstract database
Sophomore year
- Before your meeting with your academic advisor during advising week, examine the Faculty Research Interests Quick Guide and research interests as outlined in greater detail on the department website.
- You will be required to attend the Research Opportunities Showcase. In your meeting with your advisor, you should discuss the research you heard about and which topics you find particularly interesting. This conversation will be revisited each semester with your advisor and in your Research Methods or Research, Analysis, and Writing II course.
First semester of junior year
- Talk to friends and seniors doing projects.
- You are required to attend the Research Opportunities Showcase in September (watch your email, psyc program TV in Goodpaster Hall lobby, and flyers for notice!)
- Review Faculty Research Interests (on website in detail; Faculty Research Interests Quick Guide print copy outside Goodpaster 127)
- Consider whether you want to collaborate with other students
- Think about whether you want to do the project in your senior year with a traditional credit distribution of eight credits spread evenly across FA-SP or need to do some other variation (possible but not recommended).
- If you plan to start early (i.e., 2nd semester of junior year), submit the online SMP Interest Form and Proposal Form (if applicable; linked from within interest form) by 11:59 pm on the Friday of the 6th week of classes.
Second semester of junior year
- Decide if you want to collaborate with other students.
- Visit the Career Development Center and talk to the staff there if you want to include an off-campus component (e.g., internship) to your project.
- Talk to Angela Johnson, professor of educational studies (acjohnson@smcm.edu), if you would like to use the local public school system
- You are required to attend the Research Opportunities Showcase in early February (watch your email, psyc program TV in Goodpaster Hall lobby, and flyers for notice!)
- Submit the online SMP Interest Form by 11:59 pm on the Friday of the 6th week of classes.
- The SMP Interest Form requires you to choose and rank two general areas of interest in Psychology at SMCM. From these choices, you will then rate your interest in a number of possible topics/research questions related to the respective areas. You MUST complete the SMP Interest form regardless of the next statement.
- If after reading through all of the available topics, you feel that there is a different topic you really want to pursue, you can elect to write a 3-page proposal (with at least 3 references) about your topic of choice. Proposals meeting established guidelines are due electronically via the Psychology SMP Proposal Form (linked from within the SMP Interest Form) by 11:59 pm on the Friday of the 6th week of classes.
- Please note that you can propose an alternate project, but it is not guaranteed that it will be feasible/approved.
- Attend presentations on SMP Days at the end of the semester.
SMP Forms
SMP Interest Form
SMP Proposal Form
Highlighted SMP Projects
Bauer, Elisabeth. (2019, May). An Investigation of the Relationship Between Theory of Mind and Imaginary Play in Early Childhood.
mentor: Dr. Scott Mirabile
Blair, Erika. (2021, May). Perceived Illegitimacy of Bisexual Identity: Exclusion from Lesbian and Gay Spaces
mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman
Lott, Isabel. (2021, May). Religion-Based Sexism and Attachment to God: The Moderating Roles of Religiosity, Spirituality, and Feminist-Oriented Spirituality
mentor: Dr. Ayse Ikizler
Minor, Spencer. (2021, May). Multiracial Identity and its Development Through Social Connections.
mentor: Dr. Libby Williams
Segal, Abri. (2020, May). Attitudes Towards Animal Cruelty Versus Meat Consumption Behavior.
mentor: Dr. Jennifer Tickle
Thompson, Rachel. (2019, May). Singing to Learn: How Pitch Information Facilitates Encoding and Retrieval.
mentor: Dr. James Mantell
Check out other showcase projects