2. Goals Statement
A statement describing your immediate
and long-term career and life goals,
including an explanation of why these
goals are appropriate in terms of your
knowledge, skills, characteristics, values,
and experiences
3. Goals Statement
• A good way to remember how a goal
statement should be defined is the old
S.M.A.R.T. acronym used by many experts
in goal setting. SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Action-Oriented
Realistic
Time and Resource Constrained
(by Paul Christenbury)
4. S is for Specific
• Specific
• Measurable
• action-oriented
• Realistic
–practical and achievable
–a definite deadline for completion
–availability of resources
Each GOAL should be:
5. Graduate School?
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/
• http://www.gradschools.com/article-detail/grad-
statement-114
• http://rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/wc_web/handouts/
Grad_School_Essay.pdf
• NOTE: These sites will also be helpful for the graduate
school portion of your portfolio!!
7. To show you meet the APA Goals:
1) A description of your strengths and weaknesses
in each of the area: your NARRATIVE
a) An explanation of why you are strong and weak in the
area
2) Products completed that correspond to these goals:
your EVIDENCE
3) Suggestions for the department
4) You must address all SUBGOALS (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, & 1.3)
a) You do not need to address all sub-subgoals (e.g. 1.1a)
5) You can have no strengths, but you cannot have no
weaknesses
8. APA Goal 1: Knowledge Base of
Psychology
• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and
comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical
perspectives, historical trends, and empirical
findings to discuss how psychological principles
apply to behavioral problems.
– 1.1 Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching
themes in psychology.
– 1.2 Develop a working knowledge of psychology’s
content domains.
– 1.3 Describe applications of psychology.
9. GSU Classes With Goal 1
• Intro/Principles of Psychology
• Personality Theories
• Developmental
• Abnormal
• History and Systems
• Social
• Learning & Behavior
• Some electives
10. APA Goal 2: Scientific Inquiry and
Critical Thinking
• Understand and apply basic skills and concepts in
interpreting behavior, studying research, and applying
research design principles to drawing conclusions
about psychological phenomena.
2.1 Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological
phenomena.
2.2 Demonstrate psychology information literacy.
2.3 Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and
problem solving.
2.4 Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological
research
11. APA Goal 2: Scientific Inquiry and
Critical Thinking
• Understand and apply basic skills and concepts in
interpreting behavior, studying research, and applying
research design principles to drawing conclusions
about psychological phenomena.
2.4 Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological
research
2.5 Incorporate sociocultural factors in scientific inquiry
13. APA Goal 3: Ethical and Social
Responsibility in a Diverse World
• Demonstrate familiarity with the formal regulations
that govern professional ethics in psychology and the
values that will contribute to positive outcomes in
work settings and building a society responsive to
multicultural and global concerns.
3.1 Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological
science and practice.
3.2 Build and enhance interpersonal relationships.
3.3 Adopt values that build community at local, national,
and global levels.
14. GSU Classes with Goal 3
• Ethics (4130….main)
• Thinking and Writing
• Most core courses have 1-2 of the subgoals.
• Some electives.
15. APA Goal 4: Communication
• Demonstrate ability to write a cogent scientific
argument, present information using a scientific
approach, engage in discussion of psychological
concepts, explain the ideas of others, and express their
own ideas with clarity.
– 4.1 Demonstrate effective writing for different purposes.
– 4.2 Exhibit effective presentation skills for different
purposes.
– 4.3 Interact effectively with others.
16. GSU Classes with Goal 4
• Thinking and Writing
• Psych Issues & Social Values
• Most core have 1-2 of the subgoals
17. APA Goal 5: Professional Development
• Apply psychology-specific content and skills,
effective self-reflection, project-management
skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation.
– 5.1 Apply psychological content and skills to career
goals.
– 5.2 Exhibit self-efficacy and self-regulation.
– 5.3 Refine project-management skills.
– 5.4 Tolerate ambiguity and realize that psychological
explanations are often complex and tentative.
18. APA Goal 5: Professional Development
• Apply psychology-specific content and skills,
effective self-reflection, project-management
skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation.
– 5.4 Enhance teamwork capacity.
– 5.5 Develop meaningful professional direction for life
after graduation.
– 5.3 Refine project-management skills.
– 5.4 Tolerate ambiguity and realize that psychological
explanations are often complex and tentative.
