As research assistants, we have the opportunity to visit your homes and develop a sense of what you experience on a daily basis. In return, we thought that we would give you a brief glimpse into the life of a typical university researcher.

Most research assistants start off their day with routine morning activities of undergraduate and graduate college students. For many, this involves attending (or in the case of graduate students, teaching) classes. After class, many research assistants spend a few hours in one of our research offices coding data and videotapes. The process of coding itself frequently involves a technological resource, such as a computer or VCR/TV set, machines that can be a researcher's best friend or worst enemy.

Research assistants can also be found in two distinct locations: the library and copy machine areas. A home away from home, the average research assistant spends a great deal of time at the library, reviewing literature for various papers and psychological research. Most then move on to the copy machines, where they can frequently be observed opening up various doors and peering in, while pleading with the machine to miraculously "unjam" itself in a rather strange fashion.

Finally, the research assistants work at the weekly team meetings with Dr. Holmbeck, where they discuss recent visits, brainstorm new home visit ideas, and develop methods for coding the data that are collected. During the meeting, they also review recently published research articles, and help one another compile data for their own research papers (such as honor's thesis, master's thesis, or dissertation.) Every now and then, one can even find the team doing one of their favorite activities: feasting on various snacks as they celebrate the birthdays and weddings of other team members!