Dr. John Suler - suler@mindspring.com

Psychology of Cyberspace Independent Study Projects

"eQuest"

Independent Study (Psy 490) is a project conducted by a student under the guidance of a faculty member. The project is worth three academic credits and counts towards the requirements for a major in psychology. It offers you the opportunity to work individually with a professor on a topic of mutual interest.

As an expert in the psychology of cyberspace, I am inviting students to undertake projects on the internet that involve a research method I call "eQuest." You would select an issue that is personally meaningful to you and your life - for example, choosing a career, test anxiety, divorce, dating, drugs, creativity, any issue that is important to you. The eQuest method would then guide you through a variety of online activities to explore that issue. These activities would include:

1. Locating and evaluating web sites that provide information about that topic.

2. Participating in online groups that discuss that topic.

3. Establishing one-on-one online relationships (e.g., through e-mail or chat) in which you discuss that issue with people who are knowledgeable about it. This might include doing interviews.

4. Locating and evaluating online tests, interactive software, or other computer-controlled activities that might be relevant to your topic.

5. Creating a web page about yourself and your understanding of that topic.

6. Learning how to integrate what you discover online with your "in-person" lifestyle and relationships.


During the project you will keep track of your progress in a journal. At the end of the project you will write a paper that describes your project and what you learned.

Prerequisites: You must be at least a junior to do an independent study. You'll need basic computer skills, like knowing how to do email and explore the web. You also must have access to a computer with an internet connection. Much of the project can be done at home or wherever your computer is located, so this may be a convenient project for you to undertake during a summer session or a semester when you won't be on campus a lot.

The Proposal: Before registering for the Independent Study, I'll help you write up a short proposal that needs to be approved by the Psychology Department and Dean. Some students create their schedule for the upcoming semester, leaving a spot open to later add in the Independent Study after it is approved. Or they create a full schedule, then later drop one course and add in the Independent Study.

If you're interested in this Independent Study, feel free to come talk to me about it or e-mail me at suler@mindspring.com