New applied psychology journal

Applied Psychological Research is a free to publish, free to  access open access journal that promotes the application of psychology to any real-world issue. We invite contributions from both academics and practitioners. 

The journal supports a number of publication formats:

• Literature review articles
• Empirical research articles
• Short reports – these might present preliminary findings or pilot study   findings;
• Practice notes – summaries of an aspect of psychological theory with a view to providing clear direction for practitioners.
• Impact notes - illustrate how aspects of psychological research or theory have directly influenced practice in a particular area
• Response papers – these are to enable academic debate between authors
• Policy reviews – provide a practice-oriented critical review of any particular aspect of public policy

Our ultimate aim is to break down the barriers between academia and practitioners and to develop a platform through which anyone with an interest in applied psychology can access relevant research.

Please send this on to any networks that you have. In addition, if you would like to contribute a paper and/or review for the journal please contact either myself or Simon Goodman (simon.goodman@coventry.ac.uk) with any questions.

Best wishes

Erica

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Erica Bowen, C.Psychol AFBPsS FHEA

Reader in the Psychology of Intimate Partner Violence

Forensic Psychologist

Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences

Coventry University

PsyPAG: Calling all forensic postgraduate students

I am the Forensic Psych Rep for the Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group (PsyPAG). I am calling for as many Forensic Psych postgraduate students (MSc & PhD) and trainees to attend PsyPAG's 2013 conference.

PsyPAG is a national organisation for all psych postgrads based at UK Institutions. PsyPAG  is run by postgrads for postgrads, and aims are to provide support for postgraduate students in the UK, to act as a vehicle for communication between postgraduates, and to represent postgraduates within the British Psychological Society (BPS). It also fulfils the vital role of bringing together postgraduates from around the country.

There no official membership scheme. If you are a postgraduate student/trainee, then you're automatically a member. Visit us for further information.

The 28th Annual Conferece is being held at Lancaster University from 17-19 July, 2013. There are three major keynotes speaking; namely, Prof. Graham Hitch, Prof. Charlie Lewis, and Prof. Rob Briner. There is also a full social programme planned, including a wine reception and conference dinner.

The turn out last year for forensic postgrads was great and I am hoping to see many more attend this year. I am particularly keen for those conducting research to submit an abstract for an oral presentation, as I am running a Forensic Psych symposium. So if you think your work relates to Forensic Psych in any way, please consider submitting. You may present a research paper, new data, or a literature review. I'll also welcome presentations on planned research, as along a good rationale and a discussion on the expected results is included. For those who do not want to give a talk can submit a poster presentation.

You can find info on the Forensic Symposum (and others) here. 

Registration, abtract submission, and accommodation details can be found here on the main site.

Ross Bartels (Forensic Rep for psyPAG)

__________

Ross Bartels

Doctoral researcher

Department of Psychology

University of Birmingham

Edgbaston

Birmingham

B15 2TT

Email: rmb956@bham.ac.uk

Mob: 07956393703

PsycTESTS trial: Find Psychological tests A LOT EASIER!

The University has a one month trial to PsycTESTS which is a database that allows you to search directly for psychological tests. Rather than going through databases searching for articles, THEN looking into the abstract or article to establish the methodology used, and THEN looking for the test itself and whether you can access it!!

It has quite a lot of the tests within the database for you to download and so will hopefully bolster the tests already available to you: through the exisiting library of tests in the Psychology  department.

THE TRIAL IS ONLY FOR ONE MONTH – FINISHING END OF MARCH!

This database is particularly useful for you if you are doing a dissertation and looking for tests to use and also for those of you doing research methods work. 

BUT for us to try and purchase the database for longer we need you to play around and use it as much as possible during the trial. So PLEASE utilise this during March.

HOW TO ACCESS:

As it’s not a permanent resource it doesn’t have it’s own link under databases in MyUnihub yet so:

Log into MyUnihub > My study > scroll down to 'My Library' > click on ‘P’ > Click ‘PsycInfo’ > once on the OVID screen you can then select ‘PsycTESTS’ from the list INSTEAD of ‘PsycInfo’.

Search as normal, basic or advanced, and when you get results click on Ovid Database PDFs on the right hand side of the record to download the full test. If you want to search only for tests which are available to you in the database please limit your search by ticking PsycTESTS PDF below the search box.

Please note DO NOT try and search PsycTESTS and PsycINFO at the same time – this is counterproductive!

If at any point you need help or support please email or phone the Psychology Librarian Viv:

Vivienne Eades

Phone: 0208 411 3643

Email: v.eades@mdx.ac.uk

Website: Psychology library guide

NORFACE: funding

NORFACE  stands for New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Cooperation in Europe.  On their website they describe themselves as a:

"(P)artnership between fifteen research councils to increase cooperation in research and research policy in Europe. This partnership is built on a history of less formal cooperation and joint activities between the Nordic and UK research councils. NORFACE extends and formalizes this working relationship and provides a framework and a vision for a durable multi-national strategic partnership in research funding and practice, especially within the social sciences. NORFACE receives core funding under the European Union’s ERA-NET scheme (since 2004)."  

The rest of this text and more information can be found at this link.

Tom Dickins

British Society for Individual Differences

The British Society for Individual Differences may be of interest to colleagues.  If so, follow this link.  Note, the annual conference is next month.

Rosalind Arden

Health Technology Assessment Programme: funding

There are now commissioned calls from the Health Technology Assessment Programme.  Follow this link to get more information.

Olga van den Akker

What is the future of teleworking?

Last week the BBC published an article about teleworking in relation to Yahoo's decision to ban it's employees from working from home. This prompted responses by work-life balance/work and family organisations as there is little evidence to suggest that the benefits of working in the office outweigh the benefits of teleworking. Even in organisations that support teleworking, negative attitudes still persist among some employers and employees (illustrated rather nicely by Boris Johnson's comment that "'We all know that is basically sitting wondering whether to go down to the fridge to hack off that bit of cheese before checking your emails again").

However, the findings of our recent research on the impact of the Governments's programme of cuts on the work-life balance agenda in public sector organisations suggest that, at least in many UK organisations in this sector, teleworking may in fact be increasing, in part, as a way of responding to the need to make cuts. The Human Resource Directors we interviewed viewed teleworking and other worklife balance initiatives as mutually beneficial for employers and employees and believed they promoted employee recruitment and retention, employee well-being, as well as efficient, cost-effective ways of working. Some initial findings from our research were presented at the BPS Division of Occupational Psychology conference in January (Anderson et al. Work-life balance policies, practices and discourse and public sector cuts).

The Division of Occupational Psychology Work-Life Balance Working Group Newsletter is a new publication reporting on projects that the Working Group undertake. The current edition is available from the BPS shop and work-life balance fact sheets for individuals, employers and coaches are available at this link.

Nicky Payne