Thanks for your interest in the LING Lab!

If you haven't yet, please check out our website www.linglab.ucla.edu to learn more about us and the work we do.

What do research assistants do?
Research assistants participate in many different areas of research, depending on what studies are being conducted and which topic is the best match for the RA's interests and career goals. You might conduct literature searches, schedule participants for studies, run an experiment with child participants, code gesture from video recordings, record video at the LA Zoo, build an apparatus to test problem-solving in primates, help analyze or visualize data, or help prepare data for presentation at a conference.

What kind of commitment is expected?
Because it takes time to train research assistants to conduct research (especially to code gesture data), we ask that students initially commit to at least 3 quarters with the lab, though some exceptions can be made. Hours can range from 4-10 hours per week, and will depend on the type of project the student is working on and the student’s availability. To make sure that there is a good fit between the lab and the student, RAs are asked to volunteer for their first quarter with the lab. After that, RAs may participate for course credit. Depending on the type of project and number of hours, RAs may receive 1-6 credits per quarter. Sometimes, RAs may be paid instead of receiving credit, but this depends on the project and availability of grant funding. RAs are also expected to participate in a weekly lab meeting if it does not conflict with their class or work schedules. These meetings provide an opportunity for lab members to give updates and receive feedback on projects. RAs may be asked to present in lab meeting from time to time and are always expected to actively participate in discussions and give feedback.

What’s in it for me?
As a member of the lab, you will participate in hands-on research aimed at answering questions about how children learn language, how apes communicate, and how children and other primates understand the minds of others. You will participate in many different stages of research: learning about ethics, design, data collection, analysis, and presentation. You will get lots of personalized feedback and will have the opportunity to work both independently and closely with others in the lab. You will develop presentation skills by presenting ongoing projects to the lab. You may also have the opportunity to present work at conferences or in other venues. You will develop a close working relationship with a professor and several graduate students and postdocs. This will help a lot when it comes time to seek letters of recommendation for graduate school, jobs, or internships. Participating in research can be a valuable experience in many ways. Of course, graduate schools will look to see if you have research experience, but the skills you learn working in the lab will transfer to many other contexts too. Finally, and importantly, being part of a lab is fun!