Description:

This course is a focused seminar covering the recruitment and hiring of employees in a variety of organizations. The course will use lectures and the discussion of current readings.

Instructor Information:

Instructor:         Michael Gasser
Office:              440 Baker Hall
Office Hours:   WF 1:00 - 2:30
Phone:              273-7178
Email:               michael.gasser@uni.edu
Web Page:        http://www.uni.edu/~gasser/

Required Texts:

There is no required text for this class.  Readings will be announced.

Grades:

Your grade will be based on presentations given in class, class participation, and two examinations.

Presentations:  You will be expected to give two presentations. Each presentation will cover one article related to emperical research on recruitment and selection. Each presentation will last approximately 45 - 50 minutes. This will be followed by discussion and instructor comments. This presentation should cover one article on the topic of personnel recruitment or selection in detail. However, to do a good job on this presentation you will have to describe the importance of the article to the general research topic.  In this presentation you will be expected to provide more depth than what you may find in a typical survey class.  Do not just provide a summary book report - tell us what it really means.

Your performance on the presentation will be evaluated on three general criteria.

1.  Your understanding of the material you are discussing (remember - think deep!).

2.  Your ability to present the information in a clear and coherent way - in other words, your presentation style.

3.  Your ability to think on your feet and field questions from the audience.  Hint:  If you don't know an answer, then say you don't know.  B.S. is very noticeable.

You will receive between 0 and 5 points on each presentation based on a presentation evaluation sheet that will be provided to you on the first day of class.

It is strongly recommended that you have back-up overheads and notes in case the computer crashes and you cannot give a powerpoint presentation. You are responsible for the lecture even if the computer crashes.

Participation: Your performance on class participation will be evaluated on two critical criteria.

1.  Did you read the article? All students who are not presenting will be required to write a one or two page summary of the article that is double-spaced and typed. Each student will be required to provide a copy of their summary to each of the other students in class and the instructor on the day of the presentation. In the summary, discuss the purpose of the study, note good points and bad points in a critique of the study, and summarize the results of the study.

2.  Your ability to stay focused enough during the presentation to ask worthwhile questions and make intelligent comments.

You are expected to participate at a high level. Students who participate well beyond what is expected in a class will receive 2 points of credit for their effort. Such a reward is rare and unlikely. Receiving multiple rewards in one semester would be a miracle. Doing poorly, on the other hand, is much easier. For any class that the instructor deems a student to have participated below expectations the student will loose 2 points of credit.

Examinations: You never know something better than when you teach it. However, to ensure that students fully acquire knowledge in the entire content domain and not just over what they present, two examinations will be given. The examinations will cover presentations and assigned readings.  Each examination will consist of objectively scored multiple choice questions.

Policies:  

Cheating.  If you are caught you will fail the class.

Making up a missed class.  A missed class may be made up by writing a 5 page paper on the topic discussed during that day.  Failure to do so by the last day of the class will result in your grade being lowered one full  grade.

Making up a missed presentation.  Only under very rare and very extreme conditions will you be allowed to make up a missed presentation. This is entirely at the discretion of the professor. A missed presentation will result in your grade in the class being lowered one full letter grade.

Incompletes.  Incompletes may only be given under rare conditions and only with prior permission by the professor.

Special Needs.  Anyone who has special needs (individuals with disabilities, international students, etc.) should see the professor if you wish to arrange special instructional conditions.

Class Activities

1/12/2009:    Introduction and review of the syllabus

1/14/2009:   Discussion of the importance of selection to work and society

1/19/2009:   MLK Holiday

1/21/2009:    Reliability

1/26/2009:    Validity

1/28/2009:    Regression

2/2/2009:    Student Presentation 1

2/4/2009:    Student Presentation 2

2/9/2009:    Student Presentation 3

2/11/2009:    Student Presentation 4

2/16/2009:    Student Presentation 5

2/18/2009:    Student Presentation 6

2/23/2009:    Student Presentation 7

2/25/2009:    Student Presentation 8

3/2/2009:    Mid-Term Examination

3/4/2009:    Student Presentation 9

3/9/2009:    Student Presentation 10

3/11/2009:    Student Presentation 11

3/16/2009:    Spring Break

3/18/2009:    Spring Break

3/23/2009:    Student Presentation 12

3/25/2009:    Student Presentation 13

3/30/2009:    Student Presentation 14

4/1/2009:    Student Presentation 15

4/6/2009:    Student Presentation 16

4/8/2009:    Student Presentation 17

4/13/2009:    Student Presentation 18

4/15/2009:    Student Presentation 19

4/20/2009:    Student Presentation 20

4/22/2009:    Reserved for SIOP, SHRM, Consulting Challenge (This date may change)

4/27/2009:    Reserved for SIOP, SHRM, Consulting Challenge (This date may change)

4/29/2009:    Reserved for SIOP, SHRM, Consulting Challenge (This date may change)

5/5/2009 (10-11:50):    Final Examination

Your Responsibilities for the Presentation

1.  You will be expected to provide a copy of the article you will be presenting to the students and instructor at least one week before you are scheduled to give the presentation.  

2.  The presenter will not read, as in reading a paper, but will talk in a conversational manner from an outline.

3.  The presenter will not talk too fast, too slowly, or too softly.

4.  Given a time (e.g., 50 minutes), the presenter will cover what he or she wants to cover in that time.

5.  The basis of any assertions made should be clear.  Don't pull anything out of a hat.  Back up what you have to say with research and citations.

Your Responsibilities as a Member of the Audience

1.  Read the articles before you come to class.

2.  Pay attention. Do not let your mind wander or phase out. You must develop the ability to concentrate on a topic for an extended period of time.

3.  Ask questions or make comments that are insightful.  In other words, be an active participant.

Goals for the Class

1.  To develop skills in presenting (teaching) new things about specific topics in I/O psychology to an audience of your peers.

2.  To develop a set of strategies for how to find the most important information on any given topic in I/O psychology.

3.  To develop a knowledge base for some of the major research areas in Personnel Recruitment and Selection.

4.  To develop a knowledge base regarding the advantages and limitations of a variety of research methodologies.

5.  To develop your own personal framework (both substantive and methodological) for defining and investigating issues and problems in organizational behavior (e.g., at the extreme you could become a Skinnerian).

6.  To develop your own personal opinions as to what you think are the most crucial issues and questions facing the field.

Seminar Survival (Helpful hints from Brad Dugdale)

1.  Start preparing early or you will never finish.

2.  Find out what the "correct" answer is.  The "correct" answer is what at least one other seminar member thinks of the subject that you are talking about.  Use him or her as an ally.

3.  Have an opinion and stick to it.