Anouk Fieten
What is it like to be a Psychology student? Three questions for Anouk Fieten (bachelor, clinical psychology).
What is the most useful thing that you’ve learned from Psychology?
‘I think that the most useful thing I’ve learned from Psychology is to stay critical and not just believe anything you read, even if it’s printed in a scientific journal. Psychology taught me to keep a critical eye and double-check everything for myself if the things I am reading could be true.’
What do you like and dislike about Psychology at UvA?
‘What I like about studying Psychology at UvA is that the courses are challenging and are taught at a very high level. Sometimes this makes studying very challenging, but it does give you the feeling that you’re actually learning something. What I don’t like about the UvA is that the lectures are not always recorded, or at least not anymore. In my first and second year some lectures were recorded, but they stopped doing that. This makes it really hard to take any courses outside of the Psychology department, as the lectures are often at the same time. I would like to have the opportunity for taking these courses, and having the lectures recorded would make this easier for me.’
What do you think about scientific writing at Psychology?
‘I think it’s a good thing that there is such a big focus on scientific writing. The other day I was taking an interdisciplinary course and the teacher asked the class who had any experience with scientific writing. It shocked me that there were a lot of students who had never written anything scientific before. Sometimes I feel that the Psychology bachelor focuses on it a bit too much, though, especially in the second year. I also don’t like how, in the scientific writing courses, they always judge you on little things, such as if the comma is in the right place or whether the right things are in italics. Sometimes I catch myself spending so much time trying to perfect those little things, instead of focusing on the bigger picture and the essence of the piece. Overall, however, I think the focus on scientific writing is a good thing and, although I don’t like doing it, I’m glad I have that experience.’
Anouk Fieten
What is it like to be a Psychology student? Three questions for Anouk Fieten (bachelor, clinical psychology).
What is the most useful thing that you’ve learned from Psychology?
‘I think that the most useful thing I’ve learned from Psychology is to stay critical and not just believe anything you read, even if it’s printed in a scientific journal. Psychology taught me to keep a critical eye and double-check everything for myself if the things I am reading could be true.’
What do you like and dislike about Psychology at UvA?
‘What I like about studying Psychology at UvA is that the courses are challenging and are taught at a very high level. Sometimes this makes studying very challenging, but it does give you the feeling that you’re actually learning something. What I don’t like about the UvA is that the lectures are not always recorded, or at least not anymore. In my first and second year some lectures were recorded, but they stopped doing that. This makes it really hard to take any courses outside of the Psychology department, as the lectures are often at the same time. I would like to have the opportunity for taking these courses, and having the lectures recorded would make this easier for me.’
What do you think about scientific writing at Psychology?
‘I think it’s a good thing that there is such a big focus on scientific writing. The other day I was taking an interdisciplinary course and the teacher asked the class who had any experience with scientific writing. It shocked me that there were a lot of students who had never written anything scientific before. Sometimes I feel that the Psychology bachelor focuses on it a bit too much, though, especially in the second year. I also don’t like how, in the scientific writing courses, they always judge you on little things, such as if the comma is in the right place or whether the right things are in italics. Sometimes I catch myself spending so much time trying to perfect those little things, instead of focusing on the bigger picture and the essence of the piece. Overall, however, I think the focus on scientific writing is a good thing and, although I don’t like doing it, I’m glad I have that experience.’
