Within & Between

There are so many ways to do science. One of them is to analyze data that you didn’t collect! In this episode, Jess and Sara talk about how to go about science-ing with secondary data: Where to find data, coming up with research questions, and how to write a grant when you’re planning on using secondary data. Finally, we talk about how to do open science when you’re working with data that’s already been shared elsewhere.
Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer.

Understanding whether a conclusion in a paper you read or an experiment you run is a valid one is, well, let’s just say pretty important, and more than a little confusing. In this episode, we talk through the Big Four Validities (™):  Internal, External, Statistical Conclusion, and Construct Validity.  It may sound similar, but we promise this is more fun than your last research methods lecture! 
In this episode we mention: 

Shadish WR, Cook TD, & Campbell DT (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin
Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer. This episode was recorded January, 4, 2026.

Sometimes grad students or people who are advising them will ask us if they should take extra statistics classes. Most programs require a few, and so they wonder what the benefit might be for spending the time, energy, and effort to learn even more statistical methods. In this episode Jess and Sara will describe what we think the benefits are of those classes, and what classes we think people should consider taking as they make their way through their programs. We also talk about some special considerations for early career folks. Spoiler alert: Yes. You should take extra classes. Have a listen and find out why. 

Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer.

Job Talks, they’re different from conference talks! Here, Jess and Sara talk about what we think is the most successful structure for a job talk; what to include and how long to spend in each area. We describe the purpose of this talk, and what you should think about when writing one. We provide some of our favorite tips for getting the talk ready to present. Hint: practice, practice, practice!
Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer. Recorded November 23, 2026

One question Jess and Sara get a lot is whether doing a postdoc is a good idea. Here, we talk about what a postdoc is, how long it lasts, and what kinds of jobs a postdoc can take on. We also describe what we see as the advantages and disadvantages of the position. We talk a bit about our past times as post docs, and what kinds of things you can do when you are there, and what kinds of grants are available just for you if you decide to go for it. 
In this episode, we mention this nice resource for postdocs:
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/postdoc-guide 

Email us letters about developmental science at withinandbetweenpod@gmail.com. More episodes and podcast information at WithinandBetweenPod.com. Our theme music was composed by Jason Flowers. Our logo was created by Nathan Archer.