The College at Brockport, State University of New York EMAIL
SARA J. MARGOLIN
The College at Brockport, State University of New York EMAIL:
Department of Psychology OFFICE: Holmes Hall 127
PHONE: (585)395-2908
Appointments
September 2013- Associate Professor, The College at Brockport, State University of
present New York, Department of Psychology
August 2007- Assistant Professor, The College at Brockport, State University of
September 2013 New York, Department of Psychology
Education
August 2007 Ph.D., Cognitive Psychology, with a Certificate in Gerontology, University of Florida
Dissertation: Negation Comprehension and Aging: The Role of Inhibition and the Impact of Compensation During Reading Advisor: Lise Abrams, Ph.D.
May 2005 M.S., Cognitive Psychology, University of Florida
Thesis: Implicit and Explicit Retrieval of Spelling in Young and Older Adults
Advisor: Lise Abrams, Ph.D.
August 2002 B.S., Psychology with Mathematics Minor, University of Florida, Cum Laude
Educational Honors and Awards
2003-2007 Trainee, University of Florida NIA Predoctoral Training Program in Aging
2007 Madelyn Lockhart Dissertation Fellowship (Finalist)
2007 E. Porter Horne Memorial Scholarship
2005 Southern Gerontological Society Best Student Paper Award (3rd Place)
2002-2006 Grinter Fellowship for Outstanding Incoming Graduate Student
2002 Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Grants & Awards
2012 NIH R15 Area Grant ($207,414- not funded)
Title: Can negation interfere with older adults’ comprehension of and memory for medication instructions?
2011-2012 Scholarly Incentive Award ($800)
Title: Older adults' comprehension and metacomprehension of negated text
2011 Discretionary Salary Increase- Scholarship ($1000)
2009 Discretionary Salary Increase- Scholarship ($800)
2008-2009 Faculty/Staff Technology Initiative Grant, The College at Brockport, State University of New York ($380)
Title: Computer-based training for improvement of student study skills in a peer mentoring program
2008 Nelson-DennyTM Assessment, Funded by Dr. Fox’s Office of
Assessment ($168.99)
2008 Discretionary Salary Increase- Scholarship ($800)
2006-2007 Sigma Xi Research Grant-in-Aid Award
Title: Negation comprehension and aging: The role of inhibition and the impact of compensation during reading
2004-2005 Sigma Xi Research Grant-in-Aid for Award
Thesis: Implicit and Explicit Retrieval of Spelling in Young and Older Adults
Teaching Experience
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
o Psychology of Aging: Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014
o Research Methods: Fall 2008, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Spring 2013
o Principles of Psychology: Summer 2008, Summer 2011
o Cognitive Processes: Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014
o Sensation and Perception: Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
University of Florida
o General Psychology: Summer 2006, Summer 2007
o Cognitive Psychology: Spring 2006
Teaching Interests
Cognitive Psychology
Sensation and Perception
Research Methods
Psychology of Aging
Introductory Psychology
Educational Psychology
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Cognition and Aging
Research Interests
My research interests include factors impacting language at both the word and sentence levels. My focus has been on both age-related changes and changes induced by our use of technologies. Additionally, my research has investigated the effects of misspellings on reading comprehension in young and older adults and the effects of negation on reading comprehension and metacomprehension in young adults and older adults.
Media Recognition
Baggini, J. (June 22, 2014). Ebook v paper? Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/53d3096a-f792-11e3-90fa-00144feabdc0.html#axzz35NJqZQvh
Keim, B. (May 1, 2014). Why the smart reading device of the future may be … paper. Wired. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2014/05/reading-on-screen-versus-paper/
August 27, 2010- Does text messaging impact how young people write? Channel 8 News, Rochester, NY.
Publications
Margolin, S.J., Toland, M.J. + (in press). Should we LOL? The effects of text messaging on young
adults' spelling. The Journal of Reading, Writing and Literacy.
Margolin, S.J., Driscoll, C. +, Toland, M.J. +, & Kegler, J.L. (2013). E-readers, computer screens,
or paper: Does reading comprehension change across media platforms? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 27, 512-519.
Margolin, S.J. (2013). Can bold typeface improve readers' comprehension and metacomprehension
of negation? Reading Psychology, 34(1), 85-99.
Margolin, S.J., & Hover, P.A.+ (2011). Metacomprehension and negation: Assessing readers’
awareness of the difficulty of negated text. Reading Psychology, 32, 158-171.
Abrams, L., Farrell, M., & Margolin, S.J. (2010). Older adults' detection of misspellings during
reading. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 65B, 680-683.
Desrochers, M. N., & Margolin, S. (2010). Factorial Research Design. Office of Teaching Resources for
Psychology Online. Retrieved from http://www.teachpsych.org/otrp/resources/factorial/index.php
Margolin, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2009). Not may not be too difficult: The effects of negation on older adults’ sentence comprehension. Educational Gerontology, 35, 308-322.
Margolin, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2007). Individual differences in spelling ability: Do good spellers age better
than poor spellers? Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 14, 529-544.
Abrams, L., Trunk, D.L., & Margolin, S.J. (2007). Resolving tip-of-the-tongue states in young and older
adults: The role of phonology. In L.O. Randal (Ed.), Aging and the Elderly: Psychology, Sociology, and Health (pp. 1-41). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Manuscripts in Preparation and Under Revision
Abrams, L., Farrell, M., & Margolin, S.J. (2013). Misspelling perception influences older adults'
recall: The relevance of context. Manuscript in preparation.
Abrams, L., Trunk, D.L., Hadley, C.B., & Margolin, S.J. (2013). Priming spelling retrieval in young and
older adults. Manuscript in preparation.
Margolin, S.J., & Driscoll, C.+ (2013). The effect of brief delay and negation on the comprehension and
metacomprehension of text. Manuscript under revision.
Pelttari, C., Follansbee, P., Kegler, J.L., Margolin, S.J., Maxwell, P.E., Pearlman, A.G., Perry, S.M., Rath,
L., Stites-Doe, S. (2014). Faculty technology use related to engagement in faculty learning community. Manuscript under revision.
Riano, A. ++, & Margolin, S.J. (2014). But spell checker always corrects witch words eye misspelled:
Spell checker dependency among good and poor spellers in college. Manuscript under revision for Educational Psychology.
Invited Presentations
Margolin, S.J., Driscoll, C. +, Toland, M.J. +, Little, J.J. (2012, April). Reading and technology. Paper
presented at the Finger Lakes Instructional Designers and Learning Systems Meeting at The College at Brockport, State University of New York, Brockport, NY.
Margolin, S.J., Driscoll, C. +, Toland, M.J. +, & Little, J. (2011, October). Reading and technology. Poster
presented at The College at Brockport’s LITS Tech Fair, Brockport, NY.
Margolin, S.J. (2011, September). Mental health in the older adult. Guest lecture presented at The College at
Brockport, State University of New York, Brockport, NY.
Margolin, S.J. (2010, November). Methods to measure comprehension. Paper presented at The College at
Brockport’s Technology and Comprehension Faculty Learning Community Meeting, Brockport, NY.
Presentations
Agafonova, J. +, & Margolin, S. J. (2013, April). Effects of spell checker on writing skills of college students.
Paper presented at The College at Brockport’s 30th Annual Scholars Day, Brockport, NY.
Driscoll, C. +, Stephenson, E. +, & Margolin, S. J. (2012, April). The effect of delay on metacomprehension of
negated text. Paper presented at The College at Brockport's 29th Annual Scholar's Day, Brockport, NY.
Rinella, M. +, Hoock, A.M., Krolikowski, A. +, Ratcliff, J.J., & Margolin, S.J. (2012, January). The impact of
prior expectations on memory for authentic behaviors during a group pride display. Poster presented at the 13th Annual Society for Personality and Social Psychology Conference, San Diego, CA.
Driscoll, C.+, Toland, M.J. +, Margolin, S.J. (2011, April). The effect of technology on young adults' reading
comprehension. Paper presented at The College at Brockport's 28th Annual Scholar's Day, Brockport, NY.
Toland, M.J. +, & Margolin, S.J. (2010, April). Spelling and texting slang: The effects of integrating
alternative orthographies into the lexicon of individuals with established language proficiency. Paper presented at The College at Brockport’s 27th Annual Scholar’s Day, Brockport, NY.
Margolin, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2008, April). Not may not be too difficult: The effects of negation on older
adults’ reading comprehension. Poster presented at the 12th biennial Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Margolin, S.J., Bodack, K.L. +, & Abrams, L. (2006, April). The effects of negation on young and older
adults’ perception of spelling. Poster presented at the 11th biennial Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Sell, A. J. +, Margolin, S. J., Trunk, D. L., & Abrams, L. (2006, March). Using homophones in auditory
priming of tip-of-the-tongue resolution. Poster presented at Southeastern Psychological Association, Atlanta, GA.
Margolin, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2005, May). Implicit and explicit retrieval of spelling in young and older adults. Poster presented at the 17th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, Los Angeles, CA.
Margolin, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2005, April). Implicit and explicit retrieval of spelling in young and older
adults. Paper presented at the 20th annual meeting of the Southern Gerontological Society, Orlando, FL.
*Rotter, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2004, May). Older adults’ recall of paragraphs while detecting spelling during reading. Poster presented at the 16th annual convention of the American Psychological Society, Chicago, IL.
*Rotter, S.J., & Abrams, L. (2004, April). Where’s Walldo? Older adults’ detection of misspellings in
context. Poster presented at the 10th biennial Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
______
+ Indicates undergraduate student
++ Indicates Master's student
*My maiden name was Rotter.
Service
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
March 2013 ETS GRE Predictive Validity Study Site Coordinator
2012-2013 Job Search Committee- Developmental Position
Fall 2011 LITS 2011 Tech Fair: Tools for Teaching and Learning Co-developer & Participant
2011-2012 Assessment Committee
2013-2014
2011-present Graduate Advisory Committee Chairperson
2011-present Director of MA in Psychology Program
Fall 2010 Ad Hoc Graduate Council Committee Member- Reviewing Graduate Policies on
Directed and Independent Studies
2010-present College Graduate Council Member
2010- 2011 Graduate Advisory Committee Chair Elect
2010- 2011 Discretionary Salary Increase (DSI) Committee Chairperson
2010- 2011 Job Search Committee- Clinical/Developmental Position
2010-2011 Departmental Colloquium Series Co-chair
Spring 2010 Graduate Advisory Committee- Graduate Student Interviews
2009-present Campus-Wide Student Awards Committee
2009- 2010 Job Search Committee- Presidential Fellow
2009-2010 Job Search Committee- Experimental Position
Fall 2009 National Conference for Undergraduate Research Committee Chairperson
Fall 2010
2008-present Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Mentor
2008-2009 Discretionary Salary Increase (DSI) Committee Chairperson
2008-2009 Resource Committee
Fall 2008 “Move-In” Weekend Volunteer
Spring 2008 Psi Chi Induction
Spring 2009
Spring 2010
Spring 2011
2007-2008 Undergraduate Advisory Committee
2008-2009
2007-2008 Job Search Committee- Developmental Position
Fall 2007 Consultant for Subject Pool Committee Online Sign-Up System
Brockport Community
Dec. 2009- Editor of semi-annual “Cognitive Aging Newsletter”
present
January 2009 Topic Talk at Sweden Senior Center
Title: Cognitive Aging: What happens when we age?
2008-Present Volunteer at Sweden Senior Center
Professional Community
Spring 2014 Textbook Review for Cognitive Psychology (McBride & Cutting)
Spring 2014 Textbook Review for Cognitive Psychology (Sternberg & Sternberg)
Winter 2014 Textbook Review for Cognitive Psychology (McBride & Cutting)
Summer 2013 Textbook Review for Sensation and Perception Textbook (Schwarz & Krantz)
Summer 2013 Manuscript review for Behavior and Information Technology
Winter 2013 Review of Prospectus for Sensation and Perception Textbook (Schwartz & Krantz)
Summer 2012 Textbook review for Adult Development and Aging (Cavanaugh/Blanchard-Fields)
Spring 2011 Textbook Review for Sensation and Perception Textbook (Chaudhuri)
Fall 2010 Pre-revision Review for Research Methodology Reader
Summer 2009 Review of Proposal for Cognitive Psychology Textbook (Henderson & Ferreira)
University of Florida
2005-2006 Co-chair for Department Colloquium Series
Advising
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
Master's Thesis Advisor for Maryjo Manzer (2012-2014)
Title: Eye Movements and Orthographic Processing in Unexpectedly Poor Spellers
Master’s Thesis Committee Member for Hillary Weaver (2011-2012)
Title: Executive Function in External, Restrained, and Emotional Eaters
Master’s Thesis Committee Member for Karen Casilio (2011-2012)
Title: The Effects of Watching Television While Exercising
Master’s Thesis Advisor for Adriana Riano (2010-2012)
Title: Spell Checker Dependency? The Impact on Spelling Recognition & Producing Correctly Spelled Words
University of Florida
Mentoring Kate Lynn Bodack on Senior Honors Thesis
Title: The effects of negation on young and older adults' perception of spelling
Mentoring Andrea Sell on Senior Honors Thesis
Title: Using homophones in auditory priming of tip-of-the-tongue resolution
Professional Memberships
Society for the Teaching of Psychology Women in Cognitive Science