Undergraduate Research Faculty

At the end of the project, students should be able to:

• Define the terminology associated with research and theory in their field
• Describe past research studies in their field of study
• Articulate how their research study makes a contribution to their academic field
• Explain the rationale for choosing particular research methodologies and data analytic techniques
• Evaluate research studies they see in the media or encounter in other courses

At the end of the project, students should be able to:

• Locate primary and secondary sources related to their field of study
• Synthesize and critically analyze past research in their field of study
• Design a study to answer a research question 
• Develop a hypothesis
• Describe ethical research practices and apply those practices to a research study
• Write an IRB or IACUC proposal and become IRB certified
• Collect data for a research study
• Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
• Work effectively as part of a team
• Write a research paper 
• Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster, oral presentation, performance, display)

At the end of the project, students should be able to:

• Articulate what it means to be a scholar in their academic field
• Articulate the ways in which their research participation helps prepare them for graduate school and/or a career
• Describe appropriate professional conduct (e.g., at conferences, when interacting with professionals in the field)
• Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do differently in another research context

Although these outcomes are harder to measure, the literature suggests that after an undergraduate research experience, students tend to experience improvements in the following areas:

• Time management
• Self-confidence/self-esteem
• Independent thinking
• Problem-solving
• Organizational skills
• Leadership skills
• Intrinsic motivation
• Persistence on tasks

Baenninger, M., & Hakim, T. (1999). Undergraduate research as a curricular element: Multidisciplinary courses at the College of New Jersey. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 20, 9-13.

Bauer, K. W., & Bennett, J. S. (2003). Alumni perceptions used to assess undergraduate research experience. Journal of Higher Education, 74, 210-230.

Bowman, M. H., & Stage, F. K. (2002). Personalizing the goals of undergraduate research. Journal of College Science Teaching, 32, 120-125.

Chopin, S. F. (2002). Undergraduate research experiences: The translation of science education from reading to doing. The Anatomical Record, 269, 2-10.

Hunter, A., Laursen, S. L., & Seymour, E. (2006). Becoming a scientist: The role of undergraduate research in students’ cognitive, personal, and professional development. Science Education, 91, 36-74.

Hu, S., Scheuch, K., Schwartz, R., Gayles, J. G., & Li, S. (2008). Reinventing undergraduate education: Engaging college students in research and creative activities. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kardash, C. M. (2000). Evaluation of an undergraduate research experience: Perceptions of undergraduate interns and their faculty mentors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 191-201.

Landrum, R. E., & Nelson, L. R. (2002). The undergraduate research assistantship: An analysis of the benefits. Teaching of Psychology, 29, 15-19.

Lopatto, D. (2003). The essential features of undergraduate research. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 24, 139-142.

Lopatto, D. (2004). Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE): First Findings. Cell Biology Education, 3, 270-277.

Lopatto, D. (2004). What undergraduate research can tell us on research on learning. What Works, What Matters, and What Lasts, Volume IV. Retrieved from the Project Kaleidoscope website, http://www.pkal.org/documents/Vol4WhatUndergradResearchCanTellUs.cfm 

McKinney, K., Saxe, D., & Cobb, L. (1998). Are we really doing all we can for our undergraduates? Professional socialization via out-of-class experiences. Teaching Sociology, 26, 1-13.

Seymour, E., Hunter, A., Laursen, S. L., & Deantoni, T. (2004). Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three-year study. Science Education, 88, 493-534.

Thiry, H., & Laursen, S. (2009). Evaluation of the undergraduate research programs of the Biological Science Initiative: Students’ intellectual, personal and professional outcomes from participation in research. Report prepared for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Boulder, CO: Ethnography and Evaluation Research.