undergraduate research project guidelines

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 15 March 2019

A student’s guide to undergraduate research

• Shiwei Wang 0

Shiwei Wang is a junior undergraduate student studying Integrated Science and Chemistry at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Twitter: @W_Shiwei

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience working in a materials-chemistry laboratory at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, for the past two years. Being able to mix an undergraduate education with original research in a proper laboratory has been a fantastic opportunity.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00871-x

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

Wang, S. et al. Preprint at ChemRxiv https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.7824707.v2 (2019).

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How to do a Research Project: A Guide for Undergraduate Students

ISBN: 978-1-405-11489-9

January 2007

Wiley-Blackwell

Colin Robson

Friendly and accessible, this text includes a number of accompanying support materials to aid students further. Closely integrated sets of end-of-chapter tasks covering all aspects of research projects from design to completion, as well as lists of suggested further reading, enhance each chapter. Additionally, an extensive associated website at www.blackwellpublishing.com/researchproject gives students access to a wide range of helpful materials relevant to their particular needs, making this book an invaluable resource.

• A student-friendly and supportive guide to designing, implementing, analyzing and reporting on undergraduate degree projects.
• A key new volume for the vast study skills market, written by the author of the bestselling Real World Research, Second Edition (Blackwell, 2002).
• Useful for students studying within the fields of education, health, social work, and the social sciences.
• Includes closely integrated end-of-chapter tasks, covering all aspects of designing and completing the project.
• Features links to extensive website material appropriate for a wide range of disciplines and fields of study which use social research methods.

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• Guide to Undergraduate Research at Duke

Duke is among the top universities for research, but when you think of research, do you think of undergraduates?

If you answered no, think again. Research isn’t only for faculty or graduate students; undergrads can begin participating in research in a multitude of ways from as early as their first year at Duke.

The  Directors of Academic Engagement , faculty, and students from across Duke took time this year to explain the value of research experiences for undergraduates and break down the elusive process of finding a research project.

From Dance and English, Political Science and Psychology, to Biology and Neuroscience, these Duke researchers demonstrate the various types of opportunities available to students in all areas of Duke while breaking down myths that research is out of reach.

 Welcome to Undergraduate Research at Duke 

Start with a passion

If students feel overwhelmed by the options available to them, they aren’t alone, says  Bridgette Hard , professor of the practice of  Psychology & Neuroscience . There are many options for students at Duke to pursue research, whether through independent study or work with individual faculty mentors,  summer research programs  or through established, interdisciplinary programs like  Bass Connections .

The first step in research is taking a step — any step — especially if it is still the first year.

What is successful research?

Sometimes research fails. You uncover information or results that you didn’t expect. Plans fall apart, or new hurdles appear along the way. What’s next? Duke researchers discuss why this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and how “failing” research might actually be successful in the long run. 

“Nothing is unproductive in research…and nothing is unproductive in the way you get involved in research at Duke. Everything is a learning process,” says Director of Academic Engagement Jules Odendahl-James.

Finding partners in research

At Duke, there are many avenues to connect to others doing research and lots of people who are interested in helping. The key is finding the right people.

“The institution is resource rich,” says  Iyun Ashani Harrison , associate professor of the practice in  Dance . “Access to intellectuals, to ideas, it influences your processes, your research, how you imagine yourself in the world and what you might be able to do.”

The unexpected gifts of research

The benefits of engaging in research aren’t limited merely to research outcomes.

“Meeting people that you didn’t know you should know,” is one of the most important outcomes of participating in research according to  Candis Watts Smith , associate professor of  Political Science . Listen as other faculty and students share the benefits they have found from participating in research at Duke.

To take the next step — or the first step — in exploring research opportunities at Duke, students can visit this  page for   many resources on identifying mentors conducting research of interest and ideas for contacting potential mentors. 

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Get Started

Main navigation, find your research focus.

Start with your interests. What would you like to learn more about? Talk to your advisors, professors, and peers. Get suggestions for where to look for existing project opportunities, or brainstorm project ideas.

Learn more about  Getting Started With Undergraduate Research: Options and Opportunities  (recorded video link).

Develop Your Project

The first step in taking on any independent project is to reflect on your intellectual interests, questions, and goals.

Team up with other Stanford scholars to learn how different disciplines approach the research process.

A good relationship with a faculty mentor is the cornerstone of all successful undergrad research and independent projects.

Fill your research toolbox with a unique combination of skills and knowledge.

Consider the time scale and resources you have to build a successful independent project.

Off-campus projects require extra preparation and careful planning.

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Undergraduate Research and Creative Collaborations

Guidelines for undergraduate participation in faculty research projects, including independent laboratory research and research volunteers.

Approved Oct 27, 2021

Participating in independent research as an undergraduate within laboratories and other research and creative project opportunities directed by Brandeis faculty is a valuable educational experience encouraged across the academic disciplines. The following guidelines are based on historical practices at Brandeis and provide a basic outline for the process.

Students must have permission from the faculty mentor (principal investigator [PI] responsible for operation of the group or leading the research project) to participate in the research or lab project.

A member of the research team should be designated to act as a direct supervisor (grad student, post-doc, research staff member and/or the faculty mentor/PI themselves).

Student researchers must comply with all applicable safety, confidentiality and compliance rules, documented through completing mandatory online or in-person training, including human subjects policies (IRB) or animal research rules (IACUC). The faculty PI is responsible for ensuring that all students have completed all required training before commencing research, and that they comply with all relevant rules and protocols.

In normal circumstances, students either should be paid or receive academic credit for independent research.

Students will normally register for a course during the academic year. The one-credit courses numbered 91g (“Introduction to Research Practice”) will cover most students starting on a research project.

In exceptional circumstances, students may petition to volunteer outside of the employment and course structures for a period of up to four months. Petitions should originate with the faculty mentor and be approved first by the department chair or their designate, and then by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Collaborations Office ( URCC). Volunteers are not allowed to participate until the petition is approved.

Situations for which a volunteer position may be appropriate might include:

Starting research during the middle of a semester.

Working during the summer if fellowship or grant funding is unavailable.

Volunteering in a lab for more than one summer or semester should be avoided.

Only projects with a research or learning component are governed by these rules. Students whose only task is support (e.g., making media, flipping flies, copying documents, etc.) should always be paid as hourly student employees. Faculty can review the defining characteristics of an unpaid volunteer position as described in the U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheet on unpaid internships .

All students are strongly encouraged to contact the URCC which can assist in finding appropriate research opportunities or fellowships to fund their research participation.

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A student’s guide to undergraduate research

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Originally written by Shiwei Wang for Nature journal in March 2019.

Participating in original research during your undergraduate studies can greatly expand your learning experience. However, finding the project can be a challenging task, so here’s a short but comprehensive guide that can help you get the most out of an undergraduate research opportunity.

Choose the right lab

Learn to think like a scientist. A lot of people start their undergraduate research by glancing at the faculty list and e-mailing multiple professors whose work seems interesting. Although this might get you a position somewhere, it is not the most effective approach. Before looking at labs, dive into the science to find out which areas fascinate you. Read a lot, go to talks, and talk to your professors not just about their classes, but about science in general as well.

Subscribe to e-mail newsletters from journals such as Nature and Science. Try to read research highlights and science news regularly. Podcasts and articles by, for example, Nature, Science, Scientific American or Quanta can also be interesting sources of information. Follow academics, journals and universities on Twitter. Start your undergraduate research by learning more about science, thinking like a scientist and working out what you love.

Look for questions, not subjects. You might have chosen a major to study, but don’t let this limit your search for research labs. Modern labs are interdisciplinary and very different from what you do in undergrad labs. Instead of limiting your search to your department, try to look at labs in all related departments. Choose labs on the basis of the questions they’re trying to answer.

Mentoring is as important as research. Contact group members to learn about your prospective laboratory’s environment. Are the group members close? Is the lab friendly or competitive and condescending? Is the lab head hands-off or hands-on? The size of the group is also important. If you join a small group, you’ll have a higher chance of being mentored directly by your principal investigator, whereas in a big group, you are more likely to be mentored by a postdoctoral researcher or graduate student.

Reach out with confidence. Once you’ve determined that the research programme interests you and the group dynamic is healthy, send the principal investigator an e-mail. Make sure to explain why you’re interested in working in the lab and that you have spoken to other lab members. Be patient if they don’t reply. If you don’t receive a response after a week or so, send a second e-mail or reach out in other ways, such as by asking group members to enquire for you.

Get the most out of the experience

Start your research with reading, and keep on reading. Usually, the principal investigator will assign you a mentor and a project. Ask for literature to read: learning about the state of the field and why the work is important will help you to push the project forward. Read about your field as well as other, totally unrelated fields. As an undergraduate, you have the freedom to change your major and your future plans. Make sure to strike a balance between reading and conducting experiments. It’s hard to do both at the same time, but it will make you a better scientist.

Set specific goals for yourself and let your mentors know. Think about what you want from your research and how much time you are willing to put in. Besides learning the techniques, do you want to learn how to analyse results and design experiments? Do you want to learn how to write proposals by applying for undergraduate research grants? Do you want to improve your presentation skills by going to conferences? Do you want to potentially finish a project for publication? Working out what you want to achieve will help you to direct your time effectively.

Research takes time. Don’t blame yourself if experiments don’t work or the project is not moving forward as fast as you expected. Science is about failing and trying again. Getting used to and coping with frustration is part of the learning curve of research.

Find a healthy balance. University is already a lot of work, and research will only take up more time. When planning your schedule, try to allocate large blocks of time (whole afternoons or individual days) to research. Rushing through a procedure could be unsafe and will often produce useless results. Always plan extra time for experiments. Consider working less in the lab during exam weeks so you don’t get overwhelmed. Talk to your mentor about your schedule and feelings regularly, so that you can arrange experiments at times that suit you, and you can keep on top of your mental health.

Find financial support. If you wish to do research at your own institution over the summer, your institution might offer funding to cover your expenses. If you want to go to another university, you can apply for funding from that institution’s undergraduate research programme, or from foundations, companies or academic societies. For example, the US National Science Foundation offers a Research Experiences for Undergraduates programme. Universities, foundations and academic societies might also offer grants to cover your travel expense to various conferences. Don’t let money limit what you want to do. Talk to senior students or professors, or search online to find all the opportunities!

Always think about the big picture. Your undergraduate research doesn’t define what you’re going to do after your degree. Keep reading and taking classes outside your comfort zone. Explore and learn as much as possible. Working out what you love is the best preparation you can get for the rest of your career.

Read the full article on the Nature website.

To find a research opportunity at Johns Hopkins University, visit the Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research website .

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Research proposal guidelines

General guidelines.

• Proposal should be 4-6 pages in length (double-spaced). This page limit does not include references, additional figures, timeline, etc.  Do not include a cover page or your abstract in the proposal document.
• Name your documents with your last name, your first name, dash, and what the document is (e.g. smithjoan-proposal.doc, smithjoan-budget.pdf)
• Submit your proposal via the online application form as a Word document or as a PDF.  Be sure your file has the appropriate extension (.doc or .pdf).
• If you use the track changes feature to get feedback on your proposal, be sure to accept or reject the changes and turn off reviewing and turn off comments (and re-save the document) before submitting. Close the document and reopen it to be sure that all tracking and comments have actually been removed.
• Your application will not be considered for funding unless your research mentor confirms that he/she has seen the final version of your proposal.  It is your responsibility to consult with your research mentor about your proposal and to ensure that he/she has seen the final version before the application deadline.

Your proposal must be divided into sections as described below (be sure to clearly label the sections):

1.  Project information

• state what the project is
• explain why the project is important
• discuss relevant literature and/or previous work in the area
• describe the project: what exactly are you planning to do
• describe how your background in academics and/or other areas has prepared you to do this project
• describe any language and/or cultural barriers as well as potential safety concerns you may encounter in the course of your project

2.  Timeline for the project

• include a timeline for your research (for example, list what you expect to be doing each week during your project)
• if you plan to travel off campus for your research, provide an itinerary for where you plan to be and when you will be there  

3.  Additional information

• Confirm that you will be working on this research full time throughout the funded term.
• If you will be doing anything else during the term of your proposed research (e.g. employment, personal travel, extracurricular activities) explain what these are and specify number of hours per week that you will be devoting to them.
• If the research is related to your senior honors thesis, explain the relationship of the research to your honors thesis (proposed or in progress) and also specify whether your research advisor is also your thesis advisor
• Describe your understanding of the Shoals Marine Lab facility and how you will adapt to the island's relative isolation

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UGRA Proposal Guidelines

NOTICE: The proposal format requirements have changed slightly since last semester.

Your UGRA proposal will be evaluated using one of the following rubrics provided to faculty reviewers: Research Project Rubric (.docx) or Creative Project Rubric (.docx) We recommend that you read over the appropriate rubric and use it while revising your proposal.

Your proposal should:

• be no more than 5 total pages, including your text content (~2000 words), figures, images, image captions, references, footnotes, appendices, etc.
• be single-spaced and typed using Times New Roman 12 point font for main content. Additional text can be used as needed to support figures, images, captions, footnotes, etc.
• have 1 inch margins top, bottom, right, and left.
• have a title at the top of the first page. Please do not include your name.
• include the following sections: abstract/summary, background and introduction, methods and approach, applicant's preparation, conclusion, and references. Optional content may include figures, charts, and images.
• be saved as a PDF with file name LastnameProposal.PDF. For example, SmithProposal.PDF

***Proposals not meeting the criteria outlined above may not be considered for review.

Guidelines for:

• Students working in groups: Students applying as part of a group need to each submit their own proposal. Proposals should not be written together and, therefore, should not share written content (ie, identical sentences or paragraphs). Reviewers must be able to see that each student has a full understanding of the project since each student will receive an individual scholarship.
• Students who have previously received a UGRA:  If applying for a second award, students should submit a full proposal even when continuing on the same project. This proposal needs to include a brief update on their progress either in the Background and Introduction section or the Methods and Approach section. The Methods and Approach should then describe the next steps of the project. Much of your proposal may stay the same, but be sure to include any newly relevant background information if the project has shifted directions or new information was published.

Your UGRA proposal is required to include the following sections:

1. Abstract/Summary 

Purpose : In one paragraph, summarize your proposal. Give the reader a general sense of the field, the problem or idea your work will address, and how you will accomplish this project.

Guiding Questions

• Why will you do this work?
• What will you do (think broadly for this section)?
• And how will you do it?
• This is your chance to make a good first impression on your readers; it should clearly convey what your project is and why it is important enough to fund.
• Connect your project to the big picture.
• This section is a summary of your entire proposal, so write it last.
• For tips on writing research proposals, see The Professor Is In blog's " Foolproof Research Grant Template ," as well as posts on how to talk about the big issue in your project and the contribution to the literature .
• Visit the KU Writing Center’s webpage .

2. Background and Introduction 

Purpose: This section has two goals: 1) summarize the work that’s been done in your area and 2) explain how your work will contribute to this field of study. In many fields, this section is referred to as the literature review. It must include citations of previous research or creative work related to your topic.

• What is already known or has been done in this area?
• For creative projects: Which artists have done similar work or explored similar themes? 
• How will this project add to what is already known or has been done?
• For creative projects: What is your creative vision for the project? What is the inspiration for your project?
• This section is commonly referred to as a literature review.  The purpose is to position your project within the academic conversation about your topic.
• You must cite the published work that you review in this section and list it in the References section. Proposals that do not cite other works in this section and include them in the References section will not be funded.
• Focus on the key publications needed to outline the current state of the field; typical UGRA proposals include 5-10 sources.
• Be sure to synthesize your sources; this section should read more like a story than a list. Avoid direct quotes; they make it harder for you to synthesize multiple works into a story. Show how your project continues the story by explaining your contribution.
• Watch this video about the B.E.A.M. system for organizing sources for some tips.

3. Methods and Approach

Purpose: Describe what you will actually do for your project and why you will take this approach. You need to include a timeline that clearly details the work that you will complete during the semester of the award.

• What will you actually do? What data will you be using?  How will you collect it?  How will you analyze it? What materials or resources will you need? 
• What are the major steps to complete this project?
• How will the results of these methods allow you to address your original question?
• Is the project that you’ve outlined feasible in one semester?
• Will you work with human subjects? If so, how will you meet the requirements of the KU Human Subjects Committee (HSCL)? Consult your mentor for help with this process.
• For creative projects: How will you approach and get feedback on your work?
• Why did you select the particular methods/techniques you’ve described?
• Be specific to show the reviewer that you have thought through the process and are prepared to begin your project.
• Relevant details you might mention (depending on project type) include: descriptions of methods and rationale for choosing them, any software or equipment you’ll use and why, a description of your creative process, and/or controls for proposed experiments.
• Explain the choices you have made in designing your project.  Why are you choosing this method over another?  Are there other studies that have used a similar approach?  Show the reviewer that you understand not just what you are doing for your project, but why you are doing it.
• Use the timeline to help you and the reviewers ensure that you are proposing a feasible project for one semester. A chart or table is an easy way to provide the timeline.
• If the project is part of a larger research program or a long-term interest, make clear what part of the larger project will be completed during the one semester term of the grant.
• Cite your method's origin paper or other work using this technique to show that your approach is standard in the field.
• Use a first person narrative here, especially when you are working as part of a research group. Reviewers will have a better idea of what you are doing versus what others will do.
• Don't forget to describe your data analysis plan, especially any statistical methods you plan to use, and how this analysis will tie back to the original question you set out to address. This is a common mistake that reviewers catch.
• If you are working on a multi-semester project, be sure to provide the most details about the award period that you are applying for.  The reviewer will want to see what work would be funded if you had the award.

4. Applicant's Preparation

Purpose : Describe your preparation and qualifications to complete this project.

• What experiences, coursework, or training have you done that will give you the needed background knowledge and skills to undertake the project?
• Did you complete coursework that is relevant? What specific skills or background information did you learn in these classes that prepared you for your project?
• Did you learn a language, technique, or laboratory skill that you’ll use?
• Or have you already been doing faculty mentored research or independent study on this topic?
• Do not skimp on this section; be sure to write at least one paragraph here to make the case that you can complete this project.  The reviewer needs to be able to see whether you have the skills and background knowledge needed to complete the project.
• Rather than telling the reviewer that you are qualified, show them.  Saying "I am prepared to do this research project" is not as convincing as saying "I used X technique in my BIOL 123 class, earned an A in my BIOL 456 course, and have already begun preparations to do Y procedure in my work in Prof. Z's lab this semester."
• Keep in mind that UGRA reviewers will not be viewing your transcripts as part of your UGRA application, so if you have taken relevant courses you should mention them, what grade you received in those classes, and how they will help you complete the proposed project.
• If you do not already have a skill that you will need to complete the project, be sure to address how you will get that knowledge or training. 

5. Conclusion

Purpose: Show a clear connection between the different parts of your proposal.  Summarize key points of your proposal for one final reminder of what you’re doing, how you’ll do it, and why. This is your final sales pitch to the reviewer and a good time to return to how your project relates to the big picture.

• How will the results and outcomes of your proposed work tie back to your original intent?   In other words, explain how and why your proposed approach will help you achieve your goal. 
• How will you disseminate your work? 
• What criteria will you use to evaluate your success?
• Clearly show the reviewer the connections between your initial intent, proposed work, and anticipated outcomes.  You want to convince your reviewer that the overall goals of your project are important, and that the plan you’ve outlined will move you toward those goals.

6. References

Purpose: List the materials you are citing in your proposal. 

• Did you list every source you cited in the text?
• Did you include the most important and relevant sources for your project?
• Use the citation style most commonly used in your discipline for both the in-text citations and the reference list.
• Your references do not count towards your 2,000 word limit.
• You should not include any references that are not cited in the text of the proposal.

7. (Optional) Figures, Charts, and Images

Purpose: You may include any figures, charts, images, etc. that are helpful in explaining your work, either as an appendix or within the body of your work. 

• Is there an idea you’re trying to communicate in words that would be easier to understand in picture form?
• Do you have portfolio pieces that will demonstrate the type of artwork or product you are proposing to create?
• Do you have a survey or interview tool you’d like to reference as an appendix?
• Do you have preliminary data showing that a new technique works?
• Keep it simple. Only include information that is needed to understand the proposal. Don’t include a figure or image just to have one.
• Any figures, charts, images, and examples of artwork need to be referred to within the text of the proposal. Without explanation, the reader does not know why you are including them.
• Label any figures, charts, and images with a descriptive title, caption, and/or legend for easy reference.
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Program guidelines.

• Why Participate in SURE?
• Past Projects

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program aims to grow and enhance the undergraduate research experience for UM-Dearborn students. The SURE program accomplishes this through faculty mentorship and training while students participate in a faculty member’s research or scholarly project. As part of their training, students are required to attend a series of professional development sessions covering topics such as responsible conduct in research, using library research resources, creating an elevator pitch, translating experiences in your resume, and successful presentation techniques.

• Faculty application submission deadline: March 11, 2024.   

If you are a current UM-Dearborn undergraduate student who will graduate December 2024 or after and are interested in participating, please contact a faculty member in your discipline who is conducting research or contact [email protected] with your research interests and we will see if we can help match you.

Expectations

The primary role of the faculty members is mentoring undergraduate students. Although the program aims to support the research agenda of the individual faculty members, the program primarily focuses on student experience and training future researchers. Faculty members are expected to design a research experience for students that address the following points.

• Design and oversee a research project that is compatible with the student's background and interests.
• Exposure to the general research area and methods of the discipline.
• Introduction to various venues to present and publish.

Faculty mentors are expected to participate in the following:

• Attend at least one professional development session for all SURE students.
• Attend the SURE faculty mentor orientation in May.
• Attend (with the student researcher) the SURE kickoff meeting in May.
• Provide feedback on the design and expectations of the program.
• Attend the SURE Showcase in September.
• Complete a reflection survey at the end of the program.
• Work with the students to complete student expectations.

Student Participant Requirements:

• Current UM-Dearborn undergraduate student who will graduate December 2024 or after.
• Attend the SURE kickoff meeting in May.
• Participate in 4 of several student professional development sessions on various topics offered throughout the summer
• Present at the SURE Showcase in September.
• Complete two surveys (one in May and one in September).
• Applications were due by 11:59 pm on March 11, 2023 .
• Incomplete applications will be returned during the administrative review; they can be corrected if time allows but must be resubmitted by the stated deadline.

Eligibility

• The applicant must be a member of the faculty of UM-Dearborn.
• The selected student must be a registered UM-Dearborn undergraduate student who will graduate December 2024 or after  and has not participated in a previous SURE program
• Application Limit - one application (with a single undergraduate researcher) per eligible faculty member will be accepted.
• All reports from the applicant’s previous Dearborn Campus Grants must be current.

Project Period

• The faculty mentor and student researcher will design a schedule to work on the project between May and August 2024.

Budget Guidelines & Award Administration

• Experience Plus will manage the administration of the students' stipends.
• Funds provide a stipend to an undergraduate student as a summer research fellow. The student will be paid $3,200 in four installments.*
• Additional project expenses are the responsibility of the faculty member. For funding for supplies, please see the campus Faculty Research Mini Grant .

*For stipends and other funds not tied to employment (e.g., stipends received as part of participating in SURE), the university does not report the stipend on a federal or state form and does not withhold any taxes. This does NOT relieve the recipient from the obligation of reporting these amounts on his/her individual income tax returns and paying the tax liability on the taxable portion of the stipend.

Application Requirements

The following sections are required:

• Lay abstract - A brief summary of your research project written for members of the public rather than researchers or professionals. It should be written in plain English, avoid the use of jargon or acronyms and include an explanation of any technical terms.
• Expected contribution/role the student will have on the proposed project.
• An outline of how you will mentor this student, including engagement, training on the research project, and career planning. 
• The impact the learning and overall professional growth of your student mentee (e.g., educational value, bridge to graduate or career goals, etc.).
• Brief description of the student candidate or potential student profile.

Human Subjects or Animal Research (if applicable)

• Projects including work with human subjects (e.g., surveys, interviews, data collection, etc.) require approval from the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board (IRB) before work can begin. For more information see the Human Subjects Compliance page.
• Projects including work with vertebrate animals will need approval from the University of Michigan's Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) before work can begin. For more information see the Animal Care & Use Program (ACUP) page.
• Proof of IRB/IACUC approval is required prior to release of funds.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based upon the following:

• What are the merit and quality of the proposed work and expected outcomes or products?
• Does the proposed work fit the intended purpose, guidelines, and program requirements?
• How essential is the student to furthering the project?
• Is the student contribution made clear in the application?
• Does the faculty researcher have a mentoring plan or clear and specific goals for the mentoring?

Reporting Requirements at Project Completion

• Participation in the professional development series as well as the Summer Undergraduate Research Program Fall Showcase are required
• Faculty and student participants will be required to complete assessment surveys in the process of the program.
• Future funding by the UM-Dearborn Campus Grants program is contingent upon fulfilling the program reporting requirements.

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Undergraduate Research in Chemistry Guide

Research is the pursuit of new knowledge through the process of discovery. Scientific research involves diligent inquiry and systematic observation of phenomena. Most scientific research projects involve experimentation, often requiring testing the effect of changing conditions on the results. The conditions under which specific observations are made must be carefully controlled, and records must be meticulously maintained. This ensures that observations and results can be are reproduced. Scientific research can be basic (fundamental) or applied. What is the difference? The National Science Foundation uses the following definitions in its resource surveys:

• Basic research The objective of basic research is to gain more comprehensive knowledge or understanding of the subject under study, without specific applications in mind. In industry, basic research is defined as research that advances scientific knowledge but does not have specific immediate commercial objectives, although it may be in fields of present or potential commercial interest.
• Applied research Applied research is aimed at gaining knowledge or understanding to determine the means by which a specific, recognized need may be met. In industry, applied research includes investigations oriented to discovering new scientific knowledge that has specific commercial objectives with respect to products, processes, or services.

Get on the path to graduate school with our comprehensive guide to selecting an institution and preparing for graduate studies.

What is research at the undergraduate level?

At the undergraduate level, research is self-directed work under the guidance and supervision of a mentor/advisor ― usually a university professor. A gradual transition towards independence is encouraged as a student gains confidence and is able to work with minor supervision. Students normally participate in an ongoing research project and investigate phenomena of interest to them and their advisor. In the chemical sciences, the range of research areas is quite broad. A few groups maintain their research area within a single classical field of analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, chemical education or theoretical chemistry. More commonly, research groups today are interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries across fields and across other disciplines, such as physics, biology, materials science, engineering and medicine.

What are the benefits of being involved in undergraduate research?

There are many benefits to undergraduate research, but the most important are:

• Learning, learning, learning. Most chemists learn by working in a laboratory setting. Information learned in the classroom is more clearly understood and it is more easily remembered once it has been put into practice. This knowledge expands through experience and further reading. From the learning standpoint, research is an extremely productive cycle.
• Experiencing chemistry in a real world setting. The equipment, instrumentation and materials used in research labs are generally more sophisticated, advanced, and of far better quality than those used in lab courses
• Getting the excitement of discovery. If science is truly your vocation, regardless of any negative results, the moment of discovery will be truly exhilarating. Your results are exclusive. No one has ever seen them before.
• Preparing for graduate school. A graduate degree in a chemistry-related science is mostly a research degree. Undergraduate research will not only give you an excellent foundation, but working alongside graduate students and post-doctorates will provide you with a unique opportunity to learn what it will be like.

Is undergraduate research required for graduation?

Many chemistry programs now require undergraduate research for graduation. There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in research, either during the academic year, summer, or both. If your home institution is not research intensive, you may find opportunities at other institutions, government labs, and industries.

What will I learn by participating in an undergraduate research program?

Conducting a research project involves a series of steps that start at the inquiry level and end in a report. In the process, you learn to:

• Conduct scientific literature searches
• Read, interpret and extract information from journal articles relevant to the project
• Design experimental procedures to obtain data and/or products of interest
• Operate instruments and implement laboratory techniques not usually available in laboratories associated with course work
• Interpret results, reach conclusions, and generate new ideas based on results
• Interact professionally (and socially) with students and professors within the research group, department and school as well as others from different schools, countries, cultures and backgrounds
• Communicate results orally and in writing to other peers, mentors, faculty advisors, and members of the scientific community at large via the following informal group meeting presentations, reports to mentor/advisor, poster presentations at college-wide, regional, national or international meetings; formal oral presentations at scientific meetings; or journal articles prepared for publication

When should I get involved in undergraduate research?

Chemistry is an experimental science. We recommended that you get involved in research as early in your college life as possible. Ample undergraduate research experience gives you an edge in the eyes of potential employers and graduate programs.

While most mentors prefer to accept students in their research labs once they have developed some basic lab skills through general and organic lab courses, some institutions have programs that involve students in research projects the summer prior to their freshman year. Others even involve senior high school students in summer research programs. Ask your academic/departmental advisor about the options available to you.

How much time should I allocate to research?

The quick answer is as much as possible without jeopardizing your course work. The rule of thumb is to spend 3 to 4 hours working in the lab for every credit hour in which you enroll. However, depending on the project, some progress can be achieved in just 3-4 hours of research/week. Most advisors would recommend 8-10 hours/week.

Depending on your project, a few of those hours may be of intense work and the rest may be spent simply monitoring the progress of a reaction or an instrumental analysis. Many research groups work on weekends. Saturdays are excellent days for long, uninterrupted periods of lab work.

How do I select an advisor?

This is probably the most important step in getting involved in undergraduate research. The best approach is multifaceted. Get informed about research areas and projects available in your department, which are usually posted on your departmental website under each professor’s name.

Talk to other students who are already involved in research. If your school has an ACS Student Chapter , make a point to talk to the chapter’s members. Ask your current chemistry professor and lab instructor for advice. They can usually guide you in the right direction. If a particular research area catches your interest, make an appointment with the corresponding professor.

Let the professor know that you are considering getting involved in research, you have read a bit about her/his research program, and that you would like to find out more. Professors understand that students are not experts in the field, and they will explain their research at a level that you will be able to follow. Here are some recommended questions to ask when you meet with this advisor:

• Is there a project(s) within her/his research program suitable for an undergraduate student?
• Does she/he have a position/space in the lab for you?
• If you were to work in her/his lab, would you be supervised directly by her/him or by a graduate student? If it is a graduate student, make a point of meeting with the student and other members of the research group. Determine if their schedule matches yours. A night owl may not be able to work effectively with a morning person.
• Does she/he have funding to support the project? Unfunded projects may indicate that there may not be enough resources in the lab to carry out the project to completion. It may also be an indication that funding agencies/peers do not consider this work sufficiently important enough for funding support. Of course there are exceptions. For example, a newly hired assistant professor may not have external funding yet, but he/she may have received “start-up funds” from the university and certainly has the vote of confidence of the rest of the faculty. Otherwise he/she would not have been hired. Another classical exception is computational chemistry research, for which mostly fast computers are necessary and therefore external funding is needed to support research assistants and computer equipment only. No chemicals, glassware, or instrumentation will be found in a computational chemistry lab.
• How many of his/her articles got published in the last two or three years? When prior work has been published, it is a good indicator that the research is considered worthwhile by the scientific community that reviews articles for publication. Ask for printed references. Number of publications in reputable refereed journals (for example ACS journals) is an excellent indicator of the reputation of the researcher and the quality of his/her work.

Here is one last piece of advice: If the project really excites you and you get satisfactory answers to all your questions, make sure that you and the advisor will get along and that you will enjoy working with him/her and other members of the research group.

Remember that this advisor may be writing recommendation letters on your behalf to future employers, graduate schools, etc., so you want to leave a good impression. To do this, you should understand that the research must move forward and that if you become part of a research team, you should do your best to achieve this goal. At the same time, your advisor should understand your obligations to your course work and provide you with a degree of flexibility.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to do your best on both course work and research. Make sure that the advisor is committed to supervising you as much as you are committed to doing the required work and putting in the necessary/agreed upon hours.

What are some potential challenges?

• Time management . Each project is unique, and it will be up to you and your supervisor to decide when to be in the lab and how to best utilize the time available to move the project forward.
• Different approaches and styles . Not everyone is as clean and respectful of the equipment of others as you are. Not everyone is as punctual as you are. Not everyone follows safety procedures as diligently as you do. Some groups have established protocols for keeping the lab and equipment clean, for borrowing equipment from other members, for handling common equipment, for research meetings, for specific safety procedures, etc. Part of learning to work in a team is to avoid unnecessary conflict while establishing your ground to doing your work efficiently.
• “The project does not work.” This is a statement that advisors commonly hear from students. Although projects are generally very well conceived, and it is people that make projects work, the nature of research is such that it requires patience, perseverance, critical thinking, and on many occasions, a change in direction. Thoroughness, attention to detail, and comprehensive notes are crucial when reporting the progress of a project.

Be informed, attentive, analytical, and objective. Read all the background information. Read user manuals for instruments and equipment. In many instances the reason for failure may be related to dirty equipment, contaminated reagents, improperly set instruments, poorly chosen conditions, lack of thoroughness, and/or lack of resourcefulness. Repeating a procedure while changing one parameter may work sometimes, while repeating the procedure multiple times without systematic changes and observations probably will not.

When reporting failures or problems, make sure that you have all details at hand. Be thorough in you assessment. Then ask questions. Advisors usually have sufficient experience to detect errors in procedures and are able to lead you in the right direction when the student is able to provide all the necessary details. They also have enough experience to know when to change directions. Many times one result may be unexpected, but it may be interesting enough to lead the investigation into a totally different avenue. Communicate with your advisor/mentor often.

Are there places other than my institution where I can conduct research?

Absolutely! Your school may be close to other universities, government labs and/or industries that offer part-time research opportunities during the academic year. There may also be summer opportunities in these institutions as well as in REU sites (see next question).

Contact your chemistry department advisor first. He/she may have some information readily available for you. You can also contact nearby universities, local industries and government labs directly or through the career center at your school. You can also find listings through ACS resources:

• Research Opportunities (US only)
• International Research Opportunities
• Internships and Summer Jobs

What are Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites? When should I apply for a position in one of them?

REU is a program established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support active research participation by undergraduate students at host institutions in the United States or abroad. An REU site may offer projects within a single department/discipline or it may have projects that are inter-departmental and interdisciplinary. There are currently over 70 domestic and approximately 5 international REU sites with a chemistry theme. Sites consist of 10-12 students each, although there are larger sites that supplement NSF funding with other sources. Students receive stipends and, in most cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Most REU sites invite rising juniors and rising seniors to participate in research during the summer. Experience in research is not required to apply, except for international sites where at least one semester or summer of prior research experience is recommended. Applications usually open around November or December for participation during the following summer. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. Some REU sites with supplementary funds from other sources may accept international students that are enrolled at US institutions.

• Get more information about REU sites

How do I prepare a scientific research poster?

Here are some links to sites with very useful information and samples.

• How to Prepare a Proper Scientific Paper or Poster
• Creating Effective Poster Presentations
• Designing Effective Poster Presentations

Research and Internship Opportunities

• Internships and Fellowships Find internships, fellowships, and cooperative education opportunities.
• SCI Scholars Internship Program Industrial internships for chemistry and chemical engineering undergraduates.
• ACS International Center Fellowships, scholarships, and research opportunities around the globe

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Guidelines for Undergraduate Research Applications

Undergraduate Research Grant applications provide faculty of University of Mary Washington with an opportunity to guide degree-seeking,  undergraduate  students in the skills of conducting a specialized research project or experience and should be treated in that pre-professional learning context.  Students are expected to participate significantly in writing the application and the project report.

While grant projects are usually completed within one semester, it is possible to make a request in the Fall semester application period for a project that will be completed by the end of the Spring semester.  An interim progress report is required for all approved two-semester projects and is due by the deadline for final reports for fall semester projects (see below under “Required Report”).

Required Application Materials:

Applications must address all points stated on the undergraduate undergraduate research grant application . Grant applications lacking the necessary signatures on the cover sheet will not be considered.

The application MUST include a  description of the proposed activity.   This description must outline the goals of the project, present a brief case for the project’s significance, and explain the activity’s relevance to the applicant’s scholarly and professional development.    This description should be written clearly and in non-technical, jargon-free language appropriate for a general audience. The application  must  also indicate the frequency and nature of the interaction during the project between the student and the sponsoring faculty member.

As part of the application, the proposal  must include a budget  on which all requested funds are listed with costs provided.

NOTE : If you are planning to request funds to travel out of the country, you will be  required  to enroll in Medical Insurance with Center for International Education (CIE), for the time you are abroad. ALL students who travel internationally for their research will work with UMW’s CIE and follow the steps for  Research Abroad . Please contact CIE at  [email protected]  or (540) 654-1434 for assistance.

Finally, the faculty sponsor  must   provide a short “rationale statement” explaining why the student and the proposed project merit consideration for funding.

Role of the Student:

• Complete Grant Proposal Cover Sheet
• Participate significantly in writing the application and the project report
• Explain activities relevance to scholarly development
• Indicate the frequency and nature of the interaction during the project between the student and the sponsoring faculty member
• A project report is due in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office by the first day of classes in the semester following the grant period
• Interim progress report is required for all approved two-semester projects and is due by the deadline for final reports for fall semester projects

Role of the Faculty Sponsor:

• Work with the student on the supported research project
• Serve as the student’s main point of contact regarding the procedures required for spending the awarded grant funds.
• For research supplies  – help the student understand required purchasing procedures or may instruct the student on who to see in the department (e.g. the department office manager) for assistance.
• For travel  –will create a travel pre-approval ( request for travel ) and/or an expense report ( reimbursement ) in Chrome River for their student(s). However, if the faculty member may delegate out to a designee, that faculty member will need to approve the request before it will route to the next approver in line. If you cannot find the student in Chrome River, the student will need to complete a  COVW-9  (NOT the Vendor Registration Form) and submit the completed form to Accounts Payable (the State will not accept electronic signatures, it must be hand-written).
• Provide a short “rationale statement” explaining why the student and the proposed project merit consideration for funding.

Required Report:

A brief end-of-semester project report is due in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office by the first day of classes in the semester following the grant period.  The report should describe the project’s achieved objectives, summarize the budget expenditures made, and provide brief overall commentary about the outcome of the undergraduate research project. Dr. Elizabeth Lewis will email you a link to a form for this report near the end of your funding period.

General guidelines for decisions on grant proposals:

• Applicants for Undergraduate Research Grants must be enrolled as degree-seeking, undergraduate students at UMW during the period in which the grant project is to be initiated and conducted.
• All purchases of goods and services must follow Commonwealth and University regulations, such as using mandatory sources and observing bidding requirements. Direct questions before purchasing any items to Faculty sponsor and / or Department Office Manager. For more information, the Procurement Services web pages  and contact information is available.
• All purchases of non-consumable items made with UMW grant funds (such as equipment, software, books, DVDs, and the like) are the property of the UMW because they have been purchased with Commonwealth of Virginia funds.
• Proposal requests for travel funds must either be for the student(s) presenting at a conference, actively engaging in a guided, experiential project, or conducting field and/or specialized library research that is integral to completion of a final, tangible research project the student is preparing. Undergraduate Research funds are not provided for students to attend meetings as attendees/listeners/observers or for students who wish to attend such meetings for “networking” purposes.
• The student(s) must be centrally involved in framing the problem, developing a research strategy, and conducting the project. Undergraduate Research Grants do not support a student’s passive involvement in a faculty member’s project.
• Undergraduate Research Grants may not be requested to cover the costs for a student to take credit-earning courses at UMW or at another college or university.

Undergraduate Research Experience: A Roadmap to Guide Your Journey

• Conducting Research

Students usually get pretty good guidance on which courses they need to complete to fulfill their major and graduation requirements. Course catalogues detail the general curricular path and advisors are typically available to help students build their semester schedules. 

But coursework is only one piece of the career preparation puzzle. Both employers and graduate programs highly value the real-world training students get when they take advantage of experiential learning opportunities like internships and research assistantships. Unfortunately, the path into these experiences can be challenging to navigate. The goal of this article is to provide you with a roadmap to help you get started on this journey. 

Why is research experience valuable?   

Research experience can help you: 

• hone the skills that all employers seek in college graduates such as the ability to work effectively in teams, engage in critical thinking, and analyze and interpret data (Finley, 2021)
• delve more deeply into the areas within psychology that interest you the most
• cultivate a closer relationship with your professors and gain mentorship
• prepare for a job after graduation as a social science research assistant
• bolster your competitiveness as an applicant for graduate school in psychology or other STEM fields  

Psychology alumni who gain research experience during college rate themselves higher on the skills needed to succeed in the job market, perceive their psychology training to be more useful to them in their current job, and report more satisfaction with their undergraduate education than those without research experience, regardless of the career path they follow (Budesheim et al., 2021).

What is research experience? 

What students actually do when they gain “research experience” can vary widely depending on the nature and setting of the experience. 

From start to finish, the psychology research projects you learn about in your classes involve a lot of complex steps, completed by a team of researchers, over a period of time that can last several years.  

Some of those steps can include:

• conducting a literature review to identify what we already know about a particular psychological phenomenon
• identifying a knowledge gap that a new research project can fill
• designing a study – choosing the participants, methods, and measures
• considering ethical issues related to designing, conducting, and reporting on research
• applying for approval from the Institutional Review Board
• conducting the study, collecting data, etc.
• coding, managing, and analyzing data
• preparing posters and/or manuscripts to share the results with others
• presenting at local, regional, or national conferences

Contributing to ongoing research as a team member.

Most students gain research experience by joining a team that is already in the process of conducting a research study and helping out with one or more of these steps. For example, you might spend a semester helping to run participants through a research study. Or devote part of your summer to coding data that has already been collected. If you join a team at the start of a project, you might be asked to find, read, and summarize research articles that could stimulate the design of a new study. And if your research team is busy juggling multiple projects at one time, you might get the chance to do a little bit of all of the above on different projects.

Designing and conducting your own research project.

Working on specific tasks as one member of a research team is a valuable way to learn more about the field, hone your skills, and gain mentorship. But it is not always what students envision when they imagine gaining research experience. Some students hope to design and conduct their own independent research project. Although that is certainly possible, it can be extremely time intensive, and it requires finding a faculty member or researcher who is willing to provide intensive supervision. Students who’ve developed research skills earlier in their academic journey by working with teams will be better prepared to take on this challenge.  At many institutions, these opportunities are only available to students who are approved to complete an undergraduate thesis and there may be GPA or other requirements. 

Deepening your research experience.

Although it can be rewarding to design and conduct one’s own research project, there are definitely other paths one can follow to deepen their research experience. For example, many students who work on research teams get the opportunity to present a piece of their work at a local, regional, or national conference. Some get the opportunity to contribute to a paper that is published in an academic journal. Authorship on presentations and papers can definitely bolster the application of those looking to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. 

How do I find a research experience and get started on this journey?    

• Take coursework early . Ideally, you should consider completing coursework in research methods and statistics as early as you can in your program of study. Taking these classes early will prepare you to take advantage of opportunities to gain research experience within your college or university. 
• Find out about opportunities within your institution. You can always volunteer to work on a faculty members’ research team, but many departments also offer research experience for academic credit. Check your program manual and ask your academic advisor about research opportunities within your program. Use these resources to figure out if your program offers students the opportunity to conduct a thesis (and if so, if there are any GPA or other eligibility criteria). 
• Use your research skills to find a potential research mentor. Faculty members often have webpages where they describe their research interests and current projects. Once you identify a few faculty members doing research in an area that interests you, reach out and ask if you can set up a meeting or drop in to their office hours to learn more about their research. 
• Don’t start the meeting by asking, “Tell me about your research.”
• Do start the meeting by saying something like “I was fascinated by the paper you recently published on XX, especially the finding that XXXX, and I was wondering if you were working on a follow-up to that study.” 
• Look for research opportunities outside of your institution. Researchers work in a variety of settings including academic institutions, medical centers, research institutes, community-based organizations, and in private industry. Look for opportunities to volunteer, complete an internship, or find a part or full-time paid position in these settings. Some of these opportunities are advertised on the APA webpage , but it can also be helpful to go directly to an organization’s website to search for employment listings. For example, research positions with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can be found at the USA Jobs Website. Exploring the employment websites of large research-oriented medical centers such as Massachusetts General Hospital , the Mayo Clinic or John’s Hopkins can yield research opportunities. Keep in mind that you will be more competitive for these external experiences if you first gain research experience at your institution.   

Although I recommend this path into research for psychology majors who are just starting their journey, there are many roads that lead to research experience. So, if you are a senior or recent graduate who is just now looking for research experience, don’t be discouraged. It is definitely possible to enter the research experience pathways at different points in the journey, although you may need to put in some extra work to secure a position. For example, if you are struggling to secure   a paid research position, you might consider looking for volunteer opportunities. Reach out to faculty members from your undergraduate institution, as well as researchers in your local community to express your interest and ask for help. 

Finley, A. (2021). How College Contributes" to" Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most.  Association of American Colleges and Universities .

Budesheim, T. L., Khanna, M. M., Klanecky Earl, A. K., & Guenther, C. L. (2021). The Long-Term Impact of Undergraduate Internships and Research Experiences in Psychology: An Alumni Survey Study.  Teaching of Psychology .  https://doi.org/10.1177/009862832110410

About the author:

Sue is also a licensed clinical psychologist, whose clinical research focuses how acceptance-based behavioral therapy–informed strategies can help buffer against contextual stressors, build resilience, improve psychosocial functioning, and enhance quality of life among students and individuals struggling with anxiety and related disorders.