Undergraduate Research:From Consumers to

Producers of Knowledge

Merry J. Sleigh, Ph.D.Professor of Psychology

Winthrop Universitysleighm@winthrop.edu

Recruiting

CAS

Journal

Research class

My kids

Honors

McNair

Psi ChiTheses

PSYC

Merit raises?

scholarship

“Undergraduate students have been involved in original research for generations, dating at least to the middle of the 19th century when Yale, Williams, and Johns Hopkins began using scientific laboratories and the prospect of discovery to recruit and engage students.” – Falconer (2008)

1978 = The Council on Undergraduate Research founded

(www.cur.org = excellent resource)

1987 = The National Conference on Undergraduate Research started

Early 2000s = Institutionalization of research, organized UR programs, Offices of UR, administrative positions dedicated to UR, increase in UR journals …. campus-wide conferences!

Shift in attitudes toward UR

“UR experiences are considered an essential component in college curricula, and there is an ideological push to provide these experiences to all students.” (Taraban & Logue, 2012)

“Undergraduate research forms an integral part of higher education, and the research project in particular represents an important component of the undergraduate degree.” (Brewer, Dewhurst & Doran, 2012)

40,000 faculty at over 450 institutions = majority perceive UR as important (Webber, Laird & BrckaLorenz, 2013)

Student research, scholarship, and/or creative activities in which the students and faculty mentors collaborate in the design and implementation of projects and the dissemination of results

What is UR?

• Creating art• Systematically observing another culture in residence• Organizing a community based intervention project • Exploring a literary theme• Developing an advertising campaign• Researching a historical figure from a new perspective• Conducting an archeological dig• Evaluating a new classroom teaching strategy• Designing a business proposal

You may already be doing it but not getting credit for it!

Undergraduate research is as diverse as faculty “scholarship.”

1) Discipline specific knowledge that transcends classroom study

“My feelings about microbial oceanography were transformed from considering it intangible and intimidating to seeing it as comprehensible and exciting.”

(Bruno, Thomas, James & Frazier, 2011)

Benefits of UR

2) More sophisticated understanding of research

detailed and collaborative nature of science (Cartrette, 2010)

Not just knowledge about process, but gains in scientific habits and ways of thinking

(Kardash, Wallace & Blockus, 2008)

Benefits of UR

3) Enhanced understanding of ethics and appreciation of review boards (Carahar, 2010)

… even increased receptiveness to mentor

feedback after “experiencing IRB” (Kallgren, 1996)

Benefits of UR

4) Skill development: academic and personal

greater engagement as a “learner” (Hunter, Laursen & Seymour , 2008)

increased ability to deal with frustration (Johnson, 2008)

improved time management (Howitt, Wilson, Wilson & Roberts, 2010)

Benefits of UR

improved ability to communicate to a broad audience (Behar-Horenstein, Roberts & Dix, 2010; Ing, Fung & Kisailus , 2013)

increased leadership and teamwork self- efficacy (Feldman, Divoll, Rogan-Klyve, 2013; Goode et al., 2012)

improved ability to persevere and trouble shoot when problems arise (Bruno, Thomas, James & Frazier, 2011)

5) Academic recruitment, motivation, and retention (Egger & Klemperer, 2011; Felix & Zovinka, 2008; Hartmann, Widner & Carrick, 2013; Schwartz, 2012; Spronken-Smith, Mirosa & Darrou, 2014; Wozniak, 2011)

… especially for our underrepresented students in the STEM fields (Eagan, Hurtado, Chang, Garcia, Herrara & Garibay, 2013)

Benefits of UR

6) Clarification of ability and career interests

greater self-awareness & more educated decision making (Adedokun et al., 2012; Kardash, Wallace & Blockus, 2008; Willis, Krueger & Kendrick, 2013)

increased competitiveness for graduate admission (Hathaway, Nagda & Gregerman, 2002)

Benefits of UR

alumni report that UR helped them achieve future goals (Henne, Henne, McMahon, Yee, Brasel & Mehdiabadi, 2008; Holmes & Beins, 2011)

“cornerstone of their undergraduate education”

“ life-altering and inspiring”

“ provided a foundation for future pursuits”

“one of their most valuable academic experiences”

Faculty benefit too!

Undergraduates brought “enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and a fresh vision to the research process” (Tompkins, Rogers & Cohen, 2009)

Professors felt rewarded by seeing the positive impact on students (Styles, 2010)

UR was helpful for “propagating the research community” (Dolan & Johnson, 2010)

Where angels fear to tread: The undergraduate research project. Forshaw & Hansen, 2010

“Please remember we are not all brilliant”: Undergraduates’ experiences of an elite, research-intensive degree at a research-intensive university.

Howitt, Wilson, Wilson & Roberts, 2010

Bending twigs: The act of mentoring undergraduate student research. Wadkins & Miller, 2008

An undergraduate’s perspective on the UR experience: From a trained monkey to a scientist. Johnson, 2008

“

Challenges of UR

1) Limited funding (Eagen, Sharkness, Hurtado, Mosquedo & Chang, 2011)

2) IRB / IACUC approval

Challenges of UR

3) Difficult to get some students involved

1st year students (transfers too?) (Friedrich, 2014; Spronken-Smith, Mirosa & Darrou, 2014)

specific disciplines (Roberts, 2013)

Challenges of UR

Time Investment vs. Reward

BIGGEST Hurdle…

Factors that predict student satisfaction with UR:

1)Frequent, helpful, and “good” mentoring

2)Students’ perception that they did authentic or meaningful work

3)Students’ perception that they led the project (Brewer, Dewhurst & Doran, 2012; Howitt, Wilson, Wilson & Roberts, 2010; Styles, 2010)

MORE factors that increase how much students feel they benefit from UR: (Salsman, Dulaney, Chinta, Zascavage & Joshi, 2013)

1)Participating for more hours

2)Developing a theory or conceptual model

3)Defining their own sample

4)Interpreting the findings from their data

5)Preparing the written report of the findings

6)Faculty efforts on their behalf

Their conclusion?

“Heavy duty faculty involvement

may be most beneficial for

students.”

More Faculty Effort?!

Faculty tend to rate their own mentorship efforts more highly than do students (Behar-Horenstein, Roberts & Dix, 2010; Brewer, Dewhurst & Doran, 2012)

Highly motivated students may need more than a semester to achieve full benefits of UR (Hartmann, Widner & Carrick, 2013)

Models of URFaculty Research

Faculty Research with Student Assistant

Faculty Research with Student Collaborator

Student Research with Faculty Collaborator

Student Research

Faculty member’s program of research.

Student assists with tasks that do not substantially contribute to the research process or warrant authorship, such as entering data, caring for animals or equipment, transcribing interviews, blocking

a dance during choreography, or locating resources.

FACULTY RESEARCH WITH STUDENT ASSISTANT

Perhaps the most traditional model – students gain research experience while helping

the faculty member accomplish his/her scholarship

FACULTY RESEARCH WITH STUDENT ASSISTANT

Faculty member’s program of research.

Student makes a substantive intellectual contribution such as designing methodology, synthesizing information, interpreting data,

or developing the external product in a manner that warrants authorship. (Order of authorship is determined by faculty member in

line with discipline-specific standards.)

FACULTY RESEARCH WITH STUDENT COLLABORATOR

Student takes responsibility for a project that emerges from faculty members’ research program

Ex: Honors students, McNair scholars, long-time lab assistants, students who want to go to graduate school

FACULTY RESEARCH WITH STUDENT COLLABORATOR

Student initiates the general idea of the project, which evolves through collaborative efforts of the faculty member and student.

The faculty member makes a substantive intellectual contribution, jointly creating the product with the student in a manner that

warrants authorship for both parties.

STUDENT RESEARCH WITH FACULTY COLLABORATOR

Student develops idea based on personal interest, goals, or experiences.

Ex: a criminal justice major who wants to integrate criminal justice and psychology

STUDENT RESEARCH WITH FACULTY COLLABORATOR

Faculty must:• help students develop their ideas into a meaningful project

• become knowledgeable about a new area or topic• investigate appropriate outlets and communication style

STUDENT RESEARCH WITH FACULTY COLLABORATOR

The student’s project usually fulfills a course requirement. The contribution of the faculty member is limited to feedback on written

work and conferences on work in progress. The faculty member guides the student’s development of intellectual content without

substantially contributing in a manner that warrants authorship.

STUDENT RESEARCH

Papers generated as part of a class assignmentStudent choreographed dance

Graphic design for the cover of a bookPiece researched and produced for the student television station

Advertising campaignLesson plan to teach math concepts

STUDENT RESEARCH

1) Be aware and realistic about what is required.

Making it a Reality

Faculty effort is intense, but so is the impact!

2) Create a culture of research.

Adequate resources and research culture emerged as most important conditions for effective UR (Styles, 2010)

Making it a Reality

• Supportive administration and review boards

• Cross-discipline understanding / appreciation

• Prioritizing student needs over faculty achievement

• Non competitive environment

• Advertising opportunities and products

FUNDAMENTAL TENSION(Laursen, 2012)

Is research an

educational endeavor for

students?

Or, is it a scholarly

endeavor for faculty?

IT CAN BE BOTH!

FUNDAMENTAL TENSION(Laursen, 2012)

Is research an educational

endeavor for students?

Or, is it a scholarly endeavor for

faculty?

Process of individualized

supervision and mentoring of students

Resulting collaborative products

TeachingCredit

Scholarship

3) Reinforce faculty mentors.

Most faculty mentors are intrinsically motivated by their own experience with a mentor

(Styles, 2010)

Making it a Reality

• Teaching and scholarship credit

• Culture of appreciation (written policies?)

• Specific written acknowledgement in annual evaluations

• Course reduction time (if possible)

• Funding opportunities & time to pursue them

• Awards

Control what you can at the local level while supporting efforts at the broader level.

4) Reinforce undergraduate researchers.

optimum motivation to engage in research occurs when students have a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (Smith, Deemer, Thoman, & Zazworsky, 2014)

Making it a Reality

• Recognition = bulletin boards, newsletters, websites, social media

• Research showcase days

• Awards

• Outlets geared toward student work Dissemination of student work enhances students’ self-efficacy and motivation (Helm & Bailey, 2013)

• Identify UR where it is occurring

• Be an advocate for your department

• Advertise opportunities to students

• Assist or collaborate with colleagues

• Serve on IRB, IACUC, or funding committees

• Be a UR journal reviewer

• Attend UR campus events (good for you!!)

Many opportunities to help

I’ll pause for a moment so you can let this information sink in.