Research with Undergraduates Rachel Beane, Bowdoin College On the Cutting Edge Workshop for Early Career Faculty June 2012

RESEARCH WITH UNDERGRADUATES Types of undergraduate research Goals for undergraduate research Research proposals Research contracts Approaches to project design Your suggestions and questions

TYPES OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH Research as part of an undergraduate class Summer research Independent study / honors thesis research

GOALS FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH What do you want students to gain from the research experience?

SUCCESSFUL UNDERGRADUATE PROJECTS Are learning experiences for the student. Provide the student with guidance to understand the significance of the problem/question, practice the methods, and execute the project. Facilitate communication between the student & professor Investigate significant rather than trivial problems. May lead to class presentations, senior theses, conference presentations, contributions to papers...

RESEARCH PROPOSALS Benefits Student gains ownership Student and advisor work together to focus project May be used to secure funds (internal or external) May be used to determine if a student should be allowed to do a project or be considered for honors Proposal suggestions for student Clearly state thesis/hypothesis/question Explain the significance Outline methods, timetable & expected results Indicate needed materials & funds Cite relevant references

RESEARCH CONTRACTS Makes explicit expectations for both student and advisor May include: Project title and overall goal Research and learning objectives Start and end date of project Dates to accomplish specific objectives Dates for training, material acquisition, field work, instrument time Safety considerations Responsibilities of student and advisor Deliverables (map, paper, presentation…) Evaluation plan Expectations for project ownership and co-authorship

GUIDELINES FOR CO-AUTHORSHIP As a rule of thumb, to merit co-authorship on a peer- reviewed paper, participants (undergraduate or otherwise) should have contributed significantly to at least 2 of the following project components: 1. idea for and design of the project 2. data collection 3. data interpretation 4. writing paper

DESIGNING “DOABLE” PROJECTS Consider: Time allotted (as an estimate, multiply by 3 – or more – the time it would take you to complete a step or project) Student’s ability and motivation Student’s and your other responsibilities

WHO IS THE STUDENT? Does she work better independently or in a small group? Would she work better with more direction or more freedom? What’s her motivation for doing a research project?

WHO ARE YOU? Do you see yourself as a teacher, supervisor, employer, colleague…? Is there an institutional expectation that you advise students on research projects? Will the project complement your own research?

PROJECT DESIGN APPROACH One approach to multi-student or multi-year projects is for students to work on different pieces of a larger project. Example 1: Characterizing a formation Measuring stratigraphic section Tracing marker horizons Analyzing textures Doing pebble counts Identifying fossils

PROJECT DESIGN APPROACH One approach to multi-student or multi-year projects is for students to work on different pieces of a larger project. Example 2: Formation of elongated garnets Outcrop map Field measurements of garnets XrCT of garnets EBSD of garnets EDS/WDS of garnets OH component of garnets

PROJECT DESIGN APPROACH Consider adapting some of your research to questions that can be addressed in local field areas or using in-house instrumentation.

ADAPTING PROJECTS TO LOCAL FIELD AREAS AN EXAMPLE OF MY STRATEGIC PLAN TO BALANCE RESEARCH & TEACHING & FAMILY Goal: Develop field-based program close to campus for class & summer projects Funding: internal, followed by NSF grant Courses: Intro – advanced undergraduate Summer students: sophomores - seniors Publications: book chapter*, meeting presentations, papers Strategy: Field area near home fosters balance between family & research & teaching * Beane, R.J. and Urquhart, J Providing Research Experiences to Non-Science Majors in an Introductory Science Course. Council on Undergraduate Research.

YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND QUESTIONS How have you designed projects for undergraduate researchers? What questions do you have about designing projects and working with undergraduates?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This presentation draws on material put together for previous Early Career workshops by: Rebecca Ambers (Sweet Briar College) Rachel Beane (Bowdoin College) Ann Bykerk-Kauffman (California State University, Chico) Jim Ebert (State University of New York, Oneonta) Julia Sankey (California State University, Stanislaus) Kristen St. John (James Madison University) Steven Wojtal (Oberlin College)