Getting Started
What is Research?
Research is how the academic community communicates with the world. Taking on multiple forms, it includes scholarly, creative, and artistic activities that leads to new knowledge, improves problem solving capabilities, offers original or historical theory and interpretation, or produces art or artistic performances.
What is Undergraduate Research?
Undergraduate research a unique opportunity for students to work with faculty on their scholarship and produce an original output that contributes to the knowledge or activity of a particular academic discipline. Some students will work on part of a faculty member’s project while other students will develop an independent project that is guided by a faculty member. Either way, students have opportunities in a variety disciplines from art history to zoology to engage in original hands-on research and creative projects.
Why Should I Do It?
Undergraduate research has many benefits. Students develop better analytical skills, improve communication abilities by presenting and writing about their research, increase their self-confidence and independence, and demonstrate to future employers that they have gained "hands-on" experience while still in school. In addition, students that have been engaged in research generally have higher graduation rates and report greater satisfaction with their overall undergraduate experiences.
