how to do an undergraduate research project

• Get Curious
• Talk to People
• Take Action
• Inspire Others
• Events and Outcomes
• JHU At-A-Glance
• Students and Schools
• Ready to Hire?
• Mentor Students
• Hire Students
• “When U Grow Up” Podcast

A student’s guide to undergraduate research

• Share This: Share A student’s guide to undergraduate research on Facebook Share A student’s guide to undergraduate research on LinkedIn Share A student’s guide to undergraduate research on X

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 .

Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

How to Write a Research Proposal as an Undergrad

As I just passed the deadline for my junior independent work (JIW), I wanted to explore strategies that could be helpful in composing a research proposal. In the chemistry department, JIW usually involves lab work and collecting raw data. However, this year, because of the pandemic, there is limited benchwork involved and most of the emphasis has shifted to designing a research proposal that would segue into one’s senior thesis. So far, I have only had one prior experience composing a research proposal, and it was from a virtual summer research program in my department. For this program, I was able to write a proposal on modifying a certain chemical inhibitor that could be used in reducing cancer cell proliferation. Using that experience as a guide, I will outline the steps I followed when I wrote my proposal. (Most of these steps are oriented towards research in the natural sciences, but there are many aspects common to research in other fields).

The first step is usually choosing a topic . This can be assigned to you by the principal investigator for the lab or a research mentor if you have one. For me, it was my research mentor, a graduate student in our lab, who helped me in selecting a field of query for my proposal. When I chose the lab I wanted to be part of for my summer project (with my JIW and senior thesis in mind) , I knew the general area of research I wanted to be involved in. But, usually within a lab, there are many projects that graduate students and post-docs work on within that specific area. Hence, it is important to identify a mentor with specific projects you want to be involved in for your own research. Once you choose a mentor, you can talk to them about formulating a research proposal based on the direction they plan to take their research in and how you can be involved in a similar project. Usually, mentors assign you one to three papers related to your research topic – a review paper that summarizes many research articles and one to two research articles with similar findings and methodology. In my case, the papers involved a review article on the role of the chemical inhibitor I was investigating along with articles on inhibitor design and mechanism of action.  

The next step is to perform a literature review to broadly assess previous work in your research topic, using the articles assigned by your mentor. At this stage, for my proposal, I was trying to know as much about my research area from these papers as well as the articles cited in them. Here, it is helpful to use a reference management software such as Zotero and Mendeley to organize your notes along with all the articles you look into for a bibliography. 

After going through your literature review, you can start thinking about identifying questions that remain to be answered in that field. For my JIW, I found some good ideas in the discussion section of the papers I had read where authors discussed what could be done in future research projects. One discussion section, for example, suggested ways to complement in-vitro experiments (outside of a living organism) with in-vivo ones (inside a living organism) . Reviewing the discussion section is a relatively straightforward way to formulate your own hypothesis. Alternatively, you could look at the papers’ raw data and find that the authors’ conclusions need to be revisited (this might require a critical review of the paper and the supplementary materials) or you could work on improving the paper’s methodology and optimizing its experiments. Furthermore, you might think about combining ideas from different papers or trying to reconcile differing conclusions reached by them.

The next step is developing a general outline ; deciding on what you want to cover in your proposal and how it is going to be structured. Here, you should try hard to limit the scope of your proposal to what you can realistically do for your senior thesis. As a junior or a senior, you will only be working with your mentor for a limited amount of time. Hence, it is not possible to plan long term experiments that would be appropriate for graduate students or post-docs in the lab. (For my summer project, there was not a follow up experiment involved, so I was able to think about possible experiments without the time or equipment constraints that would need to be considered for a JIW). Thus, your proposal should mostly focus on what you think is feasible given your timeline. 

Below are two final considerations. It is important that your research proposal outlines how you plan to collect your own data , analyze it and compare it with other papers in your field. For a research project based on a proposal, you need only establish if your premises/hypotheses are true or false. To do that, you need to formulate questions you can answer by collecting your own data, and this is where experiments come in. My summer project had three specific aims and each one was in the form of a question.

It is important to keep in mind in your proposal the experiments you can perform efficiently on your own – the experimental skills you want to master as an undergraduate. In my view, it is better to learn one to two skills very well than having surface-level knowledge of many. This is because the nature of research has been very specialized in each field that there is limited room for broad investigations. This does not mean your proposal should be solely based on things you can test by yourself (although it might be preferable to put more emphasis there). If your proposal involves experiments beyond what you can learn to do in a year or two, you can think of asking for help from an expert in your lab. 

A research proposal at the undergraduate level is an engaging exercise on coming up with your own questions on your chosen field. There is much leeway as an undergraduate to experiment within your field and think out of the box. In many ways, you will learn how to learn and how to formulate questions for any task you encounter in the future. Whether or not you want to be involved in research, it is an experience common to all Princeton students that you take with you after graduation.

In this post, I have described the basic elements of a natural science research proposal and my approach to writing one. Although the steps above are not comprehensive, I am hopeful they offer guidance you can adapt when you write your own proposal in the future.

— Yodahe Gebreegziabher, Natural Sciences Correspondent

Share this:

• Share on Tumblr

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Starting the research process
• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved July 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, what is your plagiarism score.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• 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.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

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).

Download references

Related Articles

Bring training forward for undergraduate researchers

What is it like to attend a predatory conference?

Career Feature 18 JUL 24

The geneticist who uses science to free parents wrongly convicted of killing their children

Career Feature 16 JUL 24

Science on the edge: how extreme outdoor skills enhanced our fieldwork

Career Feature 15 JUL 24

The ‘PhD influencers’ logging lab life on TikTok and Instagram

News Feature 17 JUL 24

Generative AI makes for better scientific writing — but beware the pitfalls

Correspondence 16 JUL 24

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

• About University of Sheffield
• Campus life
• Accommodation
• Student support
• International Foundation Year
• Pre-Masters
• Pre-courses
• Entry requirements
• Fees, accommodation and living costs
• Scholarships
• Semester dates
• Student visa
• Before you arrive
• Enquire now

How to do a research project for your academic study

• Link copied!

Writing a research report is part of most university degrees, so it is essential you know what one is and how to write one. This guide on how to do a research project for your university degree shows you what to do at each stage, taking you from planning to finishing the project.

What is a research project? 

The big question is: what is a research project? A research project for students is an extended essay that presents a question or statement for analysis and evaluation. During a research project, you will present your own ideas and research on a subject alongside analysing existing knowledge. 

How to write a research report 

The next section covers the research project steps necessary to producing a research paper. 

Developing a research question or statement 

Research project topics will vary depending on the course you study. The best research project ideas develop from areas you already have an interest in and where you have existing knowledge. 

The area of study needs to be specific as it will be much easier to cover fully. If your topic is too broad, you are at risk of not having an in-depth project. You can, however, also make your topic too narrow and there will not be enough research to be done. To make sure you don’t run into either of these problems, it’s a great idea to create sub-topics and questions to ensure you are able to complete suitable research. 

A research project example question would be: How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future? 

Finding and evaluating sources 

Secondary research is a large part of your research project as it makes up the literature review section. It is essential to use credible sources as failing to do so may decrease the validity of your research project.

Examples of secondary research include:

• Peer-reviewed journals
• Scholarly articles
• Newspapers 

Great places to find your sources are the University library and Google Scholar. Both will give you many opportunities to find the credible sources you need. However, you need to make sure you are evaluating whether they are fit for purpose before including them in your research project as you do not want to include out of date information. 

When evaluating sources, you need to ask yourself:

• Is the information provided by an expert?
• How well does the source answer the research question?
• What does the source contribute to its field?
• Is the source valid? e.g. does it contain bias and is the information up-to-date?

It is important to ensure that you have a variety of sources in order to avoid bias. A successful research paper will present more than one point of view and the best way to do this is to not rely too heavily on just one author or publication. 

Conducting research 

For a research project, you will need to conduct primary research. This is the original research you will gather to further develop your research project. The most common types of primary research are interviews and surveys as these allow for many and varied results. 

Examples of primary research include: 

• Interviews and surveys 
• Focus groups 
• Experiments 
• Research diaries 

If you are looking to study in the UK and have an interest in bettering your research skills, The University of Sheffield is a  world top 100 research university  which will provide great research opportunities and resources for your project. 

Research report format  

Now that you understand the basics of how to write a research project, you now need to look at what goes into each section. The research project format is just as important as the research itself. Without a clear structure you will not be able to present your findings concisely. 

A research paper is made up of seven sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You need to make sure you are including a list of correctly cited references to avoid accusations of plagiarism. 

Introduction 

The introduction is where you will present your hypothesis and provide context for why you are doing the project. Here you will include relevant background information, present your research aims and explain why the research is important. 

Literature review  

The literature review is where you will analyse and evaluate existing research within your subject area. This section is where your secondary research will be presented. A literature review is an integral part of your research project as it brings validity to your research aims. 

What to include when writing your literature review:

• A description of the publications
• A summary of the main points
• An evaluation on the contribution to the area of study
• Potential flaws and gaps in the research 

Methodology

The research paper methodology outlines the process of your data collection. This is where you will present your primary research. The aim of the methodology section is to answer two questions: 

• Why did you select the research methods you used?
• How do these methods contribute towards your research hypothesis? 

In this section you will not be writing about your findings, but the ways in which you are going to try and achieve them. You need to state whether your methodology will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. 

• Qualitative – first hand observations such as interviews, focus groups, case studies and questionnaires. The data collected will generally be non-numerical. 
• Quantitative – research that deals in numbers and logic. The data collected will focus on statistics and numerical patterns.
• Mixed – includes both quantitative and qualitative research.

The methodology section should always be written in the past tense, even if you have already started your data collection. 

Findings and results 

In this section you will present the findings and results of your primary research. Here you will give a concise and factual summary of your findings using tables and graphs where appropriate. 

Discussion 

The discussion section is where you will talk about your findings in detail. Here you need to relate your results to your hypothesis, explaining what you found out and the significance of the research. 

It is a good idea to talk about any areas with disappointing or surprising results and address the limitations within the research project. This will balance your project and steer you away from bias.

Some questions to consider when writing your discussion: 

• To what extent was the hypothesis supported?
• Was your research method appropriate?
• Was there unexpected data that affected your results?
• To what extent was your research validated by other sources?

Conclusion 

The conclusion is where you will bring your research project to a close. In this section you will not only be restating your research aims and how you achieved them, but also discussing the wider significance of your research project. You will talk about the successes and failures of the project, and how you would approach further study. 

It is essential you do not bring any new ideas into your conclusion; this section is used only to summarise what you have already stated in the project. 

References 

As a research project is your own ideas blended with information and research from existing knowledge, you must include a list of correctly cited references. Creating a list of references will allow the reader to easily evaluate the quality of your secondary research whilst also saving you from potential plagiarism accusations. 

The way in which you cite your sources will vary depending on the university standard.

If you are an international student looking to  study a degree in the UK , The University of Sheffield International College has a range of  pathway programmes  to prepare you for university study. Undertaking a Research Project is one of the core modules for the  Pre-Masters programme  at The University of Sheffield International College.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the best topic for research .

It’s a good idea to choose a topic you have existing knowledge on, or one that you are interested in. This will make the research process easier; as you have an idea of where and what to look for in your sources, as well as more enjoyable as it’s a topic you want to know more about.

What should a research project include? 

There are seven main sections to a research project, these are:

• Introduction – the aims of the project and what you hope to achieve
• Literature review – evaluating and reviewing existing knowledge on the topic
• Methodology – the methods you will use for your primary research
• Findings and results – presenting the data from your primary research
• Discussion – summarising and analysing your research and what you have found out
• Conclusion – how the project went (successes and failures), areas for future study
• List of references – correctly cited sources that have been used throughout the project. 

How long is a research project? 

The length of a research project will depend on the level study and the nature of the subject. There is no one length for research papers, however the average dissertation style essay can be anywhere from 4,000 to 15,000+ words. 

• Request new password
• Create a new account

How to Do Your Research Project: A Guide for Students

Student resources, welcome to the digital roadmap and resources.

Work your way through  interactive exercises  for each stage of the research project roadmap and watch  videos   from your pocket supervisor, Gary Thomas. Explore real-world practice through  case studies   and  journal articles . Reflect, revise, and take your learning on the go with  worksheets  and get to grips with key terms and concepts using digital  flashcards .

Click a base camp below to get started.

For lecturers:

Teach the book in a way that suits your lecturer hall and classroom by modifying and adapting PowerPoint templates that include the key points of each chapter. Log in using the tab at the top for access.

Common Searches

• Why is it called Johns Hopkins?
• What majors and minors are offered?
• Where can I find information about graduate programs?
• How much is tuition?
• What financial aid packages are available?
• How do I apply?
• How do I get to campus?
• Where can I find job listings?
• Where can I log in to myJHU?
• Where can I log in to SIS?
• University Leadership
• History & Mission
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Notable Alumni
• Hopkins in the Community
• Hopkins Around the World
• News from Johns Hopkins
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Online Studies
• Part-Time & Non-Degree Programs
• Summer Programs
• Academic Calendars
• Advanced International Studies
• Applied Physics Laboratory
• Arts & Sciences
• Engineering
• Peabody Conservatory
• Public Health
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Plan a Visit
• Tuition & Costs
• Financial Aid
• Innovation & Incubation
• Bloomberg Distinguished Professors
• Our Campuses
• About Baltimore
• Housing & Dining
• Arts & Culture
• Health & Wellness
• Disability Services
• Calendar of Events
• Maps & Directions
• Contact the University
• Employment Opportunities
• Give to the University
• For Parents
• For News Media
• Office of the President
• Office of the Provost
• Gilman’s Inaugural Address
• Academic Support
• Study Abroad
• Nobel Prize winners
• Homewood Campus
• Emergency Contact Information

As  America’s first research university , we have been tackling difficult questions and finding answers since 1876.

Every day, our faculty and students work side by side in a tireless pursuit of discovery, continuing our founding mission to bring knowledge to the world. Whether you study engineering, chemistry, music, anthropology, or all of the above, every student here—no matter his or her major—is an investigator.

You can find research in whatever field you want because everyone here is doing some sort of research, and you can help out.

Explore supernovae alongside a Nobel laureate. Learn how to make music with lasers . Create devices that will save lives in impoverished countries . Take a grand tour of the cities that inspired some of the Western world’s great thinkers—Venice, Florence, Paris, or London.

At Hopkins, you can do all of the above. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Two juniors named Goldwater Scholars

Program funds undergraduate summer research experiences

Rising senior earns Beinecke Scholarship

Programs & fellowships.

• Provost’s Undergraduate Research Awards : Receive up to $3,000 and be paired with a full-time faculty sponsor for research on any topic of your choosing
• Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program : Engage in hands-on, independent learning with faculty mentors and receive funding of up to $10,000 over four years
• ASPIRE grants : Promote independent research projects among undergrads in the School of Arts and Sciences; awards range from $500 to $4,500 per academic year

Learn more:

• Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research
• Student research opportunities at the School of Engineering
• Student research opportunities at the School of Arts and Sciences

• Johns Hopkins University
• Address Baltimore, Maryland
• Phone number 410-516-8000
• © 2024 Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.
• Schools & Divisions
• Admissions & Aid
• Research & Faculty
• Campus Life
• University Policies and Statements
• Privacy Statement
• Title IX Information and Resources
• Higher Education Act Disclosures
• Clery Disclosure
• Accessibility

• Give to Undergraduate Research

What is Undergraduate Research?

What is undergraduate research.

Research is a creative and systematic process of asking questions and discovering new knowledge. Any student, regardless of major, year, or experience, can get involved in undergraduate research.

“Find what you love! The sheer abundance of research opportunities at UW can be overwhelming. Take the time to explore what you like.” Sophia Mar Biochemistry Undergraduate

Frequently asked questions about undergraduate research:

Many students who answered these questions are Undergraduate Research Leaders (URLs) with the Office of Undergraduate Research . Click here to learn about the URL program.

Do I need prior research experience(s) to participate in undergraduate research?

No! Most people don’t have any experience with research before college, so it is more than okay to reach out before you have any formal research experience. I would encourage everyone interested in research to look into professors or researchers who conduct research on topics that you are interested in and email them to ask if they have any space in their lab! – Megana Shivakumar

View Megana’s URL profile here .

You definitely do not need prior experience to start researching as an undergrad! Most professors/UW programs supporting undergrad research are more than happy to support students through their first research experience. If you have found a topic or program that interests you, your interest is enough to make you a valuable member of the research process. Also, each research project/lab/program is completely different and will be a new starting point for each person involved even if they already have research experience. – Ruby Barone

When is a good time to start research and/or apply for a research opportunity?

Everyone has a different path to research! I started in high school through a Biomedical Sciences class and continued research at the UW through a summer program before freshman year. With this being said, you do not have to start research this early on. Some students begin research after the fall or winter quarter of Freshman year while others wait until Sophomore year. Personally, I took a break from research my sophomore year and just participated in summer research through an internship. Currently, I am starting in a different lab, so don’t worry about starting later into your undergraduate year as a junior. However, I would suggest reaching out sooner rather than later, so you do not wait until your senior year because you may not have enough time to learn whether you enjoy research or not. – Nisha BK

View Nisha’s URL profile here .

Can/should I do research before I’m in a major?

Yes! I would definitely encourage students to look into getting involved with research before they’re in their major so that you can learn more about the specific topics within your major that interest you. In addition, many PIs like to work with students earlier in their college career so that you can spend more time working in their lab and specializing in your skill set. It’s never too early to start! – Megana Shivakumar

Can I do research outside of my major?

You absolutely can! I conduct research in a Microbiology lab as a Biochemistry major. My research provides me with insight into the unique workings of biochemical assays specifically used with bacteria. For example, I research DNA replication proteins and am working to determine the biochemical mechanism of action for protein-protein interactions that are unique to bacteria using both in-vivo and in-vitro assays. Additionally, many fields are interdisciplinary in their research: in my lab, I get to work with aspects of Microbiology, Virology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry. Having a different major from your research topic can make you a unique asset to a research group, as you may be better equipped to answer questions in ways that come from your major compared to the field of the research you participate in. If you’re passionate about the topic, I would encourage you to pursue the research opportunity! – Tara Young

View Tara’s URL profile here .

Are there research opportunities for students in arts and humanities? (Can only STEM students get involved in research?)

This is one big misconception that I have come across at UW – that research is only STEM-related. This is wrong!! UW has tons of great opportunities for research in the humanities – for example, the Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities is a summer program that supports students through an arts/humanities-centered research project based around a common theme (selected students also receive a financial award and course credit!). The Mary Gates Endowment awards research scholarships to students from all disciplines, and many UW professors in the arts/humanities are also happy to have students reach out to them with research interests that can be pursued on a more one-on-one level with a mentor or instructor. – Ruby Barone

What do research experiences look like in the arts/humanities? Do you bring ideas or is there an assigned project?

Research in the arts/humanities is a lot less structured than how lab-based research and experiments might flow – students can create a research style and project that is tailored to their individual topic and interests, which allows projects to take form as research essays, art forms, performances, video essays, and the list goes on. For research programs like the Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities, and for more individualized research that one might work with a faculty member on, you are highly encouraged to bring your own interests and passions to the table. Your mentor(s) will likely provide a basic framework for the final project you are aiming to produce, but they also allow a lot of room for creativity and your own interpretation of your research to take place. For example, my last big research project took form as both a formal research project and an art piece, which ended up being displayed in UW libraries and the UW office of research. Research in the arts/humanities is very fluid, and your project’s form will likely evolve as you learn more about your topic. – Ruby Barone

If I started a research project in high school, can I continue it as an undergraduate?

If you began a research project in high school, it is absolutely up to you and your research mentor whether you want to continue it into your undergraduate career. If you feel passionate and excited about your research, don’t feel obligated to switch topics as you enter undergraduate research. However, I would say that the transition to college can be a great time to try new things and extend yourself as a researcher to learn new skills, techniques, and about new topics! You have a lot of years to experiment with new things. Anecdotally, the research I participated in during high school in seismology is completely different from the research I conduct now in microbiology, and I really value having had that experience in gaining skills in a more “dry lab” environment. Although I now work in a wet lab, there are many skills that can carry over, and it allows you to get a better sense of what excites you as a researcher. – Tara Young

How many hours per week are undergraduates expected to dedicate to research?

It depends. Most professors in STEM fields, from my understanding, expect approximately 9-12 hours per week. That said, you can fulfill these hours whenever it works best with your schedule. Moreover, all professors understand that you are a student first. If there are weeks where you have several exams, for example, or are particularly busy with schoolwork, communicate this to your research mentor! Odds are they will understand that you can’t work on your project as much as usual and it will be totally ok. – Carson Butcher

View Carson’s URL profile here .

How long (how many terms, how many hours per week) are you expected to be in a research experience?

For research in the STEM fields, mentors usually expect 10 hours per week of time commitment. However, it does not mean that you will and must do 10 hours of work every week. You would start easy with ~3 hours per week of training, getting yourself familiarized with the research methodology and protocols. As you gain familiarity and confidence in research methods, you can be more independent and conduct more experiments based on your interest, therefore spending more time in the lab. Mentors usually expect a long-term commitment of a minimum 1 year, and it is reasonable: most of the training, whether wet lab work or computational work, would require at least a quarter of training to gain confidence. You are left with two quarters (or more) of independent research to learn, grow and contribute. – Teng-Jui Lin

View Carson’s Teng-Jui’s profile here .

Can you apply to get basic research skills even if you don’t want a project or without having a specific goal in mind?

I recently transitioned to a new lab, and I do not have a specific project I am working on. I am mostly learning basic biomedical science lab bench work even though I have prior experience. My mentor encouraged me to start from the beginning as if I had no previous experience, so I can relearn the fundamentals. If you want to develop basic research skills, I would highly recommend applying because you will spend time learning techniques in the beginning and your mentor will be there to supervise you. – Nisha BK.

How do you balance schoolwork, work, life, home-life with research?

As a student who juggles a full course load and anywhere between 5-10 extracurriculars every quarter, I understand the struggle of maintaining a healthy work-life balance! Something that has always helped me is organizing my life into a calendar and being very intentional with how I spend my time. Especially when it comes to research, I set clear boundaries with my mentors about when I’ll be working. It also helps that I love everything that I do—I get to study neuroscience, do research, direct a mentorship program, and do a communications internship. It’s so rewarding when you get to do work that you are genuinely passionate about. But of course, we can’t be productive all the time. Make sure to prioritize your health and give yourself time to rest and recharge! – Shannon Hong

View Shannon’s URL profile here .

Additional Resources

• View the UW Libraries Undergraduate Research Tutorial module: Finding Your Balance

Anyone can participate in research and the Office of Undergraduate Research can help!

If you are curious about a subject and can find a mentor who is willing to support your endeavor, you can participate in research. The Office of Undergraduate Research is here to help you find research opportunities and mentors who can help you reach your goals. Check out a variety of undergraduate research projects below!

Jasmine Mae

Jasmine did undergraduate research on the Supreme Courts of the Philippines.

Learn more!

Matthew Nguyen

Matthew is pursuing research to find novel therapy for late-stage prostate cancer.

Meron Girma

Meron conducted research on healthcare accessibility within Ethiopia.

Abi worked to understand the impact of legal discourse on Seattle’s history of racially segregated schools.

Anika Lindley

Anika studied the association between aggression and social functioning in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Daniel Piacitelli

Daniel studies cosmological emissions in metal spectral lines as an Astronomy and Physics student.

• Psychology General
• Psychological Methods, Research & Statistics

How to do a Research Project: A Guide for Undergraduate Students, 2nd Edition

ISBN: 978-1-118-69132-8

December 2016

Colin Robson

Written specifically to address the needs and concerns of the undergraduate, this tightly focused volume guides students through the process of conducting and completing a research project.

Friendly and accessible, this fully-updated second edition includes a number of accompanying student 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 suggested further reading, enhance each chapter.  A wide range of additional helpful materials relevant to particular subject areas is also available on the accompanying website at www.wiley.com/college/robson . This textbook is an invaluable resource for students in a wide range of disciplines and fields of study, particularly those planning to use social research methods or to carry out a library-based study, for their undergraduate research project.

Colin Robson  is Emeritus Professor of the School of Human and Health Sciences, Huddersfield University.  From 1996–2007 he was chief consultant to the OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation project on the development of statistics and indicators on the performance of national systems for the education of children with disabilities, learning and behaviour difficulties, and social disadvantages.  He has recently completed a consultancy to a follow-up project funded by Eurostat. He is the author of the best-selling Real World Research.

• A student-friendly and supportive guide to designing, implementing, analyzing and reporting on undergraduate degree projects.
• A key publication for the vast study skills market, written by the author of the bestselling Real World Research, 3e
• 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.

Students & Educators  —Menu

• Educational Resources
• Educators & Faculty
• College Planning
• ACS ChemClub
• Project SEED
• U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
• Student Chapters
• ACS Meeting Information
• Undergraduate Research
• Internships, Summer Jobs & Coops
• Study Abroad Programs
• Finding a Mentor
• Two Year/Community College Students
• Social Distancing Socials
• Grants & Fellowships
• Career Planning
• International Students
• Planning for Graduate Work in Chemistry
• ACS Bridge Project
• Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs)
• Schedule-at-a-Glance
• Standards & Guidelines
• Explore Chemistry
• Science Outreach
• Publications
• ACS Student Communities
• You are here:
• American Chemical Society
• Students & Educators
• Undergraduate
• Undergraduate Research Guide

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.

Planning for Graduate School

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

Accept & Close The ACS takes your privacy seriously as it relates to cookies. We use cookies to remember users, better understand ways to serve them, improve our value proposition, and optimize their experience. Learn more about managing your cookies at Cookies Policy .

1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA |  service@acs.org  | 1-800-333-9511 (US and Canada) | 614-447-3776 (outside North America)

• Terms of Use
• Accessibility

Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society

HOW TO DO A RESEARCH PROJECT — COLIN ROBSON

Friendly and accessible, How to do a Research Project is an essential tool to guide students through the process of conducting and completing a research project.

The volume provides:

• A student-friendly and supportive guide to designing, implementing, analyzing and reporting on undergraduate degree projects
• 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
• Useful for students studying within the fields of education, health, social work, and the social sciences.
• About the Author
• Table of Contents
• Endorsements
• Sample Chapter (PDF)
• Recommended Reading
• Related Web links
• Free Access Journals
• Related Titles
• Experiment, Design and Statistics
• Select e-alerting

• Utility Menu

GA4 tracking code

• All URAF Opportunities
• CARAT (Opportunities Database)
• URAF Application Instructions
• URAF Calendar of Events and Deadlines
• Research Opportunities

Performing research can be a very enriching and transformative part of your undergraduate experience at the College. You may encounter it as part of your coursework, but it can also be something you do outside of the classroom as a way to gain practical skills, learn about methods of inquiry and contribute actively to the advancement of study in your field.

Finding a research opportunity will require you to be proactive, build faculty relationships , and use key resources . It may be good to start by charting your personal goals and interests in order to help you identify opportunities that are a match for them. Remember to give yourself plenty of time for your search and to remain flexible and open-minded through the process. Engaging with the research community at Harvard is possible for students in all concentrations. Whether you have participated in research work previously, or are just getting started, there are opportunities designed to meet you where you are right now.

Research opportunities come in many formats and happen in a variety of settings. They often start off as a question that someone wants to explore more fully. Faculty, for example, initiate research projects designed for this purpose. It might also begin with you! In your studies, for example, you may have noticed a lack of knowledge or a lack of recent work on a particular topic that interests you. With the guidance of a faculty mentor, you could be the person to explore and find answers to fill in the void of missing information.

Depending on the scale of a project, you might find yourself working on a team or operating on your own and coordinating your efforts with those of a faculty mentor. This work may take place on campus, at other domestic locations, or even internationally, during term-time or over the course of the summer.

Some common formats of research experiences for undergraduates include:

Course-based Research

Courses (existing or independent study). Many courses at Harvard and neighboring institutions (where you can cross-register ) have a strong research component. There is even the option for you to design an independent study course. To explore these options, the best starting point is with a concentration adviser knowledgeable about course offerings and policies in that concentration. You can also visit the Advising Programs Office  (APO) to connect with undergraduate concentration advisers.

Research Assistantships

There are many opportunities to work as a research assistant on an existing project. A research assistantship is an excellent opportunity for students with little experience to get their first exposure to research. Research assistantship postings can be found on department webpages, at research centers, as well as on the Student Employment Office Job Board . You can also check with nearby hospitals and research groups, in addition to faculty and grad students. If you have never contacted research investigators before, check out our tips on how to effectively reach out to faculty .

Research Programs

In lieu of performing research via a course or an assistantship, you might consider looking at a research program. Depending on the program, you might work on a project designed by a member of faculty or propose your own question to pursue under the guidance of a faculty mentor. URAF summer programs, for example, are designed to correspond to specific academic areas (i.e., STEM, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences), forming a cohort of fellows working on various topics in their area of interest.

URAF research programs are offered on an annual basis, with pre-set start- and end-times, and require formal applications with strict deadlines. These programs often have different eligibility criteria (i.e., GPA, class year, research experience). Some programs require previous field-specific experience, while other are designed for newcomers to that particular field of study. Many research programs include various forms of financial support (e.g. stipends, accommodation, etc.) as well as opportunities for community-building and intellectual growth.

Thesis Research

Each concentration has its own requirements for thesis research, including topics allowed, prerequisites, timing, and who can supervise your work. If you are interested in thesis research, connect with advisers appointed by the concentrations for guiding undergraduates—information about concentration advisers can be found on the APO website. Also, check out our tips on how to effectively reach out to faculty .

Some questions to ask yourself when looking for a program are:

• Where do you want to be?
• What type of research would you like to do?
• Does the program offer additional support or programming that may be helpful?
• How long do you intend to do research?

The Browse URAF opportunities page of our website aggregates a large number of Harvard undergraduate research options. Please note, however, that not all Harvard-affiliated schools and programs are listed here. To ensure you are learning about all potential opportunities, don’t forget to consult faculty advisers, concentration advisers, and academic advisers to identify programs that match your interests and desired outcomes most closely.

Beyond browsing through URAF opportunities, you can explore our External Resources  page which provides another starting point for finding research opportunities, including research programs. Some are based at Harvard, while others are located across the US and worldwide. You can also use Google to search for research programs related to your topic and interests. Try using the keywords, "undergraduate research" or "summer undergraduate research."

If you have previously performed research at Harvard, you too might consider how you would benefit from exploring external opportunities . Exposure to research and processes at different institutions will allow you to expand your professional and academic networks, to explore a new place and even new ways of investigating topics that interest you.

At whatever point you happen to be in your undergraduate trajectory, URAF is here to support you through each stage of the process. You can even check out our remote-ready  resources webpages if you intend to perform all or part of your research online.

>>>>Browse URAF Opportunities for Research>>>>

• McCall MacBain Scholarships
• Back to Find Opportunities
• Browse URAF Opportunities
• Higher Education in the UK
• Resources for Going Abroad
• Service and Education Opportunities
• Opportunities for International Students
• Opportunities for Recent Alumni

HSURV Abstract Books

Interested in learning more about projects that past fellows in the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village (HSURV) have worked on? Check out our achive HSURV Abstract Books!

• 2023 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2022 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2021 HSURV Abstract Book (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, SPUDS)
• 2020 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2019 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2018 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2017 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH, PCER)
• 2016 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2015 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP, SURGH)
• 2014 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP)
• 2013 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO, SHARP)
• 2012 HSURV Abstract Book  (PRISE, BLISS, PRIMO)
• 2011 PRISE Abstract Book
• 2010 PRISE Abstract Book
• 2009 PRISE Abstract Book
• 2008 PRISE Abstract Book
• 2007 PRISE Abstract Book

Build your independent project

Main navigation.

Building on your course work or earlier research experiences, you may have an idea for an independent project in your field. It is important to consider the time scale and resources you will have to work on such a project. Begin by meeting with  faculty mentors  who have expertise on the topic. It may take time and several meetings to create a plan for success.

How to plan a successful project

Every project is unique, but successful projects have one thing in common: they are developed with the help of a faculty mentor. As you begin to plan your project, here are some things you might discuss with your mentor.

• How your idea fits within the larger framework of your faculty mentor’s research or artistic expertise
• How to focus your project idea into a well-defined topic
• What steps you will take to investigate the research question or to create your art
• What additional preparation you will need before starting the work
• How your topic relates to existing works in the field, and what additional works you should examine
• How to create a feasible timeline for the project

Build your project

• Learn about past work on your topic and build a foundation for your project.
• Develop a central idea.
• Meet with your faculty mentors to seek feedback on your ideas and guidance for next steps. (You will need to do this more than once as you develop your ideas and plan further.)
• Create a project plan and evaluate your ideas. 
• Use all this preparation to develop a grant proposal if your project requires funding. 

You Might Also Be Interested In...

Assemble Your Research Toolbox

Prepare for Your Off Campus Project

Popular Searches

• Transcripts
• Career Services
• Human Resources

Our Campuses

• Daytona Beach, FL
• Prescott, AZ
• Embry-Riddle Online

Degrees & Programs

• Certificate Programs
• Associate's Degrees
• Bachelor's Degrees
• Master's Degrees
• Doctoral Degrees

• Applied Science
• Computers & Technology
• Engineering

How Research Experiences for Undergraduates Make a Difference

Alison Whitney

↖ this heading is for screen readers and wont be visible on the page..

Embry-Riddle students are no strangers to performing research . Thanks to small class sizes taught by experienced professors, our Eagles are given plentiful opportunities to work side-by-side with faculty on a vast array of research topics.

We also encourage our students to participate in research inside  and outside of the classroom and beyond the academic year. Some students even stay on campus to take summer courses and keep working on their passion projects.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates

For the past several years, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been designated as a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This funding from the NSF allows our faculty to select a handful of applicants to participate in research and gain valuable laboratory experience and direct mentorship.

Students from all universities in the U.S. are permitted to apply for the NSF’s interdisciplinary 10-week summer program , which provides housing, meals, activities and a stipend. Some research areas include post-space flight syndrome, spacecraft trajectory design and biomarker sensing – all of which are led by Embry-Riddle faculty in our own facilities, like the MicaPlex .

Though many students who come to Embry-Riddle for the REU program are from other universities, a certain percentage of Embry-Riddle students are typically accepted as well.

During the summer 2023 program session, Embry-Riddle student Forrest Dohner (’26) was one of the few students selected to participate in the REU site on the Daytona Beach Campus . He’s studying Aerospace Engineering , driven by his love for air and spacecraft.

“I have always been fascinated by anything that flies, especially rockets,” he said. “I didn’t travel much growing up, so researching planes and rockets became a skill I picked up early on.”

Forrest worked with chemistry professors Dr. Foram Madiyar – Embry-Riddle’s REU Principal Investigator (PI) – and Dr. Jenny Vu on research surrounding self-healing polymers . He says that after working with Dr. Vu during this project, she’s become one of the greatest influences in his college career.

“I was introduced to Dr. Vu during last summer’s REU program. Beforehand, I had worked closely with her to better understand the polymer chemistry behind the synthesis. Now, I continue to work with Dr. Vu, continuing research into the same self-healing polymers,” he said.

Forrest noted that one of the advantages of researching over the summer was the time he was able to dedicate to research without having classes at the same time. 

“I believe that my REU experience is one of the most defining moments in my educational career.”

The Importance of Research

Research has guided Forrest’s path through Embry-Riddle and beyond. After he graduates, he plans to take the skills he learned and the research he conducted during his REU experience and continue researching materials applications in aerospace engineering.

“Ultimately, I hope that this path can lead me to work at an organization like NASA to contribute to the further exploration of space,” he expressed.

Forrest advises future Embry-Riddle students that a key contributor to having a positive experience is getting involved in research or similar projects they find interest in. He said, “Getting a real-world application of your classes makes the learning process so much more fun.”

Are you looking for ways to get research on your resume before college graduation? Apply to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University  and discover the opportunities. 

Can you picture yourself here?

We can. You'll fit right in.

• Publications
• Email Updates

Defining Undergraduate Research Across Disciplines

Takeaways from connectur.

Identified as a high-impact practice by the American Association of Colleges and Universities in 2008, undergraduate research, scholarship, or creative activity is known to be especially transformative for underrepresented students , who are likely to face more barriers to participation. While most scholarship and funding of undergraduate research experiences is centered on the sciences, universities are making efforts to provide equivalent experiences for undergraduates in the arts, humanities, and social sciences—especially in the first two years of undergraduate study, when these opportunities are the most impactful . Creating fulfilling experiences for all undergraduates, and navigating differing definitions of “research” across disciplinary contexts, presents a challenge for Offices of Undergraduate Research as they seek to ensure that undergraduate participation in research, scholarship, or creative activity remains a priority.

This topic was an important one for attendees of ConnectUR, the annual meeting of the Council of Undergraduate Research that took place this year from June 20-26, 2024, online and onsite at the University of Maryland, College Park. In several panels and presentations, speakers worked to describe and define research in their disciplines in terms that an interdisciplinary audience could understand.

Defining research

Jesse Guessford, a music faculty member at George Mason University, spoke about the difficulty of translating the creative process into the vocabulary of research methodology. He made a case for equating practicing in the arts (e.g., of a musical instrument, dance, painting technique, etc.) with data collection in the sciences. While practicing, the performer is essentially conducting a series of experiments with technique and observing the results; the resulting creative work or performance, then, is a dissemination of research results. Guessford also identified that excessive focus on traditional “research” aspects in the arts can impede the creative process and creative expression—he gave the example of a student who planned a creative work on deforestation in Iceland, but became stuck during the preliminary literature review.

Scholars in the humanities considered how to implement undergraduate research activities in disciplines where producing original intellectual or creative contributions typically requires more experience than undergraduates have. Elizabeth Franklin Lewis, a Spanish faculty member at the University of Mary Washington, noted the challenge of designing research experiences for undergraduates in lower-division courses whose language skills were still developing. Given these limitations, she led student teams to write Wikipedia articles about women’s civic organizations in Spain, and to create a map of locations visited by Don Quixote.

Amy Ferrer, executive director of the American Philosophical Association, explained how undergraduates could undertake philosophy research. Ferrer defined research in philosophy as the Socratic method—the discussion, exchange, and refinement of ideas that occurs between the teacher and student is research, which is then disseminated when the student replicates the exchange of ideas with someone else. In the humanities, then, students’ creative engagement with the materials plays an important role in the research process.

For social scientists, the challenge is not necessarily in defining research, but in creating contexts or experiences  for undergraduates. Alissa Ruth, an anthropologist at Arizona State University, presented on the Culture, Health, and Environment Lab she developed with three other faculty members who use similar methodologies in their work. The lab provides training in qualitative research methodologies, as well as opportunities for undergraduates to participate in data collection and analysis for campus researchers’ projects. Similarly, recipients of the Pathways to the Education Sciences Research Training program grants (Guadalupe Carmona, University of Texas at San Antonio; Wynetta Lee, North Carolina Central University; Jacqueline Brooks, California State University, Sacramento; and Alysia Roehrig, Florida State University) described how they trained and placed advanced undergraduates in summer research internships with internal and external partners like Cal State Sacramento’s Institute for Social Research and FSU-affiliated Freedom Schools. These experiences allowed undergraduates to connect undergraduate research with real-life applications.

Looking ahead

The release of the second edition of the Council of Undergraduate Research’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research , planned for August 2024, and the publication of the findings of the Council’s Transformations Project earlier this year, demonstrate its members’ growing interest in implementing undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities throughout the curriculum of every associate’s and bachelor’s program. It seems likely this trend will present new opportunities for faculty and administrators as they consider how these activities are defined in each discipline and how undergraduates can take part.

• Add Comment Email Name Website Comment Post Cancel

Skip to Content

• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students

9 of DU’s Coolest Undergrad Research Projects

Emma atkinson, supported by the undergraduate research center, dozens of students got the chance to present their work at this spring’s showcase..

From science to the arts, students from departments across the University of Denver gathered this spring to present their research projects at the annual Undergraduate Research Showcase.

The Undergraduate Research Center awarded many of these students grants to conduct their research, which culminated in a diverse display of creative and engaging projects. The research represents the a dvancing intellectual growth dimension of the 4D Experience. 

“DU’s undergraduate research activities are truly premier, providing students with rigorous opportunities to work with thought leaders from across campus—flexing their muscles as thought explorers, translating and learning critical skills, and building the confidence to tackle the problems of tomorrow,” says Corinne Lengsfeld, senior vice provost for research and graduate education.

Here are descriptions of nine of this year’s coolest research projects, along with what students told us about their experience.

Saint Brigit and Her Habits: Exploring Queerness in Early Medieval Ireland

Jacqueline Stephenson

“By examining how scholars have used a lens of queerness and mediation to analyze key hagiographies—first of saints, more broadly, and then of female saints—and using these approaches to examine the inherently queer actions, positions and roles found in Saint Brigit’s First Life, we can gain a clearer view of societal views towards queerness during the early medieval period and in early medieval Ireland, in particular.

In doing so, this thesis will help chip away at the monolithic view of the period as well as the queer erasure within—demonstrating that queerness has always been a fundamental part of human society.”

What was the best part about doing this research?

The best part about doing this research was actually contributing to the scholarship and demonstrating that queerness has always been here, even in the places we might least expect. Additionally, seeing concepts we often don't associate with religion and this period were fascinating.

An example is one of her miracles being essentially an abortion, where a young unmarried woman didn't want to be pregnant and came to Saint Brigit, who made the fetus disappear. This is literally a celebrated miracle and not condemned—something shocking considering present-day religious attitudes toward abortion.

Questioning the Effectiveness of the Olympic Truce

Vincent Pandey

“A modern model for peace is the Olympic Truce, a United Nations General Assembly resolution that calls for the pausing and prevention of new conflicts from one week before the Olympic Games through one week after the Paralympic Games. Some argue that the symbolic nature of the truce allows it to create moments of peace in conflicts, while others argue that it is nothing more than a gesture of goodwill that has not actually been used for peace.

My research question is: Has the Olympic Truce ever been successfully implemented to prevent the onset of new conflict or in creating a ceasefire during an ongoing conflict? I use conflict data and case studies to determine the prevalence of conflict during Olympic Truce periods and four case studies to analyze attempts to use the Olympic Truce and some of the challenges faced.”

Hawai'i Uncovered

Lauren Tapper

“Through photography, Hawai'i Uncovered aims to explore the conflicting aspects of identity in Hawai'i, reveal the true characteristics of the state and separate its perception by tourists from the reality that locals know all too well. Photos were taken at popular tourist and lesser known ‘locals-only’ destinations on multiple of the Hawaiian Islands. The photos focused mostly on the way that people interact and exist within these places and amongst each other through a candid and observational lens.

The idea of community and belonging are both the saving grace and downfall of these islands, allowing many to be proud and excited about who they are while also leaving some cast out and forgotten. Both the romanticized and ignored aspects of these islands are what make the state unlike anywhere else in the world and are essential in defining Hawai'i in an honest fashion.”

How did the idea for this research come about?

I got the idea for this research as someone who was born and raised in Hawaii and came to the mainland to notice that there was a huge discrepancy between what people think they know about Hawaii versus what is true, or at least what I know to be true.

Flower Study

Haven Hinds

“This project is a study of extinct flowers, their histories, environments, biology, colors and assigned personalities—manifested in 3D models and a digital book. The goal was to select six flowers with interesting histories and/or cultural connections. Since the flowers can, for the most part, not be seen or kept, they were created in Blender as accurately as possible. To give people a means of connection with the flowers, each was assigned a personality based on different factors. These factors could be the colors they possess, where geographically they thrived, parts of their history or biological factors.

To allow these personalities to further flourish, color spaces were created in Affinity Designer to be applied not only as the background of the models but also as the background of half of the book’s pages. Each person who interacts with the book is encouraged to pick out flowers they connect to and create their own garden of these now-gone flowers.”

The best part about doing this research was finding out some of the love stories connected to these flowers. I am a hopeless romantic, so I enjoyed even the tragic ending to the ancient stories connected to the flowers. Their stories allowed me the opportunity to give the flowers personality traits, allowing others to further connect.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Specialty Props

“ʽA Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is one of Shakespeare’s most renowned plays, steeped in a world of dreams and magic, and will be the second show in the Department of Theatre’s winter quarter season. This show has the goal of bringing in college audiences that have not had the full experience of witnessing live theatre and who may have previous, negative notions about Shakespearean plays. The goal was to transform our audience for the two hours they witnessed this play into people that can enter a world of magic, try something new, appreciate it, challenge their own thinking and revitalize an art that took a heavy blow in recent years.

In order to achieve this fantastical reality onstage, I worked closely with the costume designer (Janice Lacek) and director (Sabin Epstein) to research, design, prototype and fabricate specialty props and costumes to create the multiple distinct worlds present in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ By the end of the project, I designed, prototyped and fabricated five large-scale specialty props sporting at least 50 separate pieces, each using advanced painting and texturing methods, LEDs lights and wiring techniques, foam molding, paper mâché, and wig making techniques.”

Immersive Stargazing: Leveraging VR for Astronomy Education

“This project leverages virtual reality (VR) technology to create an immersive stargazing experience that makes the wonders of the cosmos accessible to all. By integrating VR with educational strategies, we aim to revolutionize the teaching and experience of astronomy. Our primary objective is to enhance astronomy education by developing a VR platform that transcends conventional teaching methods, making celestial phenomena accessible and engaging for users from diverse educational and geographical backgrounds.

This initiative will democratize access to astronomy, promote STEM education and introduce users to advanced technological learning tools. The approach involves constructing detailed celestial models and integrating them into a user-friendly VR interface.”

Flamethrower Vol. 1-3: Innovation in Multidisciplinary Electronic and Acoustic Music

Trevor Briggs

“Flamethrower Vol. 1-3 is a series of three EPs (short albums) that combine jazz, classical and commercial electronic music to produce an artistic work in which the perception, function and musical context of electronic instruments is challenged. I approached these compositions treating electronic components as instruments, writing out scores as I would for brass and wind instruments. I also utilized cutting-edge electronic hardware to generate degenerated, fragmented and evolving sounds.

This type of in-depth sound design allowed me to write, perform and record novel parts for unique instruments. The remainder of the sounds on these recordings incorporate sampling of field recordings to generate new instruments or soundscapes and unconventional recordings of woodwinds (saxophone, clarinet, flute, bass clarinet and alto flute) from Professor Remy Le Boeuf, my faculty partner.”

The best parts of this project were tiny moments where I was really able to see how the final product was coming together. These times came through all parts of the writing and production process. I recorded Professor Remy Le Boeuf on woodwinds a few times for the album, and those sessions were full of those moments. There's a lot of momentary joy in making music with other people. As a recording engineer and producer, I have been feeling very lucky and grateful that I'm the one that gets to capture and shape these moments for others to listen to.

Technology and Homelessness: How Accessibility and Blockchain Technology Could Impact the Unhoused

“This paper discusses how the unhoused population suffers at the hand of technological inequality despite being relatively offline. It presents theories on how this would change if we reapproached how technology is used to assist the unhoused. It suggests implementing blockchain as a resource as well as modifying the websites built for the unhoused.

Employees at shelters are interviewed for this paper about their experiences with using digital resources to rehouse and restabilize the vulnerable. They are asked how the sites can be improved for more optimized use. The sites are also tested against current user experience (UX) standards for accessibility.”

My idea for this research came from two different sources. The first was the approximately 100 hours of volunteer work that I did with a local organization that works with the unhoused. I worked with caseworkers and other employees to get a better understanding of how the organization was run and what major needs were held by the unhoused population. It opened my eyes to a lot of problems that I hadn’t thought about before, especially how difficult it is to escape homelessness and why it is so difficult. 

The second source came later, when I was already working on my thesis paper. I was studying abroad in Greece and took a really interesting UX design class. That class made me start thinking about what UX looked like throughout my life, so when I was looking at government sites to understand where the unhoused would need to be using personal identification, I started noticing all these UX problems that would be easy to fix, which was baffling and frustrating to me, so I decided to add a second part to my paper.

Data Quality Matters: Suicide Intention Detection on Social Media Posts Using RoBERTa-CNN

“Suicide remains a global health concern for the field of health, which urgently needs innovative approaches for early detection and intervention. This paper focuses on identifying suicidal intentions in SuicideWatch Reddit posts and presents a novel approach to detect suicide using the cutting-edge RoBERTa-CNN model, a variant of RoBERTa (Robustly Optimized BERT Approach). RoBERTa is a language model that captures textual information and forms semantic relationships within texts.

By adding the Convolution Neural Network (CNN) head, RoBERTa enhances its ability to capture important patterns from heavy datasets. To evaluate RoBERTa-CNN, we experimented on the Suicide and Depression Detection dataset and obtained solid results. For example, RoBERTa-CNN achieves 98% mean accuracy with the standard deviation (STD) of 0.0009. It also reaches over 97.5% mean area under the curve (AUC) value with an STD of 0.0013. Then, RoBERTa-CNN outperforms competitive methods, demonstrating the robustness and ability to capture nuanced linguistic patterns for suicidal intentions. Hence, RoBERTa-CNN can detect suicide intention on text data very well.”

Related Articles

Girls in STEM: What 3 Professors Are Doing to Empower the Next Generation

Start Your Application

Undergraduate applicants.

The Common App is a universal application that can be sent to many schools, including the University of Denver.

First-Year Students Transfer Students

Graduate Applicants

Go to the graduate admission application to submit your information. For information on admission requirements, visit the graduate academic programs page and locate your program of interest.

Graduate Application

Explore Programs

Graduate Academic Programs

Office of the Vice President for Research

Research funding to ui increases, topping $680m.

External funding to support research, scholarship, and creative activities at the University of Iowa totaled $683.8 million in fiscal year 2024, which ended on June 30, 2024. This is a 22% increase over the previous year’s $561 million. 

Total external funding to the institution reached $811 million, an increase of 15% from last year. These funds support a range of activities that build on the university’s research strengths, engage students in dynamic educational experiences, and support engagement with local, regional, and global communities.  

Several sources of federal and private funding trended up during FY24, including a significant uptick in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education. Industry-supported activities, which include clinical trials, rose 17% to $149 million, the highest in the institution’s history. The previous record was $127 million set in FY22. 

“These trends align with the institution’s efforts to diversify our funding portfolio and forge new partnerships with federal, corporate, and foundation entities,” says Marty Scholtz, vice president for research. “Their support fosters a range of high-impact faculty work, from the arts and humanities, to engineering, to the sciences.”

Federal support 

Federal funding remains the strongest supporter of the institution, totaling $315 million in FY24, or 39% of all external funding. 

The NSF’s support of UI research projects increased 56% for a record high of $18 million, including a new $1.2 million project to advance the personalization of hearing aids. The lead investigator on the project is Octav Chipara, a professor in the Department of Computer Science. 

Funding from the Department of Defense (DOD) totaled $18 million. The DOD’s social-science focused Minerva Research Institute funded a  $1.7 million project to examine the global spread of propaganda, disinformation, and manipulative content on social media.   Brian Ekdale, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, leads the study.

Several federally funded projects reached major milestones of longevity with continuous funding from a single grant. Fiscal year 2024 marked the 45th year of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for the UI’s training program in hematology . The   project, which is currently led by Steven Lentz, professor of internal medicine and the Henry Hamilton Chair in Hematology, trains young scientists for productive careers as academic scientists and physician-scientists in hematology. It received funding to train its first cohort of scientists in 1978. To date, the program has trained more than 141 individuals who have gone on to successful careers in academic medical centers, the NIH, American Red Cross, and private industry. 

Private funding

Overall, support from private foundations and individuals totaled $129 million in FY24.

Two UI researchers secured $18 million from the nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for a five-year project to help older adults with multiple chronic medical conditions better manage their high blood pressure. Korey Kennelty, the Patrick E. Keefe Professor in Pharmacy and vice chair for research and implementation science in the Department of Family Medicine, and Carri Casteel, professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and director of UI’s Injury Prevention Research Center, are dual-principal investigators on the award. Their goal is to enroll more than 900 patients and partner with 60 primary care clinics across the country. 

Private sources also supported UI writers who continue to shape the landscape of American literature. The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awarded Guggenheim fellowships to two UI faculty in FY24. Kaveh Akbar, associate professor and director of the undergraduate English and creative writing major, and Jamel Brinkley, assistant professor in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, secured the fellowships from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants. Thirty-three UI faculty have received the highly prestigious award since 1978. 

Clinical trials represent the largest percentage of industry-funded projects, at $85 million.

“Many clinical trials help patients treated at UI Health Care gain access to new drugs and therapies,” says Scholtz. “We’re proud to leverage the unique strengths and capabilities of UI researchers to help advance discoveries and treatments that directly benefit people in our state and beyond.”

Serving Iowa’s communities 

The U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Weather Service co-funded a project to improve community resistance to flooding in eastern Iowa. The $1 million project will support new remote sensors to collect data and monitor conditions throughout the Lower Cedar River and Maquoketa River watersheds. Nathan Young, associate director of the Iowa Flood Center, will lead the project.

To address the shortage of special education teachers in Iowa and across the country, the Department of Education awarded a $1.2 million grant to a team in the College of Education led by Allison Bruhn, professor of special education.

“We are proud of the ingenuity of UI researchers and scholars, who continue to push the bounds of research and discovery, and secure competitive funding from a wide range of sources to do this work,” says Scholtz. “This year’s records are a testament to UI researchers’ enduring commitments to secure new knowledge that benefits the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world.”

Skip to Content

Current Students

Interested in more? Search Courses

• Search Input Submit Search

Civil Discourse in Action: DU’s Colorado Project Addresses Sustainable Economic Growth

The colorado project is setting its sights on strengthening colorado’s economy through inclusivity and unity..

The Colorado Project seeks to reduce polarization, strengthen democracy and find solutions to the tough issues facing Colorado by harnessing the power of civil discourse. This year-old initiative is housed in the Douglas and Mary Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. In early March,  the Project released a report proposing a strategy for sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Colorado, addressing topics like water, energy, jobs and housing.

“The Colorado Project is an effort for us to bring all Coloradans together to take on the most important questions of our state while committing to the hard work of listening and learning even when we may disagree,” said Dean Fritz Mayer, Korbel School of International Studies who launched the project as a flagship effort for the school based on work he previously led in North Carolina. 

Starting in July 2023, the Project’s 33 members met eight times, virtually and in small groups, to develop recommendations for an economy that lifts all boats when the Colorado economy grows. 

“On the surface, our economy looks good but historically our economic growth hasn’t benefitted every segment of the population the same, particularly people of color and people living in poverty,” says Rebecca Montgomery. She is the former director of democracy and civil discourse initiatives within Scrivner and was the staff facilitator for the Project. “Rural communities haven’t recovered since the recession of 2008. Up until now, leaders have worked on these issues in silos but there is potential for political alignment we are not seeing if we can break out of these silos.”

Landon Mascareñaz believes the group succeeded in doing that. He was a committee member and has been brought on as a consultant to replace Montgomery, who has since left the Project. He currently serves as the chair, State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education and is the co-founder of The Open Systems Institute. The civil discourse process used by the Project left him enthusiastic about the Project’s potential and results.

“I had a really incredible experience,” he says. “I loved the partnership, the facilitation and really great ways we could take the content and move it to the next level.”

The group’s members were selected to ensure diverse viewpoints were represented through geography and backgrounds: industry, business, non-profits, rural, urban, racial, water, energy, workforce, housing, land use and others. Only a couple held elected office.       

While civil discourse was the rule of the day, the conversations weren’t easy. The group adopted four rules to keep talks civil:

1. assume positive intent 2. come to every meeting and engage meaningfully 3. keep all conversations confidential 4. base all your contributions in facts, research or practical experience

“We held each other to these values on those constructs we made at the beginning,” says Lisandra Gonzales, one of three co-chairs and chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Partnership.

These points kept discussions on track, especially when talks became tough, as they did the first day. Ideas about equity and inclusion provided a tall first hurdle.

“How do you deal with racial issues in parts of the state where race is not a prominent issue?” says Steve ErkenBrack, co-chair and chief executive officer of the Buell Foundation. “That was very tense for a bit but we worked through that because we realized it’s all about inclusion. Parts of rural Colorado also feel they have not always been included.”

Gonzales says that talk revealed something else. Definitions are shaped by people’s personal experiences, giving language shades of meaning beyond the dictionary. In the end, she says people generally agreed on what something meant but used different words to describe it.

“Even if you hear something that is off-putting,” ErkenBrack says, “rather than react immediately, make sure the person is really saying that. We all have biases. These biases we all bring to the human experience are not inherently negative, but you have to face them and recognize them in yourself. We ended up with a candid process and there was a unanimity of where we wanted to get.”

Questions were not left to fester unresolved. “If something felt off, we connected to make sure we had real conversations,” Gonzales says. “We didn’t lose anyone for the sake of not having those accountability conversations.”

The issues often emerged from smaller working groups, were introduced to the larger group, discussed, sent back, reworked, reintroduced and accepted, or not, usually by consensus.

“Can you live with this in the end? That’s where we had the ultimate buy-in,” Gonzales says. “Are you comfortable with your name being associated with this? That is the question we were asking.”

ErkenBrack says that the diversity of the group was its strength, especially as the participants came to realize all the issues were interrelated. Water affects business which affects housing, education, land use, etc. Any single issue brought up others, and the commitment from the group was to create a plan that would benefit the entire state, not just part of it.

“You wind up realizing whatever your own background and expertise is, you have to access other expertise,” ErkenBrack says. “You realize the importance of listening to other people’s expertise.”

Gonzales says the group spent a lot of time “sitting in the dialogue” and listening before decisions were made. “What was most inspiring about this process and gives me the most hope, even for the country,” she says, “by bringing together this vast array of people, what we all committed to was the end result. We were respectful of other opinions.”

“You can’t assemble people from all these diverse backgrounds and expect everybody to think like you,” says ErkenBrack. “We live in an environment of policy that is increasingly contentious and emotional. Bringing together several dozen leaders from different fields and reaching a result and consensus document inspired us to take this back to our day jobs and communities - listening to make progress.”

“We built relationships across ideas and differences. That was so powerful,” Mascareñaz says.

The focus now is on getting the report into the hands of thought leaders. Eventually, a new group will be convened for the Colorado Project to tackle a new topic, yet to be identified, certain to be tough, but the discourse civil. 

Related Articles

Korbel School Models Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age

School Boards Are at a Critical Juncture. Here’s What DU Is Doing About It.

Speaking Up in a Safe Space