Getting Started

Assisting with a Faculty Research Project

1.    Establish your interests.

• What topics intrigue you?
• Are you willing to commit a large amount of time to the exploration of a particular topic?
• Think back on previous classes, volunteering or work experience, books you've read, papers you've written, and lectures you've attended.

2.    Identify faculty who share your interests.

• Search for undergraduate opportunities in faculty research on the Undergraduate Research Opportunities page.
• Search faculty members on EUREKA!
• Look at departments relevant to your interests and search the faculty pages.
• Think back on classes you have taken and consider if any previous professors might be a good fit.

3.    Consider course credit.

• Many majors offer upper-division conference courses. Students can register for these courses to receive course credit for their research.
• Some departments have a specific course in which students assist with a faculty research project. For example, PSY 357 requires its students to seek out a faculty member and assist with their research.
• UGS 310 and 320 are also available through the School of Undergraduate Studies.
• See Course Credit for more information.

4.    Get organized.

• Consider what you are hoping to bring to the project and what skills you are hoping to gain from it.
• Investigate what the faculty member has been working on (research, publications) and think of questions you may have about their work.
• Think about your availability in a realistic way and consider how much time you can actually commit to the project.
• Ensure you can clearly articulate your interests.
• Think about how your school/work load might affect your reliability.

 5.    Make contact.

• Send the faculty member an e-mail.
• Address the professor as "Dr." and be respectful.
• Tell the professor a little about yourself and your interests, that you are interested in assisting them with their research, and that you would like to set up a meeting to discuss it.
• Don't be discouraged if the faculty member is not looking for anyone at that time - ask if they can recommend someone else and try again.

6.    Meet with the faculty member.

• When you meet with faculty, be prepared to discuss the items from step 4.
• Dress neatly and be confident and relaxed.
• Ask the professor to outline what he/she would expect from you in terms of time commitment and skills necessary to complete the research.
• Discuss course credit if it is something you are interested in.

7.    Reflect after the meeting.

• Reflect and consider if both of your expectations could be met if you worked together.
• If it's not a good fit, be sure to tell the faculty member - politely but directly ¬- and ask if the faculty member can recommend someone else. You may want to go back to step 2.
• If it is a good fit, and the faculty member agrees, proceed in outlining the expectations described in the next step.

8.    Outline expectations for the project.

• Decide on a start date for your work on the project.
• Set up weekly or biweekly meetings.
• Make arrangements for course credit if you are going to pursue it.