Course Description

Faculty-supervised independent or collaborative inquiry into fundamental and applied problems within a discipline that requires students to gather, analyze, and synthesize and interpret data and to present results in writing and other relevant communication formats.

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Athena Title

Undergraduate Research I

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Non-Traditional Format

This course belongs to a progressive research course sequence to promote a student's increasing skill development and depth of inquiry, as well as growing independent research capability. This course requires the close supervision of a faculty member as the student undertakes a systematic and in-depth inquiry into unknown, fundamental, and applied problems. In some cases, the student will work collaboratively as part of a research team. The student will have to apply understanding of the discipline to identify or shape research questions and apply skills and techniques learned to the research project. Students will gather data, synthesize relevant literature, analyze, and interpret data. The student will present results in writing or through participation in research-group or program meetings and meetings with their faculty mentor. The student will receive feedback from the faculty mentor on their research progress and written or oral presentation of results. A minimum of 45 hours of work per credit hour per semester is required.

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Prerequisite

Permission of department

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Semester Course Offered

Offered fall, spring and summer

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Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

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Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will develop research questions and/or hypotheses.
• Students will design and conduct appropriate experiments or investigations.
• Students will analyze and interpret data using appropriate tools and approaches.
• Students will contextualize research within the primary literature and/or databases.
• Students will present scientific results in an appropriate context and in a variety of ways (e.g., group meetings, final report), including via visual representations of data (figures, graphs, tables), orally and in writing.
• Students will develop awareness of the ethical dimensions of science and responsible conduct of research.

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Topical Outline

• During the process of completing the research course sequence, students accomplish authentic biochemistry and molecular biology research, which involves developing science practice skills and learning about and applying principles related to the responsible and ethical conduct of their particular research project. Students must apply through a sponsoring faculty member to conduct research. Each research experience is an independent collaboration between the faculty member and the student. The faculty mentor and student develop their own work plan and determine specific expectations and milestones (i.e., individualized syllabus). The student receives guidance and feedback on their work during individual and group meetings. The student presents their results in a final journal article style report.

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Institutional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.

Communication

The ability to effectively develop, express, and exchange ideas in written, oral, or visual form.

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