A Survey Based Study To Identify Methods For Achieving Positive Outcomes For Undergraduate Researchers

This work describes the results of a survey administered to individuals involved in administrating and supervising undergraduate research. The purpose of the survey is to understand what factors lead to positive outcomes for undergraduate researchers. Positive outcomes include undergraduates pursuing graduate degrees, pursuing research careers and reporting their work at conferences and in journal publications. The factors investigated include various topics such as how candidates are identified, factors considered most important when selecting an undergraduate, defining a project for an undergraduate and assessing the undergraduate. Forty eight individuals, the majority of whom where professors (88%) at research institutions (56%), responded to the survey. Although there were not any statistically significant conclusions, the results suggest that (1) having a formal application procedure, (2) choosing undergraduates based on conceptual understanding and (3) assessing undergraduates based largely on critical thinking lead to more undergraduates attending graduate school.