The purpose of this monograph is to present both the empirical and conceptual evidence of the causes and effects of undergraduate student engagement in research and creative activities. Four questions guide this report: (1) What are the intellectual underpinnings of engaging undergraduate students in research and creative activities?; (2) What are the effects of engaging in research and creative activities on a variety of outcomes for undergraduate students?; (3) What are the correlates of students' engagement in research and creative activities? Are there discernible differences in the patterns of engagement for students of different backgrounds, those enrolled in different types of institutions, or in colleges at different historical times?; and (4) What initiatives, both common and distinctive, have colleges and universities made in engaging undergraduate students in research and creative activities? This monograph first describes the scope of undergraduate research and creative activities, the variations of such activities across and within disciplines, and their historical evolution. Second, it discusses constructivist learning theories and exemplary educational practices to distill conceptual support for engaging in undergraduate research and creative activities. Empirical studies are then reviewed to demonstrate the effects of such activities on student outcomes. Subsequently, the report identifies the factors that are related to student engagement in research activities and presents the patterns of student engagement with respect to student and institutional characteristics, disciplinary differences, and longitudinal trends. Finally, the report documents institutional efforts in engaging students in research activities and analyzes program features that are conducive to student engagement. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)