Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) benefit student learning by providing accessible authentic research opportunities. However, the uniqueness of each disciple and variation in instructors' perception of CUREs make it challenging to reach a consensus on how to effectively assess students' research abilities in a CURE…

Understanding when it is appropriate to make causal inferences from a statistical result is a fundamental skill for science literacy. Prior research has concentrated on erroneous causal judgments about observational studies, but there is little research on whether people understand that experiments provide stronger justification for causal claims.…

Beliefs about conducting research and completing major projects, such as a thesis or marketing campaign, suggest that previous experience, guidance from a mentor, and cohesive teams are particularly important in boosting the confidence to conduct research in graduate students (i.e., research self-efficacy). Although these factors are also thought…

Students experience the research-teaching nexus differently as they progress through their first three years of undergraduate study depending on the discipline. The question is if students, within the same discipline, experience the nexus differently depending on the profile of the institution where they study. The present study explored students'…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) can provide undergraduate students access to research opportunities when student and faculty resources are limited. In addition to expanding research opportunities, CUREs may also be explored as a pedagogical tool for improving student learning of course content and laboratory skills, as well…

Research is one of the trifocal functions of higher education in the Philippines. It is further cascaded to undergraduate research to ensure that undergraduates in collaboration with their mentor contribute intellectual discoveries or creative output relative to their discipline through research. This phenomenological research was undertaken to…

The medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage, threatening future medical research and development. Medical institutions can contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating students' involvement in research. In this study, a medical undergraduate teaching module to develop research skills and encourage interest in…

This study examined Saudi undergraduate EFL students' perceptions of technology's role in enhancing their research abilities. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a questionnaire completed by 86 undergraduate students and interviews with 10 students. The questionnaire assessed students' technology use, perspectives on research skills…

To tackle today's most challenging problems, we must explore effective and scalable ways to train the next generation in leading the design and research of high-impact solutions. In addition to core design-research skills (i.e. prototyping techniques and research methodologies), learners must also develop the metacognitive skills necessary for…

Higher education in the developing world is challenged by high number of students and rigid curricula. These challenges require innovative ways to support students learning. In this paper, a new extracurricular activity was designed to promote academic research and self-learning skills using undergraduate -- postgraduate peer learning. The course…

In a typical undergraduate biology curriculum, students do not dive into research until they first wade through large amounts of content. Biology courses in the first few years of the college curriculum tend to be lecture-based and exam-based courses. As a result, science students are mainly exposed to content knowledge--not the skills scientists…

Studies show undergraduate students typically view the idea of research negatively, with students reporting feelings of anxiety, difficulty, detachment, and reduced perceptions of relevancy to their own life. Course-based undergraduate experiences (CUREs), where students have an opportunity to engage in authentic research experiences, can reach…

An approach for incorporating preliminary drug discovery research into a biochemistry laboratory is described. During a total of 42 hr (one 3-hr laboratory section a week for 14 weeks), students were exposed to bioinformatics; molecular cloning; protein expression, purification, and characterization; and enzymatic kinetic assays. This…

In the United Kingdom (U.K.), all students who are studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree need to complete a piece of independent research in order to gain their "honours" (U.S. "honors") status. As a university faculty we have very specific ideas about the purpose of this research and the positive impact that we hope that it…

The purpose of this study was to assess students' self-perceptions of their research abilities and develop strategies to improve research skills among undergraduate students. The instrument was administered to students in a Kinesiology department at a university in Midwest U.S.A. Fifteen questions were included in the self-administered…