Two ways to teach undergraduate students research skills

I was inspired to pursue a PhD after undertaking a dissertation as an undergraduate, but I soon realised that I lacked research skills. I didn’t know how to collect data or information and examine it or how to write a research report or present my research. I do recall a research methods module, but I wasn’t able to practise any of the methods by working on a real-world research project. 

When I became lead of the Undergraduate Research Hub (UGR Hub) at my university, I saw an opportunity to help bridge the gap between undergraduate study and postgraduate research.

The UGR Hub is part of the Institute for Inclusive Communities and Environments. Its main aim is to support undergraduate students by helping them develop research skills while working alongside academics to create positive and meaningful research relationships. 

Working on research projects with students has been both enriching and enjoyable. The students I’ve worked with have told me it helped them feel a sense of belonging and to develop skills they can use in their postgraduate studies and careers. In this resource, I discuss two initiatives we have implemented to support undergraduate research and share advice on how to introduce similar opportunities.

Funded research projects

My department has access to a small pot of money used to fund research projects. As part of a competitive process, academic leads bid for and must meet a set of criteria to be awarded funding. If you are considering something similar, the following criteria ensure students are treated as partners or co-creators, rather than research assistants:

• Demonstrating how students will be partners or co-creators in the project 
• Setting out the skills students will learn that will serve them post-study
• Demonstrating how the project will enable students to produce a tangible output
• Demonstrating a commitment to showcasing the research at relevant events (in our case it was the annual UGR Hub symposium).

A successful bid should place students at the centre of the research working alongside the academic project lead. It should show how the students will, among others:

• Collect and interpret data
• Carry out interviews
• Create questionnaires
• Evaluate narratives
• Identify themes. 

A successful bid will also clearly set out what the research project will do, the time frame it will operate in and the final student output. The funding outline will set out how the students will be paid for their research time. Each academic lead is responsible for interviewing and selecting the students for their research project. 

Examples of projects we have funded:

• The creation of a website for new students with guidance about things to see and places to eat/drink in the area 
• The co-authoring and publication of an article to be placed in a journal. 

An undergraduate research project module 

We have also created a credit-bearing module to facilitate collaboration between students and academics on research projects. It was designed to provide students with research-specific skills, experience and knowledge while working alongside a research-active member of staff.

Academics propose research projects, and students apply to join one. The academic lead then interviews and selects students (the group size depends on the scale of the research project). 

• Questions to test students’ understanding of research methods
• Creating time and space for reflection in undergraduate research methods
• Enabling staff-student co-creation of experiential learning at scale

Students must produce a written report and do a presentation at the end of the module. 

Here are some tips for implementing similar opportunities at your institution:

1. Generate ideas and start creating awareness of undergraduate research among students. Start with achievable activities that generate interest and be clear about what you want to achieve (our goal was to create and nurture an undergraduate research environment). I started out providing skills cafés for students across the faculty twice a term, and they turned into workshops for the undergraduate research project module.
2. Emphasise the relationship-building aspect of these collaborations at every opportunity. The projects can build trust, a sense of belonging and meaningful, long-term connections. One student said, “Entry to my master’s programme was highly competitive, and I believe my participation in the research project really helped me stand out.” These are benefits that can influence a student’s decision to continue their studies at your institution.
3. Ensure staff are aware that co-creating/partnering with students in research is not the same as using them as research assistants. This may require a culture change for some and it will take time. 
4. Depending on how research is organised at your institution, seek support from a research institute/centre to expand reach and impact. We have support from the Institute for Inclusive Communities and Environments, which has generated opportunities for both academic staff and undergraduate students by providing funding for our research projects.

Both students and academics learn from each other in research collaborations. These initiatives have helped bridge the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate research, enhanced the student experience and encouraged more students to pursue further study.

Louise Hewitt is an associate professor in law and the Undergraduate Research Hub lead at the University of Greenwich.

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