Why Is Undergraduate Research Important?

Oct 6, 20203 min read

Many individuals who pursue a graduate level degree gain a plethora of experience in research as they navigate their way through their Master's or PhD programs, but did you know that it is possible to begin research as an undergraduate? Beginning to conduct research as an undergraduate studens has many advantages that students may be unaware of. The process of developing a research question and finding a mentor to guide the project may be intimidating initially, but conducting research helps develop skills that are crucial to success in life. In this article, I will uncover the reasons why I decided to dive into undergraduate research, and why I feel as though others should consider doing so as well!

1. Research Helps Build Critical Thinking Skills

When one conducts research, it is that individual's job to collect data, analyze the data, and make a conclusion based on what the data implies. In order to do this, that individual must use critical thinking skills, along with skills such as statistical analysis, to evaluate what the data suggests and what we are or are not allowed to assume based on statistics. Anyone can record and collect data, but it takes critical thought to determine what those numbers resemble and what conclusions can be made based on the data. These skills can be used in nearly any profession that the undergraduate pursues. Whether going into the medical field, education, or business, one must use critical thinking skills to be able to make sense of numbers and content.

2. Research Helps Build Time Management

Conducting or participating in a research project is not an easy task. Participating in research requires a significant amount of time, dedication, and perseverance. One of the greatest advantages of participating in research is the opportunity to learn time management skills. Oftentimes, in addition to conducting research, the student is also balancing tasks such as work, school, or family life. Participating in research can be a full-time job. Sometimes student researchers spend up to 20 hours a week working on their project. As you can imagine, if time management skills are not utilized, the student will not effectively balance their workload. These types of skills are expected to be utilized in graduate school and life in general. Additionally, when one chooses to participate in research, he/she gains critical leadership skills that they can utilize in their future career. Whether that individual is working on a solo project, or is a part of a team, that individual is responsible for their contributions.

3. Research Helps Build Connections with Knowledgeable Faculty Members

Oftentimes, college students may be too intimidated to reach out to their professors to ask for help, or simply talk to them about their experiences. Typically, professors are more than willing to share their knowledge and experiences with their students, because, they ultimately want their students to succeed. What students often don't think about is to ask their professors about research. Professors have a in depth understanding of what it takes to develop and conduct research, and they are ideal mentors for students who want to engage in research based learning.

4. Research Allows the Student to Expand their Knowledge Within Their Designated Discipline

Undergraduates certainly learn an extensive amount about their desired discipline by the time they graduate from college, but engaging in research helps the student dive deeper into their subject area. If the student has a topic or question that is particularly interesting to them, researching that topic could be used to expand their knowledge of the subject matter, along with their knowledge on how other disciplines may contribute to that topic. Disciplines overlap, so is very beneficial to explore how they relate to each other. For example, I am particularly interested in conducting research regarding the chemical responses of certain drugs. While conducting my research, I will need to incorporate knowledge regarding Physiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and Statistics. Being able to make connections between various content is beneficial to the student's learning process.

5. Conducting Undergraduate Research Helps Prepare the Student for Graduate Level Content/Research

Upon admission to graduate school, that individual is not only expected to have met the certain prerequisite coursework, but is also expected to have the drive and ability to understand abstract and complex content. This coursework can be rigorous and fast paced. Participating in udergraduate research allows the student to get exposure to thought processes and skills needed to excel in graduate level curriculum. As discussed previously, conducting research is not an easy task and teaches the student many skills that otherwise may not be learned until further along in that student's education. Mastering, or even just exposing oneself, to this type of work, only makes the process of navigating graduate school slightly more efficient.