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These pages contain general resources for undergraduates. They include information on presidential scholar events, professional development tips, as well as research, publication and funding opportunities.
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Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
Doing research at the undergraduate level can be extremely worthwhile and
rewarding. In addition to enhancing your resume, research opportunities offer an
experience that allows you to expand your perspectives on how knowledge can be
applied and utilized. Research opportunities provide a space for intellectual
growth that is firmly grounded in your own interests. By participating in
research as an undergraduate you will strengthen both your future professional
career possibilities and options for graduate study.
The first step in pursuing a research project is to identify a general topic
area of interest. Begin by writing down a list of possible topics you want to
explore in more depth. The foundation of a research project usually takes shape
in the form of a question or questions. Think about topics from previous courses
that continue to hold your interest. What remaining questions do you have about
this topic? As you identify some possible questions for your research project,
keep in mind ways that you might go about answering these questions. Use your
questions as the foundation for mapping out the general direction of your
research.
Finding a mentor for conducting research is an important step in the research
process. After identifying a topic of interest, you will need to select a
faculty member who can oversee and guide your research explorations. Start by
visiting department web sites to read about faculty research interests. Work to
identify a faculty member (or two) who conduct research in an area that is
similar to your own area of interest. A professor who shares your research
interests is a good candidate to serve as your faculty mentor. If you have
trouble identifying a faculty member with mutual interests, make an appointment
to meet with possible mentors and discuss the aim of your project. These
conversations can often lead to the discovery of a fitting mentor for your
specific interests.
Once you have faculty mentor who has agreed to work with you, your next step
will be to conduct a search for related literature on the specific subject of
interest. Good research often builds on the work of past researchers. As you
discover research that already exists on your specific topic, use it as a basis
for understanding how others have approached this subject in the past. What
questions have already been asked/answered? How has research on this topic
previously been conducted? This information will help you to narrow the focus of
your own research project. It will further provide you with background
information on the specific subject area. At
Goddard Library you
consult a librarian and learn about accessing several online databases that can
assist you in carrying out this search.
A key aspect of doing undergraduate research is the occasion it provides for
you to apply your creativity in a learning setting. After identifying a topic of
interest and a faculty mentor to support you in your research endeavors, the
research experience can become a space for hands-on learning. While honing the
ability to complete tasks on your own, you will sharpen your critical thinking
skills. As a researcher and a member of a research team, you will gain insight
from the experience of working collaboratively with others and considering
alternate perspectives.
Funding Opportunities
Funding for undergraduate research at Clark is available in several forms.
For more information about funding opportunities at Clark, visit the
Office
of Sponsored Programs and Research. Here, you will find a description of
both the
Anton
and Steinbrecher fellowship program.
In addition, Clark offers merit-based scholarships including:
Achievement Award Scholarships
Making a Difference Scholarship
Presidential Scholarships
Strassler Scholarship
Traina Scholarship
For more information on any of the scholarships listed above, visit
Admissions and Financial Aid for Clark Students.
Information on scholarships that are department specific can be viewed at
Resources and Funding Opportunities for Active Learning.
Publication Outlets
The Council on Undergraduate
Research provides undergraduates with opportunities for presenting and
publishing their research findings.
Journals that focus on publishing undergraduate academic research include:
The
Pittsburgh Undergraduate Review gives undergraduates throughout the country
an avenue for publication of original scholarship which might otherwise go
unnoticed. The review process of the PUR is similar to that of professional
academic journals. At least two referees with expertise in fields related to the
topic of each prospective article are chosen from a pool of faculty members at
the University of Pittsburgh and surrounding institutions. These referees
evaluate the paper with regard to originality and clarity, as well as quality of
reasoning and research.
Humanities
The Art and Literary Journal - Analecta produced annually by students at the
University of Texas at Austin, Analecta is comprised of student art and
previously unpublished student literature collected from a contest held at over
280 colleges and universities each fall - Available online.
The Dualist:
Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy - The Dualist is a publication dedicated
to recognizing valuable undergraduate contributions in philosophy and to
providing a medium for undergraduate discourse on topics of philosophical
interest. It was created by students at Stanford University in 1994 and has
since featured submissions from undergraduates around the world. The journal is
published each spring and is distributed to philosophy departments across the
nation - Available online.
Science
CalTech
Undergraduate Research Journal Submissions are welcomed from undergraduates
at all educational institutions - Available online.
Furman University Electronic
Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics - Available online.
Morehead Electronic
Journal of
Applicable Mathematics - Available online.
Origin The Higher Education Academy Centre for Bioscience: Publishing
undergraduate research in an extra-curricula house journal. Origin is an
undergraduate journal to publish research work by students. Origin was devised
to offer a genuine experience of research publication to students in response to
a perceived need as a significant proportion of students go on to further
discipline-specific study or research within their degree is completed -
Available online.
Pi Mu
Epsilon Journal Papers and mathematical problems by and for members -
Available online.
Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology
Undergraduate Mathematics Journal - Available online.
The
Journal of Undergraduate Sciences - Available online.
The Pentagon:
The
Official Journal of Kappa Mu Epsilon, mathematics honor society - Available
online.
Bios Journal
Focus: emphasis on undergraduate biology research papers as well as training and
professional issues for biologists Founded 1930, Publishes quarterly in print.
Research articles by undergrads; reviews & histories by faculty editors. Target
audience = BBB members.
Journal of Young Investigators (JYI) Focus: undergraduate research in
science, mathematics, and engineering Founded 1998, Publishes research
triannually and features monthly on the web. Research & reviews by undergrads;
other content by all undergraduate editors. Target audience = undergraduates.
Columbia
Undergraduate Science Journal publishes research by undergraduates in the
science and engineering fields. It is published annually during the Spring
semester by the Columbia University Libraries.
Journal of Behavioral and Neuroscience Research (JBNR). Focus:
research in Psychology and Neuroscience, particularly studies that integrate
behavioral and neuroscience techniques Founded 2003, Publishes biannually on the
web. Research articles by undergraduates and faculty. Faculty editors. Target
audience = Neuroscientists
Impulse - Focus:
undergraduate neuroscience research articles Founded 2004, Will publish on the
web Articles by undergraduates. Undergraduate editors. Target audience =
undergraduates.
Nexus:
journal of undergraduate science, engineering and technology aims to provide a
model and a means of integrating and promoting the teaching/research nexus
within the undergraduate curriculum at the University of Tasmania.
Social Science
Journal of
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (JPBS). Focus: articles in any
topical area of psychology Founded 1966, Publishes annually in print with
abstracts on the web. Articles are by undergraduates and graduate students.
Graduate student & undergrad editors. Target audience = psychologists
Modern Psychological Studies (MPS). Focus: experimental psychological
research, as well as theoretical papers, literature reviews, and book reviews
Founded 1993, Publishes biannually in print and on the web Articles by
undergraduates. Undergraduate editors. Target audience = undergraduates.
Psi Chi Journal
of Undergraduate Research. Focus: the work of undergraduate psychology
students Founded 1996, Publishes quarterly in print with abstracts on the web
Articles by undergraduates. Faculty editors. Target audience = Psi Chi Members.
The
American Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Government provides a
competitive, bi-annual platform exclusively for undergraduate papers. Students
from any class and major are encouraged to submit papers to one of four
divisions encompassed by the Journal: American Politics Comparative Politics,
International Relations Political Theory The Journal’s Editorial Board is
comprised of undergraduate peers at Purdue University, who endeavor each
semester to publish manuscripts of the highest academic quality.
Useful web links with more information on conducting undergraduate
research
The Web
Guide to Research for Undergraduates is an interactive web-based tool
intended to assist undergraduates navigate the hurdles of an undergraduate
research experience. Visit this site for
Fellowships and Awards in support of graduate research and for information
on
Undergraduate Research Programs.
Comments on participating in research from fellow Undergrads
National Conferences on
Undergraduate Research
Guide to Undergraduates
doing Research
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Regional Presentation Opportunities
New England Science Symposium (Harvard Medical School)
Also check:
Clark University Academic Spree Day and Fall Fest
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