Office of Undergraduate Research

The OUR has adopted the following learning outcomes for students participating in an undergraduate research experience:

Articulate a clear research question, hypothesis, or creative objective statement.
Identify and utilize relevant previous work that relates to topic and know how project fits. Define, articulate and use terminology, concepts and theory germane to the discipline.
Know and apply problem solving and critical thinking skills to constructively address project.
Work collaboratively with others using listening and communication skills.
Work autonomously in an effective manner setting and meeting deadlines.
Present the research effectively in a conference setting and/or a written publication.

These outcomes were assessed with the Undergraduate Research Student Assessment. This is a self-report assessment distributed at the Undergraduate Research Symposium (see VII below). The results of the assessment suggest that students completing an undergraduate research experience meet these learning outcomes.

Curriculum

In the spring of 2017 the OUR formed a new committee (Table 13) charged to integrate undergraduate research into the curriculum (IURC). Academic Affairs has recently set new goals to enhance student success at WSU by increasing the use of high-impact practices in the curriculum. These high-impact practices increase student retention and enhance student success. Undergraduate research is considered a high-impact practice because across various levels of participation students are required to utilize and develop high level skills that enhance their learning; e.g. critical inquiry, reading and writing literacies, and information synthesis. The committee’s progress to date is listed below:

Form a committee with representatives from every college at WSU with the charge of integrating undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative works into the curriculum at WSU (Complete, Spr. 2017)
Characterize and quantify undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative works that are currently
being performed in the curriculum at WSU (Faculty survey competed, Fall 2017)
Create criteria to designate the presence and extent of research, scholarship, and creative works being conducted in a particular course (Process of survey data, planned completion Spr. 2018)
Use established criteria to define a course designation similar to the CBL designation used by the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) (Planned completion Spr. 2018)
Adapt existing CCEL processes for course designation (Planned completion Spr. 2018) Develop faculty grant funding process for encouraging the development of research, scholarship, and creative works into current WSU courses with a special focus on general education courses (Planned completion Spr. 2018)
Develop student recognition similar to Excellence in Community Engagement and CIVITAS that will show on student transcripts (Planned completion Spr. 2018)
Implement IURC program at WSU (Planned Fall 2018)

Program and Contact Information

The OUR provides important resources and facilitates undergraduate research throughout the entire WSU campus. Over the program review period the OUR has had a few changes including the addition of two faculty leaders overseeing key initiatives, Scholars Program and IURC Committee. In addition, funding was received from Academic Affairs to allow faculty mentors travel support to accompany students disseminating at conferences.

Contact Information:

John Cavitt

Professor of Zoology
Director of OUR program
Phone: 801-626-6172
Email: jcavitt@weber.edu

Assessment Plan

Annual Assessment Results

Program Review