One of the first steps for faculty members to begin in undergraduate research is to identify how students can fit into your own research plans.

Start by thinking about what support duties a beginning student could help you with. Do your graduate students need assistance? Is there a piece of your project that can be carved off into a 'doable chunk' for an undergraduate? Is there a study you would like to pilot but don't have enough time? Remember, for an undergraduate the EXPERIENCE is the goal — even if the project does not result in a publication, they still will have gained much experience from working with you.

Find students to work with you

If you don't already have a student in mind or don't have access to students this semester through classes you instruct, here are some other ways to recruit students:

• Post your opportunity to this site via our form.
• Post flyers in the hallways of buildings where students you would like to hire frequent.
• Ask colleagues to make an announcement in appropriate courses.

If you find a student that is not as experienced as you had hoped for, you may be able to find something for them to do to engage them, while you are waiting for them to complete coursework that you feel is necessary. Mentoring a student from their freshmen through their senior year can be a rewarding experience!

Clarify the role of the student

When problems arise between mentors and students, it is usually because the roles and expectations were not clear and mutually agreed upon. Here are some suggestions:

• Have the student provide you with a weekly schedule, including the number of hours (and days/times) the student will be working on the research project. It is wise to hold the student accountable to a regular, weekly schedule at the beginning of the experience.
• Outline your expectations of the student, including any extra reading required.
• Outline for the student how to best communicate with you. Do you have a open door policy? How do you like to make appointments? Do you want the student to come to the meeting prepared with something specific? Are you going to be out of town for an extended period? Who can the student go to for advice if you are gone?
• What timeline do you have for the project? Are there goals that can be broken down by weeks or months?
• What is the student's main responsibility? What decisions (if any) can he/she make independently? How should a student be documenting his/her work?
• Have regular formal meetings with the student to provide feedback on the quality and quantity of their work. Set these meetings up ahead of time, before problems develop and it is more difficult to offer constructive criticism.
• Describe to the student how he/she can grow into the project as he/she gains more skills and experience. Without knowing what can develop, students may see some of the entry level work as a dead end.
  

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