Research projects allow students to independently explore concepts related to course material and build their own in depth foundational knowledge.
Why choose Research in your class?
Possible Learning Goals: Have students follow their own curiosity and discover new information. Have students learn how to interact with resources in a specific discipline. Have students learn time management as they take on a long term project. Have students practice written and oral communication skills.
Lab At-A-Glance
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Prep
- Distribute instructions to the students. Make sure to emphasize the goals of the assignment and the question they are trying to answer in their research. It is helpful to have a prompt that not only requires facts, but also synthesis of information into the student’s own view point.
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Clearly define the grading rubric. Key elements to consider include:
- The type and number of sources required. Also indicate the reference format
- Format of the assignment – is it a grand proposal? Field report? Argument? Response paper? News and views article? Etc.
- Length and writing style – how long should the piece be? Are there discipline specific writing components to consider?
- Transparency is key. Be upfront and honest with your students about your expectations.
- Make sure students understand what a ‘good’ source is before starting their work. It is often helpful, especially for introductory courses, to have a session on how to find a ‘good’ source
- How will your students find their resources? Have a list of sources that students can look through if they are struggling to find what they are looking for or have special office hours to assist student work. Libraries often have similar services to help students.
- Have students sign a Code of Conduct or Anti-Plagiarism policy. It is important to address this issue before students begin.
During
Have check-points with students to ensure they are progressing-
Research projects often take several weeks to complete. Establish a scaffold or schedule to help your students progress at a reasonable pace and prevent last minute assignments.
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This schedule can have various check-points in which students have to hand in partially complete assignments for feedback. Some example checkpoints include:
- Thesis statement/topic proposal – have students prepare their thesis statement and topic for approval or peer feedback
- Annotated bibliography – have students bring in a list of resources they will use for the assignment. Each resource should also have a sentence or two about the key piece of information in the resource and why the student is using it
- Outline – have students bring in an outline of their paper complete with topic sentences for each paragraph and list of accompanying resources
- Rough draft – have students bring in a complete rough draft. This is a good point to have peer feedback if assignments are not too long.
- Writing is a process in which revision is a key and often overlooked step
After
Have students hand in research report, give final presentation, or both- Students should hand in their final research assignment for grading. Often, students also have a final presentation in which they present their findings to the class. It is useful to have both so students can practice both their written and oral communication skills.
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Written by Catherine Weiner
Doctoral Candidate, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences