Published or Accessible Papers Related to Efficacy, Assessment, and/or Innovation in Undergraduate Research.
Send additions or corrections to joeg@pitt.edu
(The hot-links may or may not work and may require membership to the publishing organization.)
(Last updated:  02 September 2008)

"Assessing the Impact of Undergraduate-Research Experiences on Students:  An Overview of Current Literature"
 Mary Crowe and David Brakke, CUR Quarterly, 2008, 28(4) 43-50.   {to quote from their article:  "Following are summaries and an overview of the results in the current assessment literature on undergraduate-research experiences."  Many of the papers listed below in this bibliography are succinctly summarized in ths new article.

"Does Faculty Research Improve Undergraduate Teaching? An Analysis of Existing and Potential Synergies"
 Michael J. Prince, Richard M. Felder, and Rebecca Brent, J. Engineering Education, 2007, 96(4) 283-294.

"Straight Talk About STEM Education"
Jeffrey Mervis Science 2007, 317, 78-81.    (Electronic access may require membership.)

"What Good Is Undergraduate Research, Anyway? Many students benefit, but studies show weaknesses in current practices "
Lila Guterman, Chronicle of Higher Education, August 17, 2007.    (Electronic access may require membership.)

"WebGURU:  The Web-Based Guide to Research for Undergraduates"
Patricia Mabrouk, Ryan McIntyre, Milena Virrankoski, and Kiersten Jeliffe, J. College Science Teaching, 2007, 36(7), 19-23.    (Electronic access may require membership.)

"THE PIPELINE: Benefits of Undergraduate Research Experiences"
Susan H. Russell, Mary P. Hancock, James McCulloug, Science, 2007, 316 (5824), 548-549.

"Undergraduate Research Experiences Support Science Career Decisions and Active Learning"
David Lopatto, Cell Biology Education, 2007, 6, 297-306.

"Preparing Minority Scientists and Engineers"
M. Summers and F. Hrabowski, Science, 2006, 311(5769), 1870-1871.

"To Think and Act Like a Scientist:  The Roles of Inquiry, Research, and Technology in the Precollege and College Years"
A Conference at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, February 10 – 11, 2006, Program Chair: Roman Taraban

"The Merits of Training Mentors"
C. Pfund, C.M. Pribbenow, J. Branchaw, S.M. Lauffer, J. Handelsman; Science, 2006, 311, 473-474.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Entering Mentoring: A Seminar to Train a New Generation of Scientists";
Jo Handelsman, Christine Pfund, Sarah Miller Lauffer, and Christine Maidl Pribbenow; University of Wisconsin Press, 2005. (Here in pdf format.)

SRI's CSTED Reports on University Studies and Workforce Development, including those on the REU program can be found on their web site:  http://www.sri.com/policy/csted/reports/university.

"Undergraduate Research Participation as an Essential Component of a Research University:  A Perspective of a Chief Research Officer".
Jim Coleman, Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, June 2005, p. 154-155.

"Undergraduate Research Makes a Difference".
Celia M. Henry, Chemistry and Engineering News, 2005, 83, (#17; April 25), 37-38.

"The Role of the Research Mentor/Teacher"
Leo Gafney, Journal of College Science Teaching, 2005, 34, 52-57.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Multilevel Assessment of Program Outcomes and Assessing a Nontraditional Study Abroad Program in the Engineering Discipline"
D. BiBiasio and N. Mello, Journal of Study Abroad, 2004, 10, 237-252. 

"Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three-year study".
El. Seymour, A.-B. Hunter, S. L. Laursen, and T. DeAntoni; Science Education, 2004, 88, 493-534.

Descriptions of student-identified benefits of undergraduate research experiences are drawn from analysis of 76 first-round student interviews gathered at the end of summer 2000 at four participating liberal arts colleges (Grinnell, Harvey Mudd, Hope, and Wellesley). As part of the interview protocol, students commented on a checklist of possible benefits derived from the literature. They also added gains that were not on this list. Students were overwhelmingly positive: 91% of all statements referenced gains from their experiences. Few negative, ambivalent, or qualified assessments of their research experiences were offered. The benefits described were of seven different kinds. Expressed as percentages of all reported gains, they were personal/professional gains (28%); thinking and working like a scientist (28%); gains in various skills (19%); clarification/confirmation of career plans (including graduate school) (12%); enhanced career/graduate school preparation (9%); shifts in attitudes to learning and working as a researcher (4%); and other benefits (1%).

"Preparing Undergraduate Women for Science Careers"
Ashley Campbell and Gerald Skoog, Journal of College Science Teaching, 2004, 33, 24-26.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE): First Findings"
David Lopatto, Cell Biology Education, 2004, 3, 270-277.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Medical Students' Perceptions of an Undergraduate Research Elective"
R. Houlden, J. Raja, C. Collier, A. Clark, and J. Waugh, Medical Teacher, 2004, 26(7), 659-661.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Assessing the value of undergraduate research:  a hot topic!" CUR National Conference Report
Leo Gafney, CUR Quarterly, September 2004, 34.

(Among other things, this article mentions the "...SURE Study (Survey of Undergraduate Research Experience), an HHMI funded study that involves a sample of 1,135 undergraduate researchers at 41 institutions.  Sarah Elgin, at Washington University at St. Louis, heads this ongoing effort.")

"Alumni Perceptions Used to Assess Undergraduate Research Experience".
Bauer KW, Bennett JS, Journal of Higher Education, March/April 2003, 74, 210-230.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

On a survey of 986 alumni from a research-extensive university, respondents with undergraduate research experience, when compared to those with no research experience, reported greater enhancement of important cognitive and personal skills as well as higher satisfaction with their undergraduate education. They were also more likely to pursue graduate degrees.

"The Essential Features of Undergraduate Research".
David Lopatto; CUR Quarterly, 2003, 29, 139-142.

"Does Early Participation in Undergraduate Research Benefit Social Science and Humanities Students?".
I. Ishiyama; Journal of College Students, 2002, 36(3), 380-386.

"A Comparison of Approaches and Instruments for Evaluating a Geological Sciences Research Experiences Program".
P.C. Burnley, W. Evans, and O.S. Jarrett, Journal of Geoscience Education, 2002, 50, 15-24.

"The Relationship of Undergraduate Research Participation to Graduate and Professional Education Pursuit: An Empirical Study".
R.S. Hathaway, B.A. Nagda, and S.R. Gregerman, Journal of College Student Development, 2002, 43, 614-631.

"Faculty Perspectives Regarding the Undergraduate Research Experience in Science and Engineering".  A.L. Zydney, J.S. Bennett, A. Shahid , K.W. Bauer; Journal of Engineering Education, 2002, 91, 291-297.

"Impact of Undergraduate Research in Engineering"
A.L. Zydney, J.S. Bennett, A. Shahid , K.W. Bauer; Journal of Engineering Education, 2002, 91, 151-157.

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Kansas has a 45-year history of providing research opportunity to undergraduates via formal and informal programs. Since 1957 well over 600 students have engaged in research under the direction of its faculty. Participants have included its own undergraduates, many of them working on senior honors theses, as well as students from other colleges and universities. The combined involvement of all of these students has contributed significantly to the academic life of the department and the university. Data obtained from surveys of students and practicing chemists, directors of research and research programs, and from personal histories and anecdotes point overwhelmingly to the value of research experience for the undergraduate student during the college/university years. These data will be presented and discussed.

"Successful Mentoring of Undergraduate Researchers:  Tips for Creating Postivie Student Research Experiences".
C. Shellito, K. Shea, G. Weissmann, A. Mueller-Solger, and W. Davis, Journal of College Science Teaching, 2001, 30(7), 460.465.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Undergraduate Research Internships and Graduate School Success".
E. Nnadozie, J. Ishimaya, and N. Chon, Journal of College Student Development 2001, 42(2), 145-156.

"Undergraduate Research at Six Research Universities A Pilot Study for the Association of American Universities" Carolyn Ash Merkel Director, Student-Faculty Programs California Institute of Technology,  May 1, 2001.

"Undergraduate Research and the Success of First Generation, Low Income College Students".
J. Ishiyama; CUR Quarterly, 2001, 22, 36-42.

"Why Establish an Office of Undergraduate Research".
P.J. Pukkila, B. Gray-Little, and D.E. Taylor; CUR Quarterly, 2001, 21(4), 177-179.

"The Impact of Research on Undergraduates' Understanding of Science"
L. Gafney; CUR Quarterly, 2001, 21(4), 172-176.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Report from the Workshop for Chemistry REU Site Directors, March 2-3, 2001."
Heinz Koch (Ithaca College) – Chair; Dan Akins (City College of The City University of New York); Moses Lee (Furman University); Barbara Schowen (University of Kansas); and Nancy Levinger (Colorado State University).

"Mentor Expectations and Student Responsibilities in Undergraduate Research".
S.R. Gregerman; CUR Quarterly, 2001, 21, 66-71.

“Student Perspectives on Undergraduate Research (UR) Experiences in Chemistry and Biology”. (From the Spring 2000 ConfChem Conference on The Role and Nature of Research by Undergraduates in Chemistry).
P.A. Mabrouk and K. Peters.

 “Evaluation of an Undergraduate Research Experience: Perceptions of Undergraduate Interns and Their Faculty Mentors.”.
C.M. Kardash; J. Educ. Psychogy, 2000, 92, 191-201.

"The 'Spend a Summer with a Scientist' (SAS) Program at Rice University: A Study of Program Outcomes and Essential Elements 1991-1997".
B. Alexander, J. Foertsch, S. Daffinrud and R. Tapia, CUR Quarterly, 2000, 20(3), 127-133.

"Summer Research Opportunity Programs (SROPs) for Minority Undergraduates:  A Longitundinal Study of Program Outcomes 1986-1996".
J. Foertsch, B. Alexander, and D. Penberthy, CUR Quarterly, 2000, 20(3), 114-119.

"The Effect of Student-Faculty Interaction on College Students’ Academic Achievement and Self-Concept".
B.M. Woodside, E.H. Wong, and D.J. Wiest; Education, 1999, 119, 730-733.

"Improving the Success of Diverse Students Through Undergraduate Research".
S.R. Gregerman; CUR Quarterly, 1999, 19, 54-59.

"Merging in a Seamless Blend:  How Faculty Integrate Teaching and Research".
C.L. Colbeck, Journal of Higher Education, 1998, 69(6), 647-671. 

"A Successful Model for Introducing Research in an Undergraduate Program".
U. Chandra, S. Stoecklin, and M. Harmon, Journal of College Science Teaching, 1998, 28(2), 116-118.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Introducing Freshman to Investigate Research:  A Course for Biology Majors at Minnesota's Univesity of St. Thomas".
S. Chaplin, J. Manske, and J. Cruise, Journal of College Science Teaching, 1998, 27(5), 347-350.  (Electronic access may require membership.)

"Soft Assessment of Undergraduate Research:  Reactions and Student Perspectives".
T. Hakim; CUR Quarterly, 1998, 18, 189-192.

“The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University, REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION:  A Blueprint for America's Research Universities”, 1998.

"Undergraduate Student-Faculty Research Partnerships Affect Student Retention".
B.A. Nagda, S.R. Gregerman, J. Jonides, W. von Hippel, and J.S. Lerner; The Review of Higher Education, 1998, 22(1) p. 55-72.

"Research as a Critical Component of the Undergraduate Educational Experience"; in Chemical Sciences Roundtable, Assessing the Value of Research in the Chemical Sciences; K.B. Schowen, 1998, 73-81. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

 "Integrating Research and Community Service:  Incorporating Research Skills Into Service Learning Experiences".
J. Ferrari and L. Jason, College Student Journal, 1996, 30(4), 444-451.

 "Implementation and Evaluation of Undergraduate Research Practicum".
F. Cole, Journal of Professional Nursing, 1995, 11(3), 154-160.

 "Report on the National Science Foundation Workshop on Research in the Undergraduate Curriculum, September 19-21, 1990, Washington, D.C."
Heinz F. Koch and K. Barbara Schowen (Here in pdf format.)

"The Effects of an Intensive Research Experience on the Career of Talented Undergraduates".
J.F. Kremer and R.G. Bringle; Journal of Research and Development in Education, 1990, 24, 1-5.