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Research Engagement

Research Experiences are sustained scholarly or creative projects developed under the direction of a faculty mentor that culminate in a formal presentation, publication, performance or exhibition.  A “sustained project” is one that lasts for a minimum of one semester and typically involves 1-3 hours of academic credit per semester. If the primary faculty mentor is not tenured or tenure- track, there must be a tenured or tenure-track co-mentor who also approves the project.

Through the Research Experience, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Apply research methods appropriate for the student's discipline; and
• Engage in ongoing critical discussion within their chosen field.

Minimum Criteria

To meet the criteria of the Research Experience, students are expected to complete the following learning activities successfully:

• A sustained scholarly or creative project under the direction of a faculty mentor (must occur for a minimum of one semester and typically involve 1-3 hours of academic credit per semester). If the primary faculty mentor is not tenured or tenure-track, there must be a tenured or tenure-track co-mentor who also approves the project.

  Examples of such scholarly or creative projects include:

  • Honors in the Major (http://honorsinthemajor.fsu.edu/)
  • Directed Independent Study (DIS) (see http://our.fsu.edu/study.html or your department website)
  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) (http://our.fsu.edu/urop.html)
  • Research for an URCAA, MRCE, or other undergraduate research award (http://our.fsu.edu/awards.html)
  • Other opportunities found at http://our.fsu.edu/research.html

• The project’s formal culmination (thesis defense, formal presentation, publications, performance or exhibition).

  Opportunities for presentation or publication include:

  • Honors in the Major Thesis defense (http://honorsinthemajor.fsu.edu/tutorial/prospectus_thesis_defense.html)
  • Presentation at URCAA Symposium, Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium (http://our.fsu.edu/present.html), or other such presentation opportunities
  • Conference presentations such as the ACC Meeting of the Minds or Florida Undergraduate Research Conference
  • Publication in the OWL (http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/owl/) or other journals (http://our.fsu.edu/publish.html)

Supporting Courses: Students will upload academic courses from their official university transcript that relate to their research plan.

Research Reflection and Evaluation

Utilizing the Garnet and Gold Scholar Society web portal, students will respond to the following reflection prompts relating to their research experiences. These responses will be evaluated as part of the process of completion of the Garnet and Gold Scholar Society Program. Students should have their responses reviewed and, if appropriate, edited prior to submission.

Research Reflection Prompts

For each response, please provide specific examples.

1. List the key steps of your research experience or creative project (a bulleted list is fine).

2. Reflect on your Research Experience and answer all of the prompts below using 200 to 250 words for each response. Avoid general statements by including details specific to your experience.

   • Briefly describe your project in terms of what you have learned and how it has expanded or enhanced your undergraduate experience at FSU. How has your research shaped your understanding of the way knowledge evolves?

   • Describe the specific skills, knowledge and abilities that you used and new ones you acquired through your project.

   • Research is collaboration among people drawing from both previous and current ideas. It involves entering an ongoing conversation in your field of study. Who did you collaborate with on this project and how did the relationship shape your work? How did you contribute to or engage with the ongoing discussion in your field?

   • How does your research contribute to the development of your field and how has it prepared you for the next stage of your life and career?

   • Research requires you to be adaptable. Briefly describe how you had to adapt to the challenges of your project once it was underway. Were you faced with any unexpected circumstances that had to be addressed, and if so, how did you handle these?

   • What did your research reveal to you? Did your hypothesis or initial vision for your project match your findings or final product?