Teaching Computerized Content Analysis for Undergraduate Research Papers

ABSTRACTContent analysis is the process of turning text into data, with either automated or manual techniques, and it provides a feasible and attractive option for undergraduate students to develop and utilize original data. This article presents a cohesive framework for teaching computerized content analysis in undergraduate political science courses. The article discusses examples of how we have taught the techniques in our own classrooms and provides a framework for a content-analysis research assignment. We describe coding, sources of text data available to students, software recommendations appropriate for students, and write-up issues. In the process, we also discuss various learning opportunities that arise from both the strengths and weaknesses of computerized content analysis as a methodological strategy.

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Teaching Biology through Statistics: Application of Statistical Methods in Genetics and Zoology Courses

CBE—Life Sciences Education ◽

10.1187/cbe.10-11-0137 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 259-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Migdalisel Colon-Berlingeri ◽

Patricia A. Burrowes

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Learning Opportunities ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Academic Departments ◽

Modern Biology ◽

Undergraduate Biology ◽

Science Courses ◽

Biological Problem ◽

And Mathematics ◽

Biology Curriculum

Incorporation of mathematics into biology curricula is critical to underscore for undergraduate students the relevance of mathematics to most fields of biology and the usefulness of developing quantitative process skills demanded in modern biology. At our institution, we have made significant changes to better integrate mathematics into the undergraduate biology curriculum. The curricular revision included changes in the suggested course sequence, addition of statistics and precalculus as prerequisites to core science courses, and incorporating interdisciplinary (math–biology) learning activities in genetics and zoology courses. In this article, we describe the activities developed for these two courses and the assessment tools used to measure the learning that took place with respect to biology and statistics. We distinguished the effectiveness of these learning opportunities in helping students improve their understanding of the math and statistical concepts addressed and, more importantly, their ability to apply them to solve a biological problem. We also identified areas that need emphasis in both biology and mathematics courses. In light of our observations, we recommend best practices that biology and mathematics academic departments can implement to train undergraduates for the demands of modern biology.

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Harder things will stretch you further: helping first-year undergraduate students meaningfully engage with recent research papers in probability and statistics

Teaching Mathematics and its Applications An International Journal of the IMA ◽

10.1093/teamat/hraa001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nicholas Grindle ◽

Elinor Jones ◽

Paul Northrop

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Mathematics Curriculum ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

First Year ◽

Research Papers ◽

First Year Students ◽

University Mathematics ◽

General Readership ◽

Probability And Statistics

Abstract Undergraduate research increasingly features in university mathematics degrees. Despite this, research papers are used infrequently in mathematics teaching, and this is especially the case for first-year undergraduates. Mathematical subjects are more likely than other STEM disciplines to pinpoint cognitive difficulty as the principal reason for not exposing undergraduate students to research papers. In this paper, we test whether first-year students can engage effectively with research papers. We describe an intervention that exposes first-year, first term undergraduate students to current research in probability and statistics by asking them to read a research paper and summarize it for a general readership following an interview with the paper’s author. Our findings show that the activity introduced students to new fields of knowledge and helped to develop a clearer understanding of scientific process, leading to a heightened sense of personal satisfaction at engaging closely with current research. We argue that structured reading of research papers can lead to productive and rewarding engagement with difficult content, recent and current research and with research processes and that this should make us reconsider the role of research papers in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum.

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Creating Experiential Learning Opportunities for Undergraduate Students through Federal Work Study

Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference Proceedings ◽

10.13021/g81g7d ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 90

Author(s):

Denise Nazaire

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Financial Aid ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Learning Opportunities ◽

Work Study ◽

Research Assistant ◽

George Mason University ◽

Program Data

The Students as Scholars initiative at George Mason University provides opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research and creative activities. This initiative is designed to be inclusive, encouraging students from all disciplines and all academic levels to participate. In order to increase opportunities to participate in research for all Mason undergraduate students, we collaborated with the Office of Financial Aid in spring 2013 to pilot a program using Federal Work Study funds to support undergraduate research assistant positions. This program offered experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate students by introducing them to the concept of scholarship and the research or scholarly methods in their field. Faculty were given "free" research assistance, with the understanding that they would involve students in research discussions and regularly evaluate them. Using institutional and program data, this poster will highlight the diversity of disciplines and students, demonstrate the process of establishing a program such as this, and define what students learn in these introductory roles.

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Applications of Undergraduate Research Proposals in General-Education Earth-Science Courses

Journal of Geoscience Education ◽

10.5408/1089-9995-44.2.197 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 44 (2) ◽

pp. 197-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Curt Daniel Peterson ◽

Linda Lee Anderson ◽

William David Michtom

Keyword(s):

General Education ◽

Earth Science ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Science Courses

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Undergraduate Research Program to Recycle Composite Waste

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11070354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 354

Author(s):

Waleed Ahmed ◽

Essam Zaneldin ◽

Amged Al Hassan

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Compressive Strength ◽

Carbon Fiber ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Research Program ◽

Modulus Of Elasticity ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Undergraduate Research Program ◽

Structural Applications ◽

Cfrp Composite

With the rapid growth in the manufacturing industry and increased urbanization, higher amounts of composite material waste are being produced, causing severe threats to the environment. These environmental concerns, coupled with the fact that undergraduate students typically have minimal experience in research, have initiated the need at the UAE University to promote research among undergraduate students, leading to the development of a summer undergraduate research program. In this study, a recycling methodology is presented to test lab-fabricated Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) for potential applications in industrial composite waste. The work was conducted by two groups of undergraduate students at the UAE University. The methodology involved the chemical dissolution of the composite waste, followed by compression molding and adequate heat treatment for rapid curing of CFRP. Subsequently, the CFRP samples were divided into three groups based on their geometrical distinctions. The mechanical properties (i.e., modulus of elasticity and compressive strength) were determined through material testing, and the results were then compared with steel for prompt reference. The results revealed that the values of mechanical properties range from 2 to 4.3 GPa for the modulus of elasticity and from 203.7 to 301.5 MPa for the compressive strength. These values are considered competitive and optimal, and as such, carbon fiber waste can be used as an alternate material for various structural applications. The inconsistencies in the values are due to discrepancies in the procedure as a result of the lack of specialized equipment for handling CFRP waste material. The study concluded that the properties of CFRP composite prepreg scrap tend to be reusable instead of disposable. Despite the meager experimental discrepancies, test values and mechanical properties indicate that CFRP composite can be successfully used as a material for nonstructural applications.

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The Write Stuff

News for Teachers of Political Science ◽

10.1017/s0197901900003445 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Thomas E. Cronin

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Research ◽

Basic Research ◽

Research Paper ◽

Research Papers ◽

Colorado College ◽

Self Protection

In recent years I've supervised countless undergraduate research papers and numerous senior theses. Not surprisingly, I repeat myself about basic research and writing hints, suggestions, and outright warnings. This handout, “Write Tigers Write!” prepared for the “tigers” at Princeton and The Colorado College (the mascot is the same), attempts to help the novice researcher and is, as well, an act of self-protection.What follows are suggestions and cautions for students writing a research paper. My suggestions are merely that. They are personal, general and speak more about writing than about research.Make no mistake about it. Research and writing are demanding work even for the professional. You won't hear professional scholars or writers boast about the easiness of their craft. No matter how much they love it, and they often love it more than anything else, they find it demanding, exacting, lonely and often painful—if they really work at it.

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UTILIZING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TO INFORM COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR OLDER ADULTS: A SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1974 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S537-S538

Author(s):

Amanda E Barnett ◽

Sara Olinger

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Service Learning ◽

Best Practices ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Community Resources ◽

Home Visitor ◽

Aging Societies ◽

Theory Research ◽

The Impact

Abstract Engaging undergraduate students with aging-focused community resources is critical for preparing students to work with older adults and make positive contributions to aging societies. During the fall, 2018 semester, undergraduate students in a human development course on middle and late adulthood partnered with a county aging and disability resource center (ADRC) in Wisconsin to evaluate and update several of their existing programs and resources using empirical research. Upon completion of this project, students synthesized course material to meet all course learning objectives such as: (1) critically analyze physical, psychological, and sociological processes of aging across categories of difference (e.g. cultural, ethnic, class); (2) evaluate social policies and their multigenerational implications for midlife and older adults; and (3) construct a personal position on aging that integrates theory, research, and policy to demonstrate a sensitive and competent approach to working with midlife and older adults. Students researched, wrote reports, and presented to ADRC staff on the impact of social isolation on older adults, best practices for home visitor and transportation programs serving older adults, cognitive competency tools and best practices for utilizing memory assessments, grief supports and groups for family caregivers, and best practices for supporting veterans as they age. The outcome of these projects are research-based recommendations for any ADRC to consider when developing and implementing related programs. All stakeholders (students, professor, and ADRC staff) were satisfied with the process and outcomes of the project. Strengths and challenges of carrying out such a collaborative project will be reviewed.

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Evaluating undergraduate research conferences as vehicles for novice researcher development

International Journal for Researcher Development ◽

10.1108/ijrd-10-2015-0026 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 159-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Pauline Kneale ◽

Andrew Edwards-Jones ◽

Helen Walkington ◽

Jennifer Hill

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Skills Development ◽

Learning Context ◽

Content Type ◽

Research Conference ◽

Researcher Development ◽

Development Framework ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the undergraduate research conference as its sphere of study and investigate the impact of significance of participation and socialisation in such activities on student attitudes and professional development. Using situated learning to theoretically position the undergraduate research conference as an authentic learning context, connection is also made with the concept of graduate attributes. Design/methodology/approach The Vitae (2014) Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is used to provide a template for charting the experiences and development of undergraduate students as researchers. This can be applied to short-term activities and programmes and to long-term career plans. The insights from 90 undergraduate students participating in three national undergraduate research conferences were obtained through interviews, and thematically analysed to map the students’ skills development against the RDF criteria. Findings Three main aspects of undergraduate research conference participation were considered particularly important by the students: the value of paper presentations, the value of poster presentations and the value of the overall conference experience. Within these themes, participants identified a wide range of skills and attributes they felt they had developed as a result of either preparing for or participating in the conferences. The majority of these skills and attributes could be mapped against the different domains of the RDF, using a public engagement lens for comparing actual with expected developmental areas. Research limitations/implications This research helps undergraduate research conference organisers construct programme content and form it in such a way that students’ skill development can be maximised prior to, and during, the course of an event. Learning developers can also use these findings to help understand the support needs of students preparing to deliver papers at such conferences. So far, little empirical research has examined students’ skills development within the undergraduate research conference arena. Originality/value The outcomes of this study show the diversity of the skills that students developed and the value of the conference format for offering networking practice and enhancing the communication skills which employers value.

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