Re-evaluating the Objectives for Undergraduate Research

Several authors have cited the success of undergraduate research programs in recruiting graduate students. However, while a significant number of undergraduates change their career plans based on undergraduate research programs, a large number of the participants enter the programs already planning on attending graduate school. Therefore, the objectives of undergraduate research programs should be reevaluated in order to produce programs that provide the optimal benefit to both undergraduate and faculty participants. Critical thinking is the basis of the research process, and undergraduate researchers' critical thinking skills can be enhanced through their research experience. The research experience may also improve the participants' vocabulary in their field, which has been shown to improve conceptual understanding. In this paper, assessment methods to evaluate the success of undergraduate research programs on meeting these important objectives are discussed; the participants' ability to think critically and their field vocabulary are assessed by other means than with a self- evaluation by the participants.