Initial Suggestions for Supervising and Mentoring Undergraduate Research Assistants at Large Research Universities

Undergraduate students attending large research universities often have the opportunity to participate in the design, conduct, analysis, and dissemination of research initiated by faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. To date, guidelines for the conduct of this specific type of relationship – that of an academic researcher to an undergraduate research volunteer in a large team-based research laboratory – remain absent from the peer-reviewed education literature. The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University recently called for further integration and depth of experience for undergraduates into the research process. Although not impossible, in order for large research universities to respond, it is necessary to act in a strategic and well-planned manner. Included are specific suggestions for success in facilitating this relationship within the context of a large, research-oriented university department.