The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate
research as “An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that
makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.” This definition
sets a high standard for students to achieve, but students have proven that, with
appropriate mentoring and early support, they are capable of making original
contributions to their areas of study. If we expect students to make an original
contribution through their research, however, we need to begin preparing them early in
their college or university programs. Students need to learn the research methodology
and means of communicating research results that are used in their disciplines. Also, for
students in many disciplines, it is very important to be able to clearly communicate
results to an audience outside their discipline.
Keywords: Undergraduate research, mentoring, lay audience, critical thinking,
inquiry, creative, sequencing, developmental, writing, writing-across-the curriculum,
persuasive writing, advocacy, professional writing, co-authored publications.