Impact of Undergraduate Research on Academic Performance, Educational Planning, and Career Development

Autor/inn/en	Kinkel, Doreen H.; Henke, Scott E.
Titel	Impact of Undergraduate Research on Academic Performance, Educational Planning, and Career Development
Quelle	In: Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 35 (2006), S.194-201 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1059-9053
Schlagwörter	Program Effectiveness; Wildlife; Employment; Educational Planning; Research Projects; Mentors; Science Education; Control Groups; Career Development; Academic Achievement; Student Research; Writing Skills; Speech Communication; Program Descriptions; Writing for Publication; Conferences; Texas + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Dienstverhältnis; Bildungsplanung; Forschungsvorhaben; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Berufsentwicklung; Schulleistung; Studentenforschung; Writing skill; Schreibfertigkeit
Abstract	An undergraduate research mentoring program (URMP), initiated at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, was developed (1) to aid undergraduate wildlife students in the design, conduct, and analysis of original research projects; and (2) to encourage students to become effective written and oral communicators by preparing a manuscript of their research findings for scientific publication and by presenting their original research at professional and lay audience meetings. The efficacy of the URMP was assessed by determining the difference in academic performance and marketability between students in the URMP and a control group, and by a survey of graduates from the program as to their perceived value of the URMP. Fifty undergraduates participated in the program from 1998 to 2003. Among these students, 31 research projects were completed resulting in 18 peer-reviewed, scientific publications, 15 oral and 28 poster presentations at scientific meetings, and [greater than]120 presentations to lay organizations. Students who participated in the URMP had a mean 0.5 grade point improvement from their junior year to graduation compared with students in the control group. In addition, more URMP students graduated with a B.S. degree and also graduated sooner, obtained employment within the wildlife profession sooner, and had greater success obtaining wildlife-related employment than students of the control group. The URMP was perceived by participants as a positive influence in their academic career, which taught them to focus on their goals and made them more marketable for employment after graduation. (Contains 1 table.) (Author).
Anmerkungen	American Society of Agronomy. 677 South Segoe Road, Madison, WI 53711. Tel: 608-273-8080; Fax: 608-273-2021; Web site: http://www.jnrlse.org/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10