Suggestion 189. Assign independent research projects

IF YOU WANT TO:

• Give interesting and stimulating assignments

• Motivate students to do their best work

• Have students apply concepts to demonstrate understanding

• Encourage independent thinking and research

Having undergraduates carry out independent research projects.

A forestry professor who uses this approach believes that too many laboratory courses follow a "recipe" approach and thus do not really introduce students to sciences. "I want students to get a feel for real scientific research," he explains. "Therefore, I require them to develop the questions, select the methods by which they are going to carry out their investigations, review the relevant research literature, and report their findings in both written and oral form."

The TIES office has a publication on strategies for promoting undergraduate research. Contact TIES (2-6392).

Limitations on Use of Suggestion

  Discipline:  Sciences
Course Level:  Upper division
 Course Size:  Less than 50
        Mode:  None

Copyright 1983 by the Regents of the University of California

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