|
Why should I do research?
Becoming involved in research while you are an undergraduate has
several advantages. It allows you to put into practice some of what
you learn in what is often the more passive format of regular courses;
it allows you to become deeply engaged in a problem of current interest
in your field and work on it over an extended time; it gives you
an opportunity for independent learning and creativity; and it generally
allows you to generate a written product and obtain significant
feedback from your adviser. If you are contemplating graduate school,
it will be useful to determine whether you like to do research,
and your work may even result in a publication. Of course laboratory
research is not the only avenue to accomplish these goals. Doing
an internship in industry or having a co-op experience in industry
would be equally valuable for many purposes. Some students may be
able to do both academic research and have industry experiences.
It is often better to have a single solid experience extending over
several quarters than several experiences of one quarter each, but
there are no rules about this.
When should I start research?
Some students may be able to get involved as early as freshman year,
helping out in a lab and learning by doing. Sometimes you can informally
volunteer, and sometimes you can obtain a lab position as a work-study
student. Over time, as your course work catches up to what you need
to know to do the research in your particular lab, you may start
doing independent study (399) for credit. More commonly, students
begin to think about doing research in the junior year with 399.
Advisers may be more willing to take you on after you have had more
of the relevant coursework.
What sorts of things will I do in research?
This depends entirely on the lab. Sometimes undergraduates work
closely with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, but if
the labs are relatively small, significant interaction with the
faculty member is standard. Whether you are given a project that
is entirely yours will depend on the time you spend in the lab,
your capabilities, and the nature of research in a particular lab.
Generally you should expect to produce a written document about
what you have done, perhaps each quarter.
How much time will research take?
Research expands to fill the available time. You should discuss
the time expectations with your regular academic adviser, and with
your research adviser. If you are taking 399, it will count as one
unit, so you should plan to spend at least as much time on research
as you spend on another course. Some departments allow you to take
399 as technical electives, and you can always take 399 as unrestricted
electives. It is not unusual for a student to accumulate several
quarters of 399 by the time of graduation. During the summer, research
can easily be a full time job, and this is often the best time to
get a lot done.
Will I get paid for research?
During the academic year it is uncommon for students to be paid,
unless they are work-study students. If you are registered for 399,
you cannot be paid. You are not allowed to have a work-study job
and also use this as a 399. During the summer, payment is more common,
but is not universal. You will have to discuss this with your adviser.
How does this fit into departmental honors?
You will need to check with your department to see whether your
research can contribute to part of an honors program
Can I have an adviser outside my own department?
Yes. There are many opportunities in other departments, at the Rehabilitation
Institute of Chicago, and even at the medical school. Depending
on your major, you may be particularly valued by other labs because
you have technical or quantitative expertise. Ideally you may be
able to bring engineering to bear in a way that your adviser may
not have foreseen. When doing multiple terms of 399 work, however,
be careful about meeting graduation requirements. Be sure to check
with your academic advisor if you are uncertain whether a 399 in
a particular department will "count" as a credit towards your graduation. |
