Before beginning independent research projects, students will respond to a series of open-ended questions about their experiences, interests, and expectations for the research.

Before and during/after the research, students and their mentors assess the following student outcomes on a 5-point scale. Each outcome category in the list below is assessed by several different components.

 

Click to view components in each outcome category:

Communication:

• Understands and uses discipline-specific language
• Expresses ideas orally in an organized, clear, and concise manner
• Writes clearly and concisely using correct grammar, spelling, syntax, and sentence structure

Creativity:

• Displays insight about the topic being investigated
• Shows ability to approach problems from different perspectives
• Uses information in ways that demonstrate intellectual resourcefulness
• Effectively connects multiple ideas/approaches

Autonomy:

• Demonstrates an ability to work independently and identify when guidance is needed
• Accepts constructive criticism and uses feedback effectively
• Uses time well to ensure work gets accomplished
• Sets and meets project deadlines

Ability to Deal with Obstacles:

• Is not discouraged by unforeseen problems and perseveres when encountering challenges or setbacks
• Shows flexibility and a willingness to take risks and try again
• Trouble-shoots problems and searches for ways to do things more effectively

Intellectual Development:

• Recognizes that problems are often more complicated than they first appear
• Approaches problems with an understanding that there can be more than one right explanation or even none at all
• Displays accurate insight into the limits of their own knowledge and an appreciation for what isn't known

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:

• Challenges established thinking when appropriate
• Looks for the root causes of problems and develops or recognizes the most appropriate corrective actions
• Recognizes flaws, assumptions and missing elements in arguments

Practice and Process of Inquiry:

• Demonstrates ability to formulate questions and hypotheses within the discipline
• Demonstrates ability to properly identify and/or generate reliable data
• Shows understanding of how knowledge is generated, validated and communicated within the discipline

Nature of Disciplinary Knowledge:

• Shows understanding of the way practitioners think within the discipline and view the world around them
• Shows understanding of the criteria for determining what is valued as a contribution in the discipline
• Shows awareness of important contributions in the discipline and who was responsible for those contributions
• Reads and applies information obtained from professional journals and other sources
• Is aware of professional societies in the discipline

Content Knowledge and Methods:

• Displays knowledge of key facts and concepts
• Displays a grasp of relevant research methods and is clear about how these methods apply to the research project being undertaken
• Demonstrates an appropriate mastery of skills needed to conduct the project

Ethical Conduct:

• Recognizes that it is unethical to create, modify, misrepresent, omit, eliminate or misreport data or findings, or to misrepresent authorship
• Behaves with a high level of collegiality and treats others with respect

Career Goals:

• Is clear about academic and/or professional/work plans
• Is aware of how research skills relate to academic and/or professional/work plans