Guidelines for Undergraduate Research

1. Guidelines for Undergraduate Research Spring 2009

2. Lab Project (e.g., CTRC study): • Learn theoretical background • Help recruit and screen study participants • Collect data (help run study sessions) • Enter and process data • Other lab tasks • Your Thesis Project or paper: • Specify question • Learn theoretical background (read scientific literature) • Collect data • Process and analyze data • Write up a scientific paper – style report, including significant literature review (introduction)

3. Lab Project: 25%-70% of lab time • Recruiting participants • Running study sessions • Data entry & processing • Misc. lab tasks • Research Project: 30% - 75% of time (more towards end of semester) • Data entry & processing specific to your research question • Data analysis • Read/write • Meet with supervisors to discuss project

4. Lab requirements • Mandatory human subjects and HIPAA training • Lab work hours: 3 hours / credit • Log your hours monthly & send to Roxanne • 3 cr: ~135 hours this semester. 2 cr: ~90 hours • Lab work schedule • Advance notice if can’t make times scheduled • Attending meetings • Do your part in data entry and processing • Do your part in subject recruitment • Flyering and phone screening

5. Lab requirements, cont. • Confidentiality • Report all concerns / issues during study sessions to supervisors • Respond to emails • Take notes • Research project • Lab project work • Semester paper

6. Study Sessions: • Be on time! • Be prepared! (Consult the session protocol) • Be responsible! Give us advance notice to find someone to cover for you if you have a time conflict with a session you would normally run. • Ask questions! If you’re not sure about something, ask your supervisor. • No session: If a study session is cancelled or no subject is scheduled, you should do other lab work during your regular session time (i.e., do data entry, data processing, phone screening, flyering, or work on project). GCRC Study students may do lab work earlier in the day if they do not want to work 3-9pm.

7. Exceeding Expectations: • Fill in for other students • Finish assigned tasks and find other tasks to complete • Mentor / help train other students • Complete more than required lab hours • Take initiative and schedule meetings with supervisors & peers • Help to maintain organization of electronic and paper copies of data • Archive data • Create processing stream for data • Literature searches and dissemination of information to lab

8. Good Lab Practices Controls and organization set in place to ensure the consistency and reliability of results • Keep a consistent method across the experiment • Make careful observations: note if a subject is falling asleep, note data that seems inconsistent, report details of computer problems • Maintain lab safety for yourself & participant • Look at and think critically about data. Is something missing? • Document, document, document • Allow extra time: nothing goes as quickly as you plan • Report problems to supervisor

9. Good Lab Practices • Write things down • Take clear notes/Revise your notes • Write a protocol so that others can clearly repeat what you have done • You will forget • Be early and professional for sessions & careful with equipment • Take initiative, ask questions, report problems • Plan ahead • Set a schedule

10. GCRC Study Undergrads • Recruitment: Help every week either by flyering (once/month) or phone screening (bi-weekly) • Be on time & prepared for study sessions • If you can’t come to a session, let us know ASAP • Hospital dress code • No beverages in the CTRC lab or hospital rooms. (Beverages are only allowed in the break room or the kitchen across from the CTRC front desk.) • Keep up with saliva processing. Freeze/thaw and centrifuge saliva samples during every session 1 or 2! • Keep our samples in the back left corner of the shelf in the CTRC -80 freezer. • If no session, do other lab work during your regular session time or earlier in the day

11. GCRC Study Undergrads If using VPN to log in to WISPIC network: • Don’t process any data over VPN unless it has been authorized by Heather, Michelle, or Roxanne. Memory data processing is okay. • If somebody else is using a file, wait until they’re done to use it. • Be easily accessible by phone/email so others can contact you if they need to use the file. • People at WISPIC have first dibs on all data. • When done using a file, close it immediately. • Save early & often!

12. Evaluations of Lab Work • Grade for the semester: 75 % lab work and 25 % paper / thesis • Grade for lab work reflects: • Completing hours for the semester • Completing tasks as assigned • Taking initiative to find new tasks when some are completed • Good communication with supervisors • Doing your part for phone screening, flyering, data entry • Improvement over time • Attention to detail, responsibility, following study protocol • Grade for paper reflects: • Improvements over the previous draft • Time and care thinking about your question or topic • Depth of literature research into the topic • Quality of writing: flow, structure, grammar, clarity • Adherence to scientific journal article format (when applicable) • Adequate inclusion of necessary information (in Methods, Results, etc.) • Depth of thought put into Discussion and/or conclusions of the paper

13. Evaluations of Lab Work: some things to think about • General level of effort and initiative • Do you fall below, meet, or exceed basic expectations? • Are you able to balance team work with independent work? • This will depend on your level of training & division of time • Do you take careful notes? • Have you shown an interest in your research topic? • Discussion, questions, lab paper • Do you make efforts to attend lab meetings/accomplish work throughout the semester? • Do you consult your peers and supervisors? • Do you schedule regular meetings? • Do you divide your time appropriately between your project and the lab project? • Do you follow session/lab guidelines? • Are you careful with lab supplies and equipment?

14. Evaluations of Lab Work: some things to think about • Interest and dependability • Do you think critically or go through tasks mindlessly? • Are you prompt? • Are you inquisitive? • Are you motivated? • Do you show attention to detail? • Do you complete requested tasks in a timely manner? • Are you conscientious of others? • Are you flexible with your time?

15. Evaluations of Lab Work: some things to think about • Level of ability and quality of work • How long have you been working in the lab? • Have you taken on more responsibility? • Are you easy to work with?  • Do you take on too many responsibilities? • Are you able to teach/mentor others? • Do others frequently have to check your work?

16. Evaluations of Lab Work: some things to think about • Progress and/or improvement over time • Do you incorporate feedback into your work? • Do you pay attention to detail even if you have completed the task multiple times? • Have you gained independence? • Are you able to lead or take direction well? • Are you assertive? • Are you able to delegate or direct others appropriately? • Do you set goals? • Is your depth of knowledge growing?

17. Benefits of Working in a Lab • Grade • Letter(s) of Recommendation • Scientific knowledge • Research experience • Graduate school • Medical school • Other professions • Thesis • Funding • Fun!