11 Conducting Follow-Up Research
#Here we will talk about coming up with follow-up questions based on our findings. “What next?”
#I don’t know if we’ll end up using any of this in the textbook, but just in case:
Students in Research
If you are at all interested in learning more about research, I would highly recommend seeking out an opportunity to participate on a research team. If you’re hoping to go to graduate school, this advice is even more important, but even if you don’t think you’ll continue doing research after you graduate, having some hands-on research experience will give you lasting knowledge and skills that will benefit you.
Don’t believe me yet? Maybe this will help. Please read 10 Benefits of Student Participation in Undergraduate Social Work Research Links to an external site.(and note that these benefits apply to family science too!).
That article mentioned conferences as being a perk of undergraduate research, and I completely agree! Conferences are one of the best parts of disseminating research. One of my personal favorite conferences is the National Council on Family Relations annual meeting; I try to go each year and present my research, but getting to see what’s going on in the field and connect with colleagues old and new is really the part I love the most.
Watch this quick interview with an undergraduate student at NCFR for the first time in 2011 (which, coincidentally, was my first year at NCFR too!):
NCFR 2011 Conference – Jenee Duncan talks about her first NCFR conferenceLinks to an external site.
How to get involved
So how do you go about getting involved in research? Mainly, it’s just a matter of asking. Talk to your professors and ask if they have research projects going on or know of others who do. Pay attention to current research going on around you and reach out to faculty whose work sounds interesting to you. Some professors will have you join on a project they already have going, and others will simply support you in pursuing your own ideas. So if you’re interested in actually doing the research you proposed for this class, for example, ask a professor if they’d support you in it (and you can share your proposal with them to show how much you’ve already thought through!).
UVU Undergraduate ResearchLinks to an external site. is a great resource for both students and faculty for student research; check them out and look for opportunities to get involved that way. You can also attend the SCULPT ShowcaseLinks to an external site., which is like a mini-conference of UVU researcher students, to see what projects are currently happening and make connections.
There are lots of ways to deepen your understanding of and experience with research. You just have to start asking and putting your interest out there. Please always feel free to reach out to me with questions or thoughts. Undergraduate research got me to where I am today, and I am more than happy to be a resource to you even long after this class ends.
