One of the lessons you will quickly learn is that to be successful in undergraduate research, you must know much more than a large body of scientific facts. You will need a variety of both technical and non-technical skills including:
- first-class lab technique to produce accurate and precise measurements worthy of data analysis and interpretation;
- good team building skills as science today is usually accomplished by teams of experts rather than individual investigators working independently;
- excellent time management skills to balance the many competing demands for your time including courses, part-time jobs, undergraduate research, and social activities; and
- strong communications skills - both oral and written - in order to communicate your science clearly and persuasively to your peers, the greater scientific community, and the public.
In this section, you will find some advice on how to successfully navigate some of the many technical and non-technical challenges you will no doubt experience during the course of your undergraduate research experience, specifically:
- How To Get Selected
- Questions to Ask Before Accepting an UR Position
- Negotiating Your Salary
- Choosing A Research Topic
- Selecting Your Advisor
- Designing Experiments
- Learning to Use New Intruments
- Literature Searching
- Reading The Technical Journal Article
- Your Laboratory Notebook
- Getting the Most Out of a Technical Presentation
- Time Management
- Coping With Stress
- Dealing With Failure
- Learning to Work Independently
- Managing Your Advisor
- Switching Research Groups
- Being an Effective Team Member