Good Practice Case Study

Immersing Students in the Research Experience in Biological Sciences

Contributed by:
Dr James Wallman, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science.

The strategies described here were originally developed by Professor Rob Whelan, Professor David Ayre and Dr James Wallman.

Abstract

The Faculty of Science offers a range of ways for undergraduates to immerse in the research experience. Internships, supervised research projects and research-related subjects all encourage student engagement. Many students who take part in these research opportunities then continue into Honours.

What were the aims?

Research is integral to the scientific process. Aims include to:

immerse science students in the research experience
enthuse students about research
help students decide if they are suited to a research career and whether to consider an Honours year and subsequent postgraduate study.

What was the context?

Three sets of subjects are available to students in Biological Sciences:

Science Internships (SCI292 and SCIE392)
The second and third year internship subjects are open to anybody as long as the prerequisites are met, although, unlike other undergraduate subjects, there is an application process. Students are selected based on academic record and the comments of two academic referees. Approximately 20 students throughout the Faculty of Science enrol in these subjects each year.

Advanced Biology (BIOL292, BIOL391 and BIOL392)
BIOL292 is only available to students in the Advanced stream, whereas a distinction average in relevant subjects is required for entry in BIOL391 and BIOL392. Approximately 10 students study these subjects each year, with most attracted to studying advanced biology in third year.

Advanced Marine Science Project (MARE393)
This subject also requires a distinction average in relevant subjects. Approximately only 5 students study this each year.

What were the outcomes?

Outcomes exist for both students and supervisors:

Students:

learn many new techniques, gain confidence and enthusiasm and refine their ideas of what they want to pursue in their careers;
are well placed for their Honours year. Students who study the BIOL and MARE subjects are more likely to do Honours;
experience the excitement of research, but also gain an appreciation of the reality of research, which often involves a lot of unavoidable routine!

Supervisors:

can use results as a pilot study for the research in their laboratories, or in some cases, obtain data suitable for publication;
foster the development of students in biology in a very rewarding way.

The best results are obtained when the supervisor takes a personal interest in the student’s progress (supervision is sometimes passed onto a postgraduate or postdoc in the lab) and is actively involved in the supervision.

What was done?

Science Internships:

SCIE internships are available to all Science undergraduates.
Academics are encouraged to suggest topics for projects. The Faculty of Science advertises this list and interested students see a potential supervisor. Alternatively, the student and supervisor can organise a project independently.
Students participate in a research project. They may carry out parts of the project themselves but their involvement will typically not involve undertaking independent research.
Although collecting and writing up data are important parts of research, the focus in these subjects is more about the experience and gaining different perspectives of research.
Students carry out 100 hours (second year) or 120 hours (third year) of work. This sounds a lot but the hours build up quickly, especially in a fieldwork project.
At the end of the project students write a brief report, graded as ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. Students gain credit points towards their degree, but not towards a major.
When I supervise SCI students, I first identify a small research project that is suitable for undergraduate involvement. For example, an Honours student was working on experiments in my laboratory. I had a SCI student assist him with the experiments, but I maintained personal supervision. I involved the SCI student in everything that the Honours student experienced, so that he got a genuine feel for what was involved in the biological research process.

Advanced Biology and Marine Science:

Advanced Biology and Marine Science students need to find a supervisor who will agree to have them join their laboratory for one semester.
A project must be devised that will lead to some ‘guaranteed’ data or experimental outcomes that the student can write up. It could be a new project or part of the research project of an Honours or PhD student.
The Advanced subjects are specifically designed as a precursor to Honours, and activities mirror some Honours activities. The students:
- learn to take a critical approach to scientific literature, and formally review a paper nominated by their supervisor
- attend a series of seminars about research work
- carry out research, give a presentation and write a sizeable report (mini-thesis).
When taken in third year, the BIOL and MARE subjects give students experience in working with an academic and research area, and to decide if this is the best area for their Honours year. Students in the Advanced stream at the end of third year proceed automatically into Honours.
Fortnightly tutorials are arranged for all students in the BIOL and MARE subjects, taken together. The role of the tutorials is to support the students, get them involved in their research, discuss their problems, and skill them in important topics relevant to research science.
I generally alternate general discussion tutorials with those in which I discuss a particular topic. Some such topics are the critiquing of the scientific literature, and scientific writing. By third year most students would have written several reports, but nothing as substantial as required for these subjects; naturally the students are anxious to do well. Some students write as they talk and are too colloquial, while others obfuscate with technical terms, so guidance is required. I also cover how to produce a good quality scientific seminar presentation, and the basics of PowerPoint.
When the students have a good relationship with their supervisor there will often be opportunities for them to discuss the supervisor’s experiences as a scientist; in this way the student can get a feel for what life as a professional biologist may be like.
Just as would be done for Honours and postgraduate students, BIOL and MARE students are given a quota on the School’s photocopier and a quota of document deliveries by the Library. This provides them with an extra level of autonomy.
I arrange sessions with the Science Faculty Librarian to train the students in the use of databases for literature searches and EndNote software.
The students give a 15-minute seminar on their research projects prior to submitting their research reports. I schedule a rehearsal time for a whole morning a few days before these presentations. I give each student a critique of their draft talk: positives and constructive criticism. This generally boosts their confidence levels and results in outstanding seminars, often rivalling those of postgraduates in quality. All research staff members and students in Biological Sciences are expected to attend these seminars. Academics mark the BIOL and MARE students, and the students benefit from a good audience and feedback during question time.

Key dates

Ongoing.

Any factors that you discovered were critical for success?

A potential shortcoming of the SCIE internships is that they have little structure. The experience for the student will only be as good as the supervisor makes it. If the supervisor refers the undergraduate to another student in their lab without associated support, then the undergraduate might not benefit from the arrangement.
In both Autumn and Spring semesters Biology academics might typically be supervising an Advanced student, one or more Honours students, and several postgraduates. Given this workload, academics often expect postgraduates to help direct the student’s research. As alluded to above, this can lead to problems, but only if the supervisor relies too heavily on this approach.
If Advanced students are talented and interested in the work of a particular academic, then it is worthwhile him or her investing time in fostering them. Such students often continue to do productive research in Honours and beyond, thus helping to enhance the productivity of the lab.
Supervisors must give careful thought to the project they assign each student, especially in the Advanced subjects. There is rarely time for an experiment to not work out and then have to switch to something else.

Review and improvement

Data analysis was previously covered in the BIOL and MARE tutorials. However, the scope of requirements among the students meant that only some needed it. Furthermore, those that did often required a range of methods, and a whole tutorial could easily be devoted to discussion of just one statistical test. I therefore haven’t included data analysis in recent iterations of the subjects.