How do you define undergraduate research
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:50 pm
guys,
I am starting this thread just to get an idea of what it exactly means to have been involved in an undergraduate research! Does this mean starting out on our own idea or merely assisting Professors? A lot of time we undergrads are involved in a " research" ( this is acually very vague term,. In this tiny liberal arts College, I am asked to write a "research paper"( what the heck) for my class in philosophy. This I never understand in liberal arts)
We say I have a research experience of three years in physics. I don get it! What new thing do you find that you call it your work a research!
I hear you guys using terms like first author and the second author. What exactly does that mean? In research there is no such thing like the first and the second author(unless you are the one who simply collect data and give it your Prof in which case you are the second author). I hope this is NOT the case with students in this forum coz most of you guys have really good background.
Please feel free to make comments or disgree or IGNORE it if you do not find my point at all.
In my case my undergradaute work has been INDEPENDENT. Ofcourse I take help from professors but the story begins from me NOT the Prof. I am not boasting here, just trying to explain things out here. ( if you think i am boasting, look at my GRE, I have 720 in GRE physics)
(If we have gone for a REU in math, then I am completely wrong, coz there we really WORK INDEPENDNETLY not just sit in front of a comp and read data)
I am starting this thread just to get an idea of what it exactly means to have been involved in an undergraduate research! Does this mean starting out on our own idea or merely assisting Professors? A lot of time we undergrads are involved in a " research" ( this is acually very vague term,. In this tiny liberal arts College, I am asked to write a "research paper"( what the heck) for my class in philosophy. This I never understand in liberal arts)
We say I have a research experience of three years in physics. I don get it! What new thing do you find that you call it your work a research!
I hear you guys using terms like first author and the second author. What exactly does that mean? In research there is no such thing like the first and the second author(unless you are the one who simply collect data and give it your Prof in which case you are the second author). I hope this is NOT the case with students in this forum coz most of you guys have really good background.
Please feel free to make comments or disgree or IGNORE it if you do not find my point at all.
In my case my undergradaute work has been INDEPENDENT. Ofcourse I take help from professors but the story begins from me NOT the Prof. I am not boasting here, just trying to explain things out here. ( if you think i am boasting, look at my GRE, I have 720 in GRE physics)
(If we have gone for a REU in math, then I am completely wrong, coz there we really WORK INDEPENDNETLY not just sit in front of a comp and read data)