What are the benefits of doing undergraduate research and creative inquiry?
The primary outcome of engaging in undergraduate research is that it enables you to acquire an in-depth understanding of the knowledge-making process and to better understand the world. It is a form of exploration that compels the application of knowledge outside of the classroom and often results in the shifting of ideas about that knowledge and the way it functions in the world. You might also think of it as a form of apprenticing – learning the tools of trade, as it were, and how those contribute and expand your experience as a scholar. There are a number of other benefits and reasons that College students pursue undergraduate research, including:
- Engaging more deeply with your subject;
- Learning relevant methodological skills and approaches to your discipline;
- Building relationships with faculty;
- Pursuing primary and secondary research for a thesis;
- Preparing for graduate school and national scholarships and fellowships;
- Demonstrating intellectual fitness and preparedness for future graduate schools, national funding bodies, and employers;
- Advancing your scholarship productively during the academic year and/or the summer.