By Mary Vlamis, OUR Peer Research Ambassador
So you are interested in doing undergraduate research in the social sciences. You’ve taken a few introductory courses, a topic has sparked your interest, and you want to be a part of the creation of knowledge! Woohoo! Now what do you do? You’ll find tips and tricks on contacting faculty and networking on the Office of Undergraduate Research website under the student section. Running parallel to the process of finding a research opportunity is the process of developing skills to contribute to a research project. These three tips will help you stand out as a potential research assistant because they will show that you are dedicated to becoming a helpful part of the research process:
1. Take Statistics and a quantitative course in the major.
A lot of research in the social sciences involves data analysis through statistical methods. Taking STAT 1000Q is a great way to receive foundational knowledge. Furthermore, see if your major or intended area of research has a research methods class! These classes typically have an individual project component that will allow you explore topics that interest you while gaining first-hand experience. An added bonus to a research methods class is learning statistical processing software, like STATA, R, or SPSS. Working knowledge of these programs and their coding languages makes you a marketable candidate for research positions that work with big sets of data! Some examples of research methods courses are: ECON 2311Q, POLS 2702Q, SOCI 1996, SOCI 3211, ANTH 3003, ANTH 3090, ENGL 2049W.
2. Get familiar with reading academic articles and synthesizing information
A cornerstone of academic research in general is becoming familiar with past academic work on a topic in order to thoughtfully contribute to the development of knowledge. This is no different in the social sciences. Research Assistants in the social sciences are often expected to be familiar with relevant literature in the field, which means reading many academic articles. Sometimes research assistants will be tasked with reading all relevant literature and synthesizing the information into one cohesive piece, or coding studies as being related to the project or not. Furthermore, familiarity with academic work leads to stronger academic writing, another valuable skill to have as a research assistant.
3. Practice going on library databases to find relevant literature
Understanding how to navigate the databases available through the library’s website is vital to your success as an undergraduate student and researcher. Here is where you can find appropriate academic articles for research projects. Going through the UConn Library database system provides you with access only available through an academic institution. This is also the perfect opportunity to explore different topics and see what type of research happens in your field. It can be difficult to understand how research is conducted outside of the natural sciences, so this is a great way to learn more!
Mary is a senior double majoring in Economics and Political Science. Click here to learn more about Mary.