STEM

Reading Scientific Research

Academic research articles have a structure and language that is different from our other reading materials such as textbooks. This lesson can help students new to academic research understand these differences and learn strategies for finding information in such articles.

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CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Find and Use Review Articles

Looking for an efficient way to get an overview of a body of research on your topic? A review article is a great place to start.A review article provides an analysis of the state of research on a set of related research questions. Review articles often:summarize key research findings;reference must-read articles;describe current areas of agreement as well as controversies and debates;point out gaps in knowledge and unanswered questions;suggest directions for future research.

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
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CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Your Resources and Methodology

Helpful resources and a solid methodology can be key to a successful research project. We'll show you some tips for finding relevant resources, and guide you through the beginning stages of developing your methodology.By the end of this activity, you'll be able to:Locate resources relevant to your researchIdentify potential methodologies

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Your Research Plan

When it comes to research, a little planning goes a long way. We’ll go over how to come up with a research plan and start a research notebook!By the end of this activity, you'll be able to:Create a timeline of your research goalsDocument your research progress

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Crafting a Research Question

Coming up with a good research question is essential for any research! Whether you're joining a faculty-led group or initiating an independent research project, research questions will be central to your work.By the end of this activity, you'll be able to:Generate potential research questionsRefine and improve your research questionsExplain the broader significance of your research questionIf you are joining a faculty-led project, you can still benefit from working through this tutorial. Learning about the process of generating a research question can prepare you for your future independent projects. This workshop was created by UCLA's WI+RE team.

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Research Logistics at UCLA

Before getting started with research, it's important to know the difference between faculty- and student-led projects, as well as how to earn course credit for your research.By the end of this activity, you'll be able to:Identify benefits of faculty- and student-led research projectsIdentify differences between SRP 99 and Departmental 195-199.

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

Beginning Your Research Journey

Anyone can get started with research—all it takes is curiosity and persistence!By the end of this activity, you'll be able to:Describe the nature of researchList reasons to do researchArticulate your goals for doing researchThis workshop was created by UCLA's WI+RE team.

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Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA

The C.R.E.A.T.E.S. website

Created in collaboration with Dr. Jordan Moberg Parker, UCLA's Director of Undergraduate Laboratory Curriculum and Assessment in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, C.R.E.A.T.E.S. is a set of 6 steps that help learners read and critically analyze scientific papers. The C.R.E.A.T.E.S. method, pioneered by Dr. Sally Hoskins, has a demonstrated positive impact on undergraduate students' self-confidence in scientific reading, as well as in their general perceptions of and beliefs about science and scientific thinking (Hoskins, et. al, 2017).The new C.R.E.A.T.E.S. site uses interactive media, step-by-step directions, and detailed annotation of authentic examples to guide students through the process.

Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed:

Discipline(s): 
Not Discipline Specific
License Assigned: 
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License CC-BY-NC-SA