Center for Undergraduate Research

Getting started

If you are considering conducting undergraduate research, the first step is to think of topics that interest you. Once you have narrowed your options, begin exploring the research, scholarship, and creative activities that already exist on that topic so that you can consider what contribution or updates you can make.

Next, begin to look for a faculty supervisor who can mentor you through the process. Use the Center for Undergraduate Research as a resource in your research endeavors.

Research Ethics

For research, scholarship, and creative activities to be useful and serve as the foundation on which additional efforts can be based, each researcher should understand and adhere to generally accepted practices within their field.

While each discipline has a slightly different set of accepted practices, there are a number of common issues related to generation, storage and use of data, and publication and presentation of findings and interpretations. As an undergraduate researcher, you will have the opportunity to learn and practice responsible research.  An excellent overview of research ethics is provided in an article titled, "What is Ethics in Research and Why Is It Important?" by David D. Resnick J.D., Ph. D.

If you plan to use human subjects:

You will need to seek approval from the PennWest California Institutional Review Board (IRB) for any projects or activities that involve human subjects.

If you plan to use animal subjects:

You will need to seek approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for any projects or activities that involve animal subjects.

Why use SPSS?

  • Manage, analyze, manipulate and display data.
  • Quickly and accurately perform an enormous number of statistical functions.
  • Present results in a range of formats including graphically.
  • Reduce errors and devote more time to interpreting results.

Your faculty mentor is the best source of information as to whether your discipline typically uses SPSS.

APA Workshops

APA 6th to 7th Edition:

Please click here to view.

Fall 2021 Lectures

Katie Greeno, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
How research methods affect you every day
11:00am-12:30pm
September 23, 2021
https://calu.zoom.us/j/94962141859

Keith Mularski
Advisory Executive Director of Cybersecurity, Ernst & Young LLP
Understanding Cyber Adversaries to Prevent and Detect Cyber Attacks
11:00am-12:30pm
November 4, 2021
https://calu.zoom.us/j/93091235153

Research and Real Life Lecture Archive

Archives are Everywhere:


 
Podcasts and Real Life:


Fall Creative Works Live Session:

 

Undergraduate research in boat.

Grants and Funding

 

The Center for Undergraduate Research supports various aspects of student efforts in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities.

Learn more

A professor helps with a chemistry experiment.

Frequenty Asked Questions

 

Have questions about conducting undergraduate research at PennWest California? Stat here.

Learn more

 

 


 

Contact Us

For questions about the Center for Undergraduate Research, contact us at CUR@calu.edu.

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