Undergraduate Student Project Research Articles

An idea to explore: Student-centered scientific and medical writing project and workshop for undergraduate students.

Writing is usually integrated in the curriculum of science studies. However, students often lack the skills to write for various audiences or, to produce a well written manuscript. We developed a concise project of 15 European Credits to improve the writing skills in an early phase of the bachelor study. Students worked on texts from various journals and looked at the writing styles. They rewrote texts in a popular and more scientific way and practiced with clear, vivid language, avoiding clutter and hedge words, considering a proper use of grammar and interpunction. Medical writing was also introduced during the project. Grading was based on rewriting for a non-expert and expert audience. A rewritten text was presented to the public in the form of a student-initiated survey. This project shows an inverted approach creating student ownership and enthusiasm for writing. In addition, we created and tested successfully a concise two-day workshop based on this project. Based on the results we herewith present the work as an idea to explore.

Layouts and tips for a typical final-year chemical engineering graduation project

Abstract A fundamental step in the education and scientific research processes is the final-year project for undergraduate students. In chemical engineering departments, the final year project has unique properties since it deals with the design and production of specific materials or chemicals. It represents a whole plant design. In the present work, a layout and tips are proposed for a typical final-year chemical engineering graduation project. Six chapters are suggested. Each chapter is given a main theme and subtitles in order to facilitate the writing process of the project. Chapter one represents an introduction to the importance of the material that was produced, material properties, production process, etc. In chapter two, material and energy balance calculations are addressed. Chapter three handled the equipment design. Cost and environmental assessments are discussed in Chapter four. The results of chapters two and three are compared with software outcomes, which can be collected in chapter five. Finally, the main results, conclusion, and recommendations for future work are proposed to be in Chapter six. Furthermore, tips and advice are addressed to assist students in the writing of a typical graduation project.

Twenty-one Years of Undergraduate Medical Student Research Training at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa

Abstract Introduction Since 2001, undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, plan, perform, and report on their research projects during semesters 2–5 of their ten-semester training. We describe the research modules and review the projects of the first 21 years. Methods This cohort study included all undergraduate medical student projects that formed part of the first 21 presentations of the research modules. Information was obtained from material archived by the module leaders. Students’ 2020 feedback on the modules was summarised. Results In total, 607 projects were planned (range 22–35 per year) and involved 229 supervisors. Only four projects were not completed. Thirty-nine Faculty departments/divisions/units provided supervision with Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Paediatrics and Child Health each supervising 60 or more groups. Projects were predominantly quantitative (99.7%); only 4.9% of projects involved an intervention or experiment. Main topics were infectious diseases (10.5%), mental health (8.9%), and cancer (8.7%). Data subjects were mainly patients (61.9%) and undergraduate students (12.0%), and data collection was mostly performed at the faculty’s training hospitals or laboratories (71.4%). The most positive aspect indicated by students was the exposure to and learning about research; the most negative aspects were group work and supervisors. Conclusion The projects received support from a broad spectrum of supervisors and covered a wide variety of topics. Given the timing of the projects in the training programme, the mainly quantitative and observational nature of the projects was appropriate. Attention to supervision and group work is required.

Exploring the learning preferences of farmworker-serving community health workers.

Community health workers are responsible for finding, processing, and transferring health information to communities with limited access to health-related resources, including farmworkers. This paper is the culmination of an undergraduate student research project to explore the learning processes and preferences of farmworker-serving community health workers in the USA. The project was designed for students from farmworker or agricultural backgrounds at two North Carolina universities and was supported by a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services workforce development grant. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, in person and virtually, with a convenience sample of 17 current and former community health workers. The interview data were analysed thematically and identified a preference for a combination of learning styles, with visual and hands-on learning being the most preferred. Community health workers also identified the importance of learning preferences in relation to their responsibilities as health educators. This study provides librarians, along with public health and medical professionals, with useful information about learning preferences to inform the creation of new and varied learning materials for community health workers.

Reflection Analysis of Resilient and Sustainable Research and Publication Activities at the National University of Science & Technology, Oman during COVID-19

COVID-19 restrictions badly impacted research activities in universities across the globe. This paper aims to reflect on resilient and sustainable research and publication activities related to undergraduate and postgraduate students and funded projects at the National University of Science & Technology, Oman. This study employed structured interviews with 32 staff members of the 3 constituent colleges of the university under study who supervised undergraduate and postgraduate student projects, and 7 staff members who supervised funded projects during COVID-19. Responses were recorded using pre coded interview forms for better and faster analysis. Borton’s reflection model was used for reflective analysis. It was found that, in response to the restrictions implemented, most of the students’ projects were quick in response and changed from experimental studies to online case studies and that objectives were modified. No student project was delayed due to these modifications. Supervisors found online supervision useful and appreciated the university’s support in terms of library access and remote access to lab software. Furthermore, regarding the funded projects, they were completed with success without needing to change the objectives. The findings of this study may be useful in designing suitable staff training, communication strategies, and internal processes for research grant approvals, and for use in preparation of sustainable practices in university research activities.

Research Experiences via Integrating Simulations and Experiments (REVISE): A Model Collaborative Research Project for Undergraduate Students in CO2 Sorbent Design.

Undergraduate research experiences are an instrumental component of student development, increasing conceptual understanding, promoting inquiry-based learning, and guiding potential career aspirations. Moving one step further, as research continues to become more interdisciplinary, there exists potential to accelerate student growth by granting additional perspectives through collaborative research. This study demonstrates the utilization of a model collaborative research project, specifically investigating the development of sorbent technologies for efficient CO2 capture, which is an important research area for improving environmental sustainability. A model CO2 sorbent system of heteroatom-doped porous carbon is utilized to enable students to gain knowledge of adsorption processes, through combined experimental and computational investigations and learnings. A particular emphasis is placed on creating interdisciplinary learning experiences, exemplified by using density functional theory (DFT) to understand molecular interactions between doped carbon surfaces and CO2 molecules as well as explain underlying physical mechanisms that govern experimental results. The experimental observations about CO2 sorption performance of doped ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) can be correlated with simulation results, which can explain how the presence of heteroatom functional groups impact the ability of porous carbon to selectively adsorb CO2 molecules. Through an inquiry-focused approach, students were observed to couple interdisciplinary results to construct holistic explanations, while developing skills in independent research and scientific communications. This collaborative research project allows students to obtain a deeper understanding of sustainability challenges, cultivate confidence in independent research, prepare for future career paths, and most importantly, be exposed to strategies employing interdisciplinary research approaches to address scientific challenges.

STEAM Matters for Sustainability

Students of art-based higher educational programs use artistic practices and academic methods to explore complex societal topics and produce artistic outcomes that embody new knowledge and insights. Universities have an essential role in helping to shape sustainable futures, and art-based research frequently explores complex and abstract topics, such as sustainability. In this paper, we provide reflections on 33 of the 127 undergraduate student projects we surveyed that concern sustainability over a period of 10 years at a problem-based learning (PBL) university as part of an Art and Technology degree program. Art and Technology is a STEAM education, where STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects are taught alongside artistic methods. Specifically, we investigate how students formulate sustainability problems within an art-based research framework by identifying the (1) themes within sustainability and art that were of most concern, (2) research aims of these projects within a PBL context, and (3) artistic and academic methods employed as part of the research process. Additionally, we provide select examples of the artistic outcomes of these student projects as evidence for how artistic methods and practices – by virtue of necessarily experiential work – can concretize the often abstract notion of sustainability, making it accessible to diverse student populations and the public.

Investigating Undergraduate Students Discourse Markers Used in Final Project Article of English Department at Universitas Negeri Semarang

Students' writing quality in academic writing must still be investigated. Especially in terms of coherence and arrangement between sentences, sometimes inaccuracies cause sentences written to be less meaningful. This study aims to: 1) describe the use of discourse markers in the final undergraduate student article projects, especially in the discussion section, and 2) explain how far the quality of undergraduate students' writing is in applying discourse markers. Discourse Markers are conjunctions used as hooks between sentences so that the linkages between sentences are maintained, and the meaning of the sentences can be easily understood. This study applies the theory of Discourse Markers by Fraser (2009), which is complemented by an explanation of material on Academic Writing based on the book Writing Academic English by Oshima and Hogue (2006). The instrument is in the form of documentation. This study's qualitative data for analysis came from 11 undergraduate students' final project articles focused on the discussion part only. Furthermore, the data is categorized into three types of Discourse Markers: contrastive, elaborative, and inferential. After that, the analysis results are also provided in the form of the quality of student writing which has been categorized as appropriate and less appropriate.

Use of Off-Label Drugs in COVID-19: Clinicians' Perceptions Based on a Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Introduction The absence of a common National Treatment Guideline during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India resulted in different treatment strategies, and the use of "off-label drugs" (OfLDs) was one of them. Aims This study aimed to assess the proportion of doctors who prescribed OfLDs, their perceived appropriateness, and the factors leading to their use. Settings and design This is an undergraduate student research project, in which a web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted on doctors who delivered care to COVID-19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic in Uttarakhand, India. Materials and methods The minimum sample size was 370 (for a 95% confidence level, an alpha error of 0.5, and a power of 80%). Data were collected electronically using a validated questionnaireafter institutional ethical clearance and the participants' consent. Statistical analysis This is a descriptive-analytical study. Results We received 419 completed responses; all specialties had seen COVID-19 patients, and 91.4% (383) of the doctors had provided care toCOVID-19 patients in some way or the other. About 90.7% (380) of the doctors used OfLDs; 62.5% (262) agreed that OfLDs were beneficial, and 78.9% (331) disagreed on universal steroid use. Only 34.1% (143) felt that using OfLDs was ethical. About 16.9% (71) of the doctors believed that alternative medicine was a useful treatment adjunct, and 20% (84) of doctors prescribed OfLDs under duress. About 21.2% (89) believed that Remdesivir was the main treatment for the disease, and 18.6% (78) believed that Tocilizumab was the main treatment for the disease. Personal experience, conviction, or advice from peers were among the various reasons that were put forward for using OfLDs. Conclusions The use of OfLDs during the COVID-19 pandemic in India was extensive. It was done sometimes under pressure and was largely based on confusion (multiplicity of guidelines, many times at variance with each other) as well as on a personal or low level of scientific evidence forwarded to support the use.

Reconstructing the early history of the theory of heat through Fourier’s experiments

We present a project for undergraduate students illustrating the historical path that led to the foundations of the early theory of heat developed by Joseph Fourier. It is based on the reconstruction of 12 key experiments carried out by the French scientist to acquire significant results about heat already known from previous authors, as well as to investigate the relevant parameters ruling heat propagation in media. Upon this empirical evidence, Fourier was able to elaborate his celebrated heat equation that he applied to a number of different problems, whose solution led to predictions and consequences to be tested in further observations. The dominant experimental activity of the project was complemented by a dedicated theoretical one, aimed at illustrating how physical evidences entered into the theoretical framework behind Fourier’s heat equation. The project ended with a dissemination activity, which resulted both in the realization of 12 videos illustrating the experiments performed (available on the YouTube platform) and in the presentation of the whole project to other students and the general public at science fairs and similar events.

Multi-Course and Faculty-Student Collaboration: Reflections on Implementing a Qualitative Research Project with Undergraduate Students

In this paper, we reflect on the development, integration, and implementation of a course-based, primary data collection fieldwork project for undergraduate anthropology students at the University of Guelph. Integrated across three courses taught between January-April 2022, we developed this project to provide students with the opportunity to build research skills and to broaden their understandings of how anthropological methods can be mobilized in timely, immediate ways, while at the same time engaging with diverse lived realities of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. We point to key factors that allowed for the success of this pedagogical experiment, which include established high levels of trust among involved faculty members; careful attention to timelines and organization; the distribution of project work among the faculty team; and choosing a topic that was timely, relevant, and engaging for students.

An Innovative Biomedical Research Training Model: Rationale, Design, and Evaluation.

Much is told regarding the need for greater diversity in the biomedical research workforce in terms of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. However, there are few evidence-based models that are tested and can have significant effects in this regard. Thus, there is a need for development and evaluation of innovative models that may help train a more diverse biomedical research workforce. In this study, we provided the rationale, conceptual model, and preliminary evaluation of a program called "A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND)". This training program was designed, implemented, and evaluated between 2017 and 2020 at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The program's conceptual model is based on four stages: Attraction and Inspiration, Ideation and Innovation, Research Implementation, and Career Growth. Results of the comparative survey between 50 students who participated in ASCEND and 86 non-member controls showed an increase in science identity, academic self-concept, science self-efficacy, and peer support. The only domain that did not show a larger increase in participants in our program compared to controls was social self-concept. In addition, a total of 59 students submitted 48 research concepts, and 16 undergraduate student projects were funded. Of participants in the Health Research Concepts Competition, 39 students graduated, and 13 were pursuing graduate programs in STEM fields at the time of evaluation. The number of research projects and trainees who started a graduate degree were also reported. The ASCEND training model fosters an entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate students. Such a program might be effective in diversifying the biomedical research workforce. While this preliminary evaluation indicates the efficacy of the ASCEND model, there is a need for further long-term and multi-center evaluations with the trainees' research productivity and receipt of independent funding as outcomes.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Metal-Free Organic Dye-Sensitizer for Solar Cell: An Advanced Organic Chemistry Research-Based Laboratory

A multistep synthesis of a metal-free organic dye-sensitizer for solar cells was developed as a multifaceted research project for upper-division undergraduate students with a goal of introducing students to the application of organic synthesis in material science, and renewable energy research. The characterization of the dye is done by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), NMR, IR, melting point, UV–vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry.

Quantum carpets in leaky boxes

Quantum waves evolving or propagating inside one-dimensional boxes generate ‘quantum carpets’: intricate patterns in spacetime. The formally equivalent patterns in classical paraxial optics are observed as the Talbot effect. Boxes that are leaky, i.e. with penetrable walls, can be modelled by representing the walls as nonhermitian boundaries. The waves are superpositions of discrete eigenmodes with complex eigenvalues. Several different boundary conditions are explored, in which the Robin parameter—ratio of the mode derivatives and their values at the walls—may or may not depend on the eigenvalue. Nonhermitian models, which ignore the waves leaking outside the box, or represent them in simplified form, are approximations. For one physical model, the evolving wave in the full space can be calculated exactly, indicating that the nonhermitian model for the wave inside is highly accurate. Leaky boxes can be useful pedagogically: as introductory examples of nonhermiticity and biorthogonality (left and right eigenvectors), and as a rich source of postgraduate or advanced undergraduate student projects, exploring many variants.

Nonlinear coupling in an asymmetric pendulum

We investigate the nonlinear behavior of a simple pendulum fixed to an elastic rod, which can only vibrate horizontally. When released without initial angular momentum, the plane of the pendulum rotates, and the bob traces a delicate stationary pattern. We explain this effect as amplitude modulation due to the nonlinear coupling between the two degrees of freedom. We construct a theoretical model and approximately solve the equations of motion analytically (using the method of multiple scales); we also solve these equations numerically. In the analytical solution, the modulation period depends not only on the dynamical parameters but also on the pendulum's initial release position, which is typical of nonlinear systems. Finally, we build a simple apparatus and conduct a quantitative experiment. The approximate analytical solutions exhibit the same trends as the numerical results and experimental data. After adding linear dissipation, the numerical and experimental results match fairly well. This system can serve as an instructive demonstration as well as a nonlinear dynamics research project for undergraduate students.

PetSavers interview

Dr Penny Watson has been the recipient of several BSAVA PetSavers grants for undergraduate student projects and clinical research projects. Her most recent funds a Master’s student in a project entitled An investigation of novel immunohistochemical markers and serum auto-antibodies in cats with chronic biliary tract disease.

Increasing Medical Student Exposure to Neurosurgery: The Educational Value of Special Study Modules, Student Selected Components, and Other Undergraduate Student Projects.

ObjectivesNeurosurgery is a tertiary specialty, and exposure to medical students limited. One way to increase engagement and offer experience in neurosurgery is through Student Selected Components (SSC), Special Study Modules (SSM), or independent projects. Our aim was to assess the educational value of such projects and evaluate their effectiveness in exposing students to the field.MethodsA survey was designed and distributed to Edinburgh University medical students and alumni who completed a neurosurgical project within the last 5 years. The survey was anonymous and collected responses over a fortnight. The results were analyzed in Microsoft Excel 2020 Software.ResultsTwenty-four respondents completed the survey −42% were students and 58% junior doctors. Respondents overwhelmingly enjoyed their project (96%) and reported increased interest in neurosurgery (62%). The project helped improve their knowledge of neurosurgical procedures, pathologies, and/or clinical presentations and allowed connections with the local department. On a Likert scale, 37% felt they gained a good insight into the field. Only 33% felt the project was a good “taster” for the specialty. This is reasonable given that 92% of projects focused on data analysis, and none were designed as clinical attachments. A large number of students had their work published (50%) and presented at conferences (55%).ConclusionLack of exposure to neurosurgery at medical school is a known limitation within a busy curriculum. Selected Components/Special Study Modules/independent projects help students learn about certain aspects of neurosurgery and raise their level of interest. A majority of participants either achieved presentation at conferences or published their work. However, our results suggest neurosurgical projects complement but do not replace traditional clinical attachments in providing insight into the craft of this specialty.

A small group project for undergraduate social psychology students: Demonstrating the identifiable victim effect

There is considerable evidence that ‘active learning’ strategies are more efficacious than traditional ‘passive learning’ methods (e.g. lecture). Presented here is a small group active learning project developed for undergraduate social psychology students. The activity involves carrying out and reporting the results of a structured demonstration of the identifiable victim effect. The project provides students with the opportunity to write a research proposal, collect data, perform a basic analysis and interpretation of the data, and report their findings in written form. Student feedback on the project has been positive overall. The project seems to be particularly beneficial in helping students to understand and appreciate the research process.

Students as researchers: towards redefining undergraduate projects

The aim of this paper is to collect evidence of success and identify areas of good practice that can enable the process of re-defining undergraduate projects and lead to peer-review publications through student-staff collaborations. A pilot study was conducted with ten participants from STEM and non-STEM backgrounds. Based on the response and feedback, the questionnaire was revised and sent to a number of internal and external peers mainly in STEM. Twenty eight responses were received. Finally, four focus groups were hosted - two with five internal members of staff and two with nine undergraduate students studying civil and mechanical engineering at the University of Plymouth. The findings show that the majority of undergraduate student projects resulting in publications were jointly chosen by tutors and students and positively impacted on student learning. The emphasis was on good quality data collection by the students. The biggest barrier identified was the time commitment required by staff to convert student reports to publishable papers.

Compliment responses in Hong Kong: an application of Leech’s pragmatics of politeness

AbstractThis paper focusses on compliment responses in the context of group undergraduate student projects, in a university in Hong Kong. It applies Geoffrey Leech’s model of politeness. Although less well known than some other politeness models, it has proved relatively popular in studies of compliment responses, which are often said to involve a clash between the Maxim of Agreement (achieved by agreeing with the complimenter) and the Maxim of Modesty (achieved by mitigating the compliment, thereby disagreeing with the complimenter). This study deploys Leech’s most recent work on politeness in the study of compliment responses. Using an innovative variant of the discourse completion task adapted to WhatsApp to collect text messages and metapragmatic comments from undergraduate students in Hong Kong on their messages, it reveals that acceptance strategies are overwhelmingly the most frequent type. This finding adds to the small body of work on compliment responses in Hong Kong cultures, and, more generally, to cross-cultural pragmatics studies on compliment responses. However, the interpretation of this result needs to attend to the detail. The key specific acceptance strategy in our data is the expression of gratitude, and this, we argue, is best accounted for through the Maxim of Obligation, a maxim proposed in Leech’s more recent work.