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GCD Home > Undergraduate Program > Getting Started
Getting Started with Directed Research
What is directed research?
Why do directed research?
How do I find a lab for directed research?
 Phase 1:Choosing an area of interest
Phase 2: Choosing a department
Phase 3: Choosing a faculty member
Phase 4: Getting into a lab
Phase 5: Being successful at directed research
EXPECTATIONS
What is directed research?
Directed research is a way to work in a research lab and earn course credit at the same time. Typically, if you sign up for 3 credits, you would be expected to work around 10 to 15 hours per week. Initially, you are likely to be teamed with someone who is already working in a research lab such as a technician, graduate student, or post-doctoral fellow. Over time, you may develop the expertise to carry out an independent research project. Most students do a directed research project for a minimum of two semesters. In some cases, it can last several years.
Why do directed research?
This is a great opportunity. As a student at a major research institution, you have the exciting prospect of working in a research lab and gaining valuable lab experience. This experience may help you land a job when you graduate. It will expand your sphere of interactions, and help you to see how science is actually done. In addition, if you plan to attend a post-graduate program (e.g., vet school, med school, dental school, grad school, etc.), your faculty advisor may be able to write a letter of recommendation that may help you get into the post-graduate school of your choice. Also, it can be a lot of fun.
How do I find a lab for directed research?
This is often the most confusing aspect of directed research. Basically, you’re on your own. It is up to you to find a faculty member who will be willing to allow you to work in his/her lab. You can choose from hundreds of labs within the University of Minnesota. You are not limited to labs in the department or college of your major.
The description below is meant to help you find a lab that will be a good fit for you. If you run into obstacles, contact a faculty member for help.
Phase 1: Choosing an area of interest
Figure out the general type of research that you would like to do. To help you figure this out, you should consider the following:
1. Which courses have you liked the most?
2. Which topics in your favorite courses have you liked the most?
3. What are your long-term career goals?
Overall, it’s good to choose a lab that matches or overlaps with your interests and long-term career goals.
Phase 2: Choosing a department
Choose a department (or two). Note: you can do Directed Research in almost any department at the U of M. That includes departments in CBS, the Medical School, the Vet School, the School of Agriculture, the Dental School, etc.
Once you’ve settled upon an area of interest, it’s time to find out which department(s) at the U of M might be carrying out the type of research that would be a good fit for you. There are different ways to do this. Since the U of M is a big place, sometimes it’s helpful to narrow things down to one or two departments. For example, if you decide (from phase 1) that your interests are in the area of Microbiology and your career goal is to go to Medical school, you should choose a department or two in the Medical school that would be appropriate. For example, in the Medical School there two departments that would seem to be a good fit. These would be the Department of Microbiology and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, but there are other possibilities. You can find a listing of U of M departments on line (One Stop) or you can use the U of M phone directory. Or you may want to talk to a faculty member for advice.
Phase 3: Choosing a faculty member
Choose a few (3 to 5) potential faculty members that you might like to work with. In most cases, you can visit the website of the chosen department (from phase 2), and the department website will have a listing of the faculty, and a brief description of each person’s research. Alternatively, you may need to go the departmental office, and ask a secretary if such a listing exists. Or, you can visit the website of the graduate program(s) that are administered by a particular department, and these usually have brief descriptions of faculty research interests.
Try to pick a few faculty members that seem to do interesting research. It's unlikely that every faculty member will be able to take a new student into his or her lab. That’s why you need to pick a few different faculty members to ensure that at least one of them will have an opening.
Phase 4: Getting into a lab
To get into a lab, it is really beneficial that you do your homework and make a good first impression. Once you’ve chosen a few faculty members, you should get a couple of recent publications from each of them and read them. Usually, the website of a faculty member will list their most recent publications, or you can do a literature search on Medline. You may not understand a lot of what’s written in a research paper, but you will understand some of it, and it will help to bolster your view that you want to work in someone’s lab, or it may eliminate particular choices. After you have read some papers, call the faculty member and ask to set up an appointment to discuss their research. MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE READ THEIR PAPERS, AND EVEN MENTION WHICH JOURNALS THE PAPERS WERE IN. FACULTY ARE HUGELY IMPRESSED BY THIS…..
Here is what you shouldn’t do: E-mail a faculty member with a two-line message asking them if they have any directed research openings. It’s really easy to reject such an e-mail.
Once you have gotten to the point that a faculty member will set up an appointment with you, you’re probably in good shape. There are a few points to consider at the interview:
1. Again, remind them that you read their papers.
2. Make it crystal clear that you chose them because you are interested in their research.
3. Make it clear regarding your time commitment. It is really helpful if you can commit to a minimum of two semesters of directed research.
4. Don’t assume that a faculty member knows what directed research is all about. Many faculty members in clinical departments may not know much about it. You may need to explain a few things like: you are doing this for course credit; you don’t get paid; if you sign up for 3 credits per semester, you are expected to work around 10-15 hours per week in the lab, etc.
5. Be serious but enthusiastic.
Finally, after you have reached an agreement with a faculty member to do directed research in their lab, you will need to fill out a directed research contract, which is available in the CBS office. This contract is for your benefit. It describes the nature of the research, the number of credits, the number of semesters it will last, and how your progress will be evaluated. The course is graded S/N. The contract ensures that the student and faculty member have reached a consensus regarding the nature of the research, how long it will last, and how the outcome will be evaluated.
Phase 5: Being successful during your directed research
Success in research is not always easy. Sometimes you can work really hard and nothing turns out the way you want. Other times, you can make a stupid mistake and it turns out to be a gold mine. You need to enter into a research lab with the attitude that there are no guarantees, and that it may be a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
To increase the probability of a successful directed research experience, here are some helpful tips:
1. Be reliable. Show up when you say you’re going to show up.
2. Don’t be sloppy. Be careful when handling solutions, etc. It really really makes people mad if they have to clean up your messes.
3. Don’t try to cover up your mistakes.
4. Focus on what you’re doing. Research can often times involve a long series of tedious tasks. Pay attention. Write things down.
5. Ask a lot of questions… even if you think they’re dumb questions.
6. Try to get to know everyone in the lab.
7. Try to get to know your faculty adviser.
8. Have fun.
EXPECTIONS
The expectations of directed research may vary a bit, depending on the faculty member that you choose. It is really important to make sure that you and your faculty mentor have a clear idea of the expectations. Below are listed some basic items. However, different faculty members will place greater emphasis on some of them, and a lesser emphasis on others:
1. If you sign up for 3 credits per semester, you are expected to work around 10-15 hours per week in the lab. Be clear about how many hours per week you are expected to work.
2. Maintain a laboratory notebook.
3. Present your work at lab meetings.
4. At the end of directed research, write a paper
regarding your research. This should be done in
discussion with your mentor. (Don’t just hand something in at the end).
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