How do I come up with a research topic as an undergrad? Do I have to?

[VTeight7]

great board btw, i've been snooping around for months before registering.

 

i've read the other threads here about research, but something's missing.

with most grants they say "your topic of research should be discussed between you and your supervisor". does this mean they expect us, the student, to have an idea about what we want to research? I have no idea what I would do, it just seems 2 complicated, I wouldn't know what resources i have to use, how to even begin, etc. would it be more advisable to help a prof with a project he/she came up with already? is that standard procedure? did u guys come up with your own projects or did the prof?

 

 

when i asked somebody in the geography dept which is 1 place i was interested in, she said its the profs who get the research grants and thats how their assistants get paid. shouldnt it be the other way around? because i see all this talk around here about us having to get our grants.

 

 

also i'm in 2nd year atm, thinking of doing this during the upcoming summer - it's not too soon is it? i was also gonna write my first mcat's during the summer.

[blinknoodle]

Welcome to the boards.

 

Usually students do not write grants, they apply for scholarships, though. Oftentimes, the scholarship applications necessitate you applying jointly with a supervisor and they fill out the details of your project and you fill out applicant characteristics, essays, etc. When you apply for master/PhD scholarships, you usually have to apply in September, oftentimes before you have picked a project and supervisor, so you propose a project.

 

It certainly is not too soon to be looking for summer research opportunities. Now is the best time to approach the supervisors you are interested in. In fact, how you approach a summer research project will be dictated by your supervisor. In the sciences, most students who have no research experience will be doing projects supervised by graduate students or the lab supervisor (you are not expected to create your own project, but it is better if you have some intellectual input). As you become more familiar with research, take more science design courses, you will be given more freedom to create your own project and pursue it. It all depends on your experiences, your supervisor and your proposed project. I assume geography research would be the same way, but it would be best to ask the person who will be supervising you. You need to demonstrate interest in their work, so coming up with a project definitely shows initiative.

 

Writing your MCATs and full-time research is a whole other thread. Search around, people have commented on it in the past.

[The Law]

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19334&highlight=NSERC+mcat

there ya go

[VTeight7]

Alright thanks blinknoodle, so i'm not expected to create my own project. In that case would this be a good way of approaching the subject with my prof: "hi, I was wondering if you needed any undergrad assistants with any research you may do this summer?" or is that too passive? Please help guys, I have no idea how the system works. How did you guys get into (undergrad) research?

[The Law]

I think if you're going to approach your prof, you should know a bit about their research too, and let them know that you know about what they are doing. I think they'll be more receptive if they know you're interested in what they are doing.

[peachy]

"your topic of research should be discussed between you and your supervisor". does this mean they expect us, the student, to have an idea about what we want to research?

A second year undergrad with no research experience would almost never be expected to come up with a research question on their own. What usually happens is that you find a supervisor whose work you find interesting, and then they suggest a few projects to you, and then you pick the one that you most want to participate in.

[bioboy2007]

A second year undergrad with no research experience would almost never be expected to come up with a research question on their own. What usually happens is that you find a supervisor whose work you find interesting, and then they suggest a few projects to you, and then you pick the one that you most want to participate in.

 

Exactly. This was my experience.

 

To the OP: you will likely be asked what you are interested in, so know the prof's research interests and how they align to your own. Try and make a convincing case for why you are the right person to hire for the lab/clinic.

[VTeight7]

thanks everyone, i guess i'll read up on the profs' previous publications. Which I have done a bit of.

 

Another thing: at this stage, if I'm not expected to make my own project, do I have to get an NSERC just to be an assistant.

[bioboy2007]

thanks everyone, i guess i'll read up on the profs' previous publications. Which I have done a bit of.

 

Another thing: at this stage, if I'm not expected to make my own project, do I have to get an NSERC just to be an assistant.

 

You may. It really depends on how much money (and how generous) the PI is. This will be something that you should bring up in the interview.

[peachy]

if I'm not expected to make my own project, do I have to get an NSERC just to be an assistant.

If you wish to be paid, the money has to come from somewhere. Some common sources of funding:

• directly out of the supervisor's grant
  
• through a summer research program (eg SLRI)
  
• through NSERC
  
• through another funding agency
  

NSERC is very common and often the easiest to get if you have high grades, which is why people talk about it so much. But there are lots of other funding opportunities out there if you take the time to look around.