ABSTRACT
Over the past three decades, interest in undergraduate research has grown dramatically. Growing awareness of the impact of student engagement on retention and academic success, across widely varied populations, has heightened awareness of the potential for undergraduate research to serve as a vehicle for promoting an agenda of excellence and inclusion. On individual campuses, various opportunities exist for students to participate in undergraduate research. Student-directed research involves projects in which undergraduate students are the principal investigators. The decision to adopt an inquiry-based curriculum raises questions as to how best to organize research experiences for undergraduate students. Undergraduate research fellowships provide students with remuneration for their scholarly work. Individual institutions have employed a variety of strategies to broaden participation in undergraduate research, including enactment of new curricular requirements, expansion of financial support, and infusion of research into existing civic engagement activities.
