Some students wonder if doing scientific research during their ungraduated are worth the effort. Educational institutions are often suggesting that these research programs are necessary in order to develop important research skills. Whether it is true or not, will depend on how the student goes about doing this scientific research. The goal is to walk away not only with skills, but also important information. These skills can help you during your graduate years, but it is not a guarantee. There are benefits and pitfalls to these results and we are going to discuss that today.
Benefits
Problem solving
Having the ability to solve problems is going to help you beyond your study years. I used to ask my fellow students to do my accounting homework, because I could not figure out how to solve the problems at hand. It took some time to understand it, but once it is embedded into your brain, you won’t have these scenarios going forward. Doing scientific research, teaches you the process scientists apply when faced with a specific problem. These skills cannot be taught, but rather acquired through practice.
Interpreting results
When you do your research and come to a conclusion, you have to look at the results and interpret it in a way that makes sense to you and the reader. This is a skill by itself. You can jot down notes of some points, but at the end of your research paper, you are going to have to state your case. What did you learn from the research process and what do you understand based on your findings? These are the questions you have to ask. Anyone can pay someone to do homework but you cannot do so when writing an exam. This is why you need to understand the work yourself. These skills are going to help you get through undergrad and much further in your career.
Lab skills
There is a difference between theory and application. You have to spend some time in the lab and apply what you have learned. With scientific research, you will be required to do your research in combination with your lab work. This time will never be wasted as you are gaining all of this experience. If you find that you are doing well in the lab, you are going to gain a lot of confidence. This boost of confidence is going to help you perform better in class, which is a boost in itself.
Pitfalls
No interest in topic
It is one thing to choose a topic you enjoy researching and another to choose one you believe will give you a higher score. Of course, you want to do well, but if you are not interested in the topic, you won’t go the extra mile during the research process. When you are passionate about the topic, you will be able to give it your all and probably score better. There are no short cuts and a paper that has gaps, will cost you. This is a process you want to enjoy, otherwise it is just another task that you wish could be over. Be wise when choosing your topic.
No planning
Whenever you do a research paper during whichever time in your education stage, you have to start with a plan. Create an outline of how you plan to approach this research process and stick to it as far as possible. You can read as much as you want to on your chosen topic, but without a good structure in place, your paper might have not flow. When I was struggling with my accounting home work I took some time out and put together a catch-up / planning session. Your paper will only be as strong as the plan or foundation you have in place.
Minimum reading
A research paper will take a lot of your time and sometimes it is tempting to just do the minimum. Reading through books and articles can be challenging and a little tedious, but if you enjoy what you are doing, it could be exciting. You want to cover all of your basis before you come to a conclusion. Read everything you can get your hands on when doing your research. This is not a quick process and no matter how tedious it is, you basically have no choice if you want to do well. Even if the piece you want to read is not in the required guidelines, it can change the way you thought the conclusion would go.
Conclusion
A research paper consists of a lot of work and even if you doubt the outcome, it is beneficial. There are reasons behind this scientific research and I am sure that the school committee knew why it should be included in the curriculum. Getting as much practical work in as possible, is necessary if you are studying science. If you love what you are doing, you are giving yourself a mental advantage. There is no easy way to get through it, but you can come out of this with a successful high score.
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