Student Resources

Everyone's research journey is unique, but this outline can provide some structure as you embark on yours.

 

• Be curious
  • Hone in on your interests: Write down your favorite classes and why you liked them, journal about your favorite memories and how you could leverage that interest in research, and ask people close to you what they think your favorite academic subjects are.
  • Explore Diverse Topics: Dive into various subjects that pique your interest.
    • Utilize search engines and AI to explore related topics.
      • Example: ChatGPT “I am interested in anthropology; what are some related fields?” or “What are the hottest topics in music research in the last decade?”
• Brainstorm
  • Identify Problems: Look for gaps in existing research or issues that need solving.
  • Generate Ideas: Hold brainstorming sessions individually or with peers to generate a list of potential research topics.
    • Have at least 2 interests prepared before your meetings.
• Meetings
  • Meet with an advisor to help sharpen your ideas and develop them in a presentable way for potential mentors. Advisors can also help you establish connections with mentors. Book a meeting here!
    • This can be your assigned advisor OR someone from the Undergraduate Research Council, the Undergraduate Scholars Program, or Undergraduate Research.
  • Advisors will also help you evaluate the feasibility of your idea in terms of time, resources, and potential impact.
• Meet your mentor
  • Choose a mentor with the help of your advisor.
  • Email: Here is an email template to help you connect
    • Hi Dr. [X],
      
      I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am a [your grade] at Montana State University. I came across your work in [enter specific example here] and found it fascinating. After discussing potential research opportunities with the Undergraduate Research Ambassador, I was advised to reach out to you about possibly pursuing a research project under your guidance.
      
      [Speak about your experience] (example: While I am still early in my academic journey and understand the limitations of my practical experience, I am eager and committed to learning in order to enhance my education at MSU.) I have already explored a variety of funding options through the Undergraduate Scholars Program, the Honors College, and the Montana Space Grant Consortium, which I believe could support my involvement in research.
      
      I would love the opportunity to chat further about your current projects. I have a flexible schedule and would appreciate the chance to meet with you at your convenience. Here is my availability to meet over the next week:
      • Monday: [Insert hours]
      • Tuesday: [Insert hours]
      • Wednesday: [Insert hours]
      • Thursday: [Insert hours]
      • Friday: [Insert hours]

I have attached my resume, cover letter, and class schedule for your convenience. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you and hope to connect soon!

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]

• • Establish a Relationship and Set Goals: Regularly meet with your mentor to discuss progress and seek guidance. Work with your mentor to set short-term and long-term research goals. Use this editable PDF to establish expectations with you new mentor.
• Secure funding or credit
  • Students can volunteer, work, or earn credit as they conduct research
  • How you get paid depends on several things, and your advisor/mentor can help with this. The grant that funds the research, the organization you applied through, or your status as a work-study are all examples of different ways payment gets configured.
  • Students can also earn credit for their research. This option is to be established through your mentor and will likely come from your mentor's department.
• Training (discipline-specific)
  • This is often in the beginning of your work via online courses to prepare you for hands-on research.
  • Training timelines and expectations should be discussed in the initial Mentor-Mentee expectations meeting.
• Research
  • After you are fully trained, you will conduct your research and report back to your mentor.
  • Need help with your research? The MSU Library can help! You can chat, email, or meet with a librarian (trust us, they’ll love it), or use their online resources to get help with finding articles and databases, systematic literature reviews, organizing and managing citations, or any part of your research process. Stop by the library front desk to ask about tech checkouts (including Wi-Fi Hot Spots for remote research, cameras, chargers, and more), study spaces including reservable study rooms, or library hours.
• Present/Publish
  • There are many opportunities for students to share their work. Just within Montana State, there is a student-run publication called Curiositas, the Annual Undergraduate Research Celebration in the Spring of each year, and ScholarWorks hosted by Renne Library. For more specifics on publishing and presenting, see the drop-down below.

Research work can come in a variety of forms. Work-study, MSU payroll, stipend-based, volunteer, and for-credit are all potential methods of involvement. Here is a general breakdown of these roles, and ideas on figuring out what fits you best.

 

Work-study: These positions are for students who have been approved to work in relation to their FAFSA. Typically, these positions are more task-oriented and support roles (i.e., data entry, lab organizing/cleaning, front desk work, etc.).

MSU Payroll: Many faculty members will pay students off grants they already have for their research. In these cases, some grants require that students get paid on an hourly basis and as part of MSU’s payroll. These positions can range significantly from task-oriented (see above) to being a part of a research team to independent, student-driven research projects.

Stipend-based: Some students are paid with stipends. These do not go through MSU payroll. Instead, students and mentors agree to set amount of work for a pre-determined amount of money. These can be thought of as “mini-grants” for students that will be paid in lump sums but still be taxed as income, same as payroll.

Volunteer: Many students start off their research journeys as volunteers, and this is a great route if it can work for you! If you are interested in a particular lab or mentor that is in high demand, this might be the way to get your foot in the door. These positions are also good for “feeling it out” and seeing if you’d like to pursue research going forward.

For credit: Students can set up research opportunities that offer credit. To do this, a student will likely come up with their own idea and project and find a mentor to provide guidance, feedback, and sponsorship of credit from the associated department.

 

Currently Posted Positions

 

If you need more personalized advising on your next step, connect with our team.

Use this outline to apply for independent research credits with your department.

 

Research Credit Application 390/490R

Student Name ________________________________________________________________

Mentor Name and Department __________________________________________________

Fill in Code and Select one: _________ 390R or _________490R               (ex. BIOM 490R)

Select one: 1 credit = ~ 3 hours/week     2 credits = ~ 6 hours/week     3 credits = ~9 hours/week

Describe your project

Background: _________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Goals (what you want to get done this semester):

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor Expectations (what you are expected to do around the lab, office, etc., and other expectations outlined by your mentor)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other comments or notes:

 

 

 

Rubric

Topic	A: Excellent	B: Sufficient	C: Decent	D: Lacking	F: Fail
Professionalism	Student meets the field’s standards	Student meets most standards but may be lacking in one or two areas	Student meets most standards but may be lacking in two or more areas	A student meets some standards but does not meet the majority	Student meets no standards
Time Commitment and management	Student meets the weekly hours noted above and shows strong time management	Student mostly meets the weekly hours noted above and has some time management	Student is strong in one area and somewhat strong in the other	Student either meets the weekly hours or shows strong time management	Does not meet time commitment or show strong time management
Academic Writing	Student showed improvement or is already proficient	Student showed some improvement or is somewhat proficient	Student improved somewhat or is okay at academic writing	Student did not improve, but is able to produce writing	Student did not improve and is not able to produce writing
Critica Thinking	Insightful, well-reasoned, and demonstrates deep understanding	Solid analysis with minor gaps in depth or reasoning	Basic analysis with logical gaps or minimal originality	Weak analysis with significant gaps	No meaningful analysis or understanding
Goal Completion	Completes all goals	Completes most goals	Completes some goals	Completes one goal	Completes no goals

Presenting and publishing are a big part of sharing your research and being part of a land-grant university that strives to share research with its stakeholders. However, it can be daunting if you haven't done much of it. We are here to help with the process. Please reach out to our team for help getting started.

Conferences

Below are some regional, national, and international conferences that MSU students have attended. You can also check with your research mentor or department about conferences in your area of study.

 

 

Publishing

Renne Library in ScholarWorks. Legally, for free, in minutes, you can join millions of researchers sharing their papers freely with colleagues and the public. The Library staff can help!

*More information coming soon.