An Intensive Primary-Literature–based Teaching Program Directly Benefits Undergraduate Science Majors and Facilitates Their Transition to Doctoral Programs

Abstract

UCLA's Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Program (HHURP), a collaboration between the College of Letters and Science and the School of Medicine, trains a group of highly motivated undergraduates through mentored research enhanced by a rigorous seminar course. The course is centered on the presentation and critical analysis of scientific journal articles as well as the students' own research. This article describes the components and objectives of the HHURP and discusses the results of three program assessments: annual student evaluations, interviews with UCLA professors who served as research advisors for HHURP scholars, and a survey of program alumni. Students indicate that the program increased their ability to read and present primary scientific research and to present their own research and enhanced their research experience at UCLA. After graduating, they find their involvement in the HHURP helped them in securing admission to the graduate program of their choice and provided them with an advantage over their peers in the interactive seminars that are the foundation of graduate education. On the basis of the assessment of the program from 1998-1999 to 2004-2005, we conclude that an intensive literature-based training program increases student confidence and scientific literacy during their undergraduate years and facilitates their transition to postgraduate study.

Peer feedback enhances a ‘journal club’ for undergraduate science students that develops oral communication and critical evaluation skills

“…The combination of interactive seminars from experts and journal clubs had previously demonstrated benefits for high achieving, research-streamed students (Kozeracki, Carey, Colicelli, & Levis-Fitzgerald, 2006), but here the whole cohort is involved. There were three primary aims of this modification:…”

The Intersection of Information and Science Literacy

“…In addition, a large body of research supports the integration of information literacy and librarians into science courses to improve the science literacy of students and help them find and use literature in their fields (Kingsley et al, 2011;Klucevsek & Brungard, 2016;Kozeracki, Carey, Colicelli, & Levis-Fitzgerald, 2006;Krontiris-Litowitz, 2013;Reisner, 2016;Thompson & Blankinship, 2015).…”

An Investigation into the Teaching and Learning of Argumentation in First Year Undergraduate Courses: A Pilot Study

“…There is a lot of research suggesting beneficial effects of explicit instruction in critical thinking on learning (e.g. Fortner 1999, Herman 1999, Kozeracki et al 2006, Hoskins et al 2007and Gehring and Eastman 2008. Kozeracki et al (2006) described a specially designed course to train undergraduates in the critical analysis of scientific journals.…”

“…Fortner 1999, Herman 1999, Kozeracki et al 2006, Hoskins et al 2007and Gehring and Eastman 2008. Kozeracki et al (2006) described a specially designed course to train undergraduates in the critical analysis of scientific journals. The results showed that students trained under the programme demonstrated increased ability to read and present scientific research as well as increased in confidence.…”

“…The majority used pre-post test comparisons of pupils' self-report and subjective evaluation of student's work by the instructor who was not blinded (e.g. Gehring & Eastman 2008;Hoskins et al 2007;Kozeracki et al 2006 andHerman 1999). The content of the course is invariably subject-related pertaining to understanding and analysing text closely related to the discipline.…”