Research breadth taxonomy: six structure-focused elements, each at minimum Milestone 2 for high impact¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 design), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The research breadth layer contains six elements focused on the structure of the research experience: originality of research, systematic disciplinary inquiry, evaluated research process work, activities emphasizing research, required project, and mentoring. Each element is operationally defined in four milestones of increasing student involvement. The article states that "All six elements in the research breadth taxonomy should be present at a minimum of Milestone 2 for an undergraduate research experience to be deemed high impact; activities at Milestone 1 may qualify as low -impact involvement and would be considered less beneficial to students."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• All six breadth elements present at a minimum of Milestone 2; the elements could be incorporated into a course syllabus or a research agreement to set clear expectations

Constraints¶

• Activities at Milestone 1 may qualify as low-impact involvement and are considered less beneficial to students

Target Learners¶

• undergraduate students in course-embedded, program-embedded, independent study, or summer research experiences

Target Goals¶

• increasing student involvement and engagement with the research process

Claims¶

• Students who generate their own research question are apt to be more invested and more engaged [+W]
• Mentoring relationships in undergraduate research are highly influential in students' campus connection, retention in their major, and persistence to graduation [+M]

Related Patterns¶

• Four modes of undergraduate research differ in social capital required, time on task, and mentoring structure

Examples¶

• Use the taxonomy to self-evaluate an implemented research experience and level up milestones

Key Sources¶

• Fischer, A. E., Immel, K. R., Wilkum, K., & Lee, L. (2021). A Taxonomy for Developing Undergraduate Research Experiences as High-Impact Practices. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v21i1.30564