Preparing for Research

Training

Many research projects will require you to complete additional training to participate in their work. This could be related to specialized equipment, policies/procedures specific to that lab, and / or regulations governing the work itself. The lab manager or research supervisor will let you know what mandatory training you'll need to complete. To get some idea of what may be involved, you can refer to our Training For Students page. 

Make sure you document any training you complete on your resume or CV, as it could give you an advantage in applying for future research positions.

Time Management

Joining a research group is a big commitment. In the life of an undergraduate student there are many other responsibilities such as classes, work and personal life. As such, you should be careful when managing your time. Adequate time management will help you cope with all the responsibilities. Undergraduate research is an endeavour which requires a decent amount of time. Make sure to set short and long term goals. List everything that needs to be done plus the time required to accomplish them. In order to keep track of  goals and tasks, there are various tools and techniques that could be used. One of these is calendarizing items by order of importance. Using all of these strategies and more will hopefully allow you to perform fantastic research while maintaining excellent academic standing in course work.

Think Tank offers many free and accessible resources on time management as well as on other skills that will help you succeed both as a student and as a researcher. Take a look at the skill modules that they offer!

Video from Purdue University on time management in relation to undergraduate research: