Developing an Assessment of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Laura K. Merrell, Dayna S. Henry, Stephanie L. Baller, Audrey J. Burnett, Andrew A. Peachy, & Yu Bao   |    Volume 17 Issue 1  |   

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) can improve student skills, views toward research, and identity as a scientist. Many barriers exist for implementing program-wide CUREs, including assessment of these programs. This paper addresses the direct assessment of a required senior CURE in one high-volume (400+ students per year) academic program. Research groups (45-50 groups per semester, four-six students each) design, implement, and analyze data in a research study culminating in a poster symposium and paper write-up. This paper discusses the iterative process of developing the assessment procedures tied to program-level student learning outcomes, including suggestions for implementation at other institutions. Programs that wish to create an assessment of CURE should include the collaboration of key stakeholders in developing processes and tools to ensure findings guide course content and teaching strategies.

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