The Indispensable Guide to Undergraduate Research

Despite all of the information that exists to encourage students to attend and do well in college, this is the first research-based guide that directly advises first- and second-year college students. With a focus on the needs and interests of students who are underrepresented in the academy (African American, Latinx, low-income, and first-generation students), this book will help all students take full advantage of the academic resources that the university setting has to offer. The authors introduce students to different types of research across the disciplines, showing them how to work with professors to build a course of study, how to integrate research work into coursework, and how to write and present research. This timely volume will also assist faculty, staff, and parents in providing the needed tools to promote student success.

Book Features:

• Prepares students for the transition from high school to college with a focus on writing, time management, and research skills.
• Addresses the challenges that face high-achieving, underrepresented students.
• Empowers students to seek out resources and research opportunities to achieve their full academic potential.
• Includes models, approaches, student voices, and vignettes from the authors’ successful undergraduate research program.

Anne H. Charity Hudley is The Class of 1952 Associate Professor of English and Education at the College of William & Mary, where she directs the William & Mary Scholars Program and codirects the William & Mary Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE). Her books Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools and We Do Language also appear with Teachers College Press. Cheryl L. Dickter is The Wilson P. and Martha Claiborne Stephens Distinguished Associate Professor of Psychology at William & Mary, where she codirects WMSURE. Hannah A. Franz is a PhD student in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership at William & Mary.

"Hudley, Dickter, and Franz demystify professors and make valuable information and resources accessible for undergraduates so they not only succeed but excel

through college and into graduate school and their careers. An encouraging and supportive guide for students, this book is a valuable contribution to the growing resources about undergraduate research."

—Council on Undergraduate Research

"Although the book is addressed directly to an audience of undergraduates who are or who seek to become researchers, the authors also model numerous ways to offer such students practical support. Therefore the text may also serve as a valuable resource for teachers, mentors, and advisors who assist student researchers and ensure their success."

—The Wabash Center Journal on Teaching

“The Indispensable Guide to Undergraduate Research is a must-read for every college student. It provides a roadmap for success as a researcher, a scholar, and a learner. This practical guide will empower students as they develop agency.”
—Tia Brown McNair, vice president, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success, Association of American Colleges & Universities

“Faculty mentors and administrative leaders who aspire to be effective sponsors and supporters of students from diverse backgrounds, particularly students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education, should definitely acquire this resource. With this valuable and accessible book, the authors assert their rightful place in the academy as influential thought leaders and researchers.”
—Elizabeth L. Ambos, executive officer, Council on Undergraduate Research

"This book is uniquely successful among other guides, and what I love about it is the broader, humanistic conversation about how pursuing research becomes a window into how one becomes a supremely informed and critical citizen and member of a community--whether it is an academic community or a very different one."
—Armando Bengochea, director, Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program