Undergraduate Research
College Park Scholars
Two types of undergraduate research courses – known as “Discovery” -- are offered to sophomores in College Park Scholars. Discovery offers students a unique opportunity to explore new worlds of special interest. Traditional Discovery and the Library of Congress Discovery courses give students the time, the encouragement, and the methodological training to begin to answer a question of interest. Students in Traditional Discovery and Library of Congress Discovery will answer a research question which you yourself personally select. You will be taught how to engage in the process of research which is the essence of knowledge creation in society and at the university.
Research is a personal journey of exploration. You will experience this journey with your peers as Discovery is conducted within a community of peers. You will use one or more of five, primary research methods to collect your data. A key facet of this journey is reflection. You will be asked to step back regularly from the work of answering your research question to think about the process that you are experiencing. Researchers engage in this same process throughout the University -- and society.
Your communication skills will be enhanced as a result of your involvement in a Discovery course. Communication is an integral part of any research. Your communication skills will be enhanced on an intra-personal level due to how precisely and deeply you will think about your question and its meanings. On an interpersonal level, your communication skills will be enhanced as you learn how to collect and analyze data, using others to assist you in that process. Finally, you will share what you have learned with others through written, visual and oral presentations.
This type of primary research can be done within one of three frameworks that you select:
1) a social, scientific, or humanities research question which you create,
2) a campus or off-campus laboratory where you work on a specific question that is part of a larger, funded research program,
3) through a new Discovery framework offered in conjunction with the wealth of resources in the Library of Congress in Washington , D.C. since the Spring 2006 semester.
Discovery Projects give you the time, the means, the encouragement, and the reward of creating new knowledge.
Traditional Discovery Research
Special Discovery Option at the Library of Congress
For more information about the Discovery research program in College Park Scholars, please contact:Greig Stewart
Executive Director
College Park Scholars
1125 Cumberland Hall
301-314-2777
gstewart@umd.edu
