Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report
Open accessAbstract
The Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Network (CUREnet) was initiated in 2012 with funding from the National Science Foundation program for Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education. CUREnet aims to address topics, problems, and opportunities inherent to integrating research experiences into undergraduate courses. During CUREnet meetings and discussions, it became apparent that there is need for a clear definition of what constitutes a CURE and systematic exploration of what makes CUREs meaningful in terms of student learning. Thus, we assembled a small working group of people with expertise in CURE instruction and assessment to: 1) draft an operational definition of a CURE, with the aim of defining what makes a laboratory course or project a “research experience”; 2) summarize research on CUREs, as well as findings from studies of undergraduate research internships that would be useful for thinking about how students are influenced by participating in CUREs; and 3) identify areas of greatest need with respect to CURE assessment, and directions for future research on and evaluation of CUREs. This report summarizes the outcomes and recommendations of this meeting.
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CUREs have emerged as an important strategy for expanding participation in authentic scientific research within the undergraduate curriculum.
“Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as an important strategy for expanding participation in authentic scientific research within the undergraduate curriculum (Auchincloss et al. 2014; Bangera and Brownell 2014).”
From Generative AI Expands the Intellectual Reach of Course Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) (2026) · cites this paper as Auchincloss et al. 2014
CUREs offer a student experience distinct from traditional learning opportunities.
“These findings underscore prior findings that CUREs offer a student experience distinct from traditional learning opportunities (16)”
From Gains in Scientific Identity, Scientific Self-Efficacy, and Career Intent Distinguish Upper-Level CUREs from Traditional Experiences in the Classroom (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
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“…course based research experiences generally follow a model in which the intellectual autonomy of the learner is restricted to the overarching research domain established by the instructor or an existing research program (Auchincloss et al. 2014; Shortlidge et al. 2016; Soto et al. 2025).”
Influential
- Authors
- Auchincloss, L. C., Laursen, S. L., Branchaw, J. L., Eagan, K., Graham, M., Hanauer, D. I., Lawrie, G., McLinn, C. M., Pelaez, N., Rowland, S., Towns, M., Trautmann, N. M., Varma-Nelson, P., Weston, T. J., & Dolan, E. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Georgia (US)
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Yale University (US)
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania (US)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Cornell University (US)
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN 46202
- Corresponding author
- Dolan, Erin L.
- ORCID
- Venue
- CBE—Life Sciences Education
- Published
- 2014-03
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 29-40
- ISSN
- 1931-7913 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3940459
- OpenAlex
- W2113142830
- Cited by
- 1,043
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 86 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 95 · 2023: 110 · 2022: 137 · 2021: 129 · 2020: 124 · 2019: 94 · 2018: 68 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 7
- FWCI
- 204.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-sa
- Locations
- CBE—Life Sciences Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- IUScholarWorks (Indiana University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM071968)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovative Teaching Methods
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Undergraduate Neuroscience Education and Research
- Keywords
- course-based undergraduate research experiences, learning outcomes, undergraduate research internships, research coordination network, undergraduate biology education
- MeSH terms
- Curriculum, Educational Measurement, Humans, Research, Students, Universities, Models, Educational
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