Biology Commons^™

Is This Science? Students' Experiences Of Failure Make A Research-Based Course Feel Authentic, Emma C. Goodwin, Vladimir Anokhin, Mackenzie J. Gray, Daniel E. Zajic, Jason Podrabsky, Erin E. Shortlidge

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and inquiry-based curricula both expose students to the scientific process. CUREs additionally engage students in novel and scientifically relevant research, with the intention of providing an "authentic" research experience. However, we have little understanding of which course design elements impact students' beliefs that they are experiencing "authentic" research. We designed a study to explore introductory biology students' perceptions of research authenticity in CURE and inquiry classes. Using the Laboratory Course Assessment Survey, we found that students in CURE sections perceived higher levels of authentic research elements than students in inquiry-based sections. To identify specific factors …