Engaging Biology Undergraduates in the Scientific Process Through Writing a Theoretical Research Proposal

Oct 15, 2026

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Research experiences are widely recommended for undergraduate Biology curricula, yet cost, space, and time often limit access. This work presents a Biology capstone in which majors collaborate to develop novel theoretical research proposals with faculty mentoring. Students build capability in literature synthesis, question generation, logical aims, experimental design, and scientific writing. Across 417 mentored students, pre- and post-survey results show gains, especially in posing novel questions and crafting experimental plans, alongside increased professional relationships with faculty.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Institutional Background

Capstone Timeline and Proposal-Related Activities

Engaging Biology Undergraduates in the Scientific Process Through Writing a Theoretical Research Proposal Jennifer S. Stanford* and Laura E. Duwel Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104 *[Corresponding Author:](Corresponding Author: jss75@drexel.edu)[ j](Corresponding Author: jss75@drexel.edu)[ss75@drexel.edu](Corresponding Author: jss75@drexel.edu) Abstract: It has been suggested that research experiences are an important element that should be included in all undergraduate Biology curricula. This is a difficult suggestion to accommodate due to issues with cost, space and time. We addressed this challenge through development of a capstone project in which Biology majors work in groups to develop novel theoretical research proposals with guidance from a faculty mentor. Though students are not directly working at the bench, they are being mentored in aspects of the scientific process such as synthesizing information from the literature, asking novel research questions, constructing logical aims, designing experiments and writing scientifically. Since this project began, we have mentored 417 students in proposal writing and have assessed their experiences through pre-and post-surveys. Students have made gains in several areas, but most notably in their ability to pose novel questions and develop an experimental plan, and in the number of professional relationships they have with faculty members. Most faculty feel positively about mentoring these projects. In our view, this approach allows programs to engage a large number of students in the scientific process, and could be adapted for use in a variety of different university or college environments. Key words: undergraduates, capstone, Biology, proposal, grant, research, writing, experimental design. INTRODUCTION Reports from the National Research Council (NRC) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have made suggestions indicating how Biology undergraduate education should be reformed to meet the changing needs of students (National Research Council 2003; Woodin, Carter et al. 2010; American Association for the Advancement of Science 2011) . A common theme has emerged from these studies, suggesting that students should be given opportunities to engage in scientific research (Lewis et al. 2003; Woodin et al. 2010) . Indeed, a number of studies have demonstrated the benefits of undergraduate research, including personal and professional gains such as increased confidence, ability to think like a scientist, and gains in communication and organizational skills (Seymour et al. 2004; Hunter et al. 2009; Junge et al. 2010; Laursen et al. 2010; Lopatto 2006; Lopatto 2007) . While some institutions can provide opportunities for all Biology majors to conduct independent research, this is a challenge at many institutions due to issues of space, cost and availability of faculty mentors. As a result, many programs need to employ creative approaches to allow students to experience research. In developing approaches to provide students with a genuine research experience, it is essential to reflect on the types of skills students gain through research. Based on several studies that have evaluated the benefits of undergraduate research, the best supported benefits include an increase in selfconfidence, understanding of science and the research process, ability to apply knowledge and skills, communication skills, and ability to work independently (Laursen et al. 2010; Lopatto 2004; Russell et al. 2007; Seymour et al. 2004) . While data generation and analysis are certainly critical parts of science, they are not the only things that scientists do. In fact, scientists devote a good deal of their time to designing novel research questions, devising well controlled experimental strategies to address these questions, and writing proposals to secure funding for their research. In light of this, we developed a yearlong proposal writin

FAQs

What problem does the proposed capstone project aim to address?

The project targets barriers to providing research experiences in undergraduate Biology, including constraints of cost, space, and time, which limit access to independent bench research for all majors.

How do students participate if they are not working at the bench?

Students are mentored in core elements of the scientific process, including synthesizing literature, formulating novel research questions, constructing logical aims, designing experiments, and writing scientifically.

What outcomes did the authors assess, and what improved most?

The authors mentored 417 students in proposal writing and used pre- and post-surveys to assess experiences. Students showed gains across multiple areas, with the strongest improvements in posing novel questions, developing experimental plans, and increasing professional relationships with faculty.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Aldword