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The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan project offers a model to involve over 30 faculty members and 40+ undergraduates in data collection, data analysis, report writing, and media communications, building research, inquiry, and communication skills. The paper reviews the project’s design and reflects on key lessons drawn from scholarship.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/engaging-undergraduates-in-social-science-research-the-taking-the-pulse-of-saskatchewan-project/598713/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/engaging-undergraduates-in-social-science-research-the-taking-the-pulse-of-saskatchewan-project/598713.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"awa","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why is undergraduate involvement in social science research often limited?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Opportunities are constrained because social science research is frequently conducted outside laboratory environments, and the limited research assistance work is typically handled by graduate students. Many opportunities also tend to be restricted to higher-level or elite students.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What activities did students perform in the Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan project?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Students were involved in data collection and data analysis, co-authorship and report writing, and media communications. Participation ranged across interdisciplinary research tasks.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What lessons does the paper draw from the Taking the Pulse project?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The project is presented as a transferable model for other institutions seeking ways to engage undergraduate social science students in research and inquiry beyond the classroom. It highlights both the potential benefits and practical approaches to widening participation.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},598713,1792171249,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":55,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},3985747858093,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","Engaging Undergraduates in Social Science Research: The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan Project 1  \nLoleen Berdahl, The University of Saskatchewan  \nAbstract  \nAlthough student involvement in research and inquiry can advance undergraduate learning, there are limited opportunities for undergraduate students to be directly involved in social science research. Social science faculty members typically work outside of laboratory settings, with the limited research assistance work being completed by graduate students. The challenge, therefore, is to find ways to involve undergraduate social science students in research projects that relate to their field of study and that allow them to develop career-relevant skills. The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan project presents a unique model for undergraduate student involvement in social science research. The project involved over 30 faculty members from across the University of Saskatchewan’s Division of Social Sciences and over 40 undergraduate students. Students were directly involved in data collection, data analysis, report writing and media communications. Through their involvement, students developed and applied research, inquiry and communications skills. Drawing on academic literature regarding undergraduate involvement in research, this paper will present an overview of the Taking the Pulse project, and reflect on the lessons of the project.  \n1 This work was funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Public Outreach grant. I would like to thank Sara Waldbillig for her excellent research assistance.  \nIntroduction  \nResearch universities enjoy numerous opportunities for advancing student involvement in research and inquiry due to their “requisite research environment, including extensive libraries, well-equipped laboratories, sophisticated computer capabilities, and, often, university presses”(Boyer Commission, 1998: 2) . The presence of research-active faculty, a research culture, and the necessary research infrastructure might be expected to create an environment in which students, including undergraduate students, are involved in ongoing research and inquiry initiatives.2 Such involvement may take many forms, such as “research-based activity within the curriculum as well as opportunities for students to conduct research alongside academics in special programs (sometimes called vacation scholarship programs, or research internships) designed to give undergraduates real research experiences for a specified period of time” (Brew and Jewell 2012: 47) .  \nMany research universities are increasing their focus on inquiry-based learning (Katkin 2003) . Classroom learning experiences, such as the completion of research projects as part of course credit, have the advantage of incorporating large numbers of students. Such experiences are highly valuable, yet at the same time “academic developers need to work within institutions to develop strategies that embrace the notion that the undergraduate learning environment extends beyond the classroom” (Turner et al. 2008: 208) . Such strategies may include“providing research opportunities for students over the summer months, whether in the lab, library, or field, or providing research internships with community groups, government, or industry” (Turner et al. 2008: 209) . Further, the Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University argued that student exposure to interdisciplinary research and the use of different research technologies is important (Boyer Commission 1998, 23, 26) .  \nHow does engagement in research outside the classroom benefit undergraduate students? One study found that students engaged in such activities reported improved confidence in being able to conduct research and to “think and work like a scientist”; improved ability to apply knowledge, link theory to practice, and use critical thinking skills; and skill advancement across a number of areas, including communication ","cbCaiqcAkv7UrNWD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqcAkv7UrNWD","pdf",147754,"English","# Introduction\n## Research universities and inquiry-based learning\n## Benefits and challenges of engagement\n# Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan Project\n## Project background and student involvement","[{\"question\":\"Why is undergraduate involvement in social science research often limited?\",\"answer\":\"Opportunities are constrained because social science research is frequently conducted outside laboratory environments, and the limited research assistance work is typically handled by graduate students. Many opportunities also tend to be restricted to higher-level or elite students.\"},{\"question\":\"What activities did students perform in the Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan project?\",\"answer\":\"Students were involved in data collection and data analysis, co-authorship and report writing, and media communications. Participation ranged across interdisciplinary research tasks.\"},{\"question\":\"What lessons does the paper draw from the Taking the Pulse project?\",\"answer\":\"The project is presented as a transferable model for other institutions seeking ways to engage undergraduate social science students in research and inquiry beyond the classroom. It highlights both the potential benefits and practical approaches to widening participation.\"}]","Engaging Undergraduates in Social Science Research - The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan Project | PDF",1792087441,15]