Research Intensive (RI) courses are designed for undergraduates to actively engage in project-based work that incorporates the process of research, inquiry or creative activity and scholarship that adheres to disciplinary norms. Student ownership of their project, mastery of appropriate skills, and dissemination are central to the philosophy of an RI course. Projects may be completed by teams or individuals. Students must be guided by a content expert. Projects should be built upon prior scholarly work of others in the discipline and aim for student creation of new knowledge.  

Courses approved to be Research Intensive will be tagged with a course attribute and searchable in the Registrar’s database of courses. By 2025, we plan for an RI course to appear on a student’s transcript with a transcript designator.

There are several course proposal deadlines during the 2024-2025 academic year:

• Wednesday, October 30, 2024
• Thursday, December 5, 2024
• Wednesday, February 5, 2025
• Saturday, April 5, 2025

Research Intensive Course Elements

Course Content

Research and creative scholarship should account for at least 50% of the course activities. In exceptional cases, the course will be approved with research activities comprising less than 50%, but no less than 30%, of the course with justification from the instructor.

Activities, assignments and assessments should be scaffolded over the course of the semester to ensure that students develop their disciplinary knowledge, research-mindset, and critical thinking. Ample opportunities for timely formative feedback on the student’s research/creative scholarship activities should be built into the schedule. A description of student deliverables related to research activities and timeline must be provided. Activities, assignments and assessments include, but are not limited to, articulation of the research question or project objective; generating data, using existing data sources, or producing creative work to engage in inquiry and production of new knowledge; analyzing results, drawing conclusions and articulating areas for future study, and communicating the results of the work.

Instruction  

Projects must have oversight and feedback from a faculty member who has appropriate scholarly experience in the discipline. If the instructor does not possess the background to provide disciplinary guidance and feedback, another scholar in the field may provide hands-on research mentoring. For example, the instructor for a capstone course in the major may make use of colleagues inside or outside of the department to provide appropriate mentoring on technical or specific aspects of the project.

Required Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should have been engaged in the following required experiences:

A. Developing a research question or project objective informed by prior scholarly work in the discipline that has the potential to advance knowledge;

B. Applying skills and methods appropriate to the discipline such as generating data or gathering data, producing creative work, utilizing existing data sources, and engaging in inquiry;

C. Analyzing/evaluating project results according to standards of the discipline, drawing conclusions, and identifying areas for future study; and 

D. Communicating results/outcome of the project and receiving feedback on both the quality of the scholarly work and the quality of the communication.*

*Deliverable Communication of the Project may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Draft manuscript for publication
• Oral Presentation to others beyond the class or research team
• Poster or oral presentation at a public campus event or regional/national professional conference
• Exhibition with artist talk or other explanatory opportunity
• Curated website
• Performance with artist talk or scholarly performance/production notes
• Client Report
• Design Prototype (annotated)

Optional Learning Outcomes

Research Intensive courses may also provide planned opportunities for students to:

E. Identify, evaluate, synthesize, and cite scholarly literature, relevant data and reports, or creative work. The following bullet points are from the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

• understand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information; use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately;
• design and refine needs and search strategies as necessary, based on search results;
• evaluate a range of information sources for authority and relevance;
• identify the contribution that particular articles, books, and other scholarly pieces make to disciplinary knowledge;
• summarize the changes in scholarly perspective over time on a particular topic within a specific discipline;
• appropriately cite the contributing work of others

F. Develop research and creative skills and methods appropriate to the discipline, including analytical skills and communication skills

G. Identify questionable research practices and complete Research Ethics & Compliance Training appropriate to the discipline.  RI courses are encouraged to address appropriate responsible conduct of research issues, ethical implications of the research topics, and questionable research practices appropriate to the discipline. In addition to class readings and discussions on research integrity, instructors are encouraged to make completion of the MU CITI RCR training for the appropriate academic discipline a course requirement.

Depending on the nature of the scholarly work, required methods, and established classroom safety precautions, additional training compliance may be needed. Instructors are responsible for ensuring students have appropriate compliance training. Examples include:

• work with human subjects
• animal care and use
• conflict of interest
• laboratory, chemical and biological safety
• greenhouse protocol
• handling of materials in special collections or museums

H. Engage in self- reflection to produce insight into their learning and growth, professional identity, and implications of their work. Examples of topics for reflection and articulation include:

• self-evaluation of skills or knowledge, especially as they may relate to career-readiness
• quality of the work/data that is being generated
• the role of their own research/creative scholarship on their understanding the discipline
• development of their professional identity
• implications of their work for different audiences (ie, scholars in their discipline, practitioners, targeted populations, society at large)
• ethical issues of their work
• how the course and assignments have helped to develop their career-readiness competencies, articulated by NACE

Reflection may take the form of written responses to prompts, journal entries, class discussion, interviews, self-evaluation, one-minute reflections, etc. Peer or instructor feedback should be provided for student reflections.

EvaluateUR Method

Instructors may wish to ultilize the framework outlined by the EvaluateUR Method as they consider course learning objectives and student assessment. EvaluateUR has been developed to evaluate independent undergraduate research and EvaluateUR-CURE (E-CURE) is designed for course-based undergraduate research. Student outcomes include communication, creativity, autonomy, ability to deal with obstacles, intellectual development, critical thinking and program solving, practice and process of inquiry, nature of disciplinary knowledge, content knowledge and methods, ethical conduct, career goals, and teamwork. Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research for more information. Instructors wishing to use EvaluateUR or E-CURE for student assessment in their course, should inquire with the Office of Undergraduate Research for access. EvaluateUR has been used successfully at MU for a number of summer programs.

Learning Objectives Comparison

A comparison of 11 Learning Gains from undergraduate research engagement as outlined by EvaluateUR with Learning Objectives outlined by MU, NACE, and AAC&U. This information may be helpful for instructors establishing learning objectives that align with existing frameworks.

*EvaluateUR has been developed by a team of scholars supported with funding from the NSF. EvaluateUR is used by MU and other institutions across the country to improve mentoring conversations to promote student learning gains.

High Impact Practices Quality Dimension Requirements

Undergraduate research and creative scholarship is designated as a High Impact Practice (HIP).

Engaging and impactful HIPs feature dimensions of reflection, interaction, and intentionality. Instructors should consider how the following Quality Dimensions of HIPs could be incorporated into a Research Intensive course:

1. Set performance expectations at appropriately high levels, and effectively communicate these expectations to students
2. Encourage students to invest significant and meaningful time and effort on authentic, complex tasks over an extended period of time
3. Add meaningful interactions amongst students and between faculty and students about substantive matters
4. Challenge students’ ways of thinking, increase interactions with individuals with experiences and life experiences different from their own
5. Provide frequent, timely and constructive feedback
6. Increase periodic, structured opportunities to reflect and integrate learning
7. Provide opportunities to discover relevance of learning through real-world applications
8. Provide opportunities for public demonstration of competence
9. Design activities and assignments to encourage validation of the student experience as a mechanism that leads to belonging and mattering (Kezar, et. al, 2022)

For additional information on #1-8, see Eight Key Elements from AAC&U on What Makes a High-Impact Practice

For point # 9:  A. Kezar, R.E.Hallett, J.A. Kitchen, and R.J. Perez. Mapping the Connections of validation and High-Impact Practices. Chapter Two (pp 30-39) in Delivering on the Promise of High-Impact Practices: Research and Models for Achieving Equity, Fidelity, Impact, and Scale. Edited by J. Zilvinskis, J. Kinzie, J. Daday, K. O’Donnell, and C. Vande Zande (2022).

RI courses at MU must include activities, assignments or assessments that include three specific Quality Dimensions:

#2 Investment of significant and meaningful time and effort over extended period of time; and

#8 Public demonstration of competence (which may include dissemination); and

#5 Frequent, timely and constructive feedback

or

#6 Periodic, structured opportunities to reflect and integrate learning

Instructors are encouraged to consider other Quality Dimensions as they design and teach their courses.

RI Approval for independent research course credit

Considerations for credit bearing faculty-mentored independent research experiences, such as 1:1 mentoring under an independent study course number:

To meet the expectations of a Research Intense High Impact course, structures must be in place to ensure that the student is having a holistic experience in the absence of a content-driven course syllabus and a community of peers. Peer-to-peer learning can enhance student engagement, motivation, and overall learning outcomes through collaboration, active participation, informal learning, and constructive feedback in addition to learning from others with diverse perspectives. Additionally and importantly, frequent interaction with undergraduates who are also engaged in research and creative scholarship provides role modeling and peer support. Although research experiences under the guidance of a mentor are beneficial to a student’s development and career clarification; simply participating in a research project will not meet the standard of a High Impact Research Intensive course.

Two approaches for delivering an RI experience for students conducting research and creative scholarship in a typical 1:1 mentoring experience appear below:

A – Cohort Seminar

In addition to working 1:1 on a research/creative scholarship project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, the student participates in regularly scheduled meetings with a cohort of peers (working with other mentors in a similar discipline) and a seminar coordinator/instructor. Seminar time should be used to enhance research skills (i.e., methods, data analysis and visualization, interpretation of results), complete research compliance training, and develop research-related skills (i.e., evaluating research articles, scholarly writing, research communication, ethical research practices). Additional research-adjacent content may include professional development topics, preparation for advanced study and career opportunities, self-reflection, and practicing communication skills. Advantages of a cohort seminar approach include 1) peer-peer learning opportunities, 2) efficient delivery of content, and 3) responsibility for assignments and deadlines are the responsibility of the seminar coordinator. The individual faculty mentor is still responsible for ensuring appropriate learning that relates specifically to the student project. Student learning assessments will likely be done in collaboration with the seminar instructor and research mentor.

B – Department Approved Framework

Departments may decide to submit a proposal for independent research/capstone experiences where the learning outcomes, expectations and deadlines are sufficiently outlined for students and their mentors. A course coordinator is responsible for monitoring student progress as outlined with milestones. Examples of milestones may include a literature review, a research proposal, a written methods section, submission of data and conclusions, project abstract, presentation at a campus event and feedback, self-reflection, a final manuscript, or a senior thesis defense. Mentors would be responsible for providing an outline of timelines for mastering research skills and project specific deliverables to the course coordinator. All students enrolled in this course; although working with different mentors, will be held to the same expectations prescribed by the sponsoring department. Student learning assessments will likely be done in collaboration with the coordinator and research mentor. It is suggested that contract, signed by the student and the mentor, be used by the sponsoring department to confirm the expectations. For approval for a department approved framework, the application must include a method for ensuring the student has ownership and responsibility for the proposed project, a process to evaluate the appropriateness of the project for academic credit, timelines for deliverables, a procedure for assessing the student work, as well as an outline of the responsibilities of the mentor and the department course coordinator. If a contract is used, it should be submitted with the proposal.

Course Approval Process

Before submitting a course for approval for an RI designation, the course must already be an approved MU course. Topics courses will not be approved at this time. Additionally, the proposal for Research Intensive designation must be approved by the Department Chair (or appropriate curriculum committee chair or director of undergraduate studies). Courses that are currently designated Writing Intensive, Honors, and/or Service Learning may be submitted for approval for RI course attribution as well.  The RI attribute is intended only for undergraduate level courses. Approval will be given at the course-level, not the section level, as learning objectives for a course should be standard across all sections and not instructor-dependent. There will not be a “RI-by-contract” option. The intent is for courses to be reviewed for RI designation every five years, in alignment with the Registrar’s course/catalog review cycle.

The application process is not currently part of the CIM (Curriculum Inventory Management) Term approval process used for Honors and WI courses. However, instructors may submit a PDF from a previous CIM Term application to provide a portion of the requested information.  

For academic credit earned outside of a typical content-driven course (through 1:1 mentoring, independent study, senior thesis, etc.), a proposal must be approved by the department chair, curriculum committee or undergraduate studies director and submitted for review and approval before earning a Research Intensive attribute designation that meets the criteria of a HIPs course. Although research experiences under the guidance of a mentor are beneficial to a student’s development and career clarification; simply participating in a research project will not meet the standard of a High Impact Research Intensive course.

It is important to note that departments are not required to offer RI designated research course options. Existing independent study/capstone courses may continue as they presently are without an RI designation.

When preparing the proposal, please consider the following:

• How will specific activities and assignments will be scaffolded throughout the course to allow for timely, formative feedback.
• How will the research question/project objective be determined and by whom?
• If the instructor of record does not have the disciplinary background to mentor students on the specifics of the project, what is the plan to ensure students have appropriate disciplinary mentoring on their project?
• What skills and methods will students use to conduct their research/creative scholarship?  How will students evaluate/analyze the results of their project?
• What is/are the student deliverable(s) of the research/creative project?    
• How, when, where will students communicate the results of their work?
• How will students prepare for this dissemination of their work?
• How will students receive feedback on their project and communication skills, and from whom?
• What additional compliance or training, if any, will students need to ensure safety and ethical conduct?   

Proposals will be reviewed by a 12-member faculty committee. A list of approved courses will be sent to the Registrar’s Office for course attribute designation. Applicants will receive notification of the status of their proposal from the Office of Undergraduate Research. Questions can be addressed to Linda Blockus, Director, Office of Undergraduate Research (blockusl@missouri.edu).

Course Proposal Submission Form