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Enhancing the learning experience through engagement in student‐generated novel research projects

Students in a Vertebrate Zoology course were given a research budget and asked to design a novel research project. In lecture students reviewed how to retrieve and evaluate scientific information, were educated about experimental design and trained in research statistics. Within groups they agreed upon a testable hypothesis based on the literature and prepared a formal research proposal including budget. Students defended their methods to the campus Animal Care and Use Committee. To simulate the peer‐review process, the proposals were distributed to the class and reviewed by each student. Students were totally in charge of their experiments, with only mentoring and supervisory input from the instructor. Groups analyzed their own data and consulted with an on‐campus statistician if necessary. Students prepared a formal manuscript according to a peer‐reviewed journal‐format guide. Additionally, five presentations were made at the campus research forum and four at the Virginia Academy of Sciences Meeting. Most students reported that the experience changed their view of Biology, how knowledge is gained, and just under half said the experience had changed their future career plans.