Why Should I Do Research?

The investigation of ideas is the central mission of any university and the Honors program places that activity at the heart of its curriculum and other programs. Just as research by a teacher-scholar can deepen his or her understanding of material, so too does research by undergraduates connect them to their subject matter in a more intense, personal, and meaningful fashion. Research also tends to engage students fully in the subject matter. It can help undergraduates decide also whether or not intensive study of a particular discipline--of the type that will take place in graduate school--is right for them. And it will ultimately strengthen your application for graduate school, fellowships, or jobs.

Westminster College Honors students are encouraged to submit papers for possible presentation at academic conferences and consider sending their written work to other forums for possible delivery or publication. Honors students have recently delivered talks at a number of different conferences, including the Western Regional Honors Conference (WRHC) and the National Collegiate Honors Council meetings (NCHC), as well as published poetry and artwork in Scribendi, the journal of the Western Regional Honors Council. See the Honors director for guidance on this process and the related link to the left "writing abstracts."

Two other excellent organizations that allow students to present at a national undergraduate research conference or receive fellowship support for undergraduate research are the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).