Yes, researchers do take undergraduates without much experience - we all start somewhere. However, it can take time to locate those who fit your interests AND are available, looking for new students, and can train students in their area. 
There are some other options to consider if you are starting out in your research career to gain skills and experience in an area such as:
•    A student work position that is within a department/unit/lab/center that is connected to research that you are interested in working with. You never know through the power of networks if you could then be the next undergraduate researcher, but you will have a skillset to market.
•    An undergraduate research course where an authentic research question/project is worked on throughout a course and you are learning research skills to employ in the project. Check with your faculty mentor or department for further information. 
•    A summer research position at UNT or at other institutions where some programs emphasize hiring students without research experience. Most programs begin opening their applications in Nov/Dec preceding the summer of the experience. You can focus on searching and applying to summer programs.
•    A campus department that could be working on a project area that you are interested in and would like to provide support in a research capacity. Departments could have a list of potential research questions they would like to consider, but they may not have the students who have expressed interest.
•    A community organization that may have similar interests that you share that you could work with on projects with the guidance of an expert as a mentor, either in the organization or a UNT researcher.
•    A student organization that has research projects as part of their regular activities.
 

Undergraduate research, consulting, creative endeavors, or whatever is common in your field of interest are opportunities to conduct intensive and deep work on a particular topic. These experiences develop significant transferable skills such as critical thinking and self-efficacy. Participating in undergraduate research and the like provide time to refine professional and personal interests and to build a network of professors and mentors within a field of interest that can be useful later on in your career such as with graduate school applications and employment.

Not necessarily. First-year students are able to participate in a research project with expert research mentors. Eligibility preferences and requirements vary based on the research program and the research mentor, but underclass students have been successful in obtaining significant research positions.

Undergraduate research, consulting, creative endeavors, or whatever is common in your field of interest are opportunities to conduct intensive and deep work on a particular topic. These experiences develop significant transferable skills such as critical thinking and self-efficacy. Participating in undergraduate research and the like provide time to refine professional and personal interests and to build a network of professors and mentors within a field of interest that can be useful later on in your career such as with graduate school applications and employment.

It is not too late to conduct independent research as a senior, but you will have to utilize your network quicker than others. Using your network of professors, staff members, and peers can lead you to potential openings and projects. Asking your networking about available opportunities they are aware of and illustrating your interests and passions is key to locating a research project.

Your research mentor should be someone with a background in the subject you are interested in. Sometimes the perfect research mentor is not a faculty member. Your research mentor is the most important connection between you and the research community, so it is imperative you are both willing to enter into a mentorship. Countless Purdue faculty/staff serve as research mentors for undergraduate students each year. Your research mentor does not need to be within your major department or your academic unit – many areas of study traverse many departments at UNT that lead to interdisciplinary approaches. .

Your research mentor should be someone with a background in the subject you are interested in. Sometimes the perfect research mentor is not a faculty member. Your research mentor is the most important connection between you and the research community, so it is imperative you are both willing to enter into a mentorship. Countless Purdue faculty/staff serve as research mentors for undergraduate students each year. Your research mentor does not need to be within your major department or your academic unit – many areas of study traverse many departments at UNT that lead to interdisciplinary approaches..

You can be. Undergraduate research compensation varies by the field, department, program, and time commitment. Typically, if the research project is part of a research program – where multiple research mentors offer opportunities under one umbrella name – there will be compensation. It is important to establish if an experience is paid or not and how much before you begin your research project.!

Yes! Contact departments to check for research courses and follow the guideline of 1 credit for every 3 hours/week of research.

An undergraduate mentorship has been proven to be beneficial for the mentor and the mentee. Mentors receive preparation for becoming a supervisory professional for the future and learn how to work with others while teaching them. If you participated in undergraduate research or would have appreciated the opportunity, consider this as paying it forward and providing an experience for someone interested in your discipline. This type of mentorship can be very lucrative when applying for future positions as you will have demonstrated abilities to lead, mentor, and teach. 

There are many benefits for working with undergraduate researchers.

Yes. Consider the strengths of the undergraduate student and what they want to gain from the experience to help place them in a role that will be mutually beneficial.

Yes! Students are able to receive academic credit and get paid, can receive either one, or receive neither depending on the situation. It is important that you are upfront with the student on what you are willing to provide regarding credit and compensation. Although compensation is not the driving factor for interested undergraduate researchers – there are plenty of jobs on campus – it can help the financial reality many students face at UNT and balances equity of your position between low-income and high-income students.

The Toulouse Graduate School, Colleges, and Departments often have funding available to present or attend a research conference. Please check the TGS website, or contact your Associate Dean for Research for further information. In addition, conferences or organizations have available funding for students. Please check their website or contact the conference organizer for more information.  

Anything! Undergraduate students are eager to delve deeper into their field of interest and are willing to see first-hand what you do as an expert in the field. The type of work that you mentor your undergraduate researcher to do depends on the student's academic background, interests, and skill level. This determination is made between the research mentor and the undergraduate researcher. 

At UNT, many undergraduate students are seeking research opportunities, they are unsure how to approach research mentors or that they do not know enough to start a project. Research mentors interested in working with a student can post their position(s) to UNT’s Handshake if it is a paid research assistant position. If seeking volunteer research assistants, please email us at  studentresearch@unt.edu and we will post it on the website.