Skip to Main Content
Xavier Library Home Employee Hub Student Hub

Course Based Undergraduate Research

What is a CURE?

The working definition of a CURE is a course in which students address research problems or questions that are of interest to outside stakeholders. In a CURE, the results of the research are unknown and have the potential to produce results of interest to the larger research community. CUREs can be implemented in a variety of manners, but consistently engage students in scientific practices such as reviewing the literature, analyzing and interpreting results, and sharing the results of research (Dolan, 2016). Depending on the goals of the CURE, it may be implemented in introductory courses or upper division courses, as a module that is part of a larger course, or part of a series of courses. Specific outcomes will vary based on learning goals, but the benefits associated with undergraduate research experiences are made available to a greater number of students when the CURE model is utilized. The suggested readings below provide additional information about the CURE model as well as the value of CUREs.

Dolan, E. L. (2016). Course-based undergraduate research experiences: current knowledge and future directions [White paper]. National Research Council Commissioned Paper, 1-34. https://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/dbasse_177288.pdf

Dolan, E. L., & Weaver, G. C. (2021). A guide to course-based undergraduate research : developing and implementing CUREs in the natural sciences. W.H. Freeman.

Suggesting Reading

  1. Buck, L. B., Bretz, S. L., & Towns, M. H. (2008). Characterizing the level of inquiry in the undergraduate laboratory. Journal of College Science Teaching, 38(1), 52–58. https://xavier.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.42993237&site=eds-live&scope=site

  2. Dolan, E. L. (2016). Course-based undergraduate research experiences: current knowledge and future directions [White paper]. National Research Council Commissioned Paper, 1-34. https://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/dbasse_177288.pdf
    White paper commissioned for the Committee on Strengthening Research Experiences for Undergraduate STEM students. This committee was convened by the Board on Science Education with support from the National Science Foundation.

  3. Dolan, E. L., & Weaver, G. C. (2021). A guide to course-based undergraduate research: Developing and implementing CUREs in the natural sciences. W.H. Freeman. https://xplore.xavier.edu/record=b4050734
    PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION: Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are being championed by high profile organizations (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011; Olson & Riordan, 2012) for their potential to engage undergraduates in research at scale. CUREs are learning experiences in which whole classes of students address a research question or problem with unknown outcomes or solutions that are of interest to the scientific community. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the benefits of CUREs for student learning, development, and persistence in the natural sciences (Corwin, Graham, & Dolan, 2015; Gentile, Brenner, & Stephens, 2017; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015; Rodenbusch, Hernandez, Simmons, & Dolan, 2016). This guide will walk you through designing and implementing an Undergraduate Research Experience.

  4. Graves, J. (2021). Course-based versus field undergraduate research experiences. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 9(2). https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/70288
    Article that compares course-based undergraduate research experiences to field-based research experiences.

  5. Govindan, B., Pickett, S., & Riggs, B. (2020). Fear of the CURE: A beginner’s guide to overcoming barriers in creating a course-based undergraduate research experience. Journal of microbiology & biology education, 21(2), 50. https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/jmbe.v21i2.2109
    Discusses challenges of course-based undergraduate research experiences and suggestions for addressing these challenges.

  6. Hensel, N. H. (2018). Course-based undergraduate research: Educational equity and high-impact practice. Stylus Publishing. https://xavier.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=1865366&site=eds-live&scope=site
    BOOK SUMMARY: Co-published with the Council on Undergraduate Research. Undergraduate research has long been recognized as a high-impact practice (HIP), but has unfortunately been offered only to juniors and seniors, and to very few of them (often in summer programs). This book shows how to engage students in authentic research experiences, built into the design of courses in the first two years, thus making the experience available to a much greater number of students. Research that is embedded in a course, especially general education courses, addresses the issue of how to expand undergraduate research to all students. Research has shown that students who have early experiences in undergraduate research are more likely to pursue further research prior to and after graduation. This is also an issue of social justice because it makes the benefits of undergraduate research available to students who must work during the academic year and in the summer. It is widely accepted that the skills developed through undergraduate research help prepare students for their future careers. The book addresses all aspects of the topic, including: - What are appropriate expectations for research in the first two years - How to design appropriate course-based research for first- and second-year students - How to mentor a class rather than individual students - How students can disseminate the results of their research - Possible citizen-science projects appropriate for the first and second years - Providing additional resources available to support course-based research in the first two years Designed for faculty at four-year and two-year colleges - and including examples from the sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities - the strategies and methods described can be adapted to disciplines not specifically mentioned in the book. Many faculty are hesitant to engage first and second year students in undergraduate research because they worry students don't know enough to conduct authentic research in their discipline, because they worry about the time it will take to develop activities for these students, and because they wonder how they can mentor a whole class of students doing research. The authors have successfully dealt with these issues, and provide examples of how it's done.

  7. McDonald, K. K., Martin, A. R., Watters, C. P., & Landerholm, T. E. (2019). A faculty development model for transforming a department’s laboratory curriculum with course-based undergraduate research experiences. Journal of College Science Teaching, 48(3), 14–23. https://www.nsta.org/resources/faculty-development-model-transforming-departments-laboratory-curriculum-course-based
    Discussion about redesign of laboratory courses to engage students in authentic research experiences.

  8. Provost, J. J., Bell, J. K., & Bell, J. E. (2019). Development and use of CUREs in biochemistry. In Biochemistry education: From theory to practice (pp. 143–171). American Chemical Society. https://xavier.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=2689955&site=eds-live&scope=site.
    Great summary of the state of CUREs in Biochemistry education.

  9. Waterman, R., & Heemstra, J. (2018). Expanding the CURE model: course-based undergraduate research experience. Research Corporation for Science Advancement. https://rescorp.org/gdresources/publications/Expanding-the-CURE-Model.pdf
    Book-length report from Research Corporation fo Science Advancement. Chapters include: 1) Development of a ‘Quick-Start’ Guide; 2) Getting a leg up on Research: The Pre-CURE model; 3) Continuum of Labs; 4) Research Problem Selection and Curriculum Design; 5) Assessment of CUREs; 6) Resourcing, Scalability and Sustainability of CUREs; 7) Creating and Sustaining Change in your Institution.
  1. Bhattacharyya, P., Chan, C. W. M., Duchesne, R. R., Ghosh, A., Girard, S. N., & Ralston, J. J. (2020). Course-based research: A vehicle for broadening access to undergraduate research in the twenty-first century. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 3(3), 14–27. https://www.cur.org/download.aspx?id=4401
    Discusses CUREs as means for providing a greater number of students with access to undergraduate research experiences and the associated benefits.

  2. Cooper, K. M., Knope, M. L., Munstermann, M. J., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). Students who analyze their own data in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) show gains in scientific Identity and emotional ownership of research. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 21(3). https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/jmbe.v21i3.2157

  3. Malotky, M. K. H., Mayes, K. M., Price, K. M., Smith, G., Mann, S. N., Guinyard, M. W., Veale, S., Ksor, V., Siu, L., Mlo, H., Young, A. J., Nsonwu, M. B., Morrison, S. D., Sudha, S., & Bernot, K. M. (2020). Fostering inclusion through an interinstitutional, community-engaged, course-based undergraduate research experience. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 21(1). https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1939.
    Discusses CUREs as an avenue for community engagement and increasing diversity of STEM research.

  4. Rodenbusch, S. E., Hernandez, P. R., Simmons, S. L., & Dolan, E. L. (2016). Early engagement in course-based research increases graduation rates and completion of science, engineering, and mathematics degrees. CBE - Life Sciences Education, 15(1).https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.16-03-0117.

  5. Shortlidge, E. E., Bangera, G., & Brownell, S. E. (2017). Each to their own CURE: Faculty who teach course-based undergraduate research experiences report why you too should teach a CURE. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 18(2). https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jmbe.v18i2.1260

  6. Staub, N. L., Blumer, L. S., Beck, C. W., Delesalle, V. A., Griffin, G. D., Merritt, R. B., Hennington, B. S., Grillo, W. H., Hollowell, G. P., White, S. L., & Mader, C. M. (2016). Course-based science research promotes learning in diverse students at diverse institutions. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 37(2), 36–46. https://www.cur.org/download.aspx?id=3340
    Discusses variety of modes for implementing CUREs based on institution types, disciplines, and student backgrounds.

  7. Tootle, T. L., Hoffmann, D. S., Allen, A. K., Spracklen, A. J., Groen, C. M., & Kelpsch, D. J. (2019). Mini-course-based undergraduate research experience: Impact on student understanding of STEM research and interest in STEM programs. Journal of College Science Teaching, 48(6), 44–54. https://www.nsta.org/journal-college-science-teaching/journal-college-science-teaching-julyaugust-2019/research-and-1
    Describes authors' experience implementing a "mini-cure" and the benefits of this model.