Planning Research

Undergraduates in all disciplines may pursue research in humanities, natural sciences, engineering, arts, social sciences and interdisciplinary studies. Research can challenge and stretch you in ways that are not possible in even the most rigorous and demanding course work.  Research also allows you to hone traits that will be important for your future academic and professional success, including:

  • Working independently
  • Solving open-ended problems or questions
  • Conducting complex analyses
  • Employing advanced methodologies
  • Presenting data and interpretations in a clear, sophisticated manner 

Stanford offers diverse research possibilities and planning for it requires commitment, persistence and motivation. Students seeking advice on how to engage in research may speak with a faculty member in their field. Or they can meet with an advisor in Undergraduate Advising and Research (UAR): Make an Advising Appointment

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Steps to Begin Research Planning

Conducting research differs from the kinds of academic work students are familiar with in their courses. The most important goals of the initial research planning process are the following:

  • Determine an appropriate time to begin research, considering the evolving focus of your interests and plans to pursue other academic opportunities
  • Refine broad interests into a more focused research topic or well-defined area of interest
  • Find the right faculty mentor to guide your research

Many students structure their research planning around these six steps:

  1. Browse department websites.
    Read faculty profiles on websites representing the departments, programs and discipline(s) in which you’d like to conduct research. Your goal is to make a short list of faculty members whose work corresponds to your interests.
  2. Search the libraries.
    Search both Socrates, Stanford's library catalog, and the specialized databases covering your topic to find a recent article or book by each of the professors from your short list.   Use the library's "research quick start guides" and/or talk to a librarian at Green Library's Information Center or a subject specialist librarian for more in-depth help.  From this initial exploration, formulate some questions and topics for discussion with the professor.
  1. Contact professors.
    Email or attend the office hours of a few professors from your short list. Discuss with them how your still-evolving interests might intersect with their interests, as represented in the papers / website you’ve read. If you send an email to request a meeting, be as concise as possible.

    Be persistent: Follow up if the first email produces no response. If you’re attending office hours, be prepared to discuss what you’ve read and ready to receive suggestions for further investigation.
  2. Visit the main offices of the departments where you’d like to do research.
    Many departments on campus have research programs specifically designed to get you started in a productive and intuitive way. Learning more about these programs is an important complement to the parallel process of meeting faculty.
  3. Read about Funding and Academic Credit options for your Project. Consider the different ways in which you might fund your research, whether through a student grant or through a department-sponsored program. Decide if academic credit or volunteer arrangements might serve your goals. 
  4. Make an appointment with Undergraduate Advising.

Begin the process of developing your ideas, researching faculty and departments, and exploring funding opportunities. Then meet with a UAR advisor who can move forward the research process.

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Timeline for Research Planning

No two students follow an identical path to engaging in research.  Many students begin thinking about research when they first arrive at Stanford, whereas others may only start in their junior or even senior year. 

Nonetheless, key junctures and points of entry do exist. Students contemplating an eventual honors thesis will benefit from starting their research experiences relatively early, as will students interested in continuing research in a graduate program. Further resources:

Students who wish to apply for research funding will also need to plan ahead.  For an example of what you will need to consider please review:

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Faculty Research Advisors

Faculty mentorship is one of the greatest rewards of undergraduate research. Seek to play an active role in fostering a strong relationship with your eventual advisor. Learn more about choosing and working with faculty mentors.

  • Approaching potential faculty advisors.    Approaching a faculty member to serve as your research advisor requires planning and preparation for best results. A two-visit approach has proven successful for initial meetings with faculty. 
  • Working with faculty. Once a faculty member agrees to be a research advisor, students should be very attentive to cultivating that relationship. See these additional suggestions for deepening the working relationship with professors.
  • Faculty eligibility. Students seeking UAR grants also need to know which faculty members are eligible to sponsor undergraduate research grants. See an explanation of those requirements.

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Research and Overseas Studies

Studying overseas can give students ideas that support doing research for honors thesis topics or independent research projects. Many students use their time overseas to gain access to rare archives or invaluable human subjects. In addition, research and internships possibilities are available at each destination.

The Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Program (BOSP) provides challenging and diverse academic opportunities for all eligible Stanford students. The resources offered by the program encourage students to immerse themselves in new cultural and academic contexts. In addition, it enhances their academic majors, facilitates research and internship experiences and helps them develop language skills. BOSP staff, UAR advisors and staff on site at the BOSP campuses can offer advice on researching overseas resources prior to departure. 

Further Resources:

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