About CURN

Welcome to the Canadian Undergraduate Research Network, or as we like to call it CURN!

For students, by students

Research can be scary, especially at the undergraduate level. We empower students to help other students through their own journey, in an open and judgement-free environment. Take a look at our students’ journeys here!

Research Ambassadors exploring the meanings of Discover, Connect, Engage and Become at CURN Sprint 2021. Photos by Kate Fagervik.

The Research Journey

Research is an iterative and often messy process. To help new students grasp its different stages, we segment the research journey into 4 action categories: Discover, Connect, Engage, and Become.

In CURN, you can:
  • Discover what research is and how it can help you reach your goals
  • Connect with people and resources for doing your research
  • Engage with research and its methods, including ethics and critical thinking
  • Become a lifelong learner and share your knowledge

Research FAQs

The hardest part is to just start, if you think you are interested then reach out and as questions. Did your teacher say something that stuck with you, try asking them to sit down to talk about it? Chances are they would be thrilled that you are showing interest and if they don’t have anything on the go, they likely can point you in the right direction. On the other hand, some people get started with research through volunteering or projects in class. While most research you can actually get paid to be involved with, although some positions may be short-term volunteer positions, they can be great steppingstones in your research journey.

There are multiple topics in every discipline that research projects can be based on. It is up to the researcher to determine which topic they would like to focus on. The best part about research is finding a topic that interests you and exploring it. Research can be found everywhere, through tourism, adventure, social work, sciences, computer sciences, visual arts and more.

As a researcher, you can decide whether to do research in one or more disciplines. Research can even be multi-disciplinary and definitely worth exploring, the unknown perspectives you will find may be the key to your next research journey. Ensuring that you are well versed in the research etiquette of the different disciplines you would like to research in is important; each area has specific terminology too – head over to our Glossary to explore more.

Although GPA may be an important factor in qualifying for research opportunities, it does not determine how well you will do in research. Most opportunities provide students with low GPAs the chance to explain why this may be the case. Nevertheless, there is no direct correlation between one’s GPA and their ability to successfully complete a research project.

Research can give you an opportunity to develop technical skills that can be applied to positions within your field and soft skills that will translate into other areas as well. Research can be completed in a variety of ways, independently, as a research assistant, through fellowships and internships, just to name a few. Each person’s journey can be as different as the topic they choose to research. One thing is for sure the skills that you gain through research are transferable into your personal life and professional life, regardless of if you choose to follow through with a graduate degree.

Short answer, yes and no, depending on the situation, if you are assisting another researcher then no, but on your own project yes. Keep in mind under a class assignment that uses the teacher’s ethics approval is going to be different than applying for your own project which requires its own approval. You can create your own research question, but this is typically done under the guidance of a supervisor to ensure that it is workable. Some projects may be continuations of past research and therefore, there may be already set research questions for you to work with. No matter what the case is, you are not in it alone.

Each person approaches this differently but the most important part is that you have an interest in the topic and you understand why the question is important. If you need help check out our page on Creating a Research Question.

This can vary, if you are just starting out and doing a research project in class, then the length of your semester is likely your cut-off. However, research can be a continuous and ongoing process, if you are working as a research assistant you and your professor can define the time commitment based on a mutual agreement or if you are taking on an independent research project it varies. Depending on your project, your undergraduate research could last anywhere from four months to one year. Although some may have a rigid deadline, you may be able to request an extension with a viable reason. The weekly time commitment is different for every researcher so finding what works for your schedule while allowing you to complete the project is important.

Whether or not you are paid is dependent on the research opportunity or the research supervisor. Some supervisors may have extra funding to pay you, however, some may not be able to provide monetary compensation. You must decide whether you are able to do volunteer or paid research and then look for opportunities based on your decisions.

The simplest way to find a supervisor is to ask an expert that you know is actively doing research in an area you are interested in. Check out our blog post on Tips to Approaching a Supervisor and our page How to Pick a Research Supervisor! Once you have decided who you want to reach out to, head over to see some Critical Connections for contacting a potential supervisor!

There are different forms that research can take depending on your discipline. The most common form is academically based, such as in science involves lab work and fieldwork. There are projects that involve the use of secondary data from past projects. However, it can also involve surveys, interviews, observations and so many more. There are so many creative ways to do research and it is growing every day. To see some videos on research at Thompson Rivers University head over to What Does Research Look Like and explore the Research Journeys from past students.

Explore CURN your way!

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