Research

[p30doc]

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Is it ok to call coursework done in a lab that was not based on a canned experiment, but on actual new scientific data research? This was not an independent research lab, the other ~15 students in the class were working with the same data, independently interpreting it, and writing their own “research” paper on it. I guess am I not sure if there are black and white guidelines for classifying something as research experience and I wanted some outside opinions on it. Can I legitimately claim that I have research experience?

 

[HumidBeing]

That doesn't sound like it fits the classification. Sorry. It will come out listed as coursework completed, though.

Not every school expects you to have done research. It's one of those things that are often good to have, but not actually required at most schools.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

So basically this was a required lab for a class, and everyone was performing the same experiments????

No, I dont think that can count.

 

[p30doc]

So basically this was a required lab for a class, and everyone was performing the same experiments????

No, I dont think that can count.

Well, this was an elective seperate lab course, where we took sequences for an organism whose genes had not yet been annotated from a genomic database and compared its genes with known sequences of known enzymes from other organisms to characterize central carbon metabolism in the organism of interest.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Well, this was an elective seperate lab course, where we took sequences for an organism whose genes had not yet been annotated from a genomic database and compared its genes with known sequences of known enzymes from other organisms to characterize central carbon metabolism in the organism of interest.

hmmm...Idk...I guess you could put it down as long as you can explain it really well.

 

[DrJD]

Well, this was an elective seperate lab course, where we took sequences for an organism whose genes had not yet been annotated from a genomic database and compared its genes with known sequences of known enzymes from other organisms to characterize central carbon metabolism in the organism of interest.

Seems like a really cool class, but definitely not "research"... I think that experience should be brought out in your application, just not under the guise of assisting on a PI with research.

 

[helsizzle]

My second semester of organic chemistry sounds exactly like your class--we had the option to take the harder lab. After that 80 page lab report, I think I mentioned it under my "Research" ECs...along with four other experiences in labs (doing cancer research mostly).

 

[Hemichordate]

.

 

[kami333]

From one school:

Research performed, as part of a class is not acceptable unless the course was in independent research and the applicant completed independent, hypothesis-based research under the supervision of the professor. Research completed for a graduate thesis is acceptable. Applicants should be able to describe their project, the hypothesis investigated, and their role in the conduct of the research.

 

[tiedyeddog]

At most universities there is of a distinction between class and independent study. I'd say if the class has a syllabus that is used for anyone who enrolls, it is not research(or at least not the kind med schools consider "research"). The class is probably intended to give you help into the basis of research.

I'm enrolled in credit for research, but it is under this stipulation:
1. It is pass/fail.
2. My PI determines how many credit hours I'll get for XX amount of hours spent in the lab a week.
3. The goal of my time there might change week to week, as determined by my PI.
4. You can't enroll in the class without the O.K. from your advisor, your P.I. and the head of ugrad research in the department of my degree.

I'd say if the class is regularly offered and you don't discuss a unique goal with a P.I. it isn't "Research" or whatever that means...

 

[paranoid_eyes]

Well, this was an elective seperate lab course, where we took sequences for an organism whose genes had not yet been annotated from a genomic database and compared its genes with known sequences of known enzymes from other organisms to characterize central carbon metabolism in the organism of interest.

that sounds like research to me. iono what the other's are talking about, but i would definitely expand on this if you're passionate about it. The key is, you are trying to figure something out that can't be found in a textbook or in a lit search. That's research.