<p>How do students get started with research? I know what I'm majoring in, and I'm wondering how people get research positions. If I were to email a professor and ask if I can help with research, is that considered research for grad school? Or should I email them with a research proposal or something? How does it work? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I'd suggest looking around the department website and then looking at the webpages of individual professors to see if they welcome students for research. If there's nothing there, then you could talk to the department chair to ask about opportunities.</p>
<p>Nobody expects you to submit a proposal for your first research experience. The way I went about it was to email several different professors that do research within my RELATIVE field. I stress relative because you can't be terribly picky when you start out researching. First off, do NOT expect any responses from professors, because chances are they won't, which is why you should contact several professors. Send a simple email introducing yourself, saying you're interested in pursuing research, and ask whether the professor has any lab space for you.</p>
<p>When I was searching for my first research position, I emailed a few different professors, none of whom responded. I proceeded to email my advisor, asking whether he knew anybody who might be willing to take an undergrad- turned out my advisor had a spot in his lab. So you never really know, just keep on trying. Also, you should probably expect your first research experience to be volunteer.</p>
<p>You're a sophomore at Yale, and you find that you need to ask this question on CC?</p>
<p>I think you know the answers to your questions. You just need to go and put yourself out there.</p>
<p>My niece at Amherst had a paid summer internship after her freshman year and she learned quite a bit from the experience from what I've heard. I'll have to ask her how she did it.</p>
<p>I got one research position through talking to my former advisor who invited me to work in his lab, one through emailing a professor with matching interests to mine, and a (possible) third through emailing a professor with that speciality in the department. Of the two that are returning positions, the most important factor in securing them was simply doing good work in the lab. I do both biomedical and qualitative psych research, possibly looking to add neuropsych to that as well. Good luck!</p>
<p>I browsed my department's website and found a professor who was doing interesting research and approached him about it. After some further discussions I began research which lasted a good 2 years. Just don't do what a classmate of mines did, he spammed all the professors with the same email language talking about how he's interested in their research blah blah blah. It was very obvious he didn't care about the research and just wanted to put something on their resume.</p>
<p>It's kind of informal here. We just wait outside of offices and ask them in person. It's recommended to go on the prof's website and find ones doing research your interested in. Then just track them down...some won't take you but you're likely to find one that will.</p>
<p>email professors introudcing urself and why ur interested in what theyr studying..not all will respond but u may ge tlucky</p>
<p>
[quote]
Just don't do what a classmate of mines did, he spammed all the professors with the same email language talking about how he's interested in their research blah blah blah.
[/quote]
Actually, this is usually the best way to get a position. Most profs will not take you; usually because their lab is already full. It's just not practical to ask one at a time. Many will either not respond (they're busy) or will not take you (their lab is already full).</p>
<p>Anyway, I tried ~15-20 professors (some by email, some in person) before finding one with a spot available in his lab.</p>
<p>It does help, however, if you can talk to them in person. It's a lot harder to say no to someone face-to-face than by email.</p>
<p>I also emailed about 10-15 profs before I got a position. I think it's a waste of time to go one by one. Some don't even respond, and you'd wait days</p>