<p>Hi, I'm new to UCLA so I don't really know how to get the whole process started. If any of you know, I would very much appreciate any advice. Also, for those that have done research, how was it? Was it interesting, a drag, time consuming? etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>what are you thinking of pursuing it in? As a first year, it may be tough since you have zero experience and zero knowledge base, once you have a few classes under your belt they're more willing to take you on and teach you. Some research positions are busy work (on the science end, cleaning glassware etc. or data entry), but if you're lucky you'll get into a lab where you are a part of the creative team. The first quarter for me was a bit boring, but with an uber PI and amazing postdocs, I've really grown to love my research - their goal basically is to help me build the critical thinking ability while getting my name on a few papers. To start, search the faculty research interests for something you like and send a few e-mails out. Be persistent and follow up with people - meet them, chat, see what they're about. UCLA</a> Faculty Research Interests</p>
<p>You should also use SRP- mainly for someone looking for their first look into the research world. </p>
<p>[url=<a href="http://www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/urc-care/srp.htm%5DSRP%5B/url">http://www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/urc-care/srp.htm]SRP[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Keep in mind that you don't have to do research, if you don't like it - do something else. Or switch your field of research etc. But you have to tough out a bit of boring and busy work to get to the gold.</p>
<p>What is English research like?</p>
<p>Your mom! :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Real mature! :mad:</p>
<p>English research is sitting in your apartment reading random crap: books/wiki/blogs & obscure passages, starving yourself, and being an emo *****.</p>
<p>@Deuces, I'm a transfer student from a JC. So as a junior, I have to get started on research quick or I'll never get into grad school. Btw, I'm an applied math major. And I've taken calculus, diff eq, linear algebra and physics up to electricity and magnetism. I don't know if that is enough though. Anyways thanks for the links.</p>
<p>Start looking into summer research programs. i recommend looking at NSF REU summer programs. There are also summer research offered at Caltech, Berkeley, UCLA, and other universities. Don't forget to check up on JPL and other NASA facilities if you're into it.</p>
<p>Wish I got one this summer....I'm just the summer ***** @ X company!</p>
<p>I'm currently doing research in the UCLA Medical Center, Cardiac Operating Rooms. I record data on cardiac output via a new endotracheal tube studded with electrodes which measure impedance of blood flow within the aorta. This is done while a patient is going through surgery for CABG, AVR, MVR, etc. </p>
<p>I had work-study as a Senior Clerk (read: whatever office stuff they want me to do) with the Department of Anesthesiology. I just asked the head of the department if he had some time to talk about any research opportunities in the department, and we sat down for a short chat. He gave me names of some research professors within the department, and that's how I found out about my professor.</p>
<p>Basically? Talk with the department you're interested in working with, and inquire about any research professors/doctors that are in the department. You may have to talk with the head of the residency program for the department, head of the department itself, etc. Otherwise, looking up their info via the UCLA directory would also help, provided that you know what their research is about. Google the info, if you can. Some departments have research webpages detailing the professors involved and their work. </p>
<p>Just send them a e-mail, and ask if they have an open position for an undergraduate research assistant. Usually, the process isn't as hard as it seems. Remember that if you're sending an e-mail to the research professor himself/herself, attach a CV/resume to make your intentions more professional. Because they're not listed in a program (SRP, etc.), getting into research like this shouldn't be competitive.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Thank you mme-lin, but I meant, what does it entail? Because any time someone mentions research, I tend to picture labs, micropipettes, etc., and I don't know any incoming English majors that have any idea what they would do for undergraduate research.</p>
<p>@Fisico: North campus ≠ "emo *****" In fact, emo people (what else?) just depress me.</p>
<p>English research is more like what you'd imagine a historian does. It involves examining lots of documents. For example if you're doing research on Joyce, you might want to prepare summaries or reviews of existing research, look over his letters for something specific, compare different drafts of his writing to find the answer to a particular question or get a sense of his thinking about something, etc.</p>
<p>Everyone seems to mention Joyce when discussing research, lol. Like at orientation, one presenter was describing science research in depth, history in depth, and then came to English and said something like, "You might study Joyce at length."</p>
<p>Thank you themovies! That sounds pretty fun!</p>
<p>Ha, yeah - he's quite fun to study. Some of his letters to his wife made me blush.</p>