We calculated mean responses for individual questions to describe overall and patterns in our data. We also used non-metric multidimensional scaling to characterize the multi-dimensional nature of the undergraduate research experience. This method clustered individuals with similar responses to questions concerning the dimensions of research, and enabled us to identify the factor(s) contributing to different associations. RESULTS During the two-week survey period, we received completed responses from more than 50% of all faculty members on campus. A disciplinary analysis of these results revealed response rates ranging from 20 – 60% of the total number of faculty in the six discipline areas. On a percentage basis, responses were lowest from departments in education, the humanities and from departments in the College of Business, (categorized under Social Sciences). The highest response rates were from the Natural and Physical Sciences, and the Library (6 of 10). Chairs were not included in this disciplinary count, so the reported discipline percentages are slightly lower than the percentage of actual responses. Table 1: Organization of departments and programs into disciplinary areas. Also included are the total number of faculty in each discipline (2012 count, University source), the number of survey responses by discipline, and the percentage of faculty from each discipline that participated in the survey. Discipline Department/Program Total Faculty Survey Responses Percent Response Education Education Studies, Special Education 19 4 21 Fine and Performing Arts Art and Design, Music and Theatre Arts 45 15 33 Health Communication Sciences and Disorders, Kinesiology, Nursing, Public Health Professions 32 16 50 Humanities English, Foreign Languages, History, Philosophy & Religious Studies, Women’s Studies 65 19 29 Natural and Physical Sciences Biology, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Geography (Physical), Geology, Material Sciences, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy 102 61 60 Social Sciences Accounting & Finance, Communication & Journalism, Criminal Justice, Economics, Geography (cultural) and 93 38 41
necessarily the discipline. Less than one-half that number (24% of choices 1 and 2) believed that research should be original to the discipline as well. The results for these last two questions about process and originality provide evidence in support of the view that faculty, irrespective of discipline and research type, see the undergraduate student research experience primarily as an educational endeavor. Table 5: Responses (reported in percentages) to the question “I think that undergraduate research and creative activity projects that occur outside the curriculum should be…” Discipline primarily focused on achieving a scholarly product primarily focused on scholarly process, little emphasis on achieving a scholarly product Scale 1 2 3 4 5 Education 0 33 67 0 0 Fine and Perf Arts 0 0 17 33 50 Health 0 0 25 19 56 Humanities 17 6 33 28 17 Natural and Physical Sciences 4 7 25 45 18 Social Sciences 3 14 26 31 26 Total 4 8 27 35 27 Table 6: Responses (%) to the question: “I think that, to be considered "authentic," undergraduate research and creative activity work that occurs outside the curriculum should be original...” Discipline to the student and discipline to the student, not necessarily discipline Scale 1 2 3 4 5 Education 0 33 0 67 0 Fine and Perf Arts 8 8 0 25 58 Health 6 6 31 19 38 Humanities 0 22 22 28 28