Undergraduate Research in English

Mentored undergraduate research is work done by an undergraduate student under close faculty mentorship that models the activities of professionals in the faculty mentor's discipline. For all disciplines, the research/creative process comprises both the analysis of past work and the creation of original material.

What does that mean for English?

Research in English involves the study of primary cultural texts (written, oral, visual, virtual). Scholars in literary studies formulate original arguments about the social, historical, political, artistic or cultural significance of such texts, informed by the work of other established scholars within the discipline; they produce original creative work; they develop materials and approaches for use by other scholars and teachers of English and cultural studies.

We encourage students to pursue undergraduate research projects with faculty mentors. Projects can be based around any aspect of English that interests you, and faculty often have a few good ideas of their own for research projects. If you are interested in research, contact a faculty member and we'll get things started. The goals of research are for you to increase your knowledge and understanding, and ideally to share that through publication or a conference presentation.

Committing to a research project is a valuable experience as it allows you to take the tools developed in class and apply them to delve deeper into an area of your own pursuit. Research demands equal parts perseverance and creativity, but the reward of finding or creating something new on your own is great. Taking part in a research project is a privilege - many schools do not encourage undergraduate research the way that Shippensburg does.