I'm interested in doing a research project next year but I don't know the protocol for this process is. Do I just email a professor asking if he would like to work with me, or do I have to fill out some paperwork ahead of time.
Any help is appreciated!

Originally Posted by Pay919

I'm interested in doing a research project next year but I don't know the protocol for this process is. Do I just email a professor asking if he would like to work with me, or do I have to fill out some paperwork ahead of time.
Any help is appreciated!

Contact your prof, be sure to have research their field of study. Chances are profs will have a bunch of topics already ready for students and they are relevant to their field of study. After talking to some profs I haven't encountered any that will allow a student to make their own project.

After you've contacted them, set up a meeting time and remember to bring your resume and a copy of your transcript.

would it be too late to do this during the summer?

Originally Posted by ReDorkulateD

would it be too late to do this during the summer?

They like people who aren't awkward and scared to tell people to quiet down. I wouldn't bother if I were you.

Originally Posted by jhan523

Contact your prof, be sure to have research their field of study. Chances are profs will have a bunch of topics already ready for students and they are relevant to their field of study. After talking to some profs I haven't encountered any that will allow a student to make their own project.

After you've contacted them, set up a meeting time and remember to bring your resume and a copy of your transcript.

Jeremy, post that article re: thesis'ing. It's sitting in the homepage queue

Originally Posted by jhan523

Contact your prof, be sure to have research their field of study. Chances are profs will have a bunch of topics already ready for students and they are relevant to their field of study. After talking to some profs I haven't encountered any that will allow a student to make their own project.

After you've contacted them, set up a meeting time and remember to bring your resume and a copy of your transcript.

Just to add on to that, I would recommend writing down a list of multiple profs (maybe 3 or 4). Some profs do not take students, are unable to take students for the time you ask, may have an interesting field of study but maybe not exactly what you were looking for, etc. Also, ask at a reasonably in advance to give the professor time to get back to you and for you to make a decision.

If you're talking about a research project as a course, no paperwork is required until you and the professor have agreed to work with each other, at which point you will need to fill in some paperwork. If you're just talking about working with a professor in general (e.g. volunteering or working in their lab), different documentation might be required as well, but once again only after both parties have agreed.

TALK TO THEM IN PERSON
(I can't emphasize that enough)

Thanks a lot! Really helped out

I managed to get a project position for this year, I've got a Bio thesis lined up for next year and I'm currently working on getting a psych thesis prof as well. This is what's worked for me so far.

You don't get a reply to 75% of the emails you send to profs, be persistent if you really want to work in that lab (i.e. send another email a week later to remind them, and another email a week after that, etc). Also, if you're in a class with the prof, talking to them after class, Introducing yourself, and mentioning you want to do a project/thesis helps you stand out when you email them (and you can also refer back to the meeting in the email). Also convert your Resume into a CV and attach that to the email, don't bother with a transcript unless you have really solid marks in the field. Make sure you do have access to your transcript though, some profs explicitly ask for it.

In the email itself, just tell the prof who you are and explain why you want to work in their lab. Go through a few of their latest papers and try to mention something you've read in it. You also want to relate what their doing to yourself (i.e. You're doing Bio-Inforatics and I just took a course on that, or you use this technique(s) in your lab that we learned about in this course I am taking, etc).

If you manage to get an interview, make sure you know the profs field. You don't need to know the profs papers as well as a lot of people say, but if you can speak intelligently about the work/field the prof is involved in, they're usually impressed. Also dress nice and try to act professional.

Hopefully those tips helped, they've worked for me so far.

Originally Posted by jhan523

Contact your prof, be sure to have research their field of study. Chances are profs will have a bunch of topics already ready for students and they are relevant to their field of study. After talking to some profs I haven't encountered any that will allow a student to make their own project.

It depends on the prof, but you can have some say in your project. No prof really lets you make up a random experiment, but not all profs just give you a project to work on.

Originally Posted by Tailsnake

It depends on the prof, but you can have some say in your project. No prof really lets you make up a random experiment, but not all profs just give you a project to work on.

From a couple of profs I've talked to, it's my understanding that most do give you a project. But the project isn't outlined for you. It's just some topic in their field of study, like does this protein have a certain function or like does this signal transduction pathway affect the pathology of this disease. It's your job to outline your own project which you have to submit to your supervisor before the start of second term.

Originally Posted by jhan523

From a couple of profs I've talked to, it's my understanding that most do give you a project. But the project isn't outlined for you. It's just some topic in their field of study, like does this protein have a certain function or like does this signal transduction pathway affect the pathology of this disease. It's your job to outline your own project which you have to submit to your supervisor before the start of second term.

In the two labs I've worked in, one had set projects they were working on and the Thesis students would be put onto a project, the other placed the thesis student with a PhD/Post Doc and the lab as a whole brainstormed a project for them.

That's only two labs, I assume there's greater variety all over campus.

I would also suggest you go to the SCCE office (Science career and co-operative education). They can give you a whole ton of information on the entire process as well as resume and cover letter/email critique and feedback, inaddition to what was mentioned above ^ .