Competency Based Research

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Undergraduate research is often measured by time: the number of semesters a student spends in a laboratory, the number of hours completed each week, or the length of time they have worked on a project. Although experience is important, time alone does not always reflect how much a student has grown as a researcher. Often students forget to take this into account when they are trying to reach the "perfect number of hours" for their next application.

A competency-based research program shifts the focus from time spent in the laboratory to the skills, knowledge, and professional habits students develop throughout their research experience. The goal is to help students take a more active role in their training while giving both the student and research advisor a clear framework for evaluating progress, often helping with writing the next application or letter of recommendation.

What Is Competency-Based Research Training?

In a competency-based program, research development is divided into specific areas of proficiency. These may include laboratory techniques, experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, communication, literature evaluation, teamwork, laboratory organization, and independent problem-solving.

Students assess their current level of expertise in each area and identify the competencies they would like to strengthen. Rather than attempting to improve everything at once, students select a manageable number of priorities for each semester and create a plan for developing those skills.

This approach allows research training to be individualized. A new student may focus on laboratory safety, accurate pipetting, and maintaining a research notebook, while a more experienced student may work toward independently designing experiments, analyzing complex datasets, or preparing a manuscript. While I will provide the framework I use with my research students, there are many other successful ways too!

Beginning the Research Experience

When a student first joins my research program, they complete an initial assessment of their current competency level in each area, often times this is novice in all areas. This assessment is not intended to function as a grade. Instead, it provides a starting point and helps the student recognize both their strengths and the areas in which they need additional development.

At the beginning of each semester, the student identifies the competencies they would like to focus on during that research period. The student then establishes specific goals describing the level of progress they hope to achieve.

In consultation with the research advisor, the student develops a plan outlining the activities needed to meet those goals. Depending on the competency, the plan may include completing training, practicing a laboratory technique, reading scientific literature, presenting during a laboratory meeting, analyzing experimental data, or working more independently on a research question.

This initial planning process is typically completed through email so that both the student and I have a written record of the goals and expectations for the semester.

Evaluating Progress

At the midpoint of the semester, the student completes a progress evaluation. During this review, the student considers whether they are on track to meet their goals and identifies any barriers that may be limiting their progress.

Students may determine that their original plan is working well, or they may recognize that additional practice, training, or advisor support is needed. Goals may also need to be adjusted when experiments change, research priorities shift, or unexpected challenges arise.

The midpoint review is typically completed through email and provides an opportunity to make changes before the end of the semester. This helps ensure that the competency plan remains realistic, relevant, and responsive to the student’s research experience.

End-of-Semester Reflection

At the end of the semester, the student completes a final evaluation to determine whether each goal was achieved. Students are encouraged to provide evidence of their progress, such as successfully performing a technique, presenting research findings, improving documentation, analyzing data independently, or contributing to a written research product.

The student then meets in person with myself to discuss their development. During this meeting, I provide feedback, recognizes areas of growth, and helps the student identify appropriate goals for the next semester.

Some competencies may require continued development across multiple semesters. Others may lead naturally to more advanced goals. For example, a student who becomes proficient in following an established protocol may next work toward troubleshooting that protocol or training another student to perform it.

Why This Approach Matters

Competency-based research training makes student development more visible and intentional. Students are able to see how their abilities evolve over time rather than viewing research as a collection of isolated experiments.

The program also encourages students to take ownership of their education. By setting goals, evaluating progress, and reflecting on their development, students become more aware of how they learn and what they need to become increasingly independent researchers.

For advisors, the framework creates a consistent way to establish expectations and provide feedback while still allowing each student’s experience to be individualized. It also helps identify where additional training or mentorship may be needed.

Most importantly, this approach reinforces that research success is not defined only by positive results or completed projects. Growth in persistence, communication, critical thinking, technical proficiency, and scientific independence is equally valuable. By focusing on these competencies, undergraduate research can become a more deliberate and meaningful training experience.