In recent years, course-based undergraduate research
experiences
(CUREs) have been increasing in popularity as replacements for or
adjuvants to the traditional laboratory experience. This approach
shifts the focus from an exercise-based curriculum to an experiment-based
curriculum and provides students with a more authentic and higher-impact
scientific experience. Reported herein are the details of a CURE deployed
in the organic chemistry II lab at a primarily undergraduate institution.
In this instance, students are given nearly free rein regarding their
group projects completed during the second semester. Quantitative
assessment of the approach through student surveys is provided, though
the statistical significance of the results is at best questionable.
Qualitatively, one project has resulted in a paper in preparation
and others are nearing this milestone, demonstrating the viability
of the approach to expose students to doing publishable scientific
research and the scientific process. Additionally, free responses
to survey questions seem to suggest that the method is a success.