UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #973

Submission information
Submission Number: 973
Submission ID: 15511
Submission UUID: 7a6b8824-297e-4d1b-9e5c-859ef316068b

Created: Mon, 08/26/2024 - 10:49 PM
Completed: Mon, 08/26/2024 - 10:49 PM
Changed: Thu, 10/10/2024 - 09:51 PM

Remote IP address: 24.131.47.220
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Lauren Sprague
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns She/Her
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) sprague@psy.fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name David Braithwaite
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email braithwaite@psy.fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Psychology
Headshot (optional)
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project Undergraduates' Understanding of Division by Zero
Project Keywords mathematics, reasoning, argumentation, cognition
Are you currently looking for research assistants? No
Number of Research Assistants Needed 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Psychology, Education, Mathematics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 6
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description This study will investigate various potential factors related to undergraduates' understandings of division by zero. Previous research shows that many children and adults, even teachers, do not know that a number divided by zero has no numerical quotient (it is "undefined"). Those who know this fact are often unable to explain it when prompted. The types of arguments teachers and textbooks use to explain this mathematical fact may contribute to students' understandings. Additionally, students' understandings of certain explanations may be related to individual differences in cognition, such as the tendency to reflect before answering a question. This study will address both of these potential factors in detail.
Research Tasks literature review, survey creation, human-subjects data collection, data entry and management, data analysis
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: interpersonal communication (required), proficiency using a computer (required), proficiency using Qualtrics (recommended), proficiency using Excel (recommended)
Mentoring Philosophy Mentoring undergraduate researchers has been the most rewarding aspect of my career. When I begin a mentorship, I prioritize learning my mentee's interests, strengths and goals, then providing scaffolding and, if necessary, educating myself to help get them achieve those goals. For example, one mentee of mine hoped to eventually earn a doctorate, and expressed great interest in studying anxiety. My lab does not typically study anxiety, but I helped her identify literature that connected her interest to my expertise, and we met frequently to discuss this literature until she generated her own research project design, which I helped her execute. Through this process, I checked in with my mentee to ensure she felt independence and ownership of her work, as well as support and guidance from me. After completing her project, this mentee was admitted to FSU's Psychology PhD program. Another mentee planned to apply to medical school and was less interested in designing her own study, but demonstrated strength in data collection. Knowing that medical programs value interpersonal skills and procedural precision, I assigned this mentee to train and supervise the others, guiding her through this role until she felt confident leading independently. Through this role, she had the opportunity to demonstrate several specific skills that medical schools ask recommendation letter writers to evaluate.

To summarize, this mentor-mentee relationship will be mutually beneficial. I do not treat mentees as employees hired to complete my project, but as developing people to whom I owe guidance and support.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=H9kWrp0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links Friday, 9/6 from 2:30-3:00, 3:00-3:30, & 3:30-4:00
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92895250432
Roundtable Info
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation Yes
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series? Yes
Year 2024
update url https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=cL4HZmTkWJ1SvkkvQFBuiJaH0eOZlfmI6MEF1vhMt6Q