The Role of Institutional Research in a High Profile Study of Undergraduate Research

Armed with a strong toolkit of knowledge and skills, institutional research (IR) professionals often serve as collaborators with campus colleagues who may need assistance with survey design, statistical analysis, program review, and assessment of individual programs or the institution. This paper discusses the role that an IR professional played in a comprehensive and high profile study of undergraduate research. The project was grounded in educational theory and principles of academic assessment. It consumed many long hours, but it also yielded gains in IR visibility, heightened professional relationships with campus colleagues, a second sizable grant, and multiple publications. Implications for the IR practitioner, contributions to the scholarship of assessment, and institutional synergy are discussed.