Gateways to Undergraduate Research Experiences: Building Confidence and Access to Undergraduate Research

Creating equitable access to undergraduate research remains challenging. Students early in their academic careers and those from historically marginalized groups continue to engage in research experiences at disproportionately lower rates. This study hypothesized that self-efficacy in research ability would influence student participation. Loyola Marymount University created the research learning community (RLC), designed to build research skills, enhance student confidence, and serve as a gateway to undergraduate research. This study utilizes a quantitative analysis approach to examine students’ self-efficacy before and after RLC participation and whether an increase in self-efficacy is associated with a higher probability of continued research engagement. Findings supported the hypothesis that participation significantly increased students’ confidence in performing research tasks and the likelihood of future research involvement.