An Authentic Student Research Experience: Fostering Research Skills and Boosting the Employability Profile of Students

Involving students in research activities has been credited with many benefits, such as increased critical thinking and analysis skills, development of self-confidence and intellectual independence, and consolidating the ability to "think like a scientist." Student research experiences at undergraduate level have been extensively investigated and disseminated. At postgraduate level, however, research is very scant and experience reports on practices used are scarce. This paper discusses an approach to provide an authentic research experience to master's level students in Advanced Software Engineering. We present the learning, teaching, and assessment methods, as well as, important parameters for success, such as techniques for creating a motivational and intellectual research climate and methods for maximizing the quality of results. We also demonstrate how through a research experience, students can not only advance their research skills, but also strengthen their employability profile. The paper includes an evaluation from six cohorts with the results indicating that students consider the experience very valuable. In 2014, our approach has been accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS) as an example of best practice for innovative approaches to assessment and how they enhance the student experience.