After yesterday's post, Tips on Being a Good Labmate, (http://www.undergradinthelab.com/node/92) we received three inquiries asking what it means to invest in a research project.

One undergrad asked if it meant to design a project or come up with their own research question. Another asked if it meant starting a crowd funding campaign to pay for supplies. Although these will certainly show dedication, and be great if you do them, most undergrads will demonstrate their investment in other ways.

The upshot is this: When you make your research a priority, even if it's only for a few hours each week, you make a personal investment in your project. And everyone in the lab will notice.

Later, we'll write a longer post to cover more details because it's such an important topic. After all, the investment you make in your research project will determine the personal, academic, and professional development you extract from your overall experience. (And as you've probably guessed by now, most tips, tricks, or strategies we share are related to those all essential recommendation letters.)

For now, you'll cover a good 90% of what you need to do by following through with six things: be on time, ready to work, and ready to learn. Ask questions, take notes, and embrace feedback.