Improving Undergraduate Research Learning

<p>Research methods and thesis seminars are essential components of higher education that often pose significant challenges for undergraduate students. This study examines the effectiveness of three pedagogical strategies implemented in a management program in Peru: a prerequisite course focused on defining research topics, the inclusion of teaching assistants, and training in information-search tools. A quasi-experimental design was applied to a sample of 102 students enrolled in a thesis seminar. Academic performance was measured through methodological learning tests and evaluations of students’ progress in thesis writing. The results indicate that the prerequisite course positively affected students’ overall methodological understanding, while the combination of teaching assistants and training in search tools improved the overall development of research proposals, though not the specific components of the research process. Control variables such as Grade Point Average (GPA) or the work-study combination did not significantly alter these effects. The findings suggest that these pedagogical strategies enhance students’ general research competencies when combined with strong technical supervision. The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on the effectiveness of pedagogical interventions in thesis seminars and offers practical insights for curriculum design and academic mentoring in undergraduate management programs.</p>