How it works: Typically, before a student reaches you, they have already applied to the Community-Based Education Program and selected a project in which they are interested. They may wish to do the project as their major assignment in a course they are taking with you, or as an independent project (e.g. in Trent's Community Research Placement course).

Student Eligibility: To be eligible for the Program a student must have 10 full-course equivalent university credits and a cumulative grade average of 75%. There is an appeal process if students do not meet this requirement, which involves the student securing support from both their host organization and a professor who agrees to supervise them. (More Info)

Host Organization: We encourage students to meet with their host organization before asking a professor to supervise the project. This allows student and host to ensure that there is a compatible match. Host organizations are warned that there is no guarantee a project will go ahead until a professor has agreed to supervise the project and the student submits the signed research placement agreement.

The truth about being asked to supervise a project

We do not tell students that it is their right to have a professor supervise their project. We suggest to students that they give a professor time to consider their request and that they do some preparation before approaching a professor. This includes:

• presenting the host organization's proposal so that you know what the organization expects
• offering samples of the student's past research, to demonstrate their ability to undertake the project
• sharing ideas on how they will approach the project so that you are able to gauge their ability to manage the project
• giving a professor adequate time to consider the request

Faculty are expected to guide students in doing the research. The student remains the primary researcher in a given project and maintains ownership of the information written within a project. Supervising a Community Research Placement is similar to supervising a reading course, the difference is being that a community organization has determined a question they need answered.

Methodology: In some cases the community group may have a good sense of research methodology and may guide the student. In other cases the community group may offer the student little guidance on research methodology or may even make suggestions that are neither rigorous nor ethical. In this case it is recommended that you help the student find other approaches to the research.

Ethical Considerations: It is expected that you will help the student decide if they need to go through the department ethical review process if they are working with human or animal subjects. Alternatively, students can use TCCBE's ethical review process which has been approved by Trent University Research Ethics Committee.

Marking: The professor ultimately grades the students work and submitts the grade to their department. Many professors consult with the organization before assigning a grade.

Supervision: There is no set amount of time you are expected to spend meeting with the student. Some students prefer to remain in regular touch with the professor supervising their project via email. Others plan regular meetings. We suggest to students that they include a plan for staying in touch with their host organization and their professor in their research placement agreement.

The student will develop a draft Research Placement Agreement (RPA). The draft RPA is to be circulated early in the process to the host organization, the professor and U-Links or the TCCBE (depending which organization the project was proposed for). After incorporating relevant feedback into the RPA, it is expected that the student will circulate the final version and get it signed by all parties involved.

The RPA is important for several reasons:

1. It documents the terms of reference that all parties agreed upon
2. It outlines what work will be done by the student for the host organization
3. It outlines what products will be submitted for marking, thus acting like a syllabus. In general the products submitted to the host organization and for marking should be the same.
4. It can be used to determine important dates in the project cycle and schedule regular meetings with the host organization and the professor.

Insurance

Anyone supervising a student's activities bears some responsibility to consider safety when giving them direction. Host organizations, students and faculty supervisors who take part in community-based research projects must all sign a Work/Education Placement Agreement. This form is an agreement on behalf of the Ministry of Education to purchase insurance coverage for students while they are working at research placements off campus. The student will be provided with the form and is responsible for acquiring signatures.