What can Research do for you?

‘I was able to brush up on my existing research skills and learn some new ones too.  Furthermore, I also presented my research findings to several LSE academics and all GROUPS participants and received detailed feedback on my report at the end of the programme.  This was a great way to hone my skills in presenting and report-writing and served as preparation for my summative projects in LSE.’
Jeria, LSE GROUPS

‘I think it has really helped me gain practise and skills in reading old sources which will be really helpful for my dissertation. ...it was also a lesson in perseverance.’  
Josie Baldwin, research intern 

‘Navigating the vast amounts of information available on online archives like JISC Historical Texts has improved my ability to process information quickly and I have developed an eye for selecting the most relevant points from sources. In working with primary material, my attention to detail has been refined and my ability to reference accurately and efficiently is much more apparent. I would highly recommend this experience to any undergraduate student looking to improve their research skills.’ 
Harriet Solomon, research intern 

‘The process of discussing an idea and formulating a research question helped me a huge amount two years later when I needed to formulate my own research question for my final year research project… During our year, there was, unfortunately, a terror attack in London.  We discussed a new research methodology to ensure we could still conduct our research whilst respecting the ethics of research. It is something I remembered to be conscious of when I conducted my own research later on.’
Preeti, LSE GROUPS 

‘LSE GROUPS was such a valuable experience for me on so many levels.  I was extremely nervous at first and couldn’t imagine writing an academic paper in the space of two weeks.  Having successfully mastered the project I now have a lot more confidence in my writing skills, especially those for last minute essays.’
Giulia, LSE GROUPS 

‘During the time I undertook LSE GROUPS, I became more confident in analysing numbers and in relaying this information concisely to others.  By contributing in writing the research paper, I was able to build upon this and it helped me further to improve my essay writing skills for my second- and third-year modules. (I took LSE GROUPS in my first year).’
Areesh, LSE GROUPS 

‘GROUPS provided me with invaluable experience in working collaboratively on a rapidly evolving piece of work.  This is something that I directly draw from in my new work environment.  Feeling as though I’m prepared to handle multi-person drafting projects, has really helped me settle into my position.’ 
Tess, LSE GROUPS 

'I’m applying to jobs which require the applied skills that I’ve developed further over the course of this internship, and having recommendations from the primary investigator will be very beneficial.'
Wilson King, research intern  

‘LSE GROUPS is an excellent activity to put on your CV and show your employers you are a genuine team-player with the ability to deliver results, stay organised, and persist through pressure and rapid deadlines in a two-week exhilarating environment.  But there is a charm about the programme that radiates well beyond finding a job...’ 
Brooklyn, LSE GROUPS 

‘I met many like-minded and friendly fellow students, and together we worked on our research in both a diligent and light-hearted manner that allowed plenty of scope for creativity and humour.'
Brooklyn, LSE GROUPS 

 ‘...LSE GROUPS was a great way to make new friends. As I spent almost 7 hours a day for two weeks working with my group, people I would have been unlikely to meet if not for the programme.  Coming from the Department of Statistics, it was interesting to hear the perspectives of group members from departments such as Anthropology and Management, and we were able to draw upon the skills gained in our respective subject areas to produce a successful report.'
Jeria, LSE GROUPS 

‘...intense discussion and the odd argument showed me the relevance of fundamental, underlying academic debates (such as between quantitative and qualitative research) and the acute importance of inter-disciplinary conversation’
Giulia, LSE GROUPS 

‘…also please don’t be scared by the group work and presentation, as everyone around you is just so friendly and supportive.’
Yaqing, LSE GROUPS 

‘I enjoyed meeting and collaborating with fellow LSE students from a range of departments.  I really valued the advice given by experienced academics.  They answered our queries but also gave us space to explore and construct our project as a team.’
Georgina, LSE GROUPS 

‘...our group chose to examine the perceived success of microfinance initiatives in Bangladesh at improving the situation of women in poverty.’
Rory, LSE GROUPS

‘My group worked on the impact of the new Crossrail connectivity on regional identity in Brentwood, Essex, which lies outside traditional London boundaries and now was in the process of getting connected to London via the Underground network.’
Karthik, LSE GROUPS 

‘The theme of LSE GROUPS 2018 was “Belonging”, and my group chose to investigate how students’ sense of belonging to LSE varies across departments.  I’ve always wondered, for example, whether smaller or bigger departments are better at fostering a sense of belonging to the school, so I really enjoyed being able to study this myself.  If you’re looking for a way to apply the knowledge you’ve gained at university to investigate something you’re interested in, then LSE GROUPS is the perfect opportunity!’
Jeria, LSE GROUPS 

‘…my group researched the use of social and professional networking sites (SPNS), particularly LinkedIn, in the job-finding process of students and graduates, most of whom are currently working in areas of banking and finance, consultancy, accounting and assurance, and legal services.  Our ultimate aim was to see how differently, if at all, graduates use SPNS compared to students, and provide insights as to how students could use SPNS more effectively in order to increase their prospects of obtaining a job.'
Brooklyn, LSE GROUPS 

‘Our group was especially keen on investigating how gig working would impact human capital investment.  With the rise of more flexible forms of work arrangement, would companies continue to invest in training their employees or do workers need to study more themselves?’
Angela, LSE GROUPS 

'I've gained exposure to cutting-edge research and witnessed first-hand the planning and rigour that goes into producing it.'
Sudhanshu Maheshwari, research intern 

‘The final presentation made me feel like my opinion is one that can actually shape change and resonate.’ 
Giulia, LSE GROUPS   

‘What stands out the most about LSE GROUPS was the feeling of accomplishment and the feeling of completeness I received after finishing the research paper.’
Jahan, LSE GROUPS 

‘Our data was presented graphically as part of a display at the LSE Research Festival that year...  I would definitely recommend anybody who is interested in any form of research to join either LSE  GROUPS or Change Makers.  Both projects have given me something tangible at the end of my undergraduate studies, and I hope that they offer a good example of the important contribution undergraduates can make to the school’s research community.’
Rory, LSE GROUPS and Change Makers

‘I’ve always wanted to give rigorous academic research a go because I believe in the value it can add to the world. LSE GROUPS helped me realise this... once the research is released, it is in the public domain, and we feel a warm glow knowing that it fills a gap in a particular field of research.’
Brooklyn, LSE GROUPS

‘Never have I had such a great feeling of accomplishment as after producing those 20 pages.  It was the perfect way to use the last two weeks of the Spring Term!’
Zuzanna, LSE GROUPS

‘Our paper on automation and job uncertainty used both quantitative and qualitative methods, and we went on to win the best paper award.  What’s more, everyone at LSE GROUPS was so supportive that we were funded to go to the annual British Conference for Undergraduate Research, and we even got to publish our paper in iSChannel, a journal at LSE.’
Krittika, LSE GROUPS 

‘As a result, I feel like I've got a much better understanding of the academic process and the various stages involved in it - it is a great opportunity to see the kind of readings studied at undergraduate level from a 'behind the scenes' perspective.’ 
Harriet Solomon, research intern