{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,18]],"date-time":"2025-11-18T18:38:53Z","timestamp":1763491133577,"version":"3.45.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,18]],"date-time":"2025-11-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763424000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000266","name":"Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["EP\/T517811\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EP\/T517811\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000266","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.ploscompbiol.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Comput Biol"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Supervising a short-term research project at undergraduate or master\u2019s level is a rewarding yet complex responsibility that extends far beyond subject expertise. It offers supervisors the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists, while providing students with a crucial platform to develop research skills, academic identity, and resilience. However, short-term research projects often come with challenges, including varying levels of student motivation, limited time frames, and the need for intensive skill development. Effective supervision can enhance student learning, foster independent thinking, and improve both the quality and impact of student work, while also contributing to a positive and inclusive research culture. In this article, we present ten simple rules to guide supervisors, particularly those with limited supervision experience, such as early-career researchers, in supporting undergraduate and master\u2019s students through their research journeys. These rules emphasise balancing project requirements with student interests, managing scope, fostering community integration, promoting open science practices, and providing structured yet flexible guidance. By adopting these practical strategies, supervisors can create a more productive, supportive, and enriching research experience for both students and themselves.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pcbi.1013690","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,18]],"date-time":"2025-11-18T18:35:38Z","timestamp":1763490938000},"page":"e1013690","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pcbi.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ten simple rules for early-career researchers supervising short-term student projects"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7342-0207","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Rebecca M.","family":"Crossley","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0146-9164","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Philip K.","family":"Maini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,18]]},"reference":[{"issue":"5","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.1080\/13611267.2015.1126164","article-title":"Faculty as mentors in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative work: Motivating and inhibiting factors","volume":"23","author":"VL Baker","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning."},{"issue":"1","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref002","first-page":"139","article-title":"The essential features of undergraduate research","volume":"24","author":"D Lopatto","year":"2003","journal-title":"Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly."},{"issue":"1","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1080\/1360144X.2017.1412972","article-title":"Mentor perspectives on the place of undergraduate research mentoring in academic identity and career development: an analysis of award winning mentors","volume":"23","author":"EE Hall","year":"2018","journal-title":"International Journal for Academic Development."},{"key":"pcbi.1013690.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1080\/1360144042000277982","article-title":"Enhancing academic work through the synergy between teaching and research","volume":"8","author":"A Reid","year":"2003","journal-title":"International Journal for Academic Development."},{"issue":"3","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.24191\/ajue.v17i3.14508","article-title":"Research collaboration: enhancing the research skills and self-confidence of early career academics","volume":"17","author":"F Mydin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Asian Journal of University Education."},{"issue":"2","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref006","first-page":"29","article-title":"Involving undergraduate students in faculty research","volume":"5","author":"JM Lown","year":"1993","journal-title":"Advancing the Consumer Interest."},{"issue":"2","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref007","first-page":"38","article-title":"Reflections on the evolution of undergraduate research at primarily undergraduate institutions over the past 25 years","volume":"3","author":"MR Ma\u0142achowski","year":"2019","journal-title":"Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research."},{"issue":"7","key":"pcbi.1013690.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1519","DOI":"10.1080\/03075079.2019.1637838","article-title":"Salient practices of award-winning undergraduate research mentors \u2013 balancing freedom and control to achieve excellence","volume":"45","author":"H Walkington","year":"2019","journal-title":"Studies in Higher Education."},{"key":"pcbi.1013690.ref009","unstructured":"Boyd MK, Wesemann JL. 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