This chapter provides a synopsis of our Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research. We argue that undergraduate research is made possible by, and responds to, changes in the ways we think about knowledge. Readers will be familiar with the contemporary social context, which often sees knowledge as a kind of free-for-all in which opinion is presented as fact, where knowledge gained through research competes in the political realm with supposition, and public discourse is steeped in deliberate misinformation. In the context of our handbook, such developments not only open up opportunities for students to engage in research, they also emphasize the importance of all students developing the skills to engage meaningfully and rigorously in evidence-based practice and to challenge unfounded assumptions. Knowledge has become democratized, and it is this that provides both the impetus and opportunity for widespread and equitable undergraduate research engagement.

The first part of the chapter provides an overview of assessment as an integral element of undergraduate research’s continued success and sustainability. Building from this introduction, the remainder of the chapter explains the EvaluateUR method, a proven approach to assessing the skills and competencies of undergraduate research students and for improving student learning. The EvaluateUR method documents student growth in academic and workplace-related knowledge and skills and fosters meaningful student–mentor dialog to strengthen students’ awareness of their academic strengths and weaknesses. The chapter includes a summary of the findings from an independent evaluation of the method and concludes with remarks about how the method is being adapted to support the assessment of course-based undergraduate research experiences and students competing in remotely operated underwater vehicle competitions.