Research mentors strive to ensure that undergraduates gain research skills and develop professionally during mentored research experiences in the sciences. We created the SURE (Specialized Undergraduate Research Experience) Workbook, a freely-available, interactive guide to scaffold student learning during this process. The Workbook: (1) identifies mentees' relevant strengths and areas for improvement, (2) encourages effective long-term goal setting, (3) ensures clear communication to facilitate a positive mentor-mentee working relationship, (4) exposes mentees to all phases of the research process, (5) develops mentees' autonomy for research and related professional experiences, and (6) offers mentors a concrete assessment tool to evaluate student participation and development over the course of the research experience. Hands-on research experiences can be invaluable and transformative in undergraduates' professional development, and we predict that the additional structure and standardization provided by the SURE Workbook will help maximize student learning and performance during such experiences. Thinking ahead, mentees who cultivate positive attitudes about research by using the SURE Workbook may be more inclined to pursue research professions and effectively mentor others when they graduate.