Appropriate title to put on my resume?

[timetraveller]

Hello! Second-year undergrad here with a quick question. A while back I told a professor I have a strong relationship with that I am interested in research and pursuing further schooling in philosophy after undergrad. They told me that they wanted to support me in my academic pursuits and have been acting as a mentor for me this year. 

We've worked together to construct a research project that deals with Rawls and racial and corrective justice (which I am very much enjoying!). We have weekly meetings where we discuss new findings, edit the paper they have me working on, and look for new sources to read and consider. In short, it is my own little research project that they've helped me refine and also guide me through. We've worked out (a draft) of an abstract and I will get to present my work at an undergraduate conference my school hosts and at one other conference in my province.

This research has no relation to any of the work my professor does as he works in the philosophy of religion and mysticism. 

I think I have developed valuable skills thus far, so I would like to add it to my resume. However, I am unsure of what title I should put. My professor said putting research assistant is fine if I'd like. I was thinking it would be more appropriate to put Undergraduate Research Student or something of the sort. It's more accurate, I believe, and using the title Research Assistant evokes the idea that I am being paid. 

If I choose to stay during the summer term I will be paid and will be contributing to their actual research, which I would then regard as Work Experience. Right now I feel like it's most appropriate to put this work under my Extracurricular Experience. 

Does it matter at all or am I just being excessively neurotic? Thanks for all and any help.

Edited November 2, 2018 by timetraveller

[Angua]

While I can't speak to philosophy specifically, in the social sciences no one would even register the difference between "Undergraduate Research Student" and "Research Assistant." Because you are an undergrad, people will be able to tell what RA means (and lots of undergrad RAs are not paid - some volunteer, some get course credit, etc.).

As for Work/Extracurricular Experience, I suppose that really depends on what kind of document you are creating. For a resume, I'd list it as Extracurricular (well, I'd actually try to list it as a note in your Education section). For a CV, particularly one used for applying to grad programs, I'd consider creating a section just for Research Experience.

tl;dr - I think you are being excessively neurotic!   Good luck!