CALL FOR PROPOSALS: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANT,
Spring & Summer 2010
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: November 2, 2009
The Honors College sponsors the university-wide undergraduate research grant program. This program provides students with an opportunity to pursue original research, scholarship, or creative work under the mentorship of a full-time faculty member. Open to juniors and seniors with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, the award provides a $1500 stipend for one semester. The award will be made in one of two ways: 1) as payment to the student or 2) as a transfer of funds to the academic department.
An important aspect of this program places the student and a faculty member in an apprentice/mentor relationship. After agreeing on a particular project, the faculty member assists the student in submitting a proposal. As the project continues, the student eventually moves from the role of assistant to that of an independent researcher or emerging scholar or artist. In some cases, the project will lead to a senior thesis.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Students from all disciplines are eligible. Juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.25 are encouraged to submit a proposal; students must be enrolled for at least 12 hours during the semester in which the project is funded (9 hrs for the summer).
The award stipend will be $1500 (subject to tax withholding) for one semester. The project could involve research, design, development, field study, creative work or performance.
The project should require about 150 hours of the student's time (e.g., 10 hours per week) and be completed in one semester.
Ideally, the project should be initiated by the student, but faculty members may approach students about collaborative projects. If the project is related to faculty research, the project should require that the student assume increasing responsibilities over the course of the semester. The award is not intended to be a substitute for work done by a student lab assistant.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
A University Committee, composed of a representative from each college and appointed by the Dean of the Honors College, will review the proposals and make recommendations to the Dean for each award period.
FORMAT FOR THE APPLICATION
Student proposals should be written with minimal use of jargon. (Please note: faculty members should not co-author or "co-propose." The mentor's input should be in the supporting letter and not part of the student's proposal.)
Length: The project proposal should not exceed five single-spaced pages. The cover page, faculty mentor's letter of support, appendices and attachments are not included in this length restriction.
The following format should be followed:
1. Cover Page. The title of the project, the student's name, address, email address, phone number, and major should be centered on the page. The name and department of the faculty mentor should also be listed. The date should be centered at the bottom of the page.
2. Project Description. Provide a clear, exact statement of what the project is and why it is important. How will the project contribute to a particular field of study?
3. Methodology. Provide a description of how the research question/problem is to be investigated. What steps are involved? What sources will be used? Where relevant, please include a bibliography.
4. Outcomes. Provide a description of the outcomes associated with the project: a paper, report, exhibition, performance, or Senior Honors Thesis.
5. Budget. Include a short paragraph on how the project funds will be used. The student should be aware of the total cost of the project in broad terms: How much support is given by his or her department through the use of facilities? What part of the expenses will be covered by the award? How will the $1500 award be spent? It is legitimate for the student to use the funds for personal maintenance while working on the project.
6. Independence of the Project. Present evidence that independent research is involved. The project should not be lab assistant work, course work for a faculty member, or simply research for a professor in which the student does much of the functionary work, e.g., compiles questionnaires or tabulates numbers. If the work involves one aspect of a larger faculty project, the faculty member should explain the student's role in her/his letter of support.
7. Faculty Mentor's Letter of Support. This letter should include the following: A) the mentor's view of the scope and nature of the project; B) time available for the mentor to work with the student; C) the mentor's familiarity with the student and her or his work; D) a clear statement of the mentor's involvement in the project. The mentor should help plan the project, assist the student with the proposal, and actively participate in the project's implementation.
8. Appendices, Attachments. If appropriate, the student should include copies of research materials such as questionnaires to be used and any other forms as appropriate. Personal resumes should not be included.
Seven (7) copies of the proposal should be sent to:
The Undergraduate Research Grant Committee
c/o The Honors College
2000 Batten Arts and Letters
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
RESPONSIBILITIES ASSUMED UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE AWARD
If a proposal is selected for an award, the student is required to submit the following:
--Interim report: An interim report, co-signed by the student and the mentor, should be submitted to the Dean of the Honors College by mid-semester. The interim report should be one to two pages in length and summarize the progress to date.
--Final Report: Two copies of a comprehensive final report, co-signed by the student and the mentor, should be submitted to the Dean of the Honors College at the end of the semester. An electronic copy of the final report should also be submitted by email to dmetzger@odu.edu. Extensions for more time must be requested in writing before the last day of classes.
--Abstract: A 200-300 word abstract must accompany the final report.
