UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM
The Honors College sponsors the University-wide undergraduate research program. This program provides students with an opportunity to pursue original research under the mentorship of a faculty member. Open to juniors and seniors who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, it carries a $1000 stipend for one semester and an award of $250.00 is made for each of the two best submissions.
A FUNDED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM
This program is designed to encourage research and creative activities by undergraduate students.
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 independent researcher or emerging scholar or artist. In some cases the project will lead to a senior thesis.
Students from all disciplines are eligible. Full time Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.25 are encouraged to submit a proposal; eligible students must have 58 credit hours completed and must be enrolled for at least 12 hours during the semester in which the project is funded. (Exception to the 12 hours may be made under certain circumstances.) The award stipend will be $1000 (subject to tax withholding) for one semester and may be renewed (up to $500, justified by a budget proposal). The project could involve research, design, development, field study, creative work or performance.
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 student's activities should evolve to those for which the student assumes increasing responsibility. (Clearly, the award is not intended to be a substitute for work done by a student lab assistant.) The project should require about 150 hours of the student's time (10 hours per week) and be completed in one semester.
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 each award period.
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.) The following format should be followed:
1. Cover Page. The title of the project, the students' name,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.
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Items 2 through 5 should total no more than five pages.
2. Statement of Thesis or Rationale for the Project.
A clear, exact statement of what the project is and why it is important. How will it contribute to the field?
3. Methodology.
An explanation of project organization. What steps are involved? What sources will be used? Where relevant, include a bibliography.
4. 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 on the project.
5. Closure.
The culmination of the project: a paper, report, art show, performance, or Senior Honors Thesis.
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6. Appendices, Attachments.
A. 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 $1000 award be spent?
(Note that it is legitimate for the student to use the funds for personal
maintenance while working on the project.) Therefore, a
short paragraph on the financial aspect of the project
and how the award funds will be used should be included.
B. 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.
7. Mentor's Letter of Support.
This letter should explain:
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; and
D.) a clear statement of mentor 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.)
If a proposal is selected for an award, the following conditions apply:
--the award will be made in one of two ways: 1) as payment to the student ; or 2) as a transfer to the academic department.
--an interim report, co-signed by the student and the mentor, should be submitted to the Dean of the Honors College by mid-semester. It should be one to two pages in length and summarize the progress to date.
--Seven (7) 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. A computer disk copy (WordPerfect is preferred) should also be submitted. Extensions for more time must be requested in writing before the end of the semester.
--a 200-300 word abstract should accompany the final report.
--each student's abstract will be submitted for review by the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Old Dominion University's Review Committee will select some students--whose papers have been selected by the National Conference--to attend the conference with expenses paid. The conference date and location will be available as soon as possible.
--After editorial review, final reports will be published in our undergraduate research journal (to be established).
Submission deadline for Fall 2007 semester is Friday, March 30, 2007.
Seven (7) copies of the proposal should be sent to
The Undergraduate Research Committee
c/o The Honors College
218 Education Building
