Armacost Library Undergraduate Research Award  Tags: critical_thinking information_literacy research undergraduate  

The proliferation of electronic information has made research a much more complex process than in the past.  At the University of Redlands, students have available to them sources in paper and microfilm, electronically available through subscription databases and journals, as well as freely available on the open Web.  Because so much information is available, evaluating sources of information takes increasingly more time and effort.  This award was established to reward those students who demonstrate thoughtfulness and creativity in their approach to research and whose work exhibits excellence in critical thinking.

Evaluation Criteria
The quality of the project and essay will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Clearly stated research question.

• Creativity and/or uniqueness of research project.

• Clear explanation of significance of research.

• Writing clarity and organization of project.

• Balance between quality and quantity of library resources about the topic, such as, books, reference material, and journal articles.

• Evidence that the project has been developed through the synthesis of a variety of library resources.

• Making responsible use of information by providing appropriate and accurate citations using a citation manual, e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago or Turabian.

• Show evidence of significant personal growth in the methods of research and inquiry.

*In the event the Selection Committee determines that no research project meets the criteria outlined above, there will be no award given for that year. 

Eligibility

• Be a current University of Redlands undergraduate student (in any class or discipline).
• Eligible projects must have been completed for a University of Redlands credit course during the prior calendar year (e.g. for the 2010 award, eligible projects are those completed during Spring term 2009, May term 2009, or Fall term 2009).
• Projects must be accompanied by a letter of support from the faculty member who taught the course for which the paper/project was produced.
• All application materials will remain the property of the Library.  Winning papers/projects will become a part of the Library collection.

Application Requirements and Procedure

Application will consist of:

• Application cover sheet
• Letter/email of support from supervising instructor.
• Research strategy essay (500-750 words) describing research process (including changes in the way student approached searching for information, new tools and resources discovered, interaction with reference librarians, use of interlibrary loan, and how sources were evaluated for credibility and relevance).
• Final version of research paper/project, including bibliography/reference list/ works cited.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: 5:00 p.m., February 22, 2010.  Application materials become the property of Armacost Library and will not be returned.

When preparing your application package, please DO NOT use staples or put papers in 3-ring binders.  Use paper clips, envelopes, or folders.

Submit the complete application package to:

Armacost Library Undergraduate Research Award Committee
c/o Shana Higgins
Armacost Library
1249 E. Colton Ave.
Redlands, CA 92374

The winner will be notified in mid-March, 2010. Award recipient and faculty will be honored at a reception held in the Library in early April.  The reception will honor research done by faculty members across the university, as well as student research, and the research process.  Please join the celebration.