Undergraduate Research Day, Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Participation in the Undergraduate Research Day poster and podium sessions is open to all Western Illinois University undergraduate students.  Participants must submit an abstract, which also confirms that they have read and understood these guidelines, between March 23 and April 15, 2010.  Please read the following guidelines and refer to Undergraduate Research Day Abstract Submission Instructions before submitting an abstract to honors@wiu.edu.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in Undergraduate Research Day, your research, scholarship, or creative expression must fall into one of the two categories.  Projects may be the product of a single student or a collaborative effort among two or more student participants.  All participants must have a faculty research mentor.  Please indicate on the abstract a principal author; all participants will be notified on submission by return e-mail. If you have any eligibility questions, please contact the Centennial Honors College.

Category 1:  “In-Progress Projects/Papers”

In-Progress submission is a mentored research/scholarly endeavor or creative activity that is well-conceived and developed, and that proposes a plan for completing the intended project. The In-Progress Project/Paper contains some combination of the following elements or appropriate adaptation thereof:  a statement of the project’s/paper’s objective; the project’s/paper’s proposed significance; key questions related to the research, scholarship, or creative activity; relevant literature or contextual background; and appropriate theoretical or methodological considerations.

Category 2:  “Completed Projects/Papers”

Completed project is a mentored research/scholarly endeavor or creative activity that extends knowledge, understanding, or interpretive ability.  It contains the elements of the in-progress project/paper as indicated above; in addition, the proposal for a completed project should include a discussion of procedure and any significant results/conclusions/interpretation.

Required Elements
Research or scholarship or creative activity can be presented in one of two ways:

Poster Session Presentation:

This method of presentation makes use of the poster format as the primary means for presenting your project.  Individual posters include the following elements:  an abstract; an introduction; a discussion of methodology/steps of the argument; a results/conclusion statement; and an indication of the project’s actual or potential contribution to knowledge, understanding, or appreciation.  If you wish to supplement your poster with a laptop PowerPoint or other animated software, poster requirements still apply.  All supplemental materials must be approved by the Centennial Honors College.

Podium Session Presentation:

The podium sessions are forums for oral or creative presentations and may be supplemented by audio/visual expressions or multimedia aids like PowerPoint.  Each Podium Session Presentation will be scheduled for no more than 15 minutes (10 minutes for presentation; 5 minutes for questions from the audience) and will be delivered in a group setting.  As in the Poster Session, the presenter should provide an introduction to the project, a discussion of methodology/ procedure/steps, a results/conclusion statement, and an indication of the project’s actual or potential contribution to knowledge, understanding, or appreciation. (Creative activities with a live performance component may be scheduled for up to 30 minutes with a maximum of 20 minutes for the performance/presentation. Please contact the Honors College for special requirements.)

Poster Presentation Guidelines

1. Title:  At the top of your poster, you should have a title that is both short and descriptive of the project.  As a rule, the title should be easily readable at a distance of 4-6 feet (words are approximately 2/3 to 1 inch or 1.5 to 2.5 cm in height.)

2. Name and Affiliation:  Directly under the title, you should include your name or names (if more than one participant), the name of the faculty research mentor, and the name of the relevant academic department.  The name and affiliation section is usually 20%-30% smaller than the title.

3. Body of the Poster:  The body of your poster must fit on a 3’ x 4’ tri-fold display board.  The display board will be supplied on the day of the event and will have your assigned number in the upper left-hand corner.  The following elements are recommended for the displays:

      A. Abstract:   The abstract is a brief synopsis of the entire project described in the poster.  Most abstracts are one paragraph in length.  The abstract should be understandable without reading the entire poster, and readers should be able to decide if they would like to read the entire poster based on the abstract.  The abstract should contain the following elements:  the purpose and significance of the research, scholarship, or creative activity; the steps taken to complete the project or activity; and the major findings and conclusions. 

     B. Introduction:  The purpose of the introduction is to present the hypothesis, thesis, or argument explored by your project.  Keep in mind that this is your opportunity to orient and interest your audience.  Provide the audience with context and background and some indication of the rationale, significance, or importance of your study.

     C. Methods, Argument, or Interpretive Approach:  Depending on the nature of your presentation, you should describe the methods or procedures or steps that you used in arriving at your results, or the interpretive approach that you employed, or the arguments that you marshal in establishing your point.  Keep in mind that your audience is not expected to know as much as you and your faculty mentor know about your topic, and so make every effort to be concise, clear, and complete in your explanation.

     D. Results or Conclusions:  In this section you are to summarize the data or conclusions.  Where relevant, report the results of any statistical tests, examinations, or studies.  Also where relevant, present all your results, whether positive or negative.  A table or figure may be useful in some instances in presenting your summary, but it is incumbent on the presenter to explain or interpret the table or figure.

     E. Literature Cited: This section is optional in the poster, unless citations are used in the text; you may use a unit smaller than 6 3/4" by 8" (17.5 cm by 20.5 cm). Include only those works cited in the text. Do not cite a work unless you have read it yourself. Cite all of your references in the text and list them in the literature cited section using a format from a journal within your discipline.

4. Graphics, Tables, Photos, and Others: Illustrations, tables, figures, photographs and diagrams need to have unique identification numbers and legends. In the text, use the numbers to refer to specific graphics or pictures. In your legends, include a full explanation and, where appropriate, include color keys, scale, etc.

Individual items for your poster presentation should not exceed 11" x 14" in size.

5. Supplies:  You will be provided with a 3' x 4' display board, a table, and push-pins to attach items to the display board. Your poster should be brought to the event in a form that is ready to be attached, and you will need to provide any other necessary supplies that your presentation requires.

6. Laptop Computer Use:  The use of laptops as a technical tool for enhancing presentations is certainly encouraged; however, the employment of laptops should not replace the trifold poster presentation.  Supplemental project-relevant visual information may be presented with a laptop positioned on the poster table.  The visuals should be programmed to keep presenters free to discuss their projects with visitors.  Audio should not be used as a courtesy to nearby poster presenters.  Although every effort will be made to locate laptop users near outlets, laptops should be brought fully charged to research day.

Podium Presentation Guidelines

Note: Podium presentations will vary in format, style, and substance according to the academic discipline of the presenter.  As a rule of thumb, consult your faculty mentor for direction in preparing your oral presentation.  The following, however, are general guidelines and may be adapted to your particular purpose.  

Abstract: The abstract (about 20 copies, no more than 250 words) should be printed for distribution at the time of the presentation.  The abstract is a brief synopsis of the entire work described in your presentation. Most abstracts are usually one paragraph in length. The abstract should be understandable without seeing the presentation and readers should be able to decide if they would like to watch the presentation based on what they read in the abstract. The abstract should contain the following elements: the purpose of the research, a brief statement about what you did, a concise statement of the major findings, and the major conclusions. Do not include details of the method or approach used to research or prepare your area of study.  The abstract should be available as a handout.  Please see Undergraduate Research Day Abstract Submission Instructions for further details.

A. PowerPoint or Slide Presentation:  See the above formatting directions for the poster presentation.

    a. A PC laptop computer with Windows XP and PowerPoint XP, a projector, and a screen will be provided. Presenters with other special equipment needs must make arrangements well in advance of Research Day and must indicate the nature of the equipment needs at the time when the proposal is submitted.
    b.PowerPoint (PP) presenters need to drop off at the Honors College Office a final, presentation-ready CD file of their PP presentation as a back-up three days before research day. 
    c.Presenters will load their own PP files with thumb drives at the time of their podium sessions.

B. Paper Presentation: 

All oral presentation of papers will conform to the standards and practices of the relevant academic discipline, and presenters should consult with their faculty mentors for guidance.  A podium will be supplied.

C. Presentation with a Performance Element: As the Paper Presentations, these will conform to the standards of the relevant discipline and presenters should consult with their faculty mentors for guidance.  All should begin with an introduction by the artist(s) that contextualizes the performance to follow.  Presentations with a performance element will be allotted 20 minutes with a 10-minute set up time and will take place in the Prairie Lounge.  Presenters must arrange for their own equipment or instrument needs—including transportation.  A podium will be supplied.  Please contact the Honors College for special requirements.

What to Expect on Research Day

• Be prepared to answer questions about your presentation.
• Business casual attire is appropriate for this event.
• Be prepared to have your photograph taken for newspapers, websites, etc.
• Certificates of Participation will be presented to participants.

Important Note: Arrangements for class absence must be made in advance of Research Day— Please notify your instructors and make arrangements for missed classes or other obligations.

A Special Note to Those Doing Human Research

If you have questions about your compliance under federal guidelines regarding human, animal, or radiological research, please contact the IRB Administrator, at 298.1191 or IRBAdministrator@wiu.edu.

We look forward to seeing you and the results of your work at Undergraduate Research Day on April 29th.  Should you have any questions or comments regarding presentation, please contact your faculty research mentor or Dr. William Knox in the Centennial Honors College (298-2228).