Library Research Award

Purpose | Eligibility | Evaluation | Application Procedure | FAQs

The Conant Library Research Award recognizes outstanding library research papers/projects by undergraduates in any discipline.

Purpose

To encourage student research and use of Library resources. While consideration is given to the product of the research, this Award focuses on the research process and application of information literacy skills, and the use of library tools and resources.

2010 Prizes

• 1st Place: $150.00
• 2nd Place: $50.00
• 1st Place, First-Year Student: $50.00

Winners will receive the monetary award at the end of Spring semester 2010 and recognition at the annual Awards Ceremony in the Spring of the following year. (Note: If a team paper/project wins the award will be split evenly among the team members.)

Eligibility

To be eligible entrants must:

• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student
• Submit papers/projects completed during the current fall or spring semester
• Submit a brief (approx. 500 word) essay describing how the research was conducted and the library tools/resources used
• Submit a signed form letter of support from the faculty member who taught the course for which the paper or project was submitted
• Agree to provide their work for public display in the Library and/or online

Evaluation

Submissions will be evaluated by a panel consisting of two librarians and two faculty.

Successful entries will:

• Make extensive use of library tools and resources
• Demonstrate effective application of information literacy principles:
  • Determine information need
  • Evaluate and analyze information
  • Manage, organize and synthesize information
  • Communicate information in formats appropriate to an academic audience
  • Make responsible use of information by providing appropriate and accurate citations and credits

To see how an entry will be judged see the Evaluation Rubric.

Application Procedure

Complete applications include:

     a. The submission form filled out and signed by the instructor for whose class the paper/project was created and

     b. The paper/project (including Works Cited section) and

     c. The research essay

1. Deliver a hard copy of the complete application to Matthew Haggard [matthew.haggard@nichols.edu], Conant Library
2. Submit an electronic copy of your paper/project and process essay to Matthew Haggard [matthew.haggard@nichols.edu]

Note: Applications are not considered unless and until both hard copy and electronic versions have been submitted.

Application Deadline for 2009-2010 Academic Year: Friday, April 23, 2010, 4PM

FAQs

Q. What should I include in my essay?

A. For this award the process is more important than the final product. The selection panel will be looking for entries that detail how the student conducted their research and if and how the student used the online catalog, library databases and other tools for finding information available through the Library's website, utilized interlibrary loan, sought assistance from a librarian as appropriate to their research needs. If an essay talks about how useful the library databases are for finding relevant information, then the Works Cited should reflect articles/company information etc. retrieved from these databases. The more detail provided about how the research was conducted, the better your essay will be judged.

Q. What is meant by 'library tools and resources'?

A. Library tools refers to our various 'finding aids' such as the online catalog, the library databases, the Company, Country, Industry, Subject Guides by Major, etc. Resources include assistance from a librarian, use of interlibrary loan, books or videos from our collection, articles, company information, etc. from our online library databases.

Q. May I submit more than one paper or project?

A. Yes, but each paper/project must have its own application packet.

Q. Is a PowerPoint project eligible?

A. Yes. It must include a Works Cited slide(s). When submitting the hard copy version please print at least 3 slides to a page.

Q. If I have other questions, who do I contact?

A. Please contact either Matthew Haggard [matthew.haggard@nichols.edu] [ext. 2437] or Jim Douglas [jim.douglas@nichols.edu] [ext. 2333]