Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

I.  Finding a Mentor

Scholarly undergraduate projects are typically collaborative efforts with faculty mentors, and most students opt to conduct their project with a professor in their major area of study, though this is not necessary.  Many students approach their course instructors to discuss potential collaborations, as a successful partnership often begins with the mutual trust and respect that can develop in a class.   In addition, instructors may approach students in a class to determine if they are interested in a more intense, in-depth exploration of the field through independent work.  If you have not connected with a faculty member through your coursework, departmental websites are important resources for information about faculty interests and opportunities for undergraduate collaborations.  Many academic departments maintain a web site that lists faculty research and creative activities, and highlights opportunities for student involvement.  Please contact a faculty member in the department of your interest for more information about undergraduate research opportunities within that discipline.  You can also look at the web pages of individual faculty within any department to see what is happening.   

II.  Developing a Project

Some undergraduate students are intimated by the prospect of undergraduate research because they believe they are fully responsible for developing the project independently.  In fact, many if not most projects evolve from activities already underway by the faculty mentor, and often students will collaborate with a team on a series of related studies or projects, all initiated by the faculty supervisor.  If you are a student with a specific project in mind, set up a meeting with a potential mentor to discuss the possibility of having that mentor supervise your project.  However, if you don’t have a project in mind, but have a strong interest in an intensive, challenging, in-depth exploration of a field, then contact a potential mentor and discuss his or her ongoing projects.  For more information about current research and creative activities, visit the departmental web site of interest. 

III.  Funding a Project

The URCA program offers several different grants to support undergraduate research and creative activities, and to support travel to conferences to disseminate your work.  During the academic year, there are two primary grants available to support undergraduate projects:  AYRA and MAYS.   Support for summer research can be obtained through a SURF grant, which typically must be submitted in early winter.  Travel grants are provided through the RPG program.

The AYRA (Academic Year Research Award) is a small award (up to $300), intended to fund materials, supplies, and other essential components of a project.  To review the application guidelines, view sample successful applications, and download the application forms, click here.

The MAYS (Major Academic Year Support) is a large award (up to $5000), intended to fund materials, supplies, computer equipment, technology, student salary, and other essential components of a project.  The student applicants must be full time, degree-seeking College of Charleston undergraduate students with a declared academic major and a minimum cumulative GPA of least 2.5 overall and in the major, although GPA’s above 3.0 are normally expected. MAYS awards are not to support research efforts of recent graduates of the College of Charleston.  To review the application guidelines, view sample successful applications, and download the application forms, click here.

The SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty) is a large award (up to $5000), intended to provide a student stipend (minimum $2500, max $3500), a faculty stipend (up to $2500), and fund materials, supplies, equipment, and other essential components of a project.  The student applicant must be a full time, degree-seeking College of Charleston undergraduate student with a declared academic major and a minimum cumulative GPA of least 2.5.  A faculty member of the College of Charleston must serve as the Principal Investigator on all proposals submitted.  To review the application guidelines, view sample successful applications, and download the application forms, click here.

The RPG (Research Presentation Grant) provides financial support for students to present the results of their research or creative efforts from this program.   The RPG fund provides a maximum of $400 for international or national conferences, $200 for regional conferences, and $50 for state conferences.  To review the application guidelines, view sample successful applications, and download the application forms, click here.

IV.  Presenting Results

Tips for Preparing Presentations
Oral Presentations:

• Know what you did AND why you did it.
• Organize your talk in a logical manner (Introduction, Historical Background, Clearly Stated Aim, Description of Methods, Presentation of Results, Summary Statement, Future Work, Acknowledgements) and THANK YOUR AUDIENCE.
• Start with an overview of your talk; give the audience a brief framework for the presentation.
• Keep it simple (both the message and the presentation materials); avoid distracting animations, fades, etc.  Let your information be the focus of attention.
• Proofread your material (three times is not too many).  Use a spellcheker.
• Find out how much time you are allotted and how much of that should be left for questions.  Do not get defensive about the questions asked, and if you can not answer or understand a question, do not be afraid to say you do not the answer, or to ask for clarification.  Remember, your actual presentation will take longer than your practice.
• Count on spending about one to two minutes per slide; do not overload your presentation with too many slides (About 6 or 7 good slides per 10 minutes may be optimal.)  Do not overload your slides with information; keep your slides simple, and use large font.
• Practice your talk, formally, many times in front of your mentor and others.
• If you use a computer, test run your presentation on multiple platforms and versions of operational software.
• Carry a backup (thumb drive, CD, DVD, etc.)
• Ask your mentor if you should consult with the Speaking Lab for professional guidance, assistance, help, etc..

Need help preparing for an oral presentation? Contact the Speaking Lab:

Speaking Lab
Center for Student Learning
1st floor Addlestone Library, Room 119, 953-5635
Director of the Speaking Lab
Dr. Deborah Socha McGee
SpeakingLab@cofc.edu

Useful Links forOral Presentations:        

 What to Avoid in an Oral PowerPoint Pesentation

CofC Oral Presentation Template (PowerPoint)

CofC Images (to include in your presentation)

CofC Colors (keep in mind while creating your presentation)

CofC Seals (to include on your presentation)

Poster Presentations

• Clarify what you did AND why you did it before starting to make your poster.
• Organize your poster in a logical manner (Introduction, Historical Background, Clearly Stated Aim,  Methods, Results, Summary Statement, Future Work, Acknowledgements).
• Keep it simple (both the message and the presentation materials).  Remember this is a visual medium, not a manuscript hanging on a poster board.
• Be prepared to "proof" everything, including titles, headings, subheadings, graph legends, etc. on your poster on your computer and then again on the machine that will send it to the wide format printer (aka plotter).
• Keep the font size large, minimum of 24 points for text, 96 for the title.
• Do not wait until the last minute to get your poster plotted, you are likely to be disappointed by the inability to plot what you want when you want it.
• If you want a large format, single sheet poster, consult with the manager of the plotter before creating your presentation.  THERE IS A COST (~$30) ASSOCIATED WITH USE OF LARGE FORMAT PLOTTERS. 
  • The Library Plotter Manager is Mr. James Williams.  Students in SSM can also ask to use Physics (consult Mr. Frysinger) or Geology (consult Professor Nusbaum) plotters.
• You may want to start with a standard template and revise it to suit your needs (see below).
• Use a carry tube to protect large format posters.  Carry tubes may be checked out from URCA as long as supply lasts. 
• Get someone to proof your poster BEFORE it is plotted.
• If possible, prepare a one-page hand out of your poster for professional conferences, so that interested readers can take a copy.
• At the meeting, wear a name tag and be prepared to give a brief overview or to answer questions.  Poster session often involve the give and take of ideas, so keep an open mind and look out for unexpected, but possibly helpful suggestions.
• Ask your mentor if you should consult with the Speaking Lab for professional guidance, assistance, help, etc..

Useful Links for Posters:                                         

Generic Poster Templates From PosterSession.com              

CofC PowerPoint Template 1 (54” by 40”)                  

CofC PowerPoint Template 2 (54” by 40”)

CofC Images (to include on your poster)

CofC Colors (keep in mind while creating your poster)

CofC Seals (to include on your poster)