Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium: URSS Library Award & others

The Gumberg Library Award for Undergraduate Research recognizes outstanding research projects in any field of study that incorporate significant use of library expertise, resources, collections, and/or services. Thanks to the generous financial support of donors, the award will include a $500 cash prize.

Eligibility

Online posters accepted for Duquesne University’s Undergraduate Student Research and Scholarship Symposium (URSS) will be considered for the Gumberg Library Award for Undergraduate Research. No award will be made if no posters submitted meet the specified criteria.

Students can request a consultation and find more information about Gumberg Library’s URSS research support at: https://guides.library.duq.edu/urss

Evaluation Criteria

A committee of library faculty and administrators will judge relevant posters based on research questions and inquiry methods, effective use of appropriate literature and data to support conclusions, and innovative or creative contribution to the field of study. Emphasis will be placed on sound research methodology and demonstrated use of Gumberg Library’s resources. Posters will also be evaluated on design, clarity, organization, and successful communication of ideas to those unfamiliar with the field.

Scoring Rubric:

 Evidence of effective and/or creative use of Gumberg Library's resources that may include:

• Manuscripts, archival or special collections
• Databases and other electronic collections
• Printed resources
• Library services and/or research consultations

[40% of score]

Effective application of principles of research:

• Effective use of research method(s) appropriate to the question/hypothesis
• Substantive use of existing research to support the project
• Clearly documented sources cited according to the conventions of the discipline

[30% of score]

Effective communication of research/scholarship:

• Clear explanation of research hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusions
• Clear explanation of the project's contribution to the field of study or to society
• Effective use of poster medium and organization of project material

[30% of score]

The Gumberg Library Award for Undergraduate Research will be announced at the end of the URSS. 

Award winning posters will be made publicly available through Duquesne's Institutional Repository, Duquesne Scholarship Collection.

Each year, various university departments generously sponsor cash awards for outstanding research and scholarship.

→ View All Awards Here!