Pedroza Earns Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship

Karina Pedroza, a Senior McNair Scholar, received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. She will be studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the University of Belgrano and in Lima, Peru at the Universidad Del Pacifico this spring.

The Gilman Scholarship offers undergraduate students an opportunity to expand their education internationally. Geared toward students who have not studied abroad before or had extensive international experience, the Gilman award funds students interested primarily in non-traditional study abroad destinations.

Study in South America is the logical next step toward Karina’s ultimate educational goal—a joint J.D. and Ph.D. in social psychology, with the object of securing a career in law. Karina wants to work as a liaison between immigration communities and policy makers. As a McNair Scholar, Karina has already begun exploring attitudes toward immigration with her Summer Research Experience, Content of Attitudes on Immigration.

Daily interactions as well as her coursework at the universities will help Karina become familiar with the peoples, cultures, and languages she’ll work with as a graduate student and beyond. Course work at the University of Belgrano and the Universidad Del Pacifico offer unique educational opportunities. Some of the courses Karina will take include “Populism in Latin America”, “Art and Culture of Peru”, and “History of Latin America in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries”.

The specific knowledge Karina will gain, as well as the broader experiences she will have while abroad, will also enrich her colleagues’ studies. Just as Karina brings her research experience into the classroom at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she plans on sharing her experiences with colleagues when she returns in the fall.

Congratulations, Karina! We look forward to hearing more about your adventures and studies!

Finals Week Tips!

Well The “fifteenth week” (better known to most of us as “dead week”) and finals week are here!

As McNair Scholars, we know you have a lot on your plate. Likely, you will have multiple finals, projects, and presentations to be working on. Senior and Master Scholars who may be finishing up on their graduate applications while studying for final exams and completing course project and papers, will face particular challenges.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by these tasks and by the pressures we put upon ourselves to succeed in these activities, but it’s also important to maintain a healthy balance so that you remain healthy, happy, and able to celebrate the upcoming holidays and time off before returning back to UNL in January!

In our October individual meetings, we talked about time management, and now is a great time to set those tips to good use! Here’s a reminder of some of those tips:

Mark Your Deadlines.

• Get out that planner (or use an online calendar), and clearly mark deadlines like paper due dates and test times. Next, check for conflicts if you have two tests that overlap, or if you’re scheduled to work during a test time; you’ll need to resolve that as quickly as possible. Also, gather all the class syllabi and take note of when professors’ office hours are if a last minute question comes up. Keep in mind that Love and CYT libraries have extended hours December 11-13, staying open until 1 a.m. to better serve students who prefer late-night study sessions.

Set a Study Schedule.

• Outline the remaining two weeks of your semester. On a piece of paper create a REALISTIC study schedule to prepare yourself for finals. Start by writing down the date of your final exams, and it’s always a good rule that in difficult classes you should study a week in advance–yes, a week. It seems crazy, but whether your final is cumulative or over three chapters, it is easier to designate one chapter to study per day. The point of this schedule is to make this time more manageable. Don’t try to spend all day studying one thing or you will burn out.

Use Good Study Habits.

• Take advantage of your textbook. Many textbooks come with online study tools that can better prepare you for tests. Also look for videos that accompany the chapters as well as practice quizzes and activities.
• Rewrite Notes. Having a hard time making your lecture notes stick? Rewriting your notes takes longer than skimming them. The extra time you spend rewriting can help engrain the information in your mind.
• Get Creative. Everyone has a different studying style – some people are visual learners, others are better at listening. Find out what works for you, and do it. This can be anything from putting sticky notes with hard-to-remember facts on your computer monitor, to listening to podcasts of lectures while you eat breakfast.
• Form a Study Group. Study guides don’t prepare themselves! Don’t wait until the Sunday before exam week to figure out what should be on that yet-to-be-created study guide. Try forming a study group to share the load of material. Additionally, study groups can be a great way to relieve stress—you’re all in this together!

Take Care of Yourself.

• If you don’t take care of your body, you could hit a slump right when you need the most energy. Take time to eat healthy meals (that means fruits and veggies, carbs and proteins, not just a Snickers bar and a Gatorade) and schedule time for sleep.
• Your mind needs time to rest and refresh, so taking breaks can help you feel more alert. Make time to go for a walk, hit the gym, call a friend, or even watch some TV – it will help you refresh your mind.

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Finals Study Hints Adapted from:

http://www.survivingcollegelife.com/2007/11/29/33/

http://www.tipstrs.com/tip/2025/How-to-survive-Hell-week-(aka-Finals-week

http://www.ehow.com/how_5551574_survive-finals-week.html

http://media.www.thecsusmpride.com/media/storage/paper1149/news/2008/04/29/Features/Stayin.Alive.Tips.And.Tricks.To.Survive.Finals.Week-3354064.shtml

MSRE Week 9: Preparing for Berkeley

It’s hard to believe, but MSRE 2011 is coming to an end with the UNL Research Colloquium approaching on July 28^th, 2011. The Colloquium will allow the scholars to present to their mentors and other faculty and staff around campus before presenting at the 19^th Annual California McNair Scholars Symposium at UC Berkeley.

To lend some advice, two former McNair scholars from the previous cohort, Jeff Lopez and Karise Carrillo, have discussed their own experiences in preparing for the conference.

Photo Courtesy of the University of California at Berkeley

UNL McNair:  What helped you the most when preparing for your individual presentation? Practicing with friends? With McNair staff? By yourself? Memorizing your presentation?

Jeff Lopez, Goldwater Scholar. Photo Courtesy of Craig Chandler of University Communications at UNL.

 Jeff: All of the above helped me to prepare, but most important for me was the real presentations that we did in front of our cohort and at the UNL Research Colloquium.  I’m kind of a “fly by the seat of my pants” guy, and so having some real presentations as practice really helped me get prepared.

Karise: I first practiced by myself to get comfortable with my material and then practiced in front of Maegan and Brian (our GAs during MSRE 2010). When I was comfortable with the two of them, I practiced with a few of my cohort. Finally, I practiced in front of the rest of the MSRE staff and my cohort, at which they provided valuable feedback. I memorized my presentation in a way, but I had practiced so much that I became familiarized enough with it to say it less rigidly. McNair staff really provided invaluable feedback that I still use when I give presentations.

UNL McNair: Did you have experience presenting your research prior to MSRE?

 Jeff: No, but there is a first time for everything!

Karise: Absolutely none at all, unless you count class presentations. Looking back on those, I wish I had this knowledge that MSRE gave me. My presentations probably violated every rule of Presentations 101!

UNL McNair: What was Berkeley like? Fun? Scary?

Jeff: Berkeley was a blast!  The town is great, and it was so much fun spending time with my cohort.  It was also really cool to see what other scholars across the country were doing.

Karise: Berkeley was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed visiting the campus and city, but I greatly enjoyed the interdisciplinary atmosphere. The presentations were great, and the professional development workshops were helpful for graduate school applications.

UNL McNair: Any advice for this year’s presenters?

Jeff: I would just say to take the presentation seriously.  I learned so much about my project when I had to put together a presentation because, in order to explain something well, you first have to truly understand it yourself.

Karise Carrillo, Presenting at the 2010 UNL Research Colloquium

Karise: Having worked with this year’s cohort, I must say you’ve all done a great job on your projects. Therefore, be confident in the fact that you’re the expert on your particular topic! After all, you’ve just spent a good amount of months working on this project. Take that into consideration when you start to get the pre-presentation jitters. You’re there to teach others on your subject, so don’t spend time worrying about what they think of you.

 

Thank you both for your time and encouragement. Current Scholars, good luck at Berkeley! You’ve done a fantastic job thus far, and we know you will continue to make us proud!

MSRE Week 6: Nearing the End

Continuing on in these final weeks of MSRE, the scholars heard from Dr. Rick Lombardo on the intricacies of a formal presentation. Scholars will develop their presentations for the California McNair Conference at Berkeley, with input from their faculty and graduate mentors, and final edits from McNair staff.

To provide some perspective on the MSRE experience, we turn to Alyssa Lundahl and Reinaldo Alcalde. Alyssa’s project conducts a psychometric evaluation of the Behavioral Observation of Preschoolers System (BOPS). Rei’s project examines the amount of water flow and discharge through a combined weir and sluice gate model.

 

UNL McNair: So far, what have you learned about conducting a full-scale research project?

Alyssa: The most important thing I’ve learned so far while conducting a full-scale research project is to expect the unexpected and to handle setbacks in an optimistic manner. I started my research this summer with the expectation that all would go as planned. However, after three weeks into the summer research experience, I completely changed my project. For my new project, I made the same database four different times and ran the same analyses more than I’d ever expected I’d need to. However, each time I redo a step of the process, I learn something new and grow as a scholar. Overall, I’ve learned that a full-scale research project requires a lot of time and dedication, but the gratification that comes from seeing your research project develop is well worth the hard work.

Rei Throwing Particles into Model

Rei: Throughout the summer, I’ve learned many things about conducting research. First and foremost, I’ve learned that if something can go wrong, it most likely will go wrong. Lab research can sometimes be extremely tedious, but it’s also very rewarding. When there’s a problem in the lab, it’s up to us to find a way to fix it. This might not sound fun, but it’s probably been the most exciting aspect of this research experience. Having to problem-solve and expect the unexpected has created many challenges for me, but at the same time has improved my skills as a researcher immensely.

 

UNL McNair: How do you feel your research has been going? Are you enjoying the experience?

Alyssa: With the support of Dr. David Hansen, Chris Campbell, Tiffany West, and the McNair Scholars staff, I feel as though my research this summer has progressed very well, despite a few road bumps along the way. I’ve learned a considerable amount of information this summer, not only in the realm of research, but also in terms of graduate school preparation, effective presentation skills, and writing. Not only have I enjoyed conducting my own research project, but it’s been great hearing about the research being conducted by scholars from other disciplines in the McNair Summer Research Experience.

Rei: As of now, research has been going very well for me. I’ve been able to expand my knowledge in the field of Civil Engineering, more specifically in Water Resources, which is my main summer goal. I’ve not only enjoyed the actual experience of conducting lab research, but also the colleagues I’ve met during the process. The graduate students and professors whom I’ve met and developed relationships with have given me invaluable information and resources, all of which will be very helpful for entering and attending a graduate program.

 

UNL McNair: Has there been anything about MSRE that was unexpected?

Alyssa Enters Data into SPSS

Alyssa: Having spent almost three years conducting research in labs on campus, I didn’t expect that there would be a considerable amount of information regarding the research process that I hadn’t already experienced. However, I’ve learned more this summer than I have in the past three years, and each day presents a new and exciting challenge. This is precisely the reason why graduate school and a future conducting research are attractive to me: each day is unpredictable and challenging, yet rewarding and worthwhile.

Rei: Other than the unpredictability that working in the lab brings me, what I found most surprising was the fact that my mentor is especially excited about continuing this research through the fall semester. By doing this, we’ll be able to have complete results and the ability to publish in a journal. As an undergraduate, having an article published in an Engineering journal is extremely exciting and something I didn’t expect at all when coming into the MSRE.

 

Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules to provide your insight! We look forward to seeing the finished products and your presentations at UC: Berkeley.

MSRE Week 5: The Halfway Mark

We’ve reached the downhill slope of MSRE, but things are beginning to pick up the pace in our scholars’ projects. During the past two weeks (Week 4 and Week 5), scholars presented progress updates on their research, learned about how to craft the perfect personal statement, discussed how to present research through conference-style posters, and were asked to submit drafts of their abstract, introduction, and methodology sections.

In this week’s set of interviews, we’ve spoken with Brittany Jones and Christian Padilla. Brittany is examining the effect of emancipation on public opinion in Washington D.C. during the Civil War. Christian is examining the Peaucellier straight-line linkage to generate an exact straight line and changes in output paths.

 

UNL McNair: So far, what have you learned about conducting a full-scale research project?

Brittany Reading Archived Newspapers

Brittany: Conducting research of your own, or just a part of larger project, takes a lot of dedication and perseverance. What I’ve learned by doing my project on compensated emancipation in Washington DC is that my professor/mentor draws from the same pool of knowledge that I do. I’ve become a little more knowledgeable for this particular subtopic because it’s what I’m researching. When I ask a question, my mentor often tells me that the majority of the information he knows comes from my work. It takes a lot of initiative when you’re in a situation like that because you have to find the answers to your own questions.

Christian: Conducting a full scale research project sounds intimidating when you say it out loud but with all the help I received, from my mentor and the McNair staff, it was all very do-able. Research doesn’t have to be daunting; it can be fun. Just remember to ask questions and to keep in communication with everyone involved.

 

UNL McNair: How do you feel your research has been going? Are you enjoying the experience?

Brittany: It’s been going great. The reading takes a lot more time than I previously thought it would. And even as I’m going along, I’m developing new queries based on what I’ve found.  I enjoy building this pool of knowledge and realizing how much I already knew (that just needed to be refreshed). It’s like a job, building all of the knowledge necessary to write and conduct the research. But it’s great when you realize how much you do know. Then it’s just the organization that’s a pain.

Christian: So far, I feel like my research has been going very well. I like all the students and faculty that the program has put me in contact with, and I’ve been learning a lot about my discipline. On top of that, the summer has been very productive. I’ve learned how much can be accomplished if you work at it each day. It has been a very enjoyable experience and I hope that others enjoy the program as much as I have.

 

UNL McNair: Has there been anything about MSRE that was unexpected?

Christian Running MATLAB

Brittany: The writing, I expected the writing to take a much longer time. It’ll take a huge chunk of my time, and sometimes I can’t seem to be able to articulate my findings and thoughts. At other times the writing comes really easy, and I can write pages without even noticing it. At times I feel I’ll never reach the page mark, and others I worry that I won’t be able to condense enough of it to fit.

Christian: Research-wise, I have been kept in the loop about everything without any big surprises. If I had to choose, though, I would say that it surprised me to see how close knit my lab group is. Each member of the group has their own interesting personality but they work incredibly well together, teaching and learning from each other. I wasn’t prepared to stumble on such an interesting group of friends during this program.

 

Thank you both for your insightful discussion on the McNair Summer Research Experience. We look forward to continued successes in your projects! Keep up the good work!

MSRE Week 3: Finding a Rhythm in the Research Process

During the third week of MSRE, McNair Scholars reviewed each other’s Introduction, Literature Review, and Background sections. They were asked to critically assess one another and be receptive to feedback. With this feedback, they will begin a second draft of these sections in the weeks to come and be one step closer to a completed research project.

Reinaldo Alcalde and Misam Ali

Mollie Dittmer and Christian Padilla

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week, Mollie Dittmer and Misam Ali provided us with their insight into their MSRE experiences. Mollie is currently examining factors at play in retaining participants in a child sexual abuse group treatment. Misam is researching monetary policies of Sudan, Chad, and Ethiopia to see if historical colonization affected their respective policies.

 

UNL McNair: Thus far, what have you learned about conducting a full scale research project?

Mollie: So far, I’ve learned that it’s a lot more time consuming than I had first envisioned. There’s really a lot more that goes into it than I had originally thought- like making the data coding packets that I’ve been using and finding the files that I’ve needed to code in various file cabinets. Also, I have to be extremely organized in order to fully maximize my time that I spend down in the lab. It can be easy to get distracted, but then you’re just putting off work and making it more stressful on yourself.

Misam: Thus far, I’ve learned to be patient with a full-scale research project. Developing a strong research project takes time and effort; it doesn’t happen in a matter of days or weeks. When you’re really passionate about your project, you want to keep moving forward because you’re amazed at what you find and your abilities. It’s a priceless feeling!

 

UNL McNair: How do you feel about your research so far? How has it been going? Are you enjoying the experience?

Mollie Reading Participant Files

Mollie: The research experience is interesting so far. I’ve worked with various graduate students on their research before, but being in charge is a lot of responsibility. I’ve been working quite a bit lately to make sure that I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’m enjoying the experience so far! It’s a lot of work, but I know that the end result will be worth it since I’ll have a full research report of data that I found and worked so hard on.

Misam: It’s going great, better than I planned. At first, I was very nervous that I would be lost, my project would be boring/weak, or simply I wouldn’t be able to stay engaged. To my luck, I’m experiencing the complete opposite. I’m very passionate about my project because ultimately this is what I plan to research in my future career. I feel this experience is a preview of my future career, so I’m serious with this project. At the same time, I’m learning more about myself as a writer. Finding my true weaknesses and my strengths as a writer has not only improved my research project, but it has improved me as a better student. This MSRE has truly challenged me as a writer.

 

UNL McNair: What are your research plans for the upcoming weeks?

Mollie: I’m currently finishing up recoding Project SAFE files to show each client’s participation and retention, and then I’m going to begin entering them into a database next week. After they’re all entered into the database, then we’ll begin running analyses and start getting our results.

Misam Reading Background Theory

Misam: After receiving feedback from my introduction and literature review, I feel more confident in my project. I now know what I’m good at and what I need to improve on, so I feel I’m moving along in this project, which is great. Plus I feel more ready to attack the next sections! These upcoming weeks, I’ll start writing the Methods section, AKA, the meat and bones of my project. There’s a lot of information that needs to be organized in a concise and logic matter. With confidence and support, I know MSRE experience will be an insightful experience.

 

Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules to respond! Good luck in the following weeks of MSRE. We look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor!

MSRE Week 2: First Exposures to the Research Process

In this second week of the 2011 McNair Summer Research Experience, the Junior Scholars have been hard at work preparing their outline for their research papers and learning about the process of scholarly writing from Dr. Richard Lombardo.  Next week, they’ll have completed their research paper’s introduction and literature review using the knowledge they’ve learned from this week’s session.

With their projects well underway, Karina Pedroza and Nathan Lilienthal offered us some insight into their projects and how they’re adapting to the research process. Karina is researching attitudes on immigration, while Nathan is researching the effect of climate on body size trends of Pleistocene horses.

Karina Taking Notes on Survey Data

UNL McNair: Thus far, what have you learned about conducting a full-scale research project?

Karina: I’ve learned that it is a lot of work, and it requires a lot of organization. By organization, I mean keeping track of all the deadlines that have to be met and making sure to have enough time to finish the different assignments. My summer project has definitely been a priority this summer. It’s a different experience than before; before, research was a side activity, still important but something I had to make time for. Now, everything else revolves around my project.

Nathan: So far, I’ve learned that you really have to plan your research project carefully in order to keep everything organized and in working order. Also, it requires a lot of time and effort, but all of this will pay off in the end.

UNL McNair: How do you feel about your research so far? How has it been going? Are you enjoying the experience?

Karina: I feel very good about my research so far. It was a slow start, but now it’s going a lot smoother. It’s really interesting and satisfying conceptualizing a project and seeing it through.

Nathan: I’m really enjoying the research experience; it allows me to get a hands on feel for what my career as a paleontologist may be like. At first, I was a little unsure on how the research process worked, but after awhile I got the hang of it, and I feel that this experience will definitely prepare me for graduate school.

Nathan Measuring Pleistocene Horse Bones

UNL McNair: Has there been anything unexpected about MSRE so far?

Karina: The workload. We were warned that it was going to be a lot of work, but it’s the time too. Deadlines come up quicker than expected. There are also a lot of different things to get done. For example, you have to worry about your project, the research paper, the GRE, and applying to graduate school. Sometimes it’s overwhelming, but it feels extremely satisfying once I complete one step and move onto the next.

Nathan: I feel that, during the fall and spring semesters, the McNair staff did a wonderful job on informing everyone on what to expect during the MSRE and what should be done early in order to stay on track, which depleted possible unexpected occurrences to happen.

Thank you both! You’ve both risen to the challengw of a full-scale research project and will do well throughout MSRE. Continue your hard work, and keep up the good attitudes! We’re all proud of you.

MSRE 2011: New Beginnings for the Junior Scholars

 

The Junior Scholars During MSRE 2011

The 2011 McNair Summer Research Experience began on May 25th, 2011. The junior cohort of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at UNL (depicted to the right) consists of Reinaldo Alcalde, Misam Ali, Mollie Dittmer, Brittany Jones, Nathan Lilienthal, Alyssa Lundahl, Christian Padilla, and Karina Pedroza.

The scholars received an overview of the summer research experience, expectations, and handouts to help them begin their journey. The scholars have been preparing their research projects throughout the 2010-2011 school year by selecting a research mentor, research topic, completing IRB protocols, and submitting research proposals.

Charles Gere, Champion for UNL

At the session, “Frontier University Dreams” was shown to the scholars to demonstrate the history of the university’s structural, academic, and cultural development. The documentary, created by Nebraska Educational Television, details the university’s struggle to establish itself as a land-grant university since its 1869 charter. The university wanted to be accessible and accountable to all of Nebraska. Tuition was free and open to all. As a land-grant university, its primary goals were to instruct in the fields of agriculture and mechanics.

Charles Gere (depicted to the left), chair of the Education Committee at the time, championed the legislation that would create the charter for the University of Nebraska to be established in Lincoln, Nebraska. Gere also helped, in times of doubt, to reinvigorate the image of the university.

The documentary depicted many important Nebraskans in their studies and contributions to the University as either students, professors, or deans. Such figures are memorialized around the university in the names of buildings. Pound Hall was named for Louise Pound, a renowned athlete and UNL scholar who was the first to bring a national title to UNL (in tennis). Her brother was Roscoe Pound, who helped to revitalize the American legal system while dean at Harvard. Roscoe received degrees at UNL, where he started his studies at the age of ten. Cather Hall is named for Willa Cather, who began her studies hoping to become a doctor. She instead found her passion for writing with the guidance of Gere (who encouraged her to become editor for the school paper). Canfield is named for James Canfield, beloved Chancellor of the university in the 1880′s, who helped to increase enrollment and heighten public opinion of the university. Canfield also expanded the scope of the University’s academia to fine arts and liberal arts beyond that of the typical A&M studies.

Other UNL notables depicted in the field include J.D. recipient General John J. Pershing, who taught at UNL while receiving his degree, before going on to capture Pancho Villa in Mexico and to command forces in WWI. Also, Charles Bessey was professor of botany at the university and later Dean and Chancellor.

The history of the university is a proud one that perpetuates academia and diversity. UNL was originally open to all – including women and minorities. UNL’s first African American athlete, George Flippin, was supported by his teammates and not kicked off the team when Missouri refused to play UNL. The following year, Missouri agreed to play Nebraska despite UNL having an African American on its team, as long as they played on neutral turf.

Scholars were shown the video to instill a sense of pride in their University and to illustrate that hard work has paid off in the past in scholarly pursuits. Their own university dreams will be made reality with help and guidance from the McNair Summer Research Experience.

Grad Student Advice: Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Entered Graduate School

Chi Min and McNair Scholar Alan Goyzueta

In this month’s blogpost, we asked a current graduate student, Chi Min Seow, about what he wishes someone had told him before he entered graduate school. Chi Min is a graduate student in mechanical engineering, and Senior Scholar Alan Goyzueta’s graduate student mentor. Here he offers his advice on what he wishes he had known before beginning his graduate degree, and what he’s learned along the way.

Graduate school is about exploring your interests: make sure you’re there for the right reasons. Chi Min emphasizes that while we all have our own reasons for going to graduate school, it’s important to recognize that graduate degrees are a significant commitment; one you should give careful consideration, and should be based on your interest, curiosity, and passion about the topic you’ll study. As Chi Min said, “If the field you’re applying to doesn’t interest you a single bit, you are in for a gloomy period of time in your life.

Don’t get sidetracked by minute aspects of your graduate school experience when you might be better served in the long run by focusing on completing the research at hand. As Chi Min put it “In many cases, solving the problem should be placed ahead of generating an idea.” This is an important concept to consider, though it may vary by discipline. A student’s work in the humanities may rest upon their novel research idea/argument for their thesis or dissertation, while a student in engineering may be expected to complete a faculty members or research groups project in a finite period of time. Which leads to our next point…

Always make sure to keep your advisor closely informed of your progress—whatever that may be. As Chi Min wisely advises, “Your advisor should always be aware of your current situation. They are the best person to give you advice on your research…at the same time, expectations should be communicated very frequently between you and your advisor.”  Chi Min notes that he’s witnessed fellow students trying to move forward on their research projects independently, reading countless articles and books looking for direction when their advisor would have been able to guide them forward easily.

If you don’t know, just ask. It’s important to keep in perspective that in graduate school, and in academia itself, we’re all here to learn from one another and share our unique perspectives along with our final research product. Your advisor should be your advocate, and the person you turn to along the way with any questions that you may have. Chi Min wisely emphasizes, “You may not know everything about your project, and that is okay. The most important thing is you must be willing to ask others. They could be your advisor, your colleagues or your friends.”

Along with individuals in your department, don’t forget to make contact with the McNair community at whatever university you may end up at. You may be able to connect with other current and former McNair Scholars and share your experiences with them. And remember, once a McNair Scholar, always a McNair Scholar.

Writing a Successful Research Proposal

As Scholars, research proposals are something you will write numerous times throughout your academic career in order to describe and propose a research project you’d like to undertake. Often, your proposal will be the official document that you submit in order to be considered for funding, just like the proposal all McNair Scholars who participate in UNL’s UCARE program have experience writing.

Junior Scholars are now completing their research proposals for the 2011 McNair Scholars Research Experience, and many of our graduating Senior Scholars are also likely thinking ahead to the projects they’d like to undertake while in graduate school. A strong, well-written research proposal is the first step to a quality research project, so we put together a few tips and reminders to keep in mind as you work on current and future research proposals.

What exactly is a research proposal? One definition of a research proposal is: a detailed management plan for a research project. While your plan should be detailed, it also needs to be concise and well thought out. A well-researched and focused proposal will save you valuable time and effort in revisions later.

You’ll begin your research proposal like any other piece of academic work, with an introduction. Your introduction should provide a brief overview of the research problem, and create interest in the topic and question being researched. (this section should illustrate the “so what?” where you describe why your research is relevant and noteworthy to others)

Following the introduction, you’ll develop a problem statement. Keep in mind that the research you propose to do must be unique and relevant. In the problem statement, you’ll describe the importance of the research you plan to conduct, and also provide readers with a framework to understand how your research will fit into the broader picture of scholarship on your topic.

Your research proposal will also contain a literature review. The literature review will be your opportunity to demonstrate that you’ve undertaken a thorough review of the current research that exists on your given topic, and demonstrates any “holes” that exist in current research.

A research proposal must also include a methods section, detailing how you will collect and analyze the data you’ll be using.

When completed, you should be able to confidently say that your research proposal demonstrates:

• Why the proposed research is important
• Who the research is important to
• How the conducted research will contribute to already existing scholarship and practice

Most importantly, don’t hesitate to ask for help if you have questions along the way. Faculty members are there to help, and can talk to you about how research proposals are written in your discipline. You can also ask for help or assistance from a graduate student in your department. They have experience writing research proposals, and should be happy to share their insight on how to successfully complete the process. Finally, McNair staff are here to help as well—just ask!

Some material taken from Dr. Richard Lombardo’s lecture “Writing a Research Proposal.”