Office of Student Research

2023 Student Research Conference

Conference Information

Truman’s 2023 Student Research Conference will be held as a hybrid conference on Thursday, April 27. Face-to-face oral, poster, performance art, studio art, and asynchronous virtual presentations will be facilitated. Undergraduate and graduate students from all academic disciplines are invited to present their scholarly or creative work.

Questions about the Student Research Conference should be directed to the Office of Student Research via email at osr@truman.edu.

Call for Abstracts

Abstract Submission Deadline: March 21 at 5:00 pm CST

Submit an Abstract

Abstract Submission Guidelines

All abstracts are due by 5 pm CST on March 21. Faculty mentors must approve abstract submissions by 5 pm CST on March 23.

An eligible presentation will report, perform, or represent the outcome of substantial work by a student or group of students. While the project may have its origin in an assignment for a class, the presentation should show it has been developed above and beyond a class requirement. It is a paper, artifact or performance that can truly be called a creative achievement.

Each presentation should be sponsored or co-sponsored by a Truman faculty mentor(s); non-sponsored abstracts will not be accepted. If students wish to present scholarly work that has been conducted during an off-campus scholarly experience, and the faculty mentor is from a different institution, the student should identify a Truman faculty member to be a co-sponsor of the presentation and to help with planning the presentation.

Each presentation requires an abstract. An abstract is a summary of the project, and should reflect the professional format normally associated with scholarly work in the discipline (e.g., an abstract of an artistic performance may be similar to the program notes that typically accompany such a performance; scientific abstracts typically include background information, methods, results, and a brief discussion). All abstracts will appear on the conference website.

Students can be the first author on a maximum of two abstracts. Both single- and multiple-author presentations are welcome. The student submitting the abstract will be listed as the first author. Each abstract should only be submitted by one student.

Student authors should adhere to professional submission standards when preparing abstracts and should work with their faculty mentors to ensure that their abstract is correct, complete, and that all guidelines are followed. The body of the abstract should not exceed 150 words, and it can be composed and edited using standard word processing software. The final abstract, along with other information, will need to be submitted via the online submission form. Examples of past abstracts can be viewed here.

Abstracts and other relevant information for all presentations should be submitted via the online submission form. Copies of the information submitted will be emailed to the student presenter(s) and the faculty mentor(s). The submission site will open in February, and the deadline for receiving abstracts is March 21, 2023 at 5:00 pm CST.

 

Presentation Types

Student authors should select the presentation type and disciplines related to this presentation when the abstract is submitted. Please note that your presentation may not necessarily be grouped with others of the same discipline as presentations are compiled in both disciplinary and interdisciplinary sessions based on the overall distribution of abstracts submitted. Any special requests need to be made when the abstract is submitted. The presentation format options are listed below.

Face-to-Face Presentations

Oral presentations are scheduled for 15 minutes each including time for questions. A computer and projector will be available in each session room. Presenters who wish to deliver computer-based presentations should use software packages that are standardly available on campus computers. Presenters should indicate on their online submission form if additional audio-visual equipment is needed. A moderator will be present in each room to help you upload your presentation and keep on track with time while presenting.

Student presenters should stand by their work for discussion and questions during their scheduled poster session. Poster walls and push-pins will be provided for poster display. Posters should be no taller or wider than 33 inches; however, the final poster size within those limits can be at the discretion of the student author.

Performance art presentations are examples of theatrical or musical performances, or a combination of the two. The performances are scheduled for 15 minutes each, including time for discussion and questions. Equipment needs (music stands, piano, etc.) should be requested when the abstract is submitted.

Art exhibits are examples of creative work from the fields of painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, fibers, or visual communications. Student presenters should stand by their work for discussion and questions during the scheduled studio art session.

Virtual Presentations

Asynchronous virtual presentations can be submitted in any format (oral, poster, performance art, or studio art). All asynchronous virtual presentations will be allotted a maximum time of 10 minutes. If you have accompanying slides or materials, these should be shared by recording your screen. If you are able, we would also appreciate seeing a video of you while presenting. Presentations should be posted to the virtual conference platform (Flip) by 5 pm CST on Tuesday, April 25th.

 

Information for Faculty Mentors

Due to the size and scope of the Student Research Conference, acceptance of student abstract submissions is at the discretion of the faculty mentor. Consequently, each student presentation must be sponsored by a Truman faculty mentor.

The Office of Student Research will rely on faculty mentors to work with their student(s) to ensure that abstracts are correct, complete, and the result of eligible work (see submission guidelines above). The Program Committee reserves the right to reject an abstract that is incomplete, is not the result of eligible work, or does not follow the submission guidelines even if it has been accepted by the faculty mentor.

Each presentation must have a faculty mentor. If students are presenting work done off-campus, for example during an internship, they must identify a Truman faculty member as a co-sponsor. Abstracts that lack faculty sponsorship will not be accepted. Your involvement in the work to be presented at the Student Research Conference is therefore essential. Without you, there can be no conference. You should know about the responsibilities of mentoring as well as the significant benefits it can confer.

As a faculty mentor, you should familiarize yourself with the outlined Presentation Types and Submission Guidelines. Before you agree to be a mentor, you should make sure the proposed work is eligible and you should work with the students involved in preparing the abstract and getting ready for the presentation.

While the primary goal of the conference is to encourage and reward student research, scholarship, and creative activity, faculty mentors should remember that their student’s presentation also reflects upon themselves and their academic discipline and division.

At the very minimum, faculty mentors should:

1) Ensure that the student(s) have complied with the submission guidelines

2) Proof-read the abstract prior to submission and give the student(s) appropriate feedback and editing

3) Formally approve the abstract submission

4) Preview the presentation prior to the conference and give appropriate feedback to enhance the quality of the presentation

  • The stimulation and confidence that accompanies creative thinking
  • The opportunity to mentor enthusiastic, high-quality students
  • The enhanced ability to remain current in one’s field and discipline
  • The excitement created by intellectual activity and participation in new discoveries
  • The recognition by one’s internal and external peers
  • The reinvigoration of one’s career
  • The chance to improve teaching techniques, such as in investigative laboratories (or workshops)
  • The ability to transfer results from one’s scholarship into the classroom
  • The ability to promote the concept of life-long learning for students

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