34th Annual Undergraduate and 19th Annual Graduate Research Conference
A Celebration of Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement
Call for Abstracts
Abstract Deadline: March 16 at 5:00 pm CST
Truman’s 2021 Student Research Conference will be held as a hybrid conference on Thursday, April 22. Asynchronous virtual oral, poster, performance art, and studio art presentations and a limited number of face-to-face oral presentations will be facilitated. Undergraduate and graduate students from all academic disciplines are invited and encouraged to present their scholarly or creative work.
Presentation Types
Presentations will be grouped into disciplinary and interdisciplinary sessions based on the overall distribution of abstracts submitted. Authors select the scholarly area and the presentation type that is most appropriate for their project. The presentation options are listed below.
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.
Submission Guidelines
Program & Schedule
The abstracts and final program will be available online prior to the event. Questions about the program for the Conference should be directed to the Office of Student Research via email at osr@truman.edu.
Information for Students
The annual Student Research Conference is one of the distinctive features of the Truman experience, an important reason why the school that you are attending has such a strong reputation. As you consider applying to be a part of this special day, there are a few items below that may convince you to become involved, and will lead to an enriching, and exciting experience.
- the development of skills to function more independently
- the opportunity to put classroom knowledge into practice
- the identification of career interests
- the building of mentor relationships between faculty and students
- the stimulation that comes with critical thinking
- the opportunity to participate in new discoveries
- the ability to better understand research methodologies
- the stimulation of creativity
- the increased likelihood of acceptance into graduate or professional school
- the ability to communicate to a wide audience
- recognition by one’s peers
- the sheer excitement created by intellectual activity
- the opportunity to earn wages or academic credit
- the enhanced ability to grasp the philosophy of life-long learning
- Communicate with your faculty mentor early. Your mentor is a professional; you will soon become a professional. Learn from her/him the proper procedures for designing and presenting your project. Let them know early your hopes and aspirations for the conference, so that they may guide you through this experience.
- Have your mentor review your material. Your mentor should view your abstract before it’s submitted so you can make the necessary revisions. You should also work with your mentor before presenting at the Student Research Conference to make sure your presentation is of professional quality.
- Practice and time your talk. If presenting a face-to-face oral presentation, you will have 10-12 minutes to speak, 3-5 minutes to answer questions. You will not be permitted to exceed this limit. In preparation for a professional conference, the speaker practices and times the presentation. Be professional, and do this as well.
- Use slides judiciously. A professional uses PowerPoint as an aid to outline and guide a presentation, not to substitute for a presentation.
More information for preparation of virtual presentations will be posted prior to the Student Research Conference.
- You do not need a hard copy of your presentation.
- Dress professionally. Your appearance communicates your competency, both at this conference and in all other professional situations.
- Arrive ~15 minutes before your scheduled session begins and stay for the entirety of your scheduled session.
- If you are presenting virtually, periodically check for questions and comments on your presentation so you can respond to them.
Information for Faculty Mentors
The size and scope of the Conference preclude any type of peer review of abstracts, and virtually all student submissions are accepted for presentation. Consequently, each student presentation must be sponsored by a faculty mentor, and the Program Committee 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). 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, and 4) preview the presentation prior to the Conference and give appropriate feedback to enhance the quality of the presentation.
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 co-sponsor. Abstracts that lack faculty sponsorship will not be accepted. Your involvement in 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 Presentation Types and Submission Guidelines listed in the Call for Abstracts. There is no central review process for this Conference—virtually all submissions that have faculty mentors will be accepted. This means that, before you agree to be a mentor, you should make sure the proposed work is eligible (see Submission Guidelines); and, after agreeing, you should work with the students involved in preparing the abstract and getting ready for the presentation.
At the minimum, faculty should proofread the abstract before submission, give appropriate feedback and editing, and formally approve the submission. You will receive notification via email when a presentation for which you are listed as a mentor has been accepted. Stay in touch with students you are mentoring so you can preview presentations, giving appropriate feedback to enhance their quality.
- 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.