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Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship

102 Roudebush Hall • Phone: 513-529-3600• Fax: 513-529-3762

UGR Guidelines

Undergraduate Research Award Program Guidelines for Year 2008-2009

09/15/2008 Round 1 Applications due in OARS by 5:00 pm
09/24/2008 Award Announcement (via e-mail)
Oct. - Dec. 2008 Research Period to Conduct Project (approximately 10 weeks)
01/18/2009 Final Report Due & Funds Must Be Spent

 

02/02/2009 Round 2 Applications due in OARS by 5:00 pm
02/11/2009 Award Announcement (via e-mail)
Feb. - Apr. 2009 Research Period to Conduct Project (approximately 10 weeks)
05/31/2009 Final Report Due & Funds Must Be Spent

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View Application Instructions for 2008-09 Academic Year Program
(Or Download the guidelines in either PDF format or Microsoft Word format.)

Application Format

Submit one original (and 13 copies) make sure to include each item in this order in your submission.

Application Preparation and Submission (Instructions)

OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM

The Undergraduate Research Committee of the University Senate announces Miami's newly revised and enhanced Undergraduate Research Award (URA) program.  This program is designed to encourage discovery, to stimulate creative activity, and to provide Miami Undergraduates experience in developing grant applications.  The aim and result of specific projects supported by the program may be modest as long as the work can reasonably be interpreted as research or a creative endeavor.   Undergraduates in all disciplines are encouraged to apply for support for their research and creative projects to be conducted under supervision of faculty sponsors.

Students may choose to apply in Round 1, Fall Semester or Round 2, Spring Semester.  See deadlines below. 

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STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility:  All enrolled full-time undergraduate students in all disciplines on all campuses who have a GPA of at least 2.0 are eligible to apply.  However, a student may receive only one award from this program per academic year.  Although projects must be initiated and developed by student applicant(s), each must also be sponsored by a faculty member.

Typical awards will be in the range of $150 to $500, but individual or group projects of exceptional merit or those projects involving interdisciplinary student teams may be funded up to $1,000.

OTHER POSSIBLE DEPARTMENTAL/ CENTER AWARDS
All applications in the following disciplines will be considered for awards and then automatically forwarded by OARS to the appropriate department/center for consideration of financial support from these funds:  Crannell (Psychology), Fisher (Microbiology), Maher (Political Science and Zoology), or Barrett Endowment for Ecology Research (Ecology).

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF FACULTY SPONSORS

Quality Assurance.

The faculty sponsor must make certain that the proposed project qualifies as research or other creative endeavor that will add to the sum of human knowledge and contribute to the growth of the scholarly or creative capability of the undergraduate researcher. The faculty sponsor should insure, through appropriate advice, that the:

  • applicant(s) generate(s) a well-written proposal that can be understood by an educated person who is not a specialist in the field;
  • application conforms fully to the format specified by the committee;
  • required information and appropriate protocol forms concerning special circumstances are supplied;
  • required number of application copies is submitted.

The faculty member should decline sponsorship of any proposal that falls outside the criteria of the Undergraduate Research Program.

Certifications.

The faculty sponsor must also certify the accuracy of the budget and determine whether any items listed can be obtained through means other than by funding obtained from the Undergraduate Research Program. Certain projects require special approval and therefore must meet the guidelines of the regulatory committees involved. The sponsor must also certify that the student investigator has received appropriate training and/or has submitted the appropriate completed form(s) for work involving human subjects, live vertebrate animals, radioisotopes, and/or recombinant DNA.

The faculty sponsor must sign any progress report, as well as the final report, submitted by the applicant(s) and make certain that these reports are typed and submitted in a timely manner.

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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
for the 2008-09 academic year
Undergraduate Research Award Program

APPLICATION PREPARATION and SUBMITTAL

Round 1 Fall Semester Round 2 Spring Semester Due Dates & Announcements
09/15/2008 02/02/2009 Applications due in OARS by 5:00 pm
09/24/2008 02/11/2009 Award Announcement
Oct. –- Dec. Feb. –- Apr. Research Period (approximately 10 weeks)
01/18/2009 05/31/2009 Final Report Due & Funds Must Be Spent

(Download the guidelines in PDF format. Failure to file a complete application may result in disqualification of your application. Your application must have all of the following sections, including sub-sections, listed below.

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Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS)
102 Roudebush Hall
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-3600

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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT

The main section of the application should be a written explanation of the details of the proposed research or other creative endeavor.  This narrative part of the application should be typed, single-spaced and 3-5 pages in length with one-inch margins.  Please number the pages, use 12 point font, and make the proposal double-sided to save paper.  Proposals will be evaluated for funding by a committee whose members represent a wide range of disciplines.  Therefore, the proposal should be written so it can be understood by an educated person who is not a specialist in the field.  Points will be deducted from the ratings of proposals that rely heavily on technical jargon.

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APPLICATION FORMAT

The following format and sub-sections must be used Endorsement Sheet (two-sided) Cover Page (1 page), Narrative (5 pages) (Budget 1 page) Literature Cited (no limit on pages).

  • Endorsement Sheet
    • The two-sided endorsement sheet must be submitted complete with all requested information.
  • Cover Page (1 page maximum), including:
    • Project Title.
    • Name/E-mail of the Investigator.
    • Abstract. Briefly in 200 words or less give an executive summary of the project. This should include purpose, expected outcomes, and significance of the project, not only to the field of study and/or society, but also to your own educational development.
  • Narrative (5 pages maximum), including:
    • Introduction You are writing for a general, but educated audience. DO NOT assume that your audience is familiar with the technical jargon. Be certain that you discuss the following questions as you describe the work you wish to produce as a result of this endeavor:
      • What work has been done by others in this area?
      • For example, cite the relevant journal articles or books, or the relevant exhibitions or performances. Be sure to clearly explain why these earlier works are important precursors to yours.
      • What work has been done by you?
    • Statement of Goals for the Project
      • Here you lay out the specific questions you plan to address or the project that you plan to complete.
      • Clearly state what you intend to accomplish, achieve, or determine by completing your project.
      • You should include a statement of hypothesis or of the creative question at issue.
      • What is the underlying motivation for this project?
    • Creative Processes or Methodology
      • This is the most important section of proposal. It must briefly outline the materials you will utilize, the manner in which you will approach your project and the major steps involved in completing your effort.
      • Explain how the creative techniques or research methods you intend to use are appropriate for accomplishing your stated goals.
      • Describe the important steps and materials in a way that the logic of your approach is clearly understandable.
    • Expected Accomplishments or Results
      • This section provides a discussion of the analysis and interpretation of results and manner of presentation of creative work.
      • Discuss how you will analyze your results and interpret them or how you will present and critique your final product.
      • Explain the significance of the intended achievements or results to the original project goals.

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  • Budget and Justification (1 page maximum). Present an itemized statement of your best estimate of the costs of doing your project. You may request up to $1000, although awards typically range between $150 and $500. Be certain that you justify all items listed and that you:
    • Explain why you require any unusual or particularly costly items listed in your budget.
    • Indicate why any items needed that are generally available from your department at no cost to students cannot be obtained from that source. Examples include books, journals, and routine lab equipment.
    • As you prepare your budget, keep in mind that:
      • The Committee cannot give you funds you do not ask for and justify adequately.
      • The Committee cannot give you additional funds during the grant period after you have received your award.
      • Where applicable, mileage estimates and other travel costs should be specified. Miami reimburses personal car use at $0.458 per mile. Awarding funds for travel requires that the travel be essential to the success of the project. Awards that are made for travel will be carefully scrutinized for costs.
  • Literature Cited (as many pages as needed). Give references (complete with titles) for all literature cited in the proposal.

DURATION

Grant award funds for Round 1, fall semester must be spent and a final report is due by January 18,2009.  
Grant award funds for Round 2, spring semester must be spent and a final report is due by May 31, 2009.
An extension of the project may be requested (see below. Also, a student may apply for a new grant the succeeding year.)

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EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

Members of the Committee represent a wide range of disciplines, so each proposal should be written so it can be understood by an educated person who is not a specialist in that field.

Proposals are required to follow the format described in the application guidelines and be readable by a nonspecialist, they should be free of technical jargon and undefined abbreviations. The members of the Undergraduate Research Committee have traditionally employed the following criteria in evaluating the proposals:

  • Readability. Is the proposal easily understood and free of technical jargon?
  • Format. Does the application follow the format in the guidelines?
  • Quality. Is the research problem or creative activity clearly articulated?
  • Significance. Is the problem worth solving? Why is the work important?
  • Feasibility. Is the problem solvable within the time available (one semester) and with the facilities available to the researcher?
  • Educational value. Are the skills to be learned of high academic quality and significance?
  • Preparation of the researcher. Does the researcher have adequate training and experience to undertake and complete the project?
  • Budget. Is the budget reasonable, specific, accurate?

All applications in the following disciplines will be considered for awards and then automatically forwarded by OARS to the appropriate department/center for consideration of financial support from these funds: Crannell (Psychology), Fisher (Microbiology), Maher (Political Science and Zoology), or Barrett Endowment for Ecology Research (Ecology).

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FINAL ABSTRACT

The final report, a brief (maximum one page) typed abstract describing the major goal(s) and result(s) of their project, should be filed with the Chair of the Undergraduate Research Committee by the appropriate date (see “Duration of Project”above).  If it cannot reasonably be completed by the date required, project work may be extended by notification to the Chair of the Undergraduate Research Committee in a brief progress report (maximum one page) filed by December 5, 2008 for Round 1, fall semester, or April 22, 2009 for Round 2, spring semester.  If a progress report is filed, grant award funds for a Round 1, fall semester extension must be spent and a final report is due by March 30, 2009.  Grant award funds for a Round 2, spring semester extension must be spent and a final report is due by October 30, 2009.

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NOTIFICATION OF PROJECT APPROVAL AND
AWARDING OF GRANTS

Applicants/faculty mentors will be informed via email of the Committee's decision on September 24, 2008 for Round 1, fall semester and on February 11, 2009 for Round 2, spring semester. The 2008-2009 Committee Chairperson is Valerie Cross (513-529-0789 / email .)

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OTHER POSSIBLE DEPARTMENTAL/CENTER AWARDS

All applications in the following disciplines will be considered for awards and then automatically forwarded by OARS to the appropriate department/center for consideration of financial support from these funds:  Crannell (Psychology), Fisher (Microbiology), Maher (Political Science and Zoology), or Barrett Endowment for Ecology Research (Ecology).

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APPLICATION CHECK LIST

Before submitting your application to the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS), use this check sheet to be certain that it has all the required sections and attachments. You may also download a PDF version of this checklist.

1. Endorsement Sheet (2-sided,signed by student and sponsor)

2. Cover Page (1 page maximum), with
____ Project Title
____ Name of Investigator
____ Abstract
3. Narrative (5 pages maximum, 1" margins), with
____ Introduction
____ Methodology
____ Statement of the hypothesis or creative issues addressed
4. Budget and Justification (1 page maximum)

5. Literature Cited (no page limit)

Submit one (1) original plus thirteen (13) copies of all of the above materials including the Endorsement Sheet as the first page of all copies.

Copying: Applicants are encouraged to have copies of the proposals double-sided.

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Compliance Committee Forms

Submit compliance materials for Round I applications by 9/23/2008
Submit compliance materials for Round II applications by 2/9/2009
to the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS)
102 Roudebush Hall

If your project involves Human Subjects, you must submit an application to conduct research with Human Subjects. See the University Guidelines at <http://www.muohio.edu/humansubjects/> for forms and instructions. Submit the application to: Miami University Institutional (IRB) Review Board FOR HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH, 102 Roudebush Hall.

If your project involves the use of Live Vertebrate Animals you must submit an application to Use Live Vertebrate Animals in Research to: Miami University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), 102 Roudebush Hall.  Or, you must be cover by an approved animal care protocol. See the University Guidelines at http://www.units.muohio.edu/oars/compliance_committee/IACUC_new/application.php

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Printed Application Forms and Instructions relating to the
Undergraduate Research Award Program
are available at the

Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS)
102 Roudebush Hall
(513-529-3600)

All application materials for Round 1 should be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on September 15, 2008
All application materials for Round 2 should be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on February 2, 2009 to:

Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS)
102 Roudebush Hall
Oxford, OH 45056

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