Journey of Discovery Undergraduate Research Contest

by DENISE WOLFE

Searching for the answer to a question can often lead you in a different direction from where you originally started. What begins as a clear research project often becomes murky as you explore the books, articles, archival materials, etc. related to your topic.  Sometimes a person or service in the library presents you with a new way to approach your project or introduces you to resources you never knew existed.  In the end, you realize that your journey of discovery is just as important as the answer to your question.

The UB Libraries would like to know about your Journey of Discovery.  In an essay (1000-1500 words) or video (15 minutes or less), tell us how a library resource, service, space, or person(s) challenged you in a way that changed the course of your original research project.  Along with your essay or video, please include the research paper or project that resulted from this encounter.

Undergraduate research conducted between January 2023 and March 2024 by individual students or by student teams is eligible.

Some examples of eligible research projects include:

• Research paper
• Lab or clinical research investigation
• Photography
• Film/Video
• Product or prototype development
• Mapping or GIS project
• Art work
• Architecture project/model
• Database development
• Field trip/site exploration
• Website

The winner will be chosen by a panel of librarians, faculty and staff, and will be judged on:

• Time: research must have been conducted between January 2023 and March 2024;
• Use of the library: sophistication, originality, or unusual depth or breadth in the use of library resources, services, spaces, and/or person(s);
• Originality: exceptional ability to locate, select, evaluate, and synthesize library resources, and to use them in the creation of a project in any media that shows originality and/or has the potential to lead to original research in the future; and
• Learning: evidence of significant personal learning and the development of a pattern of research and inquiry that shows the likelihood of persisting in the future.

In judging the prize, the primary focus will be on the evidence of the student’s research strategy, process, personal learning, and synthesis into a meaningful project. The expectations for achievement will be judged in relationship to the applicant’s class year and the general culture of the discipline.

Submission deadline: April 1, 2024

Submit an electronic version of your project to mkamela@buffalo.edu

–OR–

Deliver/send a video burned to DVD of your project to:

UB Libraries Journey of Discovery
℅ Mary Kamela
520C Lockwood Library
University at Buffalo
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-2200