Undergraduate Research

Preparing to Submit a Proposal

The submission for 2024 Research and Creative Works Symposium (RCWS) abstract submissions are currently being accepted thru March 1.  The Center for Integrative Learning is providing an overview of best practices and regulations to follow for submitting a proposal.  

Meet the Submission Deadline

The abstract submissions are currently being accepted thru March 1, 2024.

Add to your calendar the Symposium Date

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

What is a RCWS Proposal?

A RCWS proposal is a form completed online from the student requesting to present at the Symposium on April 16, 2024.  This form is independent from your presentation that will be presented in the Symposium.  The primary audience for a RCWS Proposal is the symposium organizer.  The information shared in the RCWS proposal will be listed in the symposium program.  The purpose of the proposal is to create a “research space” for yourself, and to appeal to symposium organizer so it will be accepted.  

Needing a Sponsor

Sponsors play a crucial role in guiding and supporting students through the process of RCWS presentations. The student can use a SU faculty or staff to guide them through the process of submitting a proposal and preparing for their presentation.  The primary purpose is to provide mentorship, expertise, and encouragement as students navigate the complexities of research, analysis, and presentation. The sponsors often help students prepare for presentations by offering feedback on content, organization, and delivery. They assist in refining presentation skills, encouraging clarity, coherence, and effective communication of findings.  

Choose Your Presentation Style

  • Poster Presentations provide an opportunity to display your research. They often combine visual and textual content, such as tables, graphs, images, and citations.
  • Experiential Learning Posters provide an opportunity to share visual and textual content and reflections on community-engaged learning (CEL), internships, or study abroad.
  • Oral Presentations allow students to share their research in a classroom presentation.
  • Creative Works Exhibitions showcase all forms of visual art, including original painting, sculpture, photography, prints, textile arts, drawings, pottery, metal, etc.
  • Creative and Scientific Process Exhibitions provides students from any discipline the opportunity to showcase a project’s creative and scientific process beginning with the creative idea and/or scientific question. This exhibition does not require that a project be completed before the exhibition. Students create a physical representation or poster presentation highlighting their individual or group process as well their reflections on the process itself.
  • Chalk It Up! provides students with the unique opportunity to translate their research and/or creative project into a chalk art design in a public space on campus. In this highly interactive platform, students will have three hours to create and complete their work while discussing their project with passersby.
  • Performances showcase live performances of all types, including literary readings, theatre, music, or dance.
  • Panels include a group of three to five individuals (including a moderator) who will discuss a given topic and will be allocated 50 minutes.

Write an Abstract for the Proposal Submitted

The Call for Proposals is asking for a 150-200 word abstract.  Reach out to the Debby Ellis Writing Center (DEWC) if you need assistance in writing an abstract to submit.  DEWC can introduce students to the basic conventions of abstract writing. The Center will look at models from prior Research and Creative Works Symposium and break down the parts of an abstract.  You may send your abstract to DEWC if you would like peer feedback on your abstract prior to proposal submission.  Please contact Maurice Wilson, Director of the Debby Ellis Writing Center (Wilson22@southwestern.edu)

 

2024 RCWS SUBMISSIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED