The 23rd Annual CSU Student Research Competition will be held at
CSU Los Angeles on May 1 and 2, 2009

On Saturday, February 28, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. until approximately 2:00 p.m., students nominated by their college deans will present their work to a panel consisting of the Academic Senate Grants Review Committee and additional faculty referees. This panel will determine which of the student presentations will be sent forward to represent Cal Poly at the CSU system-wide competition at CSU Los Angeles, May 1-2, 2009.

A student may submit a paper on any academic topic. Papers will be grouped for presentation in the following categories, which will also be used in the statewide competition:

• Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Biological and Agricultural Sciences
• Physical and Mathematical Sciences
• Engineering and Computer Science
• Humanities and Letters
• Creative Arts and Design
• Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences
• Education
• Business, Economics and Public Administration

The written summary of your research may not exceed five (5) double-spaced pages. Use fonts and margins that ensure legibility. Each copy must include the name of the student and the title of the presentation. In addition, you may add appendices (bibliography, graphs, photographs, or other supplementary materials) not to exceed three (3) pages.

In all categories, oral presentations of the papers must not exceed 10 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes allowed for questions from the review committee and the audience. Supporting audiovisual materials are encouraged in all categories. The presentation room will have a video projector connected to a laptop computer. Students who wish to use the video projector should bring their presentation on a flash drive.

The format is intended to resemble a professional academic meeting and closely replicates the setting of the statewide competition. The review committee will judge the presentations using the following criteria:

• the clarity of purpose in each paper submitted (15%)
• the appropriateness of the methodology (15%)
• the interpretation of the results (15%)
• the value of the research or creative activity (15%)
• the ability of each presenter to articulate the work involved (15%)
• the organization of the material presented (15%)
• the ability of each presenter to respond to questions (10%)

Papers and registration forms (five copies) are due in the Research and Graduate Programs Office (38-154) on February 17, 2009, after college review and prioritization.

Up to ten students will be selected to compete in the statewide competition at CSU Los Angeles, May 1-2, 2009.

The Office of Research and Graduate Programs will pay the costs of travel for those students selected for the system-wide competition. In addition, the CSU Student Research Competition will provide, at no cost to the student participants, their guests and mentors, a reception on Friday evening, May 1, and an awards luncheon on Saturday, May 2, 2009.

For information on transportation services, hotel accommodations and general information, go to the CSU Los Angeles website (http://www.calstatela.edu/studentcompetition).

Cal Poly's Campus Coordinator
Dr. Susan Opava, Dean of Research and Graduate Programs

Please contact the Research and Graduate Programs Office (Bldg. 38, Room 154) if you have questions concerning the competition. (805) 756-1508.

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