Undergraduate research is something that practically every college student has heard of or been exposed to. For some it is viewed as a daunting task, but with the help of Carmichael Library many have come to successfully research their subject.
Connor Marullo, a senior majoring in history, is one of the many students to benefit from the Library's assistance. "My research was on The Battle of New Orleans," said Marullo "With a focus on the effect Joan Lafette had on the battle and Andrew Jackson's battle tactics." His research culminated in a 20 page paper that he presented at the University's History Day.
As for using the library to his advantage, Marullo managed to find several things to benefit his research with the assistance of librarians. "About 90 percent of my research came from the library. They were helpful in tracking down tricky items like letters and documents from the 1800's."
Undergraduate
research isn't just for those in the history field though. Many students end up
doing it through programs on campus. One of these programs, McNair Scholars, is
designed to prepare students who are first generation college students or from
underrepresented groups on campus for further their education into graduate and
doctoral programs. Students who participate are required to complete an
undergraduate research summer session, then present their findings at a
research conference.
Roberta
Leichnitz, head of the McNair Scholars, says that the program and its research
have great benefits to students. "Undergraduate research is one of the
best ways to prepare for graduate school," said Leichnitz, "I have
had many former McNair undergraduates tell me that the first semester [of
graduate school] was really tough but at least they knew how to do research."
Carmichael Library has a new
librarian, Camille Chesley, dedicated to working with McNair scholars on their
research. "I am so happy she was hired and our scholars are going to her
for help," said Leichnitz "A good librarian can also make all the difference
in the world."
Jason Cooper, Carmichael's systems
and emerging technologies librarian, says that the Library receives daily
request about assistance with undergraduate research. They have seen an
increase in the virtual requests they receive through their website's Ask a
Librarian service, which is monitored six days a week by librarians ready to
provide help. Cooper says that another technology that is really helping
students is the ILLiad interlibrary loan system. The system allows Carmichael's
librarians to request documents or resources that might not be readily
available in Montevallo from other libraries in the state and region.
For those who are thinking about
conducting undergraduate research themselves but are unsure where to start,
Cooper suggests starting by narrowing their focus to a specific topic that is
easier to cover in a small amount of space. After that, a one-on-one meeting
with a librarian is a great idea, so students can gain the skills to easily
search some of Carmichael Library's 120 online databases.
Marullo also had one bit of
parting advice for undergraduate research students: "Revision, revision,
revision."
No comments:
Post a Comment