Symposium Eligibility and Submission Guidelines

We hold a Student Research Symposium near the end of the Spring Semester each year to encourage students and employee mentors to share their work in poster or oral-presentation formats and to celebrate their achievements and research in general.  

Eligibility and Responsibilities

• Students must 

  • 1. be matriculated in a program at Mount Aloysius College, and

    2. present the research at the Symposium.

• Mentors must

• • • 1. be full- or part-time employees of Mount Aloysius College,

      2. supervise all aspects of the project,

      3. assure compliance with established human-participant and biosafety requirements (Note: All research involving human participants must be reviewed by the Institutional Review Board).

Submission Guidelines and Process

Students may choose to present their primary or secondary research as either a poster or an oral presentation.  

• • Research Type (Primary vs. Secondary)

    • We recognize the value of both primary and secondary research in answering questions but need to accurately categorize submissions for organizational and reporting purposes.  Primary research involves gathering data directly from the entities under investigation to summarize and analyze to answer a previously specified question.  In contrast, secondary research involves summarizing and analyzing information already gathered by someone else to answer a previously specified question.  While the exact nature of these types of research will vary across disciplines, the key difference is in the nature of the evidence: primary is first-hand evidence, while secondary is second-hand evidence.  

• • Guidelines and Process by Presentation Format

Please follow the guidelines that are appropriate for the type of presentation you are doing (i.e., either poster or oral presentation). 

• • • Poster Guidelines and Process

      • • All posters must 

          1. be 36 inches wide by 24 inches tall;  (in Powerpoint, type "slide size" in the help box, then select custom, then type 36 for width and 24 for height)

          2. have a white background;

          3. include a title in large font across the top and identify the researchers (student and mentor) below in smaller font;

          4. clearly introduce the topic and question, describe the research process completed, and identify the conclusions drawn; and 

          5. list at least three sources of information used in the investigation.

        • View Poster Format Example

        • Steps to Participate

          1. Submit a copy of your poster in PDF format (10 MB maximum) and a one-minute video summary of your poster (100 MB maximum) (here's an example, although it is longer than required) via the Student Research Symposium Submission Form by April 10, 2025.  Your poster will be printed in the Support Center at no cost to you (unless you indicate other arrangements for printing on the Form) and both your poster and video summary will be shared on the Student Research Site.

          2. Keep an eye out for an email from the Chair with instructions on when and where to pick up and deliver your printed poster for display during Student Research Week.

          3. Join your poster by 3:30 p.m. on April 24, 2025, and be ready to explain your research to interested parties.  

• • • • Oral Presentation Guidelines and Process

        • All oral presentations must 

          1. be 8-10 minutes in length;

          2. include visual aids (e.g., slides, handouts) that

             • contain a title and identify the researchers (student and mentor) at the beginning;

             • clearly introduce the topic and question, describe the research process completed, and identify the conclusions drawn; and 

             • list at least three sources of information used in the investigation.

        • View Oral-Presentation Format Examples

        • Steps to Participate

          1. Submit a copy of your visual aids (10 MB maximum) and a one-minute video summary (here's an example, although it is longer than required) of your Oral Presentation (100 MB maximum) via the Student Research Symposium Submission Form by April 10, 2025, to be shared on the Student Research Site.

          2. Keep an eye out for an email from the Chair with instructions on the timing and location of your Oral Presentation.

          3. Join other presenters at 3:30 p.m. on April 24, 2025, at your designated location to complete your Oral Presentation.  

Please direct questions to the Chair of the Student Research Committee.