Research, Writing, Presentations and Conferences

Getting Help with Research and Writing

A variety of resources are available to International Studies students seeking help with research and writing in all their coursework, and in particular as part of the International Studies Senior Research Seminar.

The Thomas G. Carpenter Library can assist in such areas as the following:

identifying and narrowing research topics,
developing and refining research questions,
finding and evaluating sources,
formatting citations,
using bibliographic management software,
designing research posters ,
locating and modifying images, and
addressing copyright concerns.

Librarians can provide assistance via telephone, online chat, email or through one-hour in-person research consultations. Make an appointment (at least 24 hours in advance) by clicking the "Research Consultation" button under "Students" on the menu.

The UNF Writing Center can help students at all stages of a writing project, including the following:

identifying and narrowing research topics,
developing and refining research questions,
taking notes,
using sources effectively,
preparing outlines and thesis statements, and
evaluating the strength of your arguments and your use of evidence.

Writing Center tutors are available to assist you in-person or via Skype. Make an appointment.

The professors who serve on the International Studies Advisory Committee, can also provide discipline-specific help with respect to research topics and project design. For assistance with research related to Francophone, Hispanic or Chinese cultures, contact Patricia Geesey, chair of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and professor of French; Clayton McCarl, associate professor of Spanish; or Yongan Wu, associate professor of Chinese. The Office of Undergraduate Research can also assist students to identify faculty members with research interests similar to their own.

Presenting Your Work

The Office of Undergraduate Research can help you to present the results of your research. Their services include the following:

assistance in designing research posters,
printing of research posters for students at affordable rates,
help for students preparing oral presentations, and
guidance on effective use of presentation software.

Conferences

The Office of Undergraduate Research can also help to identify conferences and other opportunities for you to share your research. For assistance, contact Kelsey Eagen, coordinator of the Office of Undergraduate Research (see also Student Opportunity Center below).

The following are some examples:

Held annually:

Asia/Environment Student Research Conference at Bard College (Josh Gellers, assistant professor of Political Science, can provide more information),
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Undergraduate Student Symposium (see 2017 call for papers, for example),
Conference on the Americas, sponsored by the Americas Council of the University System of Georgia,
Digital Humanities Initiative (DHI) Digital Project Showcase,
Florida Political Science Association (Josh Gellers, assistant professor of Political Science, can provide more information),
Florida Undergraduate Research Conference (funding is available to support student travel),
North Florida Student and Faculty Research Showcase in Asian Studies (see 2017 call for papers, for example),
International Research Symposium, sponsored by the International Affairs Office, the International Studies Program, the International Center, and the Office of Undergraduate Research (see the 2017 call for papers),
International Studies Association-South (Josh Gellers, assistant professor of Political Science, can provide more information),
Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS), and
Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society) showcase (contact Professor Jennifer Lieberman, faculty advisor).

Held every semester

International Studies Senior Seminar Research Exhibit (for an example, see this Facebook post about Spring 2016 exhibit), and
School of Computing Symposium (for an example, see this Facebook post about Spring 2017 event; contact Professor Karthik Umapathy for more information).

Student Opportunity Center

The Student Opportunity Center is an online tool to support undergraduate research, made available to UNF by the Office of Undergraduate Studies. The following description was provided by Kelsey Eagen, coordinator of the Office of Undergraduate Research: "By creating an account with SOC, you will be able to see all available conferences, co-ops, REUs, internships, scholarships, and more, that are available nationwide in your discipline. Not only can you find these opportunities, this software allows you to set reminders for them, keep a list of items that are of interest to you, and even apply to these things directly on the website. This is truly an amazing software and is so easy to use – better yet, it’s FREE for students and faculty! All you have to do is sign up at http://www.studentopportunitycenter.com using your UNF email address. I encourage you to use this software at least weekly for opportunities that might be out there. If you find opportunities that involve travel or the like, remember that funding opportunities are available in the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Gaining More Experience

The following are opportunities on campus for those looking to gain research experience and build their resumes:

International Studies Research Internships. Under certain circumstances, actively enrolled students and recent alumni can serve as research assistants to UNF faculty in internships arranged through the International Studies Program.
Digital Humanities Internships. The UNF Digital Humanities Initiative can arrange internships for students and recent alumni who seek to assist with its faculty-led affiliate projects.
Public Opinion Research Lab. Students interested in surveys and polling can gain hands-on experience by working with this lab, run by the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
Dr. Phills' Bias Busting Social Cognition Lab. International Students are invited to work with this lab directed by Curtis Phills, assistant professor of psychology. Dr. Phills and his student assistants study bias and its impacts, including discrimination.