Student Research Poster Competition

The following criteria have been developed to guide the planning and development of student research poster presentations. Please note that there will only be 90 poster abstracts accepted. Due to an increase in the number of students and institutions desiring to participate in the poster presentation competition, oa maximum of 3 posters from each institution will be accepted. Poster abstracts will be accepted on a first come first serve basis until all the spaces have been filled.

Students are strongly encouraged to conduct actual research before submitting a project for this competition. All abstracts must be submitted by 4:00pm Friday, January 18, 2013 via the ONLINE SUBMISSION PROCESS.

Institutions should not submit more than 3 abstracts for the poster competition. Institutions that exceed the submission entries limit of THREE (3) will have all of its posters/abstracts eliminated from the competition.

POSTER COMPETITION REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION PROCESS:
STEP 1 OF 2

Poster Requirements

• A poster display is mandatory for the Student Research Poster Competition.
  
  
• 36 x 48 inches (Tri-fold Display Board) – Posters that exceed these measurements will have FIVE (5) points deducted from the final score.
  
  
• The display board should be freestanding.
  
  
• Each student is allowed a maximum of ONE (1) POSTER, and is responsible for any special equipment (i.e. display boards, extension cords, laptops, I Pads, LCD Projector, Internet access, etc.).
  
  

1. Abstract Information
   • Each abstract should not exceed 150 words in length.
     
     
   • Abstracts that are more than 150 words in length will not be accepted for the competition.
     
     
   • Include presenter’s name, co-presenters, project title, institution name, grade in school, Poster Abstract Number (1, 2, or 3) poster division (see section 2A), poster category (see section 2B), judging category (see section 2C), faculty sponsor, and abstract word count.
     
     
   • Include a problem statement, methods, materials, results, and conclusions.
     
     

   The Basic Components of an Abstract
   
   
   (1) Problem Statement:

   a. Why is this a relevant research project?
   b. What practical, theoretical, or scientific gap is your research filling?
   c. What is the problem or question to be addressed in the project?

   (2) Methods/Procedures:
   

   a. What steps did you take to complete this research project?
   b. What did you do to analyze your data?

   (3) Results/Findings:
   

   a. As a result of completing the above procedures, what did you learn, invent or create?

   (4) Conclusion/Implications:
   

   a. What were your research findings? What are the larger implications of your findings?
   

   Please visit www.stepforleaders.org for examples of abstracts for posters presented during the 2012 STEP Statewide Student
   
   
   • Complete a Student Poster Competition Registration Form. Form should be submitted with the abstract. Abstracts will not be accepted without this form.
     
     
   • Please send the Student Research Poster Competition Registration Form as a Microsoft Word Document. Forms sent as PDF files will be returned and the poster abstract removed from the competition.
     
     
   • Poster abstracts will ONLY be accepted as e-mail attachments (Microsoft Word Document).
     
     
   • Abstracts should be e-mailed to Dr. Leonese Nelson at lenelson@syr.edu by 4:00pm on February 3, 2012.
     
     
   • Abstracts and Student Research Poster Competition Registration Forms faxed to Syracuse University’s STEP Office will not be accepted for the student research poster competition.
     
     
   • *** Institutions submitting more than one abstract for the poster competition should place all abstracts into one e-mail. ***
     
     
     The Basic Components of an Abstract
     
     (1) Problem Statement:
     a. Why is this a relevant research project?
     b. What practical, theoretical, or scientific gap is your research filling?
     c. What is the problem or question to be addressed in the project?
     
     
     (2) Methods/Procedures:
     a. What steps did you take to complete this research project?
     b. What did you do to analyze your data?
     
     
     (3) Results/Findings:
     a. As a result of completing the above procedures, what did you learn, invent or create?
     
     
     (4) Conclusion/Implications:
     a. What were your research findings? What are the larger implications of your findings?
     
     
2. Online Registration and Abstract Submission Process
   
   • Abstracts faxed, mailed, or emailed to Syracuse University’s STEP Office will not be accepted for the student research poster competition.
   
   • Project Administrators should complete the ONLINE SUBMISSION PROCESS. Students, their parents, faculty mentors or teachers SHOULD NOT complete the online submission process.
   
   • To complete the REGISTRATION PROCESS and to submit your POSTER ABSTRACT, please copy or paste into your browser the link below and follow the instructions on the website:
   
   http://tinyurl.com/StudentResearchPosterComp
   
   • Please ensure that the information is entered accurately (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc.). This is the information that will be used to compile the conference booklet and competition. Errors in submission will likely become errors in the publication and the competition.
   
   
   
   2A. Poster Division
   • Posters will be judged in THREE DIVISIONS. Please select one of the three divisions**:
     
     

     • Middle Division – Students in grades 7 and 8. • Junior Division – Students in grades 9 and 10. • Senior Division – Students in grades 11 and 12.

     Divisions may be combined based on the number of poster entries.

     
     
     ** If multiple grade levels present a project, the division will be assigned based on the highest-grade level.
     
     
   2B. Category of Presentation
   • Students must CHOOSE ONE of the following FIVE categories for presentation entry. Categories may be combined based on number of entries.
     
     
     (1) Biological/Life Sciences
     Projects that investigate some aspect of life—Biology, Botany, Ecology, the Environment, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, etc. [Example: Genetics and Heredity or The Effect of Sound on Plants].
     
     
     (2) Human Services
     Projects that study human conditions pertaining to diseases, families, children, safety, wellness, aging, human service agencies and the impact on the community, etc. [Example: Health Department’s Study about Bacterial Meningitis and teenagers]
     
     
     (3) Physical Sciences
     Projects that research modern findings in Astronomy, Chemistry, Earth Science, Material Sciences, Physics, the history and policy of science, etc. [Example: Observation of Freezing Rates of Water on Different Starting Temperatures]
     
     
     (4) Social Sciences
     Projects that explore important subject matter in Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History, Geography, etc. [Example: Violence in Middle and High Schools or The Effects of the Media and Pop Culture on Students]
     
     
     (5) Technology
     Projects that analyze technological advances such as robotics, fiber optics, computer science and programs, computer games, engineering, architect, engineering technology, Computer Aided Design (CAD), graphics, etc. [Example: Virtual Homework Lockers for Students and Teachers]
     

   2C. Judging Criteria

• There will be a team of judges for each category. Criteria for judging will include, but may not be limited to the items listed below.
  
• Overall Project
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Documentation/Impact
  • Significance/Impact
  • Creativity or Initiative
  • Methodology
  
  
• Exhibit or Display (A Poster Display is mandatory for the Student Research Poster Competition.)
  • Poster should be 36x48 inches (Tri-fold Display Board) – Posters that exceed these measurements will have FIVE (5) points deducted from the final score.
  • Visual appearance of project display
  
  
• Presenter’s Oral Discussion of the Project
  • 2 – 3 minute overview of project
  • 2 – 3 minute question and answer session
  • Presenters should practice his/her presentation to remain in the time limit.
  
  
• Rating Scale
  • Judges will use THE ENCLOSED RUBIC to rate students’ presentations in the following areas:
    ° Abstract
    ° Research Design
    ° Visual and Verbal Presentations
    ° Conclusion
    ° Bibliography/References
  
  
  **Failure to include a list of references will result in a FIVE point deduction from the project.

POSTER COMPETITION REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION PROCESS:
STEP 2 OF 2

References/Bibliography

• Each student must provide a list of references that has been used to complete his/her project. Failure to include a list of references/bibliography will result in a FIVE point deduction from the project.
  
  
• References/Bibliography should be sent as a PDF document to stepconference@syr.edu by 4:00pm Friday, January 18, 2013. No references and/or bibliographies will be accepted at the conference site in Albany.
  
  
• A list of References/Bibliography:
  
  
  • Mailed, faxed, emailed or submitted as Word documents to Syracuse University STEP Office will not be accepted for the competition.
    
    
  • Should be submitted for each poster abstract submitted for the Student Research Poster Competition.
    
    
  • Be ONE (1) page, double-spaced, have one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman Font.
    
    
  • Include the Primary Presenter’s Name (Last Name, First Name), Co-Presenters Names (First Name, Last Name), Poster Title, Institution Name, Category and Division. (Please DO NOT INCLUDE THE ABSTRACT with the list of References/Bibliography.)
    
    
  • E-Mail Header should read: References for Primary Presenters Last Name, First Name.
    
    
• When submitting a list of references/bibliography, please ensure that it appears in the format provided on Page 4 of this document and that the information is TYPED CORRECTLY (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc.).

REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY SUBMISSION FORMAT CHECKLIST

Each student must provide a list of references that has been used to complete his/her project. Failure to include a list of references/bibliography will result in a FIVE point deduction from the project.

References/Bibliography should be sent as a PDF document to stepconference@syr.edu by 4:00pm Friday, January 18, 2013. No references and/or bibliographies will be accepted at the conference site in Albany.

To expedite the processing of references/bibliographies, students are strongly encouraged to include all of the information listed below in their submissions.

• Primary Poster Presenter’s Name (Last Name, First Name)
  
  
• Co-Presenter(s) Names (First Name, Last Name)
  
  
• Institution Name
  
  
• Abstract Number (1, 2, or Alternate)
  
  
• Poster Division
  • Middle Division - Students in grades 7 and 8.
  • Junior Division - Students in grades 9 and 10.
  • Senior Division - Students in grades 11 and 12
    
    
    ** If multiple grade levels present a project, the division will be assigned based on the highest-grade level.
    
    
• Poster Category
  • Biological/Life Sciences
  • Human Services
  • Physical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Technology
    
    
• Poster Presentation Title
  
  
• References/Bibliography Format
  
  
  • A list of references/bibliography should be one (1) page, double-spaced, have one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font.
    
    
  • A list of references/bibliography should be submitted for each poster abstract entered in the Student Research Poster Presentation Competition.
    
    
  • Include the Primary Presenter’s Name (Last Name, First Name), Co-Presenters Names (First Name, Last Name), Poster Title, Institution Name, Category and Division. (Please DO NOT INCLUDE THE ABSTRACT with the list of References/Bibliography.)
    
    
  • E-Mail Header for PDF document should read: References for Primary Presenters Last Name, First Name.
    
    
  • References mailed, faxed, emailed or submitted as Word documents to Syracuse University STEP Office will not be accepted for the competition.
    
    
• Reminders
  References/Bibliography should be sent as a PDF document to stepconference@syr.edu by 4:00pm Friday, January 18, 2013. No references and/or bibliographies will be accepted at the conference site in Albany.

The Student Research Poster Competition Registration Form must be submitted with EACH abstract. Please send the Student Research Poster Competition Registration Forms and Poster Abstracts as Microsoft Word Documents. Poster abstracts and Registration Forms sent as PDF files will be returned and abstracts excluded from the competition.

WHAT IS AN ABSTRACT?

An ABSTRACT is a brief summary of your project. It summarizes very clearly the main points of your experiment. Abstracts should include problem statement, methods, materials, results, and conclusions.

The Basic Components of an Abstract:

(1) Problem Statement:

a. Why is this a relevant research project?
b. What practical, theoretical, or scientific gap is your research filling?
c. What is the problem or question to be addressed in the project?

(2) Methods/Procedures:

a. What steps did you take to complete this research project?
b. What did you do to analyze your data?

(3) Results/Findings:

a. As a result of completing the above procedures, what did you learn, invent or create?

(4) Conclusion/Implications:

a. What were your research findings? What are the larger implications of your findings?

Please visit www.stepforleaders.org for examples of abstracts for posters presented during the 2012 STEP Statewide Student Conference Student Research Poster Competition Conference Booklet.