Department of Information Science Lis and Philip Turner Outstanding Student Paper/Project Awards


The Department of Information Science (DIS) offers annual awards for Outstanding Student Paper and Outstanding Student Project. This spring, the Scholarship and Awards Committee (SAC) will be awarding three papers. First place will receive an award of $1000. Second place will receive $750. Third place will receive $500. Each winner will receive an award certificate. Awards will be credited to the winner's UNT student account. The titles of winning papers and projects will be posted on the DIS website. Honorable mentions will also be recognized and the title of their papers and projects posted.

Eligibility

The student must be enrolled in the Department of Information Science in Library Science, Data Science, Information Science, or Health Informatics program during the calendar year of the award (2023).

The paper or project must: 

  • Be the result of an assignment in one of the student's DIS classes from 2023.
  • Be based on either research or informed opinion.
  • Adhere to the citation style of a recognized style manual, if applicable.

A project is defined as an assignment in which the student exerted effort beyond or different from literature-based research.

Examples of papers or projects that are eligible:

  • Any project where you developed a library-related system or program.
  • Any project that involves collection and evaluation of empirical data.
  • Conference posters, presentations, or papers
  • Case studies (not histories of X)
  • Published articles in peer reviewed journals or book chapters.
  • A paper that is an opinion piece well supported by literature. The paper must focus on the student's opinion rather than merely summarizing other author's opinions.  
     

Examples of papers or projects that are NOT eligible:

  • Any project where you researched a topic/gathered resources and summarized your findings
  • Blog entries
  • Book or article reviews
  • Bibliographies
  • Surveys (with no analysis of results)
     

Nominations

The DIS Scholarship and Awards Committee (SAC) will publicize the competition each semester.

Nominations may occur two ways:

  • Instructors may of their own initiative submit an entry after receiving written permission from the student/author. Instructors are limited to two entries per course per semester during the calendar year.
  • Students may ask instructors to nominate their papers or projects. Students are limited to two entries per calendar year.

Submissions

Students or instructors must submit to the Chair, SAC one electronic version of each entry. Electronic versions must be readable using common software such as Word or PowerPoint. Along with the submission of their paper, students must complete the award release/entry form, which grants the Department permission to post titles of entries and names of winners on the DIS website. The release form can be downloaded here.  Print, sign, scan, and return to the Chair, Scholarship and Awards Committee at Lawrence.Enoch@unt.edu

Submissions must be received by April 15, 2024 of the year following the calendar year in which the work was done. 
Entries and release/entry forms should be submitted to the Chair, Scholarship and Awards Committee at Lawrence.Enoch@unt.edu.


Judging

Entries will be judged by faculty members of the SAC Committee based on five criteria:

(1) originality of thought and observation
(2) topicality and professional significance
(3) depth, breadth and organization of content
(4) readability, clarity and creativity of expression
(5) documentation of bibliographic resources.

Judging will be completed by April 29,  2024 and winners notified soon afterward.
The Committee may withhold presentation of an award if no paper or project of sufficient quality is identified.