Cal State LA Library Award for Research Excellence

Your research paper must have originally been written for a credit-bearing class while at Cal State LA. The research project does not have to be from the semester you are submitting, we welcome you to edit previously submitted research projects to integrate library sources or edit citations.  

The Reflective Essay is worth the most points during juror evaluation. We are interested in hearing your self-reflection about the research process, what library interactions were most helpful to you, and how you approached ideas or information to create your own meaning and research argument. Here are some questions to consider when writing your Reflective Essay. You do not need to address all of them, these are to help you brainstorm your Reflective Essay. 

Brainstorming Your Topic

• How did you select your topic? How did you narrow or expand on your original research topic ideas?
• Did library resources or interactions with library workers inform or change your thinking about your research topic?

Searching for Sources

• What keywords did you use to search for sources? Did your keywords change throughout your research process?
• What specific library tools and/or databases did you use to search for sources?
• Did you meet with a librarian through in-class instruction or an individual research appointment? If so, how did that interaction impact your search process? 
• What did you learn about searching throughout your research process? What skills or tools were most helpful? What were some of the pitfalls of scholarly research?
• What tools or strategies did you use to keep track of your sources?

Evaluating Information

• How did you evaluate the "trustworthiness" of the information included in your sources?
• How did your thesis evolve as you read and evaluated sources?
• Did any library interactions, tutorials, or research guide assist with your evaluation of information?

Library Research Resources

• Did you interact with the library or library workers (librarians, front desk staff, Student Research Consultants, student workers, etc) during your research process? How did these people and/or services help you with your research? 
• Did library resources help you generate new ideas or ways of thinking about your topic? 

Use the citation style assigned for your project. Please make note of which citation style you used in the award submission form. Refer to the Library's Writing and Citing research guide for help with APA, MLA, Chicago, and additional citation styles.

The submission can be in any field of study, but must have made use of library services and research resources including, but not limited to:

•     printed resources
•     databases
•     primary sources
•     materials in all media, held in and provided by Cal State LA University Library
•     research consultations or reference help
•     library instruction
•     Interlibrary loan/CSU+

*Submissions for the Special Collections and Archives Award must use and cite materials from Cal State LA Library's special collections or archival materials.