Grants & Awards: Student Research Award:

Student Research Award

The award consists of a cash prize and certificate. It encourages students to explore the wealth of historical records found in archives, libraries, and other community organizations throughout New York State.

Contents

• Printable PDF Documents (requires Adobe Reader):
  • Award Poster
  • Guidelines and Entry Form

• Introduction

• Award

• Timetable

• Competition Rules

• Historical Records Requirements

• Published Primary Materials

• Oral History

• Eligible Entry Types
  • Research Paper
  • Exhibit
  • Documentary
  • Performance
  • Proposal for designation of historic marker, property, or district
  • Web sites, PowerPoint presentations, and other computer-based entries

• Selection

• Judging Criteria

• Rules Checklist

• Contact Person

• Entry Form Mailing Address

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Introduction

The New York State Archives announces its 18th annual Student Research Award to promote and recognize excellence in student research.

The award has 2 primary purposes:

1. Encourage students to explore the wealth of historical records in New York State
2. Increase cooperation between schools and organizations that administer historical records useful for education

Award

The Student Research Awards program is a statewide competition open to all New York State students in grades 4-12. A total of three awards will be given, on each for students in:

• Grades 4-5
• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

Each award consists of a certificate and cash prize. Certificates of Merit will be awarded to those entries, other than the winners, that show a heavy reliance on historical records to support their research.

Timetable

• Entries must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2008.

• Award recipients will be selected by September 15.

• Awards will be announced during Archives Week, October 2008.

Competition Rules

• Both individual students and groups of students (including the entire class) may be nominated

• All nominations for the award must be made by a teacher or administrator in the school attended by the student or group of students

• Entries submitted for competition must be researched and developed during the July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 school year

• Research products prepared for other competitions, e.g., History Day, will be eligible if they meet other relevant criteria, especially the use of historical records

• An annotated bibliography is required for ALL entries:
  • Bibliography should contain all sources used in preparing the entry
  • Annotations for each source must explain how the source was used and how it contributed to the project
  • Bibliography may be as long as necessary

• Citations and bibliographic references must follow a standard bibliographic format

• Any plagiarism will result in disqualification

• All entries must be accompanied by an Entry Form, with all information completed. Submit 5 copies of the Entry Form

Historical Records Requirements

A substantial portion of the student research must be based on historical records from archives, museums, historical societies, libraries, local governments, community organizations, businesses, families and/or individuals.

Consulting Internet web sites such as the New York State Archives, Library of Congress, and National Archives is encouraged. However, the Internet should not be the student's only source of historical records.

Examples of eligible historical records and where they might be found include:

• Personal Papers
  • Original letters, diaries, and journals
  • Photographs and drawings
  • Financial records

• Business Records
  • Ledgers, correspondence, and journals
  • Meeting minutes
  • Advertisements
  • Research and development files
  • Business records are usually located with the business itself, or with local archives, library, and historical society or with the family that owned the business

• Local Government Records
  • Minutes of board meetings and tax assessment records
  • Engineering and highway department records
  • Police and court records
  • Budgets and annual reports
  • Many other types of records created by the local governments
  • Local government records are usually located in individual local governments such as school districts, towns, villages, counties, cities, fire districts, public benefit corporations, and BOCES

• Community Organization Records
  • Correspondence, speeches, and membership lists
  • Financial records, and meeting minutes
  • Community organizations may include:
    • Local churches
    • Labor unions
    • Political parties
    • Service clubs
    • Philanthropic and fraternal groups
  • Records from of these groups may be located with each specific organization or in local historical societies, archives, and libraries

• State and National Records
  • Census and vital records
  • Property records
  • Wills and probate records
  • Copies of these records are often located in local government archives. Local historical societies and libraries may have microfilm copies of these records

Published Primary Materials

Students may use published primary materials, but MUST also use historical records (as described under the Historical Records Requirements section).

Examples of eligible published primary materials and where they might be found include:

• Board minutes and county board proceedings

• Broadsides, maps, and annual reports

• Periodicals and newspapers contemporary to the period that is the subject of the research. Examples include:
  • Godey's Ladies' Book documents 19th century fashion, crafts, recipes, etiquette, etc.
  • Harper's Weekly, the Civil War years
  • Life magazine, the World War II years

• Published primary materials are generally found in:
  • Special collection sections of local libraries
  • Historical societies and museums
  • Local governments

For more information on locating and using primary materials, refer to the State Archives' Consider the Source: Historical Records in the Classroom, mailed October 1995 to all school district libraries and nonpublic schools in the State. Consider the Source can be purchased for $10 on the Archives web site.

Oral History

• Not eligible for the Student Research Awards program

• However, an oral history interview may be used as part of a research paper outlined below

Eligible Entry Types

• Research Paper

• Exhibit

• Documentary

• Performance

• Proposal for designation of historic marker, property, or district

• Web sites, PowerPoint presentations, and other computer-based entries

Research Paper

• Traditional research paper based on a subject of your choice

• Research paper that reconstructs the past by analyzing and interpreting the issues and events mentioned in a historical story, ballad, folk song, folktale, diary, letter, poem, or an oral history interview.

• Student uses an 1863 letter written by Col. Barber in Virginia to his wife in upstate New York as part of a study to reconstruct the life of Col. Barber. The objective is to show the impact of the Civil War on the life of a New York soldier and his family.

• Students must use historical records to analyze and interpret the issues and events mentioned in the historical letter, diary, folk song, etc. which they are using.

• Format requirements:
  • All research papers must be typed or computer printed
  • Double-spaced with pages consecutively numbered on 8 1/2 x 11 paper
  • Text of the paper must be 1000 words or more. Notes, annotated bibliography, illustration captions, and supplemental/appendix material do not count in that total.
  • Citations -- footnotes or end notes -- are required
  • 5 copies of the paper must be submitted
  • Research paper will not be returned to the entrant

Exhibit

• Category is limited to poster exhibits no larger than 24" x 36".

• Poster should be shipped rolled in a reusable carton.
  • State Archives is not responsible for any damage or loss suffered by the exhibit in shipment.

• Student-composed written materials that accompany the exhibit should contain 500 words or less.
  • Limit applies to labels, captions, etc.
  • Limit does not apply to documents that may be used as an integral part of the exhibit.

• Exhibits will be returned to entrants if shipped in a reusable carton.

• If the exhibit(s) are too large or too heavy to be shipped:
  • A videotape, slide show, or photographs of the exhibit may be submitted
  • Copies of the exhibit labels, text and any additional information that accompanied the original exhibit must be submitted with the entry.
  • Call the State Archives at (518) 474-6926 if you have questions

Documentary

• 5 copies of the audiovisual production must be submitted in either a VHS videotape, CD, or DVD format

• Productions should be no more than 15 minutes long

• Submitted media will not be returned

Performance

• 5 copies of the performance must be submitted in either a VHS videotape, CD, or DVD format

• 5 copies of the script for the performance must be included

• Performance should run no more than 15 minutes

• Submitted media will not be returned

Proposal for designation of historic marker, property, or district

• All proposals must be the result of research using historical records.

• Format requirements:
  • All proposals must be typed or computer printed
  • Double-spaced with pages consecutively numbered on 8 1/2 x 11 paper
  • Text of the paper must be 1000 words or more. Notes, annotated bibliography, illustration captions, and supplemental/appendix material do not count in that total.
  • Citations -- footnotes or end notes -- are required
  • 5 copies of the paper must be submitted
  • Proposal will not be returned to the entrant

• Proposals submitted to the State Archives for designating historic properties or districts and historic markers are for Student Research Award purposes only.

• To officially designate a historic property or district contact: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Field Services Bureau: (518) 237-8643, ext. 269.

• Visit the State Education Department's Historic Marker Program web site for more information

Web sites, PowerPoint presentations and other computer-based entries

• 5 copies of the computer-based entry must be submitted on either a CD or DVD and must be PC compatible

• If you have questions about electronic formats, please call or e-mail, using the addresses listed below, prior to submitting an entry

• Submitted media will not be returned

• Web site entries do not have to be submitted on disk but must have a valid URL address

• All entries must follow the guidelines mentioned above regarding annotated bibliographies and the use of historical records

• 5 copies of written materials must be provided

Selection

The Student Research Award Panel of Judges consists of teachers, historians, and archivists. The Panel will review all entries and submit its recommendations to the Board of Regents for approval.

Judging Criteria

The judges will select the award recipient(s) for each category based on the following criteria:

• To what extent has the student used historical records?
  • Does the bibliography demonstrate use of a variety of historical records?
  • To what extent has the student used information from these documents?

• Is the entry historically accurate?

• Does the entry demonstrate an understanding of the historical context?

• Does the entry show evidence of creativity and imagination in interpreting and integrating information from historical records with other information?

• Does the entry include an annotated bibliography?

• Is the written material clear and well organized?

• Is the grammar, punctuation and spelling correct?

• Is all visual material clear, appropriate and visually attractive?

Rules Checklist

Use this checklist to help avoid problems and ensure a complete entry.

• Did you use historical records in conducting your research?

• Have you completed and included five copies of the Entry Form?

• Did you include an annotated bibliography using a standard bibliographic format?

• Did you include citations?

• Have you supplied the appropriate number of project copies?

• Does your entry meet word length, time and size requirements?

• Are exhibit entries packed in reusable cartons?

• Are audiovisual productions and/or performances submitted in either a VHS videotape, CD, or DVD format?

• Are computer-based projects PC compatible?

• Did you meet the July 1, 2008 deadline?

Contact Person

Julie Daniels
Coordinator of Educational Programs
New York State Archives
9B52 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
518-474-6926
jdaniels@mail.nysed.gov

Entry Form Mailing Address

Student Research Award
New York State Archives
9B52 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230