Work directly with faculty on your own scientific survey
The Political Science Department’s Survey Research Award offers students the opportunity to work with a faculty mentor and conduct their own scientific survey. When awarded the Survey Research Award Summer Grant, students will work closely with their faculty advisor throughout the summer to design and implement a survey in order to test their research hypotheses. You will then analyze the results and write a paper to be presented at IU Indianapolis’s annual Student Research and Engagement Day held the following academic year. Students and faculty mentors who win this award are also encouraged to present their work at national conferences and publish in appropriate outlets.
The Survey Research Award is an invaluable learning experience and can become an important part of your application to graduate school or serve as evidence of ability when beginning your new career.
Requirements
- Students must have a faculty advisor willing to work closely with the student throughout the summer.
- Students must have completed POLS Y205 (Research Methods) or the equivalent.
- Students must be enrolled full time.
- Students’ class standing must be of junior status or lower because students are expected to present at IU Indianapolis’s Student Research and Engagement Day happening the following Spring.
- Students must submit a research design that includes the following (no more than 4 pages):
- Abstract
- Hypothesis
- Background Information
- Significance
- Initial Literature Review
- Survey Methodology (i.e., population of interest, size of N, types of questions to be asked)
- Estimate of Survey Cost (i.e., organization that will implement survey and cost per completed individual survey)
- Students and faculty mentors are required to receive approval from the Human Subjects & Institutional Review Board before any money will be award to conduct the survey.
- Students are required to submit a final report on the summer project no later than the first day of the Fall semester.
- Students are required to submit a proposal and present their findings at the Student Research and Engagement Day the following academic year.
- Applications should be submitted through the IU Academic Works Scholarships system.
- Applications are due the last business day of March each year.
- The Award is up to $3,000 to cover the cost of the survey.
In conjunction with the Political Science Survey Research Award, students are encouraged to apply for an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) summer stipend. Students can receive $3,200 to support working full time throughout the summer on their research project.
If you are interested in applying for the Political Science Survey Research Award, please email Scott Pegg, Department of Political Science Chair.
