Get involved in undergraduate research at Penn State Lehigh Valley! Check out our exciting line-up of events...
Food for Thought: Exploring Undergraduate Research Brownbags
Join us for informal conversations to explore the ins and outs of undergraduate research. Drop in as your schedule permits.
Research blitz - 2/3/23, 12:15pm-1:15pm, room 216
Curious about research that’s happening at our campus? Wondering how to get involved in research projects already underway? Eager to share your work in progress? In this informal round-robin conversation, Lehigh Valley faculty, staff, and students are invited to share brief snapshots (5 minutes max per person) of research ideas that are percolating and projects that are in progress. Drop in as your schedule permits to share your own research highlights and hear what others are thinking about and working on. And we’ll have snacks!
Spotlight on methods - 2/23/23, 12:15–1:15pm, room 216
NOTE: This is a new date for this session. It was previously scheduled for 2/22/23.
Numerical data is used in research in many subject areas, but it’s not the only way to investigate a question! What about case studies, interviews, observations, and more? Have a research question or hypothesis in mind already? Bring your ideas as we brainstorm together about methods available to you. Drop in as your schedule permits for an informal conversation about different qualitative methods that can help you explore your questions ... and enjoy some snacks!
A primer on publishing and presenting - 3/22/23, 12:15–1:15pm, room 216
So you're doing great research -- now what? Where can students publish their research? How can students present their work at conferences? If you're curious to learn more about how you can take your research to the next level, join us for an informal conversation about publishing, presenting, and funding options available to students. Drop in as your schedule permits. We'll have snacks, too!
Research in the “real world” - 4/25/23, 12:15–1:15pm, room 216
When we’re knee-deep in a research project, it can be hard to see how the work we’re doing is relevant to the world around us. Why does research matter in the bigger picture? How do research skills that we practice in our classes apply to career paths? How can we talk about research on resumes, in job interviews, and on grad school applications? Drop in as your schedule permits to share ideas ... plus we'll have snacks!
Undergraduate Research Workshops
This workshop series can help you learn foundational research skills and concepts, get started with your own research ideas, and move your project forward! Register for as many sessions as you like.
Getting Started with Research
Because the nature and scope of each research project varies widely, this presentation is meant to give an overview of undergraduate research in general terms and to identify for students how they can get future librarian assistance with their specific project at their point of need. This workshop is particularly useful for students who are at the very beginning stages of research.
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
How to Join the Scholarly Conversation
This workshop will help you feel confident in reviewing and reading scholarly articles and give you a series of questions you can ask as you enter the scholarly conversation on your topic. This workshop is particularly useful for students who have just started an undergraduate research experience and have a topic in mind, as well as students who are interested in starting an undergraduate research experience and want to make sure they have the right skills to succeed.
Thursday, October 27, 2022
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
How to Develop Effective Research Questions
Developing an effective research question is an important step when beginning a research project. This workshop is particularly useful for students who want to become more confident in writing research questions and conducting background research on your topic.
Monday, November 14, 2022
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
Literature Review Foundations
A review of the literature, or scholarly work already published on a topic, is an important aspect of any research project. This workshop is particularly useful for students who want to understand what a literature review is, why it matters, and best practices to get started.
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
Citation Management
Keeping track of all your sources can be daunting. Citation management tools can help you organize and cite your sources. This workshop is useful for students at any stage of the research process who want to understand the purpose and benefits of citation management tools and explore two common tools, Zotero and Mendeley.
Thursday, January 26, 2023
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
Information Privilege: What is it and what does it mean for our research?
What is information privilege? How does it affect me? What are the social, ethical and economic aspects of information access? How does information privilege (or lack thereof) affect my research? How can I continue to access quality information sources after I graduate from Penn State? If you are asking these questions, we have answers! This workshop is useful for students at any stage of the research process who want a deeper understanding of issues related to information privilege and learn about open access resources they can use after graduation.
Thursday, February 16, 2023
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
Designing and Creating a Research Poster
Making a research poster can be a daunting process. How do you decide what to include? And how? This workshop is useful for students at all stages of the poster creation process. Participants can expect to learn about best practices for creating visually appealing and effective posters.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom
Presenting a Research Poster
Poster presentations are a great way to get started with sharing your research. But how do you share your complex research in a short amount of time? This workshop is useful for students who want to improve how they present and discuss their research with an audience.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
12:15pm–1:15pm
via Zoom