Call for NCUR 2020 Presentation Abstracts. Deadline is Friday December 6^th, 11:59 pm PST.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION CLOSED

To present at NCUR 2020, you must submit an abstract to the NCUR Registration Portal by the abstract deadline. Abstract submission requires three steps:

1. Write your abstract following the appropriate guidelines for your discipline (see below). It is important to complete your abstract before starting step #3.
2. Create a new NCUR 2020 account on the NCUR Registration Portal.
3. Use your NCUR 2020 account to log in to the NCUR Registration Portal. Fill out the required information, cut & paste your abstract into the text block, review your submission, and press the submit button. You will not be able to revise your abstract after you submit. Be sure to have all required information available before your log in because you cannot save your work for later.
   • Your name, institution, phone, and email
   • Your mentor's name, institution, and email
   • Name and email for all co-authors
   • Name, institution, email, and phone for your undergraduate research coordinator (if any)
   • Postal addresses for all authors and co-authors on your presentation
   • Electronic copy of your abstract (to paste into the abstract field)
   • URL for optional supplementary documents (if needed)
   • For visual arts presentations: Electronic files of three example artworks.

Notes:

• A new NCUR account must be created each year; information does not carry over from year to year.
• All abstracts must be submitted through the NCUR Registration Portal. The portal will open Monday, September 30 and close on December 6, 2019 at 11:59 pm (PST).
• Notification decisions will be sent by January 15, 2020.
• Should your abstract be accepted, you will use your NCUR 2020 account to register for the conference. Registration is scheduled to open shortly after notifications are sent
• Up to two abstracts per primary author are permitted. There is no limit on the number of abstracts co-authored abstracts.
• Abstracts will undergo a rigorous evaluation by a panel of faculty reviewers. Abstract reviewers will evaluate submissions based on the criteria listed above and will assess overall merit within the context of the specific academic discipline
• The title and author(s) of your abstract will appear EXACTLY as they are entered in the abstract submission form. Please double check punctuation, grammar, and spelling before submitting.
• Follow the guidelines below when preparing your abstract. Select the disciplinary option which is most appropriate.
• Pro Tip: Contact your mentor or your institution’s Writing Center about how to write a competitive abstract

ABSTRACT GUIDELINES

Abstract guidelines for humanities, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics:

1. Clearly state the central research question and/or purpose of the project. 
2. Provide brief, relevant scholarly or research context (no actual citations required) that demonstrate its attempt to make a unique contribution to the area of inquiry.
3. Provide a brief description of the research methodology.
4. State conclusions or expected results and the context in which they will be discussed. 
5. Include text only (no images or graphics)
6. Be well-written and well-organized. 

Abstract guidelines for visual arts:

**Being that the NCUR Abstract Guidelines ask for information that is not completely consistent with artistic practices, this is how the requirements should be translated:

1. Clearly state the central research question and/or purpose of the project.  (Provide an artist statement.)
2. Provide brief, relevant scholarly or research context (no actual citations required) that demonstrate its attempt to make a unique contribution to the area of inquiry. (In the statement, cite your influences and inspirations: other established artists; movements that are referenced or serve as inspiration; political/ cultural/ social issues that the work responds to; personal events, adventures, medical diagnosis; etc.)
3. Provide a brief description of the research methodology. (What techniques were used?  It could be as basic as oil painting on primed canvas, or a more in-depth explanation of the experimental process.)
4. State conclusions or expected results and the context in which they will be discussed. (What did you learn?  What was successful?  What are things to be addressed in future pieces?  How does this piece fit into your portfolio or future works?)
5. Include text only (no images or graphics)
6. Be well-written and well-organized. All of these issues should be addressed in your abstract. However, as each covers a unique influence that alters the interpretation the work, speak more to one or two components of your “research” in depth:  was the work a response to Art History?  Or was the focus the experimental process? While it is assumed you will very briefly respond to all of these requirements, it is also expected that only a few will be the central focus of your statement.
   • Visual Arts presenters are required to upload three examples of work. For works in progress, you may substitute images of the work being submitted with images of past works that are representative of the artwork to be exhibited at NCUR. 
   • For works in progress, you may substitute images of the work being submitted with images of past works that are representative of the artwork to be exhibited at NCUR 2020.  
   • If a video or performance documentation, no sample should exceed 2 minutes.
7. Portal Submission guidelines
   • For Mentor: List a professor who is familiar with your work, who will advocate for you if contacted.
   • For Other Presenters: list collaborators if applicable. Otherwise, just skip.
   • Abstract Title:  Place tile of work. 
   • For Name of Author(s), Faculty Mentor, Department, etc.: place the address of your department.

Abstract guidelines for architecture:

1. Clearly state the central research question and/or purpose of the project. What is it that you wish to study? This could be a building typology (i.e. the energy consumption of single family homes vs. duplex units or efficiency of one floor vs. two floor office) or it could be the evolution of a building typology, building material, building system, building technology, a place or an architectural theory.  
2. Provide brief, relevant scholarly or research context (no actual citations required) that demonstrate its attempt to make a unique contribution to the area of inquiry. Describe why this research is relevant today.  What has changed, is changing, or is likely to change in the future and how might this change effect people, place, design aspirations, building technology, etc.?
3. Provide a brief description of the research methodology. How will you conduct the research (i.e. comparative, historic, evolutionary, inductive [analyze the observed phenomenon], deductive [verify an observed phenomenon], qualitative, experimental, simulation, case studies)
4. State conclusions or expected results and the context in which they will be discussed. What do you expect the results to be or what do you expect to learn and what is likely to be the significance of your findings?
5. Include text only (no images or graphics). This may be difficult when you are researching a “thing” in the built environment but you need to follow the rules.
6. Be well-written and well-organized. Follow the script you have been given (#’s 1, 2, 3, & 4 above in this order).  Restate each topic and be specific in your response to each.  Use complete sentences (bullet points can be used following a statement but never alone).  Do not use jargon that someone outside of architecture is not likely to understand (i.e. glazing vs. glass). Read what you have written out loud to check to see if it sounds clear and concise.  Reread what you have written 24 hours later to identify typos, poor word usage, incomplete sentences, etc.  Read what have written to a friend and ask them if they can restate what you are proposing.  If you are the least bit uncertain take what you have written to the writing center.

Abstract guidelines for performing arts:

1. Clearly state the central research question and/or purpose of the project.A statement discussing compositional or performance aspects of the work. Why did you compose this work or choose this work to perform? What aspects of music are you exploring?
2. Provide brief, relevant scholarly or research context (no actual citations required) that demonstrate its attempt to make a unique contribution to the area of inquiry. How does the composition and/or performance advance the development of your creative output?
3. Provide a brief description of the research methodology. Provide a brief description of the musical work from a compositional or performative standpoint.
4. State conclusions or expected results and the context in which they will be discussed. How did the composition of the work or preparation for the performance affect your musical understanding and output?
5. Include text only (no images or graphics). Include a link (box, google drive, dropbox, etc) to a recording of the work and a score of the work if required for performance.
6. Be well-written and well-organized. 

Other formatting guidelines:

If your area is not named below, or if more than one area applies, select the one most closely related to your work. Please review the entire list before choosing your area.

• Anthropology & Archaeology
• Architecture, Construction Management, & Interior Design
• Art History & Visual Arts
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Communications
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Criminology/Criminal Justice
• Dance
• Diversity Studies
• Economics
• Education
• Engineering
• English & Literature
• Environmental Science & Sustainability
• Exercise Science & Nutrition
• Film/Photography Studies
• Geography/Geology
• History
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Law & Legal Studies
• Linguistics & World Languages
• Mathematics
• Music
• Nursing & Public Health
• Philosophy, Ethics, & Religious Studies
• Physical/Occupational Therapy & Speech Language Pathology
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Rhetoric and Writing Studies
• Social Work and Human Services
• Sociology
• Theatre/Drama