The 21st annual Student Research Competition offers Sacramento State students the chance to win $200 dollars on March 3. The competition also provides the chance to present students’ research and obtain valuable feedback, said Vicki Pearson-Rounds, the sponsored programs development officer at the Research Administration office.

“It gives you a sense of what it would be like if you were to go onto grad school,” Pearson-Rounds said. “It’s a practice round for much more to come.”

Students present their work orally in front of a jury and audience. A listen-and-respond section follows where jury and audience members comment and ask questions.

The jury comprises faculty and staff. Each jury member represents their college department of specialty. Everyone is encouraged to attend, particularly students.

“For people who aren’t sure if they want to do it themselves, come and watch. They can know what they’re possibly getting into,” Pearson-Rounds said.

The grand prize winner and up to nine other participants will travel to CSU, Dominguez Hills to compete statewide on May 4 and 5. Sac State will reimburse students for travel expenses.

Students are judged by the same category breakdown. However, entries are divided according to research topic and class standing- undergraduate or graduate.

Participants are judged on clarity, methodology, interpretation of results, value of research, presentation, organization and the presenter’s ability to handle questions from the jury and audience.

The deadline to submit research papers is February 23. Entries should be submitted to the Research Administration office in Modoc Hall 2010.

The campus competition is funded by the research administration department and Academic Affairs.

In past statewide competitions, Sac State has “come home with some placings,” Pearson-Rounds said. “We’re not a research institution, we’re a teaching institution and yet there’s a lot of research being done here. I’d say we hold our own.”

Lindsay Dickason can be reached at [email protected]