Food for Thought: Exploring Undergraduate Research Brownbags 

Join us for informal conversations to explore the ins and outs of undergraduate research.   

What does "research" actually mean? What does it look like in real life? In each session, we'll discuss research ideas that are percolating and questions that are on your mind, share undergraduate research-related news and activities, and spotlight timely topics that you don't want to miss. Drop in as your schedule permits and bring your lunch if you like. We'll have snacks, too! 

BROWNBAG SCHEDULE: 

  • Thursday January 30, 2025, 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., Zoom
  • Wednesday February 5, 2025, 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., Room 310

Student-Centered Workshops 

Our Spring 2025 workshops can help you learn foundational research skills and concepts, get started with your own research ideas, and move your project forward! 

The following opportunities are open to all students! If you're planning to participate in the Undergraduate Research Symposium, take note – these will be especially helpful for you...

Getting Started with Research 
February 10, 12:15 -1:15p.m.
Room 310
Exploring foundational tools and concepts to support your research process

 

Designing and Creating a Research Poster 
March 3, 12:15 -1:15p.m. 
Room 310
Best practices for creating visually appealing and effective posters

 

Presenting a Research Poster 
March 31, 12:15 -1:15p.m.
Room 310
How to talk about your complex research in a short amount of time

Ethics in Public Health Research: Conference Papers by Students in BBH 301W   

 Join us for a mini conference in which BBH 301W students review ethical issues that can arise when conducting public health research. Their conference papers showcase an example of how PSU LV courses prepare students for independent research. 

 

Presenters include: Amal Bajwa, Anna Kerns, Daria Krout, Bradley Lee, Cora Oberly, Ian Rumbolo, and Melanie Villarreal. Students are supervised by Dr. Andjela Kaur.

February 19, 4:30 - 5:45p.m. - Zoom

 

Undergraduate Research Symposium Practice Sessions

Presenting at the PSU LV Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 10? Sign up for a practice run in an informal environment! Faculty will be available to act as a sounding board and provide feedback as you work to polish your presentations. Run through your elevator pitch and field some practice questions.

  • April 7, 2pm-4pm - Zoom - sign-up information coming soon
  • April 8, 12pm-2pm - In person - sign-up information coming soon

Not able to attend our live workshops?  

Check out the 2022-23 workshop recordings:  

Getting Started with Research 
Watch the recording 

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. 

How to Join the Scholarly Conversation 
Watch the recording 

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.   

How to Develop Effective Research Questions 
Watch the recording 

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. 

Literature Review Foundations 
Watch the recording 

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. 

Citation Management 
Watch the recording 

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. 

Information Privilege: What is it and what does it mean for our research? 
Watch the Recording 

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. 

Designing and Creating a Research Poster 
Watch the Recording 

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. 

Presenting a Research Poster 
Watch the Recording 

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. 

Questions? Contact Jen Jarson, Head Librarian and Chair of the Undergraduate Research Committee: [email protected]