As the 3rd Annual Library Prize for Undergraduate Research Papers and Projects competition gets underway, last year's first place winner talks about her research strategies and the impact that the encouragement and support she received from her research advisor, Professor Sandra Banack, Biological Science, has had on her academic achievements.
Library Update: What was your paper about and how did you become interested in researching the topic?
Robin Keber: My paper was a senior thesis for the Southern California Ecosystems Research Program (SCERP). The topic of my research was the relationship between Costa's hummingbirds and the invasive artichoke thistle in southeastern Orange County. The artichoke thistle is a noxious weed that can spread to completely cover native grasslands. We were concerned that the plant was also having a negative impact on hummingbird populations because nests on the live leaves have low success in producing young that survive to fly out of the nest.
I became interested in researching this topic when I talked with my research mentor Dr. Banack about potential projects. One of her former students thought that thistle-invaded grasslands might be an area where local hummingbird populations were in decline as a result of nest failure, because she observed many nests falling off of the plants or tipping over. This was intriguing to us, so we decided to follow up on it.
LU: How much research, field work, and writing time went into its production?
RK: The research started from the moment I began designing my field study. I went to the library to look up the hummingbird species I was interested in, and I was especially concerned with how to find their nests. I also looked up journal articles to write a formal proposal for my experiment.
The fieldwork was conducted from 2004 to 2007, in the spring and summer. The writing for my senior thesis began very early (Fall 2004) because I knew it would take a lot of work and I wanted to get a head start. I have been back and forth from the library ever since, looking up books and articles, and checking them out. I've probably looked at every book and article on hummingbirds and thistles that the library owns. I've even borrowed several books from other institutions. My paper wasn't completed until I finished my senior thesis course in Spring 2007. It took a lot of time, patience, and reading!
LU: Did you learn anything from the research and writing process that you can apply to other aspects of your life?
RK: First of all, you have to enjoy what you do in order to do your best work, because if you don't enjoy it then it's going to get old fast. Make your work something you are passionate about and you will have fun exploring the topic.
Start as early as you can on your projects and work when things are fresh in your mind. Also, you have to learn to put your fears of criticism aside and let people give you feedback. Your own work will probably never be perfect in your eyes, but keep trying because criticism really helps you to improve. Research and writing teach you how to do things you don't want to do. It's easy to get drained when you've been working for a long time. Breaks are essential, but you do need to set goals and timelines for yourself. It especially helped when I broke my goals into tiny steps that I could accomplish in a matter of minutes or hours, rather than setting large goals that would take longer. That way the larger task wouldn't seem so daunting.
Like lots of other things in life, both research and writing are collaborative processes, involving many people and drawing from a variety of opinions and ideas. People are always willing to lend a helping hand if you just ask. I have a lot of people to thank for my achievements.
LU: What else are you planning on doing with your research?
RK: My research has already been presented many times, and we hope to have it published in a scientific journal.
It would be exciting if someone wanted to continue the study or take it in a different direction in the future. The more you learn on a topic, the more questions you can ask about it. The list of questions we can ask is never-ending. That's another thing I learned.
LU: How did you find out about the Library Prize?
RK: My research advisor Dr. Sandra Banack had a lot of faith in me and told me to apply because she thought I would win. Thanks to her support I did!
LU: How did Pollak Library fit into fulfilling your research needs?
RK: Pollak Library has an amazing collection of books, magazines, journals, and other media. The books are easy to find and check out, and students can also go online through the library website to find and read articles. The library has subscriptions to many journals, and students can also request articles from other institutions and receive them in a timely and painless manner. Any information you are looking for can probably be found by going through Pollak Library, and research is made easy by the staff, who are cheerful, knowledgeable, and ready to assist you on your topic.
LU: Do you have any tips for this year's applicants?
RK: If you're not sure about applying, give it a shot because your paper is probably better than you think it is, and you never know what could happen! Secondly, have lots of people review your paper, and don't be afraid to ask for help from anyone.
My research advisor helped me to win the prize because she was behind me 100% and wrote me a wonderful letter of support. I also wrote a lot on my application essay to show that I was appreciative of the library's resources. Get into detail if you can and try to illustrate your points with examples.
Thanks, Robin!
For information on the 2008 Library Prize competition, visit: http://www.library.fullerton.edu/libraryprize/
Matt Mallard
Reference & Instruction Librarian