Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

This award fosters research in academic librarianship by encouraging and assisting doctoral students in the field with their dissertation research.

Award

$1,500 cash and a plaque donated by Thomson Reuters.

Eligibility

The recipient of the fellowship must meet the following qualifications:

• Be an active doctoral student enrolled in an accredited degree-granting institution
• Be engaged in researching a topic related to academic librarianship
• Have completed all coursework
• Have had a dissertation proposal accepted by the institution
• A recipient of the fellowship may not receive it a second time.
• Applicant need not be an ACRL member

Criteria

Proposals will be judged primarily on merit with emphasis on the following:

• Potential significance of the research to the field of academic librarianship. (No attempt will be made to define academic librarianship, but the subject should be consistent with topics usually published in College & Research Libraries or key refereed library and information science research journals or presented at ACRL meetings.)
• Validity of the methodology and proposed methods of analysis
• Originality and creativity
• Clarity and completeness of the proposal
• Presentation of a convincing plan for completion in a reasonable amount of time
• Evidence of a continuing interest in scholarship such as a previous publication record

Awardee Obligation

Recipients of the fellowship are required to submit a 6-10 page report of the results of their research to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) within two months of the project's completion. A 500-word summary for possible publication in C&RL News is also due at that time.

Submissions

Qualified students who wish to be considered for the fellowship may apply by e-mailing a brief (ten pages or less double-spaced) proposal that includes the following:

• Description of the research, including significance and methodology
• Schedule for completion
• Budget and budget justification for items for which support is sought. (Must be items for which no other support is available. Examples of acceptable items are printing, computer time, fees to subjects, statistical consulting, photography, artwork, typing, and professional travel.)
• Name of dissertation advisor and committee members
• Letter from dissertation advisor endorsing the proposal
• Completed checklist confirming applicant eligibility 

An up-to-date curriculum vitae should accompany the proposal. Because of limits imposed by timing considerations, applications may be made for research under way, e.g., a student who begins research in the fall may apply for support for expenses incurred from the fall until the time the award is made.

Electronic submissions are required.  E-mail the application to Megan Griffin at mgriffin@ala.org.  If sending multiple files, each file name must contain the applicant's name.  Submissions will be acknowledged via e-mail.

If you have questions or need help compiling a nomination, contact the Doctoral Disseration Fellowship Committee Chair, Brian J. Doherty, Dean, University of South Florida, New College Library at (941) 487-4401, bdoherty@ncf.edu or Megan Griffin, mgriffin@ala.org.

Submission Deadline: Friday, December 4, 2009

Previous Recipients

2009 – Krystyna K. Matusiak, “Use of Digital Resources in an Academic Environment: A Qualitative Study of Students’ Perceptions, Experiences, and Digital Literacy Skills”
2008 – Donghua Tao, "Using Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in Understanding Selection and Use of Information Resources: An Information Resource Selection and Use Model."
2007 – Jihyun Kim, "Faculty Self-Archiving Behavior: Methods and Factors Affecting the Decision to Self-Archive."
2006 – Jean E. Dryden, "Copyright in the Real World: Copyright and Archival Material on the Internet."
2005 – Susan Ward Aber, "Information Needs and Behaviors of Geoscience Educators: A Grounded Theory Study."
2004 – Judy Jeng, "Usability of Digital Library: An Evaluation Model
2003 – Yung-Rang Laura Cheng, "Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions: Quantitative Comparisons of Interactions and Relationships among Three Factors in College Students' Information Seeking."
2002 – Charlotte Ford, "An Exploratory Study of the Differences between Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Reference Interactions"
2001 – Laurie Bonnici
1999 – Alenka Sauperl
1998 – Jeanine Williamson
1997 – Diane Worrell
1996 – Nongyao Premkamolnetr
1995 – Danuta A. Nitecki
1992 – Rosie L. Albritton
1991 – Kamala Balaraman
1990 – Rose Caruso
1989 – Kenneth Crews
1988 – Sarla Muragai
1987 – Ling Hwey Jeng
1985 – Joanne Euster
1984 – Donald Gould
1983 – Stanton Biddle

Sponsorship provided by Thomson Reuters