Course Description

The Field Research Project is designed to allow a student to engage in original research, working in close contact with an individual faculty member who will act as the research advisor, and to bring that research to fruition in the form of a final written and oral research report. In this way, the student will have the opportunity to participate in formal,scholarly communication.

The components of the research project will include:

i) developing a clear thesis statement for research;

ii) engaging in a literature review and constructing an annotated bibliography; iii) identifying and incorporating the necessary source materials (primary and/or secondary);

iv) conducting field research;

v) interpreting the data and materials collected through research and building arguments to provide an analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the research findings;

vi) putting together a formal work of scholarship;

vii) presenting in poster form the final results of individual research.

Normally, a student will be assigned a faculty member at Umbra as his/her Research Project advisor. However, depending on the topic under development, the student may also work closely with an Italian scholar based in Perugia (either at the University of Perugia or at an independent research institution or foundation). Students may also select a faculty member from their home institution to act as their Research Project advisor, gaining approval from that advisor for the particular research topic and arranging correspondence with the advisor prior to participation in the program.

At the end of the semester, the student will submit his/her final written research report (normally 30 to 40 pages long) for evaluation by his/her Research Project advisor. The student will also participate along with other research and independent study students in a poster presentation event, highlighting the final results of the various projects undertaken during the semester.

Note:

Students enrolled in this course must also enroll in ISRM 400: Research Writing & Methodology or obtain permission from the academic director.