If any of your questions are not answered in this section, please e-mail the Office of Undergraduate Research at our@cwu.edu.

• What kind of "projects" can be presented at SOURCE?
• Is SOURCE open to artists?
• Are students required to present at SOURCE?
• Can I present at SOURCE if I have already graduated?
• I am still in the early stages of my research. Can I still apply to present at SOURCE?
• Can I present two or more projects at SOURCE?
• Can I invite friends, family, and other faculty?
• Who evaluates student presentations and determines award winners?
• What happens if major developments occur in my project between the time I apply and SOURCE?
• Which presentation type should I select?
• I’ve never done these kinds of presentations. How will I know what to do?

What kind of "projects" can be presented at SOURCE?

Research, scholarly or creative projects from all disciplines are encouraged at SOURCE.  For all submissions, students must work under the guidance of a faculty mentor; this includes students working on faculty research as well as students working on their own research under the supervision of faculty.

Generally speaking, research, scholarship, or creative projects are characterized by evidence-based exploration of a question or hypothesis that is important to those in the discipline in which the work is being done. Before starting a project, students must know something about the methodology of a discipline (e.g., what constitutes "evidence" and how do you obtain it) and how to decide if a question or line of inquiry that is interesting to that student is also important to the discipline.

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Is SOURCE open to artists?

Absolutely! We encourage visual and performing artists to submit applications to participate.  Select the creative expression category if you will be presenting an artistic performance or select the creative works category if you will be presenting a product such as an original painting, sculpture, photography, prints, textile arts, fashion designs, drawings, pottery, jewelry, and metal works.  Instead of an abstract, those individuals presenting in the creative works or creative expression categories submit an artist/presenter statement that describes the project and, if appropriate, either the inspiration for the project or the criteria used to construct the creative work.

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Are students required to present at SOURCE?

Some programs on campus require that their students present their projects at SOURCE; however, for the majority of students, SOURCE is a non-required opportunity to present their research, scholarship, or creative activity. 

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Can I present at SOURCE if I have already graduated?

Yes. You are welcome to present at SOURCE in May even if you graduated in Fall or Winter quarters.  Please contact the OUR at our@cwu.edu if you would like to submit your work to SOURCE after you graduate.

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I am still in the early stages of my project. Can I still apply to present at SOURCE?

You do not need to have completed your project to present at SOURCE. Many students who present at SOURCE are still in the process of completing their project. It is perfectly acceptable to share your preliminary findings.

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Can I present two or more projects at SOURCE?

Yes, but we recommend that you do not present more than two projects.  If you do submit abstracts for two presentations, they must be on separate projects.

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Can I invite friends, family, and other faculty?

Yes!  SOURCE is free for all students as well as the campus and local community.  We welcome anyone interested in seeing the exciting work of students, faculty, and staff at Central.

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Who evaluates student presentations and determines award winners?

All student presenters have the option to be evaluated by two volunteer judges from the campus and local community.  Awards are presented to the top 10% of presenters in each category from each College.  Look at the judging forms to see the criteria that the judges use to evaluate the presentations.

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What happens if major developments occur in my project between the time I apply and SOURCE?

You are welcome to note those changes as you develop your final presentation or poster. However, the abstract submitted with your application, which is printed in the SOURCE Program and Proceedings, cannot be amended after the deadline.

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Which presentation type should I select?

When you submit your presentation application, you will be asked to select your choice for the presentation format.  Look at the information provided regarding the different presentation formats to determine the best one for you.  We highly recommend consulting with your mentor before submitting.

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I’ve never done these kinds of presentations. How will I know what to do?

All participants are required to have a mentor or sponsor; he/she will be able to give you advice.

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