Gemstone Best Practices Guide for Mentors
This guide is designed to follow the Timeline for Team Success, and give tips and guidance to mentors as their teams' progress through their three year research project.
Sophomore Year | Junior Year | Senior Year
Bringing in Experts
Many mentors take the opportunity during the first semester as a team to bring in a variety of experts to speak on areas related to the team topic. This helps the team learn about the topic area in general since not all team members will have the same basic knowledge of the topic coming in. It also helps the team focus on their specific research question, as well as make connections with people in the field that will hopefully stay involved with the team for guidance along the way.
Coordinating GEMS 296 with GEMS 202
The fall semester is meant to be a joint effort between GEMS 202 led by Gemstone staff for 2 credits and GEMS 296 led by the team mentor for 1 credit. In order to make this semester as productive as possible, the GEMS 202 instructors will inform the mentors about what their team is doing in GEMS 202 so mentors can help the team make connections specific to team's topic. The GEMS 202 syllabus is designed to help the team meet some important goals, such as conducting a literature review in their topic, setting group norms and creating a mission statement as a team. Mentors will be provided copies of the syllabus in order to become familiar with the material being covered.
Setting Roles/Switching Roles
Team members will be just getting to know one another and discovering how they best work together. Some mentors find it helpful to set some roles (such as meeting facilitator, note taker, agenda writer, etc.) to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Some mentors also find it helpful to rotate these meeting roles each week. This rotation gives all the team members an opportunity to try out the different roles. Sometimes students who may not jump at the chance to facilitate at the beginning turn out to be the most effective facilitator for the group. If at some point down the road, it seems to make sense to set these roles on a more permanent basis that can work well, too!
Why a Team Website?
The goal of the team website is to allow prospective students and possible donors/partners to see what our teams are doing. Teams should have substantive material on their website before they open it to the public. The site may also be a good place for teams to keep information or draft documents on a secure page only for team members. Teams also have access to Blackboard as a place to keep shared documents and team related material.
What is a Liaison?
Throughout the year, the Gemstone staff meets with a group of representatives from the teams. As always, all team members are invited to attend, but at least one member should be there from every team. Often, it ends up being a member who can fit the meetings into his/her schedule and may even change throughout the year. These meetings are a great way to hear how all the teams are doing, receive tips from staff and other teams, and remain up-to-date with program events and requirements. It is also important to make sure that at least one member of your team responds to Gemstone staff correspondence in a reliable manner. Sometimes whole teams find themselves lacking important information because an e-mail isn't read. Put at least one person in charge of being "in-the-know."
Ways to Collect Articles
During GEMS 202, each student will be asked to summarize two articles. We will give them a summary outline to follow that keeps all the important information about this article in one place (full citation in APA format, summary of the article, description of the research methods used, analysis of how this article could be used or applied to the team's research, etc.). Many teams have found this structure to be very helpful and have started keeping a database online where every article a team member reads is summarized following this structure and filed for future reference by all team members. Some teams keep a physical binder with one copy of every article and its summary instead of the online database version. The goal of this is to have a system for organizing large amounts of information that may not be needed for some time (i.e., when the thesis is written). Instead of having to re-read everything when the team starts writing their thesis, they will have well written summaries to help sort through the collected information so they are ready to write! All citations will be there to make it easy to find articles if needed, and all citations will be in APA format already.
One-on-One Mentor Meetings
Some mentors have found it extremely helpful to meet periodically with team members on an individual basis. This meeting gives them the chance to deal with any individual issues one-on-one or to extend special praise. Sometimes mentor suggestions are taken more willingly by students in this format.
Grading - Mid-term Check-ins
Mentoring a team in this Program is such a different experience than teaching a normal class and mentors often struggle with grading. Many students expect to get an "easy A" in their Gemstone team even though the work effort or quality is lacking. The Program encourages mentors to give the grades the students deserve and have earned. It is important for mentors to be as explicit as possible in their syllabus each semester about how students will be graded and on what criteria. Grades are huge motivators for students. Some previous mentors suggest that giving mid-term grades (or check-ins) can help. Allowing the students to see how well they are doing so far, or what grade they would get at this point and what they still need to do in order to get a better grade, can really help. Since there are no exams and papers throughout the semester, they never get an idea of what they are earning, so mid-term check-ins can really help you and them!
Thesis Proposal
The goal of this step in the process is for the teams to decide exactly what they are going to study, how they will study it, and what the importance of this work will be. The thesis proposal is due mid-spring of the sophomore year. You can find more specific information on the format of and expectations for the thesis proposal in the Team Process and Policies document. With this important information well thought out and planned in advance at a time when there is still a year to actually complete the research, teams will be set up for greater success. The mentor role in this process is to help guide the students in exploring the existing literature, learning about the methodology they select, and providing guidance in designing the research study. The mentor is also responsible to select one or two people who are experts in the field of study or in the methodology the team has selected in order to serve on the proposal committee. This expert(s), along with Dr. Wallace and you, the mentor, will review the team's proposal and give critical suggestions for strengthening the design at a time when those suggestions can be used to improve the team's work.
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Any Gemstone team that plans to conduct research that involves human subjects will need to submit an application for approval of their research to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Maryland . Failure to obtainIRB approval prior to beginning the research process will mean that the thesis will not be accepted. Therefore, IRB approval must be obtained and informed consent must be given by individuals a team may involve in pilot testing instruments, conducting interviews, surveys, etc. IRB approval is not required to invite experts to present on specific topics to the team. For details on IRB procedures and a sample application see: www.umresearch.umd.edu/IRB.
There is also a more detailed description of how this process works for Gemstone in the Team Process and Policies document.
Beating the Clock - Junior Year is Vital
The junior year is really important for the team. This year is when the crux of the research must get done. It is also important for the writing to start during this time. The more work that is done this year, the better the team will be positioned in the senior year for a successful thesis. Teams should be finished with data collection, started on data analysis and begun writing the thesis by the end of their junior year. Teams that haven't completed these steps by this time often find themselves very stressed during the senior year. Senior teams who have faced this situation in the past have wished they had made better use of their junior year so they could have finished with a higher quality thesis and had less chaos during senior year. Not all teams can move at the same pace. There are often unavoidable things that will occur that slow teams down, and, more often than not, each step of the research process takes longer than anticipated. So, take this advice to heart - get moving!
The Importance of Early Contact with Possible Discussants
The official list of discussants for your team isn't due until early November of the senior year. However, discussants for past teams have often said that they wished they had been involved in the process sooner since it is often too late for their feedback to be anything other than cosmetic. At that point, the team's project is pretty close to completion and only small changes to the written thesis can be made. This constraint is often very frustrating for discussants who have many suggestions to offer the team regarding methodology or contacts for their research.
Therefore, we have started including tasks in the Timeline for Team Success that encourage a team to make contacts earlier and obtain feedback from potential discussants on early drafts of their work. Teams should work on building relationships with experts early on in the sophomore and junior years. The experts could give talks to the team on the research topic or be one of the people you invite to serve as a committee member for the thesis proposal. Establishing these connections early allows discussants to be able to give their final analysis on how the team completed their work from a knowledgeable perspective, not only of the topic but how the team progressed as well.
For instance, a recently graduated team had an Advisory Board for their team. Any qualified persons that they came in contact with throughout their research process were invited to this group. They sent out yearly newsletters to their Advisory Board to update them on their team's progress. And many of them became discussants for the team. Even if your team doesn't do it so formally, it is important to keep note of all the people you work with and reach out to keep them updated on your team along the way.
Colloquia
During the fall semester of the junior year, teams present their research at the Colloquia. This venue allows freshmen to hear what our teams are doing as they look towards forming their own teams. It is also an important milestone for the team to make sure they are on track. The Gemstone staff and the team's mentor are present to evaluate the team's presentation and progress and to give feedback to the team. The staff is mostly focused on presentation skills in our feedback since the wide range of topics covered by all our teams makes analysis of the content of the projects difficult. It is, therefore, critical for the mentor to give feedback on the content part of the presentation. In this way, the Colloquia become a helpful tool for our teams.
Poster Presentation
During the spring semester of the junior year, teams present their research at a Poster Presentation as part of the Undergraduate Research Day. This is an opportunity for the teams to present their research in a broader forum. Often teams have found the posters that they make to be useful tools for giving additional presentations at conferences and such.
Data Analysis
As teams analyze their data, they will often feel overwhelmed with the amount of information collected. The most difficult part of analyzing data is learning to make sense of it and then figuring out the best way to communicate the most meaningful results to a lay audience. However, doing this thoughtfully and thoroughly goes a long way towards making the senior thesis presentation, and the written thesis itself, a quality piece of work. Encourage your team to learn about tools that will help in understanding and presenting data (graphs, charts, statistical tools, etc.). You may want to bring in experts to work with your team on this or suggest some books that can help. The American Psychological Association (APA) (2003) has a book dedicated to this subject entitled "Displaying Your Findings" that teams may find useful. Allowing sufficient time after data is collected to fully analyze it can help a team present the information clearly.
Study Abroad/Co-op Experiences
Students are able to study abroad while being in Gemstone. The semesters during which they can study abroad are during their junior year. Students are not allowed to study abroad in their senior year due to the importance of being present for the writing and defending of the team thesis.
Any student who is planning on studying abroad must have a learning contract filled out with their mentor and submitted to Angela Dawson, Gemstone Academic Advisor. This contract must be completed the semester before the student will be away from campus. Students will need to register for the Gemstone credits they miss one year later. The mentor should grade the student on how well they completed those things outlined in the Learning Contract. Things like bringing an international perspective to the topic, working on data entry into a computer program, or writing parts of the literature review for the thesis could all be assignments for a student while they are away. There are specifically designated sections of 297-397 under Angela Dawson's name for those students who are making up a class because of study abroad. They should register for one of these sections. The mentor should give Angela Dawson the grade for that student so she can submit it.
Writing as a Team
Writing as a team is probably one of the most challenging tasks your team will face. Here are some techniques that other teams have employed in the past. One of these (or a combination) may be the best fit for your team.
- The team can write while they are together around a computer.
- The team can have individuals or pairs write sections. Then at a meeting, all the sections are passed around the table and every member gets to mark it with their comments, updates and suggestions. This way each member is involved with writing the whole paper without having to all be standing at the computer at the same time
- Individuals write sections of the thesis. Then members take on specific roles in the editing process. One member reads through the whole thesis and looks just at correcting grammar. One member just looks at unifying tense throughout the thesis. One member works to make smooth and clear transitions between sections. One member works on making the whole paper sound like it's from the same voice. One member edits the accuracy of in-text citations and the reference section for APA style.
- Some teams find having multiple versions of the thesis floating around to be a big problem. One team's solution was to have their one version kept on one computer in their mentors' building to which they had access (constantly saved on disk as a back-up). The rule was that changes to the thesis could only be made at this computer, to this one version, and there had to be more than one team member present for a change to be made. If your team doesn't all have access to one computer, you could use an online service like AJC Online to maintain the official version.
- Helpful hint: Keeping organized files of the literature the team has used and reviewed collectively is really important in the writing phase. Being able to pull an article that you want to use, having the full APA reference handy, and a summary available to give the important points without re-reading the article will save time. It is okay not to use every article or book that the team reviewed during their three years in the thesis. In fact, only sources directly pertinent to the team's final project should be included in the written thesis.
Rehearsal is EARLY
Usually the Team Thesis Rehearsal will occur within two weeks after beginning the spring semester. This is done so that there is time to give written feedback to the team (which can take a while to prepare), and still give the team ample time to incorporate changes sparked by this feedback into their final draft of the written thesis, which is usually due at the end of February. Also, this rehearsal tends to kick-start teams into getting serious about preparing for this momentous event where they will present and defend their three years of work. In order to be prepared for the rehearsal, senior teams will have to have work on their presentation before they leave for the holidays in December.
Make good use of your discussants
Hopefully, by the senior year, you have had contact with some of the people who will be your team's discussants. Having a good relationship with them can only help the quality of what they will share with your team at the conference. Some mentors like to request their written feedback on the thesis. If this is the case, discussants must be told about this so they can come prepared to the conference. Often teams would like to spend more than the one hour provided after the presentation with their discussants. If your team would like to go to dinner with the discussants afterwards or have some other type of event, it would be important to invite them in advance. In essence, take advantage of this opportunity. The team will never have the opportunity to have all of their experts in the same place at the same time again.
How to win an award
At the Citation Ceremony in May of the senior year, senior teams are awarded their citations and the Gemstone Program presents additional esteemed awards. The team honors given at this time are the Outstanding Gemstone Team Thesis and the Outstanding Gemstone Team Presentation Awards. The individual honors are the Outstanding Gemstone Mentor Award, the Outstanding Gemstone Scholar Award, the Outstanding Team Leader Award, and the Outstanding Gemstone Citizen and Leader Award. Teams and individuals who win an award will have their names engraved on a plaque that hangs in the Gemstone suite.
Outstanding Gemstone Team Thesis Award
For this award, the following criteria are considered:
- Integration of all the parts of the thesis written in one voice. Each part must clearly show how it adds to the reader's growing understanding of the argument being advanced in the thesis that leads to the thesis conclusion.
- A clear statement of the research question/problem the thesis addresses which includes supporting your argument throughout.
- Exposition of the relevant existing scholarly literature.
- A carefully considered approach to research design and methods.
- A clear and concise description of findings.
- A purposeful analysis, exploring links with other research and writing.
- A convincing conclusion that includes the contribution of the research to society and what possibilities exist for extending the work.
Outstanding Gemstone Team Presentation Award
The honor of the Outstanding Presentation is awarded based on a team's clarity, creativity and overall presentation style.
Outstanding Gemstone Mentor Award
This honor will be awarded to the Gemstone mentor who has demonstrated exemplary support and guidance of his or her team. For mentors to be considered "outstanding," they should exceed the normal job requirements of meeting regularly with the team and providing basic support and guidance. Senior teams are strongly encouraged to nominate their mentor for this award.
Outstanding Gemstone Scholar Award
This honor will be awarded to a student who has been intellectually engaged and highly involved on their Gemstone team. This award goes beyond the normal leadership behavior of organizing the group, motivating members and running meetings. Nominees for this award should be students that have taken the intellectual leadership role and have served as a driving force behind the topic and content of the research.
Outstanding Team Leader Award
This award is presented to a student who has demonstrated excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills as well as clearly motivated his or her team over the past three years.
Gemstone Citizen & Leader Award
This award goes to a student who has been very involved in the Gemstone Program outside of his or her team, such as by holding positions of leadership, planning events, or serving as a positive role model for the Program.
Hopefully these awards will serve as a motivator for your team to produce high quality work, which is a requirement to win a team award. We encourage you and your team members to set high goals to try to win one of these prestigious awards.
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Expectations of Mentors | Mentor Progress Report | Best Practices Guide | Example Syllabus
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