A. GARR CRANNEY

OUTSTANDING THESIS/DISSERTATION AWARD

Guidelines for 2008 Award Year


The History of Reading Special Interest Group sponsors a triennial award for the outstanding masters thesis/dissertation on the history of literacy. A prize of $100 will be awarded to the masters or doctoral student’s work that represents the best scholarship on the history of literacy, broadly defined to include the history of authorship, books, instruction, audiences, publishing, spelling, libraries, reading, and writing.

The winning thesis or dissertation is announced at the annual meeting of the History of Reading SIG, which coincides with the International Reading Association’s annual meeting in early May of each year. Winners of the award receive a special plaque as well as a three-year membership in the SIG.

Recipients of the award are invited to present a paper based on their thesis/dissertation as part of the next annual meeting of the SIG. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2008 award is January 15, 2007; theses/dissertations must have been completed and approved between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING

1. Submit three copies of the ‘Title Page Form.’ A downloadable copy of this form can be found on the SIG’s website: http://www.historyliteracy.org.

2. Submit three copies of an abstract. The abstract should be typewritten according to the official style required at the sponsoring university. Photocopies are acceptable.

3. Submit three copies of a monograph based on the thesis/dissertation research. The monograph should be no less than five typewritten pages and no more than ten pages. It should be double-spaced and written in English. Font size should be no smaller than 12 point. The monograph should be written with no identifying data as to the author or the university affiliation. Include a reference list, which will not be counted as part of the 5-10 page body of the monograph. (NOTE: Applicants should be prepared to submit one copy of the thesis/dissertation itself, if requested.)

4. Submit a signed letter from the faculty sponsor on official letterhead of the university, attesting to the degree and date of its award.

5. Only masters or specialist degree theses/doctoral dissertations which have been completed and approved between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007 will be considered for the 2008 award. More than one thesis/dissertation may be submitted from a single university.

6. The applicant's degree can be in any discipline; however the thesis/dissertation must clearly be an historical research project related to literacy.

7. All entries will be judged by a jury of three literacy historians who are members of the History of Reading SIG Thesis/Dissertation Award Committee. The decision of the judges will be final.

8. The envelope containing 3 copies of the Title Page Form, 3 copies of the Abstract, 3 copies of the Monograph, and the Faculty Sponsor Letter must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2008, and sent to:

Paul J. Schafer
Associate Professor
School of Education
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
Ph: 716-375-2387
FAX: 716-375-2360

9. Additional information and copies of these forms can be found at the SIG’s website: http://historyliteracy.org

10. Application materials that do not adhere strictly to the above guidelines will be eliminated from the competition. Final determination of adherence to the guidelines will be made by the chairperson of the Award Committee.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

The thesis/dissertation will be judged on the following criteria:

1. Significance of study to the field of literacy history.

2. Clear identification and relevance of the question researched to the history of literacy.

3. Appropriate methodology used in relation to the topic investigated (archival research, oral history, etc.).

4. Utilization of appropriate or sufficient primary sources.

5. Appropriate and effective use of secondary sources.

6. Conclusions appropriate given the design and results of the research.