How to Apply

Eligibility

• All currently enrolled UC Davis graduate students, professional students and postdoctoral scholars are eligible to apply.
• Students may submit one individually authored work or one team-authored work to which they were a major contributor. If submitting a team-authored work, please indicate your role as a contributor in your cover letter.
• The submitted work must be an unpublished, original work by a UC Davis graduate student, professional student or postdoctoral scholar. Examples of eligible work include but are not limited to:
  • research articles
  • dissertation or thesis chapters
  • essays
  • reports on research projects
  • creative works (e.g., plays, exhibits, poetry, performance)
• Prize winners agree to attend the prize ceremony at Shields Library where they will be honored.

Application Process

The Graduate Student Prize application includes the work itself and a cover letter:

• The work should be in a format that can be submitted via Google Forms. Each file must be fewer than 10MB. If that is not possible, please submit a document that provides a detailed description of the project in sufficient detail to allow its merits to be judged. If the project is online, please include the URL.
• The cover letter should be limited to 500 words and explain:
  • how the applicant made use of the library’s resources and/or services
  • how the work enhances our understanding of, or engagement with diverse community groups

Submit application components (written research work and cover letter via the Submission Form. Questions or technical issues? Check our Frequently Asked Questions first, then email librarygradstudentprize@ucdavis.edu if needed.

Evaluation Process and Criteria

A panel of faculty members and representatives from the library and the Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement will carefully review submitted applications. The panel will use the following evaluation criteria:

• For research or creative work:
  • Clarity and quality of composition
  • Importance of the questions addressed in the work to the public and diverse community groups
  • Significance or impact of the work in relation to the field
  • Methodological rigor
• For cover letter:
  • Clearly shows the extent to which the student made effective use of the UC Davis Library’s resources and/or services. Examples include (but are not limited to):
    • Using print, digital, or archival resources, including through interlibrary loan
    • Searching databases provided by the library
    • Using library guides (e.g. subject guides, course guides)
    • Attending library workshops and classes
    • Meeting with a librarian
    • Using physical library spaces
  • Clearly shows the extent to which the student enhanced understanding of, or engagement with diverse community groups, i.e. how the work contributed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, or belonging (DEIAB).

Judges will evaluate submissions using the Library Grad Student Prize rubric (PDF).

Important Dates