Submission Instructions for DC-AAPOR Student Paper Competition
DC-AAPOR invites entries to its 21st Annual Student Paper Competition. The competition is intended to recognize excellence in scholarly research by students and to encourage active student participation in the chapter.
Papers for the 2024 competition are due Friday, December 6, 2024!
a) Criteria
DC-AAPOR welcomes papers in any field related to the study of public opinion or survey methodology. Broadly defined, students are invited to submit research on (a) theoretical issues in the formation and change of public opinion, (b) the theory and methods relating to survey collections, (c) the use of statistical techniques in the design, adjustment, or analysis of survey data, and (d) applications of data science, such as machine learning, for enhancing the quality or utility of survey data. Papers are expected to be the length of typical journal manuscripts (i.e., approximately 3,500 to 6,500 words), and will be judged based on the quality of research design, originality, significance, organization, and presentation. To see a list of past winners please visit: Student Paper Competition results page.
b) Eligibility
The competition is open to all current graduate and undergraduate students, and to those who have received their degree within the last calendar year. Faculty co-authors are acceptable, with the stipulation that an eligible student must be the first author. Eligibility is limited to students attending or graduated from an accredited college or university in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington, DC, or to students whose primary residence is in one of those areas. Previous membership in DC-AAPOR is not required, but non-members must become members in order to be eligible. Students can join DC-AAPOR for $6 (membership is from October 2024 – December 2025). Submitted papers may not have been published elsewhere.
c) Award
The author(s) of the winning paper will be awarded a cash prize of $1,000. For multiple student authors on a winning paper, the award will be divided among the eligible student authors. Additionally, the author(s) of the winning paper will be awarded a guaranteed spot on the Conference Program to present their paper at the 2025 Annual AAPOR Conference in St. Louis, MO.
d) Review Committee
The winning paper and honorable mentions will be selected by a review committee composed of this year and next year’s DC-AAPOR executive council members.
Information about the competition can also be found on our website: https://dc-aapor.org/awards/student-paper-competition/
e) Submission
Please send your paper via email to Douglas Williams at past.president.dcaapor@gmail.com.