COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SCIENCES

Directed Research (KINE 535)

The directed research experience allows students to develop a novel research question of their choosing based on readings, prior research experience, course content, and interests. Central to a directed research project is the mentorship experience. Therefore, the graduate student will act as the lead of the project with the guidance of two supervising faculty members. Directed research projects will have a primary and secondary faculty mentor. The primary faculty mentor must be a graduate faculty in the Department of Kinesiology, while the secondary mentor can be from outside the department. Please note that if a mentor is from outside the university, they will need to submit additional documentation to the Directed Research Coordinator for approval as a mentor prior to being allowed to serve. The Department Chair will be consulted if the Directed Research Coordinator has any questions about an outside mentor’s credentials.

Upon identifying a research question, the graduate student will seek their faculty mentors’ approval. Once approval is granted and prior to enrolling in KINE 535: Directed Research, Directed Research, students must complete the Directed Research Agreement Form. The Agreement Form will highlight evaluative assignments and associated dates for the proposed project. These assignments and dates will be agreed upon by the mentors and the student. Required as the final assignment will be the 15-minute Directed Research Poster Presentation. While mentors and students are encouraged to pursue manuscript publication of their project, publication may not be used as a required assignment due to the variable timeline of publication processes.

Graduate students planning to complete a directed research project must (1) Identify a primary and secondary faculty mentor (with their approval), (2) Develop a research question with the support of their mentors, (3) Complete the Directed Research Agreement Form, and (4) Submit the completed form to the department main office by the first Friday of the quarter prior to the quarter they plan to enroll in KINE 535C (Directed Research). For example, students planning to enroll in directed research in the Spring quarter must submit the Directed Research Agreement form to by the first Friday of the Winter quarter. Once the Directed Research Agreement Form has been completed and approved by the Directed Research Coordinator, the student will be cleared with the Registrar’s Office to enroll in KINE 535C Directed Research.

A graduate student who completes a directed research project is required to pass a 15-minute poster presentation of their project. This presentation will serve as the students KINE 585: Comprehensive Exam requirement for their program completion. The student presentation will be evaluated by the project mentors. If the mentors reach a split decision, a third evaluator (i.e., Department Chair or Directed Research Coordinator) will evaluate the presentation as a tie-breaker. All presentations for the quarter will take place on the second to last Friday of the academic quarter.

Please contact the Directed Research Coordinator for the Department of Kinesiology, Dr. Jordan Blazo (jblazo@latech.edu), with any questions regarding the directed research process.