Top Dissertation Award

The award honors a dissertation in the Children, Adolescents, and Media (CAM) field, completed (defended) in the two calendar years (2011 to 2012) preceding the nomination deadline. The award is open to all ICA members. Membership in the CAM division is required.

A cash award will be given in the amount of $500. Dissertations can be nominated twice. (In other words, if a dissertation is nominated in one year and does not receive the award, it can only be nominated again one additional time if the dissertation was completed within the two calendar years of the award).

The review committee judges each nominated dissertation on several criteria including the importance of the problem/topic it addresses, the strength of evidence it presents, and the significance of its conclusions. The committee also will consider the overall contribution of the research to the field and the relationship of the submission to the mission of the division.

Nomination Instructions

1. Dissertations completed up to 2 years prior to the February 15 deadline are eligible for consideration. Completion means that the final examination (dissertation defense) has been held and passed, and the final dissertation has been filed with the degree-granting institution.

2. The dissertation advisor, graduate program director, or the student may make the nomination.

3. The following materials MUST be submitted with the nomination:

  • a cover letter with the name, address, telephone, and e-mail address of the nominee and his or her advisor(s),
  • a manuscript that serves as a summary of the dissertation not exceeding 30 (thirty) pages of text (double spaced, 12-point font, 1 inch margins) and 50 pages total (including all references, tables, etc.). Full dissertations or chapters of dissertations will not be accepted for review. The manuscript should include the rationale, theoretical framework, relevant literature, research questions and/or hypotheses, methods, results, and conclusions. A separate cover sheet that contains only the title and the abstract should also be submitted. The identity of the author or the institution must be masked within the text of the manuscript.

    • 4. A letter from the dissertation advisor explaining why the dissertation is worthy of the award MUST accompany the nomination and verification from the advisor of the date on which the dissertation was filed with the degree-granting institution.

    DEADLINE

    Nomination packages should be emailed to CAM Chair Amy Jordan (ajordan@asc.upenn.edu) no later than 15 February.