Beth Hewett Dissertation Award

2025 Call for Proposals

GSOLE Research Grant | Hewett Dissertation Award | Warnock Practitioner Award | Past Grant Winners

About the Beth Hewett Disseration Award

The Beth Hewett Dissertation Award honors the work of a graduate student who is contributing to the field of OWI and writing instruction through scholarly inquiry. We invite graduate students whose dissertation has been signed off by their committee in the last 3 years to apply.

Award winners will be asked to present their work at the GSOLE conference and may have the opportunity to publish their work in journals like ROLE or OLOR Effective Practices.

Applicants should submit the following items:

Title page
Abstract (1-2 pages) *Anonymized
Dissertation Reflection (2-3 pages): A short written document (or audio/video recording) in which the author explains the relevance of their dissertation and how it connects to the criteria of the award.
Full Dissertation: Include a complete copy of your dissertation in a separate attachment.

Proposal Format and Criteria

Please compile items (1) through (3) into a single attachment and attach the full dissertation as a second, separate file in your submission email by September 1, 2025 to <research@gsole.org> with subject line: Dissertation Award

Materials will be reviewed comprehensively on the following:

The project’s contribution to relevant issues in the field and/or GSOLE's OLI Principles
The scholarship’s connection to issues of equity and access
The overall quality of composition and organization in relation to the research question, purpose, and rationale
The implementation of methods and treatment of data

To evaluate these, we will focus on Quality of Composition & Organization, Scholarship Demonstrated, Research Contributions and Research Contributions

	3 = to a high degree	2 = some evidence	1= little evidence	0 = not at all
Background Knowledge & Significance	Fully explains background and information gap for project, engaging in contemporary literature; Articulates compelling study rationale and significance.	Explains background and information gap for project, engaging in some contemporary literature; Articulates study rationale and significance.	Provides limited explanation of background and information gap for project; Articulates some study rationale and significance.	Does not explain background or information gap for project; Fails to articulate study rationale and significance.
Study Design & Research	Targets the identified gap(s) in the literature with clarity; Applies empirical knowledge to shape questions and explains them very well; Articulates methods in detail.	Targets the identified gap(s) in the literature with some clarity; Applies empirical knowledge to shape questions and explains them adequately; Articulates methods with some detail.	Targets the identified gap(s) in the literature with limited clarity; Applies some empirical knowledge to shape questions; Articulates methods with limited detail.	Does not target identified gap(s) in the literature; Fails to apply empirical knowledge to shape questions; Does not articulate methods in detail.
Research Contributions	Research question(s) and results are timely with potential significant impact on future research in the discipline; Identifies and addresses key issues in OWI, including a broad range of topics like writing/learning center practices, digitally-enhanced learning, research on hyflex/hybrid modalities, and so on, showing in-depth knowledge and offering original insights; Critically engages with OWI challenges and opportunities, demonstrating creativity and innovation in addressing them.	Research question(s) and results are relevant with potential impact on future research in the discipline; Identifies and addresses some key issues in OWI, showing adequate knowledge and offering some insights; Engages with OWI challenges and opportunities, demonstrating some creativity and innovation.	Research question(s) and results have limited relevance and impact on future research in the discipline; Identifies and addresses few key issues in OWI, showing limited knowledge and offering few insights; Engages minimally with OWI challenges and opportunities, demonstrating limited creativity and innovation.	Research question(s) and results are not relevant or impactful on future research in the discipline; Does not identify or address key issues in OWI, showing no knowledge or insights; Does not engage with OWI challenges and opportunities, demonstrating no creativity or innovation.
Connections to issues of equity and access	Project attends to issues of power, access, and equity in some part of the design or contextualization of findings; Findings are contextualized in ways that highlights disparities and proposes actionable solutions to make learning environments more inclusive.	Project attends to issues of power, access, and equity in some part of the design or contextualization of findings; Findings are contextualized in ways that highlight some disparities and propose some actionable solutions to make learning environments more inclusive.	Project attends to issues of power, access, and equity in a limited part of the design or contextualization of findings; Findings are contextualized in ways that highlight few disparities and propose few actionable solutions to make learning environments more inclusive.	Project does not attend to issues of power, access, and equity in the design or contextualization of findings; Findings are not contextualized in ways that highlight disparities or propose actionable solutions to make learning environments more inclusive.

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