Student Independent Research Projects (SIRPs) are capstone projects completed by senior-level undergraduate and graduate students as required by their academic departments for degree conferral. SIRPs requirements and formats are determined by Jacksonville University colleges and departments. For more information about degree-specific SIRP requirements, please contact the academic department(s) of interest.
Students in the process of completing their SIRP should consult the Q&A below to learn more about their responsibilities and format requirements for project submission to University Archives. Student submission to the University Archives should occur after the academic department has approved the SIRP and its author for degree conferral. University Archives will not accept submissions that have not been approved by academic departments.
Academic Departments should consult the Q&A below to learn about their responsibilities during the SIRP submission process and the updated timelines for the upload of SIRPs to the Digital Archives database.
The updated requirements and procedures will be enforced for all SIRPs submitted to University Archives after January 12, 2025. Please email repository@ju.edu for any questions, concerns, or clarifications.
Q: I am still finishing my research but need help formatting resource citations. Where should I go?
A: Visit the Citing Sources research guide, the JU Research Symposium Resources page, or schedule a Book-a-Librarian appointment with one of our librarians at Swisher Library. Additionally, you can schedule an appointment at the Writing Center for assistance copy-editing and formatting your research paper. University Archives does not provide writing, editing, or citation assistance. University Archives is a record repository that will collect, preserve, and share your research with the JU community.
Q: Who is responsible for submitting my research project: me or my academic department?
A: Students are responsible for submitting the final, approved version of their thesis/dissertation, and, if applicable, any other departmentally-required audiovisual records via the SIRPs Digital Archives Transfer Agreement. Within the Form, students are required to provide accurate information about their degree conferred, advisors, committees, etc., especially if that information is not provided on their manuscripts' title and signature pages. Students are also required to state whether or not they want their research materials digitally accessible on the Digital Archives database. Materials will still be available for use in-person, unless otherwise requested. Students are also asked to inform University Archives if a section or the entirety of their SIRP has been published elsewhere. This is important to avoid potential copyright infringements.
Q: What format(s) should my SIRP submission(s) be in?
A: Submit SIRPs Digital Archives Transfer Agreement form. Submissions should not be sent in the form of an email, unless you are correcting an error alerted to you by the Special Collections Coordinator. Read the following bullets for more information about specific requirements for certain elements within the online form.
Q: What happens if I receive an email from University Archives stating my SIRP submission(s) were insufficient or rejected?
A: First, please read the email. The email will be sent to the non-JU address you provided on the SIRPs Digital Archives Transfer Agreement form. Depending on the extent of required descriptive information missing, the Special Collections Coordinator may choose to upload your project with only the information provided or may not upload it to the Digital Archives at all. To avoid this scenario, please make sure that your SIRPs' title and signatures page includes the information below.
Required Information for Full Digital Archives Metadata Description:
Q: I am a former graduate and I no longer want my research available through the Digital Archives. What do I do?
A: Submit the Digital Archives Take-Down Request Form. As the copyright owner of your research, you have the right to decide if you want your SIRP digitally available to members of the JU community.
Q: When originally submitting my SIRP, I approved its publication through the Digital Archives. Now, my whole SIRP or a portion of it is going to be published in a third-party source (peer-reviewed or popular journal, website, etc.). What should I do?
A: Please let us know if a version of your thesis or dissertation research has been published elsewhere. Even if you graduated years ago, the University Archives wants to know. Not only is being published a wonderful accomplishment that we want to share with our community, but it is also impacts the University Archive's ability to digitally host your research on our Digital Archives database. If you have published the entire or portions of your submitted research project to peer-reviewed or popular journals for publication, please fill out the Take-Down Form to avoid potential copyright infringement with the publication.
Q: Is there anything else I should know before I submit my SIRP to University Archives?
A: Yes, University Archives and Swisher Library are so excited for you! Congratulations on reaching this milestone in your academic and professional journey!
Q: Since students submit their own research to the University Archives, for what are academic departments responsible?
A: Departments should send University Archives a list of the names of all students who submitted a research project for approval, in addition to stating which students received approval to graduate. This list can be a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or an email to repository@ju.edu. Providing this information will help the Special Collections Coordinator prepare processing workflows and ensure that all materials are received and accounted for. University Archives also needs your help communicating and enforcing these changes with students. Academic departments have more interaction with SIRP writers than University Archives during the whole thesis process; we need your assistance during this procedural transition.
Q: How long will it take for the SIRPs to be uploaded into the Digital Archives database?
A: Please provide the Special Collections Coordinator, at minimum, the time between Fall/Spring semesters to complete record processing and upload. Born-digital submissions (i.e., not hard copies) received during:
Q: We have old, hard-copy thesis/dissertation submissions, can we send them to University Archives?
A: Yes, University Archives is always accepting physical SIRPs accruals. Please provide University Archives with a list of student names, research/degree approval status, title of the degree(s) conferred (including double majors, minors, certificates, etc.), and degree conferral dates if available. SIRPs will be described to the best of our ability, but submissions that are missing substantial amounts of required information will either be digitally published with insufficient description or not made digitally available at all at the discretion of the Special Collections Coordinator.
If physical copies of research submissions are sent to University Archives for digital upload, depending on the amount of materials received, please allow University Archives at minimum one full calendar year from the date receipt to process, digitize, and upload the submissions. Please note that University Archives will only accept physical copies of SIRPs if the paper is in great condition. The materials must be legible with no evidence of dirt, mold, mildew, fire, or miscellaneous stain damage. Records with minor creasing, curling, or tears will be accepted if (1) it is the only physical or chemical damage to the SIRP and (2) the extent of this damage does not significantly impede legibility or the digitization process.
University Archives seeks to preserve a comprehensive, if not complete, record of degree-granting independent and professional research completed by senior-level Jacksonville University undergraduate and graduate students. Instructional departments and colleges are strongly encouraged to transfer the approved senior research of former/current undergraduate and graduate students to the University Archives for long-term retention, storage (physical and digital), and community access. Please fill out the Internal Transfer Form to begin the transfer process. Also, please note the format and description guidelines required for materials' acceptance into the repository and receipt of full descriptive metadata.
Required Information for Full Digital Archives Metadata Description:
SIRP Accruals: Alumni Donations