Paper and Presentation Criteria
The paper must be prepared with care and treated as one prepares a manuscript for possible publication, which includes proper citations. A primary criterion for evaluation will be a well-defined research objective and a methodology appropriate to achieving it. The paper/poster should focus on one or more research questions and present at least a tentative answer, or it will receive a lower score in the judging competition. The Honors Paper/Poster Competition is not an appropriate venue for research in the proposal stage or not yet completed.
Each paper submitted to the graduate honors competition will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Paper Criteria:
- Original research was undertaken by the author.
- A 3,000-word paper of publishable quality in its entirety.
- The oral presentation and defense at SEDAAG.
- Proper citations, bibliography, and acknowledgments (if included).
Paper Presentation Criteria:
The oral examination is independent of the evaluation of the written paper. It will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- The professional quality of the presentation to a general audience.
- The visual quality of the presentation.
- The adequacy with which questions are answered.
- Proper citations and acknowledgments.
It is important that the oral presentations be lively and well-illustrated. All visual aids should be intelligible. Reminder: Maps, illustrations, and other audiovisual materials should be designed and constructed by the author. To leave enough time for questions, each oral presentation should adhere to the time limit (15 minutes) for delivery by the person specified by the person chairing the session. Questions will be 5 minutes.
The Overall Score:
In calculating the overall score, the written portion of the paper will be weighted 40 percent, and the presentation and questions 60 percent.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRADUATE HONORS
GRADUATE HONORS’ PAPERSStep 1
Join or renew your SEDAAG membership: https://sedaag.org/membership.Step 2
Register your paper by the abstract deadline through the online submission form on the SEDAAG website (see link below) where you will also submit your abstract.
Please indicate in the online systems that your submission is for the Graduate Honors Paper Competition. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccNRlTpKEeChKw11e0MRWheGWGIikngIvOoHdj6WslAN1S5A/viewformStep 3Attach the following two items in an email to the Honors Committee Chair, Dr. Maegen Rochner, University of Louisville (maegen.rochner@louisville.edu). Deadline for all paper competitions is September 19, 2025.
- The 3,000-word paper* (references/tables/figures DO NOT count toward the 3000-word limit; only the paper’s body is limited to 3000 words) If the paper exceeds 3,000 words, it will automatically be disqualified from the Honors Competition.
- A letter from the student’s advisor or head of the sponsoring department verifying the status of and eligibility of the student (a .pdf of an email stating this information is also fine).
The following distinguished Geography students have been awarded the John Fraser Hart Award for the best Ph.D. paper since 2002.
| Year | Recipient | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||
| 2025 | 1st Place – Nicko Tovar | Univ. of North Carolina – Greensboro |
| 2025 | 2nd Place – Annie Elledge | Univ. of North Carolina – Chapel Hill |
| 2024 | 1st Place – Cooper Corey | Univ. of Tennessee |
| 2024 | 2nd Place – Katrina Stack | Univ. of Tennessee |
| 2024 | 3rd Place – Rachel Arney | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2023 | Avery Catherwood | Univ. of North Carolina- Greensboro |
| 2022 | Sarah Jackson | Univ. of South Carolina |
| 2021 | Savannah Collins-Key | University of Tennessee |
| 2020 | Yasin Wahid Rabby | Univ. of Tennessee – Knoxville |
| 2019 | Jordan Brasher | Univ. of Tennessee – Knoxville |
| 2018 | Douglas L. Allen | Florida State Univ. |
| 2018 | Stephanie J. Mundis | Univ. of Florida |
| 2017 | Maegen Rochner | Univ. of Tennessee – Knoxville |
| 2015 | Pete Akers | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2014 | Ronnie Schumann | Univ. of South Carolina |
| 2013 | Derek Martin | Univ. of Tennessee |
| 2012 | Whalen W. Dillon | Univ. of North Carolina – Charlotte |
| 2010 | Kunwar Singh | Univ. of North Carolina – Charlotte |
| 2009 | Tomas Vaclavik | Univ. of North Carolina – Charlotte |
| 2008 | Katie Price | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2007 | Joni Downs | Florida State Univ. |
| 2006 | Joshua Inwood | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2005 | Josh Durkee | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2005 | Robert A. Yarbrough | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2004 | Walker S. Ashley | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2003 | Katherine B. Hankins | Univ. of Georgia |
| 2002 | Kieron Bailey | Univ. of Kentucky |
| 2002 | Neely L. Law | Univ. of North Carolina – Chapel Hill |