Cornell students who have an appropriate background in the field of information science are eligible to receive academic credit (INFO 490) for doing independent research with Information Science faculty or researchers. Typically, students participating in independent research will have had at least 1-2 years worth of information science field course experience. The background experience that you are required to have varies depending on the nature of the study and the stated requirements of the sponsoring instructor.

If you are interested in doing an independent study, you should:

1. define your area(s) of interest
2. review the list of Faculty Research Interests to find faculty members who might have related interests*
3. approach an IS faculty member who is working in the area that interests you and discuss the possibility of doing an independent research project
4. reach an agreement with the supervising faculty member about what will be studied and how the results will be evaluated
5. provide the faculty member with a brief written understanding of what you think you are studying and how the results will be evaluated
6. register your project as outlined below

* If you are still uncertain about who to approach after looking at faculty research areas, you should discuss the matter with your IS faculty advisor.

Registering for INFO 490

All IS and ISST students taking INFO 490 are required to register an abstract. Unless requested otherwise, these abstracts will be included in the listing that appears here.

Here are the steps to follow to register your INFO 490 project:

1. officially add INFO 490, via online Add/Drop or paper Add/Drop*, using the Course ID# from the University Roster that corresponds to the professor with whom you're working. (make sure that the professor *knows* you are working with her/him before you sign up - see the steps outlined above)
2. if using the paper Add/Drop form, stop by the CIS Undergraduate Office to receive departmental approval (stamped on the Drop/Add form)
3. e-Mail ugrad@infosci.cornell.edu the following six items of information:
• your name
• title of your independent study
• brief abstract describing your study (examples)
• name of the instructor with whom you are working
• agreed upon number of credits for the independent study
• graduation year

The purpose for registering INFO 490 projects is to share research ideas with other students in the program. Your submission may be posted on the web unless you specifically request otherwise. If you would like us to include a URL of your project web site, please make sure it is a permanent research archive site--not a location that exists in your temporary account.

For more information about registering for INFO 490, go to Upson 303 or email the Computing and Information Science Undergraduate Office.

*You must use the paper Add/Drop if you have already registered for another INFO 490 this semester.

Note: Students may not receive credit for paid research.