Frequently Asked Questions

What is an academic and creative arts symposium?

An undergraduate academic and creative arts symposium (or a conference) is a forum in which primarily college undergraduate students present research-contextualized projects in order to engage in intellectual conversation with their peers from their own college campuses and departments as well as other surrounding college campuses.

We professionals also engage in this same kind of discourse in our own fields. We work on research or other kinds of projects and then submit abstracts (150 to 200-word summaries about the work) in order to be permitted to present. We do this because it gives us an opportunity to share the work we’ve been doing with colleagues. The conversation that results from these kinds of presentations gives us ideas we then use to improve our research and projects which then contributes to the overall quality of our work.

An undergraduate academic and creative arts symposium such as ours at COM gives students opportunities to showcase their best work, engage in meaningful discourse that will inevitably improve the work; it is also an opportunity that help students develop their presentation and professional skills and looks great on job and university applications.

Who can participate in College of the Mainland's Academic and Creative Symposium?

All College of the Mainland students with a theme-related outstanding class project or independent research project are eligible to participate. High school juniors and seniors, dual credit students, Collegiate High School students, and independent scholars are also encouraged to submit abstracts.

I am a high school student (any level) with a research project that relates to the theme. Can I present at the symposium?

Yes. We encourage all students with appropriately themed projects to apply/submit abstracts. We will invite students to present based on the strength of their abstract.

Where will College of the Mainland's Academic and Creative Symposium take place?

College of the Mainland's Academic and Creative Symposium will be held on the College of the Mainland campus.

Campus Address:

College of the Mainland
1200 Amburn Rd.
Texas City, TX 77591

What if my project isn't finished or hasn't even started? How do I write the abstract?

The abstract can be written with the final result in mind. In the sciences, you can predict what the outcome of your results will be, assuming you have an experiment or data collection in progress, and you are able to make predictions. If the results change in the end, you should communicate those in the actual presentation. In the arts, you set up the contextualizing parameters and the questions you'll explore and include a working-thesis/argument (which means that it's not necessarily finalized).

What is an abstract?

An abstract is a concise summary of your research or creative project. In STEM fields, it typically includes the background, methods, expected or actual results, and conclusions or significance of the work. In the humanities and creative disciplines, an abstract introduces the topic, provides context, and summarizes the project's purpose, approach, and central argument. An abstract is not simply a checklist of tasks completed. Abstract submissions should be 200–300 words. Reviewing sample abstracts in your field is highly recommended, and faculty members are excellent resources if you need guidance.

Can I present more than once at the same event?

Yes. Students may present both as part of a group and individually, or submit multiple abstracts, for a maximum of two presentation slots at College of the Mainland's Academic and Creative Symposium.