Caribbean child research

conference

Outstanding Caribbean

child researcher award

Students’ guide

Caribbean Child Research Conference 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 2

Eligibility criteria and submission guidelines 3

Judging criteria and guidelines for written paper 4

Judges’ comments from past submissions 6

Judging criteria and guidelines for oral presentations 7

Guidelines for oral presentation 7

Awards and prizes 8

Contact information 8

Pictorial highlights from past conferences 9

Caribbean Child Research Conference 2

Introduction

THE CARIBBEAN CHILD RESEARCH CONFERENCE

The Caribbean Child Research Conference is a regional interdisciplinary conference

covering a range of child related themes. For the past 12 years, this regional event has

been hosted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies

(SALISES), University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus and United Nations

Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the following Jamaican agencies: the

Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ); the Early Childhood Commission (ECC); the Office

of the Children’s Advocate (OCA); the Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC);

the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR); the Child Development Agency (CDA); and

the Ministry of Education (MoE).

The 2018 conference will be hosted in Trinidad by SALISES Mona and St Augustine, in

collaboration with the St Augustine based Institute of International Relations (IIR), the

Caribbean Child Rights Observatory Network (CCRON) and the Institute for Gender and

Development Studies (IGDS).

The general objective of the conference is to bring together child advocates, children,

teachers, academicians, policy formulators and implementers, state and non-state actors

to share research on the status of child rights, child welfare and child development in the

Caribbean.

The specific objectives of the conference are to share research on children, strengthen the

network of researchers on children issues, and encourage research in areas that are often

“under-researched.”

Caribbean Child Research Conference 3

Outstanding Caribbean Child Researcher Award

An important part of the conference is the selection of an outstanding child researcher.

Each year since 2007, an outstanding child researcher is chosen based on both an oral and

a written presentation.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Individuals should be under the age of 18 years at the time of the

conference.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The paper should have a focus related to children

The paper should speak directly to the Convention on the Rights of the Child

(CRC) and at least one of the three groups of rights:

o Protection rights (e.g. issues of violence, exploitation and abuse)

o Provision rights (e.g. issues of access to health, nutrition and

education)

o Participation rights (e.g. issues of involvement of children in the

decision-making process, access to information, the right of

children to be heard and express themselves)

The research should not be more than 3 years old

The paper may comprise work undertaken for internal (school) or external

examinations such as CAPE, CSEC.

Research should be undertaken by an individual student rather than a pair or a

group.

The report should be no more than 50 pages (including tables, charts, figures

or references), typed using Times Roman 12 point font, double spaced, with at

least 1 inch margins on A4 paper.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Papers should be submitted with a cover letter to

childconferenceresearch@gmail.com. Papers not submitted directly by the student researcher should state in the

cover letter that permission to submit this paper has been received by the

author.

Papers received will be acknowledged within one week. Papers will be judged

by a subcommittee of the Caribbean Child Research Conference Committee.

Authors of the top ten papers will be invited to make an oral presentation.

Caribbean Child Research Conference 4

JUDGING CRITERIA

The outstanding child researcher will be selected based on both the written paper and the

oral presentation. The individual with the highest combined score will be selected as the

“Outstanding Child Researcher.” The judges’ decision is final.

JUDGING CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN PAPER:

WRITTEN PAPER

ALLOTTED MARKS

1. Importance and relevance of research for the Caribbean

5%

2. Introduction and Background

5%

3. Literature Review

5%

4. Appropriateness and soundness of methodology

10%

5. Analysis of Findings

10%

5. Findings and Results

5%

6. Discussion and linkage to child rights 20%

SUB-TOTAL FOR WRITTEN

PAPER

60%

GUIDELINES FOR THE WRITTEN PAPER SUBMISSION

The components listed below are mandatory. However, students may also include other

sections.

1. Introduction/Background – provides information on the nature and extent of the

problem. This section can also include the:

Problem statement – provides a description of the problem/issue being

investigated. The problem statement should be stated as clearly and precisely

as possible

Rationale – explains why the study is important/necessary

Aims/Objectives – what does the study hope to achieve

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Reference to child rights – child rights as specified in the United Nations

Convention of the Rights of the Child.

2. Literature review – presents prior research on the area of study. It presents both

agreements and disagreements by previous researchers about the selected area of

study. It also includes previous definitions of the problem and the relationships

that have been identified by previous researchers to explain the particular

phenomenon. ONLY reputable, current and relevant sources should be cited.

3. Methodology - refers to how the research was conducted. Specific reference is

made to the strategies used to obtain information. Information must also be

provided which explains why specific methods were chosen (quantitative vs.

qualitative methodologies). This section also provides information on the

characteristics of the sample and the reason(s) they were chosen.

4. Findings/Results – presents a descriptive account of the data collected. Data can

be presented with the aid of tables, graphs and charts. All tables/graphs/charts

should be clearly labeled and should also provide information of the sample size.

Care must be taken to ensure that percentages add up to 100%.

5. Discussion – provides an account of the information obtained in the

results/findings section and the literature review.

Conclusion – provides the audience with conclusions arrived at based on the

findings. This should be clearly linked to the aim/research questions of the

study.

Policy recommendations – suggestions based on information obtained from

findings and literature review

6. References – list of references used in the study

7. Appendix – Any important tables, charts or graphs may be included. If a

questionnaire was used to collect data, a copy should be included in the appendix.

Caribbean Child Research Conference 6

JUDGES’ COMMENTS FROM PAST SUBMISSIONS

Over the years, the judges have noted some errors which are common to many of the

submitted entries. Please take special care to ensure that your papers avoid these

mistakes.

General Comments

- Students are reminded to pay close attention to the instructions in the students’

manual. The paper is a reflection of the student, the teacher and the school.

Papers should be carefully reviewed by students and teachers in order to eliminate

spelling and grammar errors. Special care should also be taken in sentence

construction. Many times, there are long sentences with no punctuations and also

an inadequate attempt to make links throughout the paper. It should be a research

paper and not an essay.

Please avoid the following issues with particular sections of research papers as

follows:

Introduction

No mention of child rights

Literature Review

- No Literature Review or link to child rights

- No comparison made between student’s country and the wider Caribbean

- Scant literature review

- No citing of sources

Methodology

- Poor/ inappropriate methodology

- Source documents were not clear

- Little/no preliminary research and data finding; poor choice of category of

persons to find the information sought.

- Speculative pre-research into relevant (country) situation affecting children

Findings

- Poor presentation of findings

- No reference to literature review

Discussion

- No links made between the findings and objectives and aim of study.

Caribbean Child Research Conference 7

JUDGING CRITERIA FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS:

ONLY authors of the top ten submitted papers will be invited to make an oral

presentation

ORAL PRESENTATION

1. Content

15%

2. Delivery (clarity and tone)

10%

3. Use of information technology

10%

4. Response to questions

5%

SUB-TOTAL FOR ORAL PAPER

40%

Guidelines for oral presentations

Oral presentations MUST be in full accordance with the written paper submissions

1. Presentations are expected to last no longer than 15 minutes. Each presentation

will be followed by a 5 minute question and answer session.

2. Each powerpoint presentation should not exceed 20 slides (Font size 32, Times

Roman)

3. The oral presentation should clearly speak to certain aspects of the study. An

approximate number of slides is allocated to each aspect:

(a) Title of research (1 slide)

(b) Aim of study/research objectives (1 slide)

(c) Reference to child rights specified in the Convention on the Rights of the Child

(2 slides)

(d) Literature Review (3 slides)

(e) Methodology (1 slide)

(e) Findings/Results (no more than 10 slides)

(f) Conclusions (1 slide)

(g) Policy Recommendations (1 slide)

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4. The presenter should be prepared to answer questions from the judges and

conference participants.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

A prize of a computer is normally awarded to the top child researcher.

Prizes are also awarded in the following categories:

a) Best methodology

b) Best written paper

c) Best oral presentation

d) Best male/female child researcher

CONTACT INFORMATION

For all other additional information please email childconferenceresearch@gmail.com

or call Ms Krystal Lawrence at (876) 927-1234/927-1020.

Please like us on FACEBOOK at “Caribbean Child Research Conference” and follow us

on Twitter at @caribchildconf. Visit our website at

http://www.uwi.edu/salises/CCRC2018.php.

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PICTORIAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAST CONFERENCES

Breanna Julal of Glenmuir High School, Jamaica and winner of the 2017 competition, presents her paper

on “An Investigative Study into the Impact of Gang-Related Sexual Grooming on the Academic

Performance of Teenage Girls in the Community of Highgate Gardens.”

Winner of the 2016 Competition, Nicholas Nelson of Denbigh High School, Jamaica speaks on “An Investigative Study

of the “Cougar”/Teen Boy Phenomenon among Boys Aged 15-17 in a Rural High School in Jamaica.”

Caribbean Child Research Conference 10

Oshnel Bryan of Kingston College, Jamaica, presents his research at the 2015 conference on the extent to

which children are allowed to participate through Student Councils at local public secondary educational

institutions. Oshnel was the first male winner of the competition.

McKaylah Nurse of Harrison College, Barbados, addresses the topic “Boys’ Academic Underachievement

and the Violation of Girls’ Rights” at the 2014 conference. McKaylah placed second overall and was also

awarded the Best Oral Presentation prize.

Caribbean Child Research Conference 11

Gervonne Barran from Bishop Anstey High and Trinity College East Sixth Form, Trinidad, presents his

paper entitled “Children and Internet Usage: Is it Safe being Online?” at the 2012 conference.

Oshea George of the Scarborough Secondary School, Tobago, presenting her research on ‘barrel babies’

being the silently violated children of society at the 2011 conference.