Adopted October 12, 2007
BYLAWS FOR THE
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MANAGEMENT
APPENDIX A
DEFINITION OF SCHOLARSHIP
Engineering and technology can be distinguished from other academic fields by its applied nature, the
importance of design, and the validation via commercial application. The Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (ABET) has defined engineering as "the profession in which knowledge
of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice, is applied with
judgment to develop ways to use, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of
mankind." Because of the importance of design and commercial application in the field of engineering
and technology, the department has adopted a definition of scholarship that includes these aspects.
The four basic types of scholarly endeavors valued by the Engineering & Technology Department are
listed below. These basic types have been developed to encourage research in all its diverse forms
and to provide guidance in making promotion/tenure-based decisions.
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Applied Research – Includes activities that relate knowledge in academic disciplines to
communities outside academia.
Research of Teaching and Learning – Includes activities that are directly related to
improving pedagogical practices. This type of scholarship is oriented to discovery, evaluation,
and communication of information about the teaching and learning process.
Discovery Research – Includes all activities that extend knowledge through discovery or
collection of new information. The scholarship of discovery includes but is not limited to the
typical label of basic or original research.
Integrative Research – Includes activities that are primarily interdisciplinary and interpretive,
seeking better understanding of existing knowledge through integration across disciplines and
original synthesis to bring new meanings and insights.
While documentation and dissemination of scholarly endeavors in the engineering and technology
fields may include traditional mechanisms such as journal articles, conference presentations and the
like, it may also include a variety of other forms that are utilized in a confidential commercial
environment. In such cases scholarly work that is completely valid and valuable to our department
mission, can not be disseminated through traditional routes. Hence the department has defined a
procedure for validation of confidential engineering and scholarship endeavors. This procedure calls
for the investigator performing the scholarly activity to prepare a summary memo, which is to be
approved by the client, outlining the scholarship project. For purposes of tenure applications, the
memo shall be included as part of the tenure application, while in cases of promotion and other
performance evaluations, the memo shall be validated by the department personnel committee or
department chair.
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Adopted October 12, 2007
SCHOLARLY ENDEAVORS ~ EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES
For clarity of considered scholarly endeavors by the department, the following non-exhaustive list of example activities applies.
General Activity
Scholarly activity (basic or applied) that results in a refereed
publication. "Refereed" is used to indicate that manuscripts
submitted for publication are examined both by an editor
and one or more specialists in the individual field before
approval is given to publish.
Presentation of scholarly activity results at a refereed
professional conference or seminar.
Scholarly activity that are published or presented at a
conference or seminar that competitively reviews proposals.
Innovative or creative design and/or development in one's
discipline that is reviewed by peers, including persons from
outside the institution.
Successful preparation and completion of competitive
external grant proposals in the discipline.
Professional practice or consulting that is documented as
enriching the discipline and as continuing one's professional
development deemed appropriate by the department chair
or personnel committee.
Other scholarly activity (e.g. textbook, case study, software,
member of editorial board of scholarly journal, substantive
leadership in professional associations) deemed appropriate
by the department chair or personnel committee.
Examples
1. Refereed journal article ( research or education)
2. Refereed conference paper, with associated presentation
3. Non-refereed conference paper
4. Patent, patent application
5. Machine, physical device, or process
6. Experimental process or procedure
7. Video – technical
8. Website – technical
9. Proposal to government agency, corporation, foundation, etc.
10. Technical project, engineering design, or research report containing narrative, simulation studies, mathematical
analysis, design information, diagrams, and/or photographs.
11. Consulting memo making recommendations, identifying solutions, providing technical insight, etc. A nonconfidential summary style memo for confidential projects.
12. Public policy statements on engineering topics affecting different classes of society
13. Engineering standards published by engineering societies
14. “Expert witness” in a court of law representing the engineering profession
15. “Technical consultant” hired by an attorney to perform engineering duties
16. Textbook
17. Monograph
18. Handbook chapter
19. Case study
20. Software package or modules, (including downloadable)
21. Journal editorial board member or substantive editorial work
22. Substantive leadership in professional association
23. Non-refereed trade magazine article
24. Articles in the popular press on engineering topics, or other non-academic media
25. Non-refereed research conference paper
26. Non-refereed research conference presentation
27. Poster presentation at a conference
28. Invited talk or presentation given to professional organization
29. Paper given at a “user group” meeting (e.g. software)
30. Presentation at a “user group” meeting (e.g. software)
31. Training manuals on use of equipment, software, or devices
32. Detailed laboratory notebooks documenting research or design activities (preferably signed by a witness)
33. “Broader impact” innovative learning materials for non-majors, adult learners or K-12 teachers or students.
Documented as learning “modules” available electronically or through traditional courses or specialized seminars.
34. Other “technical reports, notes, or communications” published by professional societies
35. Manuscript or technical report (that does not already conveniently fit into one of the above categories)
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