Mellon Scholars who wish to contribute to the Lyford Project may either develop a sub-project of their own devising or select a turnkey sub-project. There are two tiers of turnkey sub-projects. Tier one projects are characterized by their three-pronged general structure, which is comprised of a broad topic, a traditional research question, and a complementary digital component. The second tier of turnkey sub-projects is a compilation of broad research topics, which are informed by the materials available in Lyford's archival collection. Both tiers are intended to serve as a starting point rather than a rigid set of restrictions. Contributors have the creative license to transform any turnkey sub-project into one of their own design. All projects must be approved by the Lyford Project's faculty director and meet the requirements of the Mellon Scholars Program.