Campuswide Honors Research & Thesis Requirements
Project Requirements
The CHC Research and Thesis project requires students to conduct at least 2 quarters of independent research under the supervision of a tenure or tenure-track faculty advisor. This research will culminate in an approved, honors thesis, to be turned in by graduation.
The nature of the research project must be independent in that the student takes responsibility for the formulation of a research question and takes action toward answering the question.
Over the course of the researching year, students will turn in:
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- A thesis proposal (at least two quarters before graduation)
- An honors thesis (approved by faculty advisor)
Students usually complete their 2 quarters of research and write their thesis in their final, senior year, over the course of the entire academic year (Fall and Winter researching, and Spring writing up their thesis). However, students are encouraged to start research early if they wish, and arrangements can be made to complete the mandatory R/Th advising meeting in the sophomore year rather than the junior year on an individual basis. Some CHC students have also participated in multiple research opportunities across campus and have actually completed more than one R/Th project, though this is not the general expectation.
As mentioned in the General Overview, both the methodology of research and the format of the honors thesis are inextricable from the nature of the research and the standards of research/reporting in each research field. However, the thesis is expected to be publication-quality and beyond the scope of anything that might be completed during one quarter, in a class setting. For this reason many humanities/social science thesis projects end up being anywhere between 30 and 60 pages long, and theses in STEM might be anywhere from 10-25 pages long. Students should discuss the format of their thesis with their faculty advisor to make sure they understand the expectations of a publication-quality paper within their field of research, including formatting elements such as length, content (multi-modal elements, headers/footnotes, etc), and other relevant information.
Creative and interdisciplinary projects
The research and thesis project may be conducted in a more traditional sense, such as participating in a lab and writing a lab report for those in STEM and the social sciences, or it may be conducted in a creative fashion that melds disciplines or results in a creative project such as a collection of poetry or a theater performance. Students may engage in research projects outside of their major, including research projects that are extra-curricular in nature, such as the composition of a graphic novel, a photography exhibit, etc. Students may also choose to merge different areas of interest by engaging in research that employs methodologies from two or more disciplines, such as humanities/social sciences, biology/dance, art/literature, etc. Students may consult with an honors advisor to ascertain whether their ideas for a creative project are appropriate for the scope of the R/Th timeline, and work closely with their faculty advisor to make sure that they are setting attainable goals and parameters.
Brief Overview of Timeline
In their third year, continuing CHC students will have a mandatory R/Th advising meeting with an honors advisor or a Graduate Scholar. This advising meeting will take place in either Fall or Winter quarter and will acquaint the student with the R/Th project’s requirements, general timeline, possibilities, and equip the student with some action items to begin brainstorming and reaching out to potential faculty advisors. If students plan to join a lab, applications are often due in the Spring quarter of the junior year, so during the R/Th meeting students may be advised to begin preparing their applications to labs or departmental honors programs.
Transfer students will have this mandatory meeting in the Spring quarter of their first year.
Fall and Winter quarters of senior year are often spent engaging in research, though some students opt to begin preliminary research in the summer between their third and fourth years. Then, Spring quarter is often spent working with the faculty advisor to write and polish up the thesis.
For students who are not graduating in the Spring, the research component of the R/Th project is often begun three quarters before graduation, with the quarter of graduation being spent writing the thesis. For example, if a student is graduating in the Fall quarter, they will likely start research in the Winter quarter of the year preceding, research through the end of the Spring quarter, and spend Fall quarter writing their thesis.
The timeline of research and thesis writing can be further customized to individual situations and preferences as long as the basic requirements of 2 quarters of research and the production of an honors thesis are met.