Senior
Thesis Guidelines
Department
of Russian and Eurasian Studies
Guidelines for Independent Work in the Major: 395
Guidelines for the Thesis.
The department
recommends at least one semester of independent study in the major,
usually in the senior year. Independent study is a very different
learning experience from studying in a scheduled course. Subject
matter aside, independent study requires initiative, resourcefulness,
self-discipline, and project management, reasons enough to consider
carefully before taking on the challenge of independent learning.
The main reason
to undertake independent study is to explore a topic that engages
you. You should have preliminary conversations with your faculty
advisor well in advance of the semester in which you plan to take
a 395 (independent study).
For students
who are using the fall-semester 395 as the first half of a thesis,
there are some special hoops to jump through, both before you can
get started, and throughout the thesis process. Early in the fall
the Dean of the College sends to each senior enrolled in a 395 a
copy of Guidelines for Honors Program and Honors Thesis. The purpose
of that document is to clarify the process through which independent
study that may lead to a thesis. If you are thinking about writing
a thesis, be sure that you get a copy of these guidelines in your
junior year! By the fall of your senior year it will already be
too late to start the thesis-planning process.
The Department
of Russian and Eurasian Studies adheres to the following time table:
Junior Year:
Fall or early Spring
1. Most theses begin with a specific question or problem. Conversations
with faculty members can be helpful at this early stage. As a general
rule preliminary thesis topics need to be whittled down to a fraction
of their original size.
2. Enlist the support of an advisor for the project, ideally one
who has special expertise in your topic. You may want to have a
second advisor from outside the Department depending on the subject
matter. You must make sure that the advisor will be available to
advise and support your work in the year ahead.
Junior Year:
by Friday of the first week after Spring Break
3. Submission of preliminary thesis proposal (300 words), with a
working title, to the chair of the department describe the purpose
of your project and its significance:
-
Describe
your methodology, the procedure and sources (research design)
that will enable you to explore the topic
-
Include
a preliminary bibliography on the topic
-
Include
a writing sample, preferably other work you have done in the Department.
-
No later
than April 15 the principal faculty advisor for your project will
respond in writing with a summary of the comments and suggestions
that emerge from the department's consideration of your proposal.
Junior Year:
by May 1
4. Submission of a revised proposal to the department.
Summer Before
Senior Year
5. Preliminary reading to provide a context for your project and
to help you narrow and refine your focus.
Fall of
Senior Year
6. During the first week of classes you should meet with your advisor
and set up a work schedule for the semester, including meeting times
with your advisor and deadlines for submission of written work.
7. Submission of a formal thesis proposal to the department no later
than October 1.
8. An oral presentation of the department on progress in the thesis
no later than December 1. At this time, and in consultation with
your advisor and the department, you will need to decide if you
should continue with independent study in the spring, presumably
with an eye toward a thesis.
Spring of
the Senior Year
9. During the first week of classes you should set up a writing
and meeting schedule with your advisor. A completed draft of the
thesis is due to the major advisor on the Monday after Spring Break.
10. The advisor will return the thesis with written comments no
later than the second Monday in April.
11. A revised second draft is due to all your committee members
no later than the last Monday in April.
12. The oral defense will take place at the beginning of the examination
period. You are responsible, with the help of Tracie Alfano-Aube,
the department's Administrative Assistant, for setting a time when
all committee members can attend. In the first part of the defense
you will be asked to make short presentation (no longer than 10-15
minutes) on your thesis; then the committee will ask you questions
about specific aspects of your thesis (about 45 minutes).
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