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Revised 4.1.14
Thesis Proposal Approval Form
[Please type this form (except for signature/dates). Form is available on the Honors website.]
Student Name______
Project Title______
______
The student’s signature indicates that he or she has and will continue to attend Honors Program workshops and meetings related to the thesis, and understands and agrees to comply with Honors Program thesis requirements.
______(Honors student signature) Date______
The faculty mentor’s signature below indicates approval of the project described in this proposal, understanding of Honors thesis mentor expectations, and agreement to serve as mentor for the full thesis project.
______(Faculty mentor signature) Date______
The Department Chair’s signature below indicates s/he has seen the thesis proposal and agrees that the project is suitable and practical.
______(Department Chair signature) Date______
(Note: If this is an interdisciplinary project that is counting for credit in more than one major, a second department chair’s signature should be included.)
Thesis Application Form
(Note: Please type this form. You may re-format as needed – what’s important is that all the information below is included in a clear fashion.)
Name______OnTrack ID#______
Campus Box______Phone numbers______
Semester started at Elon (month/year)______Graduation date______
Project Title______
______
Major(s)______/Minor(s)______
Faculty mentor______Mentor Department______
Mentor Campus Box______
Describe classes/experiences that give you a background suitable to undertake this project.
______
______
______
How is the project related to your educational (and/or life) objectives? ______
______
______
Provide a brief summary of the qualifications that make your faculty mentor suitable to supervise this project, and attach thefaculty member’s curriculum vitae.
______
______
______
______
If this project involves human subjects, has a proposal been made to Elon’s Institutional Research Board? YES NO N/A If yes, when was it submitted and has it been approved? If not, when will it be submitted?
Thesis Proposal
The proposal is a basic description of your project. Its purpose is to make the case that yours is a suitable thesis project - in terms of its challenge, significance and practicality. The narrative should be a typed, double-spaced, paginated document of 5-8 pages that can be understood by an audience of educated non-specialists like the individuals who make up the Honors Advisory Committee (faculty and students from various disciplines). While the bulk of the proposal will be a narrative description, there are a number of other supporting documents you must complete, including an application form, a feasibility report, and an annotated bibliography of 10-15 sources. Please see the checklist for the thesis proposal and be sure to ask a representative of the Honors Program if you have any questions about what is expected. More information and examples will be provided at the thesis workshop.
Thesis narrative
The 5-8 page narrative should be PROOF-READ CAREFULLY, TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED, AND PAGINATED. Use the following section headings:
Introduction and Review of Relevant Scholarship
Explain the problem or area of study to be investigated in your thesis. Describe the focus of the project, including a clear statement of the problem/main issues/questions to be investigated or the areas you’ll be exploring. This section should include a review of prior research/scholarship in this area, citing relevant sources that are included in the bibliography.
Main Goal of the Project
What is the purpose of the study? Do you have specific hypotheses or predictions, based on prior work in this area? Describe why this is a worthwhile topic. What is the significance of the issue – to your discipline and/or the world? Please address the degree to which it is original/unique and how it could potentially be adding to your field.
Methods
Include a description of the main methods/procedures/tasks you’ll be using or performing. How will you be proceeding? How will your data/sources/materials/ideas be collected, produced, analyzed, and/or interpreted?
Final Product
Include a general description of what your final product will look like. Include expected format, length, sections or chapters, etc. (For example, is it a research paper of approximately 60 pages with 3 chapters plus a bibliography; a scientific report with a literature review, tables reporting data, and section analyzing the data; a script of a play with a videotaped performance and 25 page explanation and analysis; a computer program plus description of the problem, methods, and solution; a portfolio of a certain number of paintings plus apology, etc.) Make sure it is clear to the readers how this thesis goes well beyond the normal requirements of the major, and make sure you know your department’s expectations (by checking its departmental document or talking with the department chair). Please also explain where you might present your final product/findings (e.g. Southern Student Mathematical Society conference, NCUR, etc.).
Annotated Bibliography
Your annotated bibliography should include between 10-15 sources. Each source should be annotated with at least a few sentences that provide 1) a basic summary of the source, and 2) an explanation of how the source is relevant to your study. For some fields the appropriate number of sources may be less, for others more. This can be determined by consulting with your mentor. If your annotated citations fall outside this range, write a brief explanation for the advisory committee.
Thesis Feasibility Report
You are asked to include a brief general timeline of when you will complete major tasks and a budget of anticipated expenses, to show the committee that it’s feasible to do this thesis at Elon over the next year or two.
Timeline. A sample timeline is provided below. Outline the next 3 or 4 semesters (depending on when you turn in your proposal), with the major goals for each.
· Fall 2006 (2 credit hours)
o Initial literature review
o Submit proposal to honors program
o Submit IRB proposal
o Develop survey and fine-tune questions; pilot test measures
· Spring 2007 (2 credit hours)
o Begin data collection
o Continue literature review
o Begin coding data
· Fall 2007 (2 credit hours)
o Complete data collection
o Begin analysis of data
o Begin applications to present at relevant conferences (NCUR, SURF)
· Spring 2008 (2 credit hours)
o Continue analysis of data
o Rough draft of final project and subsequent revisions
o Thesis defense
o Final draft to honors program
Budget Guidelines: Please include an itemized list of equipment, facilities, materials, travel, etc. that you will need to complete this project. You will only receive up to $1000, but please include any additional funds needed and your plan to cover them (e.g., grant-in-aid through URP). All funds must be used specifically and primarily for the thesis research. Any equipment purchased remains at Elon after your graduation. Note that travel to conduct the research AND travel to present the research at a conference may now be requested. Students will be reimbursed for approved expenses if they have receipts and follow university guidelines as implemented by Tammy Womack.
Sample Budget
Audio Recorder w/PC link- $140.00
Payment for participants - $600 (60 @ $10 gift card)
Batteries- $10
Transcription Software $200
Copying expenses $50 u
$1000
Checklist for Thesis Proposal:
Electronic Copy: Compile all documents (including mentor’s CV) and create or scan as a single pdf. Be sure you include your last name in the name of the file.
Paper Copy: Please staple all the materials together into one packet and make sure they are in the order listed below.
Approval form (signed by you, the faculty mentor,
and Department Chair after all have seen the
complete proposal) ______
Application form ______
The proposal narrative/description (5-8 pages) ______
Annotated Bibliography ______
Feasibility Report (includes timeline and budget) ______
Copy of IRB proposal (if research on human subjects) ______
Faculty mentor’s c.v. ______
Other additional materials permissible if relevant
(e.g. copy of survey instrument, additional explanation,
etc.) ______