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ADVISING A THESIS OR MAJOR PROJECT
Completing a thesis or other major research, creative or service project can be one of the most rewarding and significant learning experiences for an undergraduate student. Advising an honors thesis or major project takes time and commitment on the part of faculty members. The University Honors Program is grateful to Miami faculty for their generosity and willingness to take part in this important process.
Below are responses to frequently asked questions relating to the honors thesis.
Is the thesis or major project required?
University Honors students who entered the UHP prior to fall 2009 and complete all of the program requirements (i.e., ten approved Honors Experiences), attain a 3.5 grade point average and complete an honors thesis or major project upon graduation will receive “University Honors With Distinction.” Students who complete the program requirements and attain a 3.5 G.P.A. receive “University Honors.”
University Honors students who entered in fall 2009 and thereafter are required to complete a major research, creative or service project as part of their Tier Three requirements. This project must be designed, implemented and reflected upon by the student, and it may be completed within the context of a course, independent study or out-of-class experience.
What is an honors thesis or major project?
Because University Honors students come from a wide range of majors – spanning most departments of the university – major Honors projects or theses will necessarily vary greatly. In many cases, students are able to expand on projects from coursework, independent studies, internships or other undergraduate research experiences and develop those into their Honors thesis or major project. Not all of these projects follow the standard 100-page, library-based research paper format. Here are some of the different forms they can take:
- critical or textual analysis
- case study
- novel or series of short stories
- scientific article based on a laboratory or field experiment that the student conduct alone or with other researchers
- business plan
- problem-solving argument
- interpretation of a text or art object
- teaching portfolio or curriculum
- description and evaluation of a service-learning experience that the student underwent
- assessment report of an existing program on campus
- action-based research project
- legacy project in which students apply knowledge to benefit Miami or Oxford
- service project with reflection
- student-initiated capstone course with reflection
- leadership project with reflection (such as founding and leading a new student organization)
- creative performance or exhibit
- creative or multimedia product such as a website, portfolio of recent artwork, sculpture, musical composition.
What is the expected schedule for the thesis or project?
Student generally complete the thesis or project during their junior or senior year. Below are the deadlines for each component:
| Thesis Component |
Students Graduating
Dec. 2008
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Students Graduating
May 2009
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| Thesis Proposal (must be signed by faculty advisor)
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9/26/08
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10/24/08
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Reader Confirmation Form |
10/24/08
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11/14/08
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| Thesis Public Presentation |
11/14/08
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04/24/09
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| Final Meeting Confirmation Form |
11/14/08 |
04/24/09 |
| Final Thesis (bound and uploaded onto OHIOLink thesis database)
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11/14/08
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04/24/09
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What are the guidelines for the proposal?
The honors thesis or major project proposal generally consists of a full statement of the topic of inquiry, the scope of the study, the methodology or plan of investigation, the resources or materials to be used as well as a statement explaining the significance of the project to the field and to the student personally. It also should include a brief bibliography of some of the key sources to be used. The proposal is generally two to three pages in length, and it should be developed in close consultation with the faculty advisor.
It should be submitted to the University Honors Program with the cover form signed by the faculty advisor. The cover form is available in the University Honors & Scholars Program Office in Bishop Hall or on the Honors Program Blackboard site.
What is the expected length?
The length and scope of the thesis should be in keeping with a high-quality undergraduate project in the proposed area of study. Some projects in the past have been over 100 pages in length, but others, such as those that are modeled after scientific journal articles, have been only 25-30 pages. Projects involving an original creative product (e.g., a portfolio of poems, paintings, or photographs) or substantial field or experiential work (e.g., helping organize a political organization, conducting a scientific investigation, or developing a new educational curriculum or business plan) can include less writing (e.g., approximately 20-25 written pages). This writing should discuss the process of investigation or creation and should be grounded in relevant professional literatures.
The length should be determined by the desired outcomes of the project. The faculty advisor and student should communicate openly and set clear expectations about length, scope and tone. Many students are under the perception that longer theses or projects are better. However, each year, we have found that projects of moderate length (40-50 pages) often are superior in quality because they contain less “padding” and forge a tighter argument.
What are the evaluative criteria, and who evaluates it?
In general, the University Honors Program believes that an honors thesis or major project should demonstrate a student’s capacity for quality research, creative work or investigation and should give evidence of mastery of the material. Because the criteria for quality work vary from discipline to discipline, the faculty advisor should work with the thesis student to set the criteria to be used in evaluating the completed thesis or project. He or she should communicate the criteria to the two readers prior to the final meeting.
What does the thesis advisor do?
All honors students working on theses or projects must have a faculty advisor who has expertise in the topic area. Advisors must be full-time, tenure-track Miami faculty members. (On rare occasions, and when there exists a compelling reason, an outside person may serve as an advisor. When this occurs, the student may also want to have a Miami faculty member as a co-advisor to ensure that the thesis meets UHP specifications.) Co-advisors are also acceptable if a thesis or project crosses disciplinary lines in a way that necessitates two guiding voices.
Besides offering expert advice on the content of the thesis or project, the advisor helps students troubleshoot problems and celebrate unexpected findings. Although most students choose faculty members that they know through courses, independent study or other experiences, some students have great success approaching a faculty member whom they do not know to advise their project.
Generally, the advisor has the most contact with the student. The advisor generally meets with the student at regular intervals (weekly, biweekly) to discuss the work in progress, reads drafts and revisions, and helps to ensure that the student is making timely progress on the thesis and meeting key deadlines. The advisor may also offer the student suggestions for the two additional readers who will serve on the student’s project committee.
What are the readers expected to do?
The two readers may or may not review drafts of the thesis or portions of it, though they should be accessible (via email or office hours) to respond to questions that the student may have about the thesis or projecs. The readers generally read the penultimate and complete draft which is submitted to them in advance of the final meeting. They meet with the student and the faculty advisor at the final meeting to discuss the student’s work and learning process and to offer suggestions for revisions.
Does the thesis need to be related to the student’s major?
Not necessarily. Some students write theses or create projects that are related to their minor field of study or to a longstanding interest or hobby. We do ask, however, that prior to writing the thesis or embarking on the project, the student complete some substantial background work on the topic of study (in the form of courses, independent study, lessons, internships, directed readings, etc.) and that the student selects a faculty advisor who has expertise in that area of study.
What happens at the final meeting?
The final meeting generally occurs after the student has completed a full draft of the thesis or project and prior to the final deadline for the project or thesis. The student is responsible for arranging the meeting location, date and time. It is an opportunity for the student to meet with the faculty advisor and the two readers to reflect on his or her work. Rather than function as a defense, it is an opportunity for reflection and comment. The committee members offer their final feedback and provide a forum for the student to comment on lessons learned, progress made, and ways to apply this work to their future life. Most final meetings last approximately one hour.
The student should bring a confirmation form for the committee members to sign. Many students also bring the approval page of their thesis to secure the necessary signatures at that time. At least two of the three committee members must be present at the meeting.
Where can students publicly present their thesis or major work?
University Honors students are required to present a portion of their thesis or project findings in a public venue. Many Honors students present their findings orally or in poster form at Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum which is sponsored by the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship each April. Some students elect to present their findings at a regional or national conference, departmental colloquium, concert hall, or class. The faculty advisor or one of the readers attends the presentation and signs the presentation confirmation form provided by the student. The form can be found on the Honors Program Blackboard site.
Do students need IRB or human subjects approval for their thesis or project?
Students completing a thesis or project are required to follow responsible conduct in research and all guidelines connected with human subjects or animal research. They are also required to participate in one academic integrity workshop which is advertised each semester. For more information on the training and approvals necessary for research that involves human subjects or animals, contact the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship.
Can students work collaboratively on an honors thesis or major project?
There are special instances where collaborative work is desirable. Students can produce a collaborative thesis if:
- No more than two students collaborate.
- Both students have one and the same faculty advisor.
- There are clear reasons why the thesis project would benefit from a collaborative approach. Perhaps each student brings a unique talent or perspective to the project. Perhaps the project has scope or complexity that requires more than a single author. The reasons why collaboration is important to the thesis project must be clearly set forth and demonstrated in the thesis proposal.
Collaborating students must include in their proposal a short explanation for how they will collaborate, who will bear responsibility for which parts or tasks, and if possible, a rough timeline. This statement on the collaboration must be updated and revised at the end of the thesis process and submitted as an appendix to the thesis.
Is there funding available for the thesis or project?
The University Honors Program provides small grants from $100-$800 for undergraduate research projects. For a list of funding opportunities for students engaging in research, students may consult the research funding page on the Honors Program Blackboard site.
What happens if a student is not making progress or fails to meet deadlines?
It is the student’s responsibility to maintain contact with the advisor and make timely progress on the thesis. If a student falls behind, loses communication, or seems to be making little to no progress, we encourage the advisor to have a frank conversation with the student. Depending on the circumstances, the advisor may elect to create a strict timeline with the student, articulate more clear expectations for progress, or (in extreme circumstances) discontinue the advising relationship and encourage the student to locate a new advisor or cease working on the thesis or project.
Where can advisors turn for more information?
The University Honors Program staff is here to assist you. If you have any questions about the thesis or the advising process, please contact Dr. John Forren at forrenjp@muohio.edu or 529-6298
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