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Thesis

Thesis Overview

The first and most often asked question from students is the one you would most expect: What exactly is a thesis supposed to be? While the thesis project may take many formats, its general intent is to create a capstone work which reflects the degree of your expertise in the field which you have concentrated your studies for the first three years of your education. You should prepare the groundwork for this project by the end of your junior year so that you can work on it during your senior year. While it should take you no longer than a semester to actually produce it, you should be preparing for your project for at least one semester before you complete the final project.

Until recently, the thesis was considered a traditional research project. Here you would work under a mentor to create a hypothesis about an issue in your field. You would then determine a methodology and then do the primary or secondary research, or both. Then you would see if your hypothesis proved to be correct and would write up, in expository form, your conclusions with the proper format and citation system. It is still the case that a majority of students follow this format and produce papers that range from 20-40 pages.

However, because of the wide variation in programs offered by our University, we have modified our expectations to meet our students' needs. We now allow and encourage honors students to follow their creative intuition as well as academic rigor and discipline. The range of our thesis projects has become vast and interestingly inclusive of our university. We encourage students to do a thesis project based on internships, foreign study and creative performances, as well as traditional primary and secondary research on topics of interest to them which are related to their major or minor. Of these projects the next most often asked question is "How long is it supposed to be"?

The answer to this is related to two factors: the first is the nature of your project, and second, what you and your mentor/committee agree to be reasonable for an undergraduate student that would be "professional" for your topic or field. Generally speaking, for a traditional research paper, this would be the equivalent of a senior level independent study course in your major or minor.

The format of your thesis is determined by you and your committee, based on what is considered "professional" for your field. This includes, the nature of the topic, the length of the project, the format of the project, and the type of citations required (MLA, APA, Chicago Manual). This part of your project is NOT determined by the Lee Honors College. Our assumption is that your committee is professionally competent and is best able to determine the "professional" nature of your project. A few examples might help: In education, two students did an original study of elementary school environment in Scotland: A student in creative writing wrote a 600 page novel, while a student in marketing combines Spanish with marketing and an internship to write about marketing certain types of Mexican food in American markets; students in engineering do senior design showcase projects: In Art, students do exhibits of their creative work, or in Music, a performance for the BFA: In health and human services students do studies of Emergency Room work. In short, within your field, you are encouraged to do any topic of interest that fulfills your inquisitive needs as well as the professional requirements for your field of study.

You are encouraged to come to the Conference room of the LHC and review past theses by honors students of 40 years. There is an alphabetical directory by department, which will give you some insights into theses projects. You are further encouraged to begin this at the end of your sophomore year in most disciplines.

The purpose of the thesis

The obvious answer is alluded to in the above material: the thesis is an opportunity for you to create a summation of your honors experience, and a culmination of your university undergraduate studies. It is also something for you to be proud of as an outstanding accomplishment. Once you have achieved it, you will always be an honors graduate from the university. Please remember, the thesis project was created to give you an opportunity to excel as a student, not as an obstacle to your graduation with honors.

And, from a practical vantage point, there are also other benefits. The first is that you actually graduate from the honors college. It is important to remember that without a completed, signed thesis project, you do not graduate from the Lee Honors College. Also, there is another major practical benefit. You leave the university with your degree to go on to graduate or professional school or into the job market. A completed honors project gives you an edge in whichever direction you choose to go. It demonstrates your ability to do sustained work at a high level, which appeals to graduate schools and prospective employers.

Additionally, you have three potentially excellent recommendations from your committee members. In all, you can only win by completing an honors project.

Who is involved in the project?

Essentially you and the members of your committee, as I suggested above, are the people who determine the nature of your thesis. Additionally, if your research involves other people or animals, you must contact the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board at 387-8293. This is vital to the approval of your thesis. If you write a thesis that needs HSIRB approval and you have not received it in advance of beginning your research, the thesis is invalid and must be destroyed. This is a federal regulation, not one of the University or the Lee Honors College. Only the HSIRB can make the determination. It would be wise to consult with your mentor/chair about this when you begin to discuss the thesis topic.

Getting started on the thesis project

Along with the question of what a thesis is, this is the second most worrisome question for students who begin to think about a thesis project. There are some suggestions for this process: Fundamentally, the process for this is much like what you would do if you were interested in doing any project in your field. You begin to think about a project that is of interest to you from your course work or reading or volunteer or internship experiences. Another suggestion here is also to think practically about how this topic might be of use to you when applying to graduate or professional schools or when you start to apply for jobs. Since this work is a showcase for your abilities and talents, it is wise to choose something of intellectual interest, true, but you should think ahead to practical possibilities as well. This is a dimension of the thesis where your mentor can be of help to you.

In terms of the mentor/chair there are some guidelines to keep in mind. It is best to choose a mentor who is a faculty member with whom you have worked, either in class or on some other type of project. This is an opening point when you approach the mentor. Here you can begin by saying "Prof. X, I had you in Y class and am very interested in doing something with Z topic for an honors thesis." In most cases the process of getting started is that simple. Think about a topic of interest, however general, and then make an appointment to talk to a professor about your ideas and ask the person if he/she would be willing to work with you. You may find it helpful to bring a copy of our Letter to Thesis Mentors. In the overwhelming majority of cases the mentor will agree, so you need not feel nervous about that.

Most faculty members are happy to work with honors students for a variety of reasons; it is rare when one does not. In the case that he/she does not, the person might refer you to someone who will be a better mentor for you. Think of your mentor as a guide, as the term suggests. Mentors are not there to prevent you from graduating from honors, but to help facilitate that process for you. The mentor is a helpful resource, whose role is smooth the way, not to create obstacles for you. It is always a good idea to get to know your professors early so they will be familiar with you and inclined to help.

Remember too, that you are in charge of and responsible for your own work. Thus you must arrange a schedule of thesis work with your mentor. It is up to you as well to discuss meeting times, when work is supposed to be done, and a general time line. Ideally you want to have the thesis defended the week of or before graduation. (Extensions of the thesis are possible if you check with your committee and notify Dr. Andreadis at 387-3230 or by email.) You may, however, finish your thesis as soon as is feasible. Some students even complete the thesis at the end of the junior year.

While your mentor should be a faculty member from WMU, this is not always necessary. For example, if you are a pre-med student doing an internship with a local dentist, that person may chair the committee, if appropriate for your topic. If you have questions about an appropriate chair who is not on the faculty or at WMU, please send a query to Dr. Andreadis. This is also the case about the other members of your committee. Normally you are required to have two. Often you choose them after you have a mentor and often with his/her advice. The other two members must be knowledgeable in your field, but do not have to be faculty members. In some cases, where we have doctoral associates, a student may choose one or two with whom the student has worked, say in a biology or psychology lab. If you have questions about these members of your committee please email Dr. Andreadis with your questions.

It will be important to re-emphasize here, that you must stay in contact with the members of your committee and arrange with them a time line which includes meetings, material to be covered, and format for your work, etc. Should there be any questions, please have your mentor or members of the committee contact Dr. Andreadis at the LHC.

First: The Thesis Declaration Form

This form requires just a few lines of basic biography, a thesis topic and one or two lines of general description of your thesis. The form must be signed by your mentor before you turn it in (due dates are posted on the form). You can add the other members names at any time before your thesis defense. It is important to note two things here: the thesis declaration form must be turned in the week of the due date or you will be dropped from the LHC. Second, you may come to the office as often as necessary to change the topic. We need the final title only when we prepare your thesis defense certificate.

If you take HNRS 4990: Honors College Thesis, you and your mentor must fill in the second page of the form and sign it. Then bring the form to Sue Oole, LHC Academic Advisor, who will enroll you for the course. Please note: we do not recommend that you take HNRS 4990. It is not in any way required. This course does not count for an upper level honors requirement.

Second: The Defense Certificate Form

This should be completed when you have set a date with your committee for your presentation/defense. Please bring in the completed form to the Lee Honors College office at least 48 hours before your examination date and we will prepare the forms for you.