Senior Honors Thesis

SENIOR HONORS THESIS

Completion of a senior honors thesis is optional although highly encouraged if students hope to pursue a graduate career in Anthropology or other
related disciplines. If you are interested in pursuing a senior thesis, your first step should be to find a faculty advisor, a process you should begin in your junior year. Then you will work with your faculty advisor and follow the steps listed below. 

I. JUNIOR YEAR

1. This process should start during the student’s junior year.

2. Eligible students must have at least a 3.5 GPA in anthropology.

3. The student and faculty advisor should work together to complete the Tutorial Registration Form.

4. Applications are submitted to the chair for approval or disapproval.

5. Approval is contingent on the students’ satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree AND the thesis, and if such progress is not demonstrated, approval can be withdrawn based on the recommendation of a student’s advisor or the Senior Honors Thesis Committee, and approval of the chair.

II. FIRST SEMESTER SENIOR YEAR

1. Students enroll in an independent study (ANTH 395) with their advisors.

2. The advisors and the students agree on goals for the semester.

3. The advisors and the students agree on an appropriate “summative experience” for evaluation at the end of the semester (e.g., research report, annotated bibliography, etc.).

4. Enrollment in ANTH 390 is contingent on successful completion of ANTH 395.

III. SECOND SEMESTER SENIOR YEAR
  1. Students enroll in Honors Thesis (ANTH 390)
  2. A completed draft of the thesis, between 20 and 100 pages in length, and including all relevant tables, figures, maps, and references, must be submitted to the student’s advisor and to two readers by the 8th week of the semester.
  3. The advisor and two readers have two weeks to read and comment on the draft.
  4. The readers and advisor assign one of the following grades to the thesis:
      • pass with distinction
      • pass
      • conditional pass
      • no pass
      • (B or better in ANTH 390 = high honors)
  5. In the event of a conditional pass or no pass, the person assigning such a grade must state IN WRITING his or her criticisms and suggestions. The student then is expected to make the recommended corrections.
  6. In the event of a conditional pass, the advisor determines whether the student has met the conditions. The individual who made the conditions may participate in this process if he or she wishes, but is not obligated to do so (i.e., a reader need not read the thing again).
  7. In the event of a “no pass,” the advisor and whoever did not pass the thesis must read the revised version in order to assign it a new grade. If the thesis is still not satisfactory for at least a conditional pass, the student is denied honors and does not pass the course.
  8. By the end of the semester, the student must deposit the finished, approved copy of the thesis with signature page at the department office. This copy must be printed on 100% cotton fiber paper, and must follow the guidelines for dissertations and thesis determined by UMI.
IV. DUTIES OF THE ADVISER
  1. To ensure satisfactory progress toward completion of the thesis.
  2. To ensure the thesis has a thesis.
  3. To ensure a consistent, understandable citation style in the thesis.
  4. To provide regular feedback to the student during the process of writing and researching the thesis.
  5. To meet all the obligations of a reader.
V. DUTIES OF THE TWO READERS
  1. To promptly evaluate the quality of the thesis and assign a grade (pass with distinction, pass, conditional pass, no pass).
  2. To make recommendations for revision, if necessary.
  3. To ensure the thesis has a thesis.
  4. To ensure a consistent, understandable citation style.
  5. To read the thesis a second time if assigning a grade of no pass.