Prentiss M. Brown
Honors Program Handbook
Part I. Academic Requirements
A. Year by Year Academic Requirements for Honors Students
To be a student in good standing with the Honors Program you must:
after the first year, have a college GPA of at least 3.2 and have
completed two of the required four Great Issues seminars. Students whose
college GPA is below 3.0 will be dropped from the Institute, while those
with GPAs between 3.0 and 3.2 will be placed on probation.
after the second year, have a college GPA of at least 3.35 and have
completed at least three of the required four Great Issues seminars.
Students whose college GPA is below 3.2 will be dropped from the
Institute,1 while those with GPAs between 3.2 and 3.35 or who have not
completed at least three of the required seminars will be placed on
probation.2
after the third year, have a college GPA of at least 3.45, have
completed all four of the required Great Issues seminars, and have
submitted a Thesis Registry form (see Appendix B) to the Honors
Director. To complete the Thesis Registry form, students must previously
have decided the subject and tentative title of their thesis, and have
assembled a Thesis Committee consisting of an Albion faculty member to
serve as Thesis Director and at least two other faculty members to serve
as additional readers. Students whose college GPA is below 3.4 will be
dropped from the Institute,1 while those with GPAs between 3.4 and 3.45
or who have not completed all four of the required seminars or have not
submitted a Thesis Registry form will be placed on probation.2
To graduate with Albion College Honors you must have a college GPA of
at least 3.5, have completed all four Honors seminars, and have
completed an acceptable Honors thesis and submitted it to the Honors
Committee by the required deadline (for more details on the Honors
thesis see section C below and appendix A.)
The Core Curriculum for all Honors students is listed below. Part
II of the Albion College curriculum requires that ALL students take a
course that will introduce them to each of the following five Modes of
Inquiry:
A. Textual Analysis
B. Artistic Creation and Analysis
C. Scientific Analysis
D. Modeling and Analysis
E. Historical and Cultural Analysis
Since all Honors courses fulfill a Modes of Inquiry requirement of
the College’s core curriculum, Honors students can satisfy as many as
four of this five-course requirement with Honors classes
• Students have two distribution options for their four Honors
courses. They may take courses: a. that count for four different Modes
of Inquiry from at least three different divisions of the college
Or
b. from all four divisions of the college that count for at least three
different Modes of Inquiry.
• All courses to meet the Honors Core must be taken for a numerical
grade.
To guide Honors students in their selection of Great Issues
courses, the following numbering system is used:
HSP 12xH -- Natural Science & Math HSP 1x1H -- Textual Analysis
HSP 13xH -- Humanities HSP 1x2H -- Artistic Creation and Analysis
HSP 15xH -- Social Sciences HSP 1x3H -- Scientific Analysis
HSP 17xH -- Fine Arts HSP 1x4H -- Modeling and Analysis
HSP 1x5H -- Historical and Cultural Analysis
B. The Honors (HSP) Seminars
As an Honors student, you must take four special Honors seminars,
each one satisfying a different Mode of Inquiry. These seminars are
designed to provide you with a broad interdisciplinary introduction to
each mode. Although each Honors professor is free to create his or her
own unique seminar, all seminars have some common characteristics
designed to appeal to broad-based students like yourself who value
independent thought and who possess academic maturity and discipline.
First, all are interdisciplinary in nature. They challenge you to think
beyond the normal bounds of disciplinary study and to see the
interconnections between different disciplines. Second, all seminars
require an extensive amount of reading, writing, and class discussion.
You are encouraged to think for yourself, to formulate your own ideas
about the material, and to stand ready to defend and modify your ideas
as you interact with your fellow students both in class and in
out-of-class computer network discussion groups. Third, your grades in
HSP classes are based primarily on the quality of your class discussions
and written work, not on traditional examinations.
The following is a brief description of each of the four Honors
seminars.
HSP 11xH Great Issues in Science (1) Fall, Spring
A seminar for Honors Institute students in which they read and
discuss classic and modern works in the history, philosophy, methodology
and ethics of science and technology. All seminars fulfill one of the
Modes of Inquiry requirements of the College’s core curriculum.
HSP 13xH Great Issues in Humanities (1) Fall, Spring
A seminar for Honors Institute students in which they read and discuss
classic and modern works of philosophers and humanists. All seminars
fulfill one of the Modes of Inquiry requirements of the College’s core
curriculum.
HSP 15xH Great Issues in Social Science (1) Fall, Spring
A seminar for Honors institute students in which they read and discuss
classic and modern works on methodology, philosophy and policy issues in
the social sciences. All seminars fulfill one of the Modes of Inquiry
requirements of the College’s core curriculum.
HSP 17xH Great Issues in Fine Arts (1) Fall, Spring
A seminar for Honors institute students in which they explore, through
representative readings, exhibits, concerts, performances and lectures,
major issues in the development of the fine arts: the relationship
between the artist and society, the evolution of critical theory in the
arts, and the nature of creativity. Individual courses may focus on the
visual arts, music, theater, film or dance. All seminars fulfill one of
the Modes of Inquiry requirements of the College’s core education
curriculum.
C. The Honors Thesis
The following section has been freely adapted from chapter 16 of
Getting What You Came For by Robert Peters. You can find a copy of the
original book in the Honors Center Library.
What is an Honors Thesis? An honors thesis is a piece of original
research or creative activity that adds to the general body of knowledge
in a discipline or to the body of work in the creative arts. Originality
may mean that the thesis tries to uncover new facts or principles,
suggest relationships that were previously unrecognized, challenge
existing truths or assumptions, afford new insights into little
understood phenomena, or suggest new interpretations of known facts.
For many students, the word originality in conjunction with their
thesis produces a kind of paralysis. How can I do anything original?
Knowledge is something that I have always been trained to acquire from
others, not produce on my own! But, originality does NOT mean that you
must come up with a Nobel or Pulitzer Prize-winning research idea or
creation. Most original work builds upon similar work done by other
previous researchers or artists. For example, if a sociology student
comes across an interesting study on the effects of long-term
unemployment on family structure in a large city like Detroit, her
original research might consist of using the same techniques to study
the effects of unemployment in a small town such as Albion. Similarly,
using existing artistic techniques to examine new subject matter such as
the autobiographical details of a student’s own life would add an
original element to the creative thesis project.
If you chose to do a research-based thesis, it may help if you think
of the thesis as the answer to a research question rather than as just a
written report on research. To begin the process of writing a thesis,
you must therefore begin by finding a thesis question, i.e., a question
that is intriguing enough that you are willing to take a year or so in
answering it. Thinking of questions will help you to see the thesis as
the outgrowth of an investigational process. You begin with a major
question, develop subordinate questions that help you answer it, and
plan, refine and carry out research to answer these questions.
When Should I Start Looking for My Thesis Topic? Although most Honors
students begin the formal preparation for writing their thesis at the
beginning of their junior year, the sooner you begin to search for a
thesis topic, the better. So, start looking for a thesis topic right
now. If you start the process of search right away, you can begin to
generate thesis ideas from your classes, the books and articles you
read, and your discussions with professors. You never know what stray
bit of information -- such as a teacher mentioning in class that "little
is known about this subject" -- may lead you to a topic. Only if you are
thinking about doing research will you be receptive to thesis ideas when
they are presented. Also, as you begin generating ideas about possible
thesis topics, it is a good practice to start a thesis idea file.
The advantage of identifying a topic early in your academic career is
that you can then take additional courses to prepare you for actually
doing the thesis. You can also turn class term papers into preliminary
explorations of parts of your research topic and have the option of
planning your off-campus experience with your Honors thesis research in
mind. Finally, you can apply to Albion’s own Foundation for
Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (FURSCA) for
summer support so that you can stay on campus during the summer to work
one-on-one with your faculty mentor on your research or creative
project.
How Do I Find a Thesis Topic? Since most original research or
creative activity builds upon similar work done by others, one way to
come up with possible thesis topics is to study other theses, papers or
other works in areas that interest you. Thus, a good way to get a
perspective on writing a thesis is to go to the Honors Library and
examine the theses of recent Honors graduates in the area(s) in which
you are thinking of working. While investigating, it is a good idea to
notice not only the themes but also the structure of the theses, their
length and organization. Check to see which professors served on the
thesis committees to get ideas about whom you might ask to be on yours.
Note that some theses will be of better quality than others, and you can
use the best as models. Finally, look to see if any of the theses have
won the Edmund and Kathleen Jenkins Award, given to the best theses
written in any given year.
In many fields, particularly the sciences, a professor may suggest a
piece of his or her own research for your thesis. In the humanities or
fine arts, where research or creation is usually an individual effort,
many students still end up doing theses suggested by advisors.
Therefore, instead of thinking of yourself as Einstein or Picasso, think
of yourself as an apprentice, learning techniques and ways of thinking
from your advisor and other professors. Use your professors. Ask for
help early in the thesis development process. Tell them you want to get
a head start on identifying a thesis area. Ask them what are the hot
areas in their field, and what were the best theses written in the past
few years. Do they have projects connected with their own research or
creative activity that would make good theses?
Don't worry if, before you start actively searching for a topic,
nothing seems to interest you. Interest seldom emerges from thinking
about topics in a vacuum. Students have an amazing ability to become
interested in almost anything once they are working on it.
Finally, several off-campus programs may be of relevance for Honors
students who are looking for research projects that can then be brought
back to campus and used as the basis for their Honors thesis. Two that
have proven to be of particular help to Honors students are the Newberry
Library Program for students in the humanities and social sciences, and
the Oak Ridge Program for students in the sciences and social sciences.
Descriptions of these programs may be found in Appendix C.
What is the Thesis Development Colloquy? The Thesis Development
Colloquy is a ¼ unit seminar that is taught each semester and is open to
Honors juniors and second semester sophomores. The purpose of the
colloquy is to guide you through the process of finding and developing a
thesis topic and of assembling a thesis committee. Honors sophomores and
juniors who register for the Colloquy may take up to 4¾ units in the
semester in which they are enrolled without additional tuition charge.
Although this seminar is not required of all Honors students, it is
strongly recommended for Honors students who by the first semester of
their junior year have not yet come up with a thesis topic on their own.
What Should I Know about Forming and Working with a Thesis Committee?
Once you have found a thesis topic, it is time to assemble your thesis
committee. This committee consists of your thesis advisor, i.e., the
Albion faculty member with whom you will work most closely in
researching and writing your thesis, and two other Albion instructors
who will serve as additional readers. Also, you are encouraged to find,
with the help of your committee, an off-campus reviewer for the thesis.
When such a reviewer is used, his or her comments will be for your use
only and will play no role in determining the acceptability of your
thesis.
After you have formed your committee, you must file a Thesis Registry
form with the Honors coordinator with the signatures of each committee
member. The deadline for filing this form is April 30 of your junior
year (or September 15 of your senior year, if you are off campus second
semester junior year). If, subsequently, you decide to make a change in
your committee, a revised Thesis Registry form must be filed.
In forming your committee, you would do well to consider the
following advice. When possible, pick faculty members with whom you
believe you can establish a comfortable working relation and would be
supportive of your efforts -- professors you already know through
classroom or other contacts. Also, talk to Honors seniors who are
writing in your area for advice in forming a committee. Finally, go to
the Honors library to see which faculty have directed successful theses
in your area before.
When writing your thesis, it is your responsibility to keep in
contact with all members of your committee, not just your thesis
advisor. All committee members will want to make sure that the final
product meets their own standards for quality before they approve the
final draft even though they may never have insisted that you
communicate with them during the writing process. It is up to you to
hand them drafts of thesis sections as you produce them and to solicit
their suggestions for improvement. If you do so, you will not only end
up with a higher quality final thesis product, but you will also insure
that there are no unpleasant surprises at the end. If you do not keep
contact with your committee and instead surprise them with a final draft
of your thesis two weeks before the deadline, they may in turn surprise
you with demands for substantial revisions that may be difficult or even
impossible to complete in the time that remains.
What is the Time Frame and the Credit for Writing a Thesis? You will
normally begin serious research or creation for your thesis by the
second semester of your junior year by enrolling for ½ units of Honors
Thesis credit (HSP 422H) under the supervision of your thesis advisor.
The research and writing process then continues during your senior year
when you will normally enroll for an additional ½ to 1 unit of thesis
writing credit each semester. In the semesters that you register for
thesis writing credit, you may take up to 5 total units of classes
without additional tuition charge. The deadline for thesis completion is
April 1 for May graduates and December 1 for December graduates.
What Forums are there for Presenting Thesis Results? Each year in the
middle of April, the Elkin Isaac Student Research Symposium is held in
which students have the opportunity to report the results of their
research or creation to the College community. While there is no formal
requirement that you present the results of your thesis at this
symposium, you are strongly encouraged to do so. Also, some departments
may ask their thesis writers to present their results at a department
meeting or at a regional meeting of one of their discipline-related
societies. FURSCA funds are available to support off-campus research
presentations.
Is There Any Special Recognition that Comes from Writing an Honors
Thesis? Each year the Honors Committee selects one or more Honors theses
of particular merit and recognizes their authors by awarding them the
Edmund L. and Kathleen M. Jenkins Award. If you are selected for this
award, you will have your name inscribed on a permanent plaque in the
Honors Center and also receive a substantial monetary award. Also, all
students who successfully complete a thesis and the other requirements
of the Honors Institute, are recognized at commencement and on their
diploma with the special designation: graduation "with Albion College
Honors."
**Special Instructions for Research Involving Human or Animal
Subjects
Albion College is committed to the ethical treatment of all human
research participants who take part in research conducted by its
faculty, staff and students. All research that involves the use of human
research participants (e.g., interviews, experiments, questionnaires)
MUST receive prior approval from the college's Institutional Review
Board (IRB). Additional information, including an IRB protocol review
form, can be found at: http://www.albion.edu/research/research_board.asp.
Additionally, Albion College is committed to the humane and proper
care of all animals used in teaching and research. The College endorses
the guidelines of the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare as specified
in the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
Additional information, including Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC) applications for animal use can be found at: http://www.albion.edu/psychology/iacuc/IACUC.htm.
Part II. Other Program Information
A. The Prentiss M. Brown Honors Center and its Use
The Honors Center is located on the first and second floors of the
Observatory. However, the telescope room on the third floor is not part
of the Honors Center. The first floor of the Observatory is known as the
Werner Library. During the day this room serves as an Honors classroom
while after hours it is used for Honors events such as Coffees Hours and
guest speakers and also as a study lounge for Honors students. The
second floor contains an Honors thesis library, a student computer room,
and the offices for the Director/Associate Director and for the Honors
coordinator. The Honors Coordinator’s office is normally open from 8:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Honors Center is for the
exclusive use of Honors Institute students, their guests, and the Honors
faculty. Non-honors students may use this facility only when invited by
a member of the Honors Institute or when given explicit permission by
the Honors Coordinator.
As an Honors student, your Albion ID card will open the doors to the
first floor classroom and the second floor library thus giving 24 hours
a day, seven days a week access to the Honors Center. Your ID will
continue to afford you access to the Center as long as you remain a
member of the Institute.
The exterior doors of the Honors Center are unlocked from 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. Monday through Friday during the academic year, except during
college holidays. Your ID card will provide you with access to the
Honors Center after hours and on weekends. The card unlocks the
east-facing exterior door as well as the interior doors to the thesis
library on the second floor. If you are working late at night, Campus
Safety will provide escort service to and from the Center if you wish.
You can request this service by dialing extension 1234.
Other rules for the use of the Honors Center:
1. The water and other beverages in the Honors classroom are supplied
for use only in the Honors Center. Please do not use the water cooler
fill your water bottle or remove the beverage packets from the Center.
2. No alcoholic beverages may be stored or consumed in the Honors
Center.
3. Each time you use the Honors Center you are responsible for
maintaining its cleanliness and security, and its usefulness to other
students.
4. For security reasons, please do not leave the outer door to the
Observatory open once it has been locked after 4 p.m.
5. Non-Honors groups may use the Honors Center only with special
permission. Such permission must be obtained in advance from the Honors
Coordinator.
6. Before entering the first floor classroom, please make sure that you
are not interrupting a class or a meeting in progress. A schedule of
classroom use is posted on the classroom doorway and also appears on the
Honors website.
B. Student Honors Council
The duties of the Honors Council include planning all social
activities and providing student input and advice to the Honors Director
and the Honors Committee on any proposed changes in courses,
instructors, policies, or activities for the Honors Institute.
Meetings are held weekly. Check the Honors website for time and
location. All meetings are open and you are invited to attend whenever
you wish.
Membership on the Council is currently open to any Honors student who
wishes to serve. If there is not enough representation from any Honors
class, the Honors Director will try to recruit new Council members from
that class. The Honors Director and Associate Director are also members
of the Council and the Director serves as its chair.
The Council designates a secretary to take minutes at each meeting.
These minutes are available on the Honors website for your inspection.
C. Faculty Honors Committee
The duties of the Honors Committee include participation in the
selection of new students for the Honors Institute, reviewing the
academic standing of students already in the Honors Institute, formally
approving all Honors theses, meeting when necessary with the Honors
Council to hear student ideas concerning the direction of the Institute,
serving as academic advisors for first-year Honors students, and
reviewing and recommending to the Educational Policy Committee any
necessary changes in the Honors Institute curriculum, program and
policies.
Members of the Committee consist of four faculty members, one from
each of the four curricular divisions, who have had some current or past
experience with the Honors Institute; the Associate Director; the
Director who serves as chair; and an ex officio representative from the
Academic Dean’s Office. Meetings are called at the discretion of the
Honors Director and are held in the Werner Library.
D. Student Mentor Program
The Honors Institute runs a program each year which pairs each
first-year Honors student with an upper-class Honors mentor. Mentors are
recruited each April for the following year and are matched with an
incoming student in early summer. Mentors are expected to contact their
students before they arrive on campus in the fall to answer any
questions they may have about the Honors Institute and about College
life in general. Also, in the fall, mentors are responsible for
introducing their peers to other upper-class Honors students during
social events such as the welcoming Honors picnic and for acquainting
them with the customs and culture of the Honors Institute.
E. Other Program Activities
Honors Coffee Hours These events are scheduled in late afternoon, in
the Werner Library on the first floor of the Observatory. The Coffees
serve several functions. First, they are a social gathering in which you
can interact informally with your fellow students and with your Honors
instructors. Second, during many of these Hours, faculty members or
outside visitors are invited to chat informally about their research
interests and how these interests developed. These sessions are designed
to get you to think about your own research interests and what a career
as a scholar might look like. Finally, Coffee Hours provide a space for
informal fun where, for example, you can challenge the Honors
instructors to a game of Trivial Pursuit.
The Midnight Dessert This traditional Honors event is held at the end
of each semester on the Thursday evening after the last day of classes.
It offers Honors students an opportunity to defuse some of the stress
surrounding final examinations by taking a study break with other
students, feasting on elegant desserts and playing games or watching
some lighthearted videos.
Welcome Back Dinner Early in the spring semester a dinner is held
where our newly-admitted Honors students are introduced and students
returning from their off-campus experiences have a chance to share their
adventures with other Honors students.
Field Trips Each semester, all Honors students are invited to
participate in an Honors field trip. These trips are usually sponsored
by one of the HSP Fine Arts seminars and take students on exciting
off-campus cultural outings. In recent semesters, Honors students and
instructors have enjoyed field trips to see Kiss Me Kate, and to Chicago
to visit museums and art galleries.
Lectures From time to time in cooperation with other campus groups,
the Institute brings to Albion important outside speakers. In addition
to attending the evening lectures given by these speakers, you will
often have access to these distinguished visitors in your HSP seminar,
during special receptions or over lunch or dinner.
The Prentiss M. Brown Common Reading Experience Each semester, the
Honors Institute offers a Common Reading Experience for its students and
for interested faculty. The experience not only gives students a chance
to read and discuss important and controversial books, but also to meet
their authors, whom we invite to campus so that Honors students can sit
down with them and exchange ideas.
First-Year Retreat In order to orient new students to the traditions
and culture of Honors and to give them the chance to bond with other
members of their class, we hold an overnight retreat at the beginning of
each new academic year.
Honors Formal For the last four years the Honors students decided to
hold an Honors Formal. In 2001, A riverboat was rented and 50 Honors
students and dates spent four hours in March rocking to the music of a
great deejay while cruising up and down the Grand River. The last two
years it was held at Bella Notte Restaurant, they offered delicious food
and dancing. The Honors Council is responsible for planning social
events like the formal.
2001 Formal Participants
Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program Travel Policy
Travel is a normal part of active participation in the Prentiss M. Brown
Honors Program. Honors seminars often include a field trip activity to
augment the educational mission of the course. Participation in our
cultural field trips and other co-curricular activities often requires
travel from campus. As such, it is expected that all students who
participate in such experiences will abide by the Expectations for
Behavior of Individuals and Groups defined in the Albion College Student
Handbook.
The Honors Director and the Coordinator for the Prentiss M. Brown Honors
Institute must be given sufficient notice of intended travel for
educational or co-curricular needs. The office must have a list of
students who are traveling and a copy of our emergency contact
information form for each participant. This form can be obtained from
the Honors Coordinator. A copy of this form will be kept in the office
and a second copy will travel with the instructor or leader.
Leader Responsibilities
Professional behavior is expected of all persons leading travel from
Albion College’s campus. Leaders have the responsibility to:
1. work with the Honors Office to make sure the paperwork, including
all required forms, are completed prior to travel. Copies of the
emergency contact information forms for each participant should be
carried by the leader on this trip.
2. provide each student with explicit information about departure times
and meeting places, if the group will be separated during travel.
Included in that information should be maps, cell phone numbers and any
other pertinent data that students might need. This information should
be in writing and a copy should be given to each participant.
3. remain at the destination until all students have gathered to return
to Albion College.
Student Responsibilities
In addition to those included in the Albion College Student Handbook,
students are expected to:
1. complete the emergency contact information sheet with current and
accurate information. Students must provide a cell phone number where
they can be reached in case of separation or emergency. If a student
does not possess a cell phone, they are required to travel with a
colleague who is carrying one. It is recommended that you add the
leader’s cell phone number to your cell’s electronic phonebook.
2. be street smart. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not do anything
that will draw unnecessary attention to you or open you up to possible
injury.
3. be punctual. The entire group who is traveling with you is
inconvenienced by your tardiness.
4. ask questions. Pay attention to the directions issued by the leader.
It is your responsibility to seek clarification about the materials
provided.
Expenses (fines, additional travel expenses, etc.) that accrue as a
result of irresponsible behavior will become the responsibility of the
student.
Appendix A
Directions for Preparation and Submission of an Honors Thesis
In order to complete the Honors Program and graduate with
"Albion College Honors," all Honors students must write an Honors
thesis. The Honors Committee, with the approval of the Educational
Policy Committee, has established the following guidelines for an Honors
Program thesis.
A. Getting Started
1. You must submit a Thesis Registry Form (see page 24) to the Honors
Coordinator no later than April 30 of your junior year if you plan to
graduate either in May or August of the following year. For December
graduation the corresponding deadline is February 28. On the form, you
will indicate the tentative title of your thesis and obtain the
signatures of each of your thesis committee members.
2. Each thesis committee must consist of at least three Albion
College faculty members: a primary thesis advisor and at least two
additional readers. Ideally, your committee should include at least one
faculty member whose expertise is in an area different from your major
or thesis topic. The Honors Director will review your thesis committee
and must approve any subsequent changes to the committee.
3. Although April 30 (February 28) is the deadline for submission of
the Registry Form, you are strongly encouraged to pick a thesis topic
and committee, submit your Registry Form, and begin work on your thesis
long before this deadline.
B. Student and Thesis Committee Responsibilities
1. Your thesis must be reviewed in progress and in final form by your
entire thesis committee. It is your responsibility to work with all
members of your thesis committee, not just your thesis advisor, and to
keep all committee members informed of your progress by meeting with and
regularly submitting to them written drafts of your work for comments
and suggestions.
2. The bibliographic form and specific thesis format will be
determined by your thesis committee.
3. The primary responsibility for the evaluation of the Honors Thesis
rests with your thesis committee. For spring semester graduation, their
recommendation in unanimous or majority form must be forwarded for final
approval to the Honors Committee by April 12. If you have a disagreement
with your thesis committee's evaluation, this must be put in writing and
submitted to the Honors Director no later than April 12.
4. If credit is given for work on your thesis during your graduation
semester, the grade will represent an evaluation of the final product. A
minimum grade of 3.3 is required for your thesis to be acceptable as an
Honors Institute Thesis. If the grade is 3.0, you can still graduate
with Departmental Honors but not Albion College Honors. If the grade is
lower than 3.0, the units involved will be treated simply as units
toward graduation and you will not receive any Honors designation upon
graduation.
5. Your thesis committee members will indicate their approval of your
thesis for Albion College Honors by signing an Honors Thesis Approval
form (see page 20) by the April 1 deadline.2. If your committee members
approve your thesis only for Departmental Honors they will indicate this
by signing a Departmental Honors Thesis approval form (a copy of which
is available from the Honors Director.) If your committee members
believe that your work does not merit Honors, they will not sign either
form.
6. If thesis credit is given prior to the graduation semester,
evaluation may be in the form of either a numerical grade for the work
accomplished during that semester or a grade of P (work in progress) if
it is not possible to evaluate the research project until its
completion.
7. Each committee is encouraged to find an off-campus reviewer for
the thesis. When this is done, the reviewer's comments will be only for
your personal benefit and will not be part of the "acceptance" aspect of
the thesis.
C. Final Deadlines and Requirements
1. There are two deadlines that students must observe in submitting a
finished Honors thesis for spring graduation.
a. First, by 5 p.m. on April 11 or the first working day thereafter,
you must submit to the Honors Coordinator a copy of your Thesis Approval
Form (see page 20 below) with the signatures of your committee members.
The Coordinator’s office is located on the second floor of the
Observatory.
b. Second, by 5 p.m. on April 7 or the first working day thereafter,
you must submit at least two final copies of the thesis to the Honors
Coordinator.
Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the thesis not being
accepted for Honors for the
impending commencement. It is your responsibility to see that these
deadlines are met.
2. The thesis submitted to the Honors Committee for final approval must
be in final form, free of typographical, spelling, and grammatical
errors. Any thesis that does not meet these standards will be returned,
and, if the April 7 deadline has passed, will be rejected.
3. You are strongly encouraged to present the results of your thesis
at Albion's annual Elkin Isaac Research Symposium.
D. Postponing Graduation to Complete a Thesis
If you have enough units to graduate in May (December) but are unable
to meet the April 1 (December 1) deadline for completion of your Honors
Thesis, you may elect to postpone your graduation for one semester in
order to complete your thesis, provided that you:
1. obtain the written permission of your thesis committee and submit
it to the Honors Director in a timely manner. A form for this purpose is
available from the Honors Coordinator.
2. complete your thesis no later than the following August (April),
if you complete all your other graduation requirements in May
(December). You will then graduate with Albion College Honors after the
Summer (Spring) semester.
3. enroll for ½ units of thesis writing credit for this final
semester.
E. Thesis Writing Mechanics
Beyond the general guidelines above, you must follow these additional
instructions in preparing two copies of your final draft for submission
to the Honors Committee.
1. Word Processing. The thesis must be typed on a personal computer
using word processing software so that the final draft can be printed on
a laser printer. Personal computers and software that are adequate for
this purpose are available in all computer laboratories on campus. The
Instructional Technology office, in the basement of Ferguson Building,
provides instruction for both beginners and advanced users on special
word processing features that are particularly useful for writing a
thesis.
2. Typeface. The text of the thesis must be printed in a clearly
readable 12-point typeface. Exotic forms of type, such as “script,” are
not acceptable.
3. Paper and Printing. The first two copies of the thesis submitted
to the Honors Committee must be laser printed on the paper that the
Honors Institute will supply to you. You may obtain this paper from the
Honors Coordinator whose office is located on the second floor of the
Observatory. Any of the high-speed laser printers located in the
computer labs or department offices on campus is of sufficient quality
for printing your final thesis copies.
4. Color Printing. The Instructional Technology (IT) office has a
color laser printer available in the new 24-hour Computer Lab located in
the basement of the Ferguson Building. However, we strongly recommend
that if you intend to include color pages in your thesis that you allow
the IT office to assist you in printing these pages. (Remember that each
color page you print will use up 6 units of your print quota.) To get
the assistance you need,
a. contact the IT office well ahead of time to set up an appointment by
sending an email message to reservations@albion.edu).
b. work with an Instructional Technologist to do the actual printing
(you can't just drop off your thesis and leave--you will need to monitor
the printing yourself).
c. obtain the acid-free paper you will need from the Honors Coordinator
before your printing appointment.
5. Figures and Graphs. Figures, graphs, and illustrations may be
created using computer drawing software and laser printed along with the
rest of the thesis or may be drawn directly by hand on the same
acid-free paper used in the rest of the thesis. If figures are hand
drawn, photocopies of the original illustrations may be used for the
second thesis copy submitted to the Honors Committee but the originals
of all figures, graphs and illustrations must be included with the first
copy. This original will be bound at library expense and will become a
permanent part of the Albion College Library's Collection. The second
copy will be bound at the expense of the Honors Institute and
permanently housed in the Honors Center Library.
6. Binding Personal Thesis Copies. You may have as many additional
copies of your thesis bound for your personal use as you like.
Additional copies will be bound at cost (as of this writing $4.00 for
comb binding and $10 for hardcover binding). All binding costs must be
paid in advance. If you graduate in May and your personal thesis copies
are submitted by the April 7 deadline, they will be back from the
bindery and distributed to you before graduation. If you submit your
personal copies for binding later than April 7 or for December or August
graduation, they will be returned to you by mail.
7. Title and Thesis Approval Pages. You must follow the required form
for the title page and for the two approval sheets. Samples of these
pages are provided on pages 7-8-9.
8. Margins. Carefully observe all margins: 1½ inches at the left, 1
inch on the top, bottom and right. A top margin of 1½ inches must be
used for the first page of the text, and for pages beginning new
sections or chapters. Make sure all graphs and figures are drawn or
reduced by a photocopier so they fall within these same text margins.
9. Page Numbering.
a. Begin separate sections or chapters on a new page, unless your thesis
committee's
directions are based on a system, such as for submission for a
particular journal,
where this is not done.
b. Assign a number to each page, even though a number might not appear
on that
page, (e.g., in the case of a title page or a page beginning a new
chapter or section.)
c. Use lowercase roman numerals (e.g., ii or iv) for all pages preceding
the main text. Pages preceding the main text are normally such items as
"Prefaces," "Tables of Content," "Acknowledgments," and the Title Page.
However, the two Thesis Approval sheets are not considered a part of the
thesis and therefore are not given a number.
d. Use Arabic numbers for the main text.
10. Line Spacing. Double space the text throughout except for long
quotations, or in the case of tables and figures where a discipline's
customary writing style so allows.
11. Other Questions. Any other technical questions concerning the
acceptability of the production of the two final thesis copies submitted
to the Honors Committee should be discussed in advance with the Honors
Director.
12. Writing Guides. Finally, remember that a high standard of
accuracy and clarity in written expression is expected. When in doubt
about style or form, consult with your thesis advisor and/or a standard
manual of style such as A Manual for Writers, Turabian; Harbrace's
College Handbook, or The MLA Style Sheet.
F. Final Thesis Submission Procedures
1. Each of the thesis copies that you submit for binding must be
enclosed in a separate manila envelope. These envelopes may be picked up
from the Honors Coordinator.
2. On each thesis envelope, write your name, copy number (#1, # 2, #
3, etc.), and binding instructions (hardcover or comb bound). Copy #1 is
required. It goes to the Library and must be on the provided paper. Copy
#2 is required. It goes to the Honors Thesis library and must be on
provided paper. Copies #1 and #2 will be hard bounded at the college's
own expense. Copies #3 and beyond are optional and are for your own
purposes. They may be on any kind of paper you wish. We will bind them
for you and, when they are ready, return them to you or to whomever you
designate on each envelope.
3. Print one extra copy of your cover page. Place it on the outside
of your copies of the Library/Honors copy. (Note that your title page
must contain your first, middle and last names.) The original cover
pages should be placed inside the envelopes.
4. The copies of your thesis for the Library and for the Honors
Institute must contain the two Thesis Approval forms.
a. Make sure that your committee members have signed the first Thesis
Approval forms. Place these sheets under the title page inside each
envelope.
b. The Coordinator will get the signatures of the Academic Dean & the
Honors
Director on the second Thesis Approval forms. Instead, just place the
unsigned
forms on top of the appropriate envelopes.
5. You must pick up a Thesis Release Form from the Honors
Coordinator, fill it out, and include it on top of the Library packet
under the extra cover page. This form gives or denies the Library
permission to make copies, in part or in whole, of your thesis for
scholarly purposes.
6. Be sure to double check each thesis to make sure that all pages,
including title, approval, diagram and text pages are in the correct
order.
7. Remember to bring a check or exact cash to pay for your personal
thesis binding costs at the time you turn your thesis in to the Honors
Coordinator.
[SAMPLE TITLE PAGE. The margins for the title page must be as follows:
left margin 1½ inches, right margin 1 inch, top margin 2½ inches. For
the bottom margin, the words “Albion College” must appear 3 inches from
the bottom of the page.]
CENTER TITLE IN CAPS
(If title has more than one line, double space between lines.)
(4 spaces)
A Thesis submitted for Albion College Honors
(4 spaces)
Your Complete Name
April 1, 2007
(2 spaces)
Albion College
[SAMPLE APPROVAL SHEET NUMBER ONE. The margins for this approval
sheet must be as follows: left margin 1½ inches, right margin 1 inch,
top margin 2½ inches.]
Doe, John. Thin-layered chromatographic analysis of amino-acid
derivatives.
(2 spaces)
This certifies that the thesis here submitted to the Honors Committee
has been supervised and read critically by the undersigned who recommend
that the thesis be accepted as fulfilling the requirements of the Albion
College Honors Institute.
(3 spaces)
___________________________________
Dr. Jane Smith, Thesis Advisor
Professor of XXXX
(3 spaces)
______________________________
Dr. Robert Jones, Committee Member
Professor of XXXX
(3 spaces)
___________________________________
Dr. Richard Roe, Committee Member
Associate Professor of XXXX
(3 spaces)
___________________________________
Dr. Margaret Reno, Committee Member
Assistant Professor of XXXX
(3 spaces)
___________________________________
Dr. Samuel Johnson, Outside Reader
Professor of XXXX
University of XXXXX
[SAMPLE APPROVAL SHEET NUMBER TWO. The margins for this approval
sheet must be as follows: left margin 1½ inches, right margin 1 inch,
top margin 2½ inches.]
Doe, John. Thin-layered chromatographic analysis of amino-acid
derivatives.
(2 spaces)
This thesis, submitted by John Doe for Albion College Honors, has
been approved by the Honors Committee.
(3 spaces)
___________________________________________
Dr. Gene Cline, Honors Director
(3 spaces)
___________________________________________
Dr. Royal Ward, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Appendix B
Off-Campus Programs of Particular Relevance for Doing Thesis Research
1. The Newberry Library Program in the Humanities -- Humanities and
Social Science
Chicago, Illinois
Fall Semester
The Newberry Library Program in the Humanities offers Albion College
Honors students a unique opportunity to conduct original research,
commence or complete their Honors theses, and live for a semester in one
of the nation's great cities. Located in the near north of Chicago, the
Newberry Library is one of the nation's greatest independent research
libraries, providing students in the humanities and social sciences an
educational experience unavailable on their home campuses. As "student
fellows," students participate in an intensive team taught seminar and
conduct their own research using the Newberry Library's rich
collections. They work alongside 14-18 peers from the 27 ACM GLCA
college consortia, and they are guided by the Newberry's first rate
staff of reference librarians.
Newberry Program participants receive a full four units of academic
credit for their work. In consultation with their academic advisers and
their Newberry professors, students can distribute these units in one or
more departments, depending on the specific project they undertake. For
instance, a student writing a thesis on some aspect of the Federal
Reserve Bank could conceivably receive credits in economics, history,
and political science for their thesis as long as the thesis makes use
of the methodologies and bodies of knowledge of these three disciplines.
Similarly, a student interested in contemporary American women poets
could seek credits in English, psychology, and women's studies.
For those students who enjoy intellectual challenges, who want to
explore a topic in depth, who want to explore the rich cultural life of
Chicago, the Newberry Program in the Humanities is worth a serious look.
For more information, contact Professor Jim Diedrick, in the English
department.
2. The Oak Ridge Science Semester -- Science, Social Science
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Fall Semester
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a large,
multidisciplinary research and development center whose primary mission
is basic research in the physical and life sciences, and applied
research and engineering development in energy technologies and
conservation. The Oak Ridge Semester enables students to join ongoing
investigations at ORNL and to use the sophisticated resources available
at the Laboratory, including supercomputers and state-of-the-art
analytical instruments. The applications of accepted students are sent
to one or more research groups whose interests are similar to those of
the student. Students are expected to devote at least 35 hours per week
to research on a specific project, with a scientist from the ORNL
serving as a mentor. In addition, students are required to participate
in an interdisciplinary seminar and choose an advance academic course
from among a variety of options. The academic program is enriched in
informal ways by guest speakers, department colloquia, and the special
interests and expertise of the ORNL staff.
Current research fields supported at Oak Ridge include:
Biology Research on the genetic, cytological, biochemical, biophysical,
pathological and physiological effects of radiation and chemicals. Also,
extensive environmental research.
Chemistry Research in all major branches of chemistry including nuclear,
organic and inorganic.
Physics Research in nearly all phases of physics with particular
emphasis on nuclear, solid state and plasma physics.
Interdisciplinary Science Studies Research includes studies in geology,
materials science, health physics, biochemical and biophysics
activities, energy use and development studies, and the environmental
sciences.
Social Sciences Research and projects include urban development, the
sitting of power plants, environmental impact statements, attitudinal
studies, and energy resource supply-and-demand analyses.
For more information on science research at Oak Ridge, contact Dr.
Dan Steffenson, Chemistry. For social science research, contact Dr. Dan
Christiansen, Economics.
THESIS REGISTRY FORM: HONORS INSTITUTE
Name___________________________________Anticipated Graduation
Semester_____________
Campus Address___________________________________________Campus
Phone___________
Department Thesis will be written under
Primary Major___________________________Secondary
Major___________________________
First Minor______________________________Second
Minor______________________________
Concentration(s)__________________________________________________________________
Tentative Title of Thesis (Please
Print):________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Principal Advisor______________________ _________________________ __
_ _____ _
(Signature) (Please Print Name) Department
Committee Member_____________________ _________________________ ___
___ __ _ __
(Signature) (Please Print Name) Department
Committee Member_____________________ _________________________ __
___ __ ____
(Signature) (Please Print Name) Department
I understand that if my research involves human or animal
participants that my research protocol must be reviewed and approved by
the IRB or the IACUC, respectively. Details can be found in the
Guidelines for Preparation and Submission of (Departmental) Honors
Theses.
______________ Initials here
List by semester the number of units you have taken already or expect
to take for work on the thesis.
Fall 20____ Units____; Spr 20____ Units____; Fall 20____ Units____;
Spr 20____ Units____
Note: In each semester that you sign up for HSP 422H thesis writing
credit, you must complete a separate, lilac-colored Honor Thesis form
for the Registrar.
List below the Great Issues Courses you have taken or are currently
taking. Semester/Year/Instructor
Humanities _______________________________
Science__________________________________
Social Sciences____________________________ Fine Arts____
____________________________
Return this form to the Honors Coordinator, Observatory 2nd floor,
Extension 0614. Revised 6/06
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