The Thesis Proposal Process
In order to conduct a Senior Honors Thesis project, a project proposal first needs to be submitted to the student Advancement Committee for evaluation. To submit a proposal, the student must sign up for 1 credit of XXXX 471 (where XXXX is the rubric of the student’s major). With few exceptions, this is done during the Fall 3-week term of the student’s final year at Sweet Briar. The proposal is due no later than 4 days prior to the end of that same 3-week term and must be signed by the faculty sponsor as well as a second reader who is typically a Sweet Briar faculty member. Additionally, the faculty sponsor must complete the recommendation form.
In order to be eligible to submit a Senior Honors Thesis proposal, the student must have declared their intent to graduate with Honors, have a GPA of 3.4 and to have already completed their Junior Honors research experience (typically HNRS 470 or HNRS 399: HSRP).
It is very common for proposals to be sent back to the student one or more times so that they can revise and resubmit their proposal based on the feedback of the Student Advancement Committee. This process is not meant to discourage students from completing their projects.
Thesis Proposal Guidelines
Research proposals are typically 8-10 double-spaced, typewritten pages with additional pages devoted to bibliography and other resources. Proposals in creative, performing, and visual arts, may take another form. All proposals (regardless of type) must have a cover sheet, signed by the faculty thesis adviser and second reader. A copy of this cover sheet can be found here.
Research-Based Projects
A research-based project proposal should include:
1. Proposal Cover Page, with required signatures including a second reader.
2. Definition and History of the Thesis Project: The proposal should begin with a focused, clearly defined thesis statement, followed by a thoughtful description of the basic questions to be explored, the scholarly context in which the work is to be understood, the specific program of research planned, and the expected goals of the research. The student should explain how the project was conceived, work completed up to the date of proposal submission, and how the project will contribute to her intellectual development. Also included should be a discussion of the theoretical and critical framework of the project, a discussion of the significance of the work within her discipline and an explanation of how the project is situated within that particular discipline’s critical and/or historical traditions. The student should make clear how the proposed project transcends the normal senior research or capstone experience in the major. Finally, the student should describe the anticipated final form of the project.
3. Work Plan, Methodology, and Schedule: Issues that are pertinent include preliminary work (reading, study, research), the critical approaches the student expects to employ, the specific stages the student plans to follow, week by week if possible, in order to complete the thesis project, and a description of the thesis
adviser’s role in the project. The work plan should make reference to the expected outcomes (for example, “October 31: introduction completed”; “December 15: first draft completed”).
4. Bibliography and Other Resources: Students should include a carefully prepared annotated bibliography describing the texts of greatest relevance that will be used and a list of additional materials or resources to be consulted. Students should group together those texts that have already been consulted, and separately group together those resources that will or may be consulted during the course of the senior research.
5. Unofficial transcript.
Creativity-Based Projects
Projects that are related to a creative/visual/performing arts practice should include:
1. Proposal Cover Page, with required signatures including a second reader.
2. Definition and History of the Thesis Project: The proposal should begin with a description of the work to be undertaken. The student should explain how the project was conceived, what work has been completed up to the date of proposal submission, and how the project will contribute to her intellectual and/or artistic development. A discussion of the significance of the work within her discipline and an explanation of how the project is situated within that particular discipline’s critical and/or historical traditions should also be addressed. The student should make clear how the proposed project transcends the normal senior performance or capstone experience in the major. Finally, the student should describe the anticipated final form of the project (a performance, an exhibition, or a work of creative writing, for example).
3. Work Plan, Methodology, and Schedule: The stages of project development that the student plans to follow in order to complete the thesis project, and a description of the thesis advisor’s role in the project will be presented. A detailed
timeline for anticipated outcomes will be included.
4. Bibliography and Other Resources: Where appropriate, students should include annotated bibliographic references describing the texts of greatest relevance and/or a list of additional materials or resources to be consulted.
5. Unofficial transcript.
Thesis Proposal Submission
To submit your proposals, please compile the above required components into a single document and upload them on this form no later than 4 days prior to the end of the relevant 3-week term.
The faculty sponsor of the project should fill out the Faculty Recommendation Form.
Thesis Proposal Evaluation
Similar to the HSRP proposals, the Student Advancement Committee will evaluate the proposals. A successful proposal will:
- Pose a novel research question (or creative goal) that is important and relevant to the field of study
- Propose a reasonable methodology that will serve to answer the research question or accomplish the creative goal
- Engage with relevant scholarly sources to contextualize the research question (or creative goal) and justify the methodology
- Be well-cited in the format most appropriate to the field of study
- Contain all required components
- Be well-written
A decision whether to accept, reject, or send the proposal back for revisions will be made by consensus of the entire committee.
My Proposal was accepted. Now what?
Congratulations! In order to conduct your thesis project, all you need to do is sign up for two semesters (usually one in the Fall followed by one in the Spring) of XXXX 472: Honors Thesis Project, where XXXX is the rubric of the student’s major. The details of executing your project should be previously agreed upon between you and your faculty sponsor and outlined in your proposal.
No later than 8 weeks before the end of your project, you should identify a third, outside reader to evaluate your thesis. This outside reader should have a terminal degree in a relevant field of study and is typically a faculty member at another institution. Please send the name of the reader to the Honors Director at honors@sbc.edu. An honorarium of up to $100 may be awarded to your outside reader upon request.
You will need to defend your thesis to a committee comprised of your faculty sponsor, your second reader, and your outside reader. The defense can take whatever format you and your faculty sponsor agree to, but it should be completed by the last day of the 12-week term of your last semester. Your committee will then decide to award your project with No Honors, Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors according to the conventions of each academic program. The committee should report this decision to both the registrar and the Honors Director.