Honors Research Project

The Honors Research Project is an integral part of the UA Honors experience, and every Honors College student must complete an acceptable Honors Research Project. See also the web page answering Frequently Asked Questions about the Honors Research Project at FAQs. Interdisciplinary, creative projects are encouraged, and your project could be any one of the following types:

• Research Thesis - original scholarship investigating a significant question
• Research Report - a formal written presentation of technical, laboratory, or investigative research
• Artistic or Creative Performance or Production - in the fine arts, applied arts, or performing arts; a written report, introduction, or commentary is required.
• There are many important areas to keep in mind while planning and completing your Honors Research Project:
        Guidelines
        Due Dates
        Funds
  Abstract Format
        Signature Page Format
  Registration Course Numbers
        FAQs

 

The project must meet high standards of scholarship. The student must also meet any additional department of college requirements for this project, such as prerequisite coursework or experience, qualifying examination, or oral presentation. Study abroad or field experience may be accepted, with the approval of the student's Honors Faculty Advisor, as part of the project.

The student must have attained senior standing or approval of the proposal from one of the Deans of the Honors College,, and the approval of your Honors Faculty Advisor before enrolling in "Honors Research Project" for credit. The credit hours allowed for the Honors Research Project will depend on the nature of the project and the policies of individual departments. Usually students enroll in two-three hours per semester up to a total of six hours. The minimum number of credits is two.
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Beginning your project :

(also see FAQs about the Honors Research Project)

1. Select a faculty Sponsor, under whose direction you can plan, complete, and report on the project. Discuss your ideas about a research project with faculty you would like as a Sponsor. You should make this selection before the end of your junior year.
   
   
2. With your Sponsor's approval, plan the project and complete the Proposal Form. That form requires signatures from an evaluation committee that includes the Sponsor and at least two other faculty readers. The evaluation committee may include extramural readers.
   
   
3. Complete the Proposal Form for an Honors Research Project [form available for download ] which must include the following:

• Tentative title of the project
• Anticipated total number of credits
• Anticipated date of completion
• Names and signatures of sponsor and evaluation committee
• Honors Faculty Advisor's signature. Click here for a list of Honors Faculty Advisors for the different majors.

The Proposal must be received by the Honors office by the thirteenth week of the semester in which the student completes 96 or more college credits..
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Due Dates:
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Proposals- Due Dates for Honors Research Project Proposals

Students should be planning for the Honors Research Project during the junior year.  For most students, the proposal due date is a year prior to graduation.  If you will be completing 96 or more credits during a particular semester, then that is the semester in which your proposal is due.   Download a copy of the proposal form.

Due dates for representative graduation dates are given below.  For the graduation date given, the proposal should be in the Honors Office by 5 p.m. on the following dates:

• May 2010 graduates --April 17,2009
• August 2010 graduates-- August 7, 2009
• December 2010 graduates--November 30, 2009
• May 2011 graduates-- April 16, 2010
• August 2011 graduates-- August 6, 2010

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Projects - Due Dates for: Honors Research Projects

i) Initial drafts to your research Sponsor: Your completed project must be in the hands of your Sponsor and Faculty Readers no later than 5 PM on Friday of the thirteenth week of the semester.  You should have an intial draft of the project submitted to your research Sponsor by April 9, 2010. Expect revisions to be requested!

ii) Subsequent drafts to your two readers, For Spring, 2010, the due date for your project to be with your readers is April 16, 2010.  Please include a copy of the form for the project cover page for them.  Be sure to keep your readers informed of progress on your project throughout the fall semester, and not just on that day. Expect revisions based on your Readers' comments. Once you've incorporated changes from your Readers, your Sponsor needs to approve the final copy. It is your Sponsor who gives you the grade for the formal coursework.

iii) Submission of an abstract to the Honors College office electronically. The abstract of your project will be included in graduation materials. Please prepare it according to the guidelines listed below.  Electronic submissions are welcome- send them to dgannon@uakron.edu. Please send an abstract as early as possible, but not later than the final day of the thirteenth week of the semester.  Abstracts for Spring, 2010, Honors graduates are due to the Honors College Office by April 16, 2010. If you don't submit your abstract by this date, it will not appear in the graduation booklet.

iv) Final submission of your project to the Honors College office.Your research project may be submitted electronically. If you submit it electronically, scan the completed signature page and submit the signature page electronically as well. Alternatively, an unbound and unstapled copy of your project, together with your signature page, must be on file in the Honors office no later than 5 PM on the final day of the fourteenth week of the semester.  For Spring, 2010, the due date of completed projects to the Honors Office is April 23, 2010.

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Grants/Funds

For information, please go to the Students section and see the Funds page.

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Graduation Recognition Convocation for University Honors Scholars

This special event for graduating seniors who will have completed all the requirements for University Honors Scholar status is held on the Friday evening before the main University Saturday graduation exercises.

Scholars should make reservations for themselves and their guests with the Honors office. Scholars also need to complete the graduation information sheet, and return that to the Honors office.  Use this link to obtain a copy of the graduation information sheet.

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Honors Research Project- Abstract Format

Your abstract (200 words maximum) should be prepared according to the following guidelines:

• In your first few sentences, define your project indicating its purpose, scope, and limits.
• Then describe, as concisely and clearly as you can, what you did, what you found, and what made it worth doing. In this part you summarize your research methods and design, your major findings and conclusions, the significance of your investigation and so forth.
• If your project has involved creative work (art, music, dance, film, etc.), your abstract should describe the process and the product, and it should identify the form of documentation you have submitted with the written part of your project (photographs, videotapes, audiotapes, manuscripts, etc.).
• The final version of the title for your project should include, as appropriate to your field of study, the subject words with which it would be located through a scholarly index.

The abstract must be perfect in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax. Please type it double-spaced and forward a copy to dgannon@uakron.edu

Abstract Format:

The abstract will also appear in the honors graduation booklet.

[Name] (in bold)
Major:
Project Sponsor:
Number of credits:
[Full title of project] (centered and bold)

Type abstract at this point in paragraph form, double-spaced, 12 point font, maximum of 200 words. Save as a Microsoft document and send by e-mail to the above address.

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Honors Research Project Signature Page Format

Signature Page

Please include this page as a cover page with your project, when you submit your final project to the Honors College. (Please include lines for signatures and lines for printed names of those listed):

Click here to Download a Word copy of the following.

[Full Title of Your Project]
[Your Full Name]
Department of [Your Major]
Honors Research Project

submitted to: The Honors College

Approved:

__________________________________________ Date ______
Honors Project Sponsor

__________________________________________ Date ______
Reader

__________________________________________ Date ______
Reader

Accepted:

__________________________________________ Date ______
Department Head

__________________________________________ Date ______
Honors Faculty Advisor

__________________________________________ Date ______
Dean, Honors College

Note that all signatures are required (except that of one of the Honors Deans) when you turn in your final project.
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