Honors Thesis Research Proposal and Fellowship Request

University Honors Program

Honors Thesis Research Proposal and Fellowship Request

Please see Guidelines for Applying for a Thesis Fellowship at www.udayton.edu/honors/thesis/proposal.php for full details regarding submission of your proposal.

FORMAT

The student should follow the outline below in the preparation of his or her thesis fellowship proposal, using the template following. Note that the proposal is required to be submitted as adouble-spaced document.Please include your last name in any document file names.

SUBMISSION

Students should complete the online submission form (at http://tinyurl.com/honorsthesisproposal) and upload the cover sheet and all application materials as one PDF file. Mentors should upload letters of recommendation as a PDF file to

SECTIONS I-VIII ARE REQUIRED

I. COVER SHEET

·  Scan the completed and signed document and include it as part of your final compiled PDF file.

·  Include the student’s last name in the document file name.

II. GENERAL AUDIENCE PROJECT SUMMARY

·  The general audience project summary should be written for educated readers outside of your discipline.

·  The goal of this summary is to provide a broad scope of what the expectations for the project are, how this will be accomplished, and why this is important.

·  This summary should not be identical to the project abstract (Section III).

·  This summary should be no longer than 300 words.

III. PROPOSED THESIS TITLE AND PROPOSED ABSTRACT

·  The abstract should be consistent with disciplinary and advisor guidelines, but typically consists of 200-300 words.

·  Discipline-specific language in this section of the proposal is appropriate.

·  This is each student’s first attempt to draft an abstract and the scope of the work is expected to evolve prior to the submission of the actual thesis.

IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

·  Discipline-specific language may be used in this section of the proposal to explain the problem / hypothesis / argument and the specific aims of the thesis.

·  The project description should be a narrative; an outline is not acceptable.

·  Discuss any relevant research design or research methods to be used.

·  Discuss progress made to-date on the project.

·  If needed, figures, pictures, graphs, etc. are appropriate for this section (and encouraged) and are not used to evaluate the length of the written portion. Please note that proposals will be photocopied in black and white for review. As such, figures and their references should be done in grayscale.

·  The written portion of the description is not to exceed five double-spaced pages in length.

V. TIMELINE

·  A detailed accounting of the milestones necessary for the completion of the project.

VI. WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY

·  Include citations to works already referenced and works likely to be referenced in the course of the project.

·  The student should consult the thesis advisor in order to identify a format consistent with standards in his or her discipline.

VII. BUDGET

·  Include a full itemized budget for the project that estimates all likely expenses to be incurred regardless of the total cost.

·  Include a narrative budget justification to explain the need for the funds requested.

·  Projects may have budgets that exceed the fellowship amount that the UHP can provide.

·  Projected expenses must be clearly identified, itemized, and justified by the research design that is planned. For example, references to be purchased should be listed by title, author and cost.

·  Identify sources for cost estimates.

·  List other secured and requested sources of funding.

·  Thesis writers can submit a proposal with a request for $0.

·  Thesis fellowships are capped at $1500 (except in the case of the Palermo Founders Fund recipients), but it is still appropriate to list the full cost of the project.

·  All expenditures must be documented and receipts included before the expenses can be reimbursed. One copy of the expense report and receipts goes to the department, and a second copy to the University Honors Program office.

VIII. LETTER OF SUPPORT

·  A letter of support from your Advisor or Advisor of Contact must be included.

·  In addition to discussing the shared background of the advisor and student, and the student's academic prowess, the letter should also address appropriateness of the budget request, and the tangible support the advisor can provide including space, supplies, equipment, and access to contacts necessary for the completion of the research.

·  A letter of support for the thesis proposal is similar to a letter of recommendation, including a discussion of the research project and the advisor's commitment to seeing the student succeed.

·  The Advisor should upload the letter of support through the Porches UHP portal.

IX. APPENDICES (IF NECESSARY)

Include any materials that support the project described in Section III. Suggested appendices include but are not limited to:

·  Letters of support from contacts necessary for the completion of the thesis.

·  Letters of support for funding promised from other resources.

·  Draft or status of IRB or IACUC proposal.

X. RESUME/CV

SECTION XI IS OPTIONAL

XI. PALERMO FOUNDERS FUND APPLICATION

·  Not to exceed two double-spaced pages in length.

·  Identify why the thesis will be of exceptional merit, and how it involves international research, service and leadership in community, or advances the realization of a just society.

·  The student is encouraged to apply for this fund if he or she meet these qualifications, independent of the level of funding requested in Section VII.

SECTION XII IS OPTIONAL

XII. ARNOLD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

·  State major(s) (must be within the College of Arts and Sciences)

·  List Honors credits (at least 12 Honors credits earned toward anHonorsdiploma with thesis, or at least 15 Honors credits earned toward anHonors with Distinctiondiploma)

·  Compose a reflective essay (500 to 750 words) discussing applicant’s contributions as a leader in the University Honors Program and/or at the University of Dayton, and what role the thesis research will play in applicant’s life after graduation

·  Financial need will be determined by the University Office of Financial Aid

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Honors Thesis Proposal and Fellowship Request materials are due March 15 through the online submission form and an uploaded PDF* at http://tinyurl.com/honorsthesisproposal:

·  Cover Sheet,completed and signed by all parties before being scanned

·  Thesis Proposal and Fellowship Request

·  IRB, RREC or other subject-testing approval materials, if necessary

·  Please include your last name as part of all electronic document file names.

Mentor Documents—Faculty mentor letter of recommendation and support sent as a PDF document to :

·  Prepared and submitted by the faculty mentor

·  Mentor indicates willingness to serve as the thesis mentor for the student during the 3-semester project and comments on the proposal and budget

*If you need assistance in saving a Word Document as a PDF, please see:

MS Office:https://support.office.com/en-au/article/Save-as-PDF-d85416c5-7d77-4fd6-a216-6f4bf7c7c110

Mac:http://osxdaily.com/2010/05/21/how-to-print-to-pdf-in-mac-os/

II. GENERAL AUDIENCE PROJECT SUMMARY (300 words)

III. PROPOSED THESIS TITLE AND PROPOSED ABSTRACT (200-300 words)

IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (not to exceed 5 double spaced pages in length)

V. TIMELINE: Provide a detailed monthly timeline of project milestones as needed for the completion

of the Honors Thesis Project.

Year 1 (post-Thesis proposal)

MAY

JUNE

JULY

Year 2

AUGUST

FALL TBD Attend required Senior Thesis Workshop

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY 31 Complete theSymposium Registration Formto register thesis information for the Honors Students
Symposium

FEBRUARY

MARCH Oral presentation of thesis at the Honors Students Symposium

APRIL 7 Submit electronic copy all Word documents of the thesis to Ramona Speranza

April Present thesis project at a poster session of the Stander Symposium

VI. WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY

VII. BUDGET

Itemized Budget:

Materials/Supplies:
Item / Estimated Cost
Travel: (If required for Thesis Project)
Automobile Mileage / X miles X ($0.55/mile) =
*The current UD rate for mileage reimbursement will be used.
Other:
Item / Estimated Cost
Other Source(s) of Funding
Source / Pending/Secured

Total Amount Requested: $ ______Dept. Acct. # for funds transfer ______

Narrative Budget Justification:

VIII. LETTER OF SUPPORT

The mentor should submit the letter of support to by March 15.

IX. APPENDICES (if necessary)

X. RESUME OR CV

XI. PALERMO FOUNDERS FUND APPLICATION (Optional)

XII. ARNOLD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION (Optional)

As of 8/4/17 4