English and Foreign Languages
Rationale:
The purposes of the senior thesis are
many. First, the thesis functions to allow
the department to see if its graduating seniors
have learned to use in an extended research paper
the methods of critical analysis, tools of literary
research, and techniques of analytical thinking
that constitute the core of departmental objectives
in the major. Second, the thesis when read
before an audience serves to present to the academic
community both the results of literary study as
it is learned and practiced by our graduating
seniors and the talents and abilities they have
developed while in the program. Third, and
perhaps most important, the senior thesis requires
of each of our students extended, individual collaboration
with a single member of the English faculty on
a tutorial basis regarding a subject of mutual
interest. The senior thesis is thus intended
both to foster and to recognize mature work of
the advanced undergraduate in literary study,
and to mark his or her entrance into the community
of literary scholars and their on-going conversation
about the meaning of literary texts. In
short, it constitutes the final stage of a student's
novitiate in literary study--the final stage of
an initiation into a culture of study that extends
to the graduate level, of course, but also, in
complex and important ways, into the broader dialogues
outside the academy about how we as humans make
life meaningful for ourselves.
Goals: In terms of educational objectives, the student who completes the Senior Thesis requirement will be expected to demonstrate
- --the ability to analyze and interpret a given text (or set of texts) in a manner consistent with a recognized critical approach to literary study;
- --the ability to carry out extended bibliographical research on a subject appropriate to the field of literary studies;
- --the ability to generate an analytical essay of some length that shows awareness of perspective and purpose--that is, speaker, audience, critical approach, and appropriate rhetorical purpose within the context of literary studies.
Scheduling:
The student should contact his or her
prospective faculty mentor (a full-time member
of the English faculty) well in advance of registering
for 06.497: Senior Thesis. Students
will be required to have contracted with a faculty
mentor on a mutually agreeable topic for the thesis
prior to registration for the course (a form will
be provided for this purpose). Students
seeking certification are strongly advised not
to plan on preparing and presenting the thesis
during the semester in which they do their student
teaching.
Calendar:
Students should expect to be held to the
following calendar of due dates:
| deadline |
item
or activity |
| prior to registration for 06.497: Senior Thesis | topic accepted by prospective advisor |
| Monday of the third week of classes (9/10/01) | thesis (main idea) and preliminary bibliography to advisor |
| Monday of the fifth week of classes (9/24/01) | abstract and complete list of works to be consulted to advisor |
| Monday of the eighth week of classes (10/22/01) | complete rough draft to advisor |
| Eighth to eleventh weeks | revised drafts |
| twelfth and thirteenth weeks (starting 11/19/01) | presentations |
Students
may find that individual faculty members have
additional expectations regarding such things
as preliminary bibliographies and rough drafts
and their due dates, and so should reach a clear
mutual understanding of these expectations with
their advisors during their first meeting.
However, for all students, failure to hand in
a complete rough draft by the eighth week of classes
will result in the student's being dropped from
the course.
UNIVERSITY of ST. FRANCIS
Department of English
Senior Thesis Contract
Student Name:_____________________________________________________
Faculty Mentor:____________________________________________________
Proposed Topic:____________________________________________________
Proposed
semester for presentation:_____________________________________
Registration
for ENGL 497:Senior Thesis constitutes an agreement
to work with a faculty mentor on a regular basis
during the semester in which the thesis is to
be presented according to the guidelines described
in the departmental policy.
Signed
____________________________
Student
____________________________
Faculty
Mentor
____________________________