The process of creating an exemplary thesis varies considerably from discipline to discipline, even from individual to individual.  In every case, however, the student, the Advisor, and the Second Reader should maintain an active, productive relationship. It is the responsibility of the student, not the Advisor/Second Reader, to meet appointments and deadlines.

Junior Year

• Starting in mid-fall semester, juniors planning to write a thesis are invited to meetings of the current senior thesis class. This provides them with the opportunity to be mentored by current thesis students, and to begin thinking about what kind of thesis they would like to pursue.
• In October of the junior year, during advisement for spring semester course registration, the juniors should confirm their intent to pursue the thesis, and speak with the Honors Program Director about whether the six-credit thesis option (and therefore Pro-Seminar enrollment) is preferred. During the advisement meeting, juniors also should select a senior thesis student with whom they will work throughout the remainder of the year.  Juniors should meet periodically with their senior partners, and read their partners’ abstracts, proposals, and drafts as they are submitted.
• In late January, juniors chair the thesis presentations at the Senior Thesis Research Conference.  Responsibilities include announcing, and preparing questions for, at least one thesis presentation.  Juniors are required to attend the entire conference.
• In March of the junior year, the Director meets with students planning to write a Senior Thesis to discuss the nature of the thesis and their responsibilities, as well as the process and chronology for its successful completion.  Students also meet with a team of faculty representatives (one each from the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences) to discuss important considerations for ensuring high quality theses.
• Students must select a general area of research and an Advisor by the end of the Spring Semester (Thursday, Apr. 29).  Ordinarily, students should select their advisors from among Villanova faculty members who possess expertise in the chosen topic area.  The Faculty Mentors Directory and professors whose classes you've found particularly exciting are the best places to begin.  Also consult with your Honors Program advisors. 
• Before the end of the semester, students should meet with their advisors to begin discussing possible topics and to generate summer reading lists. Students also are encouraged to review model theses from past years in the Falvey Library collection (ask at the Current Periodicals desk; lists of past theses are available in the Honors Program office).
• At the end of the semester, junior thesis students must attend at least one senior thesis defense.

Summer before Senior Year

• Rising seniors may extend their Falvey Library borrowing privileges over the summer.
• Students are required to be in touch with their advisors (via e-mail) as they begin developing their thesis topics.

Senior Year

Fall Semester       

Five-Credit Option:  During the fall semester of senior year, students enroll in HON 6001 (Senior Thesis I), a two‑credit course taken as an overload course, i.e., in addition to the standard 15-credit course load.  During this first semester, the student will complete a comprehensive written proposal that encompasses all the preparatory work needed to begin the writing phase of the thesis project.  This will include a critical bibliography; familiarity with the relevant background to the specific research topic, including the relation of the proposed research to current scholarship; a detailed outline of the proposed work; an abstract; and a writing sample.  Students writing a thesis in the natural or social sciences should complete an explicit research design and include any necessary research tools.

Six-Credit Option:  Students who have taken the Honors Pro-Seminar in their junior year may enroll in HON 6000 (Senior Thesis I), a three-credit course taken as part of their standard 15-credit course load.  Fall semester requirements include all of those associated with the five-credit option, with one additional requirement:  At the conclusion of the Fall Semester, students must have completed a polished paper, suitable for submission for review by an appropriate scholarly journal or conference.

Fall Deadlines:

1. Due Friday, Sept. 15:

   Thesis contract:  Each student must submit a contract, signed by the Advisor, to the Honors Director. The contract makes explicit what the student and Advisor have agreed upon regarding what work will be completed by the end of the semester, what interim deadlines are to be met, and with what frequency the student and the Advisor will meet. (There is no fixed rule for frequency of meeting.  Some advisors prefer to meet on a regular basis, while others meet with the student when specific tasks have been completed.) 

   Selection of Second Reader:  Each thesis student should choose a Second Reader in consultation with his/her Advisor, and with the approval of the Program Director.  Ideally, the Second Reader should share an interest in the subject of the thesis from the perspective of a different discipline.  As the student moves through each stage of the thesis project (initial research, comprehensive outline, first draft, etc.), s/he should consult with the Second Reader, seeking suggestions, criticisms, and the like.   Throughout the process, the Advisor and the Second Reader advise the thesis student in a spirit of cooperative collegiality.

   A joint meeting of the thesis student, the Advisor, and the Second Reader(s) is required; it should occur as early in the fall semester as possible.  This joint meeting and regular consultations will enhance the final thesis, and prevent unpleasant surprises at the Thesis Defense.  Should irreconcilable differences develop, the Honors Director will mediate, even to the point of suggesting an alternative Second Reader(s).

   Research Group:  By this date, thesis students must sign up for a research group of three to four persons.  Groups will be organized around topic/discipline/research methodology.  Each group will make an appointment to meet with a Falvey librarian, who will review the most helpful resources available for the given topics.

2. Due Friday, Oct. 6:

   Preliminary proposal:  Each student must submit to the Advisor, Second Reader(s), and Program Director a proposal of one to two pages.  In the proposal the student should describe the topic, state the thesis, and outline the particular approach or methodology to be employed. 

   Research log:  An account of all of the sources you've investigated, with indications of how helpful they have been.  This will be helpful to you and your Advisor as you hone in on your topic.  The log serves as both the foundation for the critical bibliography due at the end of the semester, and--if continued throughout the year-long thesis project--an invaluable resource when writing your drafts.

3. In early November:

   Thesis students will meet again with their small research groups for peer review sessions (five-minute presentations of research in progress, with feedback from group members).

   Senior thesis students meet with their junior partners to introduce them to their thesis topics.

4. By Monday, Dec. 4:

   Senior Thesis Research Conference:  Sign up for a time-slot for the Senior Research Conference.  Following this date, a junior thesis student (ideally, your partner) will sign up to chair your presentation; senior thesis students must meet with their junior thesis partner sometime before the Senior Research Conference.

   Each student must submit an Expanded Proposal (five pages), signed by the Advisor and Second Reader(s); this proposal should include a more detailed research design and a description of where your thesis fits into the larger scholarship on the subject.  Also required by this date are: a critical/annotated bibliography; a 100-word abstract (hard copy plus submission via e-mail); and a writing sample.  For the six-credit option, the writing sample will be the polished paper (publication-ready, with the name of the journal to which you will be submitting it); for the five-credit option, the writing sample typically will be an introduction or part of a chapter.

Grading:  The Advisor assigns a grade for the two-credit or three-credit Thesis I course at the end of the first semester.  This grade should be based on the quality of work completed during the first semester, not on the promise of work to come.  No extensions will be approved beyond the standard date for conversion of "N" grades. The advisor may elect to assign the grade "IP" ("In Progress") for the Fall Semester, or may assign a letter grade.

Students who receive a grade lower than "B" may not proceed to the second semester without special permission. (Generally, the student in such circumstances would be well advised to seek a "WX": see Withdrawal Option on last page of guidelines)

Spring Semester       

Most of the writing required for the thesis usually occurs during the second semester of senior year.  In this semester all students register for the three-credit course, HON 6002: Senior Thesis II, as part of their standard five-course schedule.  (Biology majors also must enroll in the one-credit course: BIO 5100 [Thesis Seminar].)  The Advisor alone assigns the grade, based on both the quality of work that went into the thesis and the finished project.

Spring Requirements:

1. First week of semester: Required joint meeting with Advisor and Second Reader(s) in preparation for the Senior Research Conference.

2. Before Friday, Jan. 19: Meeting with junior partner (or session chair) to review/practice your presentation for the Senior Research Conference.  The junior partner will chair your session and be prepared to ask questions at the conclusion of the presentation.

3. Senior Research Conference: All students must participate in a public, one-day "Senior Research Conference," to be held 1:30-5:30 on successive Fridays: Jan.26; Feb. 2; Feb. 9; and Feb. 16.  At this conference students will present to each other their research objectives, methodologies, and tentative conclusions.  Participa­nts should expect to raise probing questions about each other's research-‑and gain insights for their own thesis projects.  Advisors and second readers are encouraged to participate.

Senior thesis students are required to attend the entire conference.  Juniors contemplating writing a thesis also are expected to attend the conference and serve as chairs of the various sessions.  All other Honors students are encouraged to attend.

4. Throughout spring semester: Attend peer draft review meetings with your research group.

5. Penultimate Draft of entire thesis due to Advisor(s), Second Reader(s), and junior partner by Monday, Apr. 2. This draft is to be graded by the Advisor and returned to the student for revision.

6. Final Copies:  Students must prepare four copies of the completed thesis and distribute a copy to the Advisor(s), the Honors Director, and the Second Reader(s) at least 72 hours before the scheduled Senior Thesis Defense.  The student keeps the fourth copy.  Final copies must include the official--typed--cover page; an abstract; a table of contents (if appropriate to the discipline); and a complete bibliography.  The Honors Program will provide reasonable support in printing and duplicating final copies.

7. Thesis Defense:  Students must present the thesis before a three-person committee, ordinarily consisting of the Advisor, the Second Reader, and the Honors Direc­tor (who chairs the committee).  All thesis defense presentations are open to the entire Honors Program membership.  Junior thesis students must attend at least one thesis defense.  Seniors are encouraged to invite any other students and/or faculty members to attend the presentation; they are welcome to participate as deemed appropriate by the student and Advisor.  The presentation usually lasts about 45 minutes and is scheduled during the week of University finals. 

   The presentation should consist of brief reflections by the student, to be followed by questions from the committee.  It should be both rigorous and congenial, inviting interesting conversation on themes, interpretations, and issues occasioned by the thesis.

   The Thesis Defense, though required, is not graded and receives no formal credit.  However, the student must make any changes requested by a majority of the Committee before the thesis is accepted for the Honors Program degree.  The final, perfect copy must include the signed, typed official cover page.

   Exceptions:  Biology majors fulfill their Thesis Defense requirements by fulfilling the final requirement of the one-credit Biology Thesis Seminar (BIO 5100): the departmental thesis research symposium.  Chemistry majors are exempted from the defense if they participate in that department's student research presentations.

NOTE:  Students should attempt to complete each phase of the thesis well in advance of these guidelines.  At the same time, students who encounter difficulties in collecting material or who find they must redefine their topic should be granted appropriate flexibility.