Senior Project in the Department of English
SENIOR PROJECT FAQs
What is the Senior Project?
As an English major at Drexel, you will develop an independent project in your senior year that
will be a capstone to your career at Drexel. This project will reflect your work as a major,
prepare you for the next stage of your career and give you an opportunity to work closely with
faculty who are experts in their fields. The project is an independent study that lasts for one
quarter (ENGL 499). It requires a special registration/ approval process (see below).
How Does the Project Fit into My Career at Drexel?
The English Major at Drexel provides a supportive and engaging course of study that, through
coursework, internship and coop experience, prepares you for a career or graduate work in the
humanities, law, teaching, professional writing, and many other fields. The English program
enables graduates to demonstrate:
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persuasive textual analysis
knowledge of major genres, authors, and the cultural and historical contexts of literary
periods as well as of the diversity of texts and perspectives found in contemporary media
awareness of the craft of both literary texts and arguments in the public sphere
archival and historical research skills
facility with a range of critical approaches and modes of analysis and synthesis
strong analytical, communication, technological and writing skills that enable students to
make connections between literature and the world beyond the classroom
What are the Guidelines for the Senior Project?
The senior project will be a substantive analytical or creative project on a topic and in a form of
your choice. For example, the senior project could be a portfolio of work accompanied by
revisions and commentary; a literary argument that extends previous critical discussion; or a
thought-provoking and stylistically successful creative piece or pieces. [Note: With rare
exception, students opting for a creative writing project will have completed at least two creative writing
courses with a grade of B or higher.]
Specific details will be decided by individual Project Directors and Readers as they work with their
students. Generally, senior projects should be:
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Original and substantial in terms of research, thought, creativity and execution
Informed by research, including appropriate documentation and citation of sources
(creative projects also require a research component)
At least 15-20 pages of written analytic work, 15-20 pages of poetry or 35-40 pages of
fiction or creative non-fiction, developed through a composition process that includes
sharing at least two drafts shared with project readers and making appropriate revisions
based on their reviews. Creative projects should be accompanied by a research
component of 3-5 pages with appropriate documentation and citation.
A product that is appropriate for a professional and/or scholarly audience beyond Drexel,
such as a manuscript ready to be submitted for publication or for submission to graduate
school as part of a portfolio.
The result of regular contact with the project Director and Reader (see description below)
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Senior Project in the Department of English
These guidelines are meant to achieve uniformity in terms of organization, general requirements and
timely completion of the Senior Project. For details on how to prepare for the project, see Appendix I.
During finals week of the term in which they graduate, seniors will present their projects to the
faculty and students. The presentation will be approximately ten minutes in length. For details
on presentation expectations and criteria for evaluation, see Appendix II.
What is the Time Line for the Senior Project?
Since students are on different schedules for graduation, here is the suggested time line for the
senior project.
The approval process should be completed the term before graduation.
FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER
THIRD QUARTER
Approach potential
Project Director and
begin to develop
proposal.
Complete approval
Work with Project
form for senior project. Director and Reader to
complete senior
Turn in approval form
project.
to Coordinator of
English Senior Projects Present completed
by week six of term.
senior project to peers
and faculty during
Meet with Coordinator exam week.
to discuss and review
project in order to get
approval.
Graduate!!!!
Be registered for ENGL
499
What are the Procedures for Getting a Senior Project Approved?
As the Senior Project is written independently under a director and reader, you must have two
faculty members who will guide you in the project. These faculty members are the Project
Director and the Reader.
The Project Director is someone who has expertise in the area in which you intend to work. It
may be someone with whom you have worked before or it may be someone entirely new. This
person should be a full-time faculty member of the English and Philosophy Department. In
discussions with the faculty member be sure to make clear that you intend to work with this
person on a senior project and when you intend the project to start. The Director may then
suggest a Reader.
Note: Either the Project Director or the Reader must be a tenured or tenure-stream member of
the English & Philosophy Department.
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Senior Project in the Department of English
Here is a list of English faculty who are tenured or tenure stream: Drs. Valarie Arms, Richard
Astro, Raymond Brebach, André Carrington, Gabriella Ibieta, Miriam Kotzin, Stephen Mandell,
Abioseh Michael Porter, Doreen Alvarez Saar, Eva Thury, Scott Warnock, and Jennifer Yusin.
When you are working with your Project Director, you should develop a proposal that clearly
defines your project, including the nature of the project, the intended audience for the project,
and the research that is needed to complete the project. A timeline for the completion of the
work should be a part of the proposal. This proposal should be at least 1,000 words and should
include an additional preliminary bibliography. When you have come to an agreement, ask the
faculty members to sign the senior project approval form (see page 9).
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Once the form is signed by your Project Director and Reader, submit the form and proposal to
the Coordinator of English Senior Projects, Dr. Deirdre H. McMahon
(deirdre.h.mcmahon@drexel.edu), in MacAlister 5039. Submission can be in paper or electronic
form. Note that you should submit materials in advance of registration and then contact Dr.
McMahon to arrange a conference time. Once Dr. McMahon has approved the project, she will
register you for ENGL 499. All of these steps should be finished by the end of week six of the
term before you register for the senior project.
NOTE: You cannot register for ENGL 499 until the proposal is approved by a
Project Director, Reader, and the Coordinator of English Senior Projects.
If, under rare circumstances, a student submits a proposal during the term of
graduation, all steps must completed by the second day of the first week of
term. No one can be registered for ENGL 499 later than the last business day
of the first week of the quarter in which the project is to be completed.
Senior Project Archives
When the senior project is complete, as part of the final grade, the senior project director must
send an electronic copy to the Coordinator of English Senior Projects. All projects will be
archived.
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Senior Project in the Department of English
Appendix I: Senior Project Planning & Preparation
How Do I Prepare for the Senior Project?
While the senior project is created during the senior year, you should begin thinking about the
project as early as your first year in the English program. We recommend that you keep formal
and informal notes during your study, taking note of questions such as:
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What topics or questions do you find interesting?
What ways of writing and researching are most productive for you?
What faculty members help you to push your ideas and demonstrate your best
work?
If you’re considering a scholarly analysis, what fields and topics have most
intrigued you?
If you’re considering a creative project, are you most at home writing poetry or
prose? If poetry, free verse or formal poetry? If prose, fiction or creative
nonfiction?
What topics might help you to move toward a final goal that you have after
graduation? With whom might you want to share your final project?
How does co-op relate to your course of study? What elements of your co-ops
might help you to frame the topic of your senior project?
Notes such as these will help you to consider both what you would like to explore in your senior
project and with whom you would like to work. The form of the project is up to you, in
consultation with your director and reader(s). As examples, scholarly projects may be a portfolio
of work accompanied by revisions and commentary; a literary argument that extends previous
critical discussion; or an analysis of some crucial aspect of the field. Creative projects may be a
chapbook-length collection or poetry, or a collection of flash fiction, a few short stories, or
creative nonfiction. For both scholarly analyses and creative work, senior projects should be
intellectually stimulating, informed by research and technically proficient.
Consider your intellectual and professional goals as you choose the format and topic of
your project. You may want to consider audiences and purposes beyond Drexel, such as
future employers or graduate school committees.
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Senior Project in the Department of English
Appendix II: Senior Project Presentation Expectations & Criteria
for Evaluation
What are the Guidelines for the Presentation?
Once you have completed the project, you will be part of a presentation day, held during exam
week, in which all seniors present their projects. Presentation Day is an opportunity for faculty
and students to come together and share the products of a long and thoughtful endeavor. The day
has two components:
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Presentations by seniors (10 minutes of presentations; 5 minutes of questions)
Faculty evaluation of presentations (these used to help faculty gauge the strengths of the
program and make changes in the next academic year)
All of the skills you have developed as in your time in the Department—critical thinking, writing
and textual analysis, research and evidence-based reasoning, as well as skills in organization and
clarity of expression—will be on display during the senior presentations. The prize for the
strongest senior project of the year will be awarded in large part on the basis of these
presentations.
To prepare for the presentation, think about the presentation skills you have learned during your
time at Drexel.
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Have a clear outline of what you want to present. Remember that ten minutes is a short
time.
Practice your delivery before the presentation day
Time your presentation
Read a selection of your scholarly analysis, poetry, short story, or creative non-fiction
aloud to the audience
Share your thoughts with the audience
Use notes only as a general guide
While you may speak from notes for your introduction or to frame your project, you should share
your work with the audience by reading a selection of your scholarly analysis, poetry, short
story, or creative non-fiction aloud. It is essential that you practice your delivery so that you can
make eye contact with the audience. You should read slowly and clearly, giving expression to
the intended content of your work. For example, when you read your poems, you may make a
comment or two about the next poem rather than going directly from one to the other; for
instance, tell the audience what they need to know, such as literary allusions, historical
references, or something interesting about the form. Plan the order of your poems to raise
emotional content as the reading goes on. When you present your scholarly analysis, you may
want to present the overall arc of your argument, and then focus on specific evidence and
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Senior Project in the Department of English
sections of commentary. Be sure to demonstrate how and why your project adds to existing
scholarship. The presentation goal for any project is to accurately represent your work and its
significance.
Presentations will be evaluated with the following criteria, a reflection of the goals for the major:
Critical Thinking, Writing and Textual Analysis—Criteria
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Develops an interesting and significant interpretive problem related to a specific genre,
author, period or issue
Demonstrates awareness of cultural, historical and global contexts
Has strong intellectual payoff for the audience
Makes own argument with awareness of alternative positions and theories
Uses scholarship and theory appropriately
Understands what is at stake in the argument/creative piece (addresses “so what?”
questions)
Understands the functions of title and introduction in framing the argument/creative piece
for readers
Very Strong
Meets almost all the
criteria at a high level.
Moderately Strong
Meets most of the
criteria at a
moderately high
level. May be strong
in some criteria but
weak in others.
Acceptable
Project presents
problem/thesis or
creative weight, but
the context is thin
with little sense of
what is at stake; lacks
insight or innovation;
may argue the
obvious.
Not Acceptable
Project lacks
thesis or creative
weight.
Research Skills & Evidence-Based Reasoning—Criteria
• Supports argument, effectively using textual detail or other kinds of research and sources
where appropriate
• Demonstrates the technological and other research skills that enable data collection,
intertextual connections, and connections between literature and the world
• Uses sources with sophistication and purpose
• Understands and uses theory in ways appropriate to the subject
• Effectively addresses alternative views where appropriate
Very Strong
Meets almost all
the criteria at a
high level.
Moderately Strong
Meets most of the
criteria at a
moderately high level.
Creates a sustained
Acceptable
Creates a sustained
argument but with
significant
weaknesses such as
Not Acceptable
Does not sustain an
argument or
creative focus;
information not
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Senior Project in the Department of English
argument/creative
focus throughout but
may have some
weaknesses in use of
evidence or gaps in
overall logic or some
inattention to
alternative views or
counterevidence.
over-simplification of
ideas, thinness of
sources,
unsophisticated use
of sources (over
quoting, needless
summary), neglect of
alternative views or
counterevidence.
connected to points;
sections without
apparent purpose or
impact.
Organization of Project & Clarity of Presentation—Criteria
• Guides readers with appropriate mapping statements and transitions
• Places points appropriately in paragraphs; highlights meanings up front.
• Presents unified and coherent development of ideas
Very Strong
Meets almost all the
criteria at a high
level.
Moderately Strong
Meets most of the
criteria at a
moderately high
level; usually keeps
audience on track;
may places where
structure is
confusing.
Acceptable
Audience struggles to
follow the
presentation;
organizational
problems frequently
divert audience from
the chain of ideas.
Not Acceptable
Serious
organizational
problems
throughout.
Creative Writing Projects
As projects differ in form, they may require different approaches to structure and style to be
effective. The ENGL faculty offer the following as guidelines for evaluating projects in poetry,
fiction and creative non-fiction.
Presentations in poetry will be evaluated using criteria that may include the following:
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Understands the function of a title in poem
Develops a significant theme
Works within a form that is appropriate to the subject matter
Maintains a consistent and well-chosen point of view
Uses original, fresh language that is concrete, with few abstractions
Uses, but does not overuse, figurative language, including metaphors and simile
Includes striking imagery and avoids clichés
Appropriately uses assonance, consonance, alliteration, rhyme, and slant rhyme
Uses effective line breaks, whether in free verse or traditional form
If in traditional forms, any variations are effective and purposeful
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Senior Project in the Department of English
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Choice of diction is appropriate to the subject and purpose of the poem
Punctuation and spelling conform to standard usage; deviations from the standard
usage are tactical not accidental
Creative writing presentations in fiction will be evaluated using criteria that may include the
following:
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Understands the function of a title in fiction
Develops a significant theme
The opening paragraph has an effective hook and sets the story in motion
Point of view and narrator are well-chosen
The setting functions on several levels, including characterization and development of
theme
The choice of tense, past or present, contributes positively to the story
The protagonist has something at stake, and his relationship to that something
changes over the course of the story
Dialogue is natural, avoids exposition, reveals character
Indirect dialogue and summary are used effectively
Characters are named appropriate to their age, class, and the chronological setting of
the story
The narrative uses original, fresh language (unless the nature of a particular type of
first person narrator calls for flat writing and clichés)
Uses, but does not overuse, figurative language, including metaphor and simile.
The form is appropriate for the subject matter
Choice of diction is appropriate to the subject and purpose of the story
Punctuation and spelling conform to standard usage; deviations from the standard
usage are tactical not accidental
The plot is organic and does not rely on a deus ex machina
The order in which events are narrated, including flashbacks, may vary from the
strictly chronological to achieve maximum effectiveness
Backstory is revealed with subtlety
The close of the story leaves the reader with something to think about
Creative writing presentations in creative nonfiction, which uses many elements of fiction but is
required to be factually true, will be evaluated with all the relevant criteria of fiction as well as
with the following additional criteria:
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Characters are real, not composite, and are identified honestly
Quotations and dialogue are not invented
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Senior Project in the Department of English
PROPOSAL FORM ENGL 499—SENIOR PROJECT
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A copy of the proposal must be attached to this form.
The proposal (at least 1000 words, approx. 2-3 pages) should summarize the project, outline its
intellectual goals and provide a time-line for completion.
Students cannot register for ENGL 499 until their proposal has been approved by the Project
Director, the Reader, and Coordinator of English Senior Projects.
If the proposal is submitted to the Coordinator of English Senior Projects later than the second day
of the first week of the quarter, that proposal will NOT be accepted for that quarter.
Name ___________________________________________________________________
Student Number___________________________________________________________
Term Graduating __________________________________________________________
E-mail Address ___________________________________________________________
Campus Address __________________________________________________________
Campus and/or cell phone numbers ___________________________________________
Project Director ___________________________________________________________
Reader __________________________________________________________________
Tentative Title of Project ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Signatures: To be obtained by the end of the sixth week of the term before the project’s
completion.
_______________________________________
Student
_______________
Date
_______________________________________
Project Director
_______________
Date
_______________________________________
Reader
_______________
Date
_______________________________________
Dr. Deirdre H. McMahon
Coordinator of English Senior Projects
_______________
Date
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Senior Project in the Department of English
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