Brandeis University
Department of African and Afro-American Studies
Why Write a Senior Thesis?
Each year a small number of academically outstanding students choose to undertake honors work
in African and Afro-American Studies. Candidates for honors in AAAS build upon the
knowledge learned and skills developed in their previous coursework crafting their own
analytical perspectives and interpretations of knowledge. This experience can be richly
rewarding: it provides students an opportunity to work closely with a faculty advisor, to think
critically and deeply about a significant intellectual problem of their own selection, and to grow
as a researcher, analyst, writer and critical thinker. However, writing a successful honors thesis
requires planning, hard work and dedication
Each year seniors must decide whether to write a senior thesis. It is, of course, a major
undertaking, and a significant investment of time and energy that culminates in a major piece of
writing (typically 60 to 80 pages). It is well-suited for highly motivated and self-starting
students.
Here are some of the reasons why students consider doing a senior thesis:
1. It provides an essential experience for those planning to do graduate work, especially in
AAAS. It helps them to discover how scholars conduct research and transform that raw
information into a coherent story and analysis.
2. You can explore, in great depth, a subject that is of great interest to you, but only
tangentially (if at all) broached in the general curriculum.
3. If your research requires the use of non-English sources, you can improve your foreign
language reading skills to the level expected in graduate work.
4. The thesis is a major writing experience: With the help of your advisor, you will learn how
to structure a large piece of writing and, in the process of writing, have an opportunity to
refine your style and to internalize the conventions and mechanics of academic prose.
5. You can graduate, depending on your success in the thesis, with honors, high honors, or
highest honors in African and Afro-American Studies, which will be acknowledged at
Commencement.
Students who intend to write an honors thesis should seek out a thesis advisor (a AAAS faculty
member in the specialty of interest to you) and apply during the spring semester of their junior
year. Those accepted to the honors program are strongly advised to complete a part of their
research during the summer before their senior year. Doing so increases the time that can be
devoted to writing during the academic year and makes the whole process less stressful and more
rewarding.
Candidates who need to travel in order to conduct their research should investigate funding
options as soon as possible. The Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences offers limited funds
(up to $150) to seniors writing senior theses (application attached p 14). Detailed information
can be found at: http://www.brandeis.edu/das/programs/thesis/index.html.
Library & Technology Services has created a guide to help you along the path to completion
including how to construct a thesis, a list of suggested research databases, how to use
InterLibrary Loan, simplifying citations with RefWorks, helpful advice and tips to keep you
unstuck, uploading to the Archives, and publishing choices. Details are at
http://brandeis.libguides.com/thesis.
Department of African and Afro-American Studies
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Regulations
Eligibility
To be eligible for honors in AAAS, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in courses applied
to the major. Exceptions to this rule will be made only under exceptional circumstances. They
must also have completed six courses of the nine that are required for all majors to graduate.
Note: Students with a grade point average 3.8 can graduate with Summa Cum Laude only if
they have received departmental honors, i.e., an accepted Senior Honors Thesis.
Procedure for Application
A- Selecting a Thesis Advisor:
If you are eligible and wish to apply for admission into the honors program in AAAS, you
choose a faculty advisor willing to supervise your work. This should be a professor who knows
your work and with whom you have taken at least one course in a subject area related to your
proposed thesis. Most faculty members decline to accept students whom they have not taught in
their classes. You are encouraged to approach potential advisors to whom you must submit a
preliminary proposal and who must approve your formal application to the department for
honors work before the end of the spring semester of your junior year. It is the student’s
responsibility to identify advisors from the AAAS Department faculty who will be in residence
during their senior year. This requires planning and early consultation.
B- Preparing a Formal Thesis Proposal:
If a faculty advisor agrees to supervise your work, the next step is to prepare a formal proposal
of the work plan. The proposal should not be longer than three pages in length and must clearly
define the problem you plan to research, explain the significance of that problem in terms
understandable to the non-specialist, and describe the sources and methods you plan to use in
solving it. You must include a brief bibliography essential to your research project. The
proposal should be prepared in close consultation with your advisor and must be approved by the
department.
C- Submitting your Application:
You must submit the following materials to the AAAS Department by early September of your
senior year:
a- Course Change (Add/Drop) Form for “AAAS 99d”
b- Your research proposal and bibliography.
c- A copy of your transcript.
Students who choose to do a dual-honors thesis with another department must inform their
AAAS advisor and the Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH) in writing, enroll in that
department’s 99d course, fill out the “Dual Senior Thesis with AAAS” form, and satisfy the
requirements of both departments.
Note: “99d" is a two semester, 8 credit course. The student registers for it in the fall and it will
automatically roll over to appear on your spring schedule too. Generally a grade of "S"
(satisfactory) is submitted after the first semester as a place holder. The "S" will not affect the
student’s GPA. Once the second semester is completed, a grade will be issued and that grade
will replace the "S" and will also appear next to the spring "99d" course. That grade is factored
into the student’s GPA twice (once for each semester). AAAS 99d may count as two courses
toward the nine AAAS courses for the major.
Writing the Proposal
All forms of writing in the AAAS require you to consider a question, develop an original answer,
and support it using specific evidence, but an honors thesis requires you to take two additional
steps: you must define the question to be answered and locate the body of primary and
secondary sources from which your answers will be drawn. Ideally, the thesis should serve as a
capstone experience to your undergraduate education in African and Afro-American Studies.
To a great extent, the success of your thesis will depend on the care with which you take to frame
the research question. At the outset of a new project, many scholars find it useful to frame their
ideas in the form of a research proposal or prospectus that can be modified in response to
constructive criticism. The proposal should be about three pages long and must address with
clarity and coherence the following questions:
a- What is the specific interpretive problem you intend to address in your thesis?
b- What makes the problem interesting to you and significant to other scholars? How
does it relate to existing scholarship in the field of your research interest?
c- What methods and sources will you use to analyze and solve the problems that you
have identified? In what ways does it relate to current scholarship in your field of
research?
d- Do you have adequate skills (language skills, research experience, background
training, and relevant course work) to do your proposed research project?
This proposal should be submitted to the student’s primary advisor at the time of enrollment into
99d. Keep in mind that an expanded version of this proposal in addition to a working
bibliography is due within a month or two of this time.
Responsibilities of the Honors Candidate
By accepting admission into the honors program in AAAS, students agree to complete their own
research and writing in a timely manner and to participate actively in the intellectual life of the
program.
Honors candidates are required to submit a substantial piece of written work to their AAAS
advisor during the first week of instruction of the spring semester classes. This work is usually
the draft of the first chapter. The rationale for this submission is to enable faculty to evaluate the
candidate’s progress and to provide her/him with constructive feedback at this critical phase of
the research and writing process. At the discretion of the advisor, a second reader from the
AAAS Department may be involved in the evaluation. For those candidates whose progress is
not being successfully carried out, AAAS 99d will be converted to 99a (Independent Study), a
grade will be assigned, and the student will not continue in the honors program. In a case like
this, the student is not precluded from graduating with Latin honors (except Summa Cum Laude),
which is based on the University-wide grade point average.
Candidates are expected to attend and participate in a series of thesis sessions with the AAAS
faculty over the course of the year. Candidates will be asked to make brief presentations of their
thesis topics and progress of their research, circulate outlines of the chapters they propose to
write, and engage in constructive discussion with each other and faculty members. The objective
of this meeting is to assist students in refining their ideas, encouraging discussion across subdisciplinary boundaries, and to review the expectations and the requirements of the program.
Honors candidates will be expected to submit a draft of their thesis to their advisor by late
February. This will allow for preliminary revisions to be made in time to prepare for the spring
semester colloquia in March. At this meeting, honors candidates will share their work in progress
with each other and the AAAS faculty. These meetings and discussions are helpful in getting
feedback when you begin the process of revising your thesis for its final draft.
A second draft is due after April break and to be submitted to entire committee. This will leave
ample time for final revisions before the thesis is due, no later than the end of the third week of
April. Hard copies of this final thesis draft must be submitted to each member of the thesis
committee, and the formal thesis defense must be scheduled (usually during last three days of
Final Exam period). This draft must be carefully proofread of all typographical errors. During
April, honors candidates will also be invited to share their work in progress with each other and
the AAAS faculty at organized colloquia. These meetings and discussions are helpful in getting
feedback when you begin the process preparing for the defense.
Each thesis is given a letter grade by the thesis advisor, which is independent of the defense; this
grade must be submitted by the deadline for senior grades in courses with no exams, and is the
grade for AAAS 99d.
Evaluation of Honors Thesis
There are several stages in the honors thesis process when evaluations are made.
A- Thesis Defense Committee
The defense committee, made up of the advisor, a second reader from the African and AfroAmerican Studies Department, and a third reader from AAAS or another department makes a
recommendation for honors at the time of defense. The committee bases its recommendation on
the quality of the written thesis and the oral defense.
B- Oral Defense
An oral defense of the essay or thesis is required, with both readers present. The defense usually
lasts about one hour and is confined to the honors The candidate should open the oral defense
with a brief summary of the central argument(s) of the project, along with a discussion of
anything they wish the committee to know. Candidates may comment, for instance, on the
discovery process that led them to write the essay or thesis to begin with; on certain field-related
or theoretical difficulties they encountered along the way; or on unresolved issues or questions
that they did not discuss in the written document. The discussion that follows will allow faculty a
chance to ask the candidate questions about his/her research and to converse with the candidate
about the contents.
C- Thesis Honors
After the defense, the candidate should then leave, while the three readers confer on the
outcome: (“Highest Honors,” “High Honors,” “Honors,” or “No Honors”). The student then
returns to the room, is given a frank appraisal of the work by the committee, and receives
suggestions for improving it before depositing it in the Library. To facilitate this, the three
members of the student's committee are urged to make extensive comments on spelling, style,
content, methodology, bibliography, and the like on the text of the thesis before returning it to
the student. The Thesis Defense form must then be signed by all three members of the
committee. The committee may also determine that the thesis is not eligible for honors, in which
case the student does not graduate with honors, but does receive course credit, assuming the
thesis receives a passing grade.
D- Departmental Honors
Departmental honors are determined on the level of honors recommended by the committee and
the departmental grade point average. Therefore, the final decision on departmental honors will
not be made until the grades for the final semester are submitted and the AAAS department holds
its meeting to vote and approve all graduating students. The possible levels of honors are:
honors, high honors, and highest honors. Departmental Honors are not allowed to be revealed
to students until two days after voting meeting at the earliest (usually the Thursday before
Commencement).
The final version of the thesis should be electronically submitted to the Library Archives where
it will appear in the Brandeis Institutional Repository. Formatting requirements and upload
instructions are provided on the LTS website at URL: http://brandeis.libguides.com/thesis.
Note: It is each candidate’s responsibility to adhere to these deadlines. If they are not met, the
student may forfeit the right to defend the thesis and to graduate with departmental honors.
Key Thesis Deadlines
______ Early September. By the end of the first full week of Fall semester classes, seniors who
have decided to write a thesis must enroll in an Independent Research course (AAAS 99d) and
submit a topic and draft prospectus to their advisor for their approval. Attend thesis orientation
session with other honors candidates and AAAS faculty.
Mid-October. By the end of the second full week of October, the senior must have
submitted an expanded prospectus. If not approved, the student is transferred from the
Independent Research course (99d) to a Directed Reading course (98a). If approved, subsidiary
deadlines for chapters and drafts should be set. Senior and primary advisor should work together
to discuss and contact potential faculty able to serve as second and third readers.
Note: If candidate is doing a dual-honors thesis, this checkpoint is also the time to schedule a
meeting with both primary advisors to coordinate navigating each department’s respective
deadlines.
Mid-November. By the end of the third full week of November, the senior must have
submitted a significant part of the bibliography for the senior thesis.
Mid-December. By the end of the Fall semester Final Exam period, the senior must
have submitted a piece of writing (~20 pages or as determined by Advisor).
Mid-January. By the end of the second full week of January, a more substantial piece of
writing and full bibliography are due. Decision to continue thesis and form committee or switch
to 99a is made. Late January. By the end of January, the candidate should have a thesis committee
formed. Attend thesis session with other honors candidates and AAAS faculty.
Late February. By the end of February, a full (or amount determined by advisor) first
draft of the thesis is due. At the discretion of the advisor, a second reader may be involved in this
evaluation.
Mid-April. By the beginning (Monday) of the second full week of April, a revised
second draft is due. This draft is to be submitted to entire committee. Late April. By the end of the third week of April, hard copies of the final thesis draft are
due. This draft must be submitted to each member of the thesis. Present at AAAS Senior
Presentations.
Early May. Thesis defenses are held during last three days of Final Exam period. Any
edits suggested by the committee post-defense are due the following Monday. No postponements
are permitted.
May. At the department's annual degree meeting in early May, departmental honors will
be determined. The level of departmental honors (honors, high honors, highest honors), if any,
will be announced at the Diploma Ceremony, which takes place in mid-May.
Note: In addition to the above deadlines, subsidiary deadlines for individual chapters (and
possible additional rough drafts) may be set by the student and the main advisor/s. Printing your Thesis
We recommend the Brandeis Copy Center, who can provide black and white copy services at 5
cents per page (color is 25 cents). Binding is $1.50, a plastic cover is 50 cents and a leatherette
backer is 75 cents. There is a $1 charge for opening an electronic file. They require 4 days'
turnaround; if you need RUSH service, they charge a 10% additional fee.
There are off-campus options as well, i.e. Staples and Kinko's.
Library Archives Requirements
Senior honors theses are submitted to the Archives electronically, and they appear in the
Brandeis Institutional Repository. Please note that only the final version is to be submitted
electronically upon approval from each department or program. Theses will still be submitted to
senior thesis defense committees for review first. Electronic submission to the Institutional
Repository is the final step in the process, after all corrections have been made.
Cover Sheet
Cover Sheets should contain the following basic information:
Brandeis University
Department or Program
Academic Year
Author
Title of thesis
Date
Thesis Advisor
Please include a cover sheet based on the template (p 15) with the signatures of your thesis
advisor and committee members. Your thesis must be submitted as a PDF. Be sure to follow
the instructions for naming the PDF file.
You can find more information at: http://brandeis.libguides.com/thesis
Release Forms
All theses should be accompanied by the Release Form as an attachment. This form
acknowledges that the student has given us permission to retain the thesis. Students are
encouraged to sign the bottom section of the form granting us permission to make copies, but
this is not a requirement. In either case, a form should accompany each thesis turned in.
Select List of AAAS Senior Theses
Ethan Geringer-Sameth. “For a Pair of Wire Cutters.” 2012. Professor Faith Smith, Advisor.
Jenks, Laura. “Uma religião dos negros: Candomblé and black identity in Brazil.” 2009.
Professor Ibrahim Sundiata, Advisor.
Jerger, Logan. 'Struggle No More: Social stigma of HIV/AIDS among Haitians and Haitian
Americans.' 2007. Professor Ibrahim Sundiata, Advisor.
Brodsky, Jason. 'The political appointment of minorities by Republican presidents, 1980-2007.'
2007. Professor Mingus Mapps, Advisor.
*Liora J. Cobin, 'Our own vine: Racial segregation in early national Baltimore's Methodist
churches.' 1999. Professor Joan Bryant, Advisor.
*Gabrielle Hermann-Camara, 'The politics of fascination: the case of Malian Jeli.' 1999.
Professor Faith Smith, Advisor.
Jhana Sen Xian, 'Skin trade: A cross cultural analysis of the impact of the female aesthetic
hierarchies on socioeconomic status.' 1998. Professor Ibrahim Sundiata, Advisor.
Vern Christmas, 'Influence of the ante-bellum southern slavery on images and roles of slave
women.' 1998.
*Monica Roberts, 'How economic integration affects women in the Caribbean.' 1998. Advised
by Professor Gordon Fellman.
Emmanuel J. Daphnis, 'Historical analysis of race in Haiti and the Dominican Republic: 18041930.' 1998. Professor Ibrahim Sundiata, Advisor.
*Reuel R. Rogers, 'The political attitudes of native Black Americans and West Indian
immigrants: A comparative analysis.' 1990. Advisor unknown.
Note: Theses marked by an asterisk can be found in the Brandeis University Library Archive.
(SAMPLE COVER SHEET—Click here to download AAAS cover sheet)
Title of Thesis
Senior Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of the School of Arts and Sciences
Brandeis University
Undergraduate Program in [Department]
[Name], Advisor
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of [Science/Arts]
by
[John Smith]
[April 2016]
Copyright by
[John Smith]
Committee members (if applicable):
Name: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
Name: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
Name: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
Office of the University Registrar
Kutz 121, Mail Stop 068
Waltham, MA 02453-2728
Phone: (781) 736-2010
Email: registrar@brandeis.edu
C ourse C hange F orm (Add/ D rop)
Student Information
Last Name:_____________________________ First Name:_____________________________
ID: 2
School:
Email:
Undergraduate
GSAS
IBS
Heller
Registration Information
Term:
Fall 20____
Spring 20____
Class (Subject/Catalog #/Section i.e. CHEM 18A Sec. 2):____________________
□ Drop Course
□ Add Course with letter grade
□ Add Course as Audit (Graduate Students Only)
□ Change Grading Status to Audit (Graduate Students Only)
Student’s Signature
Date
Required Signatures
Instructor’s Name (please print)
Chair or Grad Advisor Name
Instructor’s Signature
Chair or Grad Advisor’s Signature
Date
Date
(Graduate Student Only)
Other (If required)
Signature
Date
Updated 10/09/12
Department of African and Afro-American Studies
Dual Senior Thesis with AAAS
STUDENT:_________________________________________________________________
CONTACT INFO (EMAIL, PHONE):____________________________________________
DEPARTMENTS/PROGRAMS: African and Afro-American Studies and________________
___________________________________________________________________________
TENTATIVE THESIS TITLE:__________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
THESIS ADVISORS:
AAAS (PRINT):_____________________________________________________________
(SIGN):______________________________________________________DATE:_________
_____ (PRINT):______________________________________________________________
(SIGN):______________________________________________________DATE:_________
TENTATIVE DATE FOR DEFENSE:____________________________________________
UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING HEAD APPROVAL:
AAAS (PRINT):_____________________________________________________________
(SIGN):______________________________________________________DATE:_________
_____ (PRINT):______________________________________________________________
(SIGN):______________________________________________________DATE:_________
Department of African and Afro-American Studies P.O. Box 549110, MS 092 Waltham, MA 02454-9110
Phone 781-736-2090 Fax 781-736-2095
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
APPLICATION FOR SENIOR THESIS FUNDING
STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________
E-Mail Address:
_________________________________________________________________
Campus Mailbox #:
_________
Graduation Date:
__________
Phone: _____________
Major(s):
________________________________________________________________________
Minor(s):
________________________________________________________________________
Title of Thesis: ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Brandeis Thesis Advisor:
______________________
Dept.: __________________________
N.B.: All theses that involve human subjects must adhere to the University’s guidelines for the protection
of human subjects in research.
Total Budget Request:
______________________
If you’ve applied for or received other funding to support your thesis, list how much and from whom:
__________________________________________________________________
Student's Signature:
___________________________________________
Date:
____________
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
�
Student Information Sheet
�
1-page Abstract: explain why you chose this subject and how requested funds will be used
�
Itemized Budget Request: Please list costs of specific items. Ordinary school supplies and costs
for copying and binding theses will not be reimbursed.
�
Résumé
�
Thesis Advisor’s Recommendation Letter: emailed directly to monaghan@brandeis.edu
SUBMISSION:
Please submit your application materials (excluding the letter of
recommendation) to Academic Services in Usdan 130, addressed to:
Meredith English Monaghan
Attention: SENIOR THESIS FUNDING
DEADLINE: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but must be submitted no later than
December 1 for Fall semester graduates and May 1 for Spring graduates. Original receipts for thesisrelated purchases must also be submitted by this date.
Please direct any questions to Meredith English Monaghan, Director of Academic Fellowships:
monaghan@brandeis.edu.
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
APPLICATION FOR SENIOR THESIS FUNDING
_________________________________________________________________________________________
BRANDEIS FACULTY THESIS ADVISOR'S RECOMMENDATION LETTER
________________________________________ is applying for Senior Thesis funding. As the
thesis advisor, please comment on both the nature of the applicant and proposed research project.
Selections will be based on originality in concept, academic excellence, and on the feasibility of the
project. Please also comment on the proposed budget. Funds are limited and awards are likely to be
under $150. For students engaged in research in grant-supported programs, it is important that the
applicant does not request funding for expenses already covered by the grant(s).
In your letter of recommendation, please respond briefly to the following questions:
1.
Please evaluate the proposed project and assess the student's ability to complete it
successfully. Please comment on the student’s role in initiating the project.
2.
How does this student compare to other undergraduates whom you have supervised on
research projects or theses?
3.
In your opinion, are the student’s expenses necessary to complete the proposed research?
4.
Do you have departmental funds to support the student’s research project? If so, please
specify the monetary amount.
Your recommendation should be emailed to Meredith English Monaghan: monaghan@brandeis.edu.
Please reference “Senior Thesis Funding” in the subject-line of the email. The student’s funding
application will not be reviewed until receipt of your letter.
The Department African and Afro-American Studies
Brandeis University
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Evaluation
Date:
Title:
Author:
Evaluation:
[Highest Honors]
[High Honors]
[Honors]
[No Honors]
Comments:
Committee Members
Name:_
Advisor
Signature:
Date:
Name:
Second Reader
Signature:
Date:
Name:
Third Reader
Signature:
Date:
Department of African and Afro-American Studies P.O. Box 549110, MS 092 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone 781-736-2090 Fax 781736-2095
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES &
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT
SENIOR HONORS THESIS
RELEASE FORM
I, the undersigned, grant the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections
Department permission to have a copy of my senior honors thesis entitled:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
It is my understanding that the Department will govern its use according to its rules and
regulations.
_________________________________
Signature
_________________________________
Print Name
_________________________________
_________________________________
Date
_________________________________
Department
_________________________________
Year of Graduation
_________________________________
_________________________________
Address
I, the undersigned, grant the Brandeis University Libraries permission to reproduce
copies of my senior honors thesis entitled:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
for research and inter-library loan use.
It is my understanding that the Brandeis Libraries will inform patrons that the thesis must
be used in accordance with Copyright Law. I also certify that I will save and hold
Brandeis University harmless from any damages that may arise from copyright
violations.
_________________________________
Signature
_________________________________
Print Name
_________________________________
Date
Return to:
Robert D. Farber University Archives &
Special Collections Department
Brandeis University Libraries
Mailstop 045
P. O. Box 549110
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
Rev. 01/04