San Diego State University
Honors Program
Fall 2013
HONOR 490A: Honors Senior Thesis
T 4:00-6:40; HH 218
3 credits/units
Instructor:
E-mail:
Office Hours:
Office Location:
Phone:
Stuart Henry, Ph.D.,
shenry2@mail.sdsu.edu
Thursdays 3:00-4:00, and by appointment
PSFA 105
619-594-4355 (O)
Prerequisite: Open to Honors Program Students Only.
Course Description: Conventions of scholarly writing as appropriate for the honors thesis. Analysis of specific
disciplinary texts. Defining questions, drafting, and revising manuscripts.
Overview of the Course:1 This course is designed to help SDSU Honors’ students to begin working on their honors
theses due in the subsequent semester. Course participants will learn about (a) the difference between a thesis and
other types of (disciplinary) academic writing (e.g., term papers); (b) effective strategies to form a thesis committee
and find a thesis advisor; (c) basic concepts and procedures related to methods of inquiry; (d) research ethics and
appropriate procedures for safeguarding the integrity of the research process, the rights of the potential subjects, and
intellectual property; and (e) the format of a thesis.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the semester, each student should demonstrate the following abilities:
 Write a thesis proposal appropriate to their academic area
 Write a thesis proposal incorporating the required sections of introduction/purpose, literature review, and
research methods
 Obtain approval for the proposed thesis from a faculty member in their discipline
 Assemble an appropriate thesis committee
 Write a research plan that includes a timetable and the steps to be taken in completing the thesis during the
subsequent semester
 Write an outline of the thesis
 Develop an annotated bibliography that articulates the relevance of the reviewed materials for the thesis
 Articulate the relevance of IRB restrictions for their proposed thesis project
 Demonstrate understanding of ethics in all phases of the research process
 Demonstrate competency at oral presentations through Power Point of the content of your thesis and the
research on which it is based
 Effectively answer questions from audiences relating to your presentation
Educational Philosophy: Some people believe that we should all be evaluated on the actual outcomes of our work,
i.e., you get the grade that you earn based on the knowledge that you demonstrate you know. Others believe that we
should be evaluated on the effort that we put into the work, i.e., you get graded based on how hard you tried. The
challenge for many college students is that college is a time when students must transition from the “effort-based”
philosophy of K-12 education to the “outcome-based” philosophy of the real world. The instructor of this course
1
Section adapted from the HONOR 490A syllabus of Dr. Eniko Csomay, Fall 2008; syllabus derived from HONOR 490A syllabus
Bey-Ling Sha, Fall 2012
1
believes in outcome-based assessment, not effort-based assessment. Why? Because she knows that, in the end,
operating in an effort-based philosophy does a serious disservice to college students, who must graduate to operate in
the outcome-based world. What does this mean for you? It means that you will receive in this class the grade that you
earn, based on the grading criteria outlined on page 3.
Professional Conduct Policy: We will work within a climate that fosters mutual respect, dialogue, and interaction. It
is expected that students in this class will comport themselves with prudence, courtesy, and dignity in all courserelated activities. There will be no discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation,
or military/veteran status. Sexual harassment of any sort will not be tolerated during or in association with the
activities of this class. Students who wish to obtain further information regarding the campus sexual harassment
prevention policy should consult the San Diego State University Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy in the SDSU
Senate Policy File.
Educational Philosophy: Some people believe that we should all be evaluated on the actual outcomes of our work,
i.e., you get the grade that you earn based on the knowledge and understanding that you demonstrate and the quality
of this work. Others believe that we should be evaluated on the effort that we put into the work, (i.e., you get graded
based on how hard you tried). The challenge for many college students is that college is a time when students must
transition from the “effort-based” philosophy of K-12 education to the “outcome-based” philosophy of the real world.
The professor of this course believes in both an effort based and an outcome-based assessment. Why? Because an
effort-based philosophy is merely the means to produce a quality outcome; it is not a substitute for it, or an end in
itself. Operating an effort-based philosophy alone, does a serious disservice to college students who must graduate to
operate in the outcome-based world. What does this mean for you? It means that you will receive in this class the
grade that you earn, based on the grading criteria and rubrics.
Academic Integrity: Although collaboration with peers is encouraged to discuss issues, topics, and to help study,
you are expected to complete your written work independently when individual assignments are given. Academic
dishonesty will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Plagiarism has no place in a university and especially not in
an Honors Program. Plagiarism on the thesis project, whether deliberate or unintentional, will be reported to the
SDSU office of Students Rights and Responsibilities. It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the
Honor Code and other university policies and procedures affecting academic integrity. Please refer to San Diego State
University’s Student Handbook for information about the consequences in cases of academic dishonesty.
A Note on Plagiarism. Basically, plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional presentation of another person’s idea
or product as one’s own. Students can avoid unintentional plagiarism by following carefully accepted scholarly
practices. Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited,
quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, and papers should acknowledge these sources. The penalties for plagiarism
include a zero or a grade of “F” on the work in question, a grade of “F” in the course, suspension, or expulsion.
To help you maintain standards of academic integrity in this course, the instructor will provide samples of appropriate
in-text and bibliographic citations, as articulated in the latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. You may use another citation style if doing so is appropriate for your field. Basically, in
all your written work in this course:
•
Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks or by appropriate indentation and must be
promptly cited as to author, year of source, and page.
•
Prompt acknowledgment as to author and year of source is required when material from another source is
paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in your own words. Acknowledging only a directly quoted statement
does not suffice to notify the reader of any preceding or succeeding paraphrased material.
•
Information obtained in your reading or research, which is not common knowledge among students in this
course, must be acknowledged by author, year of source, and page.
2
Documented Disabilities: Students who need accommodation for their disabilities should contact me privately by the
second class period to discuss specific accommodations for which they have received authorization. If you have a
disability, but have not yet contacted Student Disability Services, please do so before coming to see me during my
office hours or by appointment. Student Disability Services is located in room 3101 of the Calpulli Center on Hardy
Ave. (near Viejas Arena), and their phone number is 619-594-6473. More information is available at
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds/index.html.
Amendments and Addenda: The professor reserves the right to amend the course syllabus at any time during the
semester; students will be informed of the changes either in class, via email, or through BB.
Contractual Nature of this Syllabus: Students who choose to remain enrolled in this course, after the regular
schedule adjustment period, indicated by their continued enrollment that they have read and understood the syllabus
for this course, and that they accept and agree to abide by its procedures and policies.
Required Texts and Resources: The required texts for this course are:
(1)
Booth, Colomb and Williams, The Craft of Research (3rd edtn). Chicago: University of Chicago Press
(2)
San Diego State University Honors Program Senior Thesis Guidelines (2013). (on Blackboard) or at:
http://uhp.sdsu.edu/dus/honors/seniorthesis.aspx (Note: The online version does not have the revised style
format for referencing; instead of using the referencing style of your discipline you are to use APA style)
(3)
Sample master’s thesis of your choice from your area of study
Your textbook readings may be supplemented from time to time with articles from academic and trade
journals, as well as from other sources. Outside the classroom, you will be expected to keep up with mass media
coverage of general news topics as they pertain to research and research ethics. The Chronicle of Higher Education is
an excellent source for this.
The reading and writing loads for this course are substantial, and it is strongly suggested that you do
not fall behind. We may not go over all of the reading material in class, but you remain responsible for being
familiar with their content. Come to class already having read what is assigned for that date. Be prepared to ask
questions on any issues that aren’t clear or for which you feel you need coaching.
Other required resources include access to electronic means of communication (i.e., email) and to MS Word
or other word processing software. This course has a Blackboard site, and students are expected to visit the site for
updates and other information pertaining to the course.
Evaluations:
List of potential advisors
Test on Senior Thesis Guidelines
Syllabus quiz
Writing exercises
Responses to readings
Proposal draft #1 to peers
Review of peer proposals
Proposal draft #2 to instructor
Final proposal accepted by thesis advisor
IRB ethics tutorial
Ethics essay
Annotated bibliography
Critique of master’s thesis
Thesis outline
Thesis timetable
PowerPoint presentation
Total Points:
3
5 points
10 points
5 points
20 points each
10 points each
15 points
25 points
40 points
20 points
5 points
25 points
15 points
25 points
20 points
10 points each
10 points
260 points
Grading Criteria for Assignments:
A (90%-100%) – Material is basically ready for moving on to the next step. Content is appropriate and robust,
showing clear understanding of the material. Arguments are logical, well-thought-out, and clearly
supported by appropriate evidence that is academic in nature, cited appropriately. Writing is wellorganized, with excellent punctuation, spelling, etc.
B (80%-89%) – Handled assignment fairly well, but material needs some rewrite and polishing before moving
on to the next step. Content is mostly appropriate and robust, showing clear understanding of the
material. Good arguments, but not always well-thought-out, well-articulated, or well-supported by
appropriate evidence. Writing is fairly well-organized, with some problems in punctuation, spelling.
C (70%-79%) – Material addresses the requirements of the assignment, but needs fundamental rewriting
and/or editing before moving on to the next step. Content is not clearly appropriate or robust.
Arguments are weak, not well-explained, or not well-thought-out. Arguments are unclear or lacking
in supporting evidence, or nature of the evidence is problematic or incorrectly cited.
D (60%-69%) – A poor product that indicates lack of understanding of the assignment and exhibits several
major flaws or problems. Content inappropriate or not robust. Arguments inappropriate or missing.
Problematic writing in terms of organization, grammar, spelling, citation style, etc.
F (59% and below) – A very poor product that demonstrates only minimal ability to deal with facts and
present them. May contain serious (i.e., “fatal”) errors of fact or form. The work is unacceptable.
Final Course Grades and Letter Grades:
Final grades with a decimal of point five (0.5) and above will have the decimals rounded up to the next single digit.
Final grades with a decimal of point four-nine-nine-nine, etc. (0.499999) will have the decimals DROPPED and
WILL NOT BE ROUNDED UP to the next single digit. THERE WILL BE NO “EXTRA CREDIT” AWARDED IN
THIS COURSE. Final letter grades in this course will be assigned according to the following percentage scale:
A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
F = 59 and below
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The purpose of these grading criteria is to prepare you for the grading of your final senior thesis in HONOR
490B. For that class, the grading rubric is as follows:
Criterion [Based
on General
Catalog for
Undergraduates]
A = Outstanding
achievement;
available only for the
highest
accomplishment
B = Praiseworthy
performance;
definitely above
average
C = Average;
awarded for
satisfactory
performance
D = Minimally
passing; less than
the typical
undergraduate
achievement
General presentation of Outstanding; work is
thesis
distinguished by its
completeness,
thoroughness, and
creativity.
Variety of sources
Variety of professional
(Evidence Based)
major/classic evidence
based sources and lesser
professional references.
Level of work is best
characterized as solid,
well-thought out and
dependable
(consistent).
Primarily from
textbooks, but also a
few other evidence
based professional
references.
Meeting minimum
requirements of
written work (see
below).
Grades of D are given if
the assignment is not
turned in or for work that
does not meet minimum
requirements.
Little use is made of the
text or other references.
Depth and breadth of
thesis
Information throughout
the thesis is presented in
depth and is accurate.
Thesis centers on
some points and
covers them
adequately.
None in evidence;
superficial at most.
Stylistic guidelines of
academic discipline
(e.g., Chicago, APA,
MLA) and appropriate
formatting using
Thesis Guidelines
Multiple and varied
citations including primary
research articles. Style
format correct. Thesis
formatting followed
consistently.
Idea generation and
flow
Original ideas, those that
go beyond the reference
material are presented and,
where appropriate,
discussed in relation to
existing knowledge. The
writing is clear, logical, and
internally consistent.
Cited appropriately
primarily from the
text, but also a few
other references are
used. Style format
correct. Thesis
formatting followed
consistently.
Some original
thinking is evident,
though it may not be at
the depth or extent
seen in “A” work.
Writing is clear,
logical, and internally
consistent.
Minor
points/information
may be missing and
discussion is
minimal.
Cited appropriately
from textbook. No
other references.
Style format followed
minimally. Thesis
formatting followed
minimally.
Writing is vague or
ambiguous; ideas do not
follow a logical flow.
Organization and
overall quality of the
thesis
Compelling and clear
introduction to the purpose
and the relevance of the
research. A clear summary
and analysis of the
literature review. Clearly
identify and explain the
research approach and
research methodology.
Appropriately analyze data.
Reaches conclusions that
are clearly explained and
supported by the data.
Convincing discussion of
the implications of the
research findings.
There is little or no
indication of original
thinking or creative
use of the
information. The
writing is clear, but
may lack some
internal consistency
or logical flow.
Thesis covers
required components
(introduction,
literature review,
results, and
discussion)
minimally and
inconsistently.
Clear introduction to
the purpose and the
relevance of the
research. A summary
and analysis of the
literature review.
Explanation of the
research approach and
research methodology.
Appropriately analyze
data. Discusses the
implications of the
findings of the
research.
5
There is use of texts;
however, no other
references are used
or uses
nonprofessional
sources.
Information presented
lacks or inappropriately
cites references/ sources.
Formatting not followed.
Poor organization and
quality in all aspects of
thesis.
Completion of Assignments:
Deadlines are real. If you turn in a take-home assignment late, you will lose one whole letter grade (or pointequivalent) for each day it is late, including the day it is due, if it is not electronically submitted when the assignment
was designated to be turned in. Assignments that are more than four calendar days late will not be accepted.
Please give yourself enough time to get your work done, and this includes planning for such events as
disk/flash/thumb drive losses or computer failures; save your work to two places, e.g. a flash drive and the computer’s
hard drive or a cloud host. If a serious personal crisis or illness does occur, please contact the instructor. However,
you may be asked to show evidence of some work completed prior to the crisis before any arrangements will be
considered.
Policy on Incompletes:
The grade of “incomplete” is given only to a student whose work in a course has been qualitatively
satisfactory (i.e., at least a C average) when, because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control,
he/she has been unable to complete some small portion of course work. In no case will an incomplete (I) be recorded
for students who have not completed major course assignments (i.e., items worth at least 10 points), nor will
incompletes be given for students who fail to complete requirements of the thesis proposal.
Class Attendance:
Class attendance is REQUIRED. Class attendance involves being ON TIME to attend ALL of the class. If you
miss class, you are responsible for obtaining the information covered in that session from your classmates.
Furthermore, if an in-class exercise was assigned on the day you were absent, you will receive no credit for that
assignment, nor will you be allowed to make-up the assignment, unless your absence was excused.
When a student does not attend class, the absence is excused ONLY IF it was caused by (1) religious
observance, (2) participation in University activities at the request of University authorities, (3) debilitating illness, or
(4) compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control (e.g. auto accident). Students claiming excused absences
are responsible for demonstrating to the instructor that their failure to attend was on account of one of these four
causes. Such demonstration shall take the form of a letter signed by a person in a position to make an authoritative
determination as to the validity of the cause of absence claimed by the student. Letters related to any planned
absences must be presented to the instructor by the end of the second week of classes; letters related to any unplanned
absences must be presented to the instructor within one calendar week of the date of absence, regardless of any
holidays during that one-week period. The instructor reserves the right to verify the content and authority of such
letters.
Modern Technology Usage:
Online Classroom: This course will have a Blackboard (BB) site, accessible at https://blackboard.sdsu.edu.
Also, all students are expected to have access to e-mail and to check their e-mail accounts at regular intervals. The
instructor will use Blackboard and/or e-mail to facilitate communication with class members and to disseminate
information pertinent to the course, to class sessions, or group work.
PLEASE NOTE: Emails sent through the BB system are automatically routed to the junk mail folder of some
email systems. Thus, you should make sure that the instructor’s email address appears in your “safe list” so that you
may receive emails from the instructor. Also, since many student emails sent to the instructor from BB may end up in
his junk mail folder, please help the instructor find your messages by noting “HONOR 490A” in the subject line of
your message. Better yet, please send your email message independently of the BB system.
Appropriate Use: Although the use of new technology should be incorporated into any modern college
course for learning purposes, there are still times when such usage is considered totally inappropriate. As a result, you
are requested not to engage in cell phone calls, IM, SM, texting, etc., during class. Laptop computers may be used in
class for note-taking purposes, but this privilege will be denied to those who abuse it by engaging in inappropriate
computer use during class time (e.g., email, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, other class assignments, etc.). To maintain
the value of this course for students who paid tuition to take it, “live-tweeting” or otherwise sharing course
proceedings in real time is NOT permitted.
6
Privacy: Please respect the privacy of your classmates and instructor by refraining from voice-recording or
photographing them in association with this class. State law restricts the recording of another individual without
his/her knowledge and consent. See also the next section regarding defamation.
Defamation: If you choose to communicate regarding this course on social networking sites such as
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Storify, Pinterest, etc., please remember to use discretion. Inappropriate
communications have the potential to become privacy issues for class members and/or the instructor, as well as
defamation risks for yourself. Inflammatory or defamatory remarks shall be referred to the appropriate legal counsel.
Copyright: Finally, the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of class lectures through tape-recording or
any other means is an infringement of common-law copyright. No person may reproduce or distribute the proceedings
of this class, in hard copy or online, without prior written permission from the instructor. This protection is extended
to the unauthorized reproduction and/or distribution of all materials associated with this course, including exam
questions, class exercises, review sheets, quizzes, discussion board questions, etc. Any violations of copyright will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Student Support Services: Many students find that college is a stressful time. Many students also find that this
course in particular is stressful. Combined with social, financial, and familial pressures, academic challenges can take
a toll on anyone, no matter their academic record or abilities. We all face personal and professional challenges, and
students should begin now to consider matters of work-life balance, so that they can be better equipped to handle
such challenges in the future. If you feel that you need professional assistance with the challenges you face, you
should contact SDSU’s Counseling & Psychological Services: www.sa.sdsu.edu/cps/index.html or 619-594-5220.
Located in the Calpulli Center, Room 4401, this office offers students confidential assistance, Monday through
Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you need help outside these hours, you can call the San Diego Access and Crisis 24hour Hotline at 1-888-724-7240. Other campus emergency services include the Student Health Services Nurse
Advisory Line at 1-888-594-5281 or University Police at 619-594-1991.
Rev. 8-21-2013
7
Course Schedule and Assignments
Date
Topics
Readings & Assignments*
August 27
Guest Dr. Bey-Ling Sha
Introduction to the course
Thesis advisors and committees
Thesis completion timetables
Thesis topics and readings
Thesis Guide, Craft of Research pp. 1-29
*Propose three possible thesis advisors
*Write out a tentative monthly timetable for
completing your thesis by May 2013
*Identify specific areas of interest
September 3
Part 1
Discussion of possible thesis topics
*Think about possible thesis topics
DUE: List of potential advisors
DUE: Tentative monthly timetable
*Thesis guidelines test
*Syllabus quiz
Part II
Library resources (primary & secondary)
Finding and evaluating information sources
(types and evaluation criteria)
Online Research Sources through the Library
data bases
*Find three articles in your area of interest,
summarize their main point(s), identify
their core concepts, and examine their
research methods
September 10
From topic / interest area to research
question to thesis statement
*Think about possible thesis topics
CR, pp 31-66
Report on research articles
DUE: Summary of research articles
Finalizing topics & committees
Research questions & thesis statements
L 4-7, Appendix 2 (skim), Appendix 3
*Finalize advisor & topic
*Write out a tentative weekly timetable for
completing your thesis proposal by due
date
*Practice writing RQs
Research questions & thesis statements
*Practice writing RQs
Thesis plans & outlines
Thesis formats & language
Transitions & writing tips
DUE: Research questions & thesis statements
DUE: Tentative weekly timetable
*Find 10 articles in your area of interest
*Write proposal outline (three copies)
Reading and Resources
*CR pp 66-83
September 17
September 24
8
Course Schedule and Assignments
Date
Topics
Readings & Assignments*
October 1
Expanding the literature review or
conceptualization I
CR pp: 103-119
DUE: Annotated bibliography of 10 articles
DUE: Proposal outline (three copies)
L 11, 13-14
*Write proposal draft for peer review
Expanding the literature review or
conceptualization II
*Write proposal draft for peer review
Time management
CR pp. 171-179
*Write proposal draft for peer review
How to critique academic work
CR pp 120-150
DUE: Draft proposal for peer review (submit
THREE copies)
*Review peer proposals
Feedback on peer proposals
CR pp. 152-169
DUE: Feedback on two peer proposals
*Revise proposal based on peer feedback
Research ethics
SDSU Institutional Review Board
CR 273-276
*Take online IRB tutorial
*Find code of ethics for your field
*Write ethics essay
Honors Alumni Panel
DUE: Proposal Draft to Instructor (submit
TWO copies)
October 29
Present ethics essays
DUE: Certificate of IRB tutorial completion
DUE: Essay on ethical pitfalls & plans to
avoid them; submit with code of ethics for
your field
*Expand thesis chapters 2 & 3
November 5
Data collection methods
CR pp. 84-101
October 8
October 15
October 22
Discussion of instructor feedback on
proposal drafts
9
November 12
Discussion of instructor feedback on
proposal drafts
*Submit proposal to committee chair for
feedback and approval
Presenting research visually
*Review master’s thesis from your field
November 19
DUE: Thesis/Project Proposal Form and
approved proposal to Honors office by
November 15, 4 p.m.
No Lecture – Work on thesis critiques
*Review master’s thesis from your field
November 26
No Class – Thanksgiving Break
December 3
Present thesis critiques
DUE: Critique of master’s thesis (PowerPoint
presentation)
L 12
*Revise thesis timetable & tasks
Anticipating results
DUE: Thesis completion timetable
DUE: Outline of entire thesis
L 18-19
December 10
Oral presentations
DUE: PowerPoint presentation of proposal
December 17,
Oral presentations, if needed
10