Senior Project Information

Guidelines for Senior Projects for the Class of 2021 – Fall Semester

September, 2020

Experimental Senior Project

Projects that involve generating and/or working with data

Non-Experimental Senior Project

Projects that involve engaging deeply with a topic and interacting with this topic in a unique way

Planning stage

  • Discuss experimental plan with 1st reader; decide on experimental vs. non-experimental plan by Sept. 4

  • Complete ARC/IRB forms (as needed)

  • Complete lab safety training

  • Order materials

  • Begin field/lab/data work

  • No formal proposal

  • Discuss proposal idea with 1st reader; decide on experimental vs. non-experimental plan by Sept. 4

  • Get approval for project from 1st and 2nd readers; meet with readers on or before Sept. 18

  • Draft proposal

Written work

(1st semester)

  • Progress report to 1st and 2nd readers [written background, experimental plan (aims, methods), and summary of results] due Nov. 20

  • Meeting with 1st and 2nd readers to discuss 1st semester work by Dec. 8

  • Proposal due Oct. 9

  • Meeting with 1st and 2nd readers to discuss proposal and decide on expected product by Oct. 23

  • Progress report to 1st reader (including the decided-upon expected product for first semester) due Dec. 8

Grading Scale

Non-experimental
Proposal (30%)
Progress towards the project (50%)
Final progress report (20%)

Experimental
Progress report, written portion (40%)
Progress towards the project (60%)

Research Resources

Ordering Information

Other Information