Senior Thesis Course
Guidelines
Successful completion of Senior Thesis (BIOL 499R) is recommended for all UVSC biology baccalaureate students. The research is performed under the supervision of a Department of Biology contract faculty committee consisting of a supervising faculty member and two additional faculty members. The written thesis is approved by this committee.
Selection of a Research Project
The project should be of interest to the student, either from a personal interest or related to the student's career goals. Discussions with faculty members and/or literature readings may assist in topic selection.
Faculty Supervisor and Committee
Select a Biology Department contract faculty member who has expertise in the subject of the proposed research project. Select an additional two contract faculty members to serve, along with the supervising faculty member, as a thesis advisory and approval committee.
Proposal
Provide a written proposal that outlines the research project, including a clear statement of the problem to be addressed and a description of any laboratory or field activities. The supervising faculty member will provide guidelines for the proposal.
Approval
The student must discuss the thesis project with the faculty supervisor and committee and obtain their approval prior to beginning the project.
Credit
The student may enroll for 1 to 2 credits of Biol 499R per semester and repeat once in a subsequent semester for a maximum of 4 credits. Credits beyond 4 will not count towards graduation. The anticipated scope of the project should determine the number of credits. The student should plan on dedicating approximately 3-4 hours of activity per week per credit.
General Objectives and Requirements
- The scientific method will be used when designing and conducting the research.
- Information from primary scientific literature (peer reviewed journals and reference books) will be accurately and efficiently obtained and critically reviewed.
- A technically accurate and succinct scientific paper delineating the results of research will be written. The format and style of a major journal in the topic area of the study (e.g. American Journal of Botany, Journal of Mammalogy), or format guidelines of the Council of Biology Editors, will be used.
- Two typed, unbound (no staples) original copies of the thesis on acid-free bond paper, including approval signatures of the committee, must be deposited with the Biology Department; one copy will be retained in the department, and one copy be in the UVSC Library.
- The length of the written thesis is dependent on the number of course credits, type of data obtained, and guidelines provided by the supervising professor and committee.
- The research results should be presented in a seminar in a clear, accurate, and informative manner for an audience of scientists and peers. Additional and more specific requirements may be made by the faculty supervisor and committee.
For detailed information or consultation
Dr. Robert Robbins at (801) 863-8336 or at robbinro@uvsc.edu
