Honors Thesis
Thesis Director
What is an Honors Thesis Director?
The Honors Thesis Director serves as the research mentor to the Honors thesis student. As someone who has published peer-reviewed articles in his/her area of expertise, the Thesis Director will aid the thesis student in producing a thesis that mirrors a publishable journal article in the field.
The Honors College Thesis Program is a two-semester process in which students take
two courses: HONS 3300, in which they produce thesis proposals, learn how to consolidate
their research into literature reviews, and outline/loosely draft the thesis; and
HONS 4300, in which they draft and revise their Honors theses and turn in final versions
at the end of the semester. Although students will be taking HONS 3300 and 4300 with
an Honors Instructor, the Instructor defers to Thesis Directors on matters of thesis
organization and written content. The HONS 3300/4300 Instructor provides default organization for each thesis student, but the Thesis Director may alter those at
any time to more accurately fit the standards of the academic field. Consider the
HONS 3300/4300 Instructor the student's writing coach and editor; as experts in the
respective fields, Thesis Directors are the primary arbiters of appropriate content,
theoretical paradigms, and methodologies.
Please Note: The Thesis Director's signature indicating approval of a thesis does not automatically finalize the process. The Honors College Dean must also sign off on each thesis, indicating final approval by the Honors College.
Honors Thesis Directors are expected to do the following:
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Aid the student in developing his/her research topic, questions, arguments, and methods in accordance with the standards of the appropriate academic field.
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Respond to student queries in a timely manner.
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Provide early feedback on the scholarly sources chosen by the student, and provide suggestions for how to locate more appropriate sources if necessary.
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If the student is doing an experimental thesis: teach the proper methods and/or guide the student through the experimental process.
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If necessary, suggest Second Readers appropriate to the thesis topic.
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Read and respond to the student's working proposal at the beginning of the semester in which the student begins the thesis process.
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Read at least three drafts of the student's thesis: one early draft, one draft that the student has revised based on the Thesis Director's feedback, and the final draft.
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Provide timely and useful feedback on the student's thesis research and writing.
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Contact the HONS 3300/4300 Instructor, Prof. Kurt Caswell with any problems or concerns regarding the student or the thesis.
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At the end of HONS 4300: sign off on the final draft of the Honors thesis.
Honors College
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Address
McClellan Hall, Box 41017 Lubbock, TX 79409-1017 -
Phone
806.742.1828 -
Email
honors@ttu.edu