Viterbo University - La Crosse, WI

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English 426—Thesis Proposal (PDF Version)
MC 418, W 3:10 p.m.
Grant T. Smith, Ph.D.

Fall Semester, 2009

Office: MC 533
Phone: 796-3485; E-mail: gtsmith@viterbo.edu
Office hours: TR 10 a.m.–12:00 p.m. or by appointment

Required Materials:

Course Description: This class is designed to prepare the student for the senior English capstone project.

Objectives:

Identify a research question to be answered OR identify one to two literary influences (authors, works) that may inform your creative work
Consult the English Department senior thesis project criteria for the appropriate area of emphasis regarding your topic.
Draft a research plan to become knowledgeable about your topic
Implement the plan
Present a thesis, bibliography, and thesis proposal to instructor for approval
Produce a thesis proposal that has been approved by me and by a second reader from the English Department faculty.
Complete a draft of your Graduation Portfolio that addresses the student learning outcomes that you do not anticipate being fulfilled by your thesis.
Provide other evidence of how you developed those student learning outcomes.

Course Work

We will meet collectively once a month (first Wednesday of the month) to discuss challenges, progress – and to share concerns and offer support
I will expect to meet with each of you individually a couple of times a month during my office hours, T Th 10 a.m. to noon

Policies:

Click here for the university definitions of an excused and unexcused absence
Click here for the university policy on sexual harassment
Click here for the university policy on plagiarism
If you are a person with a disability and require any auxiliary aids, services or other accommodations for this class, please see Jane Eddy in Murphy Center Learning Center 332 (796-3194) within ten days to discuss your accommodation needs. If there other accommodations that need to be made for you to succeed in the class, please indicate those needs to the instructor. Click here for a link to the Learning Center
In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, university officials will monitor progress and work with local, state, and national authorities to determine the best course of action regarding institutional operations. Information related to any widespread infectious diseases outbreak will be available on Viterbo’s website and Viterbo Health Services website (http://www.viterbo.edu/HealthServices.aspx). In addition, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website has extensive information on health threats (http://www.cdc.gov). If you have specific questions about your personal health, please contact your medical provider or Health Services.

Assessment

If you identify a research question or if you identify appropriate literary influences
If you write a thesis proposal (two to three pages)
If you write a thesis statement (for a creative piece, this may be an introduction to the piece)
If you write a bibliography of consulted works
And if you complete all of these things before the last day of semester classes, then you will be receive an A. If you do not, then we shall negotiate your grade.