SENIOR SEMINAR
DIRECTIONS FOR WRITING YOUR THESIS: MAY 2009
1. TOPIC: Choose A TOPIC THAT IS RELATED IN SOME WAY to one or more of the
courses you have taken in the seminar this year. Only such related topics will be approved for
your research. You may not choose a topic related to a course you have not taken.
2. NARROW YOUR FOCUS! Do not try to do too much. Do not try to write on generic topics
which could fill a book if well written. However, you are required to write a research paper of
AT LEAST 10 PAGES, double-spaced, typed or on a computer.
[Do not therefore choose a topic like: “The philosophy of Sartre” or “Hinduism.” Each
of these topics would require a tremendous amount of research and writing. Be more
specific: for example: “The philosophy of Sartre on the existence of man, as developed in
his early days” or “How some specific areas of Hinduism relate to other religions.”]
3. RESOURCES: Be sure you have sufficient research resources with which to develop your
specific topic. [To verify this, use your media center resources, look through the computer catalog,
look for bibliography.] You must use AT LEAST six (6) books or SCHOLARLY journals FROM
DIFFERENT AUTHORS A ND DIFFERENT WORKS in writing your paper and cite them
accordingly.
USE OF INTERNET: You will be allowed to use the internet to find and cite books, journals,
and documents (for example, from the Supreme Court). However, you may not include more
than two sources from the internet in your Works Cited section. If you use the internet, YOU
MUST ATTACH AT THE END OF YOUR THESIS A PRINT-OUT OF THE PAGES
YOU HAVE CITED from the internet in your paper. You are STRONGLY ADVISED to
consult with the Director of your thesis about ANY source you wish to use, as some may not be
considered valid for a research paper.
You may only use books and scholarly journals. You will not be allowed to use or cite news
magazines, interviews, newspapers, GENERAL encyclopedias, dictionaries, Wikipedia, etc.
Remember: This is a research paper, NOT AN OPINION PAPER. However, you may express
your opinion briefly in a concluding paragraph if you so desire.
4. OUTLINE OF THESIS: After selecting your topic, make an outline (no more than one page) of
how you hope or think you would like to develop this topic.
Present your thesis clearly.
Give major objectives.
Indicate how you would like to develop these.
Indicate particular areas or points that may lead to this development.
5. APPROVAL OF TOPIC AND OUTLINE: Your topic and outline must be submitted to the
Director of your thesis by Friday, March 27, 2009.
This will give your Director time to offer you guidance, suggestions, and final approval so that you
may proceed. You should continue consulting with your Director, at his discretion, as you
develop and write your paper.
[Note Well: Failure to meet this March 27 deadline will result in a 3 pt
loss per day late, unless extenuating circumstances are present, which will be decided at the discretion
of the Director.] [This consultation and approval will be very helpful in making sure you are always on the right track
and that your final paper will be accepted when you submit it. Please note well: You are not bound
to slavishly follow your outline. Look at it as a “budget,” which is an estimate of how you hope things
will turn out. Your research may open up new vistas to you. You may exceed in some cases, curtail
others, not use some, add others. Your outline is principally meant to clarify things in your own mind.]
6. WHEN IS YOUR THESIS DUE? Your paper must be completed and presented to your
Director AT THE LATEST by FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009 at 2:45 PM.
FIVE (5) POINTS WILL BE SUBTRACTED from your grade for every day your paper is delayed.
7. YOUR SENIOR THESIS DIRECTOR is the instructor who taught the seminar class you took
during the First Quarter.
If at the first reading the Director judges your paper to be incomplete or not deserving of a
passing grade, the paper will be returned to you. You will then have till Friday, May 15, 2009 to
rewrite it, but the highest mark you may receive on such a paper will be a “D.” [This is one more
reason why it is important for you to stay in touch with your Director.]
8. Your senior thesis is a REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION: The grade you receive for your
thesis will constitute one-half of your second semester grade in the senior seminar course. No
one will receive a Cascia Hall diploma without having successfully completed this thesis.
9. RULES FOR WRITING AND STYLE: You are to carefully follow ALL THE RULES AND
STYLING REQUIRED BY THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF CASCIA HALL for any
research paper submitted to them.
Furthermore, when you present your final paper, you must use one of the following print fonts in
12 pt.: the following are examples of each style: Palatino, Courier,Times, Arial, Sylfaen.
Margins are to be standard 1” on each side of the paper.