Spanish major
Guidelines for honors thesis preparation
I. Description of the thesis
The thesis must constitute a significant contribution to the academic field of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and must consist substantially of independent research undertaken by the Honors candidate. A paper that merely reviews and summarizes a body of literature on a particular topic, or that presents a compilation of data and does not adequately interpret or apply such data, is not acceptable as an Honors Thesis.
II. The thesis must include
- A title page
- Acknowledgments
- A one-page summary in English
- Text, arranged in major sections and subsections, as appropriate
- Footnotes or endnotes
- Bibliography
III. The format of the thesis
A. The document must be typed, carefully proofread, and bound.
B. Footnotes, or endnotes, and quotations must be prepared in a consistent and accurate manner, following either the MLA Style Manual or The Chicago Manual of Style.
C. The text should contain:
1. An introduction that includes a description of the issues to be studied and the methodology employed to develop a comprehensive analysis of the issues, and a brief summary of the relevant scholarly work on the issues.
2. Thesis chapters, which should develop a comprehensive analysis and cogent argument about the issues.<.
3. A conclusion that summarizes the principal findings and implications of the study, describes the significant contributions of the thesis as a whole, and, where appropriate, notes shortcomings or limitations of the study and proposes directions for future research.
D. The thesis may be written in Spanish or in English.
E. The student must provide three bound copies of the thesis to the Department.
IV. Deadline
The Honors Thesis must be submitted to the Department no later than April 30.
