The object of the Senior Project in the Department of History is to enable students to pursue independent historical research on a topic of their own choosing and to report their findings in a substantial paper. The work will be evaluated on the quality of the research, the originality of the thesis, the strength of the argument, the nature of the sources, and the clarity of expression. This evaluation will be conducted by a board of examiners consisting of two members of the Department of History, or, if the project is undertaken in conjunction with another department, by one or two members of the Department of History and one or two members of the other department. Students will also be examined orally by this board on the general field of knowledge and period of time with which the Project is concerned, the specific information contained in the paper, and the methods of research. Students will have the counsel of a member of the department chosen by the student as the project director, but it is the student's responsibility to take the initiative in seeking advice.
In the second semester of the Junior year or the first semester of the Senior year, students are to select a topic of interest and contact the member of the department faculty whose expertise is best suited to the subject. The topic may represent a completely new area of inquiry, or it may be an extension of a seminar paper or any long or short paper submitted in any other course, although it cannot be merely a re-working of that same paper. Please be aware that members of the faculty have the right to decline to direct a senior project on the basis of the proposed subject, or in order to maintain a balanced work load and schedule. top
History 600 is a 2-credit course, offered every fall and spring; it is required of all majors, and it is graded on the A-F system only. The purpose of the course is to prepare students for History 610. Successful completion of History 600 is required for graduation with a major in History, and a prerequisite for History 610. History 600 is a signature course, although there is no prerequisite. Students will enroll on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for 610 will follow in the next semester. Syllabus for History 600.
Students enrolled in History 600 will study the use of proper form and citation and develop the ability to identify and evaluate sources will learn to write logical and convincing arguments and develop an understanding of historical interpretation. Students will write historiographical essays on their chosen topics. They will present their written work for peer review before it is turned in to the instructor and their project directors. They will also give oral presentations on the progress of their research. By the end of the semester in which they are enrolled in History 600, students will have made significant progress in conceptualizing their Senior Project, completing the necessary research, and formulating an effective strategy for carrying their project to its culmination.
Students who do not earn a passing grade for History 600 will not be permitted to register for History 610, and will have to re-take History 600 in the following semester. top
During the semester of registration for History 600, students are required to submit a formal Project Proposal. This is to be turned in to the director for review by the department. Due dates for Project Proposals will be established by the instructor.
The Project Proposal is a statement of intent, and should include a concise indication of the focus, scope and direction of the project. Appended to the Proposal will be an extensive, albeit preliminary, bibliography, listing both primary sources and secondary authorities (including monographs and articles from scholarly journals). The Proposal is to be prepared in consultation with the project director, and after a bibliographical conference with a member of the reference staff of the Pelletier Library. Copies of the Proposal are to be submitted to the instructor of History 600 and to the project director for review and evaluation. top
Research for the senior project is to be completed during the semester of registration for History 600. At the end of that semester, students are required to submit a detailed, chapter-by-chapter outline of the entire project. The outline is to be submitted to the instructor of History 600 and to the project director for review and evaluation. Due dates for Project Outlines will be established by the instructor.top
HISTORY 610: SENIOR PROJECT II
History 610 is a 4-credit course, offered every fall and spring; it is required of all majors, and it is graded on the A-F system only.
The department recommends that students submit a complete draft of the entire Senior Project to the director no later than one month prior to the due date. It is to the student's advantage to do so. The director will examine the draft and return it with comments and suggestions. It is the student's responsibility to initiate discussion with the director in order to undertake revisions of the paper. Be advised that the director is not obliged to look at any draft material submitted later than one month prior to the due date. And be aware also that the project directors are not copy editors or proofreaders; so do not expect them to do this kind of work. top
Two bound copies of the paper, with the author's name, the title of the work, and the date printed on the front cover, are to be presented (three must be presented if the Senior Project is from a double major). Only standard size and style type (12 pt font), and black ink may be used. All copies must be clear and easily legible. Only letter quality printing will be accepted.
The text is to be double spaced, except for block quotations, table titles, and figure captions. Citations and bibliographic entries are to be single spaced.
Pagination: Number all pages in the top or bottom center, starting with the first page of Chapter I as page 1. Preceding pages should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals, with the unnumbered title page counting as i. Each chapter is to begin on a new page, and is to be headed by Chapter #, beneath which, on the next line, is to appear the chapter title.
The paper should include, in this order:
Typographical errors, if few in number and minor in character, may be corrected neatly by hand in black ink on all copies. Authors should edit and re-print any pages on which there are numerous errors, omissions of text, or major alterations.
Proofread carefully! It is to be clearly understood that any pages badly flawed with technical mistakes, any neglect of the instructions contained in these Guidelines, or any failure to employ accurately the standards prescribed in Turabian's Manual, may result in a penalty grade, a requirement that the entire project be edited and and re-printed, or, in extreme cases, failure in the Senior Project. top
The provisions of the Allegheny College Honor Code apply to the Senior Project, just as they apply to all work submitted for evaluation in all other courses. Copies of the Honor Code are provided to all students, at the beginning of each year, in the annual edition of The Compass. If there are any questions about proper forms of citation, or any other matters that may come under the provisions of the Honor Code, it is the students' responsibility to consult with their project directors or with the department chair. Ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse for violations of the Honor Code. top
The completed paper must be delivered to the department no later than 4:00 p.m. on the due date established by the department.
The deadlines for the 2009-2010 academic year are:
| Fall Semester: | Wednesday 11 November |
| Spring Semester: | Wednesday 7 April |
Extensions of time will not be granted. One letter grade will be deducted from the project's final grade for each weekday that it is late. It is the student's responsibility to make appropriate arrangements with the staff of the College Printing Department to insure that the paper is ready on time. The cost of duplicating your work will be borne by the College.
Prior to the due date for the Senior Project, students will be contacted by the department and asked for their schedules so that oral examinations may be arranged. The department schedules all Senior Project orals. The oral board consists of the Senior Project director and a member of the History faculty appointed by the Department unless the student is a double major. Then, the second member of the board will be a representative of the student's other major department. Senior Project orals take place in the office of the Senior Project director. top
The final grade for History 610 will be determined by the faculty of the Department of History, based on the recommendations of the members of the examining boards. The grade is arrived at by a careful evaluation of both the written work and the oral examination. Students will receive their final grade from the office of the Registrar of the College. top
If students fail to complete the Senior Project, they will fail History 610. In such an event, they will be notified in a timely manner. Moreover, it is to be understood that if, in the opinion of the examiners, the written work is not of sufficient quality to merit a passing grade, no oral examination will be held. Should the examiners reach such a decision, authors will be notified by their project director prior to the time scheduled for the oral. In the event of a failure, it may be necessary for students to begin again, with an entirely new topic, and a new project director. The student must register for History 610 in the next semester. top
FUNDING SENIOR PROJECT RESEARCH
Students requiring financial assistance to conduct research for their Senior Project, visit archives, microfilm or copy primary source materials, etc. may receive funding from two sources:
The Class of 1939 Student Research Fund is administered by the Dean of the College. Applications for funding should include an overview of the Senior Project, an explanation of the research to be undertaken, and a budget. Contact the Dean of the College for additional information about the application process.
The Kenneth K. Robertson '65 Fund was created by a graduate of Allegheny College. The purpose of this fund is to provide financial support for a student or students studying history to assist with expenses related to the Senior Project. This fund is administered by the Chair of the Department of History. Applications for funding should include an overview of the Senior Project, an explanation of the research to be undertaken, and a budget. Contact the Chair of the Department of History for additional information about the application process. top
THE DON M. LARRABEE PRIZE
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THE HAROLD HUNTLEY HAINE PRIZE
The Department of History annually awards the Don M. Larrabee Prize and the Harold Huntley Haine Prize to the authors of the best senior projects. The prize recipients are selected from among those students who have earned the highest grades on their projects during the academic year. The winners of the prizes are announced at the annual Honors Convocation in the spring of each year. top
