The format of your final project depends on the subject of your thesis/capstone.
It may take any form appropriate to the student's discipline and approved by the thesis/capstone advisor (e.g. research paper, performance, video, artwork, etc.). The W. A. Franke Honors College requires that all theses/capstones, regardless of form, include some written work.
Although the format of the honors thesis/capstone can vary significantly from student to student, theses/capstones traditionally include the following components:
- Statement of purpose
- Statement of relevance
- Methodology
- Literature review
Students in some disciplines may produce a nontraditional thesis/capstone, such as performance art or creative writing. These types of theses/capstones must be accompanied by a written statement that includes the following components:
- Statement of what has been learned
- Description of techniques or strategies employed
- Synthesis of traditions built upon
- Assessment of project success
The thesis/capstone is expected to be an independent project, but group theses/capstones are approved in certain majors. If the thesis/capstone is the result of a group's collaborative effort, the honors student must give credit to the other contributors and describe the roles played by each group member. The Franke Honors College expects that when an honors student uses a group project for the Senior Honors Thesis/capstone, he or she will have more responsibility than other group members will and will play a leadership/coordinating role in the project.
The fonts, layout and other style sheet elements may follow any guidelines that are suitable for the discipline/content (for example MLA style for English). The thesis/capstone advisor can suggest an appropriate style.
The student will receive a letter grade for each semester's work. The W. A. Franke Honors College recommends that the work and the grading be partitioned so that all six units do not hinge upon the completed thesis/capstone.