22
Introduction and Acknowledgments The purpose of this Honors Capstone Project Handbook is to provide Honors students and their faculty mentors with answers to questions that almost always arise while working on the Honors Capstone Project. Certainly, questions will arise that are not answered in this handbook, and you should feel free to contact the Director of the Honors Program or the Honors Program Support when they do. This handbook is a work in progress and your questions will help improve its quality and usefulness. Christopher Swanson, Director of Academic Honors Program Clayton 103 & Patterson 209 x5264 [email protected] Nancy Andres, Honors Program Support Clayton 103 x5260 [email protected] I am greatly indebted to Dr. Charlie Slavin, the Dean of the Honors College at the University of Maine, for allowing me to copy portions of the University of Maine‟s 2008-2009 Thesis Handbook. Dr. Slavin‟s years of experience composing the University of Maine handbook has made this handbook much more advanced than it would have been if I had started it from scratch. Good luck as you begin your journey on your Honors Capstone Project. I trust you will discover this project to be one of the most memorable academic experiences you have at Ashland University! Christopher Swanson Director, Academic Honors Program

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Introduction and Acknowledgments

The purpose of this Honors Capstone Project Handbook is to provide Honors

students and their faculty mentors with answers to questions that almost always

arise while working on the Honors Capstone Project. Certainly, questions will

arise that are not answered in this handbook, and you should feel free to contact

the Director of the Honors Program or the Honors Program Support when they

do. This handbook is a work in progress and your questions will help improve

its quality and usefulness.

Christopher Swanson, Director of Academic Honors Program

Clayton 103 & Patterson 209 x5264 [email protected]

Nancy Andres, Honors Program Support

Clayton 103 x5260 [email protected]

I am greatly indebted to Dr. Charlie Slavin, the Dean of the Honors College at

the University of Maine, for allowing me to copy portions of the University of

Maine‟s 2008-2009 Thesis Handbook. Dr. Slavin‟s years of experience

composing the University of Maine handbook has made this handbook much

more advanced than it would have been if I had started it from scratch.

Good luck as you begin your journey on your Honors Capstone Project. I trust

you will discover this project to be one of the most memorable academic

experiences you have at Ashland University!

Christopher Swanson

Director, Academic Honors Program

1

Table of Contents I. What is an Honors Capstone Project?.............................................................. 2

II. Starting the Honors Capstone Project............................................................. 4

III. Composing the Honors Capstone Project...................................................... 8

IV. The Capstone Project Defense .................................................................... 10

V. Advice from Previous Honors Students ....................................................... 12

Appendix A: Relationship between Honors Capstone Project, Majors, and

Academic Programs ........................................................................................... 13

Appendix B: Honors Capstone Project Options in the College of Business and

Economics .......................................................................................................... 14

Appendix C: Recent Honors Capstone Projects ................................................ 15

Appendix D: Sample Title Page........................................................................ 17

Appendix E: Sample Abstracts ......................................................................... 18

Appendix F: Sample Author Biography ........................................................... 20

Appendix G: Honors Capstone Timetable ........................................................ 21

2

I. What is an Honors Capstone Project?

The Honors Capstone Project is the opportunity for an Honors student to work

closely with a faculty mentor in his/her major to develop an original

composition which is orally and publically defended during the final semester of

the project. It is the pinnacle of the Honors academic experience, typically

completed in a student‟s final two semesters as two sections of Independent

Study 498 in the student‟s major. The Honors Capstone Project will be

reviewed and approved by the faculty mentor, the Director of the Honors

Program, and an additional faculty reviewer of an appropriate academic

department.

The exact form of the Honors Capstone Project will depend upon the student‟s

major and the topic of the project. Faculty members within the department of

the student‟s major are best qualified in helping an Honors student identify an

appropriate topic for the project, as well as evaluating its quality for Honors.

Often, the project may be a scaled-down version of what the student would do in

a master‟s program in that discipline. The Capstone Project should not be

simply a long paper, but must include original insights and contributions to the

topic. This originality need not be new to the discipline, but must be new to the

student and not based solely upon what the student has read in other sources.

The basic requirement of the Academic Honors Program is that the Capstone

Project engages analytically with fundamental questions raised by the research.

For instance, a student in the arts may do a project that includes a performance

or an original piece of music. A student in biology may do a research project

involving laboratory work. A business student could survey and analyze some

aspect of business management. In each case, the Academic Honors Program

requires the Capstone Project to establish the place of the original work in a

wider context of scholarship or similar work, and to analyze the work with

regard to fundamental issues in the field. This extends ultimately to self-

reflection about the student‟s approach to the work.

How long should my Honors Capstone Project be? The quality of the Honors

Capstone project is more important than the quantity of pages appearing in the

written portion of the project. However, you should understand that you are

receiving six credit hours of Independent Study for this project and thus the final

project should reflect this. In the humanities and social sciences, the capstone

projects are typically theses that are 50 to 100 pages in length. In the sciences

and mathematics, the written portion of the capstone project is typically 25 to 75

pages in length and denser in content. In the arts, the written portion of a

capstone project with a significant creative component may be 15 to 25 pages in

length.

Will my Honors Capstone Project satisfy other academic requirements at

Ashland University? The Honors Capstone Project often fulfills academic

requirements within a student‟s major or other academic program. Details on

3

this relationship between the Honors Capstone Project and specific majors and

academic programs at the time this handbook was created can be found in

Appendix A, but it is your responsibility to check with the Director of the

Honors Program and the Chair of your major department to make certain these

details have not changed. If you believe the Honors Capstone Project may be

able to satisfy a requirement not listed in Appendix A, you should talk to the

Director of the Honors Program and the major department Chair about this.

Why should I compose an Honors Capstone Project? Students who have

completed these projects in the past have often found them to be one of the most

rewarding and gratifying academic experiences they have had at Ashland

University. You and your faculty mentor will work together as collaborators, as

opposed to working in the typical instructor-student relationship. You will be

able to explore an interesting topic in your major more deeply than if you just

took additional classes, which may help you decide if you wish to attend

graduate school. Your Honors Capstone Project may lead to publications in

journals, or presentations at conferences. Finally, whether you plan to attend

graduate school or find a job after graduation, the completion of the Honors

Capstone Project will demonstrate your ability to work independently, thereby

improving the quality of your applications. As a specific example, a student

who completed an Honors Capstone Project in mathematics had a job interview

at Progressive Insurance. The interviewer mostly asked her questions about her

project, wondering how an undergraduate student could conduct research in

mathematics. She was offered the job and credits her Honors project for this

offer.

4

II. Starting the Honors Capstone Project

The development of the project will begin in Honors 310: Honors Capstone

Preparation Seminar. In this course taught by the Director of the Honors

Program, the student will select a topic, choose a mentor, prepare a

bibliography, and develop a written prospectus that is approved by the student‟s

faculty mentor and the Director of the Honors Program. The Honors student

should take this course one semester prior to signing up for his/her first

Independent Study 498, typically during the spring semester of the junior year.

This course may be taken by conference if there is a scheduling conflict.

When and how should I select a topic and faculty mentor? Selecting a

faculty mentor is possibly the most important step in the Honors Capstone

Project. You should select your faculty mentor not only based upon the

mentor‟s scholarly expertise, but also upon your ability to form a relationship of

cooperation and mutual respect with the mentor. You and faculty mentor will

meet approximately once per week during the Independent Study 498, and you

should not overlook the importance of being able to get along, communicate

clearly with, and seek help and encouragement from your faculty mentor.

Typically, you will select the topic and mentor for the Honors Capstone Project

as part of the Honors 310 course. However, it is never too early to begin

searching. If you already have a topic in mind for your Honors Capstone

Project, then talk to professors in your major with whom you have had good

experiences in the past or talk to your academic advisor. If these professors

don‟t feel qualified in being your mentor for your specific topic, they should be

able to point you towards another professor who will be. If you do not have a

topic in mind for your project, think about courses within you major that you

found particularly interesting, the subject matter of which you would like to

explore more deeply. Go to the professors who taught the courses and ask them

for suggestions of topics. You may want to share copies of this Handbook with

the professors in case they have never been mentors for Honors Capstone

Projects and are unfamiliar with what these projects are. If the first professor

you approach has no suggestions for topics that interest you, don‟t be

discouraged; go to additional professors until you are able to find a topic in

which you are really interested.

What are the responsibilities of my faculty mentor? It is vital that you and

your faculty mentor understand his/her responsibilities as a mentor and the time

commitment involved, and thus you should make certain your faculty mentor

has a copy of this handbook. However,

YOU are responsible for the timely and successful completion of

your Honors Capstone Project. It is this independence and

commitment that separates your project from normal coursework.

5

The responsibilities of the faculty mentor are to:

work with the Honors student to refine and focus the student‟s interests

into an appropriate project topic

make certain the Honors student receives any necessary approval to

conduct research associated with the project, including potential

approval from the Human Subjects Review Board

help the Honors student identify at least one additional reader/evaluator

meet with the student regularly (preferably weekly, but at least

biweekly) to provide guidance and feedback

read and comment on drafts of the project

determine the grade the student receives for Independent Study 498

(Note: a student will typically receive a grade of IP, In Progress, at the

end of his/her first Independent Study 498 course, and this grade is

changed at the completion of the 2nd

Independent Study 498 course.)

determine in consultation with the Honors Director and the 2nd

reader/evaluator whether the project is at an appropriate level for

Honors designation

introduce the Honors student and Capstone Project at the beginning of

the defense, and open the floor for questions at the conclusion of the

student presentation of the project

write a letter nominating the Honors student for the Howard O. Rowe

scholarship for the best Honors Capstone Project of the academic year

if appropriate

participate in the year-end Senior cording ceremony and reception, or

send a statement about the Honors student and project that will be read

by the Honors Director at the ceremony

How do I enroll in Independent Study 498? To take Independent Study 498,

you must obtain an Independent Study Request form from the Registrar‟s Office

and complete it prior to registration. This form is also available on the

Registrar‟s website at http://www.ashland.edu/students/registrar/forms. To

complete the form, you will need to get signatures of the Instructor (faculty

mentor), your Faculty Advisor, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the

College. The Director of the Honors Program will advise you on filling out this

form in Honors 310, but you should make certain to note on the form if you plan

to take two semesters of Independent Study 498 so that you will not need to fill

out this form again for the second semester.

When should I enroll in Independent Study 498? Typically, you will take

three credit hours of Independent Study 498 during each of your final two

semesters at Ashland University. However, you may adjust this in consultation

with the Director of the Honors Program to accommodate your academic

program. In particular, education majors typically complete their student

teaching requirements during their final semester, and thus it is recommended

that they take their first Independent Study 498 one semester earlier.

6

When and how should I select additional readers? Typically, you will select

your additional readers during the semester of your first Independent Study 498.

You should select these readers in consultation with your faculty mentor. One

additional reader is required, but you may select multiple additional readers if

you desire more feedback. The additional readers should be faculty members

who have a working knowledge of your Capstone Project area. In particular, if

you are composing an interdisciplinary project, then you should select an

additional reader whose area of expertise complements the area of expertise of

your faculty mentor so that they can evaluate all areas of your project.

What are the responsibilities of my additional readers? It is vital that you

and your additional readers understand their responsibilities as readers and the

time commitment involved, and thus you should make certain each of your

additional readers have a copy of this part of the handbook.

The responsibilities of the additional reader are to:

meet with the student occasionally to provide guidance and feedback

read and comment on drafts of the project during its later stages

attend and participate in the student‟s defense

determine in consultation with the Honors Director and the faculty

mentor whether the project is at an appropriate level for Honors

designation

What are my responsibilities beyond creating the Capstone Project?

The responsibilities of the Honors student are to:

enroll in Honors 310 (possibly by conference) at least one semester

before signing up for the first Independent Study 498, typically during

the fall or spring of the junior year

complete the Independent Study request forms and turn them into the

Registrar‟s Office prior to the end of the previous semester

meet with the faculty mentor regularly (preferably weekly, but at least

biweekly) to receive guidance and feedback

meet with the additional readers occasionally to receive guidance and

feedback

receive, with the faculty mentor‟s guidance, any special permission

needed to conduct research associated with the project

inform the Director of the Honors Program if you do not believe you

will be able to complete the project

schedule a time for the Honors Capstone defense with assistance from

the Honors Program Coordinator

submit electronic draft of your Capstone Project to the Honors Program

Coordinator at least two days before the defense

7

submit a final electronic and hard copies of your Capstone Project to

the Honors Program Coordinator by Wednesday before graduation

submit a final electronic copy of your Capstone Project to OhioLINK,

with assistance from a Reference and Instruction Librarian if needed

8

III. Composing the Honors Capstone Project

Composing the Honors Capstone Project requires careful planning and a large

time commitment. As you will likely be receiving 3 credit hours of Independent

Study during each of your final two semesters, you should expect to spend 9-10

hours per week working on your project (including meetings with your advisor,

research, reading, etc.).

Who is the audience for my Capstone Project? Your project should be

written so that another academically talented senior with your major could read

and understand it. Thus, you can assume the readers of your project understand

basic knowledge of your discipline that they would encounter in

freshman/sophomore level classes. You should not assume your readers are

experts in the specific area of your major covered by your Capstone Project.

Your faculty mentor should be able to advise you on whether your Capstone

Project is written at an appropriate level.

What should be included in my Honors Capstone Project? You and your

faculty mentor will decide this. However, the following sections are likely to

appear in your project in the order specified:

Title page (required, without page number)

Copyright Notice (optional)

Abstract (required)

Dedication/Preface (optional)

Acknowledgements (optional)

Table of Contents (if appropriate)

Lists of Tables, Figures, Definitions, etc. (if appropriate)

Text (likely divided into sections)

Endnotes (if appropriate)

Bibliography/References/Works Cited

Appendices (if appropriate)

Final appendix should be authorization from the Human Subjects

Review Board (if appropriate)

Author‟s Biography (required)

Should my Honors Capstone Project have a specific format? In general, you

should use a format that matches the standard format, including citation style,

used by professionals writing papers in your discipline. Your faculty mentor

should be able to help you with formatting issues by giving you examples of

9

papers using the standard format. However, the Honors Program does require

you to use the following guidelines:

Standard title page: You can find a sample title page in Appendix C.

Abstract: Your abstract should be a concise summary of the Capstone

Project in no more than 250 words addressing the purpose, scope,

organization, methodology, and results of the project. You can find

samples of these in Appendix D.

Author’s Biography: Write your biography in 3rd

person and include,

hometown, place/year of high school graduation, major(s) and

minor(s), listing of Ashland University honors, and future plans. You

can find a sample biography in Appendix E.

Page format: Use 1 inch margins, with page numbers in the upper

right or bottom center of each page. The title page should not be

numbered, use lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, …) for

preliminary material, and use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, …) for the

remainder of the project, starting with the text. Double-space text

except for long quotations. Print 1-sided for final copy turned into the

Honors Program Coordinator.

Should I copyright my capstone project? You have full rights as an author to

copyright your project. You can formally apply for a copyright with the

Copyright Office (http://www.copyright.gov/), but this is not necessary. If you

wish to specify your rights, include a copyright notice on the page immediately

following your title page. The page should be numbered, with text centered

vertically and horizontally, and have one of the following forms:

Copyright 2008 Your Name

or

©2008 Your Name

All Rights Reserved

10

IV. The Capstone Project Defense

How do I schedule my Capstone Project Defense? Contact your faculty

mentor, additional readers, and the Honors Program Director to schedule your

defense for a date and time at which all can attend. You may also wish to

consider the schedules of other faculty in your major department and your

family and friends as you are scheduling your defense. Your defense can be

scheduled for any day up to the last day of classes, but keep in mind you may

have final revisions to do after your defense, and thus you may wish to schedule

the defense early enough to leave time to make these revisions. Contact the

Honors Program Coordinator to assist you in scheduling a location for your

defense. The Honors Program Coordinator will announce your defense to all

Honors students, faculty, deans, the Provost, and the President approximately

one week prior to the defense. You should send the Honors Program

Coordinator your title, abstract, and biography to be included with this

announcement. It is advantageous to schedule your defense as early as possible

to avoid schedule conflicts.

What should I do to prepare for the defense? Practice, practice, practice. It

is normal to be nervous at your defense, but you can reduce your nervousness by

practicing your talk several times. Consider practicing your talk before other

Honors students, friends, or family members. Encourage them to give you

feedback on your presentation, and to ask questions about your project so you

will feel more prepared to answer questions on the day of your defense. You

should definitely consult your faculty mentor as to what you plan to talk about

during your defense. If you create a PowerPoint presentation, you may wish to

share the PowerPoint slides with your mentor and ask for feedback.

What is the format of the defense? Typically, your faculty mentor will begin

the defense by welcoming members of the audience, introducing you, and

briefly describing your Capstone Project. You should present a detailed

summary of your entire project, including the topic you studied, the

methodology you used in studying the topic, and the overall results. Keep in

mind that there will likely be members of the audience who have not read your

paper, and thus it is important that your presentation is complete enough for

them to understand your project. The presentation of your project should last

30-60 minutes. At the conclusion of your presentation, your faculty mentor

should invite questions from the audience. Typically, your faculty mentor will

ask the initial question, followed by your readers and the Honors Program

Director. However, you should expect to field questions from anyone in the

audience. You should expect the question and answer period to last 15-30

minutes. When it seems appropriate, your faculty mentor will end the question

and answer period, and the faculty mentor, additional readers, and Honors

Program Director will privately discuss your project for 5-10 minutes, to

evaluate if it is of Honors quality. Assuming that it is, the Honors Program

11

Director will announce to the audience that you have successfully completed the

Honors Capstone Project.

Why must I make additional revisions to my project after the defense?

Ideally, you will only be making minor, word-processing revisions to your

Honors Capstone Project after your defense, especially if you submit early drafts

of sections of your paper to your faculty mentor throughout the final semester of

your project. However, your additional readers, the Honors Program Director,

and members of the audience may make suggestions or raise questions that you

should address in your final paper. Don‟t feel discouraged, or let this reduce

your feelings of jubilation for completing this significant academic endeavor; it

is completely normal to need to do additional revisions. You should submit a

final hard copy and final electronic copy of your revised paper to the Honors

Program Office by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday of final exam week.

12

V. Advice from Previous Honors Students

I'd definitely recommend picking a topic you are really interested in

and actually care about. That way you actually want to keep working so

you can learn more. And later, when you feel like ripping your hair out,

you remember that the topic is actually important to you. (Kristen

Sikora, 2008, Religion)

I would tell people not to even think about the defense before the paper

is written. I stressed out about presenting and defending. I was

absolutely dreading it. By the day of the defense, however, I was

almost excited. I had spent SO much time researching and writing and

I was proud of the work I had done. My defense was my opportunity to

show others what I had accomplished and how well I knew the

material. It was also my chance to spread awareness about something I

cared so deeply about. (Kristen Sikora, 2008, Religion)

I would encourage students to discuss with their faculty mentors their

responsibilities. I found myself wanting feedback later in the process

and not being able to get it. I wanted to get some suggestions from

them, but they didn't really have time to read my thesis. (Jonathan

Spelman, 2008, Philosophy & Political Science)

Start working on it early. Also, do a lot of research to figure out if the

topic is right for you because it will be your constant companion

throughout your senior year and if you don't LOVE it when you begin,

you will LOATHE it when you finish. I know that I loved my topic but

I still had the occasional urge to create a large bonfire in the middle of

the Quad with all of my research material and hundreds of pages of

drafts :) Get an advisor that not only knows about the topic but also

suits your working style. You will be meeting with your advisor all the

time and that person will be telling you what to do (and not do) so you

better make your choice wisely! Good luck and don't worry, you

will get through it! It was an arduous task but I'm glad that I did

it. (Laureen Thompson, 2008, Political Science & History)

13

Appendix A: Relationship between Honors Capstone Project, Majors, and Academic Programs

Majors accepting the Independent Study 498 associated with Honors

Capstone Project as Departmental Elective Credits (# of credits)

Biology (6)

Chemistry (3)

Computer Science (3)

Criminal Justice (6)

Digital Media Production or Digital Media Journalism (3)

Education Biology 7-12 (3)

English (6)

Environmental Science (Biology or Chemistry Track) (6)

Geology (6)

History (6)

Integrated Language Arts (6)

Mathematics, B.S. (6)

Philosophy (6)

Physics (6)

Political Science (6)

Social Work (6)

Toxicology (6)

Courses in which students may work on Honors Capstone Projects and

which may count towards some of the 6 credit hours of Independent

Study 498 if approved by Director of Honors Program (# of credits)

ART 492: Studio Capstone (3)

BIO 497: Directed Laboratory and Field Research (6)

BUS 239: Business Work Experience (3)

BUS 339: Business Internship/Cooperative Education (3)

CHEM 497: Laboratory and Field Research (6)

ENG 415: Editing One‟s Own Writing (3)

FCS 419: Research in Family and Consumer Sciences (3)

GEOL 497: Laboratory and Field Research (6)

MGT 489: Senior Seminar – Business Capstone (3)

MUS 497: Senior Project (2)

PHYS 497: Laboratory and Field Research (6)

PSYC 310: Advanced Research (3)

REL 497: Religion Thesis Seminar (3)

THE 499: Senior Project (3)

The Honors Capstone Project meets the Thesis/Research requirement for the

Ashbrook Program and College of Arts and Sciences Scholars Program.

14

Appendix B: Honors Capstone Project Options in the College of Business and Economics

Option 1 – The student follows the traditional format for an Honors Capstone

Project by completing 6 hours of Independent Study in the student‟s major

during his/her final two semesters, working closely with a faculty mentor whose

discipline matches the student‟s major. The student will still enroll in

Management 489: Senior Seminar-Business Capstone and complete the work

experience or internship requirement that is part of the Core Requirements from

Business.

Option 2 – The student completes the work experience or internship requirement

and the Honors Capstone Project takes the form of a reflection and report on this

experience and the creation of a proposal on how the company with whom

he/she worked could improve its operation by applying appropriate business

principles. The student will create this proposal while completing 3 hours of

Independent Study in the student‟s major during one of his/her final two

semesters, and the Honors Capstone Project must include a description of the

business principles the student is applying. The student will still enroll in

Management 489: Senior Seminar-Business Capstone, one of the Core

Requirements from Business.

Option 3 – The student completes Management 489: Senior Seminar-Business

Capstone during his/her next to last semester and the Honors Capstone Project

takes the form of a reflection and report on his/her performance on the GLO-

BUS business strategy simulation and an analysis on how he/she could improve

his/her performance if he/she were to participate in the simulation again. The

student will create this analysis while completing 3 hours of Independent Study

in the student‟s major during his/her final semester, and the Honors Capstone

Project must include a description of the business principles the student is

applying in the analysis. The student must still complete the work experience or

internship requirement that is part of the Core Requirements from Business.

15

Appendix C: Recent Honors Capstone Projects

If you would like to read any past Honors Capstone Projects, bound copies are

in the Reference Area of the Ashland University library and the Honors Program

Coordinator and Director have electronic copies of most projects since 2006.

May 2012

“Like That Mean Lady in Mrs. Doubtfire?”: The Stereotype of

Social Workers in Film by Rebecca Civittolo, Social Work and

Philosophy, Mentor: Prof. Nancy Udolph

The Constitutionality and Necessity of the First Bank of the United

States by Mariah Dunsing, Political Science and History, Mentor: Dr.

Michael Schwarz

The Analysis, Benefits, and Recommendations in Promoting

Future Growth for Tim Frank Septic Tank Cleaning Company by

Todd Frank, Business Management, Mentor: Dr. Steven Pool

Wholesome Healthcare for a Global Society by Victoria Goudy,

Chemistry with ACS Certification, Mentor: Dr. Rodney Michael

An Economic Defense of Liberalism by Alex Jones, Economics and

Philosophy, Mentor: Dr. Mark Nadler

December 2011

Heracles and Divine Founders by Nicholas Granitz, Philosophy and

History, Mentor: Dr. Edith Foster

May 2011

VIEWNU, L.L.C. Business Plan by Corey Barnett, Marketing and

Business Management, Mentor: Dr. Daniel Sullivan

Exploring the Platonic Relationship between Probability and

Yahtzee by Kara Biltz, Math and History, Mentor: Dr. Christopher

Swanson

Fruits of the Faith: Reading Jesus’ Parables from an Agricultural

Perspective by Michelle Conti Tucker, Religion, Mentor: Dr. David

Aune

Transcendental Metaphysics and Beauty by Keith Darsee,

Philosophy and Political Science, Mentor: Dr. Louis Mancha

Identifying Novel Regulatory Regions of the Zebrafish αBb-

crystallin Promoter by Amy Drossman, Biology, Mentor: Dr. Mason

Posner

16

“Where ya Bean?” A Coffee Shop Bakery Business Plan by Jeanne

DuBois, Business Administration, Mentor: Dr. Daniel Fox

International Students’ Perceptions of University Assistance with

their Social Adjustment by Sarah Ebinger, Child and Family Studies,

Mentor: Dr. Cindy Moseman

Good Questions, Better Tools: A Guidebook for Fledgling Grant

Writers by Sara Garska, English, Mentors: Dr. John Stratton and Dr.

Jacqueline Wilkins

An Alternative Measure of Federal Indebtedness by Sarah Muse,

Economics and International Political Studies, Mentor: Dr. Mark

Nadler

“The Most Barefaced Attempt At Censorship": Examining the Nye

Accusations of Hollywood Interventionist Propaganda Before Pearl

Harbor by Allison Shuman, History and Creative Writing, Mentor:

Dr. John Moser

Where the Wild Things Were: Tackling the Tangled Teeth of

Costume Design by Sean Smith, English and Theatre, Mentor:

Professor Angelina Herin

The Toxic Effects of Atrazine and Permethrin as a Mixture by

Phillip Wages, Toxicology, Mentors: Dr. Mason Posner and Dr.

Andrew Trimble

December 2010

Should the Criminal Go Free Because the Constable Blundered?

by Amber Chase, Criminal Justice: English, Mentor: Prof. Michael

Barrett

Unnatural Law: Contraception, Homosexuality, and the Natural

Law by Tyler Millhouse, Philosophy, Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Tiel

Duns Scotus or Dunce Scotus: A Critical Evaluation of Radical

Orthodoxy’s Account by Christopher Williams, Philosophy and

Religion, Mentor: Dr. Craig Hovey

May 2010

A Study of Diversity in Curriculum in Ohio by Ashley Carpenter,

Early Childhood Education, Mentor: Dr. Jason Ellis

Investigation of Carbon Wire X-pinch backlighting for Pulsed

Power Driven Exploding Wire Experiments by Sean McGraw,

Physics and Math, Mentor: Dr. Rodney Michael

Of Gods and Men: A Political Study of Shakespeare's Julius

Caesar by Robinson O‟Brien-Bours, Political Science and History,

Mentor: Dr. Peter Schramm

17

Appendix D: Sample Title Page

THE INHERENT VALUE OF ANIMALS

AND THE ROLE OF MAN

by

Kristen M. Sikora

A capstone project submitted in partial fulfillment

of graduating from the Academic Honors Program

at Ashland University

December 2008

Faculty Mentor: David Aune, Associate Professor of Religion

Additional Reader: Dr. Peter Slade, Assistant Professor of Religion

18

Appendix E: Sample Abstracts

The Morality of Killing in Self-defense: A Christian Perspective by

Jonathan Spelman, Philosophy and Political Science

ABSTRACT

Early on in his work On Free Choice of the Will, St. Augustine questions the

moral permissibility of killing in self-defense. Although he does not go so far as

to blame governments for permitting the performance of such action, he does

suggest that those who kill in self-defense may be "condemned by a more

powerful, hidden law." In order to determine whether or not self-defense is

morally permissible, I analyze not only the relevant Biblical passages but also

the views of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Paul Ramsey on the

topic. After drawing a distinction between justice as described in the Old

Testament and righteousness as presented by Jesus in the New Testament, I

argue that the act of killing in self-defense, though just, is righteous only when

motivated by one‟s love of others.

Using Painting as a Cathartic Release for Victims of Domestic Violence and

People Overcoming Grief by Rachel M. Biglin, Fine Art: Painting

ABSTRACT

The idea of using art as a form of visual expression has been around throughout

history and the idea of using art as a form of therapy emerged in the

1940's. This project investigates the social issues of domestic violence and grief

and illustrates how creating art, specifically painting, can be used as a form of

cathartic release for people who have experienced a traumatic event or who are

dealing with high levels of stress. The project explores artists throughout

history up to the present who create art to aid in catharsis. My personal journey

as an artist with a reflection of the strengths and weakness of my work is added

to illustrate the growth an individual can experience through the painting

process.

The Use of Facilitated Communication Training by Individuals with

Autism: A Fight for Validation by Holly Aurand, Education/Intervention

Specialist

ABSTRACT

The overachieving goal of this thesis is to dispel the misconception that an

individual‟s motor output is indicative of cognitive, emotive, or psychological

ability. In particular, it will explain the process of Facilitated Communication

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Training (FCT), the rationale for its use, and its impact upon individuals who

experience autism. The validation of said individuals as intelligent, feeling

human beings will be established through documented research, as well as

interviews, direct observations, and the author‟s personal facilitation experience.

A case study will highlight one woman‟s ongoing battle to practice her right to

communicate, the frustration associated with false assumptions, and the need to

educate others about the FCT and autism.

Motivation in the Workplace: Examining Goal Setting and Expectancy

Theories of Motivation by Megan McDowell, Business Management and

Accounting

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines motivation in the context of the work environment, to

answer the question “How do we best motivate others?” Published literature is

used to observe major theories of motivation and provide a basis for the

argument that goal setting and expectancy theories can be linked. A study of 85

bank employees was conducted to assess the perceived relationship between

goal setting and expectancy. All hypotheses were confirmed, indicating that

motivation influences job satisfaction and goal commitment influences effort.

Results suggest that goal setting and expectancy can be linked with job

satisfaction. Implications of the literature and study are also discussed.

'No Child Left Inside' and Ecotourism as Public Relations Tactics: The

Case of Malabar Farm State Park by Katherine Blackley, Speech

Communications

ABSTRACT

The Case of Malabar Farm State Park‟ considers the environmental movement

as a marketing tool, the „No Child Left Inside‟ movement as a way to reach new

target audiences, and the principles of ecotourism to guide the state park‟s

marketing and public relations practices. This project veers from traditional

theses. While extensive research guided each area of study, a public relations

plan presented to the existing organization and client, Malabar Farm State Park,

addresses the park‟s PR challenges. All public relations, marketing, and

advertising tactics and solutions presented to the client act merely as suggestions

that mirror practices within the public relations field; implementation is at the

client‟s discretion. This case study attempts to solve real communication issues

for a real organization.

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Appendix F: Sample Author Biography

Author Biography

Bart Simpson was born in Springfield, Ohio on April 1, 1983. He grew up in

Springfield, graduating from Springfield High School in 2003. At Ashland

University, Bart is majoring in college pranks with a minor in potty humor. He

is a member of that national prank honorary Pi Upsilon Nu, was on the Dean‟s

List 3 semesters (until someone discovered he hacked WebAdvisor), and

received the prestigious Do Nothing Scholarship.

Upon graduation, Bart plans to work at Moe‟s so he can spend more time with

his father, before attending graduate school to receive a doctorate in Whoopee

Cushions.

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Appendix G: Honors Capstone Timetable

Students typically work on their Honors Capstone Projects over three semesters:

Semester I (typically fall or spring, Junior year):

Enroll in HON 310: Honors Capstone Preparation Seminar

Select faculty mentor to supervise the Capstone Project, and direct the

Independent Study

Submit Independent Study Request Form for Semester II to Registrar‟s

Office prior to end of semester

Develop Capstone Project prospectus, a 3 to 10 page description of the

Capstone Project and the nature of the research, including an annotated

bibliography

Begin collecting resources for study

Semester II (typically Fall, Senior year):

Read, research, and organize

Outline and begin to write towards the end of the semester

Select at least one additional reader in consultation with mentor

One page Progress Report signed by student and mentor submitted to

Director of Academic Honors Program by Wednesday of last week of

classes.

Semester III (typically Spring, Senior year):

Submit drafts of Capstone Project to faculty mentor for feedback

throughout the semester.

Submit the completed Capstone Project to additional readers by

Friday of 11th

week of classes

Readers evaluate and give feedback on the Capstone Project by Friday

of 12th

week of classes.

Schedule oral defense to occur within 13th

through 15th

week of classes.

The Honors Program Office will publicly announce the defense which

is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

Complete revisions suggested by readers and submit hard copies of

Capstone Project to readers and the Honors Program Director at least

two days prior to oral defense.

Submit hard and electronic final copies of Capstone Project to Honors

Program Office by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday of final exam week.

Receive Honors cords to be worn during graduation.

Variations in this schedule are possible, but must be approved by the

Director of the Honors Program. For example, some students may elect to

take 6 credits of Independent Study one semester.