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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.