HONORS CAPSTONE PROJECT HANDBOOK Wood Honors

HONORS CAPSTONE PROJECT HANDBOOK

Wood Honors College

Shippensburg University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4

Which capstone project option should I choose?

How do I determine the focus of my project?

If I select the independent research or creative project option, how extensive should

my project be?

If I am required to complete a capstone project in my major, do I need to do a

second project to complete the Honors capstone requirement?

How do I register for academic credit for my capstone project?

When is my capstone project proposal due?

What types of grants are available to support my capstone project?

Why should I consider presenting my Honors capstone project at an external

conference? What are good options?

Important Dates and Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Completing the HON 399: Honors Independent Study Paperwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

HON 399 Form and Sample Syllabus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11

Honors Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-14

Honors Symposium Presentation Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17

Note: The following Honors Capstone Project Forms are posted on the Honors website.

Election of Honors Capstone Project

Honors Capstone Project Proposal

Honors Capstone Project Grant Application Guidelines

Honors Capstone Project Grant Application

Honors Capstone Project Grant Reimbursement Request

Travel Reimbursement Request

INTRODUCTION

The culmination of your Honors College experience is your Honors capstone project. Your

capstone project is a major independent or collaborative research, creative, or service-learning

project. Students usually complete their capstone projects during their senior year and present

their projects at the Honors Symposium at the end of their senior year. You have several options

for completing your Honors capstone project, including:

• Independent or collaborative research, creative, or service-learning project

• Internship with a related research project

• Student teaching experience with a related research project

• HON 396: Honors Colloquium: Students contribute to the Reach Out service-learning

project.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which capstone project option should I choose?

The Honors capstone option that you select should relate directly to your academic and

professional goals. Your Honors capstone project should serve as a showcase of the content

knowledge and skills that you have acquired during your undergraduate experience. Think of it

as your “ticket” to where you want to go when you graduate. For example, if you are planning to

attend graduate school, you should probably complete an independent or collaborative research

project because this will impress graduate school admission committees and strengthen your

chances of admission. If you are an education major, developing curricular materials for our

Reach Out service-learning project in the Dominican Republic or completing an independent

research project while student teaching will make you stand out from other candidates when you

are applying for teaching positions.

How do I determine the focus of my project?

First, keep in mind that you will be working on your project for almost a year, so make sure that

you select a topic that you are passionate about studying. Second, one of the best ways to choose

a topic is to find a professor who is doing research in an area that you are interested in learning

more about. Talk with your academic advisor about your interests, and she/he should be able to

direct you to the most suitable professors in your department. Keep in mind that most

Shippensburg professors are very interested in working on research projects with Honors

students. Another good way to generate potential topics is to review what other Honors students

have done for their capstone projects. Attend the Honors Symposium in December or April to

see what this year’s seniors are doing, and review the archive of past Honors capstone project

abstracts, which is available at http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Curriculum/Symposium_Archive/.

And remember that Dr. Klein has worked with many students on their Honors capstone projects,

and she’s always interested in meeting with you to discuss potential topics.

Please note that your project must include an element of original research (e.g. use of primary

source material, investigation of a new topic/problem, use of a new methodology to research a

topic/problem that others have previously explored). Your project cannot be based solely on a

review of secondary literature (i.e. what others have already written about your topic).

If I select the independent research or creative project option, how extensive should my

project be?

The scope of research and creative projects varies by discipline. A good general guideline is that

your final written project should be the length of a standard journal article in your discipline. For

history majors, most history journals accept papers of 25-40 pages. Because of their technical

nature, journal articles in the sciences and social sciences are usually significantly shorter in

length. Browse through the major journals in your discipline and talk with your faculty advisor to

get a better sense of the standard for your discipline.

Can I expand a research, creative, or service-learning project that I started in another class

and turn it into my Honors capstone project?

Students may base their Honors capstone projects on projects or papers that they developed in

earlier classes. For example, students who enroll in HON 440: Seminar in Business and Society

have used the research papers that they developed in this class as the foundation of their Honors

capstone projects. If you choose this path, in your Honors Capstone Project Proposal, you must

explain clearly how your Honors capstone project will be different from and more expansive

than your earlier paper or project so that you can justify earning an additional three academic

credits for the paper or project.

If I am required to complete a capstone project in my major, do I need to do a second

project to complete the Honors capstone requirement?

Not necessarily. In many cases, students can double-count the capstone project required for their

major for their Honors capstone project. For example, Chemistry and Computer Science majors

commonly double-count their required major capstone project for their Honors capstone project.

However, your major capstone project must be one of the Honors options outlined above (e.g.,

independent research), and it must conform to the scope and rigor of Honors projects. Many

students discover that by expanding their required major capstone projects, they are able to fulfill

their Honors capstone requirement, too. If you are interested in double-counting your major

capstone project for your Honors capstone project, meet with Dr. Klein to make sure that it is

feasible to do so.

How do I register for academic credit for my capstone project?

Students are required to register for academic credit for their capstone project, so that it appears

on their academic transcript. There are several options for registering for credit for your

capstone project:

1. Students in several majors (most science and some social science majors, including

psychology) can earn academic credit for their project by enrolling in their department’s upper-

division research or required capstone courses. Here are some of the courses that students have

used in the past to fulfill their Honors capstone project requirement (all courses are 3 credits,

unless otherwise indicated):

--Art: ART 385: Senior Art Seminar

--Biology: BIO 397: Introduction to Research or BIO 398: Research II

--Chemistry: CHM 497 and 498: Introduction to Research (1 cr. each)

--Computer Engineering/Electrical Engineering: CMPE 499: Engineering Development (2 cr.)

--Computer Science: CSC 499: Research and Development Project (2 cr.)

--Interdisciplinary Arts: IAP 449: Interdisciplinary Arts Senior Thesis

--Physics: PHY 397: Research Project

--Political Science: PLS 399: Senior Seminar

--Psychology: PSY 374 or 375: Advanced Research in Psychology I or II; PSY 381 or 382:

Honor Thesis I or II

If your department offers another research course that you would like to use to fulfill your

Honors capstone requirement, please discuss this option with Dr. Klein

2. If you are a student in a department that does not offer upper-division research courses

(business, some humanities and social science majors), you will likely register for HON 399:

Honors Independent Study in order to earn academic credit for your project. You can enroll in

HON 399 in any summer term or regular semester. You should register for this course during the

semester in which you intend to complete your Honors capstone project. For example, you may

begin your research project during the fall semester of your senior year but may not plan to

complete it until the spring semester. Therefore, you should register for HON 399 during the

spring semester. Please note that you must complete HON 399 application (available on the

Honors website) and receive a series of approvals before you will be registered for the course.

Please note that the approval process can take up to 4 weeks to complete.

3. If you choose to complete a research project while student teaching, your regular

student-teaching credits will fulfill the Honors capstone credit requirement. The courses are:

--Early Childhood/Elementary Education: ECH 489: Early Childhood Student Teaching

--Elementary/Middle Level/Secondary Education: EDU 495: Student Teaching Experience

When is my capstone project proposal due?

The standard deadline for submitting your Honors capstone proposal is September 1 of your

senior year. However, if you plan to begin your project before the fall semester of your senior

year, you must submit the form and get the required approvals from your faculty advisor and Dr.

Klein before you begin your project. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the project that you’ve

started will fulfill your Honors capstone requirement.

What types of grants are available to support my capstone project?

To complete your capstone project, you may need to purchase special supplies or equipment, or

you may need to travel to do your research. Fortunately, Honors students are eligible to apply for

a variety of grants to fund their research projects and the presentation of their projects at local,

regional, and national conferences. Here are two important grant opportunities:

University Undergraduate Research Grants Program: The university awards competitive

grants to support students’ undergraduate research projects. The application deadline is usually

in early October. More information about the university undergraduate research grants program

is available at http://www.ship.edu/Student_Research/Funding_Alert/.

Honors College Capstone Project Grants: The Honors College awards competitive grants to

support Honors students’ capstone projects and the presentation of their projects at regional and

national conferences. There are two deadlines for the grants each year, April 1 and November 1.

The grant guidelines and application forms are available at

http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Current/Forms/.

Why should I consider presenting my Honors capstone project at an external conference?

What are some good options?

Honors students are strongly encouraged to present their capstone projects at local, regional, and

national conferences. Making an external conference presentation looks great on your resume,

and it is a terrific opportunity to make connections with other student and faculty researchers in

your discipline. Plus, if your project is accepted for presentation at a conference, you can apply

for a grant from the Honors College to fund your travel. Keep in mind that most deadlines for

applying to make a presentation at a conference are at least four-to-six months before the

conference. Here are some good options:

Regional and national disciplinary conferences: Almost every academic discipline has a

regional or national conference where undergraduate students are welcome to present their

research and creative projects. For example, Honors history majors often present their research

projects at the state and regional Phi Alpha Theta conferences, Honors psychology majors can

present at the Eastern Psychological Association meeting, and Honors chemistry majors often

present their research at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society. Check with

your academic or research advisor for conference opportunities in your discipline.

Northeast Regional Honors Conference (NRHC): NRHC, held annually in late March or early

April, offers Honors students from all disciplines the opportunity to present their research papers

and posters and creative projects. The deadline for applying to participate in the conference is

usually in mid-November. More information about the conference is posted at

http://www.nrhchonors.org.

National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC): NCHC is the national professional organization

of Honors Colleges and Colleges. It hosts an annual conference each fall, and Honors students

are invited to present research posters and interdisciplinary research papers at the conference.

The conference is a wonderful opportunity for Honors students in all majors to network with

their Honors peers from across the nation. The deadline for submitting proposals for the

conference is usually around March 1, so this conference is most suitable for students who have

been working on research projects during their sophomore and junior years. Like the regional

Honors conference, Dr. Klein must approve your proposal before you submit it. More

information about the conference is posted at http://www.nchc.org.

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR): This annual conference provides

undergraduate students in all disciplines a forum for sharing the results of their research and

creative projects. The deadline for submitting proposals is usually in mid-November, and the

conference is usually held in late March or early April. Note that the conference website changes

each year, based on the host institution so search online for “NCUR.”

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

Submit all required forms and other materials to the Honors secretary, Cindy Poe, at the Honors

office or cmpoe@ship.edu. Materials may be submitted in hard copy or electronic format, except

where a specific format is noted. All forms noted below are posted on the Honors website at

http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Current/Forms/.

Make sure that you submit your capstone project proposal and get the required approvals from

your faculty advisor and Dr. Klein before you begin your project. Therefore, if you plan to begin

your project before the fall semester of your senior year, you need to submit your proposal

before the standard September 1 deadline.

Freshman and Sophomore Years

As you begin to take courses in your major, talk with your academic advisor and other professors

about the opportunities that are available to get involved in research and creative projects with

professors in your major. Start brainstorming ideas for your capstone project, and make sure to

talk with your academic advisor and Dr. Klein if you have any questions.

Junior Year

The steps that you take during your junior year are critical to ensuring that you will be able to

complete your capstone project successfully during your senior year. Most importantly, during

your junior year, you should identify: 1) a feasible capstone project topic and 2) a professor who

could serve as the faculty advisor on your project. Make sure that you talk with the professor

about your project during your junior year so that you ensure that they have time to work with

you during your senior year. If you are having difficulty identifying a topic and/or faculty

advisor, make an appointment to meet with Dr. Klein to discuss your interests and brainstorm

potential topics and advisors. Here are other specific deadlines to meet during your junior year:

September 15: Election of Honors Capstone Project Form due. On this form, you will indicate

which Honors capstone option you intend to complete.

Recommended by March 1: Begin your review of secondary literature by scheduling a research

consultation with a librarian. Research consultations are one-on-one appointments with a

librarian to help you begin to plan the library research for your Honors capstone project. Follow-

up appointments can also be scheduled during the fall semester of your senior year upon request.

April 1: Application deadline for Honors Capstone Project Grants. If you need funding for your

capstone project during the summer or early fall, you should plan to apply for an Honors

capstone grant now. The application guidelines and forms are available on the Honors website at

http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Current/Forms/.

Late April: Attend the Honors Symposium. The Honors Symposium is held in conjunction with

the university’s annual Minds@Work conference. All Honors juniors should attend the Honors

Symposium, the annual event where Honors seniors present the results of their capstone projects.

Attending the Honors Symposium can help generate ideas for your own project and help you

understand what the scope of your project should be. Seeing what other Honors students have

done for their capstone projects will answer many questions that you may have about your own

project.

June 30: HON 399 Form and Syllabus due (for students who intend to use this course to

complete their Honors capstone project in the fall semester; see instructions for completing the

form and a sample syllabus below).

Senior Year

Note: A Senior Checklist, which includes all specific deadlines and dates, is distributed to

students at the beginning of their senior year.

September 1: Honors Capstone Project Proposal due

Early October: Application deadline for University Undergraduate Research Grants. See the

following website for more information about applying for university undergraduate research

grants to fund your capstone project: http://www.ship.edu/Student_Research/Funding_Alert/.

November 1: Application deadline for Honors Capstone Project Grants. If you need funds to

complete your project or attend a conference during the spring semester, you should apply for a

grant now. The application guidelines and forms are available on the Honors website at

http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Current/Forms/.

November 15: HON 399 Form and Syllabus due (for students who intend to use this course to

complete their Honors capstone project in the spring semester; see instructions for completing

the form and a sample syllabus below).

Early February: Information for Honors Symposium Program due (see Honors Symposium

information below).

April 15: Application deadline for the Outstanding Honors Capstone Project Award

Mid-April (at least one week before the Honors Symposium): Schedule a session to practice

your presentation with your project advisor or Dr. Klein.

Late April: Honors Symposium

Late April/Early May: Honors Spring Banquet

Last Monday of the Spring Semester: Deadline to submit electronic copies of:

1. Final Research Paper (or other written documentation required by your project advisor)

and

2. PowerPoint Presentation

COMPLETING THE HON 399: HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY PAPERWORK

Students who intend to earn credit for their Honors capstone project by using HON 399: Honors

Independent Study must complete the required paperwork and submit it to Dr. Klein by June 30

if they intend to enroll in the course in the fall semester and by November 15 if they intend to

enroll in the course in the spring semester. The HON 399: Honors Independent Study Form is

located on the “Forms” page of the Honors College website at

http://ship.edu/Honors/Current/Forms/. Here are some tips for completing your Honors

independent study paperwork:

Independent Study Form, Parts I and II:

• Under “Please provide detailed justification for request,” write: To fulfill the Honors

College’s capstone requirement.

• Under “Requesting,” check the “Independent Study” box.

• The “Course number and title” are HON 399: Honors Independent Study.

• The “Number of credits” is 3.

• The faculty member who is serving as the advisor for your Honors capstone project must

sign and date the form in two places:

o In Part I of the form, under “Advisor or Chair” and

o In Part II of the form, under “Faculty Member’s Signature”

Syllabus

Working with your faculty advisor, you must prepare a syllabus to attach to your HON 399 form.

The syllabus must include three key parts:

• Project Description: This should be the same project description that you submitted with

your Honors Independent Capstone Project Proposal (Part Two B of the proposal, minus

the budget section).

• Detailed Timeline: This is a week-by-week outline of the specific actions that you will

take to complete your project.

• Grading Requirements: The final form that your project will take (e.g. paper and length).

The formal presentation of your capstone project (e.g. at the Honors Symposium) should

account for 10% of your final grade.

Carefully review the sample syllabus that follows on pp. 9-12 of this handbook before you begin

working on your own syllabus, and contact Dr. Klein if you have any questions.

Approval Process

After you have completed the above steps, submit your paperwork to Dr. Klein. Dr. Klein will

review your materials and contact you if any changes are required. Then, she will sign your

form under “Department Chair” and forward it to your College Dean’s office. After your dean

reviews your independent study request, he/she will approve or deny it. If your request is

approved, your dean’s office will register you for HON 399. Please note that the approval and

registration process can take up to four weeks, so make sure that you get your paperwork to Dr.

Klein in plenty of time to get the necessary approvals.

SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY

REQUEST FOR INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION OR INDEPENDENT STUDY

INSTRUCTIONS

You must be in good academic standing to apply for individualized instruction or independent study. The course may not

be used to repeat or replace a course in which a grade of “D” or “F” was earned. To apply, you must first find a faculty member

who is willing to work with you on an individual basis. Complete Part I of this form and have the faculty member submit it for

approval. A syllabus must be attached showing course requirements, tentative schedule, and method of evaluation to be used. This

form will not be processed without a syllabus.

Individualized instruction-when you need to take a regular course during a semester in which the course is not offered.

These courses are generally restricted to students who have completed a substantial portion of their degree program and who

need the particular course to complete their degree requirements.

Independent study-must include some new experience of inquiry, evaluation, and/or creative activity. This experience must

be one which is not available through an established course, including individualized instruction.

PART I (to be filled out by student and signed by advisor or department chair):

Student Name: ____________________________SU ID #:__________________SU email:____________________

Undergraduate Graduate Major: ___________________________________________

Year: _______ Fall Spring Summer A Summer B Winter

Please provide detailed justification for request:_______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Student’s Signature: ____________________________________________________________ Date: __________

Advisor/Chair Signature: ________________________________________________________ Date: __________

PART II (to be filled out by department and college offering the course):

Requesting (check one): Independent Study Individualized Instruction

_____________________________________ Number of Credits:_____ Has the course already been taken? ______

(Course number and title) Yes No Grade

Syllabus attached (__________________________) (_______________________________) Date: __________

(Faculty Member Print) (Faculty Member Signature)

If the student has not met the restriction or pre-requisite associated with this course an override may be granted.

Yes No

Student is currently registered for how many credits? _____

Approved Denied ________________________________ Date: __________

(Department Chair’s Signature)

Authorization to raise max credits to: _____

Authorization granted to repeat previous grade of D/F course by College Dean

Approved Denied _________________________________________________________ Date: __________

(College Dean’s Signature)

Authorization granted to repeat previous grade of D/F course by Graduate Dean/Associate Provost

Approved Denied _________________________________________________________ Date: __________

(Graduate Dean/Associate Provost)

Course Code: ________________ Entered by: ___________________ Date: _____________________________

Revised Date: 7/20/2016

SAMPLE SYLLABUS FOR HON 399: HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY

Jennifer Hoover

Project Title: The Influence of Company Culture on Self-Insurance

Project Description:

Every state in the U.S. has laws that require employers to have a means for providing

compensation for their employees’ injuries or illnesses occurring as a result of their occupation.

Employers finance this risk through either market insurance, the most conventional method, or

self-insurance, an alternative risk transfer technique. A great deal of literature suggests two

theories behind the decision to self-insure. First, companies with low-risk tend to self-insure due

to cross-subsidies from low to high-risk firms. Second, companies with high risk tend to self-

insure due to high premiums charged by carriers. Current research tends to ignore the

relationship that exists between company culture and the decision to self-insure. Inspired by my

previous project, this research provides a new, qualitative perspective on the decision to self-

insure.

My previous research investigated firm-specific factors that influence manufacturers’ decisions

to manage workers’ compensation risk via self-insurance. However, as with most research on

self-insurance it focused on quantitative analysis and correlations. Factors such as ownership

type, sales revenue, NAICS incidence rates, and years in existence were found to be related to

self-insurance, but they did not form the entire picture. This research will begin with an

extensive literature review defining company culture and best practices for creating and

maintaining the desired culture. The literature review will also address definitions and current

theories relating to the decision to self-insure. Manager interviews and data analysis will be used

to identify the relationship between company culture and self-insurance. The paper will conclude

with a discussion of techniques to develop a culture conducive to self-insurance and an overview

of effective risk management strategies.

The analysis for the project uses data from the 2010 Pennsylvania Manufacturers Register and

Database which contains company profiles of 20,811 manufacturing firms located in

Pennsylvania. The insurance status of each of the manufacturers has been confirmed by the Self-

Insurance Division of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It

will be used for some quantitative analysis and also to identify companies and their contact

information to interview. Interviews with managers of self-insured manufacturing firms will be

conducted and used as evidence of company culture and risk management techniques.

Understanding the manufacturers’ decision behind self-insurance carries valuable information

about how such firms make decisions under uncertainty. Self-insurance can also be a very cost-

efficient insurance mechanism. Ultimately, companies could use this research to decide if their

firm is suitable for self-insurance or to implement a cultural shift necessary for a successful self-

insurance program. This research could be utilized by any company wishing to build a stronger

safety culture.

The accounting and finance fields are in many cases closely interlinked. In a corporate setting

rarely will strictly one field be used, and an understanding to at least some degree of other

disciplines is necessary for high-quality work. Working in Excel and conducting manager

interviews will develop technical and communication skills valuable in any business career. This

research will also be presented at an undergraduate research conference such as the Northeast

Regional Honors Conference. Presenting at a conference will provide me with the experience of

sharing my research and hearing other professionals’ opinions and feedback on my research. It is

a great networking opportunity that may facilitate future research.

Grading Requirements:

• Final Paper (15-20 pages in length): 90% of final grade

• Presentation at the Honors Symposium: 10% of final grade

Project Timeline:

Week 1:

• Review previous research project, “Why do Pennsylvania Manufacturing

Companies Self-Insure for Workers’ Compensation Liability?”

• Begin review of secondary literature on self-insurance

o Definitions of concepts and important terms

o Benefits of self-insurance

o Competing theories

o Determinants of self-insurance

• Consider submission of proposal to undergraduate research conference

Week 2:

• Prepare abstract to submit to conference

• Begin review of secondary literature on company culture

o Definition of culture

o Building culture

o Creating cultural change

o Culture and safety

Week 3:

• Complete review of secondary literature on self-insurance

• Continue review of secondary literature on company culture

• Develop questionnaire to be used in interviews with managers of self-insured

• companies

Week 4:

• Select companies to interview from manufacturing database and other sources

• Schedule interviews with managers of self-insured companies

• Begin rough draft of literature review

Week 5:

• Review quantitative analysis and charts from previous research

• Continue rough draft of literature review

• Conduct interviews of managers of self-insured companies

• Schedule additional interviews with managers of self-insured companies

Week 6:

• Conduct additional interviews as needed

• Begin to draw conclusions about the relationship between company culture and

• self-insurance

• Organize and document results of interviews using graphs and tables when

• appropriate

• Continue literature review

Week 7:

• Complete literature review

• Based on interviews and existing literature, identify best practices

• Compile list of effective risk management techniques used by self-insured

companies

• Begin rough draft of final paper

Week 8:

• Prepare charts and graphs to be included as an appendix to final report

• Continue work on final report

• Conduct additional interviews as needed

Week 9:

• Begin work on PowerPoint presentation to be used at Honors Symposium

• Work on final report

Week 10:

• Complete PowerPoint presentation

• Practice presentation with professors/peers and make any necessary changes

• Continue work on final draft of report

Week 11:

• Possibly present at regional conference

• Alter presentation based on effectiveness

Week 12:

• Review final report and make corrections and changes as needed

• Possibly submit research for publication

• Practice presentation for Honors Symposium

Week 13:

• Present research at Honors Symposium

Week 14:

• Submit final report and copy of presentation to the Honors College

HONORS SYMPOSIUM

The Honors Symposium, the annual event where Honors students present their capstone research

projects, is held in conjunction with the university’s Minds@Work Conference, usually in late

April. The date is posted on the Calendar of Events on the Honors website at the beginning of the

academic year.

In order to plan the Honors sessions and ensure that accurate information is included in the

symposium program, students who will be presenting their capstone projects must email the

following information about their projects to Cindy Poe at [email protected]. The specific date in

early February is included in the Senior Checklist.

1. Project Title

2. Project Abstract: Your abstract summarizes your project’s topic and its significance.

Your abstract should be approximately 3-5 sentences long. Abstracts are limited to 1000

characters (spaces are counted as part of the 1000-character limit). Calculate the number of

characters in your abstract before submitting your abstract to ensure that it does not exceed the

limit. Sample abstracts of past projects are included in the “Model Honors Capstone Projects”

section of this handbook, and additional examples are posted on the Honors website at

http://www.ship.edu/Honors/Curriculum/Symposium_Archive/.

3. Special equipment needs: Please note that a computer, overhead projector, and screen

will be available for your PowerPoint presentation. If you need any other special equipment,

please let us know now.

4. Name(s) of your faculty mentor(s), if they are different from those that you noted on

the Honors Capstone Project Proposal form that you submitted in September.

5. Names and addresses of parents and any other family members and friends that you

would like to invite to the symposium. The Honors College will send out invitations to your

family, friends, and faculty mentors.

6. Any obligations (classes, student teaching) that you have on the date of the Honors

Symposium after 2:00 p.m. The program planning committee will schedule your presentation so

that it does not conflict with your other obligations.

Important Note for Students Who Won University Undergraduate Research Grants: If you

were awarded a university undergraduate research grant, you do not need to submit a separate

registration for the Minds@Work conference as you need to present only once (during the

Honors sessions, unless you are also required to present by your department) at the event. You

may disregard any reminders that you receive about registering online because Dr. Klein will

submit your registration information as a group. If you were involved in a collaborative research

project with students who are not in the Honors College, your research partners are welcome to

present with you at the Honors Symposium.

Preparation and Evaluation of Symposium Presentations

Schedule and Timing of Presentations: Presentations are grouped into panels of two-to-four

presentations. Your presentation should be 10-12 minutes long. This will leave some time for

questions at the end of panel. The moderator of your panel will time your presentation (and stop

you if your presentation exceeds the limit) so practice your presentation to ensure it meets the

time limit.

Evaluation of Presentations: Your presentation will be evaluated by professors using a rubric

developed by the Honors College Advisory Board. The rubric is on pp. 15-17 of this handbook.

As you prepare your presentation, review the rubric guidelines carefully. As the rubric

summarizes, your presentation will be evaluated in five major areas:

1. Presentation: elocution, delivery style, vocabulary, command of material

2. Content: organization, genesis of research, methodology, results and conclusions,

sources

3. Visual materials

4. Question-and-answer period

5. Overall professionalism

Review the rubric carefully so that you are familiar with the factors that constitute a strong

presentation in each area. Keep in mind that you should not “read” your paper. Your presentation

should explain your project’s focus and significance so that it is clear to an educated audience,

but one that includes people who are not all specialists in your field.

As you prepare your PowerPoint, please make special note of the “Content” guidelines on the

rubric. Make sure that your PowerPoint includes a clear summary of your research question,

methodology, major sources, research findings, and the significance of your findings. If you have

any questions, please note that Dr. Klein is available to assist you with any aspect of preparing

your presentation.

Practice Session: To ensure that your presentation meets these guidelines, you should practice

your presentation with your project advisor or Dr. Klein at least one week before the Honors

Symposium. Getting feedback on your presentation from your advisor or Dr. Klein before the

Honors Symposium is a critical step in making a final presentation that you can be proud of.

Appropriate Attire: You are making a professional presentation so plan to wear professional

attire. For women, a jacket with skirt/dress/pants, and for men, a jacket and tie, are

recommended.

On the Day of the Symposium

You will receive the schedule of presentations for the Honors Symposium at least one week

before the event. Find your presentation time on the schedule, and:

1. Make sure that you arrive at least 15 minutes before the time block in which you are

scheduled to present.

2. A computer will be available to project all presentations. Please bring your

presentation on a flash drive or have it loaded on a shared drive and open it onto the computer

before your presentation block begins.

3. Make sure to thank your advisor at the end of your presentation!

After the Symposium

Don’t forget to submit electronic copies of your PowerPoint presentation and your final research

paper (or other written documentation required by your project advisor) to Cindy Poe at

cmpoe@ship.edu. Submissions are due by the final Monday of the semester.

HONORS SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATION RUBRIC

Name: Title of Presentation:

1 = Does not meet expectations

2 = Meets expectations

3 = Exceeds Expectations

Score

PRESENTATION

1. Elocution

Poor. Halting, uneven pace.

Difficult to hear due to

mumbling, speaking too softly,

too quickly, or too monotone.

Adequate pace and volume.

Speaks clearly but lacks

sufficient variations in vocal

intonation for emphasis.

Fluid, natural delivery of

information. Speaks at a good

pace using good vocal variety,

articulation, and volume.

2. Delivery Style

The presentation is boring and

difficult to follow due to poor

poise, no eye contact, and

fidgeting. Audience is distracted

by poor use of eye contact,

gestures, and the reading of the

presentation.

The presentation is adequate.

Speaker uses inconsistent eye

contact, gestures, and

expression. Speaker poise and

body language fairly

comfortable and natural; but

could use improvement.

The presentation is engaging.

Student is poised, uses strong

eye contact, gestures, and

expressions to enhance

presentation. Speaker looks

comfortable and natural.

3. Vocabulary

Completely inappropriate use of

professional vocabulary.

Excessive use of colloquialisms.

Adequate use of professional

vocabulary. Some use of

colloquialisms.

Completely appropriate use of

professional vocabulary. No

colloquialisms.

4. Command of Material

Poor. Struggles to find words,

reads most of the presentation,

and appears to lack the overall

knowledge to impart the

information adequately.

Adequate. Sometimes

struggles to find words,

occasionally reads parts of the

materials, and overall

knowledge is adequate.

Excellent. Does not read from

notes or slides. Expresses

knowledge fluently in own

words. Overall knowledge is

outstanding.

CONTENT

5. Overall Organization

Poor. Audience struggles to

understand overall content due to

poor sequencing of content.

Adequate. Struggles

somewhat to convey overall

content due to inconsistent

sequencing of content.

Excellent. Student presents

information in a logical,

interesting sequence which the

audience can follow.

6. Genesis of Research

Poor. Student fails to establish

the genesis of the research.

Adequate. Student adequately

establishes the genesis of the

research and imparts the

Excellent. Student establishes

the genesis of the research and

Student does not convey the

purpose of the study.

Questions remain.

imparts the purpose of the

study with excellent clarity.

7. Methodology

Poor. Student fails to provide

enough detail about methods for

the audience to understand the

results. The approach is not

technically sound as presented.

Adequate. Student provides

adequate detail about

methods for the audience to

understand the results,

although there may be

confusion. The approach

appears to be technically

sound as presented.

Excellent. Student provides

details about methods so the

audience can easily understand

the results. The approach is

technically sound as presented.

8. Results and Conclusions

Conclusions are not stated

clearly, lack the information

necessary for the audience to

understand, and are not supported

by results.

Conclusions are adequately

stated but may lack some

necessary information for the

audience to understand. The

conclusions are somewhat

based on the results.

Conclusions are stated clearly

and contain all of the

supporting information based

on the results.

9. Sources

Sources were poorly cited,

explained, or irrelevant to the

overall content.

Sources were adequately

cited and explained and

somewhat relevant to the

overall content.

Sources were clearly cited and

explained and were completely

relevant to the overall content.

VISUAL OR EXTRA MATERIALS

10. Information

Visual information is difficult to

understand, does not relate to

oral presentation, and does not

contain accurate or relevant

information.

Visual information is

understandable but may not

completely relate to oral

presentation. Contains mostly

accurate and relevant

information.

Visual information is easy to

understand, relates to oral

presentation, and contains

accurate and relevant

information.

11. Overall Design

The visual materials are not

comprehensive and are sloppy.

The materials do not appear to

have a logical sequence, and

there are many spelling and

grammatical errors.

The visual materials are

adequate. They are fairly

comprehensive, somewhat

logically sequenced, and may

have a spelling or

grammatical error.

The visual materials are

comprehensive, neatly

prepared, logically sequenced,

and have no spelling or

grammatical errors.

QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

12. Knowledge and Skill

The presenter’s knowledge of the

subject is limited. He/she has

difficulty answering any

audience questions.

The presenter’s knowledge of

the subject is adequate.

He/she experiences some

difficulty when answering

audience questions.

It is apparent that the

presenter’s knowledge of the

subject is comprehensive

because he/she is confident

and poised when answering

audience questions.

PROFESSIONALISM

13. Overall

Unacceptable. Numerous

problems in all areas degraded

the quality of the presentation

including distracting professional

attire, lack of punctuality, poor

set up, poor pacing, and not

respecting time limits.

Acceptable. A few minor

problems in the presentation

were noted. Professional

attire was adequate as was

punctuality, set up, pacing,

and respecting time limits.

Excellent. No problems were

noticed in the presentation.

Professional attire, punctuality,

set up, pacing, and respecting

time limits were strong.