ENVI 414H/415H: Environmental Science Honors Thesis

Syllabus

Instructor

David Kahler
Center for Environmental Research and Education
Office: Fisher 333A
Lab: Fisher 339A

Class Time and Location

• Fridays, 12:00 - 13:00
• Fisher Hall 214

Office Hours

Current office hours are available on the Courses page.

Course Description

Students should register for 414H in their penultimate semester and 415H in their final semester for consideration of departmental honors. Registration in these courses is limited to undergraduate students who have been accepted to the Environmental Science Honors Program.

Scientific research conducted under the mentorship of approved faculty in the field of environmental science. Specifically, this course culminates in the production of an undergraduate honors thesis, which includes a written document and scientific presentation to be defended before a faculty committee.

Seminar is an opportunity for students to learn about contemporaty topics in environmental science. The seminars will be mostly research and applications of research. Additionally, a responsible conduct of research workshop will be offered in the fall and undergraduate environmental science honors theses will be presented in the spring. Attendence is expected for participants in the undergraduate honors program. Preparatory readings may be occationally required.

Textbook

none required, but the following may be useful:

• Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research
  • By Nicholas H. Steneck
  • ISBN: 0-16-072285-3
• The Elements of Style
  • By William Strunk Jr., E. B. White
  • ISBN: 978-0205309023

Course Website

Course material will be posted on:

• Syllabus
• Seminar schedule

Objectives

Students will:

• explain and apply to case studies and (possibly) personal experience the responsible conduct of research (as defined by U.S. Federal Regulations and agency guidelines), and
• analyze others’ research and evaluate contributions to the field.

Evaluation

This course is evaluated on a pass or not pass basis at the sole discretion of your research mentor. Participation in the seminar series is required.

Item	Deadline
Thesis outline	06 March 2020
Thesis document	28 April 2020 (subject to revision)
Thesis presentation	27 April 2020 (beginning)

Expectations during the semester are set by your faculty mentor. In general, there should be three-hours of research activity per week for every credit earned.

Honors are awarded by the department to qualified students who complete an honors thesis. Acceptance into this course is an indication that academic coursework, previous research, and cocurricular engagement have been at the honors-level and are expected to remain at that high level. The written thesis and presentation should show evidence of the elements of scholarly work, namely:

• well-posed scientific question (hypothesis),
• review of the literature of the relevant works,
• well-designed inquiry with appropriate controls and replicates,
• data analysis, and
• conclusions that place the results in the context of the subject.
  The honors thesis may also be judged based on:
• thought and care in preparation and
• responses to questions in the defense.

Some students may wish to continue their research past the honors thesis. While this is possible, it is first important to note that each thesis will be evaluated on its own merits and a master’s thesis may not be simply a continuation of your honors thesis. This requirement is because each thesis, whether it be undergraduate or graduate, must be able to stand alone as a separate contribution to the field of environmental science.

It is logical that a student’s honors thesis research informs or provides the basis for the student’s master’s research. In this case, it is further logical that the honors thesis could include within the document the proposal for the master’s research as an attachment. The master’s research proposal must include all of the required components but may capitalize on the literature review and background provided by the honors thesis. Students who wish to elect this option must make it clear in their outline and discuss this option with the undergraduate honors program and their prospective master’s thesis committee.

Course Policies

Course policies that cover academic integrity, academic accommodations, and class procedures is available on the course website.