Application and Contract for Dynamics Lab Honors Students

Very qualified undergraduate students sometimes complete honors projects in the dynamics lab. Preference is given to students who are already in the lab as research assistants. Professor Freyd must be either the primary reader or the secondary reader on any honors project completed in the lab. Sometimes an advanced graduate student is the primary reader. If you are interested in completing an honors project in the dynamics lab you must first obtain the support of a sponsor in the lab (either Professor Freyd or an advanced graduate student).

After you are admitted to the lab as an honors student you will then need to be admitted to the Psychology Honors Program. You can find more information about that process and necessary forms on the relevant department web page. The psychology honors program often fills up early in spring term for the year ahead. Thus you want to get your application in no later than the first week of spring term of your Junior year. (This is relevant to you even if you are a Clark Honors College student. You still need to apply to the psychology department honors program. Your honors project can be used for both CHC and Psychology so long as you complete the specific requirements for each program.) Once you are admitted to the department honors program you will learn of your specific requirements for the department.

In order to ensure that your experience as an honors student in the Dynamics lab is a smooth process, as well as being educational and beneficial for you, several deadlines and requirements have been established. After reading and agreeing to the following, you should print a copy of this form, complete the time line, sign and date it, and return to your sponsor.

Steps for applying and completing an honors thesis in the dynamics lab

1) Obtain sponsor approval

  • Obtain your sponsor's approval for your planned research activities.Then with your sponsor prepare a written proposal for the honors project. This proposal must be approved by Professor Freyd in all cases prior to acceptance into the lab as an honors student.

2) Understand expectations regarding hours of work for credit

  • Honors projects take a lot of time. You will probably be working on average about 12 hours a week on your honors project. You may get academic course credit for this effort if you wish. To get such credit you should register for either 401 (research) or 403 (thesis). One thing to know about 403 (thesis): you will get an "I" until your project is completed and accepted, so if you do not want an "I" on your transcript we recommend you only enroll for 403 credit during your last term. If you do register for credit you must work at least 3 hours per week on lab-related activities for each credit hour enrolled (e.g.: for 3 credits, 9 hours). Your involvement is expected to be conscientious and responsible (e.g., prompt, courteous, respectful with both department members and participants in experiments). You are expected to follow all lab policies (e.g., booking rooms on yahoo calendar).

3) Other expectations:

  • Attend laboratory meetings
  • Read written materials (journal articles, book chapters, etc.) regarding the research topic, as suggested by your graduate sponsor or Professor Freyd.

4) Turn in a progress report on the Monday of Week 10 each term you are working on your honors project:

  • Honors students must turn in either their final honors paper or, if the honors paper is not complete, a progress report (see below), directly to Professor Freyd by no later than 4PM the Monday of Week 10. Your supervisor MUST have agreed to the deadlines you have selected.

5) Authorship

  • Honors students must complete a written thesis, a poster, and an oral presentation. These assignments are discussed in detail in the Honors Program seminar sequence 490-492. You should plan to discuss authorship issues regularly with your supervisor and certainly before completing these assignments. Typically you will be sole author of the thesis you turn in, listing your advisors on the cover sheet as advisors. The poster and presentation will typically be co-authored with you as first author and your advisors and collaborators as co-authors. Any paper submitted for publication will likely be co-authored.

6) Deadlines (fill in dates)

PROJECT

Term

Expected completion date (dynamics latest deadline. Pls write in actual date upon which this falls OR your deadline if you plan to complete sooner). NLT = Not Later Than

 

Fall

 

IRB protocol submission

 

NLT week 4 fall term

      Progress report

 

NLT 4pm Monday week 10

 

Winter

 

Data collection

 

NLT week 10 winter term

Data coding

 

NLT week 10 winter term

Data entry

 

NLT week 10 winter term

      Progress report

 

NLT 4pm Monday week 10

 

Spring

 

Data analysis

 

NLT week 2 spring term

PAPER/THESIS

 

 

 

Fall

 

Introduction

 

NLT week 8 fall term

Abstract & References

 

NLT week 9 fall term

Methods section

 

NLT week 10 fall term

 

Winter

 

Revised Introduction

 

NLT week 5 winter term

 

Spring

 

Results section

 

NLT week 2 spring term

Revised Methods

 

NLT week 2 spring term

Revised Results

 

NLT week 5 spring term

Discussion

 

NLT week 5 spring term

Revised discussion

 

NLT week 7 spring term

Final paper draft

 

NLT week 8 spring term

      Final paper for grading

 

NLT Monday of week 10 spring term

NOTE about deadlines: depending on the project, some of the deadlines may seem to conflict. E.g., it may seem impossible to finish data collection, coding, and data entry all during week 10 of winter term. If you must do all three of these tasks, you must consider this in your planning. Coding can take weeks. Therefore, work backwards from the data entry due date and allow enough time for each task. You MUST have this approved by your supervisor.

7) Plan to Complete the Department Application to the Honors Program.

 

Print this page out, complete it, and give to your supervisor.

I understand that in order to receive credit for Research this quarter, I must fulfill the above requirements.

 

 

Name

Date

 

 

Quarter

Credit Hours

 

 

Sponsor signature

Date

Last revised: 20 March 2012

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