Anthropology majors matriculating at CCSU beginning Fall, 1996 are required to complete a Senior Thesis, normally during the first semester of their senior year. The thesis is prepared under the guidance of a thesis advisor while enrolled in Anth 490, and is submitted in writing and presented orally to the department as a whole at the end of the semester in which it is completed.

The Senior Thesis entails a major project based on original research. It is not intended to be merely a larger "term paper" for a specific course. Rather, it will enable students to utilize and incorporate each of the many facets of their anthropology education into a single work that will demonstrate their competency in their specific area of interest as well as in the methodologies and perspectives of the field as a whole. Our graduates should be literate and conversant in anthropology as an academic discipline.

Consequently, several foci of anthropology need to be present in the Senior Thesis. These are: (1) a clearly enunciated and utilized theoretical perspective appropriate to the subject being researched; (2) a clear incorporation of the holistic, comparative perspective that if the defining feature if anthropology; (3) attention to appropriate methodology and the documentation of methodological procedures; (4) use of appropriate means of data description and analysis, including statistical procedures where applicable. In addition, theses should demonstrate facility in the use of library and computer-based resources, competency in the mechanics of writing and presenting a scholarly research paper, and the level of literacy in English reasonably expected of a university senior.

Because of the breadth of the field, there is no such thing as a typical anthropology student, nor will there be a typical Senior Thesis. Thesis projects may range from library research, to field research, to laboratory experiments, depending on the subdiscipline and specific topic. All theses, however, must reflect the nature of anthropology as a scholarly, scientific discipline and must culminate in a written work that may be considered an example of scholarly research. In selecting a topic, students and advisor should keep in mind the derivation of the word thesis--from Greek through Latin meaning a position or proposition. The thesis thus should be a proposition that is maintained or defended in argument. Put another way, your thesis statement should be "interesting and debatable."

(These guidelines are for students planning to finish course work and graduate in the Spring; other situations will involve rescheduling as needed)

By April 1 of the Spring semester of the Junior year, students will submit a written proposal for a Senior Thesis topic to their thesis advisor, normally their academic advisor. The topic will have been discussed, selected, and formalized in consultation with the advisor. When the written proposal has been approved by the advisor, the proposal will be circulated among the members of the department faculty for comment. Any major recommendations will be conveyed to the student through the advisor. The department chair will give final approval.

It is expected that the student will begin work on the project over the Summer prior to the first semester of their Senior year. Particulars, depending on the nature of the project, will be worked out with the advisor.

In the Fall, students will enroll in Anth 490: Senior Thesis for 3 credits. The course will involve both classroom time and individual work with the advisor. Meetings with the advisor will normally take place weekly. The class (conducted by a member of the department faculty, but not necessarily the student's specific advisor) will meet once a week and will consist of instruction in various aspects of scholarly research and the writing of research papers, and discussion among class members regarding their individual project topics and the progress of their work.

A first written draft of the paper is due to the advisor by October 25. This may be a "rough draft" and is not expected to include complete bibliography, endnotes, graphics, and so on. The advisor will read and comment on the draft in a reasonable amount of time and discuss recommendations with the student. This process should be repeated with subsequent revisions as deemed necessary by student and advisor.

By December 1, two copies of the completed thesis will be submitted in a three-ring binder, one to the advisor and one, through the department chair, for inclusion in the department library. A date will be arranged for oral presentations to the department as a whole by all seniors submitting theses. Interested students and anyone else the presenter would like to be present may also attend. The format for these presentations will resemble a session at a professional meeting. Attending faculty members will be asked to give the thesis advisor his/her assessment of the quality of the written paper and of the oral presentation, taking into account comments from faculty colleagues.

The thesis will be word-processed (not typed) in a standard text font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins on all sides. It should be printed on an ink jet or laser printer, not a dotmatrix printer. The length of the thesis may vary depending upon the specific topic, but twenty-five (25) pages of text (excluding front and back matter) will be considered normal. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and stylistic clarity should be carefully checked prior to submission. Severe problems in these areas, regardless of the quality of the content, will result in rejection and the need for resubmission.

The thesis should include a title page, a page of acknowledgments (optional), body of the text, endnotes (if included), and bibliography. References are to be cited in the style of the "Guide for Authors" from American Anthropologist (copy attached).

Department Location: Frank J. DiLoreto Hall, Building 15, Room 110
Telephone: (860) 832-2610
Fax: (860) 832-2546