HONORS THESIS INFO SESSION (updated) April 1, 2014 Professor Thies, Director of Undergraduate Studies Professor Frasure-Yokley, Honors Program Director

Overview Political Science undergraduate students may apply in the Spring of the Junior Year to participate in the Departmental Honors Program. The centerpiece of the program is the production of a Senior Honors Thesis. Students admitted to the program work on an original research project with an individual faculty advisor on a topic of their own choosing. The expectation is that the final product will be a research paper roughly 50 pages in length, to be completed by the end of the Winter Quarter. (final page length is determined in consultation with your Thesis Advisor)

Eligibility Requirements Eligibility for College of Letters and Science honors (i.e., an overall UCLA GPA of 3.5 or better – seehttp:// Completion of at least 5 Upper Division Political Science courses with a GPA of 3.5 or higher (some accommodation will be made for Transfer Students who have not had time to complete 5 UD courses). Some prior experience with writing substantial research papers. Completion of Political Science 191H with a grade of at least A- *Secure a faculty advisor (see slide 5)

New Prerequisite PS191H is now a prerequisite for the honors program, and will be offered each Spring Quarter beginning in Spring One of the final requirements for PS191H will be the submission of a contract with a faculty advisor and a thesis topic. Applications for the Honors Program will be due on the Friday of Week 10 of the junior-year Spring Quarter.

Securing a Faculty Advisor The faculty advisor must be a member of the permanent faculty of the Department of Political Science or hold a joint/courtesy appointment with the Department of Political Science.

PS 191H: Research Design and Scope and Methods in Political Science Spring quarter focuses on designing an appropriate research strategy/design that will help you to answer your research question(s). Students are expected to spend most of their time on their own preliminary research. To structure this preliminary research, a series of short assignments will be required.

PS 191H: Research Design and Scope and Methods in Political Science Two textbooks (for purchase) and several additional readings (provided on the course webpage).’ Students attend on-going Department and Campus Speaker Series We enjoy guest speakers from various sub-fields in the Department of Political Science.

PS 191H: Research Design and Scope and Methods in Political Science Several Research Design Assignments (20%) 5-7 Minute Research Paper Presentation: (10%) Final Paper (about pages): (50%) Active seminar participation, Peer Review and Guest Speaker Series Memos (Department and Campus Speaker Series): (20%)

The Research Process What is the puzzle or research problem? What are the core concepts and questions in the work? What theories serve as a basis for the authors work? What is the author ʼ s methodological approach? What is the author ʼ s central finding or contribution? Does the method allow the author to effectively answer the research question(s)? If so, how and if not, why not. What are some possible alternatives to the approach taken by the author?

Summer 2014 (so, you got into the program…) Based on your research design paper developed in 2014, what are the next steps… It is recommended that student and advisor agree on a reading list for the summer before the Fall 198A course, so that the Fall quarter can be used as effectively as possible. Check-in, via , with your advisor over the summer (just a quick update on your progress) If you are interested in using a particular methodology to examine your research question(s) work on it over the summer

Senior Honors Thesis Program Logistics PS 198A (Fall) and PS 198B (Winter), and the completed thesis will be submitted at the end of Winter Quarter. The 198A-B courses are contract courses with individual faculty advisors. We take each of these in turn…

Fall Quarter: (PS 198A) Students must register for PS 198A Fall quarter--submit a Contract Course Form to PoliSci Counseling Office Students must also submit a Fall Quarter Honors Thesis Agreement, developed and signed by you and your faculty advisor. (Sample) You will finalize the process of turning your research topic into a researchable question, determine appropriate sources of information, revise your research proposal, set your research underway, and discuss progress reports or preliminary drafts with your advisor. Your advisor provides a grade for PS 198A

Winter Quarter: (PS 198B) Students must register for PS 198B WInter quarter--submit a Contract Course Form to PoliSci Counseling Office Students must also submit a Winter Quarter Honors Thesis Agreement, developed and signed by you and your faculty advisor. (Sample) During the Winter Quarter (PS 198B), you will complete your thesis under the supervision of your thesis advisor. END OF WINTER QUARTER ---SUBMIT FINAL HONORS THESIS Your advisor provides a grade for PS 198B Spring Quarter: The Honors Program Director in consultation with your advisor will make final Honors determination.

Mandatory Student Meetings and Presentations We will meet four times over the Fall and Winter Quarters One ‘getting organized’ meeting per quarter One ‘pizza and presentations’ meeting per quarter Each student will present a brief PowerPoint presentation. The presentations allow you to share and discuss your research. Our goal is to listen and provide feedback. The presentations do not factor into the overall grade provided by your advisor, or your standing in the program. The research process involves sharing your work at various stages and constant revision.

Away from Campus for Spring Quarter? If you wish to enroll in PS 191H but will be away from UCLA in the relevant Spring Quarter, please contact us immediately about arranging a way to participate in the class remotely. If you are away from campus Fall or Winter quarter you must make arrangements in advance with your advisor and you must submit you PowerPoint research presentation in absentia during the designated day/time.