Honors Thesis

All Economics majors and minors who have a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher for all work in the major and a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher based on all work taken at Skidmore may be recommended by the department for honors in Economics. In addition to the description of Independent Study, the supervisor must submit a potential Honors Thesis after consultation with the reader(s), to the entire department before the last day of classes in the semester.

The honors thesis must be orally presented at the Academic Festival. To qualify for honors, a thesis must merit an A or A-. After the presentation, the department will meet to decide which thesis will be deserving of departmental honors. The department will keep a copy of all honors thesis and make them available to anyone who wishes to read them.

Summary Timetable for Honors Thesis

• Semester before EC 371 or EC 372
• Locate a prospective supervisor
• Bring to the supervisor a written proposal
• Obtain supervisor's approval
• Select a reader
• Submit "Application for Independent Study" form
• Dept. meets to approve or reject proposals.
  
  

During the Semester

• During the first week, student meets with supervisor and reader
• Student sets up a regular meeting schedule with supervisor
• Student attends regular meetings for Independent Study group
• Three weeks before the end of the semester, student meets with supervisor and reader(s)
• By the last day of classes, final copy of the Honors Thesis is submitted to all members of the Department of Economics.
  
  

During the final exam period, the honors thesis is presented and defended before the faculty of the Department of Economics.

Independent Study

An opportunity for qualified students to pursue research in any field of economics under the supervision of a member of the department. Independent Study proposals should evolve out of advanced courses taken in Economics and should fit into a student's entire course of study in Economics.

Students who are interested in doing independent study should seek out a member of the Economics Department to supervise their study well before registration for the semester in which the independent study will take place (i.e., March for a Fall semester, November for a Spring semester). At this time it is a good idea to bring a written proposal and plan of study to the prospective supervisor. During this first meeting the faculty member and student can talk about whether the project is feasible, how to refine the proposal, and whom to ask to be an additional reader. The Economics faculty member overseeing the independent study projects for the semester may become a third reader (unless she or he is already the sponsor or reader, in which case there will be only two readers).

An "Application for Independent Study" form, an accompanying proposal, the "Study Sponsor's Form", and the names of the supervisor and the reader must b e submitted to the Economics Department prior to the beginning of the semester during which the independent study is to take place. Prior to the first week of classes each semester, The Department will meet and will determine which independent study projects are approved for that semester.

The student, his or her supervisor, his or her reader, and the independent study director for that semester must meet during the first week of the semester to discuss the student's proposal and to offer advice and direction. The student is to set up a weekly meeting schedule with the supervisor and is to attend all meetings of the independent study group for that semester. The student, supervisor, and reader(s) meet again three weeks before the end of the semester, on which occasion the student defends his or her research paper and the supervisor and reader(s) make recommendations for revision. At the end of the semester, the supervisor and reader(s) meet to discuss a final grade for the research paper.

The independent study paper must clearly illustrate the connection of the research with previous courses in Economics and are at lease 10,000 words long, excluding end notes and a bibliography. The worth of the paper is judged by rigorous standards on the basis of thoroughness of the survey of the literature, methodology, coherence, depth of perception, etc.

Independent Study and Senior/Honors Theses
Information and Application

The Independent Study is a challenging experience enabling the student to engage in focused research on a topic in which he/she has background knowledge from a 300 level Economics course. While the Independent Study is primarily an individual research effort, the student will be required to attend weekly meetings with an Independent Study advisor and to participate in weekly meetings of the Independent Study Seminar with other students.

Seniors who may be eligible for Honors in Economics may submit a term paper that is written for any 300-level course to be considered for honors by the Department. To receive Honors in Economics, a student must submit a term paper that receives a grade of A- or better, defend that paper before the Department Faculty (at the end of the Spring semester), and be considered to be worthy of honors by the Economics faculty after that presentation.

Proposals for Independent Study should be submitted to the Department by March 30.

APPLICATION FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY or HONORS THESIS

SEMESTER: (circle one:) FALL / SPRING YEAR: ______

STUDENT'S NAME: ___________________________________

CLASS: _________

DATE OF APPLICATION: ______________________________

STUDY TITLE: ___________________________________________________

(Answer the following two questions on separate sheets of paper --
typed, 8½ x 11 -- and attached them to this form.)

1. Describe how the proposed study fits within your entire course
of study as an Economics major.

2. Describe your proposed plan, the question that this paper
will address, and the methodology to be used to answer it.

_______________________________________________________________

APPROVED_______________________________________(Advisor)

APPROVED_______________________________________(Study Sponsor)

APPROVED_______________________________________(Chair)

Summary Timetable for Independent Study

Before the Independent Study Semester Begins

Locate a prospective supervisor

• Bring to the supervisor a written proposal
• Obtain supervisor's approval
• Select a reader
• Submit "Application for Independent Study" form
• Department meets to approve or reject proposals
  
  

• During first week, student meets with supervisor and reader
• Student sets up a regular meeting schedule with supervisor
• Student attends regular meetings of Independent Study group