Chemistry

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Honors Project Course Information

CHEM:499—Honors Project in Chemistry (1–3 credits; may be repeated for up to six credits)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing in the Honors College and permission of the department Honors Advisor.

Independent research leading to completion of honors thesis under guidance of honors project adviser.

Course Overview

The Honors Project is the culmination of a research experience carried out with the mentorship of a faculty advisor. Enrollment in 497 is recommended for the final semester of the research project, typically during the graduating year. Chemistry research can be challenging, and many faculty members prefer that undergraduate students work on these projects for several consecutive semesters either for credit (499/497) or as laboratory assistants. This extended time provides critical training and background for a more meaningful educational experience. While not required, it is highly recommended that students approach the potential Honors Project Sponsor during their sophomore or junior years. The Honors Project Sponsor should be from the department of chemistry but can also be selected from the departments of biology, polymer science, and chemical engineering if there is substantial chemical content in the project. Approval from the Honors Faculty Advisor is required when the sponsor is outside the chemistry department.

Honors Project Sponsors should set clear expectations for completion of the research project and report. Students should ask their faculty sponsor how long the proposed research is expected to take and how many honors thesis credits they should take. At the completion of their project, students should participate in a poster session presentation of their research at a campus event.

Report Guidelines

To receive a grade for this course and to satisfy the honors degree requirements, students are required to submit a written paper called the Honors Project Report. Only one report is required, so if a student takes 497 (and/or 499) more than once they will receive IP grades until the final semester when the report is submitted and grades for the previous courses will be entered retroactively.

The Department of Chemistry degree programs are certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS). To maintain certification, the Honors Project Report needs to meet ACS guidelines. The report should contain introductory material, theories behind the work, instrumentation and methods used, major results, and a conclusion section. The style of your writing should conform to the ACS Style Guide. Lab reports for the Advanced Laboratory courses are written in ACS style, so most students should already have some experience with it. Please consult the Honors Project Sponsor and Honors Advisor for more information about the report.

Schedule and Timeline

Please follow the honors college deadlines for project approval and submission of the report.

General Guidelines

• You must receive a grade of "B" or higher on your Honors Research Project to graduate as an Honors Scholar. If you do not achieve this grade you may still meet the requirements to graduate as an undergraduate student in your major. Please contact your Honors Advisor for more information.
• When there are multiple students involved in an Honors Research Project, each student should be included as authors on the final report, even if they are not part of the Williams Honors College. Every student should receive the proper recognition for thier contributions.
• Every committee must be composed of a Sponsor and two Readers. More information on these roles is available here.
• Students expecting to work on an honors project involving the use of human subjects should be aware that such projects may need to be evaluated by the University of Akron Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB reviews all proposals for research involving human participants to insure appropriate ethical and safety standards are observed. Depending on the nature of the proposed research, IRB review and approval may be required prior to moving forward with your study. In the same way, any research involving live animals will require review by the University of Akron Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC). Please communicate with your project sponsor regarding the need for IRB or ACUC consideration as it relates to your specific project. Information concerning research applications and review procedures can be obtained via the University of Akron Office of Research Administration (ORA).