Geosciences (Geology, Earth Science, Environmental Science)

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Honors Project Course Information

GEOL:497—Honors Project in Geology (1–3 credits; may be repeated for a total of six credits)
Prerequisites: permission of department honors preceptor, Honors student only.

Exploration of research topics and issues in geology. Selection of research topic and writing of research paper in proper scholarly form under direction of faculty member.

Description

The information presented below is intended to help Honors students through the process of successfully completing their research project.

So, you have been accepted into the Honors College and have chosen a degree program in the Department of Geosciences; congratulations! You should schedule a meeting with the Department’s Honors Advisor, Dr. John Peck (jpeck@uakron.edu) at least once a semester. During your first semester, Dr. Peck will give you a tour of our facilities and introduce you to the other faculty in the Department. In addition, he will help you complete both the Honors College and Departmental Major degree requirement forms. These degree forms contain an item called the Honors Project, which comprises an exciting part of your education. In order to graduate with a high-quality Honors Project that you can bring on interviews for graduate school or employment, the following guidelines should be followed. You need to identify an Honors Project Sponsor from among the faculty members in the department. The Sponsor plays the key advisory role in your research project. He or she will help you design the research project, complete the Honors Project Proposal, identify readers to serve on your committee, guide you through the data acquisition and report writing phases, and finally assign a grade to your research project. Because you may not be likely to meet certain faculty until you take upper-level courses, it is important to get to know the faculty early. Dr. Peck is always willing to introduce you, though, you should feel free to introduce yourself to each faculty member and learn about their research. Second, now that you have a Sponsor and research topic, you need to consider the following details about the project:

• You will enroll in Honors Project in Geology 3370:497 for between 2 and 6 credits total. You are advised to spread your Honors Project over two semesters. Previous Honors students who have taken two semesters to complete their project have had sufficient time to produce a high-quality, substantial research report. You do not have to wait until your senior year to start your Honors Project. By beginning your research early, you will likely have good draft figures and text at the start of your final semester. If you are considering graduate school, then you may be visiting potential graduate schools at this time. With draft Honors Project results in hand, you can bring proof of your ability to do graduate-level research and increase the likelihood of graduate school offers.:
• You must produce a written research paper. The research can be pure or applied geology or environmental science, and it must yield new, original information. There is no page limit to the research paper, although 40–80 pages is the typical length. You are to follow the format of a scientific journal (e.g., Geological Society of America Bulletin) although your sponsor will determine the final paper format and style. The typical research paper is composed of the following sections; title page, acknowledgements, table of contents, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusions, references, and appendices. Figures and tables are included in the body of the report and there are no restrictions on the use of color or map foldouts. You need to include references to the published literature. Typically, at least 10 references are used, most often in the introduction as you explain the significance of the problem and in the discussion as you support your interpretations.

You are encouraged, but not required, to present your research project at a professional meeting. The regional Geologic Society of America meeting is often held in March somewhere in the Midwest and provides a great opportunity to show your research to professionals from outside Ohio. The Department often takes a van to this meeting.

Your project readers serve the important role of providing peer-review to assess the quality of your research. With guidance from your sponsor, you select two readers with expertise in your research area. Although most readers come from faculty in the department, students have included readers from other departments, the Ohio Geological Survey, or industry. After your sponsor has edited your research paper and you have made the corrections (three rounds is typical), you submit the paper to your readers for review. They have at least one week to edit the paper and you should allow yourself one week to make their corrections. Therefore, you are required to submit your research paper to the readers at least two weeks before the final acceptance deadline by the Honors College. The two-week submission rule is the minimum and you might find it more manageable if you have your thesis to your readers weeks earlier.

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).