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Welcome
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What is a Senior Project? A senior project is a self-study program where a student selects a task related to the major, performs the task, and prepares a formal written report showing what was done. |
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What type of tasks may a student select? Any meaningful or useful task related to the student's major and acceptable to the Senior Project advisor can be used as a senior project. The task must be original and the senior project must have geniune utility. |
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Where can I see an example of a good Senior Project Report? HRT senior projects are generally kept with the individual faculty advisors for each project. Your Senior Project advisor and your faculty advisor may have copies of good senior projects. |
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How many hours of work will I have to spend on my senior
project? The number of hours spent on the senior project depends on the student and the task. Most students spend at least 120 hours, approximately the equivalent to the time spent for a four-unit in-class course. |
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When should I enroll in senior project? Students should enroll in HRT 461 three quarters before graduation. |
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Why does the curriculum include a requirement of a senior
project? The average senior in college has been exposed to fifteen years of structured education, being told what to do, how to do it, and when it has to be done. Yet, outside of the classroom, individuals fail if they cannot use what they have learned to achieve quality results on their own. The senior project attempts to expose the student to an educational experience requiring the self discipline necessary for success after graduation. Key factors in this experience are the independent accomplishment of a useful task and documenting the work in a professional manner. |
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If I do not complete my senior project prior to the graduation
deadline, will I be allowed to graduate with my class? No. |
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How many students fail to graduate on time for this
reason? Approximately 5 %. |
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What is the biggest pitfall a student should avoid in
completing a senior project? Putting it off until it is too late. Many students just cannot work on assignments that are not due in the immediate future. As a result, they delay getting started and soon are hopelessly behind. |
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Are there any other common pitfalls? Yes, - the inability to write properly. Many senior project reports are not acceptable because of errors in organization, sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. It is highly recommended that students who have difficulty writing take intermediate English classes in writing before attempting the senior project report. |
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Is it possible to complete a senior project in one quarter? A few very capable students have done it, however, it is not recommended. |
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What assistance can I expect from my faculty advisor? Contact your faculty advisor as soon as possible. Your faculty advisor knows of the research interests, professional experiences, and availability of other faculty members. Based on your general discussions, your faculty advisor will help you select one or more potential Senior Project advisors. |
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What assistance can I expect from my Senior Project
advisor? Contact your potential SeniorProject advisor as soon as possible. Based on your mutual research interests and availability, select one primary Senior Project advisor. You will enroll in the sections of Hrt 461 and Hrt 462 that are assigned to your particular Senior Project advisor. Your Senior Project advisor will help you in the following ways: a. Assist you in selecting a task. b. Help limit the scope of your task to enable you to complete it on time. c. Steer you to sources of information. d. Review and advise you on your plan. e. Read and critique rough drafts of your senior project. |
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Will my Senior Project advisor make sure I stay on schedule? No. It is your responsibility to stay on schedule. |
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Is it possible to contact my Senior Project advisor at times
other than office hours? Yes. Most Senior Project advisors will arrange special appointments for senior project students. |
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Why might some students fear and dislike the senior
project? Everyone fears the unknown but this fear can be easily removed by getting the facts. Students who cannot assume the responsibility to get a job done on their own find many reasons to delay work on the senior project. Typical reasons include extensive work schedules and taking the senior project with too many other courses. As a student falls behind on the senior project, the student may blame the course of study. Any student who has prepared a good term paper would be able to prepare a good senior project. The keys are self-discipline, a fairly clear definition of the task that you want to complete, and a geniune interest in your chosen topic. Remember, hundreds of students have successfully completed excellent senior projects in the past, and you can too. |
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How often should I contact my Senior Project advisor? At least once a week. Students not providing their Senior Project advisor with progress reports at least every two weeks are considered as not showing evidence of satisfactory progress. |
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What is plagerism? A common fault in research writing is failure of the writer to identify and give credit to those persons on whose work he or she is drawing. Crediting others can strengthen a report. A student is expected to draw on information developed by others. Honesty demands that sources be identified. Please visit the Cal Poly library's web site on plagerism for more information |
Copyright 2001 by Don St. Hilaire.
This represents the official syllabus for Hrt 461-462, and is subject to
change without notice to anyone but the students currently enrolled in the
class.
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