My Honors Thesis Proposal Was Approved!

After working very hard on my honors thesis prospectus, I am pleased to announce that I was approved!  Here is a copy of my final prospectus.  This approval means they will help me out a little bit on the funding end.  I recommend that no one try to do revisions while they are actually in the field, but it did miraculously work out for me in the end.

Here is a copy of my approval letter:

Dear Rachel:

We are writing to inform you that your Honors thesis proposal, "A Portrait of Dharamsala: An Honors Creative Writing Thesis Prospectus Exploring the Universal Importance and Nature of Stories," was approved on 7/20/2011.  A scanned version of your approved thesis proposal is attached for your records. We are sending the HBLL Circulation Desk your name so you can now enjoy the extended library privilege awarded to an Honors student with an approved Honors thesis proposal.

(What privilege??!  I hope it means a grand tour of the not-so-secret tunnels under campus.)

Dr. Siegfried who reviewed your proposal made these comments: "An excellent proposal. Rachel's previous experience in the first field study program gave her a strong foundation to build on. Her background info and proposed questions are thorough and insightful, and her annotated bibliography demonstrates her familiarity with critical sources."
Please note that if your Honors coordinator indicated that IRB approval is required for your thesis, you must now apply for that approval and obtain it before you begin your research. For the application and instructions, visit http://orca.byu.edu. You must submit proof of this approval to our office within three months.

Once again, we urge you to initiate frequent contacts with your faculty advisor during the course of your research.  The advisor's input and criticism are essential for a good thesis. Your final draft of your thesis and your honors portfolio are both due at the beginning of the semester you graduate.

We look forward to reviewing your finished manuscript and request that you submit your thesis enough in advance of the deadline that it can be carefully evaluated.  Please carefully review the Writing and Defending the Honors Thesis handout, found on our website at http://honors.byu.edu/forms/Writing%20and%20Defending%20the%20Honors%20Thesis.pdf for specific deadlines and more information on the thesis defense process.

We hope that this thesis experience will turn out to be one of your very best educational experiences at BYU.

Sincerely,

Honors Advisement Center
102A MSRB
(801) 422-5497
honors@byu.edu