The Honors Thesis Project is structured over two semesters. The student enrolls in L399 in the first semester and in L499 in the second semester. By the end of the first semester, at the latest, the honors thesis writer and the advisor should agree on an outline of the project, including the details of what will be accomplished in the 1st and 2nd semesters, including specific dates and deadlines.

The student and advisor agree on the specific topic of study, including the methodology to be used to collect or find the data, and the theoretical model to be used to analyze the data. In the first semester, the student works on, and ideally completes, the presentation of the model, the review of the literature of the chosen topic (in conjunction with the advisor), and the methodology chapter in which the methods are described for collecting or finding data. This is particularly relevant for quantitative studies. If the thesis is a qualitative study, then a long methodology chapter might not be necessary. If the Honors Thesis has a quantitative part, by the end of the first semester the student should have collected or gathered all the data to be used for the study, and coding and/or analysis should have started, as well.

In the second semester, the student finishes up the remainder of the coding and analysis, by mid-February at the latest (for the spring semester) or the beginning of October (for fall semester). The student then pulls the whole thesis together, including an introduction and a conclusion. The entire document should be complete and ready to give to reader(s) by the end of the mid-semester break.

The student must have at least one reader in addition to the advisor, and more than one reader if desired. The reader(s) receive the completed document after the mid-semester break. From this point on, there are two major options for the completion of the honors thesis.

By around the 10th of November/April, the reader(s) and advisor give the student their comments and the student incorporates them into the final version, which must be revised and approved by the advisor, at the very latest, by the end of November/April.

By around the 10th of November/April, the reader(s), the advisor and the student have an oral defense, in which there is a discussion about the thesis. After this meeting, the reader(s) and advisor give the student their feedback, if they have not already done so in the oral defense. The student incorporate this advice into the final version, which must be completed and approved by the advisor, by the end of November/April at the latest.

Upon successful completion of the honors thesis, the student is awarded an honors cord, ideally before graduation so that it can be worn during graduation.

The Linguistics academic advisor must be notified by the advisor of the successful completion of the honors thesis. This enables them to assist with required paperwork. Alternatively, the advisor can inform the Director of Undergraduate Studies and s/he will notify the Linguistics academic advisor.

If there are any questions regarding the procedure, please feel free to contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.