Senior Project Resources

Phase 1 (Semester 1):  What the heck am I doing, anyway?

POL Prep Documents

POL Prep Calendar and cohort groups: Use this to know what we're doing each day and where you're supposed to meet

POL Guidelines: See this document for when you want to know what needs to go in your POL.  Make sure to upload your powerpoint to the Senior Class of 2021 POL Powerpoint folder

​TPS report:  Due Monday, 12/7, start of class!  This document is what you need to use to get started on planning for your project.  It's the core of your preparation for your first semester POL

• How to submit?  Upload your document to the Senior Class of 2021 TPS Report folder.  The document should be saved as your name (ex: johndoe_TPS).  

Semester One Documents: 

• Senior Project Overview- This gives you an outline of the main parts of Senior Project, and a timeline for the year.
• Senior Project Brainstorm Phase 1 
• Senior Project Brainstorm Discussion and Next Steps- This contains the assignments, requirements, and due dates for fall semester.  All links are here!
• Curiously Connect with Community Guidelines and Templates- Interview Reflection Due Tue. 12/15
• Fall Teacher Conference Sign Up- Go to this document to sign up for your your fall teacher conference.  You will need to individually contact the teacher to schedule a specific date and time.
• Fall Teacher Conference Guidelines- This contains guidelines for your conference, and spaces for feedback from you and your teacher.  THIS IS WHAT YOU TURN IN.

SEMESTER 2 Due Dates:

Deep Reading Assignment - Tuesday, January 26 - Start of Class

SPAM 1 - Tuesday, February 2 3:30

Annotated Bibliography- Process Check: Thursday, February 4 - Start of Class

Annotated Bibliography- Final Packet Thursday, February 11 - Start of Class

Thesis Statements - Thursday, February 11 - Start of Class

Thesis Outline - Friday, February 19 - Start of class 

SPAM 2 -  Thursday, February 25 3:30pm

Thesis Draft -  Thursday, March 11 - Start of Class

SPAM 3 -  Thursday, March 25 - 3:30pm

THESIS FINAL DRAFT - MONDAY, MARCH 29
Start of Class

Action Projects - Monday, March 29-Tuesday, May 4

Senior Project Exhibition - TBD, Week of May 17th

TED Talk Prep - Wednesday, May 5-Thursday, May 13

TED Talks - Friday, May 14-Friday, May 21

Exit Interviews - May 24-27

SPAM Meeting Resources

• Senior Project Advisor Letter 1:  This has requirements for your first email to your Senior Project Advisor.
• SPAM Form 1:  This is the form you and your advisor will need to complete in order to get credit for SPAM 1.
• Senior Project Advisor Letter 2:  This letter is a guide to asking for your second meeting, focusing on outline, thesis, and conclusions.
• Best SPAM 2 Letter EVER:  Do this.  Seriously, do something like this.  Your advisor will love you.
• SPAM Form 2:   Make sure you bring this to SPAM 2 and get it filled out and signed by your advisor!  Don't forget your reflection!
• Senior Project Advisor Letter 3:  This letter is a guide to asking for your final meeting, focusing on feedback to your thesis draft.
• SPAM Form 3:  Make sure you bring this to SPAM 3!  It will guide your conversation about your rough draft!

​Phase 2:  Research and Notes

Research Video Tutorials

WEEK 1 Daily Objectives

• Deep Reading Assignment:  This document lays out the instructions for all the pieces of the Deep Reading Assignment, including the rubric (which must be turned in with your final packet).
• Strategies for Reading a Scholarly Article:  A guide to the different sections in articles, when you should read different sections, and what kinds of notes you should take.
• Annotation Station:  Still confused about annotations?  Check this out for suggestions about what to include, and two possible formats.
• Deep Reading Notes Form:  If you want a format to take notes with, use this form!  Make a copy.  You're also welcome to use your own format if this doesn't work for you.
• Deep Reading Examples:  Check out the examples here!
  • Lyle B. (complete example)
  • Hannah L. (complete example)
  • Becca S. (includes lexicon, intertextuality paragraphs, bibliography, and annotation key)
  • Hayden S. (reading notes in outline format)
  • Aidan S. (reading notes in a form I created and have linked above)

​WEEK 2 Daily Objectives

• Fundraising Protocols:  If you are planning on doing ANY fundraising for your senior project, you MUST follow this protocol!

WEEK 3 Daily Objectives

• Annotated Bibliography:  Come here for part two of your research notes, and an explanation of exactly what you need to include.
  • Annotated Bibliography Example:  Check this out...this is what you should be aiming for
  • Another Annotated Bibliography Example
• MLA Citation Help:  This site (Purdue OWL) is amazing.  I highly recommend this over online citation generators.  See the toolbar to the side for help finding specific types of citations.  Still confused?  Come talk to me.

Phase 3:  Outlining and Writing

ELEMENTS OF YOUR SENIOR THESIS
The document linked above tells you what needs to go in each section of your senior thesis.  This is your ultimate guide to outlining and writing your thesis.

THE RUBRICS!!!  Read them, know them, love them.

• Honors Senior Thesis Rubric
• Senior Thesis Rubric (non-honors)

OUTLINING AND THESIS STATEMENTS

• ​Outline Assignment:  See this for details on what you need to do for your outline in terms of content and formatting.​
• Outline Template: Make a copy of this pre-formatted outline, then fill it out!
• Outline Template (Original Research): Make a copy of this pre-formatted outline, then fill it out!
• Generating a Thesis:  This outlines two methods for writing a thesis statement.
• Thesis Statement Workshop:  This is the process we use to refine your working thesis statement.
• Outline Critiques:  Process for finding holes and weak spots in your outline.

WRITING WORKSHOPS AND RESOURCES

• What Makes a Good Introduction?
• Setting up Quotes- Punctuation rules, and what to include.
• MLA Citation Cheat Sheet The basics on one page.
• MLA Citation Exceptions- Weird exceptions to the rules.
• Transition Sentences- How to transition effectively.
• Writing an Abstract- Length and what to include.
• Peer Critique Groups and Format of Senior Thesis

• Sentence Focus and Passive Voice​- Write with clarity!
• Hemingway Editor- A resource for sentence level revision.
• Punctuating Titles- Quotes?  Italics?  Underlined?  Go here!
• MLA Formatting Checklist- Use this to check your work.
• Title Page Example- What your title page SHOULD look like.
• Proofreading Strategies​​- How to proofread effectively.
• Common Writing Errors and Revision Checklist:  Use this as a guide to making your revisions and final proofreading checks

Senior Thesis Exemplars

See the papers and outlines below for examples of the type of work we're looking for!
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Outline Examples:

• Lyle Bryson (Adolescents and Trends)
• Anne Chase (Social Media and Nature)
• Izzy Bonecutter (Neuroscience of Mindfulness)
• Ben Malone (Cryptocurrency)
• Lily Bisantz (Sexualization and Sexual Violence)
• Matti Guillette (Ocean Therapy)
• Todd Laffaye (Alzheimers Treatments)
• Isabel Krull (Sociology of Ballet)- Uses original research/interviews format.

Senior Thesis Examples:​

1. Tucker Leavitt:  Water Arc Explosions (Physics)
2. Bekah Kuster:  Energy Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases  (Energy)
3. Lyle Bryson:  Trends and Youth Culture  (Marketing and Psychology)
4. Philip Wiley:  What makes good science fiction?  (Literary Analysis)
5. Allee McKown:  Theories of Global Inequality (International Studies)​
6. Oli Sakadinsky: Special Interest Groups in US Politics (Political Science)
7. Izzy Bonecutter: Mindfulness and the Brain (Neuroscience)
8. Isabel Krull:  Culture of Ballet (Sociology)
9. Anne Chase:  Social Media and Perceptions of Nature (Media Studies)
10. Claire Leffler:  Patterns in Nature and Art (Math and Art)
11. Quinn Luthy:  Meaning and Confessional Poetry (Literature)
12. Lily Bisantz:  Sexualization, Culture, and Sexual Violence (Sociology)
13. Izzy Simpson:  Stock Market Fluctuations and Prediction (Economics)
14. Dylan King:  Puerto Rico Recession and Hurricane Maria (History and Economics)
15. Ben Malone:  Blockchain Based Cryptocurrency (Economics)

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TED Talks

​TED TALK PREPARATION- LOOK HERE FIRST! 

TED Prep Day 1

• TED Talk Schedule:  See here for the schedule of speaking.
• TED Talk Overview and Rubric:  Want a basic structure/outline and the rubric?  Look no further!
• TED Paneling Schedule:  See this for the schedule of paneling.
• TED Commandments:  Thou shalts (and shalt nots)
• Sarah Kay Graphic Organizer:  Use this with the two professional examples to the right.
  

TED Prep Day 2

• Ken Robinson Graphic Organizer
• Making Presentations in the TED Style
  

TED Prep Day 3

• Work Time- Outline your talk, create your slides
  

TED Prep Day 4

• Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs- Presentation Style
• Finish developing TED Talks- Rough Draft Slides and notecards
  

TED Prep Day 5

• See TED Prep packet for instructions
• Critique Groups and initial talk-throughs of TED Talks
  

TED Prep Day 6

• Cohort Structure and Expectations
• TED Talk Critique Structure
  

TED Prep Day 7

• TED Talk Critique Structure

TED Talk Exemplars 

FINALISTS FROM LAST YEAR (Go here first!)

Good Talks from Years Past...

1. Jessie D- Introverts
2. Molly 1 and Molly 2- Education and Standardized Testing
3. Eli- Deaf Culture
4. ​Hanna- Special Education
5. John- Is it time to let the panda die?​
6. Izzy- Mindfulness and the Brain
7. Ben- Renewable Energy and Cities
8. Isabel- Sociology of Ballet
9. Ellie- Media and Perceptions of Muslims
10. Gabe- History of Tattoo Art

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Phase 5: The PROJECT! (Under Construction)

Cohort Groups:
2020 Cohort Groups:  Check here for your group assignment!
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Cohort Group Expectations:  See this document for expectations of when you need to be on campus, what cohort groups will be doing, and other important expectations for the end of the year.

Senior Project Planning and Documentation

1. Senior Project To Dos and Planning:  MAKE A COPY of this document.  You will be using this every day to plan and refine your project.  This can be a repository of all the work that goes into creating your senior project.