undergraduate thesis research

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Research Thesis and Research Distinction

An undergraduate thesis is an official, academically-integrated undergraduate research project with a formal written outcome. Completing a thesis is permanently recognized on a student's diploma as graduation with "Research Distinction" or with "Honors Research Distinction".

The requirements for graduating with research distinction vary by college, but generally include submitting an application to complete a thesis at least a semester prior to graduation, enrolling in thesis course credit hours, submitting a written thesis manuscript and completing an oral examination or defense to a faculty panel.  Students should discuss their interest in completing a research distinction project with their research advisor and academic advisor as early as possible.

Theses are permanently stored in the University Library's Knowledge Bank so they are also considered to be a published material.

Research Thesis and Distinction by College/Program

Please contact your academic advisor if you are interested in completing a research thesis or distinction program.

• Graduation and Research Distinction Guidelines
• Research Distinction (Honors and Non-Honors)
• Thesis Option for Non-Honors Students
• Honors Thesis and Research Process
• Undergraduate Research & Distinction
• Undergraduate Research Advising Packet
• Honors and Research Distinction (including Non-Honors)
• Guidelines for Research Distinction
• Research Distinction
• Honors Distinction and Thesis
• Undergraduate Research, Independent Study, and Honors Program
• Research Pathways
• Research Distinction Guidelines
• Honors Research and Thesis Requirements

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Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples

Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation . One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer’s block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.

This article collects a list of undergraduate, master’s, and PhD theses and dissertations that have won prizes for their high-quality research.

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Table of contents

Award-winning undergraduate theses, award-winning master’s theses, award-winning ph.d. dissertations, other interesting articles.

University : University of Pennsylvania Faculty : History Author : Suchait Kahlon Award : 2021 Hilary Conroy Prize for Best Honors Thesis in World History Title : “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the “Noble Savage” on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807”

University : Columbia University Faculty : History Author : Julien Saint Reiman Award : 2018 Charles A. Beard Senior Thesis Prize Title : “A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man”: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947

University: University College London Faculty: Geography Author: Anna Knowles-Smith Award:  2017 Royal Geographical Society Undergraduate Dissertation Prize Title:  Refugees and theatre: an exploration of the basis of self-representation

University: University of Washington Faculty:  Computer Science & Engineering Author: Nick J. Martindell Award: 2014 Best Senior Thesis Award Title:  DCDN: Distributed content delivery for the modern web

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University:  University of Edinburgh Faculty:  Informatics Author:  Christopher Sipola Award:  2018 Social Responsibility & Sustainability Dissertation Prize Title:  Summarizing electricity usage with a neural network

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Education Author:  Matthew Brillinger Award:  2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize Title:  Educational Park Planning in Berkeley, California, 1965-1968

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty: Social Sciences Author:  Heather Martin Award:  2015 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  An Analysis of Sexual Assault Support Services for Women who have a Developmental Disability

University : University of Ottawa Faculty : Physics Author : Guillaume Thekkadath Award : 2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Sciences Prize Title : Joint measurements of complementary properties of quantum systems

University:  London School of Economics Faculty: International Development Author: Lajos Kossuth Award:  2016 Winner of the Prize for Best Overall Performance Title:  Shiny Happy People: A study of the effects income relative to a reference group exerts on life satisfaction

University : Stanford University Faculty : English Author : Nathan Wainstein Award : 2021 Alden Prize Title : “Unformed Art: Bad Writing in the Modernist Novel”

University : University of Massachusetts at Amherst Faculty : Molecular and Cellular Biology Author : Nils Pilotte Award : 2021 Byron Prize for Best Ph.D. Dissertation Title : “Improved Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths”

University:  Utrecht University Faculty:  Linguistics Author:  Hans Rutger Bosker Award: 2014 AVT/Anéla Dissertation Prize Title:  The processing and evaluation of fluency in native and non-native speech

University: California Institute of Technology Faculty: Physics Author: Michael P. Mendenhall Award: 2015 Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics Title: Measurement of the neutron beta decay asymmetry using ultracold neutrons

University:  Stanford University Faculty: Management Science and Engineering Author:  Shayan O. Gharan Award:  Doctoral Dissertation Award 2013 Title:   New Rounding Techniques for the Design and Analysis of Approximation Algorithms

University: University of Minnesota Faculty: Chemical Engineering Author: Eric A. Vandre Award:  2014 Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics Title: Onset of Dynamics Wetting Failure: The Mechanics of High-speed Fluid Displacement

University: Erasmus University Rotterdam Faculty: Marketing Author: Ezgi Akpinar Award: McKinsey Marketing Dissertation Award 2014 Title: Consumer Information Sharing: Understanding Psychological Drivers of Social Transmission

University: University of Washington Faculty: Computer Science & Engineering Author: Keith N. Snavely Award:  2009 Doctoral Dissertation Award Title: Scene Reconstruction and Visualization from Internet Photo Collections

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Social Work Author:  Susannah Taylor Award: 2018 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  Effacing and Obscuring Autonomy: the Effects of Structural Violence on the Transition to Adulthood of Street Involved Youth

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Undergraduate Thesis Examples

This page contains examples of Undergraduate Theses from students who have graduated with research distinction in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

All undergraduate theses completed at The Ohio State University are stored at the  Knowledge Bank at OSU Libraries  and can be accessed via their  Search Interface .

2021 Graduates

Abigail aronica.

Building a New Galactic Synthesis Model to Aid in the Detection of Exoplanets Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Devin Bennett

Comparison of the Chemical Evolution of Simulated Milky-Way Type Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

Collin Christy

Classifying Stellar Variability in the V and g bands with the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae Thesis Advisor: Dr. Krzysztof Stanek, Department of Astronomy

Evan Fitzmaurice

Migration and Stability of Multi-Planet Circumbinary Systems Project Advisor: Dr. David Martin, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Jessica Kulp

Recreating the "Origins of the Elements" Planetarium Show and Curriculum Module Project Advisor: Dr. Wayne Schlingman, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

Analyzing Unusual Stars in Kepler Project Advisor: Dr. Mathieu Vrard, Center for Cosmology and Astro Particle Physics Thesis Advisor: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault, Department of Astronomy

Maria Pudoka

Inspecting Stellar Angular Momentum Evolution and Ages using High-Resolution Spectroscopy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Michael Rothman

Biosignature Detection in Exoplanetary Atmospheres Using Monte Carlo Simulations Thesis Advisor: Dr. Anil Pradhan and Dr. Sultana Nahar, Department of Astronomy

Robert Von Holle

Active Galactic Nuclei and the Correlated Properties of Neighboring Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

2020 Graduates

Serena cronin.

The Local Environments of Low-Redshift Supernovae Project Advisor Dr. Dyas Utomo, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Adam Leroy, Department of Astronomy

Dhvanil Desai

Galaxy Alignment with Surrounding Large-Scale Structure Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Conor Hayes

Spectroscopic Confirmation of Four Ultra Diffuse Galaxy Candidates Project Advisor: Dr. Johnny Greco, Center for Cosmology and Astro Particle Physics Thesis Advisor: Dr. Paul Martini, Department of Astronomy

Jared Kolecki

Measuring Elemental Abundances in Metal-Poor Stars Thesis Advisors: Dr. Ji Wang and Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

Sophie Lebowitz

The Dragonfly Galaxy III. An Imposter Radio Galaxy in the High Redshift Universe   Project Advisor: Dr. Bjorn Emonts, The National Radio Astronomy Observatory Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Jeniveve Pearson

An Analysis of the Historically Observed Period Change of UV Piscium, RT Andromedae, and XY Ursae Majoris Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo Approach Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Gabriela Torrini

Studying angularly extended gamma-ray sources with VERITAS Project Advisor: David Kieda, University of Utah Thesis Advisor: Dr. Laura Lopez, Department of Astronomy

Jack Warfield

An Intermediate-Age α-Rich Galactic Population Beyond the Solar Neighborhood Thesis Advisors: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault and Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

2019 Graduates

Dominic flournoy.

Intrinsic Shape Alignment of Early versus Late Type Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Ness Mayker

HI Balmer Jump Temperatures for Extragalactic HII Regions in the CHAOS Galaxies Project Advisor: Dr. Danielle Berg, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

2018 Graduates

Macy huston.

Making Microlensing Predictions With a New Population Synthesis Galactic Model Project Advisor: Dr. Matthew Penny, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Michael Macuga

The Fraction of Active Galactic Nuclei in the USS 1558-003 Protocluster at z = 2.53 Thesis Advisor: Dr. Paul Martini, Department of Astronomy

2012-2017 Graduates

Lawrence capuder.

Contribution of Solar Mass Loss to the Solution the Faint Young Sun Paradox for Physically Motivated Mass Loss Prescriptions Thesis Advisors: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault & Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

James Derrick

The Green Valley: Separating Galaxy Populations in Color-Magnitude Space Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Andrew Gallagher

Searching for Dark Galaxies Via Their Distorted Companions in the SDSS Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Zachary Hartman

Looking for the dM in sdB+dM Systems Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Denise Hung

Metallicities and Temperatures for Two Metal-Rich and Two Metal-Poor Galaxies Project Advisor: Dr. Kevin Croxall, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

Circumbinary Planets via Microlensing Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Mallory Molina

Inter-Percentile Velocity Width: An Alternative Parametrization of the Velocity Field of the Broad-Line Region Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bradley Peterson, Department of Astronomy

Elizabeth Otto

Chemical Abundances of CH Stars in Omega Centauri Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson

Rachel Patton (Cannata)

Exploring Sources of Contamination in Kepler Surveys for Stellar Rotation Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Joseph Shulze

Characterization of LP133-373: A Double-line, Eclipsing dMe Binary Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Andrew Taylor

A Possible Evolutionary Channel for the Recently Discovered Class of Millisecond Pulsars in Long, Eccentric Orbits Thesis Advisor: Dr. Todd Thompson, Department of Astronomy

Erika Wagoner

Testing Stellar Models for M Dwarfs Project Advisor: Dr. Sarah Schmidt, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

Life @ U of T

My Experience Writing an Undergraduate Thesis

This year, I’ve been working on a really exciting project… my undergraduate thesis! It's my fourth year of university, and I decided to write an undergraduate thesis in Political Science under the supervision of a professor. This week, I wanted to write about why I decided to take a thesis, how I enrolled, and how it’s been going so far! 

What is an undergraduate thesis?

An undergraduate thesis is usually a 40-60 page paper written under the supervision of a professor, allowing you to explore a topic of your interest in-depth. I primarily decided to write an undergraduate thesis to prepare me for graduate school - it's allowed me to get started on work I might continue in graduate school, hone my research skills, and test out whether academic research is for me.

How do I write an undergraduate thesis?

To write my undergraduate thesis, I had two options (this may vary depending on what department you're in!). First, I could join the Senior Thesis Seminar offered by department. These seminars group students together who are interested in doing a thesis and teach them research skills and background information. Students then simultaneously complete a thesis under the supervision of a professor. Senior Thesis Seminars often require applications to register in, so if you’re interested in this option, make sure you look into this in your third year of study!

Because I already had a close working relationship with a professor, I opted to instead do the second option, an Independent Study. An Independent Study allows you to work one-on-one with a professor and design whatever course you’re interested in. For either option, you’ll need to know what topic you're interested in writing your thesis on and ask a professor to work with you, so make sure you've figured this out. 

How's it going?

So far, I’m about half-way through my thesis and I’m having lots of fun. It’s a great way to get super involved in a topic I care about, and it's preparing me for graduate research much more than any course I’ve taken in my undergraduate degree. I’ve also been enjoying working one-on-one with a professor and learning a lot from them about the field of study I’m interested in, what being an academic researcher is like, and what my position in the field is. 

I will say that an undergraduate thesis is a considerable amount of work! It definitely requires more work than all my other classes, and because I’m working so closely with a professor, there’s no way I can slack on it or procrastinate.

Still, if you’re interested in a topic and want to pursue it after your undergraduate studies, I think writing an undergraduate thesis is an incredible opportunity. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below!

1 comment on “ My Experience Writing an Undergraduate Thesis ”

Is an undergrad thesis mandatory in order to graduate or to get into a Masters program? Also, I’ve heard most Profs only help those with really high grades for their thesis?

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Senior Thesis & Undergraduate Research

Every year, approximately 45%-55% of senior History concentrators choose to cap their Harvard careers by writing a senior honors thesis.

The senior thesis tutorial is a two-semester sequence  comprising Hist 99a and Hist 99b . While the overwhelming majority of students who start a thesis choose to complete it, our process allows students to drop the thesis at the end of the fall semester after History 99a (in which case they are not eligible for departmental honors).

The senior thesis in History is a year-long project involving considerable primary- and secondary-source research and a good deal of writing; finished theses are expected to be between 60 and 130 pages in length , and to make an original contribution to historical knowledge.

The department’s senior thesis program is one of the strongest in Harvard College. In recent years, one quarter or more of our thesis writers have received  Hoopes Prizes , which is well over the College average.

History 99 Syllabus 2022–2023

History 99: Senior Thesis Writers’ Tutorial Wednesdays, 6–7 and 7-8 PM Robinson Conference Room

Click here to view the History 99 syllabus for this year.

A Sampling of Past History Thesis Titles

For a list of thesis titles from the past five years, please click here .

Senior Thesis Conference

The History Department's annual Senior Thesis Writer's Conference is an opportunity for thesis writers to present their projects as members of three-to-four person panels moderated by a faculty member or advanced graduate student, to an audience of other faculty and graduate students. Their aim is to get the critical and constructive feedback they need to clarify their arguments, refine their methods, and ultimately transform their research projects into theses.

Like our faculty, our student presenters are conscious of their reliance on other disciplines in almost every aspect of their work. This conference supplies opportunities to engage in cross-disciplinary dialogues. Audience members also learn from these dedicated and talented young scholars even as they teach them new ways of conceiving and pursuing their projects.

For more information about the conference or the Department's thesis program as a whole, please write to the  Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies in History, or visit the Senior Thesis Writers Conference and History 99a website. The  Conference is open to all active members of the Harvard community.

All seniors writing theses receive as part of the History 99a and 99b seminar materials a Timetable for Thesis Writers which lists approximate deadlines for staying current with work on this large-scale project. (For current copies of these documents, please click here .) Many thesis writers will submit work in advance of the deadlines listed on the timetable, following schedules worked out with their individual advisers. Several of the deadlines listed on the timetable must be met:

• Students who wish to enroll in History 99 must attend the first meeting of the seminar on Wednesday, September 5th at 6:00 pm in the Robinson Lower Library.
• By the beginning of the fall reading period, students must submit substantial proof of research to both their adviser and the 99 History instructors. This usually takes the form of a chapter or two of the thesis (20–30 pages).
• Theses are due to the History Undergraduate Office (Robinson 101) on Thursday, March 10, 2022  before 5:00 pm. Theses that are handed in late will be penalized.

Thesis Readings

Each History thesis is read by at least two impartial members of the Board of Tutors, assigned by the Department. The Board of Tutors consists of (1) all department faculty in residence and (2) all graduate students teaching History 97 and/or a Research Seminar, as well as those advising senior theses. If History is the secondary field of a joint concentration, there is only one History reader. Each reader assigns an evaluation to the thesis (highest honors, highest honors minus, high honors plus, high honors, high honors minus, honors plus, honors, or no distinction), and writes a report detailing the special strengths and weaknesses of the thesis.  Theses by students with a highest honors-level concentration GPA and one highest-level reading will automatically be assigned three readers. Additionally, a thesis by any student may be sent to a third reader when the first two evaluations are three or more distinctions apart (e.g., one high honors plus and one honors plus).

Department Standards for the Thesis Program

Seniors who wish to write a thesis must meet certain prerequisites:

• a ‘B+’ average in the concentration;
• a ‘B+’ average on a 20-page research seminar paper
• the recommendation of their Research Seminar tutor(s).

Students who do not meet the above standards may petition the  History Undergraduate Office for admission to the senior thesis; successful petitions must include a detailed thesis proposal, and will be evaluated at the discretion of the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies (Asst. DUS).

The Awarding of Departmental Honors in History

THE AWARDING OF DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN HISTORY

 Nominations for departmental honors are made by the Board of Examiners at the degree meeting each spring.  In making its nominations, the Board first takes two elements into account:  the average of course grades in History and thesis readings.  All students who may be eligible for a recommendation of highest honors will then be given an oral examination by the Board of Examiners; performance on this exam will be considered in determining the final recommendation.  The standing of those students at the border of two different degrees may also be determined through an oral examination administered by the Board of Examiners.

To be considered eligible for highest honors in history, a student will ordinarily have a grade point average greater than or equal to 3.85 in courses taken for departmental credit, and have received at least two highest -level thesis readings.  In addition, the student must convince the Board of Examiners of their qualifications for the highest recommendation through their performance on the oral examination.  Whether any particular student falling into this numerical range receives highest honors in history will be determined in part by the performance on the oral examination. 

To be considered eligible for high honors in history, a student will ordinarily have a grade point average greater than or equal to 3.7, and will ordinarily have received two high -level readings on the thesis. 

To be considered eligible for honors in history, a student will ordinarily have a grade point average greater than or equal to 3.3, and will ordinarily have received two honors -level readings on the thesis. 

Please note that the Department recommends students’ English honors (highest, high, honors, no honors) and sends these recommendations to the College which determines students’ Latin honors based on total GPA.  Please visit:   https://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/book/requirements-honors-degrees    for more information on how the College awards Latin honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude, no honors).  In addition, you should consult with your Resident Dean.  Any degree candidate who does not receive the A.B. degree with honors in History will be considered by the FAS for the degree of cum laude.  

Departmental Support

Students who do decide to enter the thesis program benefit from a great deal of departmental support. The Department encourages its thesis writers to consider the possibility of devoting the summer prior to their senior year to thesis research, whether on campus or around the world. Each year a large number of rising seniors find funding for summer thesis research. The Undergraduate Office holds a meeting to advise students on how to write a successful fellowship proposal. In addition, we maintain a  listing of organizations that have supported concentrators’ thesis research.

The Department also supports its senior thesis writers through two semesters of a Senior Thesis Seminar, History 99a and 99b , which provide a useful framework for thesis writers as they work through the intermittent difficulties that all thesis students inevitably encounter. For many seniors, their thesis will turn out to be the best piece of writing done while at Harvard. It will also be the longest and most complicated. Consequently, the seminars will focus much attention on the unique challenges of writing an extended, multi-chapter work. History 99a and 99b also provide a common forum in which seniors can share with thesis-writing colleagues their feedback, successes, frustrations, interests, and techniques. This kind of collegiality and exchange of ideas is at the heart of the academic seminar, and it can be the most rewarding aspect of the seminar series.

Students must enroll in the Thesis Seminars in order to write a thesis by obtaining approval from the Asst. DUS  on their study cards.

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How can this guide help me?

This section of the guide is designed to help and support students undertaking an undergraduate thesis by providing them with guidance, information and resources that will help them to successfully complete their thesis. Undertaking a large piece of writing can be daunting, but it also presents a great opportunity for students to contribute to their field of study and share their recommendations and findings to the wider academic community. 

Take a look at our suggested sources for finding high quality academic information, our tools for organising and managing your information, and our top tips for successfully writing your thesis!

Finding Academic Information and Quality Sources

No matter what you are searching for, the ability to distinguish between primary and secondary source material is essential.

Primary sources are documents, images or items that provide a first-hand account or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. Primary sources allow you to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period.

Secondary sources are documents written after an event has happened. They provide second-hand accounts of that event, person, or topic. Secondary sources offer different perspectives, analysis, and conclusions of those primary accounts.

Examples of Primary v Secondary Sources

Primary Source Databases

Examples of Primary Source Database

ARTstor - A digital library of approximately 700,000 images in the areas of art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences with a set of tools to view, present, and manage images for research and pedagogical purposes.

British Periodicals I - IV - Access to the searchable full text of hundreds of periodicals from the late seventeenth century to the early twentieth, comprising millions of high-resolution facsimile page images. Topics covered include literature, philosophy, history, science, the social sciences, music, art, drama, archaeology and architecture.

Gale Primary Sources -  Search together, any combination of: British Library Newspapers, Dublin Castle Records, Economist Historical Archive, 1843- , Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises, 1800-1926, Northern Ireland: A Divided Community, Times Digital Archive.

Proquest Primary Sources Collections The areas covered include Anthropology; Film and Media Studies; Global Studies; History; Philosophy and Religion; and Women and Gender Studies.

Use this link to see a list of all of our databases. Use the dropdown menu labelled "All Subjects" to sort by a specific subject. 

Secondary Source Databases

Secondary Source Database Examples

Academic Search Complete - Multidisciplinary database covering a large range of material in the social sciences and humanities. It includes over 21,000 journals and other publications.

JSTOR - Journal Storage Database - full text archival database covering over 2,500 scholarly journals in the areas of arts & humanities, social sciences and scienceAccess to the following collections: Ireland Collection, Arts and Sciences I to VIII, and the Life Sciences Collection.

Taylor & Francis Journals - Full-text electronic access to over 1000 Taylor & Francis titles. This is a multidisciplinary resource including arts, humanities, science and social sciences.

The Writing Process: Our Top Tips!

Setting Writing Deadlines

When beginning a lengthy piece of writing, it can be difficult to manage your time and stay on track. Therefore, it can be helpful to set small deadlines throughout the writing process and focus on individual sections. Deadlines can provide you with a sense of reassurance by allowing you to plan your level of productivity and manage your time efficiently. Setting deadlines also ensures that you spend an equal amount of time on each section as opposed to dedicating too much time to one over another. 

Using headings / Sub-headings in a logical format

As your thesis is a much longer piece of writing than a standard essay, it is recommended that you use headings and sub-headings to help structure and organise your writing and make your arguments clear and coherent for the reader. Headings can be anything from a theme you identified in the literature, to a pattern of results recognised in your own research. Sub-themes are used to elaborate or broaden the scope of a particular topic, but it is recommended that you refrain from using too many as it can become confusing for both the reader and writer. 

Thematic structuring: Identifying key themes or patterns within the literature 

Throughout the literature review process, various themes, patterns, and concepts emerge from the literature around your specific research topic. Themes can also emerge from your findings if you have used a methodology to investigate your topic further. In either case, reoccurring themes can help you to structure the body of your thesis and formulate logical and cohesive arguments when writing. 

Compare & contrast: Illustrate critical analysis and avoid summarising

One of the most important elements of a thesis is to synthesise your arguments as opposed to summarising them. To synthesise is to compare and contrast the various views evident within the body of literature in order to formulate your own opinions or stance on a particular subject. If opposing views and arguments are evident in your writing, it shows that a broad scope of literature has been consulted and an in-depth and critical analysis has been carried out on your research topic. Making strong comparisons between studies and findings illustrates to the reader that you have evaluated the literature thoroughly to develop your own findings or conclusions on the research topic. 

Using your voice: Supporting your arguments with evidence / references

While your thesis is compromised of past and current literature, it should also contain your our own voice and views with supported evidence and references. As your ideas can often develop from reading an extensive amount of literature on your research topic, if can become unclear whether an idea or view is one of your own or one presented in the literature. In this case, we recommend that you cite when you are in doubt! 

Concluding; Your contributions, findings and recommendations

When writing the concluding section of your thesis, make sure you re-visit the key points discussed in the introductory section, the observations you have made throughout the thesis, and outline clearly your own assessment of the literature, research and findings. 

• What you intended to find out / investigate 
• Your findings / results 
• Your own assessment of the findings and literature (Your contribution & recommendations)

Your concluding paragraph also offers you a great opportunity to share your knowledge of the field with the academic community and contribute to the current body of research. Presenting your own findings and proposing recommendations on your research topic means that you are taking part in the 'scholarly debate' and participating in the ongoing scholarly conversation within the field. 

References & appendices 

While bibliographies and references are not usually included as part of the word count of your thesis, in-text citations are included. It is extremely important that all references (in-text and within the bibliography) are cited correctly and in the correct format/style of your department. If you are including live links or doi's, it is important that each one works correctly in case the reader would like to locate a particular reference. See Saving and Managing your Sources section  for additional information. 

Lastly, the appendices can be used to share additional work or supplementary information that supports your overall thesis. This can be interview transcripts, maps, photographs or any kind of content carried out throughout the research process. 

Saving and Managing your References

Reasons to reference

Referencing is a crucial aspect of your thesis and therefore an essential part of the writing process. Your thesis should reflect that you can conduct research, locate suitable sources, analyse and critically review the findings and reference them appropriately. 

Academic writing & referencing

Good academic writing requires students to use their own voice to critically analyse/argue their viewpoint, with supporting evidence from the literature and by using referencing. Referencing helps you to avoid plagiarism, shows your understanding of the topic, gives evidence for what you are saying in your writing and allows others to see what sources you used. Find more information here on academic writing  and referencing .

Reference Management Tools

Reference Management Software

Reference management software gathers, stores & formats your references, creates in-text citations/footnotes for you. The Library provides access to the following reference management software: Refworks , Endnote Online and Endnote Desktop . There are other software products freely available such as Zotero and Mendeley . Find out more about these products and others here . Find links to our training videos below:

Endnote Online

Endnote Desktop

Your objective in writing a thesis is to create a piece of original and scholarly research to add to the body of knowledge in your subject area. A good place to start, is to find out what has been written in other theses. You can see what has been written, the writing style, how it was structured, research methods, and which references were used.

You can do this by searching for theses like your proposed topic in several places. The Find a Thesis guide will advise on how to search theses from Maynooth University, UK & Ireland and International sites.

Do you need further support?

If you are looking for further help or support with your undergraduate thesis, you can contact one of our Teaching Librarians from the Teaching & Research Development Team Guide here . 

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Undergraduate Thesis Research

The Department of History encourages eligible students to undertake an undergraduate thesis which, if successfully defended, earns the student the  Research Distinction  designation. Non-honors students must complete a minimum of 60 graded hours at Ohio State, submit an  application  at least one term before graduation, complete at least four semester credit hours of History 4999, successfully defend the thesis, and be graduated with at least a 3.0 overall GPA.

Honors students must submit a  thesis application  to the ASC Honors Office, complete at least four semester credit hours of History 4999H, successfully defend the thesis and be graduated with at least a 3.4 overall GPA. Questions should be directed to your ASC honors advisor.

Prof. Peter Mansoor discusses the role of a research mentor and his views on undergraduate research:  

Hear what our students say about their thesis research experiences:.

During the summer of 2016, "Matt S." (History & Geography double major) traveled to South Africa to engage in undergraduate research. In this video, Matt describes his experiences in Zimbabwe and Zambia.  

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Research

Kelsey mullen.

The American investigation of Hitler's death was the focus of Ohio State history alum Kelsey Mullen's undergraduate honors thesis. In this video, Kelsey and her thesis advisor, history professor Alice Conklin, discuss Kelsey's research. Kelsey is currently a law student at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. (Kelsey's thesis is available at:  http://hdl.handle.net/1811/62554 )

RACHEL ARMSTRONG

While an undergraduate history major,  Rachel  wrote an honors thesis about Basque terrorism in the 1980s. In this video, Rachel and her thesis advisor, Professor Nick Breyfogle, discuss her research discoveries. (Rachel's thesis is available at:  http://hdl.handle.net/1811/68972 )

ADRIAN YOUNG

Adrian double majored in history and international relations at Ohio State. He went on to receive a Masters and PhD from Princeton. This video highlights Adrian's time at Ohio State including his experiences researching and writing a senior history honors thesis.

ANNA FAKLER

Anna is a history and psychology double major from Cleveland, Ohio. She decided to write an honors thesis and worked with Assoc. Professor Birgitte Søland to select her topic. She then sought research funding to travel to London. Anna received an Undergraduate Research Scholarship from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Committe and an International Research Grant which will enable her to visit the Wellcome Institute in London and examine the archives of Marie Stopes, a leading birth control advocate.

MAGGIE ECHOLS

Maggie was a History major from Charlottesville, Virginia. In May 2015, she graduated with a B.A. in history with minors in Spanish and political science. While a student, Maggie completed an honors thesis, "A History of the Virginia Democratic Party, 1965-2015". Professor David Stebenne served as her advisor during the process. She received funding to travel to Virginia and the Washington D.C. area to research the subject. Maggie has since been admitted to the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Law.  Update 1/30/17:  Maggie has been accepted into UVA law school's joint program in law and legal history, leading to a J.D. and an M.A. in history. The joint-degree program is popular at UVA because it helps students in obtaining judicial clerkships after graduating, which is an important professional credential. UVA Law is currently ranked eighth in the nation and it also has a distinguished graduate program in history. 

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Senior Thesis Style and Formatting Guide

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Writing Support Resources

Style Guide

Page Numbering

Title Page Format

In-Text Citations

Endnotes vs. Footnotes

References Cited

Figures and Tables

Formatting the Printed Version

Useful Sources on Formal Writing

If you would like feedback and support while writing, the Marks Family Resource Center, located at 3808 Walnut Street, is an excellent resource.  Consult their web page , where you will find links to guides on writing. They also meet with students to improve their writing one-on-one. Writing Center drop-in tutoring hours can be found here . 

You should use consistent style for your in-text citations, references cited, and writing in general.  All Undergraduate Theses submitted to the Department of Anthropology must use the formal “style guide.” We recommend the  American Anthropologist  for cultural anthropology and linguistics topics,  American Antiquity  and  Historical Archaeology  for archaeology topics, and  American Journal of Physical Anthropology  for physical anthropology and biological anthropology topics.  You must use the style guide consistently for the Abstract, Main Text, References Cited, Figures, and Tables.  All citations must have the complete reference in the section “References Cited.”  All figures must be numbered and must be referred to in the text at least once.  Online style guides are available for the following journals:

American Anthropologist :

http://www.aaanet.org/publications/guidelines.cfm

American Antiquity :

https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/style-guide/saa-style-guide_updated-july-2018c5062f7e55154959ab57564384bda7de.pdf?sfvrsn=8247640e_6

Historical Archaeology

http://www.sha.org/publications/for_authors.cfm

American Journal of Physical Anthropology :

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/%28ISSN%291096-8644/homepage/ForAuthors.html

All pages in your thesis should be numbered at the bottom center using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3 . . .) (including Main Text, References Cited section, Figures section, and Tables section).  The Title page is not numbered.  Any preliminary pages (Abstract, Table of Contents, or lists of Figures) use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii . . .).

Your title page is unnumbered. All text of the title page should be centered and have the same font as the main text  Your title page should have the following elements (note the use of upper and lower case):

[TITLE OF THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS IN UPPER CASE]

[Author’s Name]

Anthropology

Submitted to the

Thesis Advisor:  [name of the Thesis Advisor]

The Undergraduate Thesis must include a formal abstract (summary) of 100-200 words at the beginning, immediately following your Title page. Your thesis abstract presents a concise summary of the thesis (research problem or issue, the methods or approach used, and results). Do not cite references in the abstract.

Anthropology generally uses in-text citations to refer to published work as you’ll see in the Style Guide above. It is better to over-cite your sources than to under-cite them!  Below are links to the Penn Library’s documentation guide and the University guide to academic integrity.  Please read these documents carefully:

http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/PORT/documentation/

http://www.upenn.edu/academicintegrity/index.html

We discourage the use of footnotes and endnotes for “additional information.”  If necessary, use endnotes rather than footnotes.  Endnotes appear in sequence at the end of the main text as a separate section titled “Endnotes” and are numbered in sequence in the text (using a superscript font). Endnotes are single-spaced with double spaces between them.  

Your Undergraduate Thesis should include a complete “References Cited” section (this is not a “Bibliography”). Refer to the appropriate style guide ( American Anthropologist ,  American Antiquity , Historical Archaeology,  or  American Journal of Physical Anthropology ) above for details on citations.  Your References Cited section must include all and only the references that you’ve formally cited in your main text, endnotes, figures, and tables. Work with your advisor to agree on appropriate citations for archival sources, interviews, museum records, and other research data.

The Undergraduate Thesis in Anthropology is a formal document, so your figures and tables should be sharp, clear, readable and directly relevant to the topic. Your figures should be clear and legible. Scan images from publications and reduce or enlarge these to best fit the margins of your page using Photoshop or Illustrator (available on computers in the Department and in Weigle Information Commons).

Figures includes diagrams, photographs, drawings, graphics, illustrations, and maps. They will be numbered in sequence “Figure X..”. Label all of your tables “Table Y..” in a separate numbered sequence. You should mention each figure and table at least once in your text [for example:  “As Table 5 demonstrates, the alcoholic content of maize beer is low.”]  Each figure or table must have an individual caption on the page where it appears. If information or images in your figures come from published or unpublished work of others, you must include formal citations in your captions and References Cited section (“Figure 3:  Location map showing the excavations completed during the 1994 field season (after Smith et al. 1995).”

Photographs are numbered in the figure sequence. Photographs should be sharp, fit within the required margins, and have direct relevance to your thesis. Like all figures, each photograph must have a caption, must be cited in the text, and must be listed in the table of figures if you include one. You must cite the sources of any published image you reproduce, and that citation must appear in your “References Cited.”

The text, tables and figures of your thesis should have a 1-inch margin on all sides. Your text should be double spaced except for the Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, long quoted passages (“block” quotes), References Cited, Endnotes and Captions. Format these sections according to the style guide for your thesis subject area.

Choose a clear standard typeface (Times New Roman, etc.) and format pages with 12-point font throughout your document.

Gibaldi, Joseph.  2009.  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.  7th ed. New York:  Modern Language Association of America.  A comprehensive guide to writing research papers.

Strunk, W. and E.B. White.  2005.  The Elements of Style.  New York:  Penguin Press.  Appropriate for more humanities-oriented papers (and therefore possibly for cultural- and linguistic anthropology theses).  Focuses on rules of standard English and calls attention to common errors.

Turabian, Kate L.  2007.  A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.  7th ed.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press.  Updated in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style.

University of Chicago.  2010.  The Chicago Manual of Style.  16th edition.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press.  Another classic, comprehensive style guide; extensively revised for the 16th edition.

Undergraduate Thesis

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Thesis Writing Guides

Getting Started - Topic Selection

Check out our Thesis Finding Aid to see topics previous students have chosen. 

Brainstorm for ideas - what problem(s) might you address through design.

• choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the literature
• ensure that the topic is manageable and that material is available
• make a list of keywords
• be flexible
• define your topic as a focused research question
• research and read more about your topic
• use your question to formulate a thesis statement

For more ideas check out our guide on How to Write an Academic Paper

Types of Architectural Research

There are many types of research in architecture but they all share the same goal to create new architectural knowledge. The books on this page provide more information on conducting research. Depending on your thesis topic you may choose to apply any research methods, but each thesis includes at a minimum the following:

• Literature Review - A summary and analysis of published sources on the thesis topic that brings the reader up to date with current thinking.
• Case Studies - Built projects relevant to the thesis topic which are analyzed for ideas and inspiration. Usually include images, data, drawings, and description and analysis of the project. 
• Physical model - A scale model physical representation of the design solution intended to demonstrate the space and communicate design ideas. 

Some other approaches include questionnaires, surveys, interviews, site analysis, demographics, digital models, materials research, performativity tests, consumer research, or financial viability. They are all valid. The type of research you do will be determined by your research question. 

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Undergraduate Research - Thesis

While not a requirement of the EEB majors, it is an option for highly motivated students interested in graduate school and research careers.   Completion of a thesis is generally a year long commitment.

Students enrolling in   Bioe 195 Senior Thesis   must complete and submit their thesis by the end of the seventh week in the quarter of enrollment.

Step by step guide to completing a thesis:

1.  Secure a faculty sponsor.  You will generally begin work on your thesis by enrolling in one of the undergraduate   research courses .

2.  Write your research proposal with guidance from your faculty sponsor.

3.  Your faculty member will guide your research, data analysis and content. as well as the write up of your thesis.

4.  Submit your finished thesis electronically to EEB advising along with the   Thesis Submission Form   by the end of the seventh week of the quarter you are enrolled in the Bioe 195 Senior Thesis course.

Honors in the Senior Thesis

If your faculty sponsor feels your thesis is worthy of honors, they will select another faculty member to review the thesis and determine that honors are warranted.  Once the second reader has concurred you will receive honors in the senior thesis.

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Love research? Interested in taking what you learned in a PSYCH 4998 lab further? Consider completing a undergraduate thesis in psychology!

To Graduate “With Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:  

• Be a psychology major (if you are an honors student, see "Honors Research Distinction in Psychology" below
• Graduate with at least a 3.0 overall GPA
• Take PSYCH 4999.01 and 4999.02 (Both of these course are  only  offered in Spring semester)
• Write and successfully defend a Psychology Thesis

The Thesis is independent research conducted by the student and supervised by a psychology faculty member. The Psychology Department requires completion of a two-course sequence (PSYCH 4999.01 and 4999.02). Each course is taught in subsequent spring semesters. For example, students on a traditional four-year plan would take Psychology 4999.01 in spring semester of their junior year and PSYCH 4999.02 in spring semester of their senior year. However, with support of the Faculty Thesis Advisor, a students may begin a Thesis and Psychology 4999.01 in spring of their sophomore year.

To Graduate “With Honors Research Distinction in Psychology” a Student Must:  

• Be a psychology major
• Be a member of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program
• Graduate with at least a 3.4 overall GPA
• Complete the psychology major Honors Contract Requirements
• Take PSYCH 4999.01H and 4999.02H (Both of these courses are  only  offered in Spring semester)
• Write and successfully defend a Psychology Honors Thesis

The Honors Thesis is independent research conducted by the student and supervised by a psychology faculty member (only tenured or tenure-track faculty may advise an Honors Thesis). The Psychology Department requires completion of a two-course sequence (PSYCH 4999.01H and 4999.02H). Each course is taught in subsequent spring semesters. For example, a student on a traditional four-year plan would take PSYCH 4999.01H in spring semester of their junior year and PSYCH 4999.02H in spring semester of their senior year. However, with support of the Faculty Honors Thesis Advisor, a student may begin an Honors Thesis and Psychology 4999.01H in spring of their sophomore year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Talk to your psychology advisor, attend our annual Psychology Enrichment Program “Getting Involved in Research in the Psychology Department,” attend the annual Psychology Undergraduate Research Colloquium, explore the PSYCH 4998 opportunities, or talk to your fellow students who are in research labs.

Students interested in pursuing a Thesis or Honors Thesis should begin participating in research (PSYCH 4998) no later than their sophomore year.

Students should secure a Faculty Thesis Advisor by fall semester of the junior year (typically this will be a faculty member with whom you completed 4998 research).

Go to the Be a Research Assistant webpage and find a project that sparks your interest. Check out the lab websites and start applying. It is recommended to apply to 5-7 labs. Once accepted, you can negotiate your hours and responsibilities (this will determine the number of credit hours you receive), have the faculty member sign a course enrollment form (s/he will have the class number), take the course enrollment form to the Psychology Advising Office (PS 015) or email it to [email protected] .

To enroll in PSYCH 4999.01 or 4999.01H, students should complete the Psychology Thesis/Honors Thesis Application. The application requires the signature of the Faculty Thesis Advisor. Once this is turned in to [email protected], students will be enrolled in PSYCH 4999.01 or 4999.01H.

For non-Honors students:

You must submit a Thesis Application with the  College of Arts and Sciences  (under Research Distinction) at least one term before your graduating term. You will need to submit a research proposal and your Faculty Thesis Advisor’s signature on the application form. You will need to schedule an appointment with your Psychology Advisor to complete the Major Program Form on the application.

For Honors students:

The application to graduate with Honors Research Distinction is available from the  Arts and Sciences Honors Office . You will need to submit a research proposal and your Faculty Thesis Advisor’s signature on the application form. If you do not have an approved Honors Contract on file at the Honors Office, you will need to call (614) 292-5750 to schedule an appointment with the Psychology Honors Advisor to complete the Major Program Form of the application (you will have to complete the psychology major contract requirements).

After you have successfully completed your written Thesis document, you will have an hour-long meeting with your Faculty Thesis Advisor and one other faculty member. You will describe your Thesis project to them, and they will ask you questions about your work. You must defend your Thesis at least two weeks before the end of the term you graduate.

Research, Thesis & Directed Studies

Below are brief explanations for undergraduate students regarding research, directed/independent studies, and writing a thesis within the Department of Economics. Scrolling to the bottom you’ll see a short list of FAQ’s that undergraduate students ask. 

Please review this online information before meeting with Economics Academic Advisors. Please meet with an Economics Academic Advisor before talking to your Professor or TA about research, directed studies, or thesis in Economics.  

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• Explore Research Beginnings
• Directed Studies & Thesis
• Honors in the Major

Opportunities to research with accomplished professors, fellow classmates, and established research centers drive students to perform academically at a high level. Research at UW with the Economics Department can be pursued in various ways. One way is a student working on their own research inquiry with professor oversight. Another more elite track would be working with a professor on their research. A third way is through the Honors in the Major route within Economics. More information about Honors can be found below. Regardless of the path chosen, achieving top marks in advanced classes will help to obtain on-campus, competitive research opportunities. 

Bear in mind that, while research opportunities are incredible experiences that students successfully pursue, research is considered a supplementary benefit to an undergraduate education from UW-Madison. Research is not required, nor is it expected of any undergraduate graduating with an economics major.

This worksheet is designed to be a guideline for students to gauge their interest in research. Complete this worksheet and bring it to an advising appointment to discuss research with an advisor.

Is Economics Research for Me?

Directed Study, sometimes called Independent Study, as described in the undergraduate catalog, “offers the student an opportunity to work with a faculty member on an individual study program. A student who is stimulated by a particular concept or problem encountered in a course can pursue and develop that interest in depth through a directed study project. Such individualized study can make a valuable contribution to a student’s educational experience. Directed study courses are made available by departments on the basis of a student’s preparation and motivation and a faculty member’s willingness to accept the student in such an endeavor.”

Directed Study allows advanced students to explore in-depth topics that are not covered in the regular economics course offerings. Your course may be structured to award one to three credits and, in most cases, will require writing a paper on your research and findings. These parameters will be established together with a supervising faculty member. 

Directed Study enrollment class options are: 

• Economics 698 : credit/no credit grading (no GPA associated) 
• Economics 699 : graded basis using A-F scale (included in GPA)

If you wish to pursue Directed Study or Thesis  in Economics, you must:

• Be a junior or senior student majoring in Economics.
• Complete the intermediate courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics.
• Prepare a research proposal and/or reading list, to use in discussion with an Economics Faculty member 
• Obtain approval from a member of the Economics faculty to supervise your project. Ideally, this will be a faculty member with whom you are familiar and who has expertise related to your desired area of study.
• Have a GPA of 3.0 in Economics coursework completed to date.
• Complete the department’s Directed Study form . Once the form is completed and signed by the instructor, return it to the Economics Undergraduate Office. The staff will create the course for you, allowing you then to enroll via standard university procedures.

Senior thesis or senior honors thesis students must follow these same enrollment instructions. However, your class enrollment options are: 

• Econ 691-692 : full year thesis for non-Econ-honors students 
• Econ 581 : one semester senior honors thesis. For EconME Honors students only 
• Econ 681-682 : full year senior honors thesis. For EconME Honors students only

If you want to write a one semester thesis as a non-Econ-honors student, you will enroll in a Directed Study, 698 or 699. 

By participating in a directed study or senior thesis course, students consent to having their finished paper or project archived by the Economics Department and made available on request. Upon completion of the course, students must email a copy of their finished paper or project to [email protected] for this purpose.

Please note that these class options are intended to allow advanced academic exploration by independently motivated students. Directed Studies or Theses are not intended as a means to bolster deficiencies in credits or GPA, and it does not count toward fulfilling the department’s Core Econ Electives requirement.

All questions and inquiries should go to [email protected] or set up an appointment via Starfish with an Economics Academic Advisor. 

Directed Study or Senior Thesis

Part of the Honors in the Economics Major curriculum will be a requirement for you to complete a senior honors thesis, prepared by a research tutorial economics class, your senior year. If you are interested in pursuing Economics with the Math Emphasis, have potential PhD in Economics ambitions, are interested in delving into research- Honors in the Major could be right for you! Please see our Curriculum, Courses, and Requirements page for class details. 

Curriculum, Courses & Requirements

Students can earn the Honors designation for the major in Economics. This is called Honors in the Major (HoM).  To do so, all of the follow criteria must be met:

• Take the honors versions of the intermediate economic theory courses: Economics 311, Intermediate Microeconomic Theory-Advanced Treatment and Economics 312, Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory-Advanced Treatment. If you are a transfer student with credit already for Econ 301 and 302, or were otherwise prevented from taking Econ 311/312, please see an Economics Academic Advisor promptly. 
• Select and fulfill the requirements of the Economics with Mathematical Emphasis option. 
• Attain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0 in all courses in the major and an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses taken at UW-Madison at the time of graduation.
• Complete Economics 580: Tutorial in Research Project Design. This is offered only in the spring semester.
• Execute a capstone experience. Complete either (a) or (b):

Capstone Option A : Find an economics professor mentor and enroll in either Economics 581, Honors Thesis (one semester), or Economics 681 and Economics 682, Honors Thesis (two semesters). Note: Economics 580 must be taken prior to writing the Senior Honors Thesis.

Capstone Option B : Alternative thesis work, to be discussed with an economics academic advisor. If you would like to talk to an academic advisor about pursuing honors in the major, you can learn more about how to talk to one of our academic advisors here !

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Undergraduate research.

Undergraduate Research is an great opportunity to get more involved in the Math Department while working directly with faculty to expand the bounds of existing knowledge. There are many benefits to conducting undergraduate research, including the opportunity to:

• Explore an area of interest more deeply
• Learn first-hand about research to determine if you would like to pursue advanced study after your bachelor's degree
• Gain experience that is often highly valued by graduate school admissions committees
• Present your findings at the UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference or other symposia, and possibly co-author a published paper
• Build relationships with faculty, which can lead to personalized letters of recommendation

MAT 099/199: Research Credit

Students completing undergraduate research (MAT 99/199) will receive lower/upper division credit toward graduation requirements (180 unit requirement) but will not receive credit toward their major. Every 1 unit of credit corresponds to 3 hours of work a week, or 30 hours of work per quarter.

MAT 099 : Undergraduates students who have 83 units or less completed (lower division credit)

MAT 199 : Undergraduate students who have 84 units or more completed (upper division credit)

Academic Year Research Projects

Each quarter, a list of advertised research projects (along with a link to apply to these projects) can be found on the Quarterly Research Projects webpage .

Undergrad Research Conference 2021

The following are presentations held during the annual conference: 

Research in Ramsey Theory and Automatic Theorem Proving

One-Dimensional range restrcited C^2 Interpolation Algorithm

Approximating K-Means using an ADMM Approach

Recovering Individual Based Model Outcomes on Spatiotemporally Coarsened Data

Summer Research Projects

We have research projects happening each summer. For a list of summer projects (and to apply, if they are taking new students), see the Summer Research webpage .

Undergraduate Research Advisor

The undergraduate research advisor is a faculty member who has agreed to help students with all details related to a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). Primary responsibilities include helping students on finding a mentor, selecting students for available fellowships, and advertising other REU programs and fellowships outside of UC Davis.

Contact him for help!

Prof. Bob Guy! [email protected]

Undergraduate Senior Thesis in Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics at UC Davis offers undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in original mathematical research that will culminate in a senior undergraduate thesis. A student taking advantage of this opportunity would work under the guidance of a faculty mentor, pursuing original research.

Eligibility

To be eligible to write a senior thesis, advanced undergraduate students must

• Have a GPA of 3.5 or above in upper level courses in Mathematics OR be in the Honors Program .
• Find an appropriate research mentor willing to supervise their research project. Research supervisors can be faculty from the Mathematics Department or faculty from the Graduate Group in Applied Mathematics (GGAM) .
• Students that do not meet the GPA requirement may also be permitted to write a senior thesis. However, they must be nominated by a faculty member who is willing and able to supervise them in a research project, and the nomination must be approved by Undergraduate Research Committee.

Requirements for completion of an undergraduate thesis

• Students must complete two full quarters of research prior to graduation.
• While pursuing their research, students must complete MAT 199 (Special Studies for Advanced Undergraduates) and/or MAT 194 (Undergraduate Thesis) for a total of at least 6 units of credit over two quarters.
• Students must complete a thesis of sufficient quality and substance. Both the research supervisor and the Undergraduate Program Committee Chair (UPC) will evaluate a student's thesis.
• The UPC must receive a draft of the thesis no later than the beginning of the eighth week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate. The UPC must also receive the supervisor's evaluation of the thesis at this time. The final copy of the thesis must be submitted to the department by the end of finals week.

Students who have a cumulative GPA that exceeds a College of Letters & Science requirement, complete at least 6 units of credits of MAT 199 and/or 194 over two quarters, and complete theses may be considered for graduation with High Honors or Highest Honors. All students completing theses will be recognized at the June Graduation Reception and in the Fall Department Newsletter.

Undergraduate Senior Thesis - Archived Submissions

Research programs at uc davis.

UC LEADS is a comprehensive two-year program designed to prepare economically or educationally disadvantaged students for success in doctoral degree programs in science, engineering, technology, or mathematics. Students are assigned individual faculty mentors, who guide them in academic year and summer research experiences. Scholars receive stipends and housing for their summer research and participate in extensive academic enrichment activities, including presenting their research at the annual UC LEADS Symposium.

MURPPS is a UC Davis undergraduate mentoring program designed to increase the number of disadvantaged students who pursue graduate studies in the physical and mathematical sciences by offering students the chance to work with professors on research projects relevant to their major. The goal of MURPPS is to help create a diverse post-graduate population in the Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Students are paid a quarterly stipend. MURPPS also runs seminars which introduce students to faculty and research projects, offers academic guidance, and access to the tutoring at the Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers .

The Mentorships for Undergraduate Research in Agriculture, Letters, and Science (MURALS) is a two-quarter program that encourages students to further their education beyond the baccalaureate degree by providing opportunities to participate in academic research with a faculty mentor. MURALS welcomes students from all academic disciplines. For application information, please go to their "How to Apply" webpage.

Online Research Search Engines

The following are just a few suggested links that may prove helpful when you begin your research endeavors at UC Davis. Each site — or search engine — offers a wide variety of research aides including published articles and reviews, mathematical documents for specific phrases, or membership listings.

• Undergraduate Research Opportunities at UC Davis A comprehensive site relative to undergraduate research related to UC Davis, both on and off campus. Includes a link to the Undergraduate Research Center.
• eScholarship The publication listings for the entire University of California. This includes all research topics, but also mathematics.
• Front for the Mathematics ArXiv A front end to assist in searching the mathematics articles archive maintained by Cornell University.
• MathSciNet American Mathematical Society's listing of math reviews on the web.
• American Mathematical Society
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
• Combined Membership List A searchable database of the combined membership listings of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), Mathematical Association of America (MAA), Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), and the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM).

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Undergraduate Thesis Leading to Graduation with Honors Research Distinction

There are three options for honors students in the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC) interested in pursuing graduation with honors research distinction or with honors distinction :

• The graduation honor with honors research distinction in [the major field] recognizes those students who demonstrate excellence in the study of a discipline both through major course work and by completing an independent research project culminating in an undergraduate thesis.
• Students majoring in mathematics may choose the graduate-level course work option to graduate with honors distinction in Mathematics .
• The graduation honor with honors research distinction recognizes those students who complete and successfully defend an undergraduate thesis in a discipline other than the major.

Students majoring in the arts may pursue a creative project or thesis that leads to graduation with distinction .

For information about the thesis option for students not in an honors program, please see the Research Thesis web site .

To graduate with honors research distinction , you must satisfy the following requirements:

• Identify an Ohio State faculty member to serve as your project advisor. The project advisor will provide guidance to you throughout the research process.
• Submit the Thesis Application to the ASC Honors Office by the deadline noted below.
• Students must register for at least 4 credit hours of thesis research from the College of the Arts and Sciences, using course number 4999H. (Note: Psychology requires enrollment in a 4999H course sequence.) These 4 credit hours may be divided and taken over the course of multiple semesters. 
• Successfully defend the thesis during an oral examination.
• Meet any department-specific requirements, which may include honors course work and/or a minimum grade point average within the field of distinction.
• Graduate with a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average on at least 60 graded Ohio State semester credit hours. 
• In order to graduate with honors research distinction , you must be enrolled in the ASC Honors Program , which requires completion of the honors course work requirement (fulfilled by completion of an approved Honors Curriculum ).

*** Thesis Option for students not in the ASC Honors Program ***

If you are planning to graduate with honors research distinction , you should submit the Thesis Application to the ASC Honors Office upon enrolling in 4999H research credit and no later than the following deadlines:

• Students defending  Spring 2024 :    Applications were due to  ASC Honors  by Friday,  September 8, 2023
• Students defending  Autumn 2024 : Applications are due to  Rebecca Sallade  by Friday,  January 26, 2024

Questions about the application may be directed to Rebecca Sallade, the Undergraduate Research, Honors Thesis, and Honors Project Coordinator.

• If you are working toward a thesis, it is your responsibility to register for 4999H . In some cases (e.g., in the Department of Psychology), the 4999H research hours are actual courses in a sequence and will require prior planning to make sure you are able to register in a timely fashion.
• The number of research credit hours you take in a given semester will depend on the amount of time you plan to spend on your research during that term. You should plan to discuss this with your thesis project advisor.  Keep in mind that you will need to take at least 4 credit hours of 4999H to meet the requirements for a thesis.
• Your thesis project advisor will need to provide written permission for you to register for 4999H. Permission to enroll in 4999H can be documented on a Course Enrollment Permission form [pdf] . You should submit the signed form to the Arts and Sciences Honors Office no later than the second Friday of the semester to have the hours added to your schedule.  (Late registration for research hours will result in a $100 Late Course Add Fee and may only be added by petition.)
• Students must register for at least 4 credit hours of thesis research from the College of the Arts and Sciences, using course number 4999H. (Note: Psychology requires enrollment in a 4999H course sequence.) These 4 credit hours may be divided and taken over the course of multiple semesters.

Students who have submitted a Thesis Application for approval will be contacted by the ASC Honors Office with oral examination instructions early in the semester in which they plan to defend the thesis (usually around the third or fourth week of the semester).

Abstracts and copies of past undergraduate theses completed for graduation with research distinction are available for examination online through the Ohio State Libraries' Knowledge Bank and in the Mortar Board Room (room 202) of the Thompson Library . They are valuable not only as examples of research undertaken in various disciplines but also as sources of information.

• ASC Honors General Research Information
• Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry
• ASC Undergraduate Research Scholarship
• Denman Undergraduate Research Forum

Funding Resources

Research grants to support undergraduates as they complete senior theses are available from a number of Harvard institutes and centers. Below are some of the funding sources most relevant to senior-thesis writers in the Government Department. The list below is not comprehensive, and a more complete list of funding sources at Harvard is available from the Harvard College  Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) .  Many grant applications are coordinated through the  CARAT portal , which also provides a helpful search tool to find relevant grants for undergraduate research projects.

General Funding Sources: 

• The  Harvard College Research Program  (HCRP) provides funding in support of student-initiated, independent scholarly research or creative endeavors undertaken with guidance of a Harvard-affiliated faculty mentor. The HCRP funds many different types of undergraduate research, including quantitative, qualitative, and theory-focused Government theses. Some funding is available for term-time research, but most Government students apply to get funding for research over the summer before their senior year. More information is available from the  Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) .
• The  Saloma Fund for Undergraduate Research  provides funding to finance research that leads to a senior honors thesis in Government. Upon completion of the research project funded by the award, each recipient must provide a written report describing what research objectives were accomplished and identifying the salient findings. Interested students should contact the  Government Undergraduate Program Office  for more information.

​​​​​​ Region- or Topic-Specific Sources: 

• The  Center For African Studies  offers  summer travel grants  to assist Harvard juniors with senior honors thesis research on Africa. Grants are also available for  research done over January term .  Contact the Center for African Studies  for more information and to discuss eligibility requirements.  
• The  Harvard University Asia Center  provides grant support to undergraduates who travel for research projects in Asia. Funding is avaialble for both  summer  and  January term research .  Contact the Asia Center  for more information and to discuss eligibility requirements. 
• The  Center for American Political Studies (CAPS)  at Harvard has  research grants  to fund rising seniors conducting summer and fall-term thesis research on any aspect of contemporary American politics. There are also smaller  seed grants  that can be particularly helpful for juniors at the beginning stages of their research. Grants are available for both qualitative and quantitative research projects. You may find it helpful to read about the work of  recent undergraduate grant winners . CAPS also maintains a library of senior theses written by previous CAPS grantees;  contact CAPS  for more information. 
• The  Center for European Studies  (CES) offers summer research  travel grants for senior thesis writers  to explore topics on political, historical, economic, social, cultural, and intellectual trends in modern or contemporary Europe. CES also offers a  series of workshops  to help juniors prepare to research and write a thesis. 
• The  Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies  offers  grants to support undergraduate research  during the summer in China or Taiwan. It also provides some funding for  Chinese language study and for activities during January term ;  contact the Fairbank Center  for more information. 
• The  Korea Institute  gives awards to Harvard undergraduates in the humanities or social sciences to use in Korea for research and/or field work relating to a senior honors thesis in an area of Korean studies. Typically, the amount of the award is limited to the cost of travel in the research project. Undergraduate applicants must have at least two years of Korean language training or equivalent proficiency in the language. More information is available on the  Korea Institute’s webpage.  
• The  Center for Middle Eastern Studies  (CMES) awards  a number of travel grants  annually to Morocco, Israel, and other Middle Eastern countries.  Summer travel and research grants  are available for juniors to aid in work on theses pertaining to the country to which they wish to travel.  Contact CMES  for more information.
• The  Carol K. Pforzheimer Student Fellowships , administered by the  Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study , supports a wide range of undergraduate research proposals utilizing the special resources of the  Schlesinger Library  and the  Radcliffe College Archives . These fellowships are particularly suitable for students interested in gender issues and the history of women in America. Visit the  Schlesinger Library’s website for more information on applying  for these fellowships. 
• The  Henry Rosovsky Undergraduate Summer Research Travel Grants , administered by the  Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies , funds students in the humanities and social sciences for research and/or field work in Japan that relates directly to a senior honors thesis in an area of Japanese studies. Applicants must usually have completed at least two years of Japanese language study.  Visit the Reischauer Institute’s website for more information on applying  for these travel grants. 
• The  David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies  (DRCLAS) offers summer research travel grants to students conducting research related to Latin America and the Caribbean.  Visit the DRCLAS website  for more information and instructions on applying. 
• The  Goldman Undergraduate Research Travel Grants , administered by the  Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies , support undergraduates writing senior theses on a topic in Russian or Eurasian studies.  Visit the Davis Center website  for more information. 
• The  Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute  (HURI) administers the  HURI Summer Research Travel Grant Program  to support undergraduate research in the Ukraine. Visit the  HURI website  for more information. 
• The  Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History  offers  funding for summer thesis research  on any aspect of American history.  Visit the Warren Center’s website  for more information. 
• ​​​​​ The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs  administers  multiple grants for undergraduate thesis research  on issues related to international relations and global governance.  Visit the WCFIA website  for a complete list of grants and application information. 

Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

A Guide to Citations

Whether writing a paper or providing a presentation, you will often find yourself relying on the completed work of others to synthesize information about a subject. An essential part of using these outside sources is to give their owners rightful credit in your references! Read some tips below on making citations easier. 

• Find and diversify your sources.

First, identify the sources you want to utilize. It’s often important to have a variety of sources to create a dynamic presentation about your topic of interest. Use of academic journals as well as a mix of primary and secondary sources will allow your presentation to cover a range of perspectives. 

Select your sources carefully and with purpose. You might be relying on different pieces of work for different reasons and you want to incorporate this variety in your writing. Different types of primary and secondary sources can provide diverse perspectives that will elevate the quality and reliability of your writing. You should ensure that each source you’re identifying contributes to your understanding and work in a meaningful way – whether the source plays an instrumental role in supporting your argument or providing contextual information for your subject. 

• List out your sources.

Keep track of the sources you’re using so that it makes creating a bibliography easier later on. It might also help to jot down a few notes about how that source assisted you and the type of information you processed from the author(s). This will make your life much more convenient later on, especially in the case where you need to include an annotated bibliography – a bibliography that demonstrates the importance of each source to the reader by inclusion of a summary or brief analysis. Also, make sure that you are keeping track of where these sources are being used throughout your work so that you can accurately and easily squeeze in the appropriate references. 

• Choose a citation style. 

There exist a variety of different citation styles but there can be preferred citation styles among different fields of research for various purposes. View published sources of your field to see the prevalent type of citation style used. Depending on the type of work you’re working on, more concise citation formats might be of interest while other pieces of work might require a citation format that explicitly states the authors of reference. Align yourself with the leaders of your field and gain familiarity with the styles in which you give credit to the original authors. 

• Refer to guides or resources. 

Peruse through online resources (such as OWL Purdue ) which might have examples of the citation style you’re using. These guides will be a great way to ensure that the formats of your citations are correct and so that you can present your information in a professional manner! The Princeton University Library also often hosts workshops around citation management – there’s one coming up in just a couple weeks.

Formatting and writing citations can be a tedious process at first. However, a bibliography is the optimal way to convey to your readers 1) where certain material in your work came from 2) other sources readers can turn to in regards to the topic 3) the topic of discussion is one of academic interest. Referring to other authors will add credibility to your writing and demonstrate the necessity of giving credit where credit is due.  

— Rebecca Cho, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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Senior Thesis Research

CHM 393: Senior Research, can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling courses that you take at the University of Rochester. It is required for the BS degree and optional for the BA degree.

Although two semesters (8 credits) of CHM 393 Senior Research are required for students in the BS degree during their senior year, any undergraduate may work with a professor as part of his/her research team during their first, second, or third years. Often this is done as CHM 395: Independent Research.

Getting Started

To start, you need to find out what kind of chemistry appeals to you. Then, speak directly with the professor who does that kind of research to ask if there are openings. Showing an interest in the group’s work helps a lot! To find out the areas in which professors are working, it is helpful to see the research and teaching interests pages located in the Insider's Guide , or check our  faculty pages .

Once you have narrowed your field of interest, the next step is to talk with the professors. They can give you a better idea of what they are doing and what you may be able to do. They may suggest that you attend one of their “group meetings” to find out what their group is about.

If you decide that you like the area of research, you and the professor can devise an individual research plan and you can begin your work.

Writing Your Thesis

The senior thesis is the written document describing your research project, and is a vital part of both chemistry 393 and your BS degree.

Written communication of scientific accomplishments is an essential component of research. Even the most stunning technical accomplishments are worthless if they are left buried in a lab notebook. However, there is not a single formula or recipe for technical writing. A thesis describing a synthetic organic project will certainly look quite different from a theoretical physical chemistry thesis.

Below are some general guidelines for thesis content. You should talk with your adviser frequently about specific thesis details. It is also wise to ask your senior research adviser and second reader for advice based on their reading of a preliminary draft.

General Guidelines

The starting point for your thesis should be the introduction of a well defined chemical problem, the problem which your research will address. This introduction should clearly state the objectives of your research, and discuss the significance of the issues involved. You should discuss the methods used to address the problem.The introduction is often useful to compare different possible approaches and state why the chosen methods are appropriate to your project.

All procedures and techniques should be carefully defined. A proper guide to the amount of detail required should be that an independent worker should be able to reproduce your work, given only your thesis and a good reference library. Your thesis should be more detailed and complete than a paper published in a research journal.

After describing methods, techniques, and procedures, you must present your results. Analysis of results and conclusions drawn from your work is an extremely important part of your thesis. A final discussion of the importance of your work, or how your results interact with other areas of chemistry may also be appropriate.

The diversity of chemical research makes it impossible to give specific length requirements for a thesis. However, it is difficult to imagine a satisfactory thesis of fewer than 10 pages, and 100 pages is certainly a reasonable upper limit.

There is a departmental Senior Thesis Poster Session each year the first week of May where you will present your research. Generally, your thesis is due no later than the last day of classes, which will give you the next week (final exam week) to make any final changes as recommended by your advisor and/or second reader.

Your thesis is part of your grade in CHM 393 and needs to be completed in time to have grades submitted at the end of the semester and in time for commencement. Please discuss details and deadlines with your senior research advisor.

To get a feel for the type of research projects other students have taken on see the senior poster abstracts (PDF).

For more information, please see:

• Chemistry Research Opportunities
• UR Office of Undergraduate Research site

Registration Process and Forms

CHM 393 Senior Research no longer uses the online “Independent Study Form”. Instead, students will register online as they do for other courses.  There is a CRN (Course Registration Number) for each Instructor for CHM 393.   You will need to meet with the Instructor and discuss their expectations, and get their permission to register.

CHM 395 Independent Research requires an “Independent Study Form”, where the student and advisor will agree to the number of credits hours the study will be worth, a title, grading criteria and more.

• Independent Study Form
• Student Instructions
• Faculty Instructions

Communicating Research Relevance: The Three Minute Thesis Competition 2024

Communicating complex scientific information in a succinct and engaging manner, College of Life Sciences graduate students presented their compelling research in a mere three minutes. Competing in the College’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, students not only conveyed the general content of their work, but also its relevance to an audience not privy to their field of study. This year’s competitors demonstrated the significance of their work and its potential to bless the lives of many within our global community.

Winners of the college 3MT competition were awarded cash prizes, with the first-place position receiving $1,000, second $600, and third $300. The first-place winner will participate in a broader campus-wide competition.

Amongst several thought-provoking presentations, the winners of the competition were:

1st: Jared Steele (EXSC)— Leveraging SuperShoe Technology for Clinical Care

SuperShoes enhance running performance by decreasing the amount of oxygen a runner needs. But does it have the same effect on everyday walking? Steele conducted a study that showed similarly significant results for SuperShoe users who walk. This means that SuperShoes could be used to decrease the metabolic cost put on patients who begin to walk again after an operation or illness.

2nd: Kevin Gray (NEURO)— The Effect of Redox Changes on Optic Tectum Development and Behavior

Gray is shedding light on how symptoms of autism may develop due to improper development in a part of the brain called the superior colliculus. By studying a comparable structure in zebrafish called the optic tectum, Gray is on his way to understanding more about what autism looks like in the brain and how we can treat it.

3rd: Jacob Herring (NDFS)— Diabetes Research: What Are We Really Studying?

Herring says that we might not be studying diabetes the right way. He noticed that the sugar concentration of the cultures used to study diabetes were significantly higher than sugar concentrations in diabetic individuals. Herring decided to make a sugar-accurate culture that will allow scientists to study what’s actually going on with diabetes.

Other contestants and their presentations:

• Rachael David Prince—The Great Wall of Bacteria: Capsules
• Kaylee Draughon—Evaluating Cheatgrass as an Ecological Trap for Burrowing Owls
• Annalie Martin—Neurexins and Zebrafish: Neurodevelopmental Disorders Getting Fishy
• Ricard Noriega—Comparative Analysis of Comorbidity Prevalence in Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in El Paso, Texas
• Clara Smith—More Invested and Knowledgeable Biology Teachers

Benjamin Crookston, professor of public health and associate dean in the College of Life Sciences who conducted the event, says that “it has been rewarding to see [students] do this each year as they learn to communicate their work effectively to a general audience.”

The university-wide 3MT competition will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 21, in the Wilkinson Student Center Varsity Theatre. First-place winner Jared Steele will compete against students from other colleges for additional cash prizes.

SPHHS Students Named 2024 CRF Undergraduate Student Research Award Winners

The awards support their research efforts and assist them in presenting their findings at professional meetings..

The Center for Research on Families (CRF) at UMass Amherst has selected six SPHHS undergraduate students among its twenty-two 2024 undergraduate student research award recipients. Since its inception in 2010, the Student Research Awards program has awarded close to $500,000 to 224 students in support of their research efforts and assisted them in presenting their findings at professional meetings and conferences throughout the world.

The SPHHS award recipients are:

• Kaela Leary (Public Health Sciences)
• Rudy Lucier (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences)
• Sanjana Ravikumar (Public Health Sciences)
• Mia Tittmann (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences)
• Caroline Tran (Public Health Sciences)
• Virginia Walker (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences)

Kaela Leary is an undergraduate student majoring in Public Health Sciences and Psychology. Under the mentorship of her advisor, Associate Dean Gloria DiFulvio, her research broadly focuses on the Village to Village Network, a group of non-profit organizations whose mission is to provide an accessible means of aging in place for the older population. Her Honors Thesis will examine the Massachusetts Village Network to identify its structures of success as well as its gaps and address how to increase sustainability and accessibility of this aging in place model.

Rudy Lucier is a junior SLHS and Communications student interested in the intersection of bilingualism and autism. Interacting with the local community through Assistant Professor Megan Gross’s Bilingual Language Development Lab has been a highlight his time at UMass, and has shaped his values entering the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences field.

Sanjana Ravikumar is a senior undergraduate student at UMass pursuing a degree in Public Health Sciences. Under the mentorship of Associate Professor and Chair of Health Promotion and Policy Sarah Goff, her research focuses on child abuse and neglect laws pertaining to women with opioid use disorders. Her thesis will focus on the benefits, pitfalls, and proposed implementation of bill H.4392 currently on the MA state floor and compare this legislation to similar laws that exist in other states. She is also interested in the broader intended and unintended effects of punitive laws on women and birthing people with substance use disorders, and the communities of women that may disproportionately experience them.

Mia Tittmann is an undergraduate studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Under the guidance of her advisor, senior lecturer Ashley Woodman (psychology), her current research is focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her honors thesis will address the well-being of parents of autistic children, specifically parents who identify as a racial/ethnic minority. These well-being measurements will range from stress levels, sense of community, sense of support, etc. Through a systematic literature review, she will conclude what the current research has to say about these parent outcomes. She hopes to highlight where future research is heading, what is important to these parents, how to improve these outcomes, and finally what best practices should include. She plans to attend graduate school to become a licensed speech-language pathologist and continue doing research on the intersection of ASD, race/ethnicity, and family dynamics.

Caroline Tran is a senior at the Commonwealth Honors College pursuing a dual degree in Microbiology and Public Health Sciences on the pre-medical track. Her current research in the Moove and Snooze Lab under the mentorship of Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Christine St. Laurent for her Honors Thesis aims to identify facilitators, barriers, knowledge, and current caregiving practices related to child physical activity and sleep in Western Massachusetts family/home-based childcare settings. This study's findings will inform the development of an intervention to promote child physical activity and sleep in family/home-based childcare settings. Her research project is titled, “Family Childcare Assessment of Resources, Education, and Support (CARE) for Physical Activity and Sleep Study”.

Virginia Walker is an undergraduate major in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and she is also in the Developmental Disabilities and Human Services program. Under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Megan Gross in the Bilingual Language Development Lab, her current research is focused on learning what it is like to raise a neurodivergent child within the Hispanic community and seeing what factors affect the services offered. Her research will examine the access to bilingual services provided through the difference of quality of services given to verbal and non-verbal neurodivergent children, along with the quantity of services offered based on location, with the use of surveys and interviews with Hispanic parents of autistic children with a range of verbal ability.

Read about the full 2024 cohort here.

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Undergraduate Researchers Help Unlock Lessons of Machine Learning and AI

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/20/2024 - 10:00am

UT College of Natural Sciences undergraduates Prasann Singhal, Nihita Sarma, Shankar Padmanabhan and Jennifer Mickel are conducting research into AI and its applications.

From large language models to brain-machine interfaces, students work with faculty on cutting-edge research.

Even before The University of Texas at Austin declared 2024 the Year of AI , artificial intelligence and machine learning had researchers across campus abuzz with activity. Undergraduates under the mentorship of professors in computer science and departments across campus are making their contributions in this fast-growing field.

Humanizing Responses

Prasann Singhal, linguistics and computer science junior, works under Greg Durrett, professor of computer science, to research the intersection of machine learning and human feedback. Using data and human preferences, Singhal’s methods seek to tweak machine-learning models to create output more aligned with what a human would want or expect. This alignment attempts to learn appropriate functions in a semi-supervised way without explicit instruction, Singhal said.

“A question like, ‘What are penguins?’ might produce an output that gives a scientific explanation of how penguins live their lives,” Singhal said. “That gets adjusted through technologies like ChatGPT to generate outputs that are more in line with what humans would expect and make them a little bit easier for the public to use.”

Knowing More

Also a student of Durrett’s, mathematics senior Shankar Padmanabhan, researches another side of generative AI: model editing and continual learning.

“Language models such as ChatGPT are usually trained on a fixed dataset (e.g, the internet before fall 2021),” said Padmanabhan. “As a consequence, they lack knowledge of events happening after this cutoff. The field of continual learning attempts to determine the best way to edit the knowledge base of these models without affecting their knowledge of prior events.”

Padmanabhan’s first paper discussed exploration of existing techniques, which he found were unable to make common-sense inferences. In a second paper, Padmanabhan found a method to fix discrepancies by placing a statement in context that outperformed prior models, he said. In December, Padmanabhan presented his research at the 2023 Neural Information Processing Systems conference, one of the biggest AI/machine learning conferences. Since then, Padmanabhan has been working on extending what he has learned to apply to information stored in languages other than English.

“In particular, if we inject some information in English into a language model, ideally it should be stored in a language-agnostic manner such that the model can use it even when it isn’t ‘talking’ in English,” Padmabhan explained.

Brain-Machine Interface

AI also intersects with language in other research areas. Nihita Sarma, a computer science third-year student and member of Dean’s Scholars and Turing Scholars, researches the intersection of neuroscience and machine learning to understand language in the brain, working with Michael Mauk, professor of neuroscience, and Alexander Huth, an assistant professor of computer science and neuroscience.

As research subjects listen to podcasts, they lie in an MRI machine and readings track their brain activity. These customized-to-the-subject readings are then used to train machine learning models called encoding models, and Sarma then passes them through decoding models.

“My research is taking those encodings and trying to backtrack and figure out based on this neural representation — based on the brain activity that was going on at that moment — what could the person inside the MRI machine possibly have been thinking or listening to at that moment?” Sarma said.

Along with gaining a better understanding of how language is represented in the brain, Sarma said the research has possible applications for a noninvasive communication tactic for people unable to speak or sign.

“We would be able to decode what they’re thinking or what they’re trying to say, and allow them to communicate with the outside world,” Sarma said.

Towards Ethical AI

Inspired by the Netflix documentary “Coded Bias” about racial biases in facial recognition algorithms, Jennifer Mickel, a computer science fourth-year student, focuses her research on AI fairness. Biases in society are reflected within data, Mickel said, and a great deal of internet data represents a point of view centered on Western viewpoints.

“We don’t see as much representation from people who are not in the West, and so that means that the ideas of the people whose data we’re using to train our models are replicated within those systems,” Mickel said.

Improving fairness can involve using data and assessing an AI model’s performance in new and different ways. Much data is demographic-free due or has partial demographic information due to privacy or other barriers; nonetheless, many models perform better when given background information with demographics, Mickel said. That’s why Mickel works to improve models trained with demographic-free data. Using a system of finding intersections in data — and identifying and mitigating the effects of the worst-performing group — proves feasible for improving these models.

“Practitioners would use our algorithm to find the groups and then they would retrain using that group information to improve the performance for the worst-performing group,” Mickel said. “They would just keep doing that until the worst-performing group was performing as they had hoped.”

Early Starts

Besides all studying AI, Singhal, Padmanabhan, Sarma and Mickel have something else in common: their undergraduate research exposure started within their first year and a half at UT. In fact, the University has more first- and second-year college students doing real-world research than any place in the country.

Singhal said the early start afforded him the opportunity to learn his research interests and lead projects earlier in his research career. He also has formed strong connections with supportive lab members he’s able to ask for advice or learn from.

“I’m an NLP [natural language processing] researcher,” Singhal said. “I really love most of NLP. So it’s always been very exciting, and it keeps me motivated to keep on doing research.”

Cross-posted from CNS News , by Amelia Engstrom

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Professor Ahmad Umar ranks among most cited scientists in the world

He believes in shaping the future of nanomaterials by nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers through lecturing, grant writing and collaboration on campus. They confirm his mission to exceed scientific boundaries.

My time at Ohio State University has been incredibly rewarding. Surrounded by supportive colleagues and state-of-the-art facilities, has allowed me to thrive in the collaborative atmosphere fostered by the university. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside talented individuals who share his passion for research and education. Professor Ahmad Umar

He is one of the founders of Advanced Materials and Nano-Research Centre at Najran University and is the Director for STEM pioneers training lab. He has received many international awards and is an editor and editor-in-chief for several scientific journals.

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