Senior Project Guidelines
Students should familiarize themselves with the required format for
the Senior Project, and follow these guidelines throughout the process:
Only standard size and style type (12 point font), and black ink may
be used. Only letter quality printing will be accepted. The text is to
be double spaced, except for block quotations, table titles, and figure
captions. Citations and bibliographic entries are to be single spaced.
Pagination: Number all pages in the bottom center, starting with the
first page of the Introduction as page 1. Preceding pages, including
Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, and Abstract, should be numbered in
lower case Roman numerals. Do not include a page number on the Title
Page, although this is counted as page i. The first numbered page is the
Table of Contents and it should be numbered ii. Each chapter is to
begin on a new page, and is to be headed by Chapter #, beneath which, on
the next line, is to appear the chapter title.
The Senior Project should include, in this order:
Cover Page – in Word or in Google doc format
Title Page – in Word or in Google doc format
Table of Contents: list the numbers and titles of all chapters, and
the page numbers on which each chapter begins. The bibliography,
together with any appendices, maps, tables, charts, graphs, or
illustrations should also be listed here.
Acknowledgements: if you wish, you may thank mentors, librarians and
archivists, family members, and others who have been influential to you
in the writing of your Senior Project. This section is voluntary and
may be omitted.
Abstract: you should write one paragraph that summarizes the
contents of the Senior Project. This should appear on a separate page
and be headed “Abstract.”
Text: the body of the paper should be divided into as many chapters
as necessary to present the subject in a well-organized fashion. While
there are no absolute minimum requirement for the length, the Senior
Project must be fully developed, with substantial discussion of the
material covered. If there are any questions about sufficient length, it
is the student’s responsibility to consult with the project director or
the department chair.
Citations: notes should be arranged sequentially by chapter (i.e.,
begin a new series with number 1 for each chapter). Notes may be placed
either at the bottom of the page on which the reference occurs
(footnotes), or at the end of each chapter (endnotes). If endnotes are
used, they are to commence immediately after the last page of each
chapter, or the last page of any appendices. The endnotes for each
chapter are to begin on a new page, which is to carry the number and
title of the chapter to which the notes refer. Endnote pages are to be
numbered in sequence from the last page of text in the chapter. All
notes are to conform to the standards established in the current edition
of Kate L. Turabian’s Manual, see Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago Style).
If there are any questions about proper forms of citations which are
not addressed by Turabian, it is the student’s responsibility to consult
with the project director or the department chair.
Bibliography: arranged according to the instructions contained in the current edition of Turabian’s Manual. Bibliography pages are to be numbered in sequence from the last page of text, appendices, or endnotes.
Typographical errors, if few in number and minor in character, may
be corrected neatly by hand in black ink on all copies. Authors should
edit and re-print any pages on which there are numerous errors,
omissions of text, or major alterations.
Proofread carefully! It is to be clearly understood that any pages
badly flawed with technical mistakes, any neglect of the instructions
contained in these Guidelines, or any failure to employ accurately the
standards prescribed in Turabian’s Manual, may result in a
penalty grade, a requirement that the project be edited and re-printed,
or, in extreme cases, failure in the Senior Project.
