The Prospectus

Requirements : Enroll in English 497, Individual Study, in the first semester of your senior year. The prospectus should be submitted to the Undergraduate Committee no later than the end of the sixth week in your first semester of your senior year.

Writing the Prospectus: A prospectus, as the etymology of the word suggests [pro+specere], is a brief document that looks forward, sees ahead, or anticipates another work – a book, dissertation, article, or, in this case, Honors Thesis. In another sense, prospicere means to face, as in to face the matter just beforehand – to acknowledge the project is coming.

Content : A good prospectus should give an overview or synopsis of your project, articulate its working thesis (or hypothesis), suggest how it contributes to ongoing scholarship about the topic, and sketch out the basic steps of your supporting argument. When appropriate, you should discuss your methodology (or theoretical framework for your argument).

Length : For purposes of the Undergraduate Honors program in English, a good prospectus should be about five to eight pages (1250-1750 words), excluding the Works Cited page. The Works Cited page should contain only those works cited in the prospectus, but it should be substantial enough to show that considerable preliminary research has gone into the project already.

Documentation Style : Documentation and style should follow the most recent MLA Guidelines. (Note: If you are doing a Professional Writing Thesis, you may use the style guide appropriate to the subject of you proposed thesis – e.g. Chicago, APA, or MLA. Consult with your faculty advisor for the appropriate style manual.)

Outline of Contents: In outline form, the prospectus would look something like this :

• Cover page listing the title of the prospectus, name of the student, advisor, student’s email address, mailing address, and telephone number
• A short letter from your advisor approving the prospectus
• On the Prospectus proper, only include the title; leave out the information of your name and address for the purpose of blind submission.
• Overview of Project:
• What is the purpose of your project?
• What is your working thesis or hypothesis?
• Discussion or Description of the Project:
• Why is your project important or necessary?
• How does the project contribute to the ongoing scholarship or critical discussion about your topic?
• Who else has written on this topic?
• How does your discussion differ from these, expand these, or otherwise enter into dialogue with these?
• What is unique about your thesis or approach to the topic?
• What methodology or theoretical framework will you use to make your argument?
• What steps will you take to support your argument (that is, how will you organize your project/paper?)?
• Summary:
• What are the implications of your discussion/thesis?
• What other questions or research might it point to?
• Works Cited: [ Only include the list of the texts (books, articles) you cited in your prospectus