Biology Thesis FAQs
Where/When do we turn our theses in? How many copies?
- Our office, BioLabs 1082-d, on Friday Mar 21, 2008.
- Note that this year, we will require you to turn FIVE BOUND COPIES of your thesis into the Undergraduate Office, and not four (as was stated on the original abstract form)._ Also, you should keep contingency copies for yourself in case you'd like to show relatives, friends, and colleagues what it was that caused the bags under your eyes. The evaluators do not always return students' theses with their evaluations. (You will find out who has evaluated your thesis once the grading process is completed for all thesis writers. More details about the evaluation process are below.)
How should theses be formatted -- font, margins, order of tables, charts, notes . . . ? What kind paper do we use?
- That's up to your PI, who will also be one of your reader/evaluators.
- No restriction on the type of paper.
- Note that there are also sample summa/exceptional-graded theses available in our office, which you can look through and borrow for short periods of time, so that you can get an idea about how different approaches to formatting, etc., have been employed. A partial list of these theses is available by clicking here.
Do theses go in some special sort of binder? If so, where do we get one?
- No special sort of binder, as long as it is bound. Kinko's, Gnomon, Bob Slate, or any other copy shop can help you with that; there's a wide variety of binding options.
How does the evaluation process go?
- Your thesis will be evaluated by your PI and (in most cases) two other Faculty members from MCB or OEB. Once your thesis is turned in, one copy is sent to each evaluator, along with instructions on how to evaluate it. A fortnight or so later, the evaluations are collected, compiled, and given to the Biology Undergraduate Committee. The Committee then pores over the evaluations, and meets to decide each student's thesis grade based upon the evaluations. See this page (click here) for more details.
When will we hear back/get our grades?
- The middle of May, probably the week of the 14th or so, but only once all of the grades have been settled upon.
How are Hoopes Prize Nominations handled?
- Details on how to nominate a student for the Hoopes Prize are available at The Prize Office Website. Click here.
- If you are a PI nominating your undergraduate, or if you have been nominated, please inform James Poolner so that we can note it; the Prize Office usually asks for the student's evaluations before they're due in our office; as the student will not be able to see the evaluations until after the grading process, we will be responsible for forwarding any evaluations we receive to the Prize Office.
updated 11/21/07