A. General Guidelines for Ch 491-492 (Research in Chemistry) and Ch 496 (Independent Problems in Chemistry)

The chemistry curricula at Elizabethtown College seek to develop each student’s ability to work independently as a chemist. A research experience integrates the factual and conceptual content of foundation courses in their application to a specific problem, and it both challenges and fosters the development of individual responsibility and imaginative thought. Research is normally begun in the junior or senior year by students with a full complement of foundation courses and a willingness to undertake research as their own work.

Successful research is the result of genuine curiosity and interest on the part of the investigator. It is important for students planning to enroll in research to talk with each member of the chemistry faculty about research opportunities in the semester preceding enrollment. In this way student interest, faculty interest, and necessary materials and facilities can be combined to provide a rewarding research experience. The following guidelines have been adopted by the Department of Chemistry to assist students and faculty supervisors in the design of research experiences.

1. The minimum amount of time which a student should spend working on the research project is three hours per week for each semester hour of credit. Thus, a student enrolled for three credits of research would spend at least nine hours each week on activities directly related to the project. The more time      invested in a project, the more likely will be the production of significant results. This may frequently involve working well in excess of the three hours per credit minimum.
2. Recognizing the strong correlation between time invested in a research project and the achievement of results, the chemistry department encourages students to enroll for three or four credits of research and will not enroll students for fewer than two credits of research. The department further encourages  participation in research for at least two semesters. 
3. Students conducting research will normally be expected to prepare progress reports (oral and/or written) which summarize research activities during specified periods of time as well as a final written report described below. Research students will also be expected to present their work in a seminar and will be encouraged to attend and make presentations at regional and local meetings, such as the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting (MARM) and Intercollegiate Student Chemists (ISC) conventions. 
4. The final research report is prepared as an undergraduate thesis as described in part D.1-4. 
5. The final written thesis will be the substantial component of the grade for research. Other factors, including diligence, productivity, quality of work, laboratory technique, attention to safety, the student’s ability to make independent judgments and decisions regarding the research and its direction, and other criteria as established by the faculty advisor, will also be considered. Many of these factors require subjective evaluation by the advisor. 
6. The Chemistry Department supports the College’s policy and guidelines for the nomination of candidates for graduation honors in chemistry and biochemistry in the event that such individuals are eligible and fulfill these requirements. The candidate is responsible for being cognizant of changes in the College and/or departmental honors guidelines.   

1. Invitation and Nomination Process

The College Catalog states that "students may pursue an honors project at the invitation of the faculty of the department." Within the chemistry department, students eligible for honors will be those whose grade point average in the major is at least 3.5 and who conduct research and make a satisfactory oral defense of that research, either at a seminar in the Ch 361-462 series or at a special meeting of the chemistry faculty. The department chairperson will extend a written invitation to potential candidates during their junior year. Students must accept or decline the invitation in writing. A copy of the letter accepting or rejecting the   invitation is kept on file by the chemistry department, the Office of Registration and Records, the Provost’s Office, and the student’s academic advisor. Students must declare the name of their honors project advisor to the chemistry department chairperson. To withdraw from the departmental honors program requires a written statement from the student. The student, the student’s academic advisor, and the honors project advisor must sign this statement. A copy of the statement is then filed with the chemistry department, the ffice of Registration and Records, the Provost’s Office, and in the student’s academic advising folder.

2. Thesis and Final Grade

he student must submit a written description of the research project to the department through the honors project advisor, and earn departmental approval of this plan no later than May 1 of the student’s junior year. Students may work on a project as part of a course in their major department, or as an Independent Study, or as independent from anything taken for course credit. Chemistry students will most likely complete this project during the sequence Ch 491-492, Research in Chemistry, in the current college catalog.

The final research report is prepared as an undergraduate thesis as described in the general guidelines for chemistry research. The honors project advisor is responsible for assessing the written thesis and may consult with other members of the staff in that process.

Students are responsible for filing a permanent copy of the completed project with the chemistry department. The designation of departmental honors requires that the student’s project be judged as excellent by the chemistry department.

3. Oral Presentation

Each honors candidate will deliver an oral presentation of his/her work. In the current curriculum, this seminar will be included at the end of Ch 462, Chemistry Seminar IV, time and scheduling permitting. If not, another time near the end of the semester will be set. In either case, successful completion of the oral presentation will contribute to the grade in Ch 462. Faculty and students will probe the student’s knowledge of the research by asking questions on the work. The seminar is open to the general community. The principal instructor in the seminar course will determine the final letter grade for the oral presentation delivered in partial fulfillment of the Chemistry Seminar requirement.  Honors students will also be encouraged to present their work at regional and local meetings, such as the MARM and ISC conventions. Participation in these events will not normally substitute for the oral presentation before the members of the chemistry faculty.

4. Timetable

A written rough draft of the thesis will be submitted to the advisor no later than 10 days prior to the end of the final examination period. The final thesis is due no later than 3 days before the end of the final examination period. Minor corrections and additions may be made after this time until the student’s final departure from campus, but these changes will not influence the grade.

5. Recording of Honors

The chemistry department chairperson will notify the Office of Registration and Records of student(s) who have successfully fulfilled the honors criteria in chemistry.

1. Oral Presentation

Each student participating in research for credit will deliver an oral presentation of his/her work as a component of the final A-F letter evaluation awarded upon completion of the final semester of research. In the current curriculum, this seminar will be included at the end of Ch 462, Chemistry Seminar IV, time and scheduling permitting. Successful completion of the oral presentation will contribute to the grade in Ch 462. Faculty and students will probe the student’s knowledge of the research by asking questions on the work. The seminar is open to the general community.

Students will be encouraged to present their work at regional and local meetings, such as the MARM and ISC conventions. Participation in these events will not normally substitute for the oral presentation before the members of the chemistry faculty.

2. Thesis Timetable

A written rough draft of the thesis will be submitted to the advisor no later than 10 days prior to the end of the final examination period. The final thesis is due no later than 3 days before the end of the final examination period. Minor corrections and additions may be made after this time until the student’s final departure from campus, but these changes will not influence the grade. Failure to complete or turn in the thesis prior to final campus departure will result in a failing grade for Research.

3. Final Grade

The principle instructor in the seminar course will determine the final letter grade for the oral presentation delivered in partial fulfillment of the Chemistry Seminar requirement. The student’s research advisor is solely responsible for assigning the final grade for the written thesis and for Research. In both instances, the appropriate staff member may consult with other members of the staff in reaching a decision.

The final report for all research students and honors candidates is prepared as an undergraduate thesis containing the following sections.

• Title Page. Appendix 1 illustrates the recommended format.
• Transmittal Page. For honors theses only (Appendix 2). 
• Abstract. A one-page summary of the project and results. 
• Acknowledgments, Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, List of Appendices (where appropriate). 
• Introduction. Background information on the project, including discussion of published work relating to the problem and a clear statement of the research problem and goal(s) in performing the work.
• Experimental. All significant details on the methods of collecting data. 
• Results. A clear presentation of the information obtained, enhanced by the use of carefully prepared tables, graphs, or figures (where appropriate). 
• Discussion. Interpretation of the data and results. 
• Conclusions. Specific findings and their relationships to the original goals of the research. 
• References. Thorough and proper documentation of all sources of information pertinent to the work. 
• Appendices. As appropriate.

Although the style of the final report may vary depending on the nature of individual projects and advisor preference, the content outlined here is considered standard. The instructor will require a preliminary draft of the final report so that ample consultation on format, style, and content can occur before preparation of the final report.

The thesis should be printed on a high quality, permanent, 8 1/2" x 11" paper using a laser writer or equivalent technology. Odd-sized material, if required in the project, should be submitted separately. All pages should conform to the following margins: left - 1 1/2"; right - 1"; top - 1"; bottom - 1 1/2".

1. Front Matter

• Title Page. Follow the format shown in Appendix 1. No page number. 
• Transmittal Page. Honors candidates should adhere to the format shown in Appendix 2. No page number. 
• Dedication Page (optional). 
• Abstract. A one paragraph description of the thesis work, not to exceed one page in length. This is page number i. Beginning with the abstract, all front matter should be numbered with lower-case Roman numerals. These numbers should be centered, without hyphens, 3/4" from the bottom of each page.
• Acknowledgments. 
• Table of Contents. Entries begin with the abstract. Initial page numbers of all sections are shown. 
• List of Tables. Entries include all table captions and initial page numbers. 
• List of Figures. Entries include all figure captions and initial page numbers. 
• List of Appendices. Entries include all appendix captions and initial page numbers.

2. Body

• Text. Introduction, Experimental, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions sections are the first-level or primary headings, which are printed flush with the left margin. Primary headings appear in capital letters without underlining. The text begins four lines below any primary heading. Indent the first line of every paragraph five spaces. Sections of the text are printed continuously and double-spaced, with four lines separating the last line of text within one section from the next primary heading. Secondary headings are indented five spaces from the left margin, are underlined, and end with a period, with text following immediately on the same line. Page numbers in the body of the thesis begin at 1 and are centered at the bottom of the page (no hyphens), 3/4" from the bottom. 
• References. Begin the reference list with a primary heading at the top of a new page. Print the references double-spaced throughout, including within a citation of two or more lines. References are numbered consecutively, and the numbers are printed with a period and without parentheses. Reference numbers 1-9 are indented one space from the margin, so that all numbers beginning with 10 will be flush with the left margin. Carefully follow the format required by your research advisor. 
• Figures and Tables. Place figures and tables on separate pages immediately following the page in the text where the item is first mentioned. Every figure and table must have a number and caption. This information should appear on the figure or table itself or, if absolutely necessary, on a separate page immediately preceding the figure or table, in which case the caption is centered on the page. Figures and tables are numbered consecutively using Arabic numbers (e.g., Figure 1.; Table 1.). Footnotes to tables are lower case letters used as italicized superscripts (e.g.: a). 
• Equations. Equations are set off from text above and below by two blank lines. Each equation should be numbered, with the number appearing parenthetically at the right margin of the text and on the same line as the equation. 
• Footnotes. Positions of footnotes in the text are shown by an asterisk. The footnote itself appears at the bottom of the page, and is set off from the text by two blank lines and a hyphenated line (- - -) extending half way across the page.

3. Appendixes (optional)

Each appendix should begin on a new page, with a primary heading and a title (e.g., Appendix 1. Nuclear Properties). Print the heading flush with the left margin, and begin the text four lines below the primary heading. Indent five spaces for the first line of text. Appendixes are placed after the reference section of the thesis.

4. Photocopying and Binding

The student must supply the faculty advisor with a high quality photocopy of the thesis for grading purposes. The student will also need a copy. The cost of both these copies can be charged to the department. Candidates for departmental honors will submit an original, error-free version on high quality paper to the Chemistry Department for binding and storage in the department library. Students wishing additional copies will duplicate and bind them at their own expense.

              The Structure Of Bis(Trimethylsilyl) Amides;

                           A Multinuclear NMR Project
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                 by
 
 
                                              
 
 
 

                                        Christine M. Donmoyer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                             

                                          A Thesis Submitted

                                        in Partial Fulfillment of

                                      the Requirements of Ch 492
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                       Department of Chemistry

                                        Elizabethtown College

                                             May 1, 2002

Appendix 2. Sample Honors Thesis Transmittal Page
 
 
 
 

                                        Elizabethtown College

                                      Department of Chemistry

                                        The Thesis submitted by

                                          Christine M. Donmoyer

                                             under the title

                                  "The Structure of Bis(Trimethylsilyl)Amides:

                                       A Multinuclear NMR Project"

                      has been read by the undersigned. It is hereby recommended for acceptance

                  in partial fulfillment of the graduation requirements for Departmental Honors in Chemistry.

____________________________________ __________________

(Signed) Michael P. Haaf (Date)
 
 

____________________________________ __________________

(Signed) Thomas E. Hagan,  Jr. (Date)
 
 

____________________________________ __________________

(Signed) John P. Ranck (Date)
 
 

____________________________________ __________________

(Signed) Charles D. Schaeffer, Jr. (Date)

Research Advisor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Recommendation accepted by the Chairman of the Department of Chemistry, Elizabethtown College:

___________________________

(Signed) Ray R. Reeder
 
 

___________________________

(Date)