This course is a divisional capstone seminar in applied research.  It is required for students presenting themselves as candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in the Division of Social Sciences. 

1. The student will become familiar with the various stages and steps of developing a research project from articulating an initial set of questions, to submitting the final draft of the finished paper.

2. The student will acquire the experience of doing in-depth library research or original scientific research in the pursuit of an individually selected topic.  The completion of the senior thesis will demonstrate mastery of research and writing skills.  The paper in which this mastery is demonstrated should be approximately thirty pages in length.

3. The student will demonstrate critical thinking skills in the process of analyzing and critiquing current academic research.

4. The student will acquire the experience of presenting and defending the results of his or her research to a group of professional social scientists.