All “Request for Independent Study” forms require that a
proposal be attached. Obviously, a
well-written proposal not only helps keep the student focused, it also helps
avoid subsequent misunderstandings about the quality or quantity of work you
expect.
If this thesis is a two-semester
project, and part of the first-semester work involves narrowing the topic, you
and your student may not be able to attach a fully developed thesis proposal to
that semester’s independent study form. In fact, preparing a full proposal may
be one expected outcome of the first-semester’s work. But even if the
first-semester proposal is broader and more tentative, you still want to be as
concrete as possible in terms of what you expect the student to accomplish and
how you intend to evaluate the progress. You and your student can look at sample proposals by using the link in
the student section of this guide.
Note:
If the
research involves human subjects, your student will need to seek approval from
the university’s Institutional Review Board. You will need to help your student
understand this process and file the appropriate paperwork.