Honours Project

Here is a brief outline of the key steps you should complete in order to begin your project. This should normally be done BEFORE the beginning of the term in which you intend to enroll.

1. Decide on what area you would like to focus for your project. Typically this would be an area in which you have enjoyed taking classes, and also in which you have a fair number of upper level (3rd and 4th year) credits.
2. Decide upon potential supervisors. This may be a professor from whom you have taken classes in your area of interest, but not necessarily. You may consult the list of potential supervisors to see who is willing to supervise in each area.
3. Contact the potential supervisors to determine whether or not they are able to supervise you, and if so what sort of projects you might do.
4. Decide upon a supervisor and let the Honours Project Coordinator know.

If this is the first time you are registering, then you should register in section A. If you were unable to finish in a previous term, having received a grade of “IP”, and this is the second time you are registering, then register for Section B. If this is the third time then register for section C.

While there will be no formal requirements in terms of the number and frequency of your meetings with your supervisor, it is recommended that you meet on a regular basis in order to ensure that the work is at a suitable level and progressing at a suitable pace.

This is not easily measured but as this is a 0.5 credit course, the scope of your project should roughly be at least comparable to that of any other upper level 0.5 credit course.

No. Your work must go beyond material covered in any courses you have taken.

You should submit the final version to your supervisor and second reader by the date indicated in the “Deadlines” above.  The final copy is to be submitted to the Mathematics and Statistics main office no later than two days after your presentation.

In general there are no requirements and it is between you and your supervisor as to what is acceptable. However typically projects will be typewritten, and written in a manner that is accessible to an audience of your peers (i.e. other senior undergraduate students). The length is also between you and your supervisor, however a typical “median” length would be between 40 and 50 pages (at one and a half spacing).

The formal requirement is that you produce a PDF copy of your report including a title page. Copies of other reports can be found in our library to examine, 4317 Herzberg Labs. Once your supervisor has approved your final copy, provide the PDF report to our main office using a USB drive, or by email. It will be uploaded to our website for future viewing.

The presentation is to be no longer that 20 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes for questions.

This is up to you and your supervisor. Possibilities include laptop and projector (e.g. PowerPoint, PDF), transparencies with overhead projector, and chalk board. Use whatever you feel most comfortable and believe will serve best to convey your topic.

Do not try to give all the details about everything. Try to highlight what you believe to be the main points, and summarize the rest. Those wishing more detail may always consult your report.

The presentations will occur on the same day for all students. The Coordinator will contact students and supervisors toward the end of the term in order to arrange the schedule.

· Do not merely read your slides verbatim. Use your slides and your verbal discussion to complement one another.

· Do not put too much information on each slide and make sure that you give the audience enough time to read them before moving on to the next one.

Your mark is up to your supervisor and second reader. See below for a guideline as to what the various letter grades “mean”.

This is decided by your Supervisor and typically it is a faculty member who also has expertise in your topic and therefore is in a position to provide feedback and evaluate your work.

Meet with your supervisor and second reader in order to determine if any further corrections need to be made to your report. Then prepare your final electronic copy.

Once the final corrections are done you will need to submit your PDF report to our main office, 4302 Herzberg Labs.

1. Each copy must have the “official title page” which can be downloaded here:
   • PDF format
   • Word .doc format 

If you wish to see examples of completed projects from previous terms see the Coordinator.

1. Each copy must be accompanied by a completed FIPPA form to allow others to access your work.  The form can be downloaded here:
   • PDF format
   • Word.doc format

Firstly, notify the Coordinator of this. You will receive a grade of “IP” (In Progress) for that term and this will have no impact on your GPA.
Secondly, you must re-register the following term.  You will need to pay fees, but likely at a reduced rate.

Important Note
You can only receive two grades of “IP”, if in the third term the project is still not completed then you will receive a grade of F.