Information & Library Science Department Special Project Process and Roles

Clarification of the Special Project Process, Policies, and Roles of Participants

Department of information and Library Science

Southern Connecticut State University requires candidates for a master's degree to successfully complete a capstone experience of at least one of the following: a thesis, a comprehensive exam, or a special project.

The Department of Information and Library Science permits the special project as an option to fulfill the university's capstone experience requirement.

Documents governing the special project process approved by Graduate Council and are available on the Gradate School website: http://www.southernct.edu/grad/research/

There are two documents on the website as of this writing. On the above webpage their links are labeled "SPECIAL PROJECT INFORMATION HERE" and "Special Project/Thesis/Dissertation Format Guide."

Structure and Process of the Special Project

From the document "Revised Special Project Requirements and Guidelines / July 2011":" A Special Project has three parts, a proposal, a final product, and a final written report."

"The special project advisor, the second reader, the department chairperson, and the Dean of Graduate Studies must approve the Special Project proposal prior to embarking on the work proposed." "A Special Project proposal is, essentially, a written action plan of what you intend to do (your topic) and how you intend to do it (your methodology)."

"ELEMENTS OF THE SPECIAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

"All studies begin with a statement of the title of the proposed research followed by a description of purpose: Given your knowledge and training in your field of study, what is the tangible product that you are proposing, and why? Next, you must address the question of need (pertinence): How is your proposed study a contribution to the field? This question is often best answered by first providing a selective review of the related literature, research and/or description of previous relevant artifacts in your field and then showing how your work will fill a gap, demonstrate innovation, or, in other ways, clarify, extend or apply the work of others.

"At a minimum, the Special Project proposal must contain the following elements:

a. Title Page (see example in the School of Graduate Studies Guide to Formatting Your Thesis, Special Project Proposal, or Dissertation)

b. Introduction and overview

c. Significance and Relevance

d. Brief Review of Literature

e. Research Methods or Plans for Conducting the Project

f. Expected/Actual Project Results

g. Conclusions and Recommendations

"In addition to substance, the Special Project proposal will be evaluated, by the Special Project committee, on writing style and format which includes correct grammar, proper spelling, and consistency of chapter headings, subheadings, footnotes, endnotes, references, and bibliography. Attention to such details as writing the proposal in the future tense is imperative."

"Students should confer with their Special Project committee (Special Project advisor and second reader) to obtain complete information about the committee's expectations for the final product and the final written report."

"Upon completion of the proposed work, the student will submit the result of that work, the 'final product', and a final report about that product to his/her Special Project committee and to his/her department chair for review and approval. They will sign the Special Project Completion Sheet.... The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies will review the aforementioned approval documentation and provide the final approval, thus signifying that the student has successfully completed the Special Project."

Common Characteristics of the Special Project

"First, a Special Project involves the creation of a tangible product that demonstrates your skill and knowledge in applying the training received in your field of study. It furthermore requires the writing of a final report that details and justifies the process used in the creation of the product."

"Second, a Special Project should make a contribution to your field. This requires you to have an in-depth understanding of some particular area of your discipline. In this regard, a Special Project represents the capstone activity of your graduate degree program."

"Third, a Special Project represents an opportunity to work closely with one or more faculty members in your field. One characteristic of good graduate education is the opportunity for faculty and students to work together in a close relationship characterized by mentoring. While much of the content of any field can be taught in traditional classes, there is always some art to any discipline. These nuances are best conveyed in the context of a close working relationship. Working on a Special Project, under the tutelage of faculty members, provides an opportunity for learning that is not typically found in other graduate school activities."

"Fourth, a Special Project is more personal in nature. A Special Project is an exercise in self-discipline. Completing a Special Project requires sustained initiative and focus. The choice of topic and faculty advisor(s) is largely yours, within any guidelines that may have been developed by your department. Indeed, faculty will generally look to you to be the initiator of your Special Project work."

The Special Project Committee

"The student must obtain a Special Project advisor (a full-time member of the graduate faculty) through the procedures that are in effect in the student's department. For example, the Special Project advisor, in some departments, may be the instructor for the course in which the Special Project proposal is developed. In other departments, Special Project advisors are designated for individual students, or may be part of a Special Project committee. The Special Project advisor and second reader must have experience in the topic chosen for the Special Project. It is important at this stage to have a clear understanding with your Special Project advisor and second reader about how much time they are willing to give to your Special Project, and how and when contact and/or communication will be made. The second reader may be chosen from the SCSU faculty, an outside agency or another accredited university. The specific qualifications to serve as a second reader are established and approved by the student's department."

ILS Department Guidelines for Selection and Roles of the Special Project Committee

In the Department of Information and Library Science, the instructor of the student's research methods course, ILS 580 Research in Information and Library Science, is assumed the Special Project Advisor. ILS 580 course size is reduced 40% to compensate for the special project advisor's supervision through the successful completion of the special project work that is assumed to extend at least a semester beyond the conclusion of the course.

The role of the Special Project Advisor is to orient the student to the requirements for the Special Project, to be primary reader/commenter on the student's work throughout the special project from proposal to final report, and to facilitate ongoing communication between the advisor and student on all aspects of the special project work.

The role/purpose of the Second Reader is to serve as a subject area consultant to the student and advisor and to assist the advisor in reading the final draft of the proposal, product, and final repot for content, style, and form.

Documentation of the Special Project Work

All three parts of the Special Project - the proposal, the final product, and the final written report - are to be uploaded to Tk20 for scoring by the Special Project Advisor and are to be included in the digital portfolio submitted to the department office. Where the nature of the special project product are outside what can be uploaded to Tk20 and/or place on a CD, a rich description may be substitute (unless professionally or ethically contraindicated) and final report may be used by the department as examples of special projects.

The Special Project is not considered completed nor should the Special Project Completion Sheet be submitted to the Graduate Dean until after the proposal, product (or rich description of the product), and final report are successfully uploaded to Tk20.

If the proposal is completed as part of a course, a grade for that course should not be entered until the proposal is successfully uploaded to Tk20; rather an Incomplete ("I") should be entered.