(This document is the result of the adaptation of concepts, organizational structure, and language of the "Sufficiency Guidelines" prepared by several professors of the Humanities and Arts Department, WPI).
I. The Sufficiency in Spanish
The Spanish Sufficiency usually consists of passing the equivalent of six courses in Spanish language, literature and/or culture. Some students who can begin language study at WPI on the advanced level may complete the Sufficiency by writing a final IS/P in Spanish.
II. General Description of an Independent Study/Project and Final Essay:
In the course of an Independent Study/Project a student will establish his or her competency in a particular aspect of Latin American or Spanish history, literature, or culture through independent work with the guidance of an advisor. At the end of the term, when the student has conducted his or her research and after holding weekly meetings with the advisor, the student will produce an essay in which he or she demonstrates a "meaningful grasp of a single thematic topic of the student's choice."
* NOTE: If this essay is meant for an IS/P, it will consist of about 10 to 12 pages, including notes and bibliography. If the essay is to fulfill the requirements of a Sufficiency, it will consist of about 30-35 pages, including notes and bibliography. The same applies for a Capstone Experience paper (Minor)
A final essay for the completion of the Sufficiency in Spanish/or an IS/P in Spanish must have the following five qualities: it must be written in Spanish, it must be of demonstrable interest at least to the student, it must be doable in seven weeks (research included), it must have a clearly identifiable thesis, and it must be supported by an adequate body of research that will be conducive to the demonstration of its thesis.
In the Sufficiency project research or IS/P, students engage in a conversation with the scholarly material relevant to their topics. In designing this intelligent and meaningful conversation, students should establish an independent position in relation to the material so that they are not simply reproducing what other scholars have said (they may base arguments on what others have said).
Although we can understand that a student, at this level, is not an expert in the field, we will expect a certain level of originality when dealing with the subject. The student should produce at least a modest contribution to the subject being studied.
The independence mentioned above can be developed in many different ways, but a student must accompany his or her own reasons for his or her position in relation to the positions of others whose agreements or disagreements with you help readers gain a more complex understanding of the issue than they would have had before reading your essay.
III. Brainstorming
Once you have decided upon a topic of your liking, you have to think immediately about specific questions that you might have about that topic. The purpose would be to identify a reduced aspect of a larger topic, which may be too general. From those questions you will choose one. This question will be the main focus of your work.
IV. Thesis.
Once you have focused on a specific aspect of the subject, you will then proceed to establish an initial thesis. The thesis can be defined as your tentative response to a central question. Your essay must ask a relevant historical, cultural, or literary question. You must find an interesting idea, present it clearly (it is usually presented on the first page of the essay), argue that idea carefully, and use evidence to support your claims. Finally, you will show why your idea is significant for the particular subject of study.
The sooner you have a research topic in mind, the sooner you can begin to experiment with the formulation of your thesis. It has been shown that success on a project can depend on the careful choosing of a topic, and on the diligence and resourcefulness you show in finding the resources. Your topic should be focused enough to allow you to treat it fully within the time limitation of seven weeks. (Please note that it is a regulation of the Humanities and Arts Department that a student carrying a project from one term to another may not receive a grade of A.)
Another important aspect at the early stages of deciding a topic and identifying a thesis is to make sure that there are enough resources available, ready for use, within the Worcester Consortium. If your topic is too difficult, or if the materials have to be requested from other universities, be sure to request the material needed from other libraries or institutions well ahead of time. WPI is not rich in journals or books related to Latin American or Spanish culture, literature or history, so you may need to consult other local libraries to find articles or other material relevant to your research topic (Holy Cross, Clark University, and Worcester Public Library are good options).
V. Organization and Presentation
The essay as a whole could be considered as a structured response to the question posited by you initially. Once you have your topic and thesis, break your research topic into four or five subtopics. These can be organized around a set of four or five minor questions that will help you to organize the answer to your central question.
Organization and presentation are key components to having a successful essay. You must present your argument clearly and logically, maintaining paragraph unity and coherence. Verbal and argumentative transitions from one paragraph to the other or from one section to the other is a must. As for the language component, check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation carefully, and always double check all of your quotations for accuracy. These are considered important components of a good essay.
The essay must be binded to be accepted. Otherwise it will be returned to the student and the grade will be withheld until this requirement is met.
Do not be satisfied with the first draft of your essay. A good essay will take a lot of careful revision and rewriting.
Note: The rough draft must include all the material that will be in the final draft, including endnotes and bibliography according to the Modern Language Association Handbook Style Manual. Also, see the "Humanities and Arts Dept. Guidelines for the Use of Sources." The paper should be typed double space, with standard one-inch margins. All pages must be numbered (see attached model). The essay must be printed in a font size no bigger than 12 pts (no bigger than font size you see on this document). Avoid the use of too many or fancy fonts. The use of graphs or illustrations, if appropriate, will be welcomed, as long as illustrations are pertinent and not used as "filler."
The department has an official front page that you will use as the first page of your essay. You will be required to submit an abstract of 80 words or less to appear as a second page. This is the same abstract that should also appear on the Completion of Degree Requirement form (We will provide you with a copy). Be sure always to make frequent backups to a diskette and a hard copy of your project for yourself and your advisor.
The front page must be followed by an 80 words abstract.
VI. Schedule and Meetings
Sometime during the first two days of the term, discuss with your sufficiency advisor when to have regular (mandatory) meetings to discuss your progress, ideas, and questions. At each meeting you should be prepared to talk about your progress and the ideas that you have been developing. Note: No paper will be accepted or approved if this requirement has not been met. No paper will be accepted or graded if it was not discussed and reviewed thoroughly during the quarter in question.
These regular meetings will allow the advisor to assess your progress. Also, this will help you to organize your research by subtopics in order to have an effective discussion every time that you meet.
Week one: Identification and discussion of the topic.
Week two: Extensive and thorough research; identification of a possible thesis; division of the topic into minor subtopics, presentation of an outline, and turn in proposal and bibliography.
Week three: Extensive and thorough research; presentation and discussion.
Week four: Extensive and thorough research; presentation and discussion.
Week five: Extensive and thorough research; presentation and discussion.
Week six: Extensive and thorough research; presentation and discussion; turn in completed bibliography, notes and front page.
Week seven: Turn in final copy.
* Note: If this is your sufficiency essay you have to turn in a CDR form.
VII. Role of the Advisor:
The advisor will criticize your draft in terms of level of interest, level of originality, presentation and development of ideas, coherence of argument, organization, use of sources, and documentation of your ideas. The advisor will indicate about the level of appropriateness of grammar use and sentence structure, but under no circumstances will the advisor be an editor for your essay. At this level one expects that a student is able to write and to present his or her ideas correctly in Spanish.
Since the purpose of a Sufficiency project/Independent Study is to allow the student to work independently, the advisor's main function is to act as a "consultant."
VIII. Evaluation:
Your work will be graded according to the general guidelines presented on this document and also based on the following general criteria:
Is the topic interesting?
Is the thesis clear and neatly presented?
Does the thesis show originality? Or, is the student merely repeating or paraphrasing what others have already said?
Is the opinion presented by the student well defined and documented?
Is the essay well organized and presented?
Is the essay's structure geared to respond to the main question posited in the introduction?
Do the grammar, spelling, and punctuation represent correct Spanish? Does the sentence structure demonstrate a very good level of linguistic accomplishment?
Is the conclusion clear and well presented?
Is the paper's presentation appropriate and neat?
In general, papers will be evaluated on initiative in locating and using available source material, thoroughness of research, persuasiveness of argument, and writing skills:
A: Indicates a distinguished analysis and integration of the material into a creative exploration and resolution of the problem presented. An "A" means "excellence." It also means that the student has made a contribution to the discussion of the topic in question.
B: The material is appropriate to the topic, it is well-argued and presented in a way that shows critical analysis, solid research, organization, and comprehension of the significant issues of the topic. A "B" means that it is a "good paper," but that it does not reach the level of excellence.
C: Indicates a satisfactory effort, meeting most of the expectations and partially achieving its goal.
NR: Indicates a failure to fulfil the basic requirements.
IX. Mechanics of the Project
Projects must follow the requirements established by the Department of Humanities and Arts. Be sure to pick up the following items at the Humanities Department office:
Humanities course form.
"Style Sheet" for WPI Humanities Courses.
Statement on Documenting Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism (also, see below).
Format: Sufficiency Project Title Page.
Notification of CDR - Sufficiency.
You will be responsible for reading and studying the "Style Sheet." You will also be held responsible for reading the section on "Avoiding Plagiarism." If you have questions regarding these subjects, you should consult with your sufficiency advisor during the first week of the term.
X. Avoiding Plagiarism:
Plagiarism can be defined as using the words, information, or ideas of another without properly documenting them or recognizing the source. Please, refer to the Student Conduct Policies document. Plagiarism is an act of academic dishonesty (It is also academically dishonest to allow another person to copy your work and present it as his or her own work.) Cases of plagiarism will be judged according to WPI=s regulations on plagiarism. Cases of deliberate plagiarism can result in loss of credit for the assignment or the course project during which the plagiarism is committed. A serious act of plagiarism can result in the student's suspension from WPI. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to learn to use and document sources properly.
