荣誉
Students should ideally begin thinking about an 荣誉 Thesis in the spring term of their third year at Bowdoin, when the chair of the 德国 Department reaches out to third-year students to see who might be interested in writing an honors thesis in their fourth year. In general, students require two semesters to plan and complete an 荣誉 Thesis. 最优, 学生为论文研究制定一份暑期阅读清单, so that the project already has some momentum when the senior year starts.
首席顾问和第二读者(委员会)
每个荣誉项目都有一名主要指导老师和一名第二阅读者. The primary thesis advisor meets with you frequently throughout the year to discuss the progress and development of the thesis, 并帮助学生解决研究问题, 方法, 焦点, 内容, 和形式. She/he regularly reads and comments on drafts and assigns deadlines for drafts and revisions.
第二个读者可能会给出专家指导, 包括在部门没有很强代表的地区, 在极少数情况下, 第二个读者来自另一个学科. The second reader will read the complete thesis draft before its final submission. She/he will give substantial feedback at the mid-year and spring colloquium and may or may not read and respond to individual chapter drafts throughout the year. 定期地, the second reader is able to provide input on the direction of the project per the schedule and feedback developed by the thesis director.
The primary thesis advisor must be a member of the 德国 Department. The second reader is usually also a member of the 德国 Department but may be a member of the Bowdoin faculty, 谁的专业领域与你的项目相关. 有时, 第二位读者可能会带来某一领域的专业知识, for example in discipline and approach that co-equals that of your primary advisor. 第二名读者将由指导老师确定并联系, after consultation with you; this happens early in the fall semester and a consultation schedule may be established that exceeds the deadlines spelled out in the timeline.
论文评价
The thesis represents a substantial amount and quality of scholarly work. It significantly exceeds what students have come to know as “研究 or seminar papers” in courses and is more comprehensive, 持续和完善的范围, 论点, 研究, 和执行力比一篇A级的研讨会论文要好. An honors thesis provides a thoughtful answer to a question that is worth asking; a literature review about a particular topic is not sufficient. There should be a clear formulation of a problem illuminated by sustained and long-term scholarly inquiry and reflection, 得出有证据支持的结论, 同时考虑到该领域的相关研究.
而一篇荣誉论文通常在50到75页之间, 它的长度不应该是一个重要的标准, so long as the thesis says concisely and intelligently all that needs to be said to support the project’s main 论点s.
The thesis is judged in a “blind review” by two members of the 德国 faculty, but not the advisor. 换句话说, the primary thesis advisor does not decide whether or not your thesis is awarded honors, 或者是什么荣誉程度. 也就是说, the guidance of the thesis advisor is essential: for the student as it lays the groundwork for a successful thesis, 到系里, 因为顾问提供了买球平台流程的“客观”信息, i.e. how the project started out, its various twists and turns, obstacles, or perhaps an update re. 该项目与当前奖学金的关系.
A successful end-of-year colloquium is an essential part of the honors process, 确认优等生“拥有”该材料, 论证, and results covered and is able to converse and discuss these dimensions in a semi-public setting. 然而, while a stellar performance can enhance any dimension of the written thesis, 它不能弥补缺点, 而学术讨论会的表现并不能提升荣誉水平.
The 德国 Department awards three levels of honors: 荣誉, 优异的成绩, and 最高荣誉.
荣誉
A thesis awarded honors has a discernible 论点, clear writing, and good evidence. It is an appropriate response to the proposed topic and its author has done a lot of 研究, 但这种方法可能并不完全清晰或新颖. 论点可能是清晰的，论文可能是适当的, and an attempt has been made to situate the project in relationship to the existing literature on the topic. 这篇散文总体上不错，但并不出众.
A thesis awarded honors differs from the high honors thesis in the difficulty of the problem addressed, 学生所显示的工作量, 陈述的清晰性, 以及得出的结论的正确性.
优异的成绩
A high honors thesis displays a clear 论点, clear writing, and good evidence. 它不一定是对知识的原创性贡献, 但它应该表现出良好的判断力, 大量的工作, 清晰的思想和表达, 还有一些创造力. The 论点 is original in its initial conception and well-informed by the secondary literature, 但可能还没有完全发展. The writer demonstrates that she or he has thought carefully about a problem and presented those thoughts clearly and persuasively. 这篇文章写得很好，也许有一些错误. 有一种方法，但它并不总是一致地应用.
A thesis awarded high honors may be weak in the selection of the problem, 它的呈现方式, 它的分析方法, 或者在它的解释和结论中. The weakness of a high honors thesis may be in one of these areas but not in a number of them.
最高荣誉
A thesis receiving highest honors is excellent in all aspects and is evidence that the student is capable of original and creative work in 德国-language literature and culture studies. It is an original approach as well as an original contribution to knowledge, 它与二手文献的关系也很好. An original contribution to knowledge can explore a “new” or understudied “problem.” It can also result from a novel and perceptive reexamination of a familiar question which identifies gaps in existing 研究. 本书的中心论点被清楚地阐述了, and the thesis addresses any nuances and complexities while staying on track. 这篇论文组织得很好, and well-crafted transitions lead the reader from one idea to the next, 在推进整体论点的同时. The writer has demonstrated a mastery of the relevant primary and secondary material, 得出的结论是有说服力的. 文笔优雅、精致、优美、令人信服. 读者的兴趣被思想和表达所吸引, and she or he should conclude that she or he knows something new about the problem, 读完论文后.