Nontraditional Thesis: A Two-Person Project
The overall goal of the thesis is to provide the student with a full experience in the research process, and a joint project can provide this in some cases. Two individuals may work together on a project based on two related research questions. They will share resources, collaborating on the full review of literature. They may collect data together and use the same data, but they will analyze the data separately to address their individual questions.
When students approach their readers for initial planning, the readers will use their discretion in agreeing to go forward with a joint project. When readers have been selected, the students and readers will create a “contract” defining the roles and responsibilities of each student, the terms of the collaboration, and a timetable for completing each step of the process.
Both students will present the thesis prospectus separately to their thesis committee. When the project is completed, they will hold separate thesis presentations. Each student will also produce separate written documents that are in their own words.