Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences
Students design and conduct a senior thesis project, which requires identifying a testable question or problem, designing and executing a research protocol, analyzing data, deriving conclusions, and presenting the research in a scientific paper and an oral presentation. Lectures and assignments emphasize research design, data analysis, scientific writing, and scientific communication.
Topics
- The ESPM 175 series (ESPM 175A and 175B) is about goal setting and growth--- while also… writing a thesis! Success in the class requires engagement with the process of conducting and communicating research, collaborating with your peers over the course of two semesters, and developing persistence toward completing a two semester project. You will plan, conduct and communicate research, and be part of the community that supports others in the class. The ES senior thesis is about thinking, taking risks (sometimes getting things right, sometimes getting things wrong), reworking and revising, and process-based learning! For this class, we use an active learning approach with an emphasis on collaboration. We’ll use verbal information and visual information to help you encode ideas and concepts into your long term memory through both streams.
- Students will learn to: Understand key terms, definitions, and relationships in the thesis subject area using the academic literature. Develop planning and project management skills to design and complete the thesis study. Develop scientific writing and presentation skills to communicate the thesis motivations, design and outcomes. Learn research skills specific to their study area. Develop skills to present research findings and write a thesis (scientific manuscript).
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Prerequisites & course information
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Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027