SOAN 453: Senior Seminar
Spring 2000 T 3:00-5:30, Alumni 432
Professor Thomas D. Hall
A. Lindsay O'Connor Professor of American Institutions
417 Alumni Hall, x7545, email:thall; web: people.colgate.edu/thall
Last Updated: 1-18-00
OFFICE HOURS:    Tu 6-7; Th 3-5, & by appointment
Presenting Your Thesis

Approximate Schedule
Here is how the presentation phase of the term will work:

• A. March 8 through April 17 prepare draft of your thesis, and if possible tentative conclusions and solutions.
• B. Submit those to me NO LATER THAN April 25th. Schedule an appointment with me to discuss your draft. Everyone MUST do this once. If you need we can meet more than once.
• C. Schedule your presentation for April 18, 25, or May 2.
• D. Schedule an appointment to do followup on your presentation on Thursday of the week you present. Feel free to bring questions and problems to this meeting--the goal is NOT to test or "grill" you, but help you produce the best possible thesis.
• E. Use the conference(s), critiques, and own ideas to revise thesis in final form.

PRESENTATION NIGHT
If we pursue the following procedure everyone's thesis will be improved and we will have a real seminar.

PRESENTATIONS
You may take upto 30 minutes to present your material. I would suggest no more than 10 minutes summarizing your description of the problem, and about 10 minutes elaborating on your thesis:

• What are the causes of this problem?
• How is connected [or not] to global & historical processes?
• How might the problem be "cured," "fixed," or at least ameliorated?
• How do global and/or historical processes curtail or limit ANY local attempts at remedy?
  e.g., the drug trade is composed of a demand problem in the U.S. and a supply problem in the third world. Solving the "drug problem" must necessarily entail addressing both.
• What does the study of your specific social problem contribute to the general understanding of social problems?
• Finish with questions or problems YOU have in writing the thesis. Use the seminar discussion to help you.

Past experience shows me that if everyone works at this, then everyone's thesis gets much better.

LISTENERS:
Listen for, and ask questions about the following:

• Is the Social Problem described clearly?
• Is there sufficient information to make comparisons with other social problems?
• Do the conclusions follow from the evidence?
• What additional information would strenghten the case?
• Can you think of alternative interpretations or conclusions?
• If you have alternatives can you suggest ways to decide which is correct?
• How does this social problem compare with the social problem you are studying? Does it add, subtract, modify, or strenghten your own analysis?
• How does this social problem compare with the  social problems we have studied in the first part of the seminar? Can you suggest other comparisons that will strenghten the presenter's argument?
• Which parts, if any, of the thesis need strengthening?
• Which parts, if any, of the thesis are adequate or superior?
• Any other helpful suggestion.

Taking Notes, Making Comments
Remember the point of a seminar and presentation is to strengthen everyone's thesis. Every presenter should feel safe in presenting problems and where s/he is stuck. If you disagree about a proposed solution, you should present your case respectfully, but remain aware that most social problems have many solutions, and none are clear or sure-fire. The presentations and comments are the heart of the seminar. Take them seriously. I will!

On presentation nights everyone must make notes and comments on each presentation. I want written comments, suggestions, and questions ON EACH PRESENTATION in WRITING handed in to me by Thursday noon. I will copy them and collate them so that each presenter can pick up comments on her/his presentation.

Each presenter will use these comments and the feedback from the seminar to make a revision plan which they will discuss with me.

NOTE: Given the quick turn around, it is imperative that you do this immediately. If you take good notes during the presentation this should take you about half an hour or so. Thus, put it in your schedule each presentation night. EVERYTHING ELSE must wait, rush, house meetings, studying for midterms, etc.

AN ALTERNATIVE: If you are comfortable with electronic processes--word processors and converting to ASCII or even better HTML--you can submit your notes electronically and I'll post them on the web page.

Send comments or questions to thall@mail.colgate.edu