latest update: 21 January 2011

Feedback to Lorn at: lacjr@ksu.edu

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY 
College of Architecture Planning and Design
Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning           

LAR 898 THESIS PROPOSAL WRITING
Spring 2011
1 - 2 credit hours

Lorn Clement
office: SC 103F, 532-2435 or 5961 (for the LA office) ; course meeting time and location: by appointment

A number of faculty conduct sections of LAR 898 Thesis Proposal Writing for students engaged in a thesis. I am one of them. 

There are two parts to this webpage

1. The syllabus, based on one created and used by Stephanie Rolley in the spring of 2009, is the first part. 

2. The second part is from the MLA Handbook, and is titled below as:  MLA RESEARCH_MLA Handbook

 For thoughts on the literature review, contributed by Katie Kingery-Page, click here.

intent

This course provides an exploration of the procedures of planning, design, scheduling, organization and management of a master's level research project in the physical design disciplines. Throughout the course of the semester you will construct a proposal for your own research project. It is anticipated, but not required, that this proposal will be the first step in completion of your own thesis or a project completed to fulfill your degree requirements.

Whether a thesis or a research-based design project, your end product will require: 

• A clear statement of the question or hypothesis to be addressed.
• A review of literature (theories, precedents and methodologies) that support the question or hypothesis.
• A clear description of methodology and a diagram of the research design.
• A clear discussion of the anticipated findings and conclusions.

At a minimum, the proposal you develop in this class should serve as the framework for completing your thesis. If you so choose, this class offers the opportunity for you to make significant progress on your thesis.

objectives

Each student will:

• identify and communicate a specific area of interest and a narrowly focused topic of study

• complete an in-depth literature review of their topic and appropriate research methodologies

• formulate a clear statement of the question or hypothesis to be addressed

• propose a study

• become familiar with University and Graduate School protocol

• complete a Program of Study that complements their research interests

class format

Individual weekly meetings in Lorn's office will allow flexibility as we pursue each piece of work. Deadlines are milestones to ensure completion of the entire proposal but can be arranged to reflect specific interests and demands of your project.

We will utilize K-State On-Line (online.ksu.edu) for course information and management. Using your K-State e-mail address (without forwarding it to another address) is important to successful use of K-State On-Line.

requirements

A research project, whether conducted as a thesis or a design effort, is both an intensely personal undertaking and a collaborative engagement. You are the student as well as the project manager. Juggling these diverse roles requires motivation, attention to detail and a substantial amount of work. I will provide the structure and process for your proposal development. Your selected major professor should provide direction for the content. You are responsible for engaging the process, consulting regularly with your major professor and producing a viable proposal.

This is the beginning of a process and it is possible that your project will change direction or shift focus as the semester progresses. If this occurs, it is not necessary to redo work completed to date, but it will be necessary for your final proposal to address fully the selected direction.

Sustained engagement in the class process is essential; therefore, if you are not able to attend a class session, please let me know and we will reschedule.

 required references

•  Creswell, J.W. (2008). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

•  Hart, Christopher. (1999). Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination

•  Turabian, K. A. A manual for writers (6^th ed.). Chicago: The University of Chicago.

•  University of Chicago Press Staff. (2003). The Chicago manual of style (15^th ed.). Chicago: The University of Chicago.

 recommended texts

•  Booth, W., Colomb, G. & Williams, J. The craft of research (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

• Francis, M. (2001). A case study methodology for landscape architecture. Landscape Journal, Volume 20, Number 1.

• OR: Francis, M. (1999) Case study methodology for landscape architecture. Washington D.C.: Landscape Architecture Foundation available from http://www.lafoundation.org/images/casestudyseries/LAFcasestudy.pdf

• Groat, L. & Wang, D. (2002). Architectural research methods. New York: Wiley.

•  Rampolla, M.L. (2001). Pocket guide to writing in history (3^rd ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martins.

•  Yin, R.K. (2002). Case study research: design and methods (applied social research methods) (3^rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

requirements and evaluation

Your progress in the class will be based upon evaluation of the following:

• Proposal decisions form                                                              20%

• Literature review                                                                            30%

• Final presentation                                                                          20%

• Final proposal                                                                                   30%       

Course grades will be determined by the content and quality of presentation -- written, graphic and/or oral -- and the quality of leadership and participation provided. Late work is not accepted. All work will be evaluated on a scale of 90%/A, 80%/B, 70%/C, 60%/D, 50%/F.

A: excellent, substantially above expectations
B: good, above expectations
C: average, meets expectations, acceptable (OK)
D: marginally acceptable
F: not acceptable
 

academic honesty / plagiarism

Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal integrity which is presumed to be sufficient assurance in academic matters one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance.  Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System.  The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning.

A component vital to the Honor System is the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated:  "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."

A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty.  The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation. For more information, visit the Honor System home web page at: http://www.ksu.edu/honor

academic accommodations for students with disabilities

 If you have any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work outlined or which will require academic accommodations, please notify me in the first two weeks of the course.

Schedule for Spring 2011

MLA RESEARCH_MLA Handbook

Intent

Applied research plays a role in the development of candidates for the Master of Landscape Architecture degree and is a part of the curriculum taken by all students.  The faculty believes that students at the master's level need to understand the intent, techniques, methodologies and environment appropriate to the application of research results to the professional practice and development of the discipline of landscape architecture.  Research is a realm of professional activity that refines and advances the discipline of landscape architecture.  The methods and findings of research strengthen and redefine traditional practice in providing innovative services or dealing with complex design and planning issues.  Research activity is a core learning experience.  Students who are considering research activity as a career path are encouraged to pursue additional research theory and practice course work. 

The graduate seminar exposes students to systematic evaluation of potential research opportunities and explores the scope, intent and context of the profession.  After completion of the seminar, students take a formal research methods course before initiating their own independent research projects, and take a proposal writing class to further develop their research preparation.  The proposal writing class is the first two hours of the six-hour thesis requirement and upon completion of this course: students will have selected their committee and completed their thesis proposal. 

Major Professor and Advisory Committee

Each student receives her or his initial academic advising from the Department Head. Prior to completion of the second year of full or part time study, each student selects an advisor from the graduate faculty members of the landscape architecture faculty.

As the student's research interests develop, a committee of faculty known as the Thesis Advisory Committee is formed.  The committee works with the student in the preparation of the program of study and thesis.  The Thesis Advisory Committee should consist of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty, one of whom must be from outside of the MLA Program.  The Major Professor is the primary advisor and works most closely with the student to prepare the program of study, the thesis proposal and the thesis.  The other committee members should be consulted periodically in a manner agreed upon by all.  Communication with the Thesis Advisory Committee is the responsibility of the student.

The Thesis

Definition

Upon completion of an approved Research Methods course and LAR 898/Thesis Proposal Writing, all MLA students undertake a thesis.  This study provides opportunities for independent investigation of a topic of specific interest to the student and opportunities for students to work with faculty members who share their interests.

The thesis involves in-depth investigation of a question or hypothesis using recognized quantitative and/or qualitative method(s), with both the question(s) and method(s) clearly defined by the researcher.  The topic of the MLA thesis will be of significance to the field of landscape architecture.  It should be supported by the experience and interests of available program faculty and must be related to the student's program of study.

Contents

Each student is required to complete a thesis document which, using appropriate verbal, graphic and quantitative expression, includes:

•  A clear statement of the research question or hypothesis to be addressed.

•  A review of literature that supports the research question or hypothesis.

•  A clear description of methodology and a diagram of the research design.

•  A clear discussion of the findings and conclusions.

The Graduate School has specific publication requirements for the Electronic Thesis Dissertation and Report (ETDR).  These guidelines are revised on a regular basis and students should be sure to obtain the most recent copy of the guidelines as well as landscape architecture program standards as work begins on the final thesis document. See the graduate school website: http://www.ksu.edu/grad/

Oral Examination and Presentation

When the Advisory Committee finds that the thesis draft is substantially complete, the oral examination is scheduled.  The Graduate School requires filing a permission to schedule the defense form at least a week ahead of the date of the examination.  During the oral examination, the student must present and defend the thesis to his/her Advisory Committee.  The presentation is open to observers invited by the student or the Thesis Advisory Committee and to Departmental faculty and students.  The public presentation title, date, time and location will be posted by the student.  The public presentation is followed by the oral examination, which is attended by only the student and Advisory Committee.

Supplements to the Thesis Document

In addition to preparation of a scholarly document, each MLA thesis student will cultivate advanced development in the discipline and profession of landscape architecture through application and/or communication of their research.  The thesis document should be supplemented with one or more of the following support documents and/or activities.  Exceptions or substitutions may be made to this requirement upon approval of the thesis supervisory committee.

Application of the thesis research through development of:

•  Advanced Design. A related design or planning professional project completed as a part of advanced course work.  Multi-disciplinary teams and alliances are encouraged.

•  Computer software.

•  Significant proposals to granting agencies and foundations for ongoing research.

•  Communication of the thesis research through:

  • Boards illustrating the study prepared for submission to appropriate competitions.

  • One or more articles prepared for submission to an appropriate academic journal or as a paper for a conference presentation.

  • Presentation(s) to an appropriate audience.

  • Continuing education materials for presentation to an appropriate audience.

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