11  Types of Senior Project

The senior project in Psychology can take one of three possible types: the SM&C Data Collection project, the SM&C Proposal project, and the SSt project.

Download this document as a PDF, outlining what students need to do for each project here.

11.1 SM&C Data Collection project

This project is completed in the Science, Math & Computing Division and involves data collection that occurs during the semester.

Senior I Semester

  • Project Proposal
    • 1–2 pages of writing, 2–3 initial sources, initial budget ideas
  • Budget Request
    • There is an online form for this, through a link in the Program Handbook. Include in your request all the money you’ll need for participant recruitment, participant compensation, purchase of software or hardware, data collection platform fees, testing supplies, etc. Submitting this request means you are asking the Program for approval to use funds. Other information can be found under the section on funding in this handbook.
    • Once approval is confirmed, it’s then up to you (with help from your advisor) to (1) order the supplies needed (and submit documentation for reimbursement) or (2) arrange for those supplies to be ordered directly by the College.
  • Midway Paper
    • Approximately 10 pages of writing, plus an Annotated Bibliography with at least 10 references.
  • Midway Board
    • Two Psychology faculty plus an (optional) non-Psychology faculty member. Your Psych members will be assigned to you; it is up to you to invite your non-Psych member. We encourage it!

Senior II Semester

  • Midway Presentation
    • You will orally present a slideshow to your peers and faculty near the beginning of the semester. These are 5–7 minutes long and include at least 4 slides.
    • You will also be responsible for preparing a question on a peer’s presentation.
  • Poster Session
    • You will present your poster with all other SM&C graduates in a public session near the end of the semester. The poster itself is due to the printer (costs covered by Bard) within a few days of final project due date; plan ahead.
    • Models of posters exist throughout Preston and RKC.
  • Final Paper
    • 45–65 pages of writing, not including References and Appendices.
    • See section on Senior Project milestones for details on what tends to be included.
    • References are not annotated in your final project, and will be in APA style. At least 20 references needed, more encouraged.
    • Appendices will include at minimum the preregistration, the instruments used (e.g, questionnaires in full), any supplementary materials necessary to explain your method, Consent & Debrief forms, final IRB approval letter.

Before Data Collection Begins

  • Pre-Registration
    • There is a link to this website in the Program Handbook. It must be completed before data collection begins.
    • Discuss its components with your advisor before submission, and include in your Appendix.
  • Data Analysis software
    • Decide what program you will use – R, SAS, JAMOVI, etc – and make sure you have access to that software.
    • Create a data file that identifies each of your variables, each variable’s type (categorical, continuous, etc.), and how you will calculate/transform/enter/import your data.
  • IRB Approval
    • Do this through the Bard IRB website. Submitted materials will minimally include (in addition to detailed description of your project): Consent Forms, Debriefing Forms, proof of Human Subject Certification, and an email from your advisor.
    • Most projects require resubmission in the form of amendments requested by the IRB after their initial review. Once you receive email confirmation of final approval from the IRB, you may begin data collection.

11.2 SM&C Proposal Project

This project is completed in the Science, Math & Computing Division and involves proposing (but not carrying out) a study.

Senior I Semester

  • Project Proposal
    • 1–2 pages of writing, 2–3 initial sources, initial budget ideas
  • Midway Paper
    • Approximately 10 pages of writing, plus an Annotated Bibliography with at least 10 references.
    • It should be clear from this paper why data collection is not feasible, hence the proposal.
  • Midway Board
    • Two Psychology faculty plus an (optional) non-Psychology faculty member. Your Psych members will be assigned to you; it is up to you to invite your non-Psych member. We encourage it!

Senior II Semester

  • Midway Presentation
    • You will orally present a slideshow to your peers and faculty near the beginning of the semester.
    • These are 5–7 minutes long and include at least 4 slides. You will also be responsible for preparing a question on a peer’s presentation.
  • Poster Session
    • You will present your poster with all other SM&C graduates in a public session near the end of the semester. + The poster itself is due to the printer (costs covered by Bard) within a few days of final project due date; plan ahead.
    • Models of posters exist throughout Preston and RKC.
  • Final Paper
    • 45–65 pages of writing, not including References and Appendices. Detailed methodology, coding system, data analysis plan, tables and figures of hypothesized data for each hypothesis are required.
    • See section on Senior Project milestones for details on what tends to be included.
    • References are not annotated in your final project, and will be in APA style. At least 20 references needed, more encouraged. Appendices will include at minimum the preregistration, the instruments used (e.g, questionnaires in full), any supplementary materials necessary to explain your method, Consent & Debrief forms, proposed budget.

Even Though You Are Not Collecting Data

  • Pre-Registration
    • There is a link to this website in the Program Handbook. It must be completed as part of your data collection plan.
    • Discuss its components with your advisor before submission, and include it in your Appendix.
  • Data Analysis software
    • Decide what program you will use – R, SAS, JAMOVI, etc. – and make sure you have access to that software.
    • Create a data file that identifies each of your variables, each variable’s type (categorical, continuous, etc.), and how you would calculate/transform/enter/import your data.
  • Components of IRB Submission
    • Look through the Bard IRB website The materials you’ll prepare, for your proposed methodology, will minimally include (in addition to detailed description of your project): Consent Forms, Debriefing Forms, images/description of any experimental stimuli or apparatus used, proof of Human Subject Certification.
    • You will not actually submit these materials to the IRB; they will instead appear in your Appendices.

11.3 SSt Project

This project is completed in the Social Studies Division and does not generally involve data collection.

Senior I Semester

  • Project Proposal
    • 1–2 pages of writing, 2–3 initial sources, initial argument ideas.
  • Midway Paper
    • Approximately 10 pages of writing, plus an Annotated Bibliography with at least 10 references.
    • It should be clear from this paper why you’ve chosen SSt (and not SM&C).
  • Midway Board
    • Two Psychology faculty plus an (optional) non-Psychology faculty member. Your Psych members will be assigned to you; it is up to you to invite your non-Psych member. We strongly encourage members outside the SM&C Division!

Senior II Semester

  • Midway Presentation
    • You will orally present a slideshow to your peers and faculty near the beginning of the semester.
    • These are 5-7 minutes long and include at least 4 slides. You will also be responsible for preparing a question on a peer’s presentation.
  • Final Board Presentation
    • In lieu of the poster presentation done by SM&C seniors, you’ll prepare a 15 minute slideshow that you will present orally at your final board meeting.
  • Final Paper
    • 50-70 pages of writing, not including References and Appendices.
    • See section on Senior Project milestones for details on what tends to be included.
    • References are not annotated in your final project, and will be in APA style. At least 30 references needed, more encouraged.

Remember

  • Psychology Program Handbook
  • Sources
    • At least half (and typically much more) of your cited sources must be empirical, drawn from the broad field of Psychology. Support your claims with data; this is the nature of modern Psychology. This is a thesis-driven paper, arguing a novel theoretical proposal or synthesis. Sources strengthen the foundation on which you’ll build your claims.
  • Coursework outside SM&C
    • As a Social Studies Division graduate, you need to have taken at least two courses in the Social Studies Division relevant in some way to your studies in Psychology. Be thoughtful about these; integrate where you can.