All ENVS students are required to take a one-credit, pass/no-pass ENVS 499T with a faculty 499T advisor as preparation for their senior projects, typically one semester prior to ENVS 400 (i.e., in fall of their senior year). Under supervision of the 499T advisor and with support via occasional group meetings, each student will complete the following as a part of their one-credit 499T:

1. Develop a bibliography on the research topic (to be annotated in consultation with the 499T advisor), and share it with the ENVS community as a collection in the LCENVS Zotero Library. Here are instructions for defining a Zotero collection; please add it to the appropriate ENVSThesis subcollection (e.g., 2012). If a related Zotero collection has already been defined as a part of ENVS 220, 330, or 499, it can simply be moved to the thesis collection.
2. Finalize a research project record on the SGE (Situating the Global Environment) website, as well as a mashup page. The project record consists of a proposal and accompanying information; the mashup page assembles a variety of project data onto one page. Here are instructions for using the SGE site and completing a project record and mashup page. If a related research project and mashup page have already been defined as a part of ENVS 220, 330, or 499, they can simply be modified to reflect the thesis research. The project record can be updated throughout the semester.
3. Share at least three postings on the SGE page providing updates on the project or related resources; see here for information on sharing a blog or other posting, and see previous posts on the SGE site for examples. At least one posting should link to a concept map summarizing the major actors related to the topic you are researching for your thesis; see here for Cmap help.
4. Develop a draft thesis outline, to be finalized early during ENVS 400. Your thesis will be based on research documented in your project record and mashup, which you will continue to update during ENVS 400. See below for the thesis outline rubric. The outline should be submitted as a document to your 499T advisor, the upcoming instructor for ENVS 400, and the Director of the ENVS Program; feel free to contact ENVS for clarification if needed.

Thesis Outline Rubric

Your ENVS 499T thesis preparation culminates in a draft thesis outline. The outline should begin with your name, 499T advisor, ENVS concentration, and the title of your SGE project record and mashup.

Following this will be your outline:

• Bear in mind all general guidelines for your thesis as summarized here, most significantly the need for your thesis to address a specific research question and related hypothesis/argument, and to adopt a broad “hourglass” structure. 
• The outline itself will include all major sections and subsections of your thesis. Sections are the major divisions (e.g., your introduction or conclusion); subsections are the more detailed components of each section. 
• In order to help you flesh out what your thesis will actually look like, each subsection must include:
• • An estimated page length (assuming double-spaced)
  • One or two sentences summarizing the content of this subsection and why it is needed