UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Social Sciences Division
F/S 2008-09
SOCIAL SCIENCES SEMINAR GUIDELINES
I. General Format
A. First Semester
The first semester of the Social Sciences Seminar will be
devoted to:
1) A period of general instruction in Social Sciences Research
methodology by (an) instructor(s)
2) A subsequent period during which students will give
presentations and receive feedback on their chosen
research topic.
3) A third period towards the end of the semester in which all
students should hand in a solid research proposal which
along with their oral presentation, attendance and class
participation, will be basis of their grade. The proposal
should specify what methodology will be used. A
substantial bibliography is expected to be part of the
proposal (See also section 8 of the ‘specific guidelines’ for
the first semester, below).
The proposal will be read and graded by both the advisor
and the second reader, and the final grade will be the
average of the two grades. The final semester grade will be
assigned less any penalty for unexcused absences from the
first semester seminars, and lateness in submitting the
proposal.
In addition to the proposals, students will be required to
attend the seminars scheduled for the first semester at
which either divisional faculty, divisional students, or
outside scholars may make presentations. Any unexcused
absences on the part of students will result in a penalty of
five percentage points per absence being deducted from the
2
numerical score for the semester. Participation and
attendance grades will be given by the coordinator.
B. Second Semester
During the first 4 weeks of the second semester, the students
participants (who will be encouraged to start their writing
during the Christmas break), are supposed to write a completed
draft of their paper in close cooperation with their advisors.
Students are obligated to meet with their advisors at least once
a week during this period. Absences will be penalized. The
remaining part of the semester will be used for oral
presentation, the student should consult with the faculty
advisor and the second reader to decide what revisions to the
paper are in order. These revisions will be based upon both the
critique of the written paper and comments made following the
oral presentation.
At the end of the semester, students will hand in the final
version of their paper to their advisor, second reader and the