Honors Librarian
134 Purdy/Kresge Library
313-577-5037 (phone)
313-577-3436 (FAX)
Meeting with a Librarian
Librarians are available to support you throughout your Honors Thesis. Consider meeting a librarian early in the semester to discuss the best sources for your topic.
You are always welcome to contact the Honors Librarian, Monique Oldfield, at ag3808@wayne.edu or at (313) 577-5037 to talk about your research topic, locating resources, or proper citing and style.
The WSU Libraries have Subject Librarians who can also help you with preparing a literature review, getting full text of articles or books from other libraries, or assist you with your citation formatting. Make an appointment early in your thesis project with the Librarian for the subject area that is related to your thesis or research proposal. You can request an appointment online using the form below:
Research Guides & Library Databases
- Research Guides / Library GuidesThese guides are designed by Wayne State librarians to lead you to databases, books, and quality web-based resources. Select a subject area related to your research topic.
- Article Databases on library web siteThe resources listed here have been licensed by Wayne State University for the exclusive use of WSU affiliates.
The Writing Center
For assistance with all aspects of writing your thesis or research project, contact the Wayne State Writing Center in Room 2310 on the second floor of the Undergraduate Library. You can get help with all components of your project from research and writing to preparing your presentation.
- Writing"Writing is a skill that takes a lifetime to master. The WSU Writing Center is dedicated to supporting all writers on this path, regardless of their level, by helping them understand the conventions appropriate for their courses and discipline. We provide our writers with the tools they need to be successful with specific writing projects, but also focus on helping writers develop as writers and become self-reliant. We strive to build an academic culture with bridges that link students, faculty, and staff together by providing educational opportunities for the entire campus." Make an appointment at (313) 577-2544.
- Student Plagiarism Self-CheckOn this self-enroll site, students can submit draft versions of papers to our plagiarism software, Unicheck, in order to check their own work and improve their understanding of how to integrate sources and enter scholarly conversations through their writing. The Unicheck Report provides students the opportunity to review and improve their paper or project before submitting them for grading in their Canvas course sites.
Citation Management Tools
Consider the use a citation management tool to build a database of your sources, and integrate properly formatted in-text and reference list. Online training and resources are available for Zotero, RefWorks, EndNote, and EndNote Online. If you wish to use a citation manager, it is important to begin using a citation manager early in your Honors Thesis project, when you begin to gather information sources. You will have to set aside time early in your process to learn the citation manager.
- Guide to Using ZoteroA WSU library guide to help you learn how to use Zotero, a freely-available citation management system.
- Guide to Using RefWorksRefWorks is a subscription citation management system which the WSU Library pays for. This guide will help you set up an account and manage your research.
- Guide to Using EndNoteEndNote is a very popular citation management tool, and is available at a discount through C&IT. This guide provides links to purchase and download EndNote, videos, FAQs, and free online synchronous classes on using EndNote.
- Guide to EndNote OnlineEndNote Online is not as useful as the full, desktop-based EndNote, but setting up an EndNote Online account is required if you want to automatically sync your EndNote library across multiple computers.
Overview of Honors Thesis Process
- Complete the Thesis Proposal form and submit it via your Honors 4998 Thesis Canvas course page.
- (Recommended) Make an appointment with the Librarian for the subject area that is related to your thesis. A list of librarians and their associated subject areas can be found at Librarians by Major/Program - Subject Specialist Librarians - Research Guides at Wayne State University. After reviewing this list, if you have a question about which librarian you should see, you can contact the Honors Librarian, Monique Oldfield, at ag3808@wayne.edu or at (313) 577-5037.
- Write your thesis draft.
- Submit your thesis final draft in Canvas (through Unicheck, which is activated on the assignment by the HON 4998 instructor) for approval by your faculty mentor.
- Once your thesis has been approved, submit a 250-word abstract of your thesis to the HON 4998 Canvas.
- (Recommended) Review the materials on Canvas related to DigitalCommons and decide if and how to publish your thesis via DigitalCommons@WayneState.
Thesis Documents
In order to post your thesis to DigitalCommons, the library will need permission from your faculty mentor. This can be done by either having them email the following statement to digitalcommons@wayne.edu:
I offer my permission for Honors student [[your name]] to submit their thesis to DigitalCommons@WayneState.
or by having them fill out the form below and emailing it to digitalcommons@wayne.edu:
Examples of Past University Honors Theses
- University Honors Theses on DC@WSUHere you will find previous University Honors theses that have been archived and made available through DigitalCommons@WayneState.