Senior Integrated Project (SIP)

The AnSo SIP represents an opportunity for students to undertake independent research using the methods and theories of Anthropology and Sociology. While there are a variety of possible SIP models, central to all of them is the exploration of a particular research question that is situated within and builds upon anthropological and sociological literature.

Pre-requisites for any SIP in the ANSO Department:

  • ANSO 212 (Quantitative Research Methods)
  • ANSO 245 (Qualitative Research Methods)
  • At least one 300-level ANSO course

ANSO SIP GUIDE

Advance to:

SIP MODELS

There are four possible SIP models to choose from:

1. Summer-Fall SIP using qualitative methods (Model A; 2 units)

These SIPs explore a research question through the combination of existing literature and the collection of original qualitative data. Students are expected to do fieldwork over the summer and write up their SIPs in the Fall. Students doing this kind of SIP must submit a detailed research plan as part of their proposal in the Spring, and then submit evidence of substantial summer research in the form of data (interview transcriptions, fieldnotes, etc.) to their SIP supervisor on the first day of Fall quarter. Minimum number of pages for a Summer/Fall SIP using qualitative methods is 60, exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

2. Summer-Fall SIP using quantitative methods (Model B; 2 units)

These SIPs explore a research question through the combination of existing literature and the use of existing quantitative data (Option 1) or the collection of original quantitative data (Option 2).

For Option 1, the review of the literature and data analysis should be completed over the summer, and students are expected to do additional data analysis and write up their SIPs in the Fall.

For Option 2, the review of the literature, data collection, and preliminary data analysis should be completed over the summer. Students pursuing Option 2 must submit a detailed data gathering plan as part of their proposal in the Spring, and then submit evidence of substantial summer research in the form of data (surveys), preliminary data analysis (results) to their SIP supervisor on the first day of Fall quarter. Minimum number of pages for a Summer/Fall SIP using quantitative methods is 60, exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

3. Summer-Fall library-based SIP (Model C; 2 units)

These SIPs explore a research question through an examination and analysis of existing research. Students are expected to do research over the summer and write up their SIPs in the fall. Students doing this kind of SIP must submit a detailed reading plan and annotated bibliography as part of their proposal in the spring, and then submit evidence of substantial summer research in the form of reading notes to their SIP supervisor on the first day of fall quarter. Minimum number of pages for a 2-unit library-based SIP is 60, exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

4. Summer OR Fall library-based SIP (Model D; 1 unit)

While we strongly encourage summer-fall SIPs, we recognize that there are circumstances that can preclude students from dedicating the amount of time in both the summer and the fall that 2-unit SIPs require. In these situations, students have the option of doing a 1-unit library SIP in either the summer or the fall. In both cases, SIP planning occurs in the spring. In the case of a 1-unit summer library SIP, the draft SIP is due first day of Fall term, the final is due on Friday, second week of classes, and the student will take a full load of Fall classes; in the case of a 1-unit fall library SIP, the final SIP is due at the end of Fall term and a student will take no more than two classes in the Fall. Minimum number of pages for a 1-unit library-based SIP is 45, exclusive of bibliography and appendices. If you have a summer internship planned, we encourage a one-unit SIP that is on a topic of relevance to your internship. However, please remember that one-unit SIPs are restricted to library-based research.

WRITING THE PROPOSAL

Schedule for Spring Quarter SIP Planning

In some cases, the dates below differ from College-wide dates. These departmental dates supersede college-wide deadlines.

  • Week 1: Meeting for all AnSo juniors and any others considering an AnSo SIP
  • Weeks 2-3: SIP ideas sharpened through individual meetings with faculty as needed.
  • Week 3 (Friday): Students notified of assigned SIP supervisor
  • Weeks 4 -6: Students work with their SIP supervisor to prepare proposals (see outline on following page)
  • Week 6 (Friday): Proposals due to SIP Supervisor
  • Week 7 (Friday): Students receive notification regarding departmental approval of SIP
  • Week 8 (Monday): IRB application due to Institutional Review Board – (only for Model A & Model B if the research involves primary data collection involving human subjects)
  • Weeks 8-9: Students revise SIP proposal in light of departmental & supervisor feedback
  • Week 9 (Friday): Final SIP proposals due to SIP Supervisor
  • Week 10 (Friday): College SIP Registration form due to Registrar’s Office

SIP Proposal Outline

  1. Statement of the general problem or issue to be examined (All Models)
    1. Background on the problem or issue
    2. Why the problem or issue is important to study
    3. Your research question
  2. Literature Review (All Models)
    1. Place your project in the context of the existing literature
    2. Present an analytical framework
    3. Identify two or more perspective from which the issue has been analyzed
    4. Clearly define the key concepts
    5. Minimum of 10 sources chosen in consultation with advisor
  3. Research Design (Models A & B)
    1. What data do you need to answer your research questions?
    2. How do you plan to collect your data?
    3. How do you plan to analyze your data? For quantitative SIPs, this should tell us, at a minimum, the types of statistical analyses you intend to do with the data you collect.
    4. What is your own positionality with regards to this project?
    5. What are the implications of your positionality for your research, both in terms of data collection and analysis?
    6. Research timeline
  4. Detailed reading plan and annotated bibliography (Models C & D)
    1. Annotated bibliography should go far beyond the 10 sources incorporated into your preliminary literature review and include a fairly lengthy list of articles and books that you will read over the summer
    2. Reading plan should include a timeline and a description of the reading and note taking strategy you plan to use
  5. Bibliography of sources referenced in the proposal (All Models)
  6. Copy of application to be submitted to the IRB (Models A & B if applicable)
  7. Make sure you are registered for SIP credits for the Fall.

Writing the SIP

FALL SIP WRITING SCHEDULES

Schedule of deadlines for field-based SIPs:
  • Week 1 – Research question, thesis statement, and flow of argument
  • Week 2 – Detailed outline of each section of your SIP (All data input into the data analysis software that the student will be using)
  • Week 3 – Bulleted list of themes/patterns in your data, supported with quotes/tables (Data ready for analysis–qualitative data coded; quantitative data cleaned & coded)
  • Week 4 – Methods chapter
  • Week 5 – Literature Review
  • Week 6 – Results/Analysis/Discussion chapter
  • Week 7 – Results/Analysis/Discussion chapter
  • Week 8 – Introduction and Conclusion chapters
  • Week 9 – Complete re-drafted SIP
  • Week 10 – Feedback and Revision
  • Week 11 – Final Submission
Schedule of deadlines for library-based SIPs

NOTE: Once you have a detailed outline of your SIP, you will divide it into 3 parts for draft-writing purposes. These 3 parts are referred to in the outline below.

  • Week 1 – Research question, thesis statement, and flow of argument
  • Week 2 – Detailed outline of entire SIP
  • Week 3 – Reading notes coded in accordance with outline
  • Week 4 – Detailed outline with section-level thesis statements supported by quotes
  • Week 5 – Part 1
  • Week 6 – Part 2
  • Week 7 – Part 3
  • Week 8 – Introduction and Conclusion
  • Week 9 – Complete re-drafted SIP
  • Week 10 – Feedback and Revision
  • Week 11 – Final Submission
EVERYONE (except those pursuing a one-unit summer library-based SIP):

Final, bound SIPs must be turned in to your SIP supervisor on Tuesday of exam week by noon. Those pursuing a one-unit summer library-based SIP must turn in their SIPs to their SIP supervisor on Friday of second week. This is an absolutely firm deadline. There are no opportunities for revisions after that. What you turn in is what goes on the shelf and in the College’s online SIP archive.

FORMATTING YOUR SIP

Parts of the Paper: In general, the paper will fall into three main parts: The Preliminaries, The Text, and The Reference Materials.

  1. The Preliminaries
    1. Title page, followed by a blank sheet of paper
    2. Preface, including acknowledgements
    3. Abstract
    4. Table of contents, with page references
    5. List of tables, with titles and page references
    6. List of illustrations, with titles and page references
    7. List of appendices, with titles and page references
  2. The Text
    1. Introduction
    2. Main body, with larger divisions, and more important divisions, indicated by suitable headings
  3. The References
    1. Appendices
    2. Bibliography

Pagination

  1. Each page in the paper, except the blank sheet following the title page, should be assigned a number as explained below.
  2. The preliminaries use small Roman numerals, centered one-half inch above the bottom of the page. The blank sheet is neither counted nor numbered. The title page actually counts as the first page, but no number appears on it. The first number, then, is “ii” and appears on the page after the blank sheet.
  3. The remainder of the paper, including the appendices and bibliography, uses Arabic numerals, centered one-half inch below the top of the page. Number each page on which material appears. Begin with “1” and run consecutively to the end of the paper.

Margins

The left margin must be at least one and one-half inches wide in order to allow for binding. All other margins (right, top, and bottom) should be one inch. Do not use right justification.

Spacing

Use double spacing throughout the paper except for long quoted passages, which should be indented 5 spaces from the left and single-spaced. Bibliography should be also be single-spaced.

Acknowledgements

Please observe the rules of courtesy. Give recognition to those who made significant contributions to your project. If you have a preface, acknowledgements can be included in the preface. If you do not have a preface, acknowledgements will be its own section.

Binder

Binders are available in the Kalamazoo College Bookstore.

Title Page

In addition to the complete title, the title page should contain the following:

  1. Author’s name
  2. Name and office of the on-site supervisor (if applicable)
  3. Name and department or program in which SIP was conducted
  4. “A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts at Kalamazoo College.”
  5. Year of imprint

SUBMITTING YOUR SIP

  1. Final, bound SIPs for all two unit and fall SIP models must be turned in to your SIP supervisor on Tuesday of exam week by noon. This is an absolutely firm deadline. There are no opportunities for revisions after that. What you turn in is what goes on the shelf and in the College’s online SIP archive.
  2. Summer 1 unit SIPs are due on the first week of fall quarter.

NOTE: You can read and search previous ANSO SIPs through the Anthropology and Sociology Senior Individualized Projects page on the K College Library’s digital archives, CACHE.

You can find a pdf version of this guide here.