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Application Procedure

The independent project must be 35-40 hours of work per week and last a minimum of 6 weeks during the summer break.

The application deadline is Monday, April 2, 2012 (by 11:59 pm).

To apply, please log in to your DePauw email account. Then, open the application here.  

We recommend downloading the pdf version of the application in preparation for submitting it.  In it, you will find more detailed information of what to consider:

  1. Project Topic: What are you proposing to explore in your project? Describe how you became interested in the project topic (e.g., class, reading, service project). Provide an overview of the project, explaining the basic ideas, problems, or questions examined by the study. Use cited references to explain your current knowledge or understanding of the project topic. (Note: this may require some literature review.)
  2. Contribution: Why does carrying out this project matter? Describe the intellectual significance of the proposed project and its value to your academic discipline, general audiences, or both. Explain how the project will complement, challenge, or expand your existing knowledge of the topic.
  3. Work Plan and Methods: How will you carry out your project? Provide a work plan describing what will be accomplished during the project period. The work plan should include a description of your method(s), a proposed timeline and corresponding tasks.
  4. Competencies & Skills: What is your ability to carry out the project? Describe where the study will be conducted and what materials or techniques will be used. Specify your level of competence in any language, digital technology, or scientific methods needed for the study.
  5. Contacts: Who is necessary for helping you carry out a successful project? Provide a list of who your contacts are and how you have developed these relationships.
  6. Arrangements: What arrangements have been made to carry out your project? Specify the arrangements you have made and need to make for access to archives, collections, institutions or individuals that possess the necessary resources. If employing such research methods as extensive interviewing and the use of questionnaires, how will you locate your subjects? Describe how the culture and politics of the project location may impact your work.
  7. Institutional Review Board: Are you proposing work with human subjects? Explain your plans for obtaining IRB (institutional review board) approval. (See: info on IRB).
  8. Final Product and Dissemination: What will be the end result of your project and how will you share it? Describe the intended results of the project and your intended audience. Explain how the results will be disseminated and why these means are appropriate to the subject matter and audience. If the project has a website, provide the URL.
  9. Bibliography: What can help you carry out your project? The bibliography should consist of primary and secondary sources that relate directly to the project; these may include citations from the “Project Topic” section above as well as other sources decided upon in consultation with your advisor. Include works that pertain to both the project’s substance and its theoretical or methodological approaches. The bibliography will be used to assess your knowledge and commitment to expanding your knowledge of the subject area.
  10. Project Budget: What are the costs to carry out your project, including transportation, housing, meals, project-related expenses?

QUESTIONS? Please direct any questions to Kate Knaul or Stephanie Hogue, or come to walk-in hours to speak with Civic, Global & Professional Opportunities staff.