Distinction in Research

To earn Distinction in Research and Creative Works in anthropology, students should have done one or more of the following:

  • Written a senior honors thesis in the department that is based on original research and/or scholarship, and is judged to be exceptional;
  • Written a sole-authored scholarly paper that was (or will be) presented at a scholarly conference;
  • Otherwise made a significant individual contribution to anthropological research, including innovative research that has been published, posted, or screened in a venue that gives greater public visibility to anthropology as a discipline


By the end of the 14th week of the Spring semester, students applying should submit electronically to the undergraduate advisor a portfolio consisting of:

  • A two-page description of how their research effort meets the requirements of Distinction. This two-page document should also place the student’s original contribution in broader scholarly anthropological research.
  • If a paper or thesis has been written to qualify, students should also submit the paper.
  • An application form including the endorsement of a faculty member (The form can be found here).


Your electronic submission should have the subject: Distinction in Research and Creative Works in Anthropology, should be submitted by the end of the 14th week of the Spring semester, and should be complete (all forms, copies, and documents should be submitted electronically).