Skip to Main Content

History 326 - University Archives Research

Locating Senior Projects written by students you are researching

You can search all senior projects submitted to the library on the library catalog: onesearch.calpoly.edu 

Many of the students you are researching may have submitted a senior project. This is useful for several reasons, including:

  • what topics interested the students?
  • what was their major department?
  • When approximately did they graduate?

Tips for searching for International students in senior projects:

  • You will only find senior projects for students who were in a degree program. Students who were enrolled for non-degree programs were not required to write a senior project. Not all degree students submitted their senior projects to the library.
  • Start with a search of the last name. First names may vary based on publication (for example, michael vs. mike). Then narrow down as needed.
  • keyword-search country name to see if there are senior projects relating to a specific country or place
  • Read the senior project to see if there is an introduction or acknowledgements that provide more information about the author

How to search for Senior Projects in the library catalog

Senior projects are all cataloged in the library's catalog. 

Senior projects are ONLY searchable by author name, author's department, and title. There are no subject headings, keywords, abstracts, or full-text searching of pre-2009 senior projects.

How to limit your search to just senior projects

Use the Advanced Search

Change "Any Field" to "Local Collections" and type "senior project"

Screenshot of Cal Poly Kennedy Library OneSearch with red arrow and text "Start with an Advanced Search," pointing at button

 

Screenshot of Cal Poly Kennedy Library OneSearch webpage, two red arrows with text "Change to 'Local Collections'" and "Type 'senior project'" pointing at filters bar

Finding the Pre-2009 Senior Projects

Accessing Senior Project in print

Senior projects are located on the second floor of the Kennedy Library, adjacent to the microfilm readers near the Research Help Desk. 

Senior Projects created before 2009 are only on Microfiche.

From the catalog record for the senior project you'll need the Number that looks like XX-XXXX to find the project.

Screenshot of example senior project on OneSearch, three red arrows and circles with text, "Author (birth Yr -)," "number used to locate project," and "author's department"

Find the senior project cabinets on the 2nd floor (northwest corner)

Blue filing cabinet shelves

Locate the drawer that includes the senior project with the number you identifiedOpen blue drawer

Each senior project has 1-2 microfilm pages to pull.

White folder with microfilm in open blue drawer

Use the microfilm readers adjacent to the senior projects to read the microfilmed pages.Person reading microfilm