Thesis Guidelines for Less Sleepless Nights

So you want to write a thesis? It will require dedication, imagination, and hours staring at a cursor blinking, daring you to write more. To avoid some of the pitfalls along the way, here is some advice.

If you don’t know exactly what you want to write your thesis on:

• Wonder: Whatever piques your interest, follow that. I explored at least four different research questions that I would have been happy to write my thesis on before finding the question that pulled me more than any of the others.
• Wander: When investigating a possible research question, read everything that might possibly be related to that subject. It will give you a better picture of how to answer your question or may even lead you onto a better question.
• Study: Take advantage of the fact that you are surrounded by brilliant academics that are more than happy to teach you their ways. Take rigorous courses that will help you analyze your question or that will give you more context about the subject.

Once you have a research question and begin writing:

• Discipline: A 12,000 word thesis is not going to write itself. You need to set aside time EVERYDAY during the Colloquium to write, read, or at least think about your paper. Chip away at the thing day by day to avoid sleepless nights full of despair.
• Accountability: Make sure to hold yourself accountable for your progress. Don’t lie to yourself about where you are in the process. Link up with your other cohort members to hold each other accountable. If I had to do it again, I would present an updated draft each week to my cohort members so that there would be no misunderstanding about where I actually was in the process.
• Be Advised: Talk to your thesis advisor as often as you can. Their expertise on the subject matter is invaluable and will point you in the right direction. Be humble and always ask for their honest opinion on where you are in your process.

If I would have faithfully followed this advice, my thesis experience would have been way more enjoyable towards the end. Cramming may be a viable tactic for 3-page papers, but you do not want to do that with this paper. But once you complete the paper, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment will wash over you that makes it totally worth it. Just follow my advice so you can get the accomplishment without the self-loathing at 3am. Good luck.