The mere thought of even beginning the thesis-writing process can be very daunting, (at least, it was for me) so much so that, you might even consider dropping out of the Honors program. It is certainly not going to be a piece of cake, but you can be assured that you will have a thesis by the end of the semester, and you are going to be immensely proud of it. In a few months’ time, you are going to be an author. I mean, how cool is that!
Here are a few tips to get you through the process.
- Do not wait to get help
There is possibly at least one faculty member at the O’Neill school who has the expertise and experience to help you with your thesis topic, and to provide support with your data analysis, should you need it. Identify such a mentor (apart from your thesis advisor) and do not hesitate to reach out to them promptly to seek help. Try to be flexible with meeting times to work around their busy schedule.
- Kill perfectionism
Perfectionism takes away the joy from the writing process and makes it a bitter undertaking. Just try to put down as many words on paper as you can (free writing), no matter how ridiculous the text may seem at first. It is a great way to jump start your mind to start thinking about your thesis.
- Don’t stress about the writing schedule
Writing schedule: Try to follow the writing schedule you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester, follow it religiously. But do not let it be the reason for your stress. If you find yourself falling behind temporarily or experience a blip in the data collection process, know that you can most certainly make a comeback, do not be discouraged. This would be a good time to talk to your professor or your thesis advisor to troubleshoot.
- Celebrate your milestones
It is so important to celebrate your milestones. While only a semester-long, writing your thesis may very well feel like a never-ending process. Get into the habit of celebrating yourself for your little achievements along the way. Cherish the journey; stop and smell the roses. In retrospect, you will appreciate all the knowledge you have managed to amass within such a short span of time. To say the least, you will be an authority on your subtopic of study.
Communicate effectively with your advisor
I cannot stress enough the importance of establishing and maintaining a scheduled meeting time with your thesis advisor. This could be a weekly or biweekly meeting depending on the level of guidance and support you need. These meetings also create a sense of accountability and will make sure you are not falling behind on the writing process because you will likely have something to submit to your advisor before each meeting for feedback.
- Before each meeting:
- Prepare a list of detailed questions and topics to discuss during the meeting
- If possible, send your advisor an email with a broad overview of the kinds of questions you would like to discuss during the upcoming meeting so they know what to give you advice on, and may even compile readings and resources for you to look at. This will save you and your advisor a lot of time.
- Miscellaneous:
- It is also a good idea to find out from your advisor how you may best prepare before the next time you meet them, and what you can work on until then.
- While not always possible, if you feel confident enough about your topic and research question by the end of V491, work with your thesis advisor in advance – possibly over the summer or winter before you start the V499 course – on the data collection or analysis portion of your research project. This will save you a lot of anxiety when you begin writing your thesis.
- Statistical analyses
If you determine that your analysis is quantitative in nature, and if statistics is not your cup of tea, you could also use the summer/winter break before you begin the V499 class to beef up your statistical skills. There are many resources (books and videos) available on the internet apart from the books and resources your thesis advisor may be able to recommend. If that does not work, identify early in the semester resources on campus you can approach for help for your analysis.
It may seem impossible but never doubt your ability to get it done, you can absolutely do it!
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