So you’ve decided to write an O’Neill Honors Thesis.
Maybe you began your time at O’Neill just knowing this program was going to be part of your academic destiny, that there was no way you were going to leave this place without having completed your honors thesis. Maybe you did not quite believe in yourself at first and you were gently nudged into the honors program by a well-meaning mentor, professor, or friend.
In any event, you have elected to do something genuinely remarkable, especially for an undergraduate student. You have chosen to dedicate your time toward formulating and creating a piece of research which enhances our understanding of the world we live in, which tackles complex questions and themes across various disciplines. You have chosen to make a major commitment, not just of time but also of intellect and willpower. You have decided – likely – to spend more than a few weekends during a significant sliver of your college career hunched over your laptop, typing furiously, either crunching numbers or writing lengthy passages of analysis or some tortured, creative combination of both.
I was a student who began my career at O’Neill fairly certain the honors program was always in the cards for me. I love writing, I love research – joining the honors program and writing an honors thesis seemed like a natural, common-sense manifestation of my pre-existing interests and skill sets; it all seemed like an endeavor I would truly enjoy.
While I did enjoy my time in the honors program, it was not smooth sailing all of the time. I had never embarked on a writing or research project of this scope and intensity before. Based on my experiences, I have several pieces of advice for future honors students.
My first piece of advice is this: Find yourself a great advisor and find them early on in the process. Find an advisor who is not just well-versed in your field, but find someone who is willing – truly, genuinely willing – to guide you, listen to your concerns, be your ally through an oft-confusing process. I was fortunate to have a fantastic advisor throughout the whole process and could not be more grateful.
Secondly, I want to emphasize the importance of adaptability. I entered the program with a very vague, nebulous idea about studying the rise of social media and its impact on political discourse in America. In the end, my thesis was structured as a series of comparative case studies focused on various political corruption trials. Be willing to change your subject. Be willing, also, to challenge yourself. This program presents you with an opportunity to do something unique and special and valuable. You get the chance to unravel some kind of mystery about the world. This thesis is, in many ways, an expression of you – the scaffolding of it is your thoughts, your interests, your questions and curiosities that you put in the hard, difficult to work actually answer.
Writing an honors thesis is not easy. But very few worthwhile things are easy.
Take the leap. Believe in yourself. You are more than capable. Once you are done, you will be incredibly proud of the writer, researcher, and – above all else – person you became in the process.
Tracy E. McKittrick is from Batesville, Indiana. She is majoring in Law & Public Policy at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. In the fall of 2026, she will be attending the Maurer School of Law. Her thesis studied the long-term impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling in McDonnell v. US. Previously, she was a member of the Civic Leaders Center and a recipient of the Lenkowsky Award for Excellence in Public Affairs Writing.
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