You’ve probably heard the horror stories- long nights, rotten data, thousands and thousands of words to write. I am not going to sit here and say that this will be easy. If you’re doing it right (or wrong, I suppose this also holds true in that case), putting together a Thesis is one of the… Read more »
Advice
Prepare, Plan, and be Ready to Abandon
Unfortunately, Murphy’s law- the rule that anything can go wrong will- applies to the thesis writing process. The best advice I can offer to someone starting on this journey is to plan carefully, prepare well, and be ready to abandon any aforementioned plans. The ability to pivot, and come up with a new plan on… Read more »
Don’t Fear the Code
While taking V491, I realized I would need to use quantitative methods for my research. This was intimidating. I’ve never been one to willingly take math classes and didn’t know my way around a computer. I was steeling myself to pivot mid-semester if everything fell apart due to my lack of coding skills. That didn’t… Read more »
You Just Have to be Patient and Keep Working
Your thesis may feel daunting now, and it will potentially be one of the toughest challenges of your academic career, but it will all work out in the end. One of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout writing my thesis is that patience is necessary, especially if you are doing quantitative research because it is… Read more »
You Are What You Write: Four Tips for Owning Your Thesis
Because you’re reading this blog post, you’re likely taking the first steps to learn more about the O’Neill Honors Thesis process. Congratulations are in order! No matter your current grade level, you are beginning the capstone experience of your undergraduate career. I hope you will find it as meaningful and rewarding as I did; in… Read more »
Your Thesis Journey: Time Management and Connections
To all those reading, first of all, congratulations! Deciding to begin your undergraduate thesis is a huge accomplishment and an exciting step in your academic journey. As a senior who has just finished the thesis process, I want to say that while there is a lot ahead of you, do not stress. To help you… Read more »
A View from the Finish Line
Finally! The finish line. I made it to the end, and so will you. Setting out to accomplish an honors thesis is no small feat, but it is an incredibly rewarding process. You will learn to do research and find something you are passionate about. You will laugh, cry, and at the end of the… Read more »
Where to Start?
Hello O’Neill Honors Students! Firstly, I would like to commend you for taking on the challenge of creating an honors thesis. Your professors do research all the time–how hard could it REALLY be? I am probably not the first to let you know, you certainly have lots of work cut out for you! The process… Read more »
The Thesis Tango – How to Dance Through the Deadlines
Four months ago I stood at the starting line of my thesis journey – excited, yet overwhelmed, and unsure of where to begin. Looking back, there are many things I wish I had told myself to make the process easier and less stressful in the months leading up to the due date. If you are… Read more »
Senior Thesis: Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
If you’re reading this you are about to also read (or have already read) several more blog posts that will go on to tell you to collect your data early, not procrastinate writing, and choose a topic you’re passionate about. Don’t get me wrong, this is all excellent advice, and I am not demeaning its… Read more »