Writing the College Thesis Part I
This article will provide you with essential steps to follow as you embark on the journey of writing your college thesis.
By Justina Thompson — June 15, 2023
If you're approaching your junior or senior year, you may start hearing about a senior capstone project or thesis. This project or paper often qualifies you to earn your undergraduate degree and involves considerable research on a topic that interests you. While some programs will offer a yearlong course that helps you stay on track, there's a lot that goes into preparing, planning, and writing your thesis. With the right approach and organization, writing your thesis will create a manageable and fulfilling experience.
This article will provide you with essential steps to follow as you embark on the journey of writing your college thesis. From understanding your task and planning to conducting research and drafting, these tips and tricks will help you to make sure that your thesis is well-crafted and well-researched.
Understanding the Purpose of Your Thesis
Before you start working on your thesis, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of its purpose. A thesis is an extensive piece of writing that you'll need to complete in the final year of your studies. Depending on the school, some programs will have you begin this process your junior year. The thesis is meant to showcase your knowledge, research skills, and scholarly ability and is typically required for the completion of a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree.
Your thesis demonstrates your critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Primarily, it is meant to help you establish new knowledge or perspective within your chosen field of study. Unlike a dissertation in a doctoral degree, a thesis will explore a topic of your choice more in depth to summarize and put other scholars in conversation with each other.
Choosing a Topic
Depending on who you are, this may be the single most difficult part of the thesis journey. You'll spend months devoted to this specific topic, and you want to make sure that you enjoy it. Because of this, try to aim for a subject that genuinely interests you, so your motivation doesn't decline during the process. Keep in mind the following considerations when choosing your topic:
Relevance:
Ensure the topic is relevant to your field of study and has not been extensively covered already.Scope:
Choose a topic with well-defined boundaries, so it's easier to manage and isn't unnecessarily broad. A broad topic can easily throw you off track and make organizing the paper a trickier process.Feasibility:
Make sure your selected topic is achievable within your timeframe and allows you to access any resources or information needed.Take your time choosing the right topic, as it will be vital in avoiding scope creep and ensuring your thesis remains focused and manageable.
Developing a Research Question
After deciding on your topic, you need to formulate a research question or a set of research questions. A strong research question is a clear, focused, and concise. Ideally, your thesis and research will answer such question or arrive at another set of questions. A strong question will also help your thesis remain structured and well-organized. The research question(s) should be specific enough to serve as a roadmap, while still open to interpretation.
As you draft your research question(s), be sure to:
- Keep them simple and focused
- Ensure they are researchable within your timeframe
- Maintain clarity with well-defined terms and objectives
- Avoid personal bias or opinion
Writing a Thesis Proposal
A thesis proposal is a preliminary document that serves as a roadmap for your project and presents your research plan to your supervisor or committee. Some schools may have you create a PowerPoint presentation to explain this outline, other schools may have you type up a smaller summary of your paper. Think of the proposal like an abstract — the short paragraphs that you read at the beginning of the papers your professors assign in class. Your proposal should include the following elements:
Title: A working title that conveys the essence of your research
Abstract: A brief overview of the purpose and scope of your study
Introduction: Introducing the background and context of your research
Literature Review: A survey and synthesis of relevant scholarly works on your topic
Methodology: A description of your research design and data collection methods
Proposed Timeline: A realistic timeline for completing your project
Your thesis proposal should be clear, concise, and comprehensive. Once it has been approved, you'll be able to move on to the main research and writing stage of your thesis. If you're unsure about anything during the proposal process especially, make sure to collaborate with faculty and other students to clarify. It's a lot easier to make changes at this stage of the paper than later down the road.
Conducting Research
After your proposal is approved, you can begin gathering data and information necessary to answer your research question(s). To ensure that your paper is well-researched and comes across as credible, you must:
Use reliable sources: Consult academic journals, books, conference papers, and other scholarly texts. Avoid using non-academic sources, such as newspapers, unless they are reputable and relevant to your topic.
Take thorough notes: Keep track of every source you consult and note the relevant information or quotes. Create a systematic way to organize your notes, so they'll be easily accessible when drafting your paper.
Self-Reflect: A good researcher is constantly working on self-reflection. Whether you're writing short summaries after you interview someone or just recording other questions and thoughts that come to mind throughout the research process, all these things can be worked into the paper. Don't be afraid to be creative with structure!
Maintain academic integrity: While you consult multiple sources and authors, it's essential to cite them accordingly. Doing so will help you avoid plagiarism and convey the credibility of your work.
Writing an Outline
Creating an outline before you start drafting your thesis is a critical step in streamlining the writing process. An outline will help you organize your thoughts, create a logical structure, and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in your argument.
Begin your outline by defining the main sections of your thesis, such as:
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Methodology
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
For each section, break down the main points, arguments, or findings that you'll discuss. This process can help you identify any redundancies or areas where additional research is needed.
Drafting Your Thesis
With a solid outline in place, you can now begin the process of drafting your thesis. While writing, be sure to follow to your institution's formatting and stylistic guidelines. Here are some tips to help you create a well-structured and persuasive document:
Write coherently: Use clear, concise language and avoid too much academic jargon. Maintain a logical flow, using transitions to connect sections and paragraphs. This doesn't mean that you have to code switch or translate things from another language. If they add meaningful impact to your paper (they almost always do) make sure to bring your community into the research in this way.
Develop a strong argument: Keep your research question top of mind, and ensure that every point you make contributes to answering it.
Use evidence adequately: Support your arguments with relevant and credible evidence from your research.
Stay on track: Stick to your outline to maintain a logical structure. If you find yourself falling behind, immediately talk to your advisor and figure out how to get back on track. Some parts of the research process may end up taking longer than anticipated, and that's okay! Just always make sure to communicate this with faculty so everyone is on the same page.
During the drafting process, don't worry about perfection. Focus on getting your ideas down — you can refine your thesis later during the editing stage. The next piece in this series will break down everything you need to know about editing, revising, and submitting your thesis. Thinking about graduate school applications too? Part II will also cover some considerations when deciding whether to use your thesis for a graduate application writing sample.
Justina Thompson
Justina "Farmer J" Thompson is the Farm Education and Volunteer Manager at Urban Creators, Philadelphia, PA. Justina intentionally attended school in Philadelphia so she could “connect her passion and experience to the ongoing environmental justice work in the area.” As a speaker, educational curriculum designer, program leader, and community organizer, Justina possesses extensive knowledge on urban farming inspired to work in the field of environmental justice from a young age.
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