| college and graduate students write a thesis each | | | | the letter, having an outline to follow is a great |
| year. A thesis is an important part of your collegiate | | | | beginning and gives you something to work with. It |
| experience. This is often looked at as a mark of | | | | helps keep you organized and gives your research |
| distinction when applying for a job or graduate school. | | | | and writing a real flow. |
| There are many benefits to writing a thesis. However, | | | | What has been the feedback on your thesis process? |
| not every student is actually ready to start the | | | | Many students must check in with a thesis adviser |
| process of creating their thesis when they would like | | | | during their thesis process. Each student has their own |
| to. Being properly prepared is critical and will give you | | | | strengths and challenges. Perhaps your strength is |
| many tools for success. Here are some self-evaluation | | | | research but your weakness is the outline. |
| questions, and tips for thesis writing that will help you. | | | | Alternatively, your weakness is procrastination but your |
| Is your thesis statement strong enough to support | | | | strength is a passion for doing the project. Take notes |
| writing now? Not every thesis statement is strong | | | | on everything your thesis adviser says and keep their |
| enough to support a longer paper. Many students are | | | | comments well in mind as you do your project. These |
| used to writing shorter papers, typically shorter than | | | | comments give you valuable information from |
| twenty to ten pages. A college thesis is often twenty | | | | someone with great experience advising on many |
| five to fifty pages and a graduate thesis typically | | | | thesis projects they have truly been in the trenches so |
| begins at one hundred pages. It is critical that your | | | | to speak. Listening to their comments can save you |
| thesis statement have enough substance to support | | | | time, worry, stress and give you confidence in your |
| your writing. Without this very beginning, your project | | | | own abilities. |
| will not be successful. | | | | Do you understand the formatting you must follow for |
| Have you done all of your research? This in some | | | | your thesis project? This is actually more important |
| ways is a trick question because many students find | | | | than some students think it is. Some thesis projects |
| that during the thesis writing process, they continue | | | | are done in APA style and others are done using the |
| with their research. The process of writing the thesis | | | | Chicago Manual of Style. Whatever style method your |
| stimulates the creative thinking and investigating the | | | | school and/or department prefers, it is critical that you |
| research you have already done may create even | | | | follow it to the letter. Your ignoring this style method |
| more questions you want to discover. A strong thesis | | | | could cost you a letter grade or could cause the |
| uses every possible resource, from books, magazines, | | | | department to reject your project initially, asking you to |
| journal articles, newspapers, internet sources and even | | | | reformat your project. Pay attention to formatting. |
| personal interviews with sources. | | | | Just about every student with an interest in doing a |
| Is your writing organized and planned? Most students | | | | thesis is able to tackle this ambitious project. Students |
| who write a thesis try to organize the majority of their | | | | can learn a lot by writing or creating a thesis project. |
| writing for a successful thesis. They may create a | | | | This is a time to study something that truly interests |
| bare-bones outline, something to follow and start to fill | | | | you, and take it to the next level. |
| in. While you may decide not to follow your outline to | | | | |