Senior Thesis

Here is what we've got! From the 1991 Handbook of Inspiration, the minutes of a Workshop, and from the Student Handbook, sections on

the Guidelines for Senior Studies
an Outline of the Senior Studies Proposal
the Format of Senior Studies Theses and Projects
a Sample Senior Studies Proposal, and

the Form for the front page of the Proposal. If you are reading the paper-printed version of this, these excerpts come in order, immediately after this section.

This is one that needs lots of work, folks, and sharing ideas. I have never met a senior who felt at all informed about what senior work really entails.

Minutes by Beth W

Hey! Do you have to write a thesis?  Are you lost?  So are we.  So we 
sat down and talked about it and we came up with some ideas, problems, 
advice and inspirations for us and YOU, the future generation of 
thesis writers.
GOOD LUCK!

Unfortunately, there were only three seniors present.
But fortunately, they are all in different stages in their process.

Miho hasn't started writing yet, and is in the process of research.
Beth F has recently begun to write.
Zak has finished everything except the conclusion.

First we went around and everyone talked about how their process was 
going.

MIHO:  I need a structure and guidelines.  I also don't know how to 
document my research, especially interviewing.  I don't know how to 
relate different discussions I have inmy thesis.  I can write down my 
feelings, but I don't know how to to tie it all together.

CHRIS:  This is a common problem.  After going through a 
non-traditional education based on process, the student is faced with 
a traditional hurdle based on a product.  I think people go through a 
kind of academic shock.  Many different skills are required when 
trying to write to a traditional external reader.

ZAK:  When I started mine I was really intimidated.  I just had to 
start writing.  Then when I looked back at all of my writings, they 
overlapped with each other.  I had done them in such separate sections 
that I had forgotten what I had said before, and I repeated myself a 
lot.  I suggest that people progress through it as one project instead 
of lots of little pieces.  
	One formula that helped a lot was a sort of flow chart.  I put 
my hypothesis on the top of the page, and listed points under it  Then 
I listed supporting evidence under each of those points.  This let me 
see the project as a whole, and I made sure that everything related 
back to my original hypothesis.

BETH F:  At first I was pretty lost, and I only started recently.  I 
decided to take off from a book that I read.  It made a good point, 
but it left out some stuff.  I'm going to take up the argument from 
where they left off and take it further.  
	At first, I thought I would write on something that has never 
been written on, break new ground.  But then I realized that was 
unrealistic for my level, and for my time limit it was impossible.

ZAK:  Yeah, I thought that too.  But then I thought it would just be 
read by the external examiner and then be out on a shelf.  It's much 
more important what I get out of it.

CHRIS:  Again, the important thing is what happens to you, not what 
happens to the world as a result of the thesis.  And there are so many 
different ways of doing it.

BETH F:  Some have really personal statements.  Even though 
traditional writers don't use "I," you can validate it here.

We decided to look through other theses on our own time, to see 
different ways of structuring them, how they documented things, and 
get ideas.  Then we will share our ideas next meeting.

Then we brainstormed things to help the process:
  1. Make a hypothesis flow chart with supportive points.
  2. Make a timetable to map out the process of the thesis.  But 
     remember to make it loose, because many unexpected things will come 
     up.
  3. Look closely at each step involved, so fewer surprises.
  4. Decide where you want your focus.

CHRIS:  The stage at which you have your focus will determine the type 
of thesis you write.  Some people have a really focussed subject from 
the start, a specific idea they want to prove.  Other people decide 
they want to write on a broad topic, and then they narrow it down as 
they go along.  Many times the focus will change a lot during the 
process of researching.

BETH F:  Sometimes formal writer can't see the forest for the trees.  
They insist that you narrow your topic so much that you lose sight of 
what you really want to say.  But I did have to break it down enough 
to make it do-able in four months.

And the meeting drew to a close.  I hope this was helpful.  But before 
we leave you to struggle with the typewriter, there was some closing 
advice:

 - Waiting for inspiration?  Writing is 100% perspiration.
 - The art of writing is the art of placing the seat of the pants to 
the chair.
 - Sometimes you just have to sacrifice quality for deadlines.  Don't 
get hung up on it not being the masterpiece you envisioned.

JUST DO IT.

Workshop Discussion Sparks

Seniors should try to share on any level they can.

Inspired and Creative

Rigorous Training

AAAAAGGGHHHH!

Most seniors tend to feel very alone in their overwhelmedness. Read the words of others, and talk with other seniors in conversation, by mail, or by email.
Keep in mind that this the beginning of your career, not the climax.