Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading content…
Loading…
Transcript

The Burkean Parlor: Kenneth Burke

Activity

What do you need to research to become an expert on this topic?

The Abstract

What do you already know about this topic?

  • Where do you write best?

  • When do you write best?

  • What is the hardest part of writing for you?

  • How can you make that easier

on yourself?

  • How do you reward yourself when

you’ve completed a task?

An abstract is a brief summary of the thesis you plan to write. When you submit an abstract, you are asking permission to complete a project that will be officially recognized by and housed at WCU.

What will you add to the conversation?

What do you want to write about? Why?

Your abstract should consist of:

1. A tentative title

2. Committee names and signatures

3. Student signature

4. Abstract (500 words or less)

a. An explanation of the current state of scholarship on your topic

b. An explanation of the methodology and/or unique approach you will use

c. A tentative summary or outline of the proposed body text

Where can you get information about this topic?

WaLC Resources

Who has information or experience with this topic?

Tips for Revision

Writing

Books on Thesis Writing:

Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day

Yvonne Bui, How to Write a Master’s Thesis

Irene Clark, Writing the Successful Thesis or Dissertation

Joyner, Rouse, and Glatthorn, Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation

Lunenburg and Irby, Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation

David Madsen, Successful Dissertations and Theses

Evelyn Ogden, Completing Your Dissertation in Two Semesters or Less

Waring and Kearins, Thesis Survivor Stories

So you have to write a thesis...

  • Read your own work. Even though you have an advisor and readers, you should still proofread and edit your own work so that they can make your best better.

  • As you read the entire work, write a fresh outline that lists all of the topics within your thesis. That way, you can easily see if a topic is out of place or irrelevant.

Tips for Research

Final Thoughts

  • BE ORGANIZED.
  • Keep track of what you’ve read, even if you don’t think it’s relevant.
  • Keep an eye out for holes in other writers’ research or questions that are left unanswered.
  • Sources you disagree with are valuable because you can join in the conversation and discuss your views as opposed to other experts’.

Research

Before you decide on a topic or advisor, determine what a thesis in your discipline looks like. Ask for examples from faculty members, and search online for theses in your discipline. Get an idea of what different parts go into a thesis for your area.

Choosing Your Topic

The Writing and Learning Commons

What excites you the most about writing your thesis?

What scares you the most about writing your thesis?

Tips for Writing Your Thesis

  • Work in 15-minute stretches.

  • Employ specific, observable steps.

  • Save often.

  • Let your reader in on your reasoning, your thinking, your understanding.

  • Use chapter titles and subheads as important signposts for your reader.

Formatting

Revision

  • Keep your eye on your governing question - post it in a space where you’ll look at it every time you sit down to work on your thesis.

  • Write an outline. You will likely add to it or deviate from it, but a thesis is a large undertaking, and it’s good to at least have a plan.

  • Don’t be afraid to freewrite - writing uncensored pieces loosens your mind.

Be sure to go to the Graduate School website for the 8th edition of the Thesis and Dissertation Guide.

http://www.wcu.edu/WebFiles/PDFs/gs_thesis_guide.pdf

Text Partners

WaLC Tutoring

For everything you read, keep a record of this information:

  • Author
  • Title
  • Source
  • The thesis of the article
  • The most interesting ideas in the article and why
  • What aspects of the topic does this article overlook or distort?
  • If you were to speak to the author about the overlooked or distorted ideas, what would you say?
  • How is this article relevant to your research?

Irene Clark, Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation

Choosing an Advisor

Activity

The WaLC is not designed to edit your thesis or proofread your entire draft. WaLC tutors are trained to work with you to make your writing better. If you would like thesis help from WaLC tutors, contact the WaLC at the beginning of your process and decide on a schedule to work with a tutor for an hour at a time throughout your process.

Choosing Your Topic

Questions?

What is the best way for you to stay organized?

What materials or resources can you use to keep track of your sources and your work?

Useful sites:

http://www.scrible.com/ Highlight and bookmark text on webpages.

http://www.citelighter.com/ Cite and share relevant source material.

https://www.zotero.org/ Helps you store and organize sources.

Additional resources available in Belk 207.

Graduate School located in Cordelia Camp 110.

Technology Commons located on the ground floor of the library.

Choosing a topic isn’t easy, and you can’t choose a topic without being very familiar with the existing research in a field. Read what others have written, then decide where there is more work to be done.

  • What is your dream thesis topic?
  • Is this feasible? Why or why not?
  • Do you have a backup topic?
  • Find a topic that allows you to answer an unanswered question and that fits the requirements set up by your program.

When choosing an advisor, consider these questions from Irene Clark:

“Is it most important for you to work with someone who has a reputation in his or her field and political influence in your department? Do you need access to particular data? Encouragement and support? Assistance in writing? Of course, ideally you would want someone who can provide everything you might need. But if you have to choose, which qualities in an advisor do you value the most?”

Things to consider:

  • Will your advisor be on campus during the time that you are writing and defending?
  • Is this person new to the university? Will he or she be familiar with campus resources?
  • Does this person get along with other professors and outside agencies?
  • Does this person seem busy? Can he or she easily incorporate more work into an already full teaching and research schedule?

Set Deadlines

Work with your advisor to set reasonable deadlines to keep you on track. Here are some common checkpoints for writers and advisors to meet and discuss progress:

  • Topic proposal
  • Abstract
  • Literature review/chapters
  • Full rough draft
  • Final draft

Thesis Writing 101

Tips and Tricks for a Successful Thesis

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi