How to Write a Master's Thesis

Choosing a Topic

Think about the objectives of writing a thesis. You will spend a lot of time working on this project, so it is imperative that you choose wisely. Typical objectives are (ordered from the most common and important to less common): To get a degree - topic should be difficult enough, but manageable too. To enjoy the work - topic that you are truly interested in, something that you will not grow bored of after a short period of time. To get a job afterward - if you know what specifically you want to do after your studies and/or for which company, it might be useful to choose a topic, that will help with this goal. To be useful - thesis might actually be useful to help to make the world a little better place.

Generate thesis ideas. Start by thinking about your field as a whole. Where are there gaps in the literature? What new analyses can you offer? Then, think about what you enjoy in your field and what you've learned in graduate school. Try to link the two to create a thesis that is enjoyable for you to write and pertinent to your field. Try thinking about your favorite subject of study - it may be a particular author, theory, time period, etc. Imagine how you might further the study of that subject. You might consider skimming through papers you wrote for your graduate courses and see if there is any apparent topic that you tend to gravitate towards. Consult with faculty members, favorite professors. They might have some good suggestions to write about. Generally, you'll be required to meet with your thesis advisor at least once before you start working. Consider consulting with industry partners. Your favorite company might have some work to do which might be done as a master's thesis. This might also help you get a job within the company afterward and maybe even some money for the thesis. If you want to help the world to be a better place, you might want to consult with your local non-profits and charities or check the Internet for possible thesis topics to write about.

Choose the right topic. From the possible topics generated in the previous step, find the one which best fits the objectives from the first step, especially the objectives most important to you. Make sure that you have a clear, specific, and organized plan on how to write a master's thesis which you will be able to then defend.

Choose your thesis question. Carefully consider questions for your Master's thesis that will generate important research and answers for the members of the educational community and their clients. In your Master's thesis, you must answer the thesis question with conviction and clarity in the written presentation submitted to complete a Master's degree. Make sure that your question and the answers provided will provide original content to the body of research in existence. A judicious question will also keep research focused, organized, and interesting. Once you've formulated your topic and direction of inquiry, try formulating 5-10 different questions around your intended research. This forces you to think flexibly about your topic and visualize how small changes in wording can change the trajectory of your research.

Conduct your research. In order to answer the central question of your Master's thesis, you'll need to conduct the research necessary. Read the texts, conduct the experiments, do what you have to do to answer your thesis question. This will allow you to see if your project is worth moving forward with, or if there are some inherent problems that you may need to work out. It will also help you gather the information you'll need to move forward to the next steps.

Choose your committee members. Usually a thesis committee is made up of three professors: a chair (the "head" of your committee), and two readers. It is important to choose committee members with whom you get along, who have enough time in their schedules to dedicate to your project, and whose area of expertise is relevant to the work you propose to do. Usually, your committee chair will be in place before you formally start your thesis. They can help guide you and provide input into your project, so the earlier you can get their commitment, the better. Nothing is more frustrating than your thesis progress being held up by a professor who has too many obligations to make time to meet with you.

Selecting Your Texts

Complete a literature review. Review the literature and research currently available that is relevant to your Master's thesis. This review of the literature must be exhaustive to ensure that your Master's thesis will be important and not be redundant. It is important that your thesis idea be original and relevant. In order to ensure this is the case, you need to be aware of the context of your research, what other people have said on the subject, and what the general opinion of your topic is. Take notes on the background information about your topic and on the people involved in the available material.

Choose your primary sources. Primary sources are those that are written by the person who created the idea/story/theory/experiment/etc. They are the important factual base that you will use in your Master's thesis, especially if you are writing an analytical thesis. For example, a novel written by Ernest Hemingway or a scientific journal article in which new results are documented for the first time would both be considered primary sources.

Choose your secondary sources. Secondary sources are sources that are written about primary sources. They are important to include in your Master's thesis because you'll need to demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of the critical context of your topic and that you understand what the major scholars in your field have to say about the subject. For example, a book written about Ernest Hemingway's novel or a scientific journal article examining the findings of someone else's experiment would both be considered secondary sources.

Manage your citations. Depending upon your field, you might front-load most of your research into an early chapter of the thesis, or you might include sources throughout the entirety of the document. Either way, you’re likely to need to keep track of many different citations. You need to keep track of your citations as you write, rather than trying to add them after you are finished writing. Use the in-text citation format appropriate to your discipline. The most common formats are MLA, APA, and Chicago. Create a coordinating works cited or reference entry for each source you cite in the text of your document or in a footnote. Consider using a citation management software such as EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero. These will enable you to insert and move citations within your word processor program and will automatically populate a works cited or reference page for you.

Planning an Outline

Know the requirements for your field/department. An English Master's Thesis has different requirements and employs different formats than a Master's Thesis in Chemistry. There are two types of Master's theses: Qualitative. This type of thesis involves completing a project that is exploratory, analytical, or creative in some way. Usually, students in the humanities will complete this kind of thesis. Quantitative. This type of thesis involves conducting experiments, measuring data, and recording results. Students in the sciences usually complete this kind of thesis.

Nail down your thesis idea. Prepare a clear statement of the central thesis question that you intend to answer with your research. Being able to state your thesis explicitly and clearly is important. If you struggle with stating the question, you might need to rethink your project altogether.

Prepare an outline. The outline will be beneficial to you to "see where you're going" as you move forward in your project, but also to give your committee members an idea of what you want to accomplish and how you plan to do so.

Know what to include. You should check with your university for the exact requirements, which are often strict and institutionally specific. However, most Master's theses should include the following: Title page Signature page (with the completed signatures of your advising committee - usually attained at the defense, or after the project is deemed complete) Abstract - this is a short (one paragraph or so) description/summary of the work completed in your thesis Table of Contents (with page numbers) Introduction Body of paper Conclusion Works Cited or Bibliography Any necessary appendices or endnotes

Moving through the Writing Process

Make a schedule. One approach that works for many people is to use a reverse calendar, where you plan your writing schedule from the due date and work backward. If you know how much time you have to complete the project and break it up into manageable parts with individual due dates (whether these due dates are simply for you or if they are for your committee chair as well), you'll be less likely to get overwhelmed by the scale of the project.

Write a little every day. Writing a 100-page thesis can be a daunting task, but if you write 1,000 words every day over the course of 2 months, for example, then you will be able to meet that deadline with ease. Your exact timeframe will differ, but you should try to give yourself as much time as possible to write, and no less than a month. Try not to get frustrated and put off your work because then it will pile up and become unmanageable.

Try the Pomodoro Technique. Many people who have trouble motivating themselves and being productive with their theses find it useful to work in “tomatoes” using the Pomodoro Technique. The basic idea is that you complete 25 minutes of completely focused work, then you get a 5-minute break. This breaks your work into manageable chunks and can cut down on the feeling of being overwhelmed that often accompanies a large, long-term project.

Take breaks. It is important, especially when working on a large-scale project, to give your brain a break every now and then. You can't stay focused and on-task 100% of the time without losing content quality, and letting yourself step away from your ideas for a couple days will give you fresh eyes when you come back to your work. You'll catch mistakes you didn't see before and come up with new answers you couldn't think of before.

Find a writing time that works for you. Some people work best in the morning, while others are able to focus more effectively at night. If you are unsure of when you are most productive, try different approaches and see what seems to work the best for you.

Write your introduction. You may find that your thesis proposal is a useful jumping off point for writing your introduction. You might want to copy and paste sections of your proposal for the start of your introduction, but remember that it’s okay to change your ideas as they progress. You may want to revisit and revise your introduction at several points throughout your writing process, perhaps even each time you finish a large section or chapter.

Incorporate the review of literature. If you were required to write a review of literature prior to beginning your thesis, good news: you’ve already written almost an entire chapter! Again, you may need to reshape and revise the work, and you will likely also find occasion to add to the review as you move forward with your work. If you do not already have a review of literature written, it’s time to do your research! The review of literature is essentially a summary of all of the existing scholarship about your topic with plenty of direct quotations from the primary and secondary sources that you’re referencing.

Contextualize your work. After reviewing the existing scholarship, you should explain how your work contributes to the existing scholarship—in other words, you’re explaining what you are adding to the field with your work.

Write your thesis. The remainder of the thesis varies greatly by field. A science-based thesis will involve few secondary sources as the remainder of your work will involve describing and presenting the results of a study. A literary thesis, on the other hand, will likely continue to cite secondary scholarship as it builds an analysis or reading of a particular text or texts.

Write a powerful conclusion. Your conclusion should detail the importance of this Master's thesis to the subject community and may suggest the direction that future researchers might follow to continue with relevant information on the subject.

Add supplemental information. Be sure to include relevant charts, graphs, and figure as appropriate. You may also need to add appendices at the end of your work that are germane to your work but tangential to the central question of your Master's thesis. Be sure that all aspects of your work are formatted in accordance with the guidelines of your institutional and discipline expectations.

Finalizing Your Thesis

Compare your draft with your university's requirements. The formatting requirements for theses and dissertations are notoriously tedious and complicated. Make sure that your documents adhere to all of the requirements laid out by your department, in general, and by your committee chair, in specific. Many departments or programs provide a document template for theses and dissertations. If you have one of these, it may be easiest to use such a template from the beginning of your work (rather than copying and pasting your writing into it).

Re-read the entire thesis for correctness. Take a week or so off, if possible, once you have finished writing and give your brain a break. Then, go back with fresh eyes to catch any grammatical errors or typos you may have made. When you are so deep in the writing process, it is easy to just read what you mean instead of what you actually wrote. So it is important to take a step back so that you can evaluate your work and your writing more effectively. Alternatively, ask a trusted colleague or friend to read over your thesis to help you catch any minor grammar/spelling/punctuation errors and typos.

Follow all printing guidelines according to your department's policies. You will probably have to pay (out of pocket) to print one or more copies of your Master's thesis for your university, as well as any other personal copies you may want for yourself. Make sure you abide by these guidelines to avoid any potential setbacks during this final stage.

Prepare for your thesis defense. After completing the written portion of your Master's thesis, you will probably have to participate in a defense involving you presenting the ideas discussed in your thesis to your committee members. This is a great opportunity to show what you have learned during the process and to give your committee members a chance to bring up any questions or concerns they might have.

Submit your thesis. Your institution likely has very specific guidelines for submitting your thesis. Most universities require you to upload your thesis to Pro Quest for electronic publication (or at least tracking) through their dissertation and thesis archive. Be sure to follow your school’s specific guidelines for submission. Some institutions require you to submit your thesis for a formatting check prior to uploading the document to ProQuest. Be sure to check with your department’s Director of Graduate Studies for specific instructions. Be aware of thesis submission deadlines, which are often well in advance of your graduation date. Late submission of your thesis may force you to push back your graduation date, which may affect your employment or continuing graduate studies.