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Developing an Honors Thesis

Developing an Honors Thesis. Scott Coffel Hanson CTC Director, College of Engineering. Some Food for Thought…. “How can I know what I mean until I see what I say?” —E.M. Forster. Writers achieve coherence and organization through a process of drafts, feedback, and revision.

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Developing an Honors Thesis

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  1. Developing an Honors Thesis Scott Coffel Hanson CTC Director, College of Engineering

  2. Some Food for Thought…. “How can I know what I mean until I see what I say?” —E.M. Forster • Writers achieve coherence and organization through a process of drafts, feedback, and revision. • There are no shortcuts to a polished document.

  3. Brainstorming:Taking Ownership of Your Thesis • Write down at least three to five aspects of your research that your readers need to know. • Can they all be connected? If not, can you minimize or exclude the least important? • Is the story of your research experiences greater than the sum of its parts?

  4. The Basics • State your objectives with clarity and depth. • Provide background and context for research and/or experiments. • Serve as a reliable narrator of your methodology so that peers in your field can recreate your work. • Assert and explain the significance of your results. • Chart a course for the next step.

  5. Clarity is All • Precise writing establishes your credibility as an engineer. Therefore… • Scientific writing is a no-ambiguity zone: • Ambiguity (defined as “doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation”) can often lead to serious misinterpretations.

  6. Three Signs of Excellence Your thesis— • Demonstrates control of your materials (precise descriptions and insightful analysis). • Is specific but selective (sticks to the major themes of your research). • Conveys a sense of the future (establishes your research as a starting point from which you or others will continue).

  7. Synchronize Your Story • Make sure that your thesis does not contradict your advisor’s view of reality. • Avoid misrepresenting (over-hyping) your achievements: no brag, just facts.

  8. Summary Writing a successful thesis is a process that through incubation (the day-to-day growth of your insights), drafts, feedback, and revision— • Eliminates extraneous details. • Demonstrates your powers of organization and analysis. • Fosters self-confidence. • Prepares you for the rigors of advanced study.

  9. Thank You “What is written without effort is read without pleasure.” Samuel Johnson

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