Medium is a pragmatist platform and has full of expert and amateur writers who make financial and moral gains that somehow have found their way, have already entered business life. Readers are looking for articles that appeal to them for personal development on this platform, where many people who are experts in their own business write personal articles. So, now I am appealing to the person reading this article: if the “thesis writing” for the undergraduate semester appeals to you, it may be in your best interest to continue reading. I promise my dear reader a short but enlightening journey with the knowledge and experiences I have gained during my thesis writing.
P.S: Since the availability of resources, general academic rules, references, citation, and bibliography system is quite variable and broad in scope, I would like to state that there are many informative and detailed resources about them in the internet pool.
Universal Criterion of the Thesis
The methods of meticulous and elaborated academic work are essentially the same all over the world. It doesn’t matter which country you are from or what language you speak in this field because translation already takes care of this problem anyway. However, English as a universal language will benefit you in the literature review process. In any case, don’t let barriers knock you over during this process. Imagine your thesis finished and finally got approval.
Why are we writing a thesis?
The graduation thesis may be especially annoying for the readers who are currently perpetuating as students. (Not even to mention the hair-bleaching Ph.D. dissertations!) It would not be wrong to consider the thesis as an opportunity that will improve your academic life and add a positive impact. Acquiring a competence that will be useful for your future life might give your resume a huge boost. I am working hard on my graduation thesis, which is not compulsory but yet I brought it on myself, just to improve myself and enjoy this challenging experience! Sometimes it is not that this process does not become psychologically tragicomic, but the satisfaction I feel when I finish writing my intended chapter, motivates me to the future works.
What awaits you in the thesis process?
Everything starts with the choice of subject in this process. While this process took several days for some, that is to say, my indecision completed this process in a month. Besides, a reminder to those who have difficulties in choosing the subject: the subject does not always have to be perfect, the chosen subject is perfect for the way it is handled. The subject should respond to the author’s interests and even be linked to their cultural, religious, political, or intellectual views. Otherwise, you may faint during this process, getting bored even at the beginning of the road and finding yourself punching the keyboard or your computer screen, throwing the book that is angled in front of you against the wall. What I mean in this context is to make the right choices based on the level you can afford. If you know yourself well enough, it will be inevitable to choose the right thesis topic.
How Long Does The Writing Process Take?
Umberto Eco states that a thesis cannot be written in more than three years, but in less than six months. Since we are talking in the context of the undergraduate thesis, a number like three years shouldn’t scare you. This figure is mostly valid for Ph.D. students. However, if it takes less than six months, this may be considered more a kind of article. In 6 months, through the topic selection, study plan, meticulous literature review, spelling instability, and so forth, that time will fly by. In the last months, do not tire yourself too much as you will enter the mode of disgust, and you’re like, “Okay, I am pissed of, let’s wrap it up now.” But don’t do that; just hold on a little longer.
Terror of Thesis Supervisor
Advisors can follow three types of criteria when recommending topics: showing a topic they know very well and can therefore easily follow the student, or suggesting a topic they do not know enough and want to know more about, or setting free the student completely. O veteran students with broken wings, who are the victims of egocentric and idealism-absorbing professors, sufferers who cannot get the attention they expect from their advisors, who cannot find a return for their effort, who have problem of miscommunication! The state of your article may surprise you after editing, disappoint you, or even cause you to make a problem with your advisor. At this point, things will become easier for you if you stay calm and focus on your direction. Stay out of trouble with your supervisor!
Study Plan
Once you have determined your topic, the first thing you will do while working on your thesis is to write down the title, introduction, and table of contents. According to Eco, writing the contents section at the beginning will help your thesis express its field. Setting precise, schematic lines about your starting and destination points will contribute to your progress faster and more fluidly in this process. At this point, a table of contents prepared at the beginning will be a savior for your thesis. When preparing your introduction and table of contents, don’t be afraid of going beyond your limits.
How a thesis should be written?
Echo admonishes the reader: “You are not Proust. Do not make very long sentences. If you can’t help yourself, set it up but then break those sentences. Do not be afraid to repeat the subject, put aside using too many pronouns and arguments.” Instead of trying to make your work more professional or pompous by making long sentences, it will be in favor of your thesis to use a style that the reader can understand because what is good depends on the simplicity.
ATTENTION PLEASE: My Final Warnings
• Don’t bother to give sources or references for common things.
• When you research the citation system broadly, thoroughly examine the somewhat confusing way of citing secondary sources so you don’t get exposed to plagiarist tags.
• Do not heed the fallacies that the introduction must be written in the end. This is why you can sometimes forget the essence and main purpose of your thesis and go into unnecessary details.
• Remember, the moment you pick up the pen or press the keyboard, your thesis will not at that time reach your advisor. Think of everything you write like a draft so that you get used to writing. You will find that you have finally produced a satisfying dissertation.
• Not every reader will turn around and read your thesis. Think like you have a one-shot shot and try to reach perfection.
• Before submitting your thesis, make sure to have it read by an experienced person and get his/her opinion.
• Refine your subject and define its boundaries precisely. Your thesis is not a diary where you write down every detail until the end of your life.
• Avoid using punctuation marks such as ellipsis and exclamation points.
• Try to involve the reader in the atmosphere of the thesis by using “we” phrases instead of first-person narrative.
• Do not let the rigidity and complexity of thesis writing rules spoil your creativity and enthusiasm. The important thing is to continue this process with pleasure. The words of Umberto Eco, whom I am inspired by, always motivated me at this stage: “Since your thesis will be just like your first love, it will be very difficult to forget it.”
P.S2:Some lesser-known academic web platforms that I think might be useful to you will be published as listed in my next post, stay tuned!
