Writing Master Thesis is a dreaded task. Most of the students are paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of the endeavor. Indeed, this is your Magnum Opus, the result of your 5-year mission to a college degree and glory. Feel woozy yet?
Okay, jokes aside, this takes some planning and persistence, but it’s totally doable. Writing a Master’s Thesis can be done hassle-free by following these strategies.
Outline before research
The crucial point of this huge paperwriting project is that you must know where you’re heading. Always make a clear outline of your plan and follow it. Before you proceed with your research, you must know what are you looking for – concrete answers to concrete questions.
Break your plan into manageable bits
When you have a plan in front of you, divide it into parts with the approximate deadlines for each issue. This way you won’t stress about the big scheme of things, and your work will be finished on time. Just take one step at a time – this is the best way to save time.
Know your topic
It is obvious that you must have the full command of the topic you are working on. You must be positively sure what has been done before and what is your innovation. Always check facts and theories. It’s pretty frustrating when you have an epiphany about a great breakthrough discovery only to find out that this theory was already explored on and rejected some years ago.
Do not plagiarize
It is very important to clear all your written material from plagiarism. It is better you check it after completion and before submission. Plenty of software is available online to make sure that your content is unique. However, even more important is to refrain from borrowing someone else’s ideas without proper attribution to the sources. Your text might be unique thanks to the technology, but your ideas must also be unique and completely your own.
Format of Master’s Thesis that should be followed
A master’s Thesis must comply with the set of guidelines provided to the students of each particular college. Find a copy on your college’s website or request it from your school’s writing center – and follow it to the T. The requirements may vary between schools, but the most general guidelines are presented here.
Title page
- It should have the complete title of the Thesis
- Author’s full name
- The degree for which Thesis is submitted should be indicated
- The name of the department and the University
- Year of submission
Table of contents
All details of the written work: chapters, paragraphs, and other units should be included there.
Acknowledgment
This must be written if any assistance is received during either the research stage or the writing process. Give your colleagues their due credit here.
Abstract
This is a short summary of your thesis. Here you should provide an outline of the hypothesis and state unmistakably the nature and extent of the work attempted and the commitment made to the learning of the subject.
I know that it’s easier said than done, but try and relax. Don’t obsess over writing a thesis. It must not be as nerve-racking as most students make it. Just follow the steps outlined here and you’ll be fine.