The Senior Thesis

Note to Senior Thesis Writers:

§ This is a minimum schedule of thesis deadlines. The deadlines marked with asterisks for the Thesis Advisor Form signed by the faculty advisor, the thesis proposal, and the completed thesis are absolute. The other deadlines are only indicative and can be adapted according to your needs, as long as you do not fall behind the schedule. In particular, if you do not turn in the first chapter draft by the end of the fall semester, you may receive an unsatisfactory grade for that term.

§ **If you are a secondary concentrator or joint honors in East Asian History, you are responsible for following the schedule and deadlines set by the primary concentration or the concentration listed first in your transcript.

§ Please see the schedule of EAS 99 thesis writer meetings below. This tutorial is required of primary concentrators. Secondary and joint concentrators are also strongly encouraged to attend all meetings, which will provide valuable guidance on thesis research and writing in East Asian Studies. If you have problems meeting these deadlines or questions about the schedule, you should contact the EAS Coordinator (eas@fas.harvard.edu); the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Shigehisa Kuriyama (hkuriyam@fas.harvard.edu); and the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies for Seniors, Amy Zhang (ayzhang@g.harvard.edu).

Click here for the EAS Concentrators' Live Calendar.

Fall 2023 Important Dates

*September 15th Thesis Advisor Form due to tutorial office, or e-mail as an attachment to the Undergraduate Coordinator at eas@fas.harvard.edu
*October 6th

Thesis Proposal and Bibliography

1-2 page thesis proposal plus bibliography due to faculty advisor, senior thesis tutor, and tutorial office.
*The Faculty Advisor should meet together with the senior thesis tutor and the student shortly after this date to discuss the thesis proposal presented by the student.

October 27th Outline of chapters due to faculty advisor and senior thesis tutor.
*The Faculty Advisor should meet together with the senior thesis tutor and the student shortly after this date to discuss the outline presented by the student.
November 3rd

Final Submission Date for Students Expecting to Graduate in March 2024

 

Primary concentrators must send an electronic copy of the final revised thesis to eas@fas.harvard.edu by 2:00 PM. THERE WILL BE NO EXTENSIONS.
Secondary concentrators must send an electronic copy of the final revised thesis to eas@fas.harvard.edu on the day of their primary concentration's deadline.

 

November 17th

First chapter due

A completed first chapter (NOT the introduction) must be submitted to faculty advisor and senior thesis tutor.

December 15th Second chapter due to faculty advisor and senior thesis tutor.

Spring 2024 Important Dates

February 5th Next two chapters due to faculty advisor and senior thesis tutor. This date will vary according to the number of chapters in your thesis.
*February 15th (Final Date TBA) Senior Thesis Colloquium (brief presentation by thesis writers for faculty and other students)
March 1st Completed thesis draft due to faculty advisor and senior thesis tutor for revisions.
*March 21st

Primary concentrators must submit an electronic copy of final revised thesis to eas@fas.harvard.edu by 2:00 PM. THERE WILL BE NO EXTENSIONS.
Refreshments will be served at the tutorial office in the afternoon.

Secondary concentrators must submit an electronic copy of the final revised thesis to eas@fas.harvard.edu on the day of their primary concentration's deadline.

EAS 99 Thesis Writer Meetings: Meeting Dates TBD via doodle poll.

First meeting: last week of September
Second meeting: First or Second week of November
Third meeting: TBA (maybe early February)

Click here for the EAS Concentrators' Live Calendar.

To keep up-to-date on EASTD 99 meetings and communications, check the Canvas course site regularly.

2023
map of Manchuria "MncOCR: Deep Learning-Based Text Recognition for Manchu"

 

Chao Cheng

Relief map of Japan "Fighting Insecurity: Examining the Japan-United States Alliance Dynamic Through Post WWII Security and Intelligence Reform" Lucy Goldfarb
“Cultural Revolution's Red Scars: Remembering Trauma, Humor, and Nostalgia during the COVID-Era" Aurelia Han
Decorative map of Korea “Human or Humanitarian Rights? Factors Influencing South Korean Policy and International Approaches to the North Korean Human Security Crisis" Esther Kim
"Province and Nation in the History of Modern China's Coal Politics: Shanxi, Guizhou, and the Long Path to Decarbonization" Annelisa Kingsbury-Lee, Hoopes Prize
Decorative map of Korea "A Cinema of Liberation, or Lies? (Dis)Continuities in Korean Film Censorship and Propaganda Across the 1945 Divide" Yeseo Livingston
relief map of east asia "Globalized Office Space: Understanding Labor Relations in China Through Taiwanese and South Korean FDIs" Choetsow Tenzin
2022
relief map of east asia "'A World Without Frontiers': Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Cosmopolitan Nationalisms in East Asia, 1886-1920" Alan Dai, Hoopes Prize
Decorative map of Korea “Resettlement and Reorientation: A Comparative Analysis of the Integration Measures for North Korean Refugees in South Korea through the Lens of East Germans in West Germany” Celina Hollmichel
Relief map of Japan “(Re)Fashioning a New Avant-Garde” Emily Kim
stylized map of globe split diagonally "Here and Elsewhere: Spatial Imaginaries of Conflict Zones in France and Japan, 1965-1975" Ton-Nu Nguyen-Dinh
"The Perilous Poetry of the Past: Four Nineteenth-Century Views on Women's Moral Agency as Triumph or Threat in the Confucian Founding Story" Benjamin Porteous
map of Taiwan "More than Just the 'Taiwan Card': Factoring in the Taiwanese Perspective in Crafting America's Taiwan Policy" Justin Tseng
2021
Relief map of Japan “Mobilizing Social Movements in East Asia: SNS Usage and Anonymity in Japanese and Korean Feminist NGOs” Chihiro Ishikawa
Decorative map of Korea “The Farmers of Hamp’yŏng: Rural Identity Formation and Korean Democratization” Derek Woo
2020
Relief map of Japan "Innovation Nation: An Examination of the Japanese Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Lessons in Entrepreneurship from Across East Asia, 1997-Present" Shivam Bhatt
relief map of singapore "Understanding Regime Type and Disease Burden: a Case Study of Singapore’s Healthcare System" Adeline Choo
"Edu-plomacy with Chinese Characteristics: International Higher Education Exchange and Public Diplomacy Along China’s Belt and Road Initiative" Angie Cui, Hoopes Prize
Relief map of Japan "Dо̄gen, Personal Identity, and Morality" Esteban Flores
"A Novel 3D Petroleum Systems Evolutionary Model of the Qaidam Basin in NW China, and its Implications for the Future of China’s Energy Economy" Josh Grossman, Hoopes Prize
Decorative map of Korea "Contemporary Koryo Saram: Between South Korea and the Post-Soviet Space" Sonia Kim
"State of the Art: Contemporary Chinese Art in the Age of Surveillance" Hillary McLauchlin, Hoopes Prize
relief map of singapore "Love, Labor, Loss: Voices of Migrant Worker Poets and Storytellers in Singapore" Yong-Han Poh, Hoopes Prize
stylized map of globe split diagonally "For Party or Homeland: An Analysis of Military Decision-making
in China, Vietnam, India, and Pakistan"
Alyssa Resar
"China’s Ghost Cities and the Bureaucratic Politics of Urban Growth: Evidence from Lingang New City" Nick Stauffer-Mason
Decorative map of Korea "Home Alone: Understanding the Rise of Single-Person Households in South Korea" Emma Toh
"What is Real? What is Fake? Transitional Chinese Hip-Hop Culture and the War of Authenticity" Alexander Zhang
2019
“Go East, Young Man: Crafting International Elites at Chinese Fellowship Programs” Theo LeBryk
“Defending the Open Door: The Promise and Perils of Economic Diplomacy in US-China Relations, 1898-1922” Jonah Lefkoe
stylized map of globe split diagonally “Towards the ‘China Model’ of Development? Ethnic Conflict Management and Party System Stability in Africa” Raquel Leslie
relief map of east asia “Apologies Under Pressure: How Security Concerns and Memory Politics Interact in Japan-South Korea Relations, 1990-2015” Miranda Richman
2018
"剩  (“Leftover”) or 盛 (Flourishing): Rethinking Stigma in the Lives of Unmarried Women in Contemporary China" Amanda Fang
relief map of east asia "Power Consolidation and the Management of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands Dispute" James Nakajima
"Governors and Guanxi State Governors and Foreign Direct Investment in Michigan and Ohio since 2011" William Skinner
Relief map of Japan "Axes of Argument and Ianfu Irrelevance of ‘Liberal' and ‘Conservative’ in the Comfort Women Debates" Miranda Tyson
Relief map of Japan "Foreign Residents and Fureai: Local Differences in Foreign Resident Political Rights in Japan" Anthony Volk
Relief map of Japan "Broken Heart Syndrome and the Treatment of Stress and Cardiac Disease in the United States and Japan" Jessica Yamada
2017
Relief map of Japan "Kokusai Kekkon: Discovering the Subjective Realities within the Romantic Fantasies and Reproduced Images of International Couples in Japan" Ash Asencios
"Work More, Get Less: Labor Regimes and Economic Stability in Shanghai 1945-1956" Michael Avi-Yonah
Relief map of Japan "Explaining Japan’s Immigration Paradox: Nikkeijin and Care Workers in Japan’s Revolving Door" Olivia Campbell
"The Fatal Crack: A Translation of the “Biographies of Eunuchs” in the History of the Later Han (Hou Han Shu), with Introduction" Kennedy Edmonds
Decorative map of Korea "Dangerous Women: Gendered Articulations of Mental Illness in Colonial Korea" Kristy Hong
"Unfounded Optimism? Migrant Workers’ Perceptions of Social Mobility in Beijing" Janice Jia
Relief map of Japan "Hierarchy, Self-Image and Class Identification: A Psychological Interpretation of Samurai" Christopher Jury
"The Republic of China and the United Nations System in Asia, 1945-1950" Anatol Klass
relief map of Manchuria under Japanese occupation "Soy's Ladder: Health in the Unmaking of Japanese Manchuria" William Sack
"China’s Oil Triangle: Analyzing Energy Politics Among China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran" Christian Šidák
"Ephemerae: Tradition and Innovation in Fujian Nanyin" Sam Wu
2016
“The Myth of Madame Mao and Her World: Reexamining Jiang Qing's Gendered Legacy in Nixon in China and Beyond” Josh Bean
“A World Preserved: George Bush and the National Security Council After Tiananmen Square” Eyck Freymann
Relief map of Japan “Why the One Percent Ceiling? Japan’s Defense Spending Puzzle” Miles Graham
“Land Grabs in Argentina? COFCO, Soybeans, and the Rise of China M&A” Jack Kleinman
“Peng-Chun Chang, American Pragmatism, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” Henri Li
Relief map of Japan “Soft on Security?: The Effect of Partisanship and Gender on Defense Policy Support in Japan” Carlino Natividad
Relief map of Japan “Doubled; Troubled: An Ethnography of School Choice in Amerasian Okinawa” Brooke Nowakowski
Decorative map of Korea “Transnationalism, Nationalism, and Korean American Identity: Explaining the Spread of Comfort Women Memorials in America” David Song
2015
“Global Media & Global Identities: Audience Reception Among College Students in Shanghai” Athena Bowe
“Airpathy: Citizen Apathy and Inaction towards Pollution in Beijing” Alexandra Foote
stylized map of globe split diagonally “Alternative Explanations for Zimbabwe’s Decision to Implement a ‘Look East’ Policy in the Year 2003” Tre Hunt
Relief map of Japan “Let the Games Come to the Fifth Circle: Cold War Politics and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics” Brian Kaneshige
relief map of east asia “Mechanisms that Drive Public Policy Changes: How Civil Society, International Influence, and Issue Framing Incited Governmental Action to Combat Sex Trafficking in China and South Korea from 2000 to 2014” Gina Kim
Decorative map of Korea “Tangibly Intangible: The Process of Registering 'Jeju Haenyeo Culture' onto the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity” Franklin Lee
“'A Hong Kong Effort': The British Army Aid Group in South China, 1942-1945” Joe Mazur
relief map of east asia “Say Sorry Like You Mean It: The Role of Japanese Public Protest in Korean Responses to Japan’s War Apologies, 1990s-2000s” Vi Nguyen
Relief map of Japan “Individual and Collective Silence in The Garden of Evening Texts, the Gift of Rain, “Droplets,” by Medoruma Shun, and The Stones Cry Out by Hikaru Okuizumi” Caitlyn Pang
Relief map of Japan “Cuisine, Consumption, and Japanese Department Store Cafeterias, 1904-1923” Axel Snow
“Legal Reform and Food Safety Development in Contemporary China” Amy Sparrow
“Protecting Oneself: How Resident Physicians Navigate Priorities and Pressures within a Chinese Hospital” Rose-Ann Thomas
“The Long March: History, Myth, Propaganda” Rachel Wong
Relief map of Japan “Forms of Emptiness: An Exploration of the Intersections between Sо̄tо̄ Zen Buddhism and Real Analysis” Spencer Vegosen
2014
“The Cats that Catch Mice: 'Hybrid' Firms as Leaders in China's Private Equity Industry” Isabelle Clarke
“Forgotten Words: Tao Yuanming's Place in the Development of Chinese Eremitic Discourse” William Hakim
stylized map of globe split diagonally "Family Business Performance in the Thai and Japanese Stock Markets" Kerry Hammond
Decorative map of Korea "We Demand Truth from Tablo: Cyber Protest and Civil Society in South Korea" Hojung Lee
Relief map of Japan "Mixed Motivations: Explaining Japan's Article Nine Debate" Marissa McGarry
Decorative map of Korea "Praying for a Just Cause: The Role of International Christian Social Networks in the South Korean Human Rights Movement, 1974-1987" Jasmine Park
"Your Eyes Turned Red, The Stock Market Turned Green: How China's Retail Investors and Government Lose to Win" Jonathan Reindollar
"The Value of Chinese Wildlife: Domestic and International Representation of the Panda and its Peers" Melody Wu
2013
“From Lineage Organization to Lineage Net: The Post-Cultural Revolution Re-Imagining of the Chinese Lineage Community” Devin Bean
Decorative map of Korea “Illuminating the Darkness Beneath the Lamp: Im Yong-sin’s Disappearance from History and Rewriting the History of Women in Korea’s Colonial Period (1910-1945)” Chelsea Carlson
Relief map of Japan “On Being ‘Lesbian’: Kakefuda Hiroko’s ‘Rezubian’ de are, to iu koto, Translated and In Context.” Lucia Carver
stylized map of globe split diagonally “Acupuncture Points: A Historical and Scientific Analysis” Liang Cheng
“The Mystification and Demystification of Stephen Chow” Jennifer Fan
Relief map of Japan “Kizuna After 3/11: Community Development and Recovery in Ishinomaki” Jade Luo
“The Elusive Turning Point: Problematizing Narratives of Late Imperial Developmental Inflection” Adam Frost
Decorative map of Korea “A Reversal of Influence: The Rising Power of Korea” Lila Nieves-Lee
 “The Many Facets of Censorship in Modern China: An Examination of a Film Director’s Negotiation Between Restriction and Impact” Kelly O'Grady
“Class Struggle: Higher Education Reform and the Class of 1977” Sandy Xu
2012
“Scaling the Great Firewall: The Evolution of Chinese Internet Language in Response to Government Censorship” Samuel Brotherton
“The Heart of the Text: Mencius and His Quest for Sagehood” Benjamin Gallant
“The Politics of HIV and Chinese NGOs” Samuel Galler
“Islam(s) on the Border: Authenticity, Imagined Geographies, and Ethnic Boundaries in a Chinese and Burmese Muslim Community” Jonathan Kaufman
relief map of east asia “Disaster Nationalism: An Analysis of Internet Reactions to the Shanghai and Tohoku Earthquake in China and Japan” Sean Kerr
“Marketing ‘Healthy’: Branded Foods and Nutrition in Contemporary China” Elizabeth Paisner
“Surviving Stigma: Narratives of Depression from Shanghai China” Taylor Poor
stylized map of globe split diagonally “Conflict or Capital: Examining Theories of Economic Integration and Conflict Between China and Taiwan from 2008 to 2012” Peter Truog
“Singletons and the State: The Pursuit of a Quality Generation in Urban China” Linda Zhang
2011
Relief map of Japan “The Underside of Language: Izumi Kyōka and a New Hermeneutic for Modern Japanese Literature” Peter Bernard
“Elite Conceptions of Religion in China: The New Generational Divide” (Joint Social Studies, EAS) Christopher Carothers
“American Companies’ Perceptions and Peferences for Trademark Law Enfocement in the P.R.C.” (Joint Government/EAS) Nara Lee
Relief map of Japan “The World Heats Up: Japan and the Kyoto Protocol” Kevin Martinez
Relief map of Japan “’Period of Integrated Study’: A Small But Significant Japanese Public Education Reform” James Noyes
“The Human Rights Issue in Chinese Orphanages” Rachel Rauh
“Xiahe’s Ethnic Tourism: Contested Identities in a Powered Space” (Joint Social Studies/EAS) Robert Schaaf
“The First Confucian Missionary in Europe: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) and Chinese Philosophy in Europe” Martin Wallner
2010
Decorative map of Korea “Visions of an Ideal Society: The Role of Neo-Confucianism, Local Leadership, and Community Compacts in Chosǒn Korea” Joa Alexander
“Sino-Muslim Education and Changes in Chinese Muslim Identity in Republican China, the Zhonghua Minguo (1911-1949)” (Joint NELC/EAS) Tristan Brown
“Love in the Analects and in the Commentaries of the Analects” Cynthia Cheung
“Social Means to a Rational End: Emulation and China in the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Mechanism” Rachel Odell
“Re-creating the Periphery: The Role of Ethnic Minorities in History Textbooks in the People’s Republic of China, 1945-1956” (Joint History/EAS) Siodhbhra Parkin
Relief map of Japan “Privileging the Nikkeijin: The Influence of Nihonjinron Discourse on Japanese Immigration Policy” Sadie Stoddard
“Testing for Quality: What China’s National College Entrance Examinations Reveal About the Education for Quality Movement and Wider Social Discourses in the Reform Era and Beyond” Hannah Waight
 “Building the Homeland: Case Study on Chinese Language Schools in the U.S.” Betty Zhang
2009
"Does China Favor Autocracies in Trade?  The Effect of Regime Similarity on Dyadic Trade Relationships." Andrea Blankmeyer
Decorative map of Korea "The Formation of Korean Civil Society Under Japanese Colonial Rule, 1910-1945." (Joint EAS/History) Emily Bruemmer
Relief map of Japan "Reading Last Friends: Representations of Transgenderism in Contemporary Japanese Television Drama." Debbie Chiang
"Warming Up to Climate Change: The Role of International Donors in Viet Nam's New Environmental Agenda." (Joint Government/EAS) Quinn Dang
"Shell Games: Chinese Banking Sector Reform Through the Lens of Non-Performing Loan Resolution." Carey Hynes
"Professional Dancing in China: Shaping Body and Mind at Shanghai Theatre Academy." Marc Janke
"Philosophical Battles and Bridges: Syncretism in the Huainanzi." Anne Lewandowski
"Bargaining with the State: The Influence of INGOs in China's Environmental Movement." (Joint EAS/Government) Linda Li
Relief map of Japan "Commemorating Cities: The Divergent Legacies of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Postwar Japan 1945 to the 1990s." (Joint EAS/History) Shi Lin Loh
"Inferring International Organizational Objectives: A Fresh Look at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization." (Joint Government/EAS) Nicholas Manske
"Contemporary Methods of Cultural Imperialism and its Corresponding Influence on Conspicuous Peripheral Consumption: An Inquiry into the Chinese Fashion System." Timothy Parent
"'Pity the Poor Girls': The Construction and Destruction of Female Subjectivity in Contemporary Chinese Filmmaking." Geraldine Prasuhn
Relief map of Japan "Fujino Chiya's The Promise of Summer." Rachel Staum
Relief map of Japan "Copy Cats and Mass Naked Child Events: An Analysis of the Illegal Fan Activities in Anime and Manga." Alice Thieu
"Writing Mao: Memoirs of the Cultural Revolution and Remembrance of the Great Helmsman." (Joint EAS/History) Julie Vodhanel
"Governing a Big State is Like Cooking a Small Fish: Cooks in Early Chinese Literature." Jenny Wanger
"Nationalism and Protest: The Seed for Civil Society in China." Nancy Yang

Thesis-writing is a serious, yet rewarding challenge. It demands time and devotion and gives back knowledge and self-satisfaction. These guidelines are intended to help you navigate your way through an often complicated process with the least amount of difficulty. Because East Asian Studies concentrators write theses on a great variety of topics, these guidelines are not intended to cover all research and writing contingencies. They do, however, indicate minimum concentration expectations and give advice based on the accumulated experience of your predecessors.

Joint Theses

EAS has always encouraged interested students to pursue joint concentrations. Because EAS has many joint concentrators, a number of you will be submitting theses to two departments. Remember that you are responsible for fulfilling all the expectations of both concentrations. Be sure that you understand both the substantive and format requirements of the other department so that you are not unpleasantly surprised at the end of a long project.

If your primary field is EAS, follow these guidelines. If your secondary field is EAS, follow the guidelines of the primary field, but consult with the EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies, and your EAS TF if available. To the extent possible, we will endeavor to provide a teaching fellow affiliated with the EAS program to help you prepare the thesis. The Director of Undergraduate Studies of the primary field consults with the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the secondary field on readers and on the departmental honors recommendation.

EASTD 99

EASTD 99 is normally taken for two semesters; if, however, you decide not to continue with your thesis work, you can receive credit for one term of EAS 99, with the grade based on the work submitted during the fall term. The spring grade for EAS 99 is the letter grade equivalent of the Latin grade awarded you by your readers and the EAS Tutorial Committee. Please follow the deadlines on the thesis schedule. Failure to submit the bibliography and chapter drafts on time may result in an unsatisfactory grade for EAS 99.

Topic

Ideally, you will have decided on your topic during the junior year and done additional research during the summer. Some of you may still have only a foggy notion of a topic. Often choosing the topic and approach are the most difficult parts of the thesis process, but you must propose a topic and locate an advisor (as well as submit the Thesis Advisor Form) by the time your study card is due in the fall of your senior year. The EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies and Assistant DUS for Seniors will help you through this process.

Advising

The importance of your relationships with your faculty advisor and graduate student tutor cannot be overstated. You should meet regularly with both to keep them apprised of your progress. Both will have important insight into the thesis-writing process. Faculty advisors are expected to meet with you at least every other week over the course of the year. It is your responsibility to contact the advisor to schedule these meetings. You should make the most of the time available by setting, at the beginning of the semester, a schedule of meetings with your advisor and making sure you have progress to report when you do meet. You should meet with your tutor every week. It is required that you keep to the agreed schedule of meetings. Any problems that arise in these relationships should be brought to the attention of either the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Assistant DUS for Seniors as early as possible.

The Writing of the Thesis

By the time you come to write the thesis you will have pursued courses in some area of East Asian Studies for a year or more. Besides your tutorial work, you should also have taken upper division undergraduate courses to familiarize yourself with various methodological approaches and chosen one (or more) as your focus. In broad terms, social science theses are expected to apply one of the social science methodologies (for example, Anthropology, Economics, Government, some types of History, and Sociology) to a particular problem in East Asian studies.  The focus here is on careful analysis of your data and command of relevant secondary literature. Humanities theses are expected to undertake an analysis of some topic in the East Asian humanities (for example, some types of history, literature, philosophy, and/or religious studies) that is based on a solid knowledge of the cultural background relevant to the topic.

East Asian Language

Prior to the class of 2014, Humanities track primary concentrators and language track secondary concentrators were expected to use materials in an East Asian language for their theses. There is currently no formal requirement to make use of sources in East Asian languages. However, thesis writers are strongly encouraged to use such sources to the best of their ability.

The extent to which you use the language and the type of sources you use will depend on your language level and the type of thesis you are writing. There is wide variation. It is very important to consult with your advisor and tutor very early on how best to use your language skills. If you are only in the third year of a language, you should choose a topic for which there is a substantial body of Western-language material. You may also choose a topic centered around interviews.

Students whose language level is beyond third year level may do a translation thesis. A translation thesis consists of a substantial original translation accompanied by a substantial analysis of the translated text. Consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies if you are interested in a translation thesis. We do not recommend an extended translation unless you are an advanced language student; translation well done consumes great amounts of time, and departmental standards are high. 

Length

An EAS thesis generally runs about 80-120 pages, with a minimum of 60. However, substance is the critical issue. An overly lengthy thesis is sometimes a sign of an insufficiently cogent argument.

Style

Writing well requires persistence and revision. We strongly recommend that you discuss your thesis-writing concerns with the staff of the Writing Center (617-495-1655), and when available, the EALC Department Writing Fellow. Everyone can benefit from editorial assistance. Be thoughtful.  Avoid getting stuck in simple derivative description. The two most common complaints from thesis readers are poor writing and inadequate analysis.

Notes

It is not always clear how or when to cite. You must avoid plagiarism; it will not be excused by either the Department or the University. You must avoid claiming the work of others as your own, but introducing and discussing the views of others—properly attributed—is an important part of many theses. Often the most interesting type of note is a content note, not just a bibliographic reference. The point is to convey information succinctly. If you have any questions, consult your advisor or tutor. Please see the Handbook for Students for more information regarding the University's statement on plagiarism:

All homework assignments, projects, lab reports, papers and examinations submitted to a course are expected to be the student's own work. Students should always take great care to distinguish their own ideas and knowledge from information derived from sources. The term "sources" includes not only published primary and secondary material, but also information and opinions gained directly from other people.

The responsibility for learning the proper forms of citation lies with the individual student. Quotations must be placed properly within quotation marks and must be cited fully. In addition, all paraphrased material must be acknowledged completely. Whenever ideas or facts are derived from a student's reading and research or from a student's own writings, the sources must be indicated.

A computer program written to satisfy a course requirement is, like a paper, expected to be the original work of the student submitting it. Copying a program from another student or any other source is a form of academic dishonesty; so is deriving a program substantially from the work of another.

The amount of collaboration with others that is permitted in the completion of assignments can vary, depending upon the policy set by the head of the course. Students must assume that collaboration in the completion of assignments is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Students must acknowledge any collaboration and its extent in all submitted work. Students are expected to be familiar with the booklet entitled Writing with Sources, available in the office of the Allston Burr Senior Tutor or Assistant Dean of First-Year Students. Students who are in any doubt about the preparation of academic work should consult their instructor and Allston Burr Senior Tutor or Assistant Dean of First-Year Students before the work is prepared or submitted. Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, and ordinarily required to withdraw from the College.

You may elect to use footnotes (which are handy for the reader), chapter endnotes, or endnotes. In some cases, parenthetical documentation may be appropriate. See the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers; Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations; or the East Asian Studies Writing Guide for samples, choose the form you prefer. Whichever system you decide to use, please be consistent in its application. Interviews should also be cited. Include a bibliography.

Romanization

Capitalization in romanization is different than from English. In romanized titles, capitalize only the first word and proper nouns.

For Chinese, use either Wade-Giles or pinyin. You may choose one or the other, depending on the type of sources you are using, but do not use both systems in the same text. Also, make sure to use all diacritics as prescribed by either system.

For Japanese, use macrons (ō or ū) except in well-known place names (Tokyo) or anglicized words (shogun). Follow the Kenkyusha dictionary romanization system. Be consistent.

For Korean, use the McCune-Reischauer romanization.

Format

Click here for a sample of the format for your title page. You may choose to have an acknowledgements page to thank those who have helped you.

Leave 1.75 inches as a left margin to allow for binding. On the top, right, and bottom, leave 1 inch. Page numbers should be 0.5 inches from the top or bottom of the page. They may be centered at the bottom or placed in the upper right hand corner.

Final draft

Submit the final draft of your thesis to your advisor and tutor no less than three weeks in advance of the final deadline. Their comments will provide the basis of your final revision. This is a critical stage. Make sure that your writing is clear, that you have eliminated redundancies, and that your argument is coherent. Proofread very carefully. If you are sloppy, your readers may not take your thesis seriously, and there is a good chance that your grade will drop.

Submission

As of Spring 2022, EAS requires only digital submission of senior theses. All concentrators, whether primary or secondary, must submit a digital copy of your thesis paper, in .doc or .docx format, to eas@fas.harvard.edu, or hand it in to the EAS Program Coordinator on a flash drive. If your file includes complex formatting or embedded objects, such as diagrams or charts, you may wish to also submit a PDF copy in case of formatting changes occurring during the file transfer. Your file(s) must be received by the EAS office by 2pm on the day of your thesis deadline. Always store copies of your thesis work in the cloud or on an external hard drive in case of a technological mishap. Computer or internet problems are not accepted as an excuse for late submission. In fairness to all students, there will be no exceptions or extensions.

The date of your submission deadline is determined by your department of primary concentration. If your primary concentration is in a department other than EAS, you must submit electronic copies to BOTH departments by your primary department's deadline. If you are primary EAS with a secondary in another department, in addition to following EAS submission guidelines, you should also confirm with the Undergraduate Coordinator for your secondary department when and how to submit your work to them.

The EAS Office will print and bind a copy of your thesis to retain for our records. It will be kept in the office and may be shown to future concentrators as an example. 

Circumstances allowing, refreshments will be provided on the afternoon of the day theses are due. Please join us as we congratulate you on the completion of your thesis!

Readers and Honors

Each thesis will be read by two readers. In the case of concentrators solely in EAS, we will choose two readers from among the Harvard faculty and in some cases from among experts at other universities affiliated with the Asian studies centers at Harvard. Occasionally there is a major discrepancy in grades between the two readers, in which case the department will solicit a third reading. In cases of joint concentrators, each concentration will choose one thesis reader. In cases of major discrepancy, the Directors of Undergraduate Studies will consult and normally a third reader will be selected from the primary concentration. Each reader will grade your thesis individually. These grades will be submitted to the EAS Thesis Committee, which will determine your final thesis grade and your second-semester EAS 99 grade.

EAS faculty advisors do not grade the theses of their advisees, and they are not given the copies of the completed thesis. Thus, as a courtesy, please remember to provide your advisor a copy of the completed thesis.

We will inform you of your thesis grade, and the overall recommendation for your graduation level of honors in the concentration, as soon as they have been determined by the Committee. Although you will finish your thesis in April, it will take the Department five to six weeks to evaluate your work. This is one of the busiest times of the year; please do not try to obtain information in advance.

As you already know, one of the prime motivations for writing a thesis is to secure some level of honors. Although the concentration does not believe that this is sufficient justification for writing a thesis, it does recognize that there is a great deal of curiosity among the students concerning this topic. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict either the level of honors a student is likely to receive nor even whether a student will receive honors at all. This results from two facts: first, honors recommendations are evaluated within the department for each individual student as part of an entire class; second, the University administration adjusts cutoff points each year, so the Department cannot assume that the University will adopt our recommendations.

We can, however, describe the procedure by which honors are awarded. The EAS Tutorial Committee meets each year after all senior thesis grades are collected. It then votes for each eligible student an honors recommendation based on the student's concentration grades, thesis grade, and overall record. At this point, about mid-May, we will notify each student of both the thesis grade and honors recommendation, and we will provide you with copies of your graders' written comments. This recommendation is then submitted to the University which, based on the student's overall record and that year's cutoff points, makes the final determination on whether honors will be granted and the appropriate level.

The criteria for evaluating thesis grades are as follows:

Highest Honors

A Highest Honors thesis is a work of the highest honor. It is a contribution to knowledge, though it need not be an important contribution. It reveals a promise of high intellectual attainments, both in selection of problems and facts for consideration, and in the manner in which conclusions are drawn from these facts. A Highest Honors thesis includes—potentially at least—the makings of a publishable article. The writer's use of sources and data is judicious. The thesis is well-written and proofread. The arguments are concise and logically organized, and the allocation of space appropriate. A Highest Honors is not equivalent to just any A, but the sort given by teachers who reserve them for exceptional merit. A Highest Honors minus is a near miss at a Highest Honors and is also equivalent to an A of unusual quality.

High Honors

A High Honors level thesis is a work worthy of great honor. It clearly demonstrates the capacity for a high level of achievement, is carried through carefully, and represents substantial industry. A High Honors Plus thesis achieves a similar level of quality to a Highest Honors in some respects, though it falls short in others; it is equivalent to the usual type of A. A High Honors thesis is equivalent to an A-. For a High Honors Minus, the results achieved may not be quite as successful due to an unhappy choice of topic or approach; it is also equivalent to an A-.

Honors

As is appropriate for a grade with honors, an Honors level thesis shows serious thought and effort in its general approach, if not in every detail. An Honors Plus is equivalent to a B+, an Honors to a B, and an Honors Minus to a B-. The Honors thesis represents achievement beyond just the satisfactory completion of a task. It is, however, to be differentiated from the High Honors in the difficulty of the subject handled, the substantial nature of the project, and the success with which the subject is digested. When expressed in numerical equivalents, the interval between a High Honors Minus and an Honors plus is double that between the other intervals on the grading scale.

No Distinction

Not all theses automatically deserve honors. Nevertheless, a grade of no distinction (C, D, or E) should be reserved only for those circumstances when the thesis is hastily constructed, a mere summary of existing material, or is poorly thought through. The high standards EAS applies to theses must clearly be violated for a thesis to merit a grade of no distinction.

2008
"Open Secret (gongkai mimi): Capitalist Socialization in Communist China." (Joint EAS/Anthro) Jordan Baehr
"China's Nostalgic Youth: An Anthropological Study of the Effects of Postmodern Identity-Formation on Shanghai Television Consumption." (Joint Anthro/EAS) Nicole Buckley
Relief map of Japan "Trading Bases: An Analysis of Civilian Protest Against the Military Presence in Okinawa from 1995 to 2004." Philip Hafferty
"Information and Political Power: The Impact of Foreign Communications Technology in the Decline of the Late Qing and in the Modern People's Republic of China." (Joint EAS/History) Colin Kelly
"Nationalism for Sale: The Commodification of History and Collective Memory in China's Red Tourism." Mollie Kirk
"In Search of an Alternative: Negotiating Legitimacy in Reform Era China." (Joint EAS/Government) Jordan Lee
"The Search for China's Missing Women: Old Age Security and the Mitigating Effects of Rural Pension Programs." (Joint EAS/Economics) Steven Leung
Relief map of Japan "Empowered Equities: Shareholder Activism and Convergence in Japanese Corporate Governance." Wright McDonald
"Stable and Sustainable?  Exploring the Distortions behind the Sustained Growth of Shanghai's Real Estate Industry." (Joint EAS/Economics)            Nancy Xu
2007
"Pihuang, Violins, and Infallible Heroes: Internal Contradictions in the Model Operas."  Laurence Coderre
Relief map of Japan "The Search for Utopia and Self-Definition in Japanese Society: the Identity Crisis in Haruki Murakami' s A Wild Sheep Chase and the anime Naruto."  Tiffany Lee
stylized map of globe split diagonally "Accelerating Development: Can Labor Market Dynamics in El Salvador be Improved through Selectively Adopting the Japanese Lifetime Employment Model?"  José Martínez 
Decorative map of Korea "Constructing Identity: A Study of International Adoptees and their Place in Korean Society." Stephanie Lee
"Provincial Government and Regional Identity in China: The Case of the Chongqing."  Cody Swyer
"Seizing the Future and Shunning the Dead: Funeral Reform in Rural Wenzhou." Abraham Zamcheck, Hoopes Prize
2006
Decorative map of Korea

"20/20 Hindsight:
A look at the US response
to the South Korean
Nuclear Program"

Haewan Bae
"Real Estate and Stratification in Contemporary Urban China."  Michael Bordonaro
"Guanbi Minfan: 
Taishicun and Organized Resistance
in the Chinese Countryside." 
Christopher Houghland
"History, Ethnicity, and Place in a small town in western China."  Zhenzhen Lu
"Separate Bridges: Cultural Memory and Personal Trauma in the Works of Liang
Xiaosheng and Yang Jiang." 
Charles Maule
"FDI and Economic Diplomacy: The Prioritization of
Economic Interests in Relations with China." 
Sean Tao Tom
relief map of east asia "Short Term Loan (Poetry)."  Yalun Tu
Relief map of Japan "Kami Overseas: Shinto in Hawaii, 1898-2005."  Julia Twarog
"Hong Kong Disease: Entrenched Family Capital Control and its Effect on Corporate Growth."  David Wilson
2005
"Redefining the Beneficiary of Mao's Cultural Revolution: The Rise and Fall of Ji Dengkui."  Jessica Ji
"Everything You Wanted to Know about Baomu: Maids and Modern Migration in Shanghai."  Jennie Johnson
Decorative map of Korea "State of South Korean Sovereignty during the Korean War Armistice Negotiation (1951-1953)."  HeeJin Lee
Decorative map of Korea "Examining Recent Changes in North Korean Education, 1980-2003: An Analysis of World History and English Textbooks."  Ho Min Lee
"The Revolutionary Hero and the External World: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Crises in Andre Marlaux and Ba Jin." Jia Jia Liu
"Blood and Sand: The Frontier Poetry of Cen Shen."  Thomas P. Lowe
Relief map of Japan "Not Exactly Shosetsu: Haruki Murakami's Dead Heat on a Merry-go-round."  Daniel Robert Morales

"Minzu Opportunity: Ethnic Identity and the Shape of Development in Yuan Nan Province, P.R.C." 

Samuel Benjamin Smolley
"Harnessing the Lancang-Mekong River: Chinese Dam Development and the Downstream Social Consequences."  Nalina 
Sombuntham
"Innateness and Spontaneity in Xunzi."  Stephen Clifford Walker
2004
"Media Space: The Constructed Experience of International Pop Music in Contemporary China." Bill Adams
"Corporate Philanthropy and Social Capital in China: A Case Study of Guanxi and SARS." Helen Chou
"The Poet as Outsider: Self Representation and Transmission in Du Fu's Poetry."  Rebecca Doran
"The Arduous Struggle for Liberation: Historical and Sociological Perspectives on Chinese Women's Literature of the 1980's." 

Julie Elizabeth 
Hackenbracht

stylized map of globe split diagonally "From a Social Economist's Perspective: Happiness in East Asia." Amy Hunh
Relief map of Japan "Japan's Convoy System: Demise or Resurrection."  Joyce Kwok
"Qigong, Heterodoxy and Human Rights: Examining Different Perceptions of Falun Gong and its Political Controversy in Contemporary China." Kent Lam
"Securing Stability: Migrant Workers and the Fragmentation of the Labor Interest in Contemporary China."  Emma Northmann
"Owning a Share of Press Freedom: How and Why Political Restrictions and Media Conglomerates are Threatening Freedom of the Press in Hong Kong." Amit Paley
Relief map of Japan "Society and Sacred Will: The Construction of Agency in American and Japanese Religion and Social Structure."  Joshua David Savage
"The Secret Whispering of Walls: Village Spatial Formation in Southeastern China."  Nick Smith
"Notes from the Khabarovsk Market: An Ethnographic Study of the Chinese Trading Minority in the Russian Far East."  Joshua Stenberg
relief map of tibet "Sacred Space and Marketplace: Constructing Tibetan Identity in Nepal."  Claudine Stutchell
"Rainy Day Driving Fees and Washing Machine Wars: Market Segmentation for Industrial Goods in Post-Mao China." Odette Yousef
2003
"Unwilling to Commit: Factors Contributing to Peace in the Taiwan Strait."  Marcus Aden
Relief map of Japan "Out of the Ashes: Examining Japanese Children's Literature on the Atomic Bombings."  Stephen Brumbaugh
"Master Yinshun and Pure Land Buddhism."  Daniel Eng
"Facilitating Democratization in China: The Role of U.S. NGOs in Developing Village Elections."  Grace Fu
"Ordinary Heroism: Individual Identity in the Films of Ann Hui."  Tug Goddard
"The Role of Language in China's Minority Education: A Study of the Xishuangbanna Dai and the Yanbian Koreans."  Loren Heinold
"Measuring the Returns to Education: An Empirical Study of the Cultural Revolution."  Jenny Huang
"Conversions in China: Religious and Cultural Adjustment in the Jesuit and Mormon Missionary Institutions."  Melissa Inouye
"Holy Whores: Women and Sexuality in Chinese Buddhist Literature."  Helen Istvan
"Depictions of Children in PRC Propaganda Posters."  Kate McFarlin
relief map of tibet "Marking Boundaries: Ordered Space and Environmental Image in Tibetan Culture."  Christopher Parlato
"The 1979 Foreign Joint Venture Law and the Future of China." Matthew Peireira
"Out of Many, One: Teresa Teng's Performance of 'Heri jun zailai?' and its Expression of Hybrid Identity in 1970s Taiwan." Meredith Schweig
"The Political Economy of the Ming Dynasty -- An Assessment of Two Interest Groups and Their Roles in Economic Policymaking."  Eva Shi
Relief map of Japan "Pitch-accent at the Utterance-level in Tokyo and Kansai Japanese." Benjamin Tobacman
Relief map of Japan "On Relative Politeness in Japanese: An Analysis of the Use of Honorifics by Natives of the Kansai Region."  Nicholas Topjian
"Looking Back: The Role of Nostalgia in Lou Ye's Suzhou He." Julie Wecsler
2002
"Chen Yi and the Revival of the Hundred Flowers Campaign, 1961-1963."  Kristen A. Hiestand
Decorative map of Korea "My Two Encounters with the Korea of the Japanese Occupation Era: From Sentimentalism to Scholarly Inquiry."  Jihwan Kim
"Institutional Answers to Cultural Questions: The Wuzhou Dispensary and Business History."  Christopher R. Leighton
Relief map of Japan "Behind the Curtain: Classical Japanese Dance and the Iemoto Seido."  Kathy Lu
Relief map of Japan "'Almost Human': The Ethics and Erotics of the African-American Other in Japanese Discourse."  Naila Bayo Mariko McKenzie
Relief map of Japan "Soviet-Japanese Conflict at the Khalkhin-Gol River (Nomonhan Incident), May-September 1939."  Timur A. Mukminov
Relief map of Japan "Going Home: Two Japanese Writers and Their Search for Identity." 

Erik Bertil 
Sandegard

"The Poet's Place: The Search for Identity in the Works of Xi Chuan and Yu Jian."  Jillian Shulman 
Relief map of Japan "Disciplining Japanese Children."  Carli Spina
2001
Relief map of Japan "Creating the Corporate Family: Orientation Practices in Japanese Firms."  Sven Alexis Carlsson
Decorative map of Korea "Western Masks, Eastern Souls: The Dynamic Environment Confronting the Korean Women's Movement in the 1920s."  Young Man Cho
"Offence-Defense Face-Off: A Theoretical Framework for Explaining and Projecting China's Strategic Responses to U.S. National Missile Defense."  Jeremy Gaw
"A Tale of Two Universities: How Chinese University Students View American Foreign Policy."  Alexis M. Grove
Relief map of Japan "The Golden Tiger of Kai: The Managerial and Economic Politics of a 16th Century Japanese Warlord."  Jeffrey Yoshio Kurashige
"Chinese Americans on the Internet: Local Identity on a Global Network."  Dawn Lee
"Palimpsests of Private Life: Memories and Artifacts From Shanghai Homes."  Jie Li
"'Descendants of the Dragon': Chinese Americans at a Musical Crossroads."  Peggy Lim
"From Self-Assured Crusaders to Circumspect Volunteers: The Politics of Protestant Medical Missions to China in the Republican and Post-Mao Eras."  Jason Richard Mann
Relief map of Japan "Going Ape: 'A Bathing Ape' Street-Wear and the Culture of Fashion for Japanese Youth in the 1990s."  W. David Marx
"Ownership and Performance in Chinese Enterprises: Not a Case of Simple Reform."  Alexi Solit
2000
Relief map of Japan "The Japanese Corporate Governance System and the Impact of Financial Deregulation: An Empirical Study of the Period of 1981-1994."  Ryan Patrick Bayley
Relief map of Japan "Storming the Japanese Citadel: Nasdaq Japan and
the Birth of Stock Exchange Competition." 
Jordan Eric Cohen
"Regaining a Place in the Sun: The Transformation of Chocolate in China."  Esther L.
Healer
"Voices of Consciousness
and Power: An Analysis of Xi Peilan and Nushu 
Literature."
 
Hui Kuok
"The Rhythmic Journey: Early Films of Hou Hsiao-hsien: An Analysis of Summer at Grandpa's and Boys from Fengkuei."  Sung Hee 
Moon 
stylized map of globe split diagonally "Teaching Society in the Classroom: A Study of Early-Childhood Education in China and Japan."  Dasa 
Pejchar
"Corruption and Economic Growth in the People's Republic of China: An Empirical Study Using Anti-Corruption Purges as a Proxy for Lowered Corruption."  Tien-chen 
Timothy Wang
"Bureaucracy and Economic Reform: The Changing Face of Corruption in Mainland China."  Ana R. Yang
1995
Relief map of Japan "A Critical Reading of the Works of Hori Tatsuo." 

Sean
Jeffrey Hennessey

1992
"Brotherhood of the
Four Seas: An Historical Analysis of New York City's Chiense Criminal Organization." 
Clarence Eric Mah
1991
"From Peaceful
Coexistence to People's
War: The Shift from Moderation to Radicalism
in China's Third World Policy 1955-1965." 
Wai-yin Leung
1990
"Distorted Blossoms and Lucid Weeds: Reflections of Chinese and Others in Jinhua yua."  Rania Huntington

 

Senior Thesis FAQ

Student making thesis presentation with overlaid text reading “If you can, find ways to make the [senior thesis-writing] process fun and a way to explore new things.” -Hillary McLauchlin '20

Frequently Asked Thesis Questions, Answered by Past Senior Thesis Writers

This text was adapted primarily from the transcript of a 2021 event called "Demystifying the Senior Thesis," featuring a panel of recent alumni who had written theses as EAS concentrators.

 

What is something you wish you knew when you started the thesis-writing process?


Hillary McLauchlin ‘20: The importance of building in time to spend with my friends, even in the thick of the process. Having to leave campus due to COVID-19 right after finishing my thesis made me realize how important that is.

Derek Woo ‘21: I wish I’d known not to be too attached to my initial idea. I was biased initially in my research and as a result had a superficial understanding of the historiography. As a consequence, I ended up pivoting pretty late in the process. I had to shift my thesis argument sometime in January or early February, about six weeks before the thesis submission deadline. If I was more open-minded earlier on, that would have helped a lot with the stress!

 

How should I approach choosing a topic?


Hillary: In the brainstorming phase, I put a lot of pressure on myself and got bogged down in finding “the perfect honors thesis topic.” I ended up changing my topic in November of senior year to one I was really excited about, and the process went much more smoothly and enjoyably. You don’t already have to be an expert; this is your chance to really learn about something new. It helps to think of it as more of a learning experience than a high-pressure, get-the-highest-grade situation.

 

How should I manage my time during the thesis process?


Chihiro Ishikawa ‘21: Writing takes a lot more time than you think. Especially If you’re looking into human subjects-based research, know that IRB reviews can take a lot of time, literally months. So if you have a project in mind in Junior spring, make sure to take care of the IRB things quickly to save yourself stress later.

In hindsight, I probably should have allocated +2 more days for each step to get things done. Especially when you’re juggling your thesis with your last semester of senior year, be realistic about the things you can do during stressful periods. My editing phase was pretty rushed toward the last few weeks.

Alex Zhang ‘20: I’d say my beginning process was easier than the end, because I’d already taken courses on the topic I wanted to pursue and had written a couple of research papers related to my topic. I also had the benefit of studying abroad my Junior spring in China, which was where I was doing fieldwork, so I ended up having about six months to do that. The main issue I ran into was balancing my thesis with other personal commitments and stress factors. 

 

How can I stay organized while planning and conducting fieldwork?


Alex: I created a master document which summarized what I already knew through research papers, a rough timeline of where I wanted to go (concerts, festivals), and a list of interlocutors. Having that to guide my thinking was really useful. One of my friends had a spreadsheet with all of her participants; I wish I had done something more like that for keeping track of my interviews. I’d also carry a field recorder all the time and put everything on a backup hard drive. It’s all about data management.

Hillary: There’s so much to consider in terms of both ethical data management and organization. I didn’t use any citation management software as an undergraduate, and ended up having a few frenzied days toward the end where I was JUST editing citations. I’m now (in grad school) trying to incorporate preset coding softwares where the information is all kept in one place and you can do some cool statistical analysis. I wish I’d spent a little more time developing those skills as an undergraduate.

Chihiro: I was doing human subjects research, so I was hoping to use NVivo and even took a Python seminar, because I was doing web-based analysis. But it really helps to start by going to a seminar or to Harvard Library resources. I ended up not using NVivo because my participants are very sensitive and didn’t want things to be stored online. I was extra-careful about handling my data because of ethical data management concerns. But I think NVivo is a good start, or you could reach out to people in your department for resource suggestions, or previous thesis writers for other kinds of tools. TFs also can be really helpful since they’re grad students going through similar processes, but with more experience under their belt.

 

Should I start writing as I’m conducting my fieldwork?


Alex: I thought I would try, but it didn’t work out because I was so overwhelmed by how much there was to do. When you’re in the field it might be better to immerse yourself than to worry too much about what’s ahead. 

 

How do I connect with interview/research participants, especially if I can’t travel internationally for research?


Chihiro: I wanted to have a more in-person ethnographic experience, but due to COVID I had to convert everything to online. But one optimistic thing I found was that Zoom interviews are very helpful in letting you connect with any person regardless of location. 

I would advise being really proactive when you’re recruiting participants. Use research stipends to encourage participation, write concise e-mails, choose participants with a mutual acquaintance--all these things will make them more likely to connect with you.


How can I get the most out of working with my advisors and peers?
 

Chihiro: I had a lovely thesis advisor and departmental advisor, and we set a weekly time to meet. That was great because I could hold myself accountable and had to try and produce something every week, which gives you the habit of constantly thinking about your writing and getting things done. Note-taking is good--write down any tips your advisors have. 

Derek: In my experience, advisors were by far the most valuable resource in this process. I changed one of my graduate advisors after the first semester. If you stumble upon someone who’s more related to what you’re working on (or your research changes), you do have the option to find a more suitable person. 

And it’s really helpful to have a good relationship with your advisor. I was cramming the two weeks before the deadline and would be sending updated drafts and revisions to mine once a day, and the next morning she would give me suggestions. That went on for about ten days and I thought that was so generous. Advisors don’t have to do this, but when they do, you should value it. Foster a good relationship and communication with them.
 

What should I do if I’m feeling overwhelmed or struggling with the thesis process?


Chihiro: I made it clear to my advisors if I thought they weren’t being attentive to me--you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out. Be honest if you’re unmotivated, if you’re feeling unproductive or stressed out. It helps for your advisors to know what you’re going through. I would sometimes just talk to my graduate advisor, and that helped.

Patrick Chimenti (Graduate Thesis Advisor): Don’t feel intimidated about reaching out to your tutor/faculty adviser when you are struggling; we are here to help! It is understandable to feel trepidation in reaching out to a mentor when you’re struggling with the worry that you might disappoint them, or that this will somehow lower their opinion of you, but I guarantee that they will vastly prefer knowing that you’re having trouble as soon as possible, rather than waiting to find out during the next scheduled meeting. The sooner we know, the sooner we can help you, so do not be shy about reaching out!


I am writing a joint thesis in two departments–how do I choose a topic that incorporates both?


Chihiro: Make sure it’s a doable theme. For joint concentrators, it has to combine two fields in a natural way. Since I was working on social justice in East Asia, it fell into place very naturally for me. But I know a few previous students dropped their joint concentrations because the themes didn’t click no matter how hard they tried. 

When working with advisors from two different departments, make sure you’re working on different things with each that are suited to their field. It’s important to know the strengths of your own advisors to make it the most productive time for both of you.

Hillary: For me, settling on a topic was one of the hardest parts. I think I went through fifteen topics before reaching the final one. I started keeping this note page with all of my ideas throughout sophomore and junior year, and my finished thesis actually ended up incorporating some of those at the end. It’s interesting to see how reflecting on topics in courses might come back up, even subconsciously. If you do keep that list, you might look back and see that the first idea you had ended up being very important in the finished product.

 

How do I choose a thesis advisor? Does it have to be a faculty member I already know?


Alex: I had taken one or two courses with Professor Li (my advisor). My general philosophy, though, was less about long-standing relationships and more about exploring subject matter that was interesting to me. My reason for picking Professor Li was that I had read her undergraduate thesis and been very inspired. She had a very unique style of writing; it was a very personal approach that resonated with me. I figured there was no way I was going to write a perfect thesis, so it was more about producing a work that would help me sum up something personal.

Chihiro: Even if you choose a professor you don’t know, be brave and send that e-mail. I know it’s really daunting, but it’s worth it in the end! I don’t think it’s all about your comfort level with that person, though that is a factor–lean towards professors you think will be academically the most helpful. And the EAS Coordinator can also make faculty introductions on your behalf.

 

How important was your training in East Asian languages to your thesis work?


Chihiro: I speak fluent Japanese, but I don’t speak Korean, so I hired a translator/interpreter and she helped me translate e-mails and reach out to people she knew. Her live-translating in the interviews was also very helpful, especially since the subjects knew her personally. If you don’t have the linguistic ability, reach out to someone who does!

Alex: Even with a relatively native proficiency in Chinese, I’m a little rusty, so a lot of times in interviews it was very apparent that I was a foreigner. It helped to be transparent about my limitations and ask for patience during interviews. In a sense, that actually grants you more legitimacy–just being honest and sincere about where you’re coming from.

Derek: I think this is also where your advisors can be helpful. I’m Korean, but nowhere near fluent, so I had my advisors double-check my translations of primary sources for integrity. I would strongly recommend looking for primary sources in the language you’re studying, and most advisors and professors will tell you the same thing. 

Hillary: I was taking Mandarin and working with films originally in Mandarin, but I guess I had it easy in that there were a lot of high-quality translations available. But if a translation or connotation didn’t feel quite right, I could get insight from my language study experience and my advisors. It made me feel more comfortable engaging with the primary sources even when I did have the translations to rely on.

 

As a grad student who’s worked with undergraduate thesis writers, what insight/advice would you most like to share?


Jonathan Thumas (Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies for Seniors): I think I’ve learned a lot too, helping bring these thesis projects to fruition. One thing I’ve found is that you don’t take into account how much time it takes to write. Trying to write a little bit every day; just having a steady pace helps so much. Don’t beat yourself up if all you can manage is part of a paragraph in a single day. For me, writing is where the thinking happens, so any day spent writing--or trying to--is a day well spent. 

Also, take advantage of the many resources available--faculty, colleagues, fellow students. One of the most helpful things is finding ways to present your work in progress in low-stakes environments, whether in study groups with your friends or in meetings with your advisors. This can really help when you sit down to write those ideas, as a way of digesting them beforehand.

Patrick Chimenti (Graduate Thesis Advisor): Seconding Jon's point, gradual progress day-by-day is the name of the game. Even if you can only manage a few basic lines each session, these will add up over time, and writing is indeed thinking. So the sooner you can put words to paper, the better. In my case, even if I only manage a few lines in a writing session, knowing what I have written down already and what I have yet to say gets me thinking (largely unconsciously) about how best to phrase or organize my next section. Consider that this passive thinking/processing in your off-time is just as important as your active thinking in the writing stage, and you need to make time for both.
 

How did the thesis inform your college experience overall?


Alex: College is such a small part of the beginning of your life. So many of the things I worried about in college, I don’t even remember now. In your 20s, you experience such a shift in your worldview; it really does emphasize how important it is to be open-minded and not so hard on yourself when you’re going through a process like writing a thesis.

Hillary: Senior fall can be quite busy and full of different future-oriented commitments. Finishing classes, applying for grad school, looking for jobs--it hits all at once, and I wish I had made more time to enjoy campus and spend time with friends. If you can, find ways to make the process fun and a way to explore new things.


Would you do it all again?


Hillary: I guess I AM doing it again right now! I’m working on my second thesis in a year. There are points, like in January of your senior year, where you really regret doing it sometimes. But ultimately, I’m really glad I did. During those difficult times, I had a thesis buddy with similar deadlines I could work with on the weekend, and that was, I think, what got me through. You won’t regret it in the end--it’s so rewarding, even if you don’t end up wanting to go into academia. I was surprised how many recruiters and potential employers would ask about it and be interested to hear about my thesis topic.

Chihiro: I will inevitably be doing it again for a Master’s thesis! I’m still not over the senior thesis fatigue, but when I finished my thesis it was just so rewarding. I got to meet so many people and learned so much from each one. It was one of the best experiences of my life. All of the tough moments were due not just to the thesis itself, but also external things like the pandemic, getting up at 2am for online classes from Tokyo, time management… I think those are all fixable things I’ll be sure to keep in mind when I do my Master’s thesis. Having that is really precious because there’s this thick, tangible project you can say you’ve done, and you’ll feel so proud. And if you’re going for a Master’s or PhD, you’ll have a platform you can expand on, so it’ll definitely help you in the future.

Alex: I plan to return to China; I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the future. I would definitely do it again and probably will; I’m planning to apply to grad school in a couple of years. The process itself was extremely transformative.

Derek: I think overall it was worth it. You really learn how to make a strong and convincing argument, which is a good skill to have both inside and outside academia. I really didn’t enjoy the thesis writing process until the last quarter of it, when everything started to click--and once that happened, it was very, very enjoyable for me. If I could do it again, I would, just because of that.

 

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to eas@fas.harvard.edu or to your Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies any time.