# Senior Thesis FAQ ### **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 or to your Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies any time.*