Resources

Tips for Thesis Success

Your thesis / senior project is a chance for you to create something new that adds to our body of knowledge! While this might sound a bit daunting, it's important to remember that (1) you've been gaining knowledge and practicing the skills you need to succeed in your courses, ISPs, internships, etc. and (2) there are many resources on campus to help you thesis successfully!

The key things to remember about your thesis is that it's about the journey and the destination; in other words, it's about both process and product. Being aware of and active about your process can help you create a product that you are proud of. Your thesis sponsor is there to guide you and give feedback on your process and product, but ultimately the motivation comes from you.

Below are some tips to help!

Pre-thesis process

In the semester before you plan to start your thesis, it's important to think about what your thesis-related goals are, and how your prior skills and experiences have set you up for success on this project. That knowledge will help you craft an individualized plan for your thesis!

You will then need to identify a faculty sponsor for your thesis. You will likely need to workshop your idea with a faculty sponsor to ensure that (1) it's feasible (2) the sponsor has the expertise and interests to advise your project.

It's okay if the idea for your thesis evolves over time - usually this process strengthens your thesis. Sometimes, I've seen thesis ideas that are very ambitious -- closer to a PhD dissertation than a thesis! You can rework big ambitions into a smaller piece that is appropriate for the scope of the thesis. You can always refer back to the "big picture" in a "Future Directions" section of the thesis.

Thesis process

You'll work on your thesis/senior project for a whole year! This is not a project that can be done in one night, or even in one week or month.

Therefore, it's important to break the large goal of your thesis into lots of smaller goals and tasks, identify when and how to do them, and when/whom to ask for help.

Make sure to integrate your research process and your writing process. "Writing to learn" in drafted notes will help you clarify your ideas and identify gaps early on in the process. Over time, you can rework your writing into your final document.

It may be that during your thesis process, your goals will change. That's okay -- it is part of the process of refining your research question or approach. Make sure to keep a written record of how your goals change!

Finally, it's important to discuss with your sponsor when and how you'd like to communicate, and what resources you will use. Setting up regular meetings with your sponsor and campus resources (and sticking to them) will help you make progress.

REUs and Research Internships

REUs are paid 8-10 week summer research opportunities in all areas of natural sciences and social sciences funded by the National Science Foundation. There are additional summer opportunities that are not NSF-funded but offer similar experiences, such as NIH-funded SURF programs.

REUs will often cover expenses like housing, travel, and support for meals/food in addition to the stipend.


If you're interested, please do explore opportunities and discuss them with your academic advisor and/or Duane Smith at the CEO.


How to find REUs and similar opportunities:

Things to know / Pro-tips:

  • Application deadlines can fall anywhere between mid/late January and mid-March

  • Programs vary in terms of dates, stipend, housing, travel support, and even if the internship is onsite or virtual during pandemic-times.

  • You'll need 1-3 letters of recommendation; make sure to ask letter-writers 3-4 weeks in advance to give them plenty of time to write, or locate an alternate writer if needed.

  • Most REUs require statements of purpose. The WRC and CEO are great places to workshop these. Be prepared to write, get feedback, and revise until you've got a great statement that reflects your interests and experience, and responds adequately to the prompt.

  • Make sure to research the specifics of each REU, such as whether they require any prior research experiences, whether they prioritize younger or more advanced students, and more, and consider these factors when deciding which to apply for.

  • REUs are generally competitive but vary widely in acceptance rate due to factors like topic, location, etc. Keep an open mind about what to apply for. NCF students have been successful at being accepted to competitive programs in recent years! Many students apply to several (7-10 REUs) in an application cycle because acceptances can be unpredictable. That said, make sure to put enough time into personalizing your application (see above).

  • Mega Pro-Tip - Use a Google Spreadsheet or similar to keep track of programs, application deadlines, stipend amounts, etc.


Attending Conferences

Conferences are a great way to present your research to the broader scholarly community! At New College, you can apply for a Student Research and Travel Grant to cover the costs of traveling to a conference (as well as costs to cover your research materials, etc).

You should make the decision of whether and where to present your research with your research advisor.



Things to know / Pro-tips:

  • Check out this article I published with co-authors, "10 Simple Rules for Attending Your First Conference". This article walks through steps from selecting a conference, preparing to go and attending, to wrapping up the loose ends afterwards.

  • SRTG deadlines are the weeks after fall and spring break

  • You need a letter of recommendation for your SRTG application (ideally from your project sponsor/advisor) - ask early!

  • Write your SRTG application for a general audience, minimizing scientific jargon. The reader will likely not be an expert in your area!

  • If presenting your research as a poster, here's an online guide for poster design by Colin Purrington.