The Senior Thesis:The Senior Thesis:Systems for SurvivalSystems for Survival

oror

The Senior ThesisThe Senior Thesis::It seemed like a good idea at the timeIt seemed like a good idea at the time

Gina Sampson Gina Sampson BA(Hons), MA, BEdBA(Hons), MA, BEd

The Writing CentreThe Writing CentreImmaculata HallImmaculata Hall

867-5221867-5221

http://people.stfx.ca/gsampsonhttp://people.stfx.ca/gsampson

What brings you here?What brings you here?What is the one thesis survival What is the one thesis survival question you need answered?question you need answered?

The Graduate/Masters Thesis The Graduate/Masters Thesis presents challenges on many levelspresents challenges on many levels

IntellectualIntellectual CreativeCreative Personal Personal

OrganizationalOrganizational

""We have not even to risk the We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us - the time have gone before us - the labyrinth is thoroughly known. We labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the have only to follow the thread of the hero path …"hero path …"

Joseph CampbellJoseph Campbell

Who’s here to help?Who’s here to help?

Your supervisorYour supervisor Your peersYour peers The LibraryThe Library

The Writing CentreThe Writing Centre The Counseling CentreThe Counseling Centre

How your supervisor will help youHow your supervisor will help you

Your first and most important support for Your first and most important support for dealing with all challenges.dealing with all challenges.

Some will be very hands on.Some will be very hands on. Some will let you lead.Some will let you lead.

How the library staff can help youHow the library staff can help you

Book an appointment for an individual Book an appointment for an individual consultation to plan your research approach.consultation to plan your research approach.

Ask for support using RefWorks.Ask for support using RefWorks. Use Novanet – Interlibrary loan.Use Novanet – Interlibrary loan. Consult Undergraduate Thesis CollectionConsult Undergraduate Thesis Collection

http://libmain.stfx.ca/newlib/collections/http://libmain.stfx.ca/newlib/collections/

How the Writing Centre How the Writing Centre can help youcan help you

Create a time management plan.Create a time management plan. Discuss your ideas.Discuss your ideas. Review and strengthen your writing.Review and strengthen your writing. Review documenting. Review documenting.

Meeting the Organizational Meeting the Organizational ChallengeChallenge

Organizing your timeOrganizing your time Organizing your search Organizing your search

Organizing your findingsOrganizing your findings Organizing your writingOrganizing your writing

A thesis requires multiple A thesis requires multiple organizational plans. organizational plans.

You need to allow You need to allow

yourself time to createyourself time to create these plans. these plans.

Can you explain the systems Can you explain the systems you already use?you already use?

Time management systemTime management system Research strategyResearch strategy Strategy for organizing your referencesStrategy for organizing your references Strategy for organizing informationStrategy for organizing information Strategy to guide your writingStrategy to guide your writing Plan for revisions and editingPlan for revisions and editing

The Time Management The Time Management StrategyStrategy

TM strategiesTM strategies

Big tasks become manageable when broken Big tasks become manageable when broken into small tasks.into small tasks.

Schedule fixed dates first. Plan backwards.Schedule fixed dates first. Plan backwards. Block off thesis time.Block off thesis time. Don’t wait for feedback to move on.Don’t wait for feedback to move on. Allow adequate time for revision.Allow adequate time for revision. Ask you supervisor for input into your TM Ask you supervisor for input into your TM

plan.plan.

Sample TM Plan Term 1Sample TM Plan Term 1

Summer Read something -- Get ideas

September Learn RefWorks Create TM plan with supervisorCreate research plan with LibrarianCreate bibliography

October Oct 1 Title, outline, bibliography to supervisorThesis Fridays/Saturdays

November Nov 15 Detailed outline dueThesis Fridays/Saturdays

Sample TM Plan Term 2Sample TM Plan Term 2

December Nov 28-Dec 5 Rough Draft Chapter 1

JanuaryJanuary Jan 2- Jan 8 Rough Draft Chapter 2Jan 12 -Jan 16 Rough Draft Chapter 3

FebruaryFebruary Feb 8- 15 Draft Chapter 4Feb 15 – Complete rough draft to supervisorFeb 22- March 3 -- corrections

March March 5 Final draft to supervisorMarch 15-30 Final correctionsMarch 31 Thesis Due!

Time Management ToolsTime Management Tools

Not all planners are created equal. Use a Not all planners are created equal. Use a combination of long term and short term planners. combination of long term and short term planners.

Daily Plan – To Do ListsDaily Plan – To Do Lists Post-it Notes ®Post-it Notes ® Weekly Planner Weekly Planner Monthly Planner Monthly Planner Four Month CalendarFour Month Calendar

On line Time Management ToolsOn line Time Management Tools

Rainlendar Customizable Calendar Rainlendar Customizable Calendar http://vapaa.dc.inet.fi/~rainy/Rainlendar.htmlhttp://vapaa.dc.inet.fi/~rainy/Rainlendar.html

Countdown Events Countdown Events http://www.contactplus.com/products/freestuff/counthttp://www.contactplus.com/products/freestuff/count.htm.htm

Online Post-it Software Note Online Post-it Software Note http://www.3m.com/market/office/postit/com_prod/http://www.3m.com/market/office/postit/com_prod/psnotes/psnotes/

Microsoft OutlookMicrosoft Outlook

The Research StrategyThe Research Strategy

Research strategyResearch strategy

Work with your supervisor to create a Work with your supervisor to create a research plan.research plan.

The library can help as well.The library can help as well. This strategy will produce a complete This strategy will produce a complete

examination of past and/or current examination of past and/or current academic discussion on the topic. academic discussion on the topic.

Search within an academic discourseSearch within an academic discourse

Web of ScienceWeb of Science

http://http://libmain.stfx.ca/newliblibmain.stfx.ca/newlib//

Google ScholarGoogle Scholar

www.scholar.google.comwww.scholar.google.com

More about researchMore about research

Research is an organic process – new Research is an organic process – new directions grow out of findings.directions grow out of findings.

Look from broad to specific.Look from broad to specific. Go back and forth between outlining, writing Go back and forth between outlining, writing

and research. Consider this when planning and research. Consider this when planning your time.your time.

The Organizational The Organizational StrategyStrategy

It is crucial to develop a system for It is crucial to develop a system for recordingrecording, , integrating, integrating, and and organizing organizing

research findings.research findings.Why?Why?

What systems have worked for you?What systems have worked for you?

How the note card system worksHow the note card system works

Each card contains only one idea plus Each card contains only one idea plus bibliographic information.bibliographic information.

Add a category heading to each card.Add a category heading to each card. Add some critical or analytical reflection to Add some critical or analytical reflection to

each card.each card. Cards are easily shuffled to outline paper.Cards are easily shuffled to outline paper.

Source Category

Your quotation or paraphrase – one idea per card

Bottom or back of card – Your reflection, questions, etc.

Advantages of using a note card Advantages of using a note card system for note takingsystem for note taking

Easily integrate information from multiple Easily integrate information from multiple sourcessources

Ideas do not get lost or forgottenIdeas do not get lost or forgotten Facilitates critical thinkingFacilitates critical thinking Facilitates paraphrasingFacilitates paraphrasing Easy to maintain organizationEasy to maintain organization Highly visual and kinestheticHighly visual and kinesthetic Not technology dependent – portableNot technology dependent – portable

Possible DisadvantgesPossible Disadvantges

All that writing?All that writing? Transporting?Transporting?

Try using PowerPoint insteadTry using PowerPoint instead

Gives you the flexibility of note cards in an Gives you the flexibility of note cards in an electronic formatelectronic format

You can even print the slides ( in handout You can even print the slides ( in handout format) and cut them to give you the format) and cut them to give you the advantages of note cards.advantages of note cards.

Jacobs 2003 self esteem

• DQ “High ability/learning disabled (LD) students perceive themselves as deficient more frequently in academic areas, which most likely increases their motivation to avoid school tasks.”

• Para Gifted/LD students are critical of their own performance and this can lead to underachievement

• Compare Burns 1997 for suggestions about classroom strategies to deal with this.

• Is it possible that LD & G students have lower self esteem than LD students in general?

Sample “Note Card Note taking –using PowerPoint

Organizing Bibliographic Organizing Bibliographic MaterialMaterial

What is RefWorksWhat is RefWorks

RefWorks is RefWorks is web-based bibliographic softwareweb-based bibliographic software package that enables you to:package that enables you to:

Organize your researchOrganize your research Include citations while you write your paper Include citations while you write your paper Build a bibliography in a variety of formatsBuild a bibliography in a variety of formats Import references from many data sourcesImport references from many data sources Create bibliographies in different document formats Create bibliographies in different document formats

(Word, RTF, HTML, etc.)(Word, RTF, HTML, etc.)

http://libmain.stfx.ca/newlib/http://libmain.stfx.ca/newlib/

““Furious activity Furious activity is no substitute for is no substitute for

understanding.”understanding.” - - H.H. WilliamsH.H. Williams

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hillhttp://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/honors.htmlhttp://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/honors.html

Simon Fraser University– MS Word and the Thesis Simon Fraser University– MS Word and the Thesis

http://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchhelp/writing/thesesformhttp://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchhelp/writing/thesesformatting/WorkshopPlan051.pdfatting/WorkshopPlan051.pdf

PurdueUniversityPurdueUniversityhttp://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.dissertation.http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.dissertation.htmlhtml