The Minor Thesis

The purpose of the minor thesis is to develop the critical skills of research. In your undergraduate studies and in the coursework for this degree, you have been developing skills on essays of up to about 5,000 words. The minor thesis extends that ability with a longer, more sustained project. The objectives of research in any field are interpretation and application of theory to a set of materials.

In a minor thesis, there is an expectation of a contribution to knowledge in the field, but not necessarily an original idea. You may instead offer a particular critique or analysis of your data, rather than a new hypothesis or theory to be tested. You'll need to indicate an ability to synthesise your research, use a methodology appropriate to your field, and draw on disciplinary literature, as well to present your work in a clear and polished style.

Selecting a topic

One of the most difficult things for many people is selecting a topic that interests them and is relevant, arguable and practical. Here are a few things to consider:

• Passion

  : How long can I sustain interest in this project? Do I really care about the results?

• Relevance

  : Has this question already been answered? Does anybody really care about the results?

• Scope

  : Is this a manageable project for the time frame and word count?

• Resources

  : Can I get access to the necessary data and resources?

• Career Relevance

  : Will this project further my prospects of a desirable job or further study?

Process

The first step will be to write a research proposal for your project. At this stage you will also need to approach a potential supervisor if one hasn't been appointed already. Try to select someone with research strengths in the area you're investigating and whom you also find approachable and helpful. Finally it's time to get started. You'll need to consider the usual concerns around being organised, conducting thorough and critical research, and structuring a logical argument. However, the greater length of a minor thesis does require some particular considerations:

• Begin writing early in the process and aim to have a strong draft well before the deadline. It helps to create a long-term schedule for completion of the project that accounts for revision, editing, footnotes and ensuring a standardised bibliography.
• Break the thesis into sections and order them logically. The easiest way to do this is to read through your notes and look for organisational patterns to emerge in repeated themes and ideas.
• As you write specific sections, use outlines to stay on track and to form a mental plan for the next few steps of the writing project.
• Don't get bogged down trying to pre-plan everything through the outline - use the outline to start you writing.
• Write the introduction last in order to properly introduce what you have done in the body of the thesis and what conclusions you've drawn. Alternatively, write it initially as your plan and then revise after writing the body of the thesis. An important facet of the introduction is to give an explicit account of what the reader will find in the thesis. This is not a novel - readers do not want the conclusion to be a surprise.
• You may find it easier to work on each section separately in order to formulate a clear central argument for each one.
• You probably have more material than you need and may need to narrow your focus as you go.
  • eg - Say you're working on the idea of 'repression' in the work of Sigmund Freud. There is far too much literature to be able to use it all in a minor thesis, so you decide to focus on his later work. In order to do so, you need to clearly explain that you are limiting the scope because in his later works Freud develops social and cultural implications of his theory. If you fail to explain your rationale, it may be seen as a flaw or oversight on your part.
• Remember that you probably have more knowledge of your specific topic than most others in your discipline. You therefore should not assume that your readers know what you do and should explain what you are doing and its broader significance.

Staying motivated

A common problem with any sustained project is remaining motivated. One way to counter weariness with your topic or frustration at dead ends and inconclusive findings is to keep writing. Even writing that doesn't make it into the final draft is progress. And we all know that progress is inherently motivating! The more you keep writing out ideas, the more you'll tend to feel engaged with the ideas, rather than letting them wander nebulously and heavily through your mental landscape.

The other common demotivator is feeling isolated. For ideas about how to counter this experience while writing your minor thesis, see getting connected.

Presentation of a Minor Thesis

Check with your department for the presentation requirements, but below are the most common elements:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Declaration of authorship
• Acknowledgments
• Table of contents
• List of tables
• List of figures or illustrations
• Body of thesis
• References