Paul Gruba - How to Write a Better Minor Thesis

Study at a college or university typically consists of a sequence of degrees: undergraduate, graduate, and research. The pattern of coursework study is familiar to every student. Across a sequence of subjects, where each one is somewhat independent of the rest, you learn the fundamentals through a series of constrained and discrete assessment tasks. In a research degree, in contrast, a student typically works with a supervisor (or advisor) to undertake an investigation over a period of years with little progressive assessment. To make the transition between coursework and research, students undertake a minor thesis.

I wrote this book to help you produce a minor thesis. In this first chapter, I situate the work that lies ahead by defining a minor thesis, setting out its purpose, sketching the roles of the student and the supervisor, considering the work that is reported in the thesis, and indicating how it is likely to be examined.

A minor thesis is an extended argument of 5000 to 20 000 words that reports on the outcomes of a supervised, individual research project, as part of a graduate degree such as Honours or a Masters by Coursework.

A thesis, minor or otherwise, is an extended argument . That is, a thesis consists of logical, structured, and defensible reasoning based on credible and verifiable evidence.

In undergraduate degrees, a key task is to show that you understand a particular concept or procedure through lab reports, tests, or essays. Much of the work is descriptive: you provide some background information, check for completeness, and then explain how you responded to the task at hand. For your undergraduate assignments, you were responding to specific questions and prompts; in your minor thesis, you are primarily in charge of the project. To be successful in a minor thesis, you need to argue , and continue to argue for thousands of words until you reach a conclusion. Throughout that argument, though, you will have a fair degree of freedom in your approach and style.

A minor thesis is much more than an extended essay or lab report. An essay is likely to be a descriptive exercise aimed at the learning of fundamentals, or of writing and reasoning skills; in contrast, a minor thesis is a proposition or claim that is defended through a high level of insight or creativity.

Just as a minor thesis is not an extended essay, it is also not a PhD thesis. A minor thesis is typically a tightly supervised one- or two-semester project; a PhD is the outcome of years of substantially independent research. A minor thesis reports on a single, straightforward investigation; a PhD could well encompass a series of studies, innovations, or types of analyses. While the two kinds of thesis have many elements in common, the skills needed to complete a minor thesis can be very different to those required for larger projects.

A minor thesis provides an opportunity for high-achieving students to demonstrate their ability to conduct an open-ended investigation.

The academic community views the minor thesis as a signal of ability and preparation for undertaking a larger piece of work. Doing well on a minor thesis demonstrates that you are ready to pursue a higher degree such as a PhD. Some students, however, choose to do a minor thesis as a way of completing their study; for them, the thesis helps to synthesize their overall learning and demonstrates their maturity. Some students choose to do a minor thesis to see if they like research, to help them decide whether they are going to continue in an academic career or seek opportunities elsewhere. And some students have no choicethey are enrolled in programs in which a minor thesis is mandatory.

You should use the minor thesis to acquire the learning that is of the most value to you. If the thesis will be the end of your academic study, then you may want to use it to develop your practical skills, or to deepen your understanding of a particular area. If the thesis is a stepping stone to a PhD, you may want to use it to understand the current research literature in a particular field, or to gain an appreciation of different experimental methodologies. You may find that you have a great deal of freedom in terms of the kind of work that is done as part of the minor thesis, and you can use this freedom to focus on the activities that give you the greatest benefit. It follows that it is helpful if you know why you are doing a minor thesisa question that will affect the research area of the thesis, the kind of activities you undertake, and, perhaps, who you choose as a supervisor.

A minor-thesis student works with a supervisor to complete an independent research project, and develops self-discipline, maturity, critical thinking, and a strong awareness of the wider field.