Thesis/Project Notes

Examples to help you write:

prospectus example

suggested chapter outline for traditional PPA thesis

suggested chapter outline for PPA "Project" thesis

suggested six section outline for thesis based on CAM analysis

Thoughts from a recent alum…

Helpful:

1. Having the problem statement defined and signed off by both advisors on the first night of class
2. Having completed review of literature (though not necessarily having it written up)
3. Having thought through the entire research process (sampling, methodology, analysis)
4. Having developed a schedule of completion
5. Updating advisors frequently (about every other week) even if it is to tell them bad news
6. Once beginning writing process, just sitting down and writing whatever came into my head and not worrying about how it sounded, citation, etc.
7. Writing for social scientists (red book) - this for me because I was really nervous about sitting down and writing
8. Having good working relationship with advisors
9. If you are doing a survey, get the university paperwork going right away. Also I recommend a trial run to make sure you are going to get meaningful responses to the questions.
10. Getting the formatting right from the beginning. Changing formatting midway can really mess with your text and table alignment.
11. Have person other than (and before and after) your advisors proofread your thesis for clarity and grammar.

About the thesis completion process:

1. Pay the microfilm and binding fee at the Student Financial Services Center (Lassen Hall) as soon as the student feels confident he/she will finish the thesis. That is just one less thing to do on the day of submitting the thesis.
2. Plan to go to the graduate studies thesis sign-off people at least twice (once with a final draft on regular paper, and once with the final draft on the pretty paper). Plan to spend a couple hours there each time.
3. Before going in for graduate studies thesis check, do use a ruler to check your margins on every page. Check the margins for the page numbers, text, and tables.
4. Kinko's in east Sacramento has the pretty paper in stock and it is not that expensive to have them print. I would recommend this over trying to print at home because of the many problems one can have with a home printer, plus the cost of ink. Kinko's can print from a flash drive easily. Buy a few extra sheets of blank pretty paper and be sure to get sufficient extra copies of the signature pages (you may even want an extra set for your own bound copy).
5. Coordinate availability with your advisors and the department chair (Rob) so that you can get all of your signatures on time and without running around to fifty different places.