How not to write an MA thesis - 10 good advices
1. Make sure you're in a program that includes writing a thesis, preferably a 30 credit one. There are of course programs without theses or at least those where you can do an internship or a 15 credit one instead. Avoid these latter ones. If you wanna do this, you wanna do it well.
2. Make sure to get into a study program where nothing happens when you miss the deadline of your thesis, even if you do it 4 times in a row. Well okay, your examiner might get irritated, but that's about it. No Fs, no being kicked out of the program...actually, there might have been a previous student who took 7 terms for his thesis. Take him as your comparison - "I'm late, but hey, I'll be faster than him."
3. Pick a supervisor that is the kindest person on earth.
4. Write a proposal in the term preceding the thesis-writing. Make sure already not to like that. Change topic after you've finished the proposal.
5. Get other things to do. Take other courses, travel to far-away places, get extra jobs, become involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities and see many friends - "because it is important to feel good when you're writing a thesis". In general, make sure that it feels like you have to use "free time" when you write on your thesis. Because then you probably won't do it.
6. Get nothing else to do. Take an entire term without courses or anything else, so that you're forced to work on it at any time. You won't do it, so guilty conscience promised.
7. Become a queen at procrastination. Play Yahtzee. Play Candy Crush. Google Swedish folk songs. Watch episodes of old Dutch programs. Write an irrelevant blog.
(7.5. Bring all your study books when you go home for summer holidays. Don't even have a look in them. Curse yourself for being so stupid as to haul them 800 KM.)
8. Imagine that the thesis is the only important aspect in your life. This is where you should get your self-respect from. If you won't finish it, what's the meaning of life? Of studying? Of the universe or of God? Ask a lot of these existential dramatic questions while worrying about the future. Repeat regularly for your mental well-being.
9. Imagine that the thesis has to be brilliant. It doesn't matter that you have written lots of papers before that were never brilliant, but still got fine grades. This is not just a paper, it's a Thesis. That about 10 people will read it, doesn't mean it shouldn't be perfect. It's after all the last thing that you're gonna say to the academic community.
10. After 1.5 years, finally get to it and write 25 pages in about three weeks. Discover that it wasn't so hard actually. Try to make an impossible deadline so that you'll have the summer off.
Right now I'm following advice 10. And 7, I guess.
2. Make sure to get into a study program where nothing happens when you miss the deadline of your thesis, even if you do it 4 times in a row. Well okay, your examiner might get irritated, but that's about it. No Fs, no being kicked out of the program...actually, there might have been a previous student who took 7 terms for his thesis. Take him as your comparison - "I'm late, but hey, I'll be faster than him."
3. Pick a supervisor that is the kindest person on earth.
4. Write a proposal in the term preceding the thesis-writing. Make sure already not to like that. Change topic after you've finished the proposal.
5. Get other things to do. Take other courses, travel to far-away places, get extra jobs, become involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities and see many friends - "because it is important to feel good when you're writing a thesis". In general, make sure that it feels like you have to use "free time" when you write on your thesis. Because then you probably won't do it.
6. Get nothing else to do. Take an entire term without courses or anything else, so that you're forced to work on it at any time. You won't do it, so guilty conscience promised.
7. Become a queen at procrastination. Play Yahtzee. Play Candy Crush. Google Swedish folk songs. Watch episodes of old Dutch programs. Write an irrelevant blog.
(7.5. Bring all your study books when you go home for summer holidays. Don't even have a look in them. Curse yourself for being so stupid as to haul them 800 KM.)
8. Imagine that the thesis is the only important aspect in your life. This is where you should get your self-respect from. If you won't finish it, what's the meaning of life? Of studying? Of the universe or of God? Ask a lot of these existential dramatic questions while worrying about the future. Repeat regularly for your mental well-being.
9. Imagine that the thesis has to be brilliant. It doesn't matter that you have written lots of papers before that were never brilliant, but still got fine grades. This is not just a paper, it's a Thesis. That about 10 people will read it, doesn't mean it shouldn't be perfect. It's after all the last thing that you're gonna say to the academic community.
10. After 1.5 years, finally get to it and write 25 pages in about three weeks. Discover that it wasn't so hard actually. Try to make an impossible deadline so that you'll have the summer off.
Right now I'm following advice 10. And 7, I guess.
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