Many students (even the bravest of them) may feel tremors in their knees after hearing this one word ‘Thesis’. Why is it so? Well, partly because the lectures in any college will often refer to this paper as the biggest and the most important assignment of all. During the course of your studies, no other work is as significant as this one. In fact, all the other papers that you have been writing during the previous semesters were to prepare you for this one. It’s just that momentous. No MA and even a few BA students are safe until they submit this great work. No wonder that by the end of their studies, college kids are terrified of this word. Of course, they are even more scared of writing it in particular. So what is a thesis in college? Let’s find out! Here is everything you need to know about it.
Thesis. What Is it?
It is a final paper that should demonstrate a student's skills, knowledge, and erudition in a specific academic field. This body of work has to showcase one’s academic progress and the lessons one learned during the years in college.
When Do You Write a Thesis?
Students need to submit their final work at the end of their studies. However, they usually start writing it a semester or even a year before their deadline. This is a large piece of work. So to complete it on time, you need to work hard for months. Starting with the research, which takes a crucial role in this paper, and ending with editing and formatting. Overall, the earlier you start your work, the better. This way, you will avoid unnecessary stress and pressure.
Do All College Students Have to Write a Thesis?
Yes and no. All MA students do have to write this work. This is a general requirement to obtain an MA degree. Those who fail to write and defend their final work will not pass their final exam. Hence, they will not graduate. Eventually, they will either have to modify their final paper or repeat a semester. Thus, they have no other choice but to write good work.
At the same time, some BA students also need to write a thesis at the end of their studies. However, this is a less common practice.
Do You Need a Thesis for a Bachelor’s Degree?
More often than not, it is a necessary requirement only for people pursuing an MA degree. However, some colleges in the US and Europe may ask Bachelor students to submit such work as well. It will depend on the college you are going to and the course you are striving to finish. If you worry about completing such a serious paper, you can check the requirements for getting the degree you want.
So what is a bachelor thesis meaning? Well, it is pretty much the same as the one for the MA. However, you will not be expected to do as much hard work as you would pursuing your MA degree at this stage of your studies. Usually, a BA thesis will be a bit shorter and less strict with the rules. Of course, it’s fair to say that this work will still be one of the hardest to finish during your BA studies. Still, it won’t be as challenging as in the next steps of the academic ladder.
How Long Is an Undergraduate Thesis?
So, how long is a bachelor thesis? The answer can vary depending on the college you are going to and the degree you are pursuing. However, usually, it is at least 100 pages long. However, the length of the work can be different. Every instructor and college will have their own rules on how to write the final paper and how long it should be. Overall, you should be ready that this assignment may be the longest you have ever written. Most MA students should expect to complete around hundred pages on their topic. BA students, on the other hand, can write around twice as little as that. Still, it may be the longest body of work they ever complete over the course of their studies.
How to Write a Thesis?
All schools will provide you with an instructor or a supervisor. They should guide you during this challenging stage of your studies. Yet, many young people still find themselves confused and lost when writing a final paper. That’s understandable. It is a large body of work that requires a lot of skills and effort as well as attention to detail. However, as long as you are willing to follow the basic structure and common writing rules, you should be fine.
As always, you will have to start with research. It may take most of your time during the entire process. You will need enough resources to build your case. Also, you'll need to create questionnaires and surveys to do new research on your own.
Secondly, you need to outline. There are five main elements that every student should include in their final work:
- An introduction.
- Literature review.
- Methodology.
- Results and discussion.
- Conclusion.
You are not limited only to these elements. However, the use of all five of them is essential for the success of your work. Each of these stages requires good writing, research, and analytical skills. All young people have to work hard to perform original and interesting research. Only this way can you have meaningful results and valuable discussion.
The Bottom Line
Students often fear the very name of their final assignment. However, as practice shows, this feeling is highly unnecessary in projects like this. It will only bother you and hurt your work. To build more confidence, you should try learning as much as possible about the task at hand. When you know your enemy, it stops looking scary to you, right? So, before approaching this work, make sure that you know all about it, including how to write, when, and how long it should be. Such knowledge will help you to stay calm and focused. The rest will depend on your skills and talent. Good luck!
