any lit majors or folks who did a thesis

[Tiggeroo]

I am doing my final copy of my thesis and running out of time. I am just correcting a few little things my adviser suggests. I have a problem or two.
On the first page of the first chapter which is supposed to be a intro he has two comments. He wants to know why the thesis isn't clearly stated and why I didn't layout the chapters.
Do you need to state your thesis very explicitly? If so does it need to be in the first couple paragraphs or could it come at the end of the intro where I've already at least intro'd the subject matter.
I don't know where or how to put in the layout of chapters. If I put it at the very beginning of the intro it will be about things I haven't explained. If i put it at the end it feels like an afterthought.
The tough part of both of these things is attempting to avoid "I, Me, Mine" in my statements. I can't think of how to put these things in without doing this.
Any help?

 

[Tiggeroo]

bump for pm folks in case

 

[Florida_Mom]

Okay, yes, you need to lay it out explicitly. First you need a table of contents that lays out all of your chapter topics. Then you need your synopsis -- mine was 3 paragraphs that summarized my 110 page thesis. Then you need your introduction. This is prior to chapter 1 and introduces the reader to the topic. Mine was 5 pages long.

PM me if you have any more questions. I spent 9 months writing my thesis...and learned a lot in the process. Good luck!

 

[Tiggeroo]

This is not a masters thesis. My advisor has been very lacking this semester. He should have pointed out the flaws earlier. He seems to want not just a table of contents but details on each chapter.
I believe the reason I'm having a difficult time with this is that i'm a writer. I am trying to make it sound like something I'd like to sit down and read. In reality I need to be following a formula.

 

[Cindy B]

Did your advisor talk to you about a precis? I had a former professor who loved work with a precis.. (not sure if the plural form is precises or precii so I will just leave that alone).

I would do a synopsis as well. And I would make sure the thesis statement is extremely explicit!

 

[Tiggeroo]

So i want to clearly state a thesis statement and it doesn't need to flow into the rest of the paper?

 

[Cindy B]

You have said your advisor just doesn't want a table of contents--correct?

It sounds like he/she wants a synopsis/precis for each section/chapter.

I don't think you can get a precis out of a chapter, but you might be able to. That all depends on how crafty of a writer you are.

I was always taught thesis statement, supporting details, conclusion in any piece of work. Of course this is oversimplifying the process for a large work. Can your thesis statement be stretched to accomodate certain points or key facts?


I hate lacking advisors--they drive me nuts as well.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I know a guy who wrote 120 pages on: "The Theme of Home Rule for Ireland in James Joyce's Ulysses." It was a book. It was bound with a hard cover with the thesis topic printed on the cover and there was a table of contents...whole bit.

I never wrote a thesis, so can't really help. But I know that's what they did at Princeton, so I'm guessing it is good enough. I dunno. Hope it helps.

Good luck!

 

[Tiggeroo]

I'm a good writer. He just took a really long time to get the corrected theses back to us leaving little time for corrections. In addition, he added corrections that weren't there the first time we received these chapters back. So now what I have is a well written introduction that provides an intro to my subject matter (salvage divers and treasure hunters and their progression into marine archaeology). But I have to add to it a chapter summary and a more clearly defined thesis statement. I'm trying not to dismantle the whole chapter. If I put the chapter summary and thesis statement at the beginning of the chapter the reader will be reading them with no knowledge of the topic. I can't figure out how to make them flow smoothly into the chapter. The more logical thing is to place them at the end, but that might not be considered proper. What he actually wants is for this to be done on Wed. then bound and handed in on Thurs. Hehehe. we'll see. I'm not a sr. so if really necessary I can get an extension but I don't want to do that.
I am hoping to revise the few things that need revision and have it to show him tomorrow. If he ok's it then I'll go right to the printing room and have it bound.

 

[Tiggeroo]

But I know that's what they did at Princeton, so I'm guessing it is good enough

My advisor is a Princeton grad. I am not a Princeton student at all. This is an odd requirement for an undergrad degree in my oppinion.

 

[rie'smom]

So i want to clearly state a thesis statement and it doesn't need to flow into the rest of the paper?

A thesis is considered(except maybe for literature)more of a technical document if that makes sense. So,no it doesn't need to flow. You just need to state it and support it.

 

[DemonLlama]

Do you need to state your thesis very explicitly? If so does it need to be in the first couple paragraphs or could it come at the end of the intro where I've already at least intro'd the subject matter.
I don't know where or how to put in the layout of chapters. If I put it at the very beginning of the intro it will be about things I haven't explained. If i put it at the end it feels like an afterthought.
The tough part of both of these things is attempting to avoid "I, Me, Mine" in my statements. I can't think of how to put these things in without doing this.
Any help?

Explicitly and succinctly state the argument (thesis) of the paper at the end of the introductory paragraphs, after you have focused the audience's mind on the general subject and then the more narrow approach you will be taking. After this thesis, briefly touch on each chapter's main point or particular angle, as if you were writing a summary (precis) of each one.

Third person is the only acceptable voice for formal academic work. Therefore every time you are tempted to refer to yourself in the first person, you will need to rework the sentence. The best way to do this is to avoid self-reference all together. If you are writing "I believe this approach will revolutionize the industry" then just chop off the self reference to read "This approach will revolutionize the industry." It is more assertive and clear, anyway.

If you absolutely must use self-reference, do it sparingly and in the third person: "The audience expects that the hero will survive," for example, rather than "I expect" and so on.

 

[Patrick IL.]

No info on the topic, but I saw your post and name Tiggeroo, I thought I would say hi from way back

 

[Tiggeroo]

hey Patrick, it's so good to see you here

 

[Patrick IL.]

 

[Judy from Boise]

Are you supposed to be using MLA or APA format ? A third person thesis statement might be something like "This paper will (verb) the (noun) yada yada." "Explore the relation ship between salvage divers, and highlight their importance in the development of....."
I would go to the APA style guide website for ideas.