‘Find What Speaks to You’: Honors College Provides Thesis Insights

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On February 26, the Commonwealth Honors College hosted its first Honors Thesis workshop of the spring 2022 semester. “What? Identifying a Thesis Topic” was an one-hour long session held over Zoom with 30 participants, and compelled attendees to critically think about what thesis topic was right for them.

The Honors Thesis is a requirement for all students enrolled in the Commonwealth Honors College, and is a vital component of the Honors curriculum. The thesis project is intended to engage students in a deeper understanding of their chosen field of study.

The main feature consisted of a student panel to discuss their journey through the Honors Thesis, focusing on the beginning of the process: finding a thesis topic.

The student panel included three CHC seniors currently working on their thesis projects: communication disorders and linguistics double major Analise Castillo, philosophy major Emily Ko, and business major Navya Jain.

The workshop was facilitated by Ann Marie Russell, associate dean for student recruitment, inclusion, and success; and Elena Carbone, associate dean for curriculum and academic oversight. Introducing the event Carbone provided key insights for future thesis students: to start with something broad and gradually narrow it down to something realistic.

The panel discussed their personal experiences through their journeys so far, and talked about how they decided upon their thesis topic. Each student on the panel had a different approach to their thesis. Jain, for example, took the structured approach through choosing from the wide variety of thesis seminars, while Castillo took a more individual approach through choosing the independent contract path.

What remained consistent through the panel was the initial struggle of choosing their topics—a struggle felt at the beginning for all students looking to complete their thesis.

Ko offered perspective for those struggling with this initial block:

"Reading is very important for the process… Reading up on literature and research in your field can propel you to the topic of what you end up studying."

The other consistent factor between panelists was the interdisciplinary nature of their thesis projects. All three panelists had a wide range of interests, from computer science to psychology to art. They emphasized that it is okay—encouraged even—to incorporate varying interests together into their projects.

The Honors Thesis often varies from person to person and allows for great flexibility in the process. The extensive breadth of possible study is also reflected in numerous and differing perspectives presented in the thesis seminars. Examples of these different types of seminars are available on the Commonwealth Honors College website. The individually contracted Honors Thesis follows specific guidelines distinct from the thesis seminars.

The Honors Thesis project overall, and choosing the topic especially, can often seem like a daunting task. Panelists made an effort to address the sometime notoriety of the thesis project.

Think about classes that you have already taken and enjoyed,” Castillo said. “If there's a long-term project that you've always wanted to do, this can be a perfect opportunity for you.

The workshop was the first of three in spring semester series. The next thesis workshop, “Why?: Making the Case in Your Lit Review,” will be on March 29. The final workshop in the series, “How?: Choosing the Right Methodology,” will take place via Zoom on April 26.