Honors Thesis Workshops
This series of workshops will give students an excellent overview of what to expect and how to prepare for the Honors Thesis. Thesis workshops will occur on the last Tuesday of each month, September – November and February – April, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., via Zoom.
The exact dates and topics covered for each workshop can be found below, along with registration links for each. Once students register, they will be sent a Zoom link for the associated workshop. The content for each workshop is distinct and is meant to address specific needs students might have in their thesis planning process.
See the thesis workshop descriptions below. These can also be found on the CHC Events page by selecting the “Workshop” filter under the “EVENT TYPE” heading.
Let’s Talk Thesis: Honors Thesis 101
September 24, 2024, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Commonwealth Honors College Advisor Cody Olson and Associate Dean for Curriculum and Academic Oversight Elena Carbone will provide a brief overview of the Honors Thesis process — including identification and development of a thesis topic — and will lead an open forum for addressing your questions and concerns on any aspect of the thesis experience. The workshop is intended primarily for juniors who will be planning their Honors Thesis this year and sophomores who would like to get an early start, but all interested Honors College students are welcome to attend.
This event has already occurred.
What I Wish I’d Known: A Student Panel on the Honors Thesis
October 29, 2024, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
This workshop will feature a student panel who will give you an excellent overview of how to prepare for the Honors Thesis and what to expect during the planning and completion process. Panelists will discuss their experience from the development of their thesis topic through the submission of their final paperwork. Extensive time will be allowed for attendees to ask questions.
This event has already occurred.
Navigating and Understanding Thesis Proposal Systems
November 19, 2024, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
The third and final part of this semester's series of workshops gives students an excellent overview of two key systems used in the thesis proposal process, CHC’s PATHS system and the Kuali system used by UMass’ Institutional Review Board (IRB) for human subjects' research. This session will be led by CHC Undergraduate Research Coordinator, Casey Krone, and Virginia, IRB Analyst. Don't miss this opportunity to ask questions and connect!
This event has already occurred.
Spring 2025 Workshops
Identifying and Refining a Thesis Topic
February 25, 2025, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
In this workshop, Associate Dean, Elena Carbone will discuss strategies for identifying and narrowing down academic interests into a single refined thesis topic. Time will be reserved for students to ask questions.
Making the Case in Your Literature Review
March 25, 2025, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
In this workshop students will learn how to construct a comprehensive literature review, which will become the launchpad and reference point for their own research. Members of the UMass Writing Center and the CHC Writing Coach will discuss how to gather sources and existing research pertaining to thesis topics and students will be able to ask direct questions.
Choosing the Right Methodology
April 29, 2025, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
The final thesis workshop for the academic year will focus on methodology. Developing research methods is an integral part of the Honors Thesis. The methods section of the Honors Thesis provides information that demonstrates the validity of research and explains how data is collected or generated and how it is analyzed.