10 The Thesis Writing Process

The purpose of this section is to help students successfully meet the requirements for a thesis in their specific program, and to help students keep their sources and notes organized.

What is required?

(1) Planning a project

S. Joseph Levine recommends that, during the planning stage, you “Give yourself the luxury of being expansive in your thinking… Try and be creative.”^[1] This means that early on in your project, you should:

1. 1. Creatively dream, mind map, explore, and even “play” with ideas around what you might want to do for your thesis – this can be fun and exciting!
   2. As you start to narrow in on a topic, think about the scope of the project, your interest level, and its feasibility.  What will be your main research question?
   3. Brainstorm about what research you will need to conduct to best answer your research question (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, historical, lab work).
   4. Consult existing literature to ensure your project will contribute new knowledge to the field.
   5. Try a small, preliminary research study to check the feasibility of the project.

(2) Preparing the thesis proposal

The thesis proposal is a contract between yourself and your committee to whom you have pitched a feasible and defendable project that can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Levine offers the following checklist for selecting a defensible project. Consider your familiarity with the research area, the steps to conduct your research, your ability to go through each step, and your motivation with the project.

Although conventions differ from program to program, generally speaking, a proposal should include:

1. Title
2. Literature review
3. Statement of problem/argument
4. Set of questions that will guide research
5. Background information
6. Research methodology
7. Table of contents for the proposed thesis (depending on the department’s preferences)
8. Timeline for completing remaining degree requirements (depending on the department’s preferences)

Thesis proposal writing suggestions:

• Reach out to other students in your department and ask if they would share their proposals so you can see what a successful proposal looks like in your field.  When possible, try to read the proposals of other students who have worked with your supervisor and/or committee members.
• Talk to your supervisor. Often, they have a specific format or style that they want to see. They may also be willing to look at drafts and give feedback.

(3) Formatting the thesis

1. Review McMaster University’s Guide for the Preparation of Master’s and Doctoral Theses [downloadable PDF].
2. There are very specific requirements for the thesis format. Beginning with a properly formatted document can save many headaches at the end of the process.
3. The document linked above gives instructions for formatting Master’s theses, as well as standard and sandwich doctoral theses.

(4) Writing the thesis

Though some departments now offer nontraditional thesis formats, in general, you will write a traditional thesis or a sandwich thesis.

Monograph thesis

A standard thesis is a single, book-like monograph that contains interlinking chapters. It also usually includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, the research findings, and a conclusion, clearly identifying the contribution to knowledge. Generally, a typical master’s level thesis is not more than 150 pages and the doctoral thesis is around 300 pages.

Sandwich thesis (thesis by publication)

A thesis by publication is a collection of related papers, generally either accepted or submitted for publication in research journals. The papers are linked by theoretical or practical connections that frame the research. The thesis can contain any number of papers, but most thesis committees require between three and seven.

1. Title
2. Abstract(s)
3. Literature review
   • See the “Writing a Literature Review” section for more information on writing this part.
     
4. Research problem/questions
5. Methodology
6. Research findings
7. Evidence to support research findings
8. Conclusions and implications/suggestions for further research

MacSphere [https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/] is McMaster University’s internal repository for organizing and providing access to the research being done at McMaster. MacSphere can be an invaluable tool for thesis writers, as you can access the theses of successful students from your program (and across campus). Looking at the work of others may help you with crafting specific chapters or sections, formatting, and assessing some of your supervisor or department’s “hidden” expectations.

If you are writing a sandwich thesis and are unsure of what this project might look like in your department, check MacSphere for some examples. MacSphere can also provide a comforting reminder that other students have gone before you, and have made it through!

How long will my thesis be?

As a general rule, it is suggested that doctoral students limit their theses to a maximum of three hundred (300) pages of text, while Master’s theses should be less than 200 pages.