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2024 Fall

THESIS SEMINAR - HSS389/2 Fall 2024


Course
Eva Eckert
For information about registration please contact our admissions.

This course introduces students to the purpose, structural elements and process of writing a Bachelor’s thesis. It takes students through the stages of writing, including: determining a relevant and appropriate research question, writing a focused and clear thesis statement in response to that question, supporting that thesis theoretically and methodologically, as well as revising and editing. The course will also develop students’ awareness of the stylistic conventions of academic writing. In addition, the students will learn to find and critically evaluate sources and to incorporate these sources in accurate citation format. Students will also come to understand the value of critical thinking, research and the use of sources in order to construct a well reasoned, well informed and well supported argument. The course is taught in a combination of lectures, class discussion, small group interaction and individual presentations. Each student will steadily lay a foundation upon which to build their thesis in cooperation their individual advisors. The ultimate goal of the course is for students to acquire and develop the skills necessary to engage productively and with their advisors and to efficiently produce a Bachelors’ thesis of high academic quality.

Here is the course outline:

1. Introduction

Overview of the course and requirements

2. Finding a topic, formulating research questions and stating the thesis

What makes a good thesis topic, how to formulate a question about it and how to state your thesis

3. L3 Relevance statement

Establishing the importance of your project

4. L4 Bibliography/Secondary sources

How to locate, critically assess, and categorize secondary sources

5. CLASS 5. Assessment of progress

Individual consultation on thesis topic

6. L6 Summarizing published research/Literature Review

How to describe the state of knowledge and scholarly research in the field

7. 7. Research methodology

Developing the theoretical and methodological sections of the thesis proposal in the social sciences

8. 8. Theoretical framework

Developing the theoretical and methodological sections of the thesis proposal in the humanities

9. 9 Research plan and outline

How to arrange research tasks to realistically meet deadlines

10. Lesson 10 Collaboration and feedback

In-class Peer Review and Presentation: Thesis Proposal Outline (with Thesis chapter structure)

11. Lesson 11 Assessment of progress

Individual consultation on thesis topic

12. Lesson 12 Collaboration and feedback

In-class Peer Review and Presentation: Draft Thesis Proposal

13. Lesson 13 Academic Writing

Formal and Informal Language, Defence Preparation, Troubleshooting Guest speaker: Karen Grunow-Hårsta

14. Lesson 14 Proposal submission

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