"Do I do this?  How do I pick a topic?  When do I need to start?"

 
In deciding whether to do a thesis consider why you want to do this – and keep that in mind as a part of deciding what you want to work on and who you want to work with as an advisor. This means asking yourself whether you want to work on a thesis because:
  • You really want to learn a great deal about a particular subject, or
  • You want the thesis to help you get into graduate school and do well there, or
  • You want the thesis to help you prepare for a particular career or job, or
  • You want to get a significant experience in doing research, or
  • You want to graduate with Honors on your record, or
  • You are challenged by the idea of doing such a project;
  • Etc.
     

This is something that will help you pick out a topic, pick an advisor, etc. and also help your advisor provide guidance on many of the things below.

Remember also that a thesis is a long hard journey. It takes a lot of work and much of that work can be tedious or frustrating. Thus it is important to try to uncover a topic in which you have a very strong interest. That makes it easier to keep on working hard–otherwise the topic may soon become boring and then the difficulties involved are much harder to overcome.

For more information on how to get started on your honors thesis: Tip Sheet.

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