Thesis - Last-Minute Rush


		AVOIDING THE LAST MINUTE RUSH by the student editors of CONQUERING YOUR UNDERGRADUATE THESIS, a Students Helping Students� guide Whatever you do, don�t wait until you�ve finished all of your research to begin writing. Don�t even wait until you have finished a big chunk of it. �I wrote my thesis over spring break. Don�t do that.� Anthropology major, University of Chicago �99 Our brains can�t hold an unlimited amount of information, and you�ll begin to forget important points and details from your first source by the time you read your twentieth. And even if you take notes while you read, looking at your notes two months after you wrote them isn�t likely to fully refresh your mind. �It�s good to have a lot of sources, but you need to know when to stop researching and start writing. If you think you are procrastinating the writing and doing way too much research, you probably need to start writing. Sources are good, but so is your own voice, don't forget to use it and respect it.� Theater and Psychology major, Hampshire College �02 Begin to write early, after you�ve read a few sources and formulated your initial thesis statement. Don�t worry at that point about style, organization, or details. Just get some words and sentences and paragraphs on paper and you�ll be amazed at how much easier the writing process will become. Writing down your ideas and arguments will clarify them and expose areas you might need to research further. You�ll be able to see if your argument flows together or if you�re forcing it along. (At which point you�ll need to think it through and figure out if you�re headed in the right direction and if you need further evidence to support your points.) Most importantly, getting words on paper will help you feel less intimidated by the prospect of writing dozens or hundreds of pages. The blinking curser at the top of an empty computer screen never made anyone feel good or confident. By beginning to write early, you will avoid this ghastly image, and you�ll feel more in control of the vast body of research material you�ve amassed. As you begin to write, be cognizant of the fact that you are writing in semi-darkness. You haven�t yet figured out all of the arguments, ideas, facts, and details that will eventually fill your thesis and your initial paragraphs will probably be very general. As you research more, you�ll need to go back to these initial pages and revise them. But you�ll already have something to start with, rather than a blank page and a nervous bug in your stomach. �My biggest challenge was getting started. I locked myself in my room until I got going.� History major, University of Wisconsin �99 Copyright � 2002, 2003 by NATAVI GUIDES. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more student advice like this, buy CONQUERING YOUR UNDERGRADUATE THESIS! Check out more student advice on writing your undergrad thesis... � CHOOSING AN INTERESTING TOPIC � DEVELOPING A THESIS STATEMENT � WORKING WITH YOUR ADVISOR � ORGANIZING AND STRUCTURING CHAPTERS Go to >>> Undergrad Thesis Home ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more helpful suggestions from students and recent grads on writing your thesis, formulating a strong thesis statement, choosing a topic, organizing your arguments and chapters, working with your advisor, and much more, check out the Students Helping Students� guide titled CONQUERING YOUR UNDERGRADUATE THESIS, published by NATAVI GUIDES.

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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