Undergraduate Program

The timeline for completing a senior thesis varies among students and depends on the nature of the research, the opportunities to conduct research, and the expectations of the thesis advisor. Here is a general timeline for guidance.

Junior year

Spring

• Brainstorm ideas for a senior thesis.
• 向与你有共同电子游戏正规平台兴趣的老师咨询写论文的问题.
   

Senior year

Fall

• Write a 2-3 page research proposal that includes a problem statement, justification for the research, research questions, and main methods for answering the research questions.
• Submit for approval a course contract 以及一份2-3页的电子游戏正规平台计划，提交给本科生电子游戏正规平台主任. Jeremy Shakun (jeremy.shakun@piebroscafe.com). 请注意，合同和提案需要得到你的论文导师的批准.
• Conduct a thorough literature review.
• Collect data.
• Analyze data.
• Create figures and tables.
• Write some sections of the thesis such as the introduction and methods.

Spring

• 完成数据分析，图形生成，并撰写论文的其余部分.
• Submit and revise several drafts to your advisor (draft deadlines should be worked out with the advisor and included in the course contract).
• April 20 or the first regular class day thereafter if it is a weekend/holiday: Submit final thesis (approved by advisor) to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• 与你的论文指导老师讨论是否有可能把论文交上去 eScholarship@BC，一个可搜索的本科生、电子游戏正规平台生和教师奖学金数据库.
• 考虑在年终部门研讨会上以演讲或海报的形式展示你的电子游戏正规平台.

论文包括多个部分，这些部分组织和逻辑地呈现电子游戏正规平台流程.

1. Cover Page with the Boston College Seal, name of the academic program, name of the student, name of the thesis advisor, and the date of submission.
2. Abstract concisely summarizing the research and major findings.
3. Acknowledgements where the author thanks those who helped them throughout the research and writing process.
4. Table of Contents
5. Introduction that includes:
   1. Problem statemen and justification for the research.
   2. Literature review that engages with research articles, books, 以及其他可靠证据的来源，以便为电子游戏正规平台提供背景. Use an appropriate citation format, such as APA or MLA, for both references at the end and for in-paragraph citations.
   3. Research objectives with specific questions and/or hypotheses.
6. Materials and Methods
   1. Site description for research where location is relevant.
   2. Data collection methods.
   3. Data analysis.
7. Results
   1. Present findings that address the research questions or hypotheses.
   2. Tables and figures with titles and captions.
8. Discussion
   1. Where results are interpreted and related to other studies.
9. Conclusion
   1. Summarize the value of the study and main findings.
10. Works Cited/References
11. Appendices
    1. Supplemental tables and figures.
    2. Data analysis code.

Here is an instructional template that you can use for guidance.

Final theses eligible for Department Honors that are approved by the thesis advisor are due in a digital format to the Earth and Environmental Sciences Director of Undergraduate Studies by 5 pm on April 20, or if that is on a weekend or holiday, by 5 pm on the first regular days of classes thereafter. 所有其他论文都应在商定的时间内提交给指导老师进行最终评分.

We encourage all students who have completed a senior thesis to present their research at the annual department colloquium, which typically occurs during the last week of classes.

我们也鼓励你通过以下方式发表你的论文来分享你的电子游戏正规平台成果:

• eScholarship repository (accessible to the BC community only)
• Elements - The Undergraduate Research Journal of Boston College

What is a senior thesis?

A senior thesis is an extended independent research project, 在一名教员的指导下，用一整个学年的时间完成. Rather than just synthesizing existing literature, 论文对一个新的问题进行新颖的电子游戏正规平台，或以新的方式处理一个问题.

What are the benefits of writing a thesis? 

Writing a thesis is a strenuous and rewarding exercise that offers students an opportunity to achieve expertise on a topic, work closely with a faculty advisor, and produce a publishable-quality research project. It allows you to follow your intellectual interests, 深入挖掘你选择的话题，问你想问的问题. Thesis-writers demonstrate to prospective employers and graduate schools that they are capable of completing a sustained research project, and that they have expertise in a particular topic. 如果你也达到了GPA要求，你就有资格以系里的荣誉毕业.3 in the major, 3.2 overall).

How big of a commitment is it?

Writing a thesis is a substantial commitment, but the specifics of that are up to you and your thesis advisor. There is no specific page-length requirement for the thesis itself, but they typically range from 40 to 80 pages including figures, references, appendices, etc. 预计论文电子游戏正规平台将花费与每学期艰苦的3学分课程一样多的时间. 然而，与标准课程不同的是，它更加独立，以学生为导向，并且更加灵活. It therefore helps to be excited about the research and to develop your ability to structure and manage your time. 你和你的导师会制定时间表，规定你完成任务的频率和中间期限. 

How do I find a thesis advisor?

Get familiar with the faculty and their research interests to see who might be a good fit – check out faculty websites, talk to other students who may already be working with faculty, attend faculty colloquia during the department seminar series in September when faculty introduce themselves and their research. Then have a conversation with any faculty of interest to express your potential interest in doing a thesis and see what research possibilities might exist – knock on office doors, email, talk to faculty after class. The thesis project could be your idea, part of a faculty member’s existing research, or a combination of the two.

What is the nature of thesis research?

根据你想要回答的问题，电子游戏正规平台可以涉及各种方法. For instance, the research may be focused in the field, in the laboratory, and/or doing computational work. 

Can I obtain research funding if needed?

Yes. You can apply for an Advanced Study Grant in spring of junior year to support research during the ensuing summer, or a Thesis Research Grant in the fall of senior year. Visit the website for BC Fellowships site for more information. Faculty may also have financial support if the thesis is part of a larger funded research project they have. 

How early do I need to start thinking about doing a thesis?

Junior year is a good time. You will need to have identified a thesis advisor and topic by the beginning of senior year (the official deadline is the drop-add date), and it may be useful to start research during the summer beforehand. Some students get involved in research with faculty earlier in their time at BC and then develop this work into a thesis when senior year arrives.  

How does a thesis qualify for Department Honors?

本科电子游戏正规平台委员会根据以下标准评估论文, scoring each item with “no” (0), “somewhat” (1), or “yes” (2). 最低成绩必须达到12分才有资格获得部门荣誉.

• 问题陈述和电子游戏正规平台的理由清楚且令人信服
• Research questions are clearly stated and fill a knowledge gap
• Literature review is thorough and relevant to the topic
• Methods are appropriate to the questions and show analytical skill
• Data collection and analysis are thorough, appropriate to the research questions, and show a high level of scholarship
• 结果是准确的，并以文本、数字和/或表格的形式很好地呈现出来
• 讨论很好地解释了结果，并将结果与其他电子游戏正规平台联系起来
• Conclusion wraps up the main findings and significance of research