Western Connecticut State University

Department of English

 

 

GUIDELINES FOR MASTER OF ARTS THESIS

 

 

If you elect the thesis approach for your graduate studies in English, writing the thesis will be the last step toward the completion of your program. A master’s thesis is an original scholarly work that deals with a topic chosen from your studies. A typical master’s thesis in English is about 50-80 pages long (double-spaced) although quality is more important than quantity. Ideally you should complete the thesis in one semester although some students take longer to write them (Note: WCSU and the English Department allow you six years to complete your Master’s program, which includes the time allotted for writing the thesis).

 

Below is detailed information which guides you from selection of the thesis topic to final submission of the thesis.  

 

 

Selecting a Thesis Topic

 

A master’s thesis must focus on material that goes beyond the standard working knowledge of a given author(s), text(s) and literary period. While it does not have to focus on the proverbial completely original thought, your thesis project should contribute something distinct and original to the ongoing study of a given author(s), text(s) and literary period. In the best cases, you will discover territory that has been previously unexplored by other critics and you will contribute something wholly original to literary scholarship. However, even those theses that begin as offshoot ideas should contribute significantly to a given area of literary study. Therefore, choosing the right topic is crucial for the successful completion of the thesis. In general, the more carefully limited and defined a topic is, the more successful the finished thesis will be. You should seek a topic that can be treated thoroughly in the space of 50-80 pages.  

 

As you develop the idea for the thesis, do some preliminary research:

 

__  Investigate the topic in the library

__  Find out if anyone has already written the thesis you envision writing

__  Discover what others have said about your topic

__  Keep notes of pertinent sources/references to build a working bibliography (which will eventually become a part of your thesis proposal)

 

 

 

 

Selecting a Thesis Advisor and Second Reader

 

While formulating ideas and searching for topics, approach a professor in the department who you believe is qualified to direct your thesis (consult the list of faculty and their areas of specialty at the end of this document). It is not necessary to write out a formal proposal for your professor to review before the first meeting, but you should have a good idea about the direction and focus of your thesis. Be professional. Organize yourself before asking for the meeting and be prepared to articulate your thoughts about the thesis at some length. If the professor agrees to become your thesis advisor, he/she will help you refine your topic and offer advice on how to approach it.

 

It is important to note that the initiative for finding a thesis advisor lies with you the student although you are encouraged to discuss possibilities with the Graduate Coordinator and with other professors of the department. 

 

Second Reader:

Your thesis project requires a second reader. Your principal advisor may suggest a colleague to serve in that capacity. This second reader should have working knowledge in the field you have chosen to explore for your thesis. Should your principal advisor not be able to complete the direction of your thesis, the second reader must be qualified enough in your area of study to take over as principal advisor of your thesis.

 

Most second readers of the thesis become involved later in the project, when the document is nearing completion and both the main advisor and the writer are satisfied that the text is approaching (or has approached) a final draft stage. The second reader takes a very close look at the entire thesis, reading it for content and accuracy as well as for surface glitches that may have seeped through the drafting process. Of course there are some variations and some second readers elect to take a more active role in the drafting process.

 

In principle you should feel free to consult any faculty member about the thesis at any stage of its writing. If, under compelling circumstances, you request a change in the advisement of your thesis, the Graduate Coordinator will attempt to resolve the matter. If this is not possible, the Graduate Coordinator, with the approval of the majority of the Graduate Committee, will make the requested change.

 

 

Writing the Thesis Proposal

 

The proposal is a brief but thorough overview of your thesis project. A typical thesis proposal is 10-15 pages long. It serves to explain the subject of your thesis project, the core ideas you wish to expound upon, and the project’s literary and critical background. The proposal has three core components:

 

  1. A prose section that describes your project
  2. A preliminary topical outline of your study
  3. A selected/working bibliography

A successful thesis proposal

 

  1. Defines the subject to be explored in the thesis study
  2. Explains the significant literary and critical context of the thesis subject
  3. Identifies the key issues involved in the study
  4. Explains the idea, hypothesis or research question to be explored
  5. Identifies the main sources that will be consulted (e.g., books, articles, special libraries or collections)
  6. Gives a chapter-by-chapter summary or a formal outline of your thesis project
  7. Has a title that clearly and concisely identifies the subject of the thesis study

 

Note: Approval of the thesis proposal must be secured the semester prior to the one during which you plan to write the thesis.

 

 

Submitting the Thesis Proposal for Approval

 

Once you have written a draft of your thesis proposal, you will submit it to your advisor. Quite often he/she will make suggestions for improving the document and return it to you during a conference. This process may be repeated a number of times. When the advisor feels the document is finished, make three (3) copies of the document and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator, indicating that you wish the proposal to be presented at the next Graduate Committee meeting. The Graduate Coordinator will inform you of the results as soon as the committee has evaluated and voted on your proposal.

 

Typically, the Graduate Committee will not reject a thesis idea completely (although it reserves the right to do so). At times, however, the committee will ask for clarification and/or further development of various aspects of your project. In such cases, proposals are awarded a “Conditional Approval,” pending the student’s completion of the requested revisions and resubmission of the proposal to the Graduate Committee for final approval.

 

Note: You file a Thesis Proposal Approval Form (available from the Graduate Coordinator) with the Graduate School office prior to registering for ENG 592 Independent Thesis Research in English.

 

Note: Given the tight deadlines for filing for graduation (see below), you are urged to have had a substantial amount of research and drafting completed prior to the semester in which you register to write the thesis so that much of the work of that semester is revising and preparing the thesis for final submission.

 

 

 

 

Writing the Thesis

 

You and your advisor will work out the logistics regarding the writing of your thesis, submission of drafts and revisions. The goal is to produce a final draft that satisfies your expectations and those of your advisor. How the final version is produced, however, varies from person to person. Some professors ask that you submit drafts one chapter at a time. As the advisor reviews your draft, you are asked to continue to work on a forthcoming chapter. Another meeting is held, the chapter is discussed, the advisor returns the critiqued chapter to you, and you, in turn, supply the advisor with the draft of a new chapter. Other advisors recommend larger sections of the draft to be submitted to them for review rather than one chapter at a time. Either way, the purpose is to seek timely guidance and feedback from the advisor so that your thesis project progresses satisfactorily. 

 

Note: You must register for ENG 592 Independent Thesis Research in English (3-6 credits) in order to write the thesis.

 

 

Writing the Abstract

 

When your advisor and second reader have signed off approval of the final draft of the thesis, you will need to write an abstract of your work. The abstract should summarize the work in approximately 100-150 words. Typically it begins with a statement of your thesis and traces the development of your argument through its key points and conclusions. Think of the abstract as a succinct condensation of your thesis. Do not make it a mere listing of the major points of your thesis. Avoid both series of short, choppy sentences and overlong complex sentences in which phrases and clauses are piled up in an attempt to include as much as possible in one sentence. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and adverbs. And do not use such expressions as "in this essay, I. . .," "The author concludes...," or "it is shown that . . . ."

 

The abstract will be included in your completed thesis.

 

Note: You will need to file five (5) copies of the abstract with the Office of Graduate Studies. For this purpose, the abstract should include the content of the Title Page.

 

 

Preparing the Final Draft of the Thesis

 

Prepare the final copy of the thesis as approved by your advisor and second reader. In all matters of style and format (e.g., mechanics, format, use and documentation of sources), your thesis should follow the MLA Handbook and the requirements of form as detailed in the latest WCSU Graduate Catalog.

 

The following items are required for the final draft of the master’s thesis in English:

 

  1. Title page
  2. Abstract
  3. Works Cited

See the appendix for the format for the Title Page.

 

The following items are optional for the final draft of the master’s thesis in English:

 

  1. Copyright Registration
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. Table of Contents
  4. List of Tables, Figures, or Graphics
  5. Footnotes or endnotes
  6. Appendices
  7. Index

 

Defending the Thesis

The oral defense of your thesis is a public event. Its purpose is to give you an opportunity to explain the thesis of your project, your approach, the key points and your findings to the Graduate Committee, other faculty members of the department, and fellow graduate students and to seek constructive feedback from the audience.

The oral defense must occur no later than one week prior to the deadline for filing for graduation. You the candidate are responsible for arranging for a date, hour and room for the oral defense in consultation with your principal advisor. Once the defense schedule is established, submit that information plus the title of your thesis to the Graduate Coordinator so that the event will be publicized.

Typically the oral defense lasts 30-50 minutes. At the oral defense, your principal advisor will ask you to make a 10-15 minute summary of the thesis for the audience. The presentation is followed by questions to the candidate from the audience, which will last 20-30 minutes.

 

Submitting the Completed Thesis and Abstract

 

Once you have successfully defended your thesis (you may be required to do a few additions or minor modifications after the defense), you are ready to start the process of submitting the completed thesis and abstract.

 

The Sign-Off form:

Obtaining signatures from the following and in the order listed below (bringing with you a copy of your completed thesis and sign-off form, which is available from the Graduate Coordinator):

 

__ Thesis advisor

__ Second reader

__ Graduate Coordinator

__ Department Chair

__ Dean of School of Arts & Sciences

__ Office of Graduate Studies

 

Printing and Binding:

Once you have obtained all the necessary signatures, you are ready to print the thesis and have it bound:

 

__  Print two (2) copies of the thesis and five (5) copies of the abstract (see Writing the Abstract above).  

 

The paper must be twenty (20) pound weight and at least twenty-five (25) percent rag/cotton content (Black print with a sharp, dark image; 12 or 14 point type; double-space the body of the thesis).  

 

__  Have the two (2) copies of thesis bound in an officially approved thesis spring binder (which can be purchased in the WestConn Bookstore).

 

Each copy of the bound thesis should include the following:

 

__ The signed sign-off form

__ The completed thesis (e.g., title page, abstract, body of thesis, works cited)

 

 

Filing the Thesis and Abstract:

 

__ Office of Graduate Studies: Five (5) copies of the abstract (as prepared above)

 

__ Dean of Arts & Science: A copy of the bound thesis

 

__ Department of English (via Graduate Coordinator): A copy of the bound thesis and an e-copy of the thesis for the department’s thesis archive.

 

 

Steps in Writing the Master’s Thesis: A Recap

 

Prior to the semester in which you plan to write the thesis:

 

__ Select a Thesis Topic

__ Select a Thesis Advisor and Second Reader

__ Write the Thesis Proposal

__ Submit the Thesis Proposal for Approval

__ Complete substantial research and drafting

__ Register for ENG 592 Independent Thesis Research in English

 

During the semester in which you write the thesis:

 

__ Write the Thesis

__ Write the Abstract

__ Prepare the Final Draft of the Thesis

__ Defend the Thesis

__ Submit the Completed Thesis and Abstract

 

 

Time Limit and Deadlines (adapted from WCSU Graduate Catalog)

 

Time Limit:

A student has a maximum of two (2) years to satisfactorily complete and file the necessary copies of the thesis and the abstract with the dean of the School of Arts & Sciences (and the Department of English) so that the student may receive the appropriate approval or credit for the thesis, providing it is completed within the six year time limit for fulfilling degree requirements

           

Deadlines:

The approved thesis and required number of copies of the abstract must be filed with the dean of the School of Arts & Sciences (and the Department of English) by March 1, June 1, or November 1 for graduation in May, August, or January, respectively.

 

Given the tight deadlines for filing for graduation, you are urged to have had a substantial amount of research and drafting done prior to the semester in which you register to write the thesis so that much of the work of that semester is revising and preparing the thesis for final submission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adopted December 5, 2007

 

Department of English Faculty

Areas of Expertise and Contact Information

 

Michael J. Chappell  Ph. D., Fordham University (Phone: 203-837-9366  Email: chappellm@wcsu.edu) __ 18th-century British literature, especially the Age of Johnson; literature of the Beat period; critical theory; poetry

 

Donald P. Gagnon Ph.D., University of South Florida (Phone: 203-837-9062  Email: gagnond@wcsu.edu) __ American literature and drama; ethnic literature; g/l/b/t literature

 

Anam K. Govardhan  Ph.D., Northern Illinois University, Ph.D., University of Madras

Professor of English (Phone: 203-837-9247 E-Mail: govardhana@wcsu.edu)  __ 18th-century British Literature, Indian Writing in English, Short Story, and Applied Linguistics.

 

Heather Levy Ph.D., Binghamton University (Phone: 203-837-3272  Email: levyh@wcsu.edu) __ 20th-century British literature, esp. Woolf; Modernist Women's Literature; Narratives of the Sea: Melville and Conrad.

 

Maureen R. Maguire Ph. D., New York University (Phone: 203-837-8833  Email: maguirem@wcsu.edu) __ English education; reader response criticism; 18th-century British literature; English Renaissance poetry; the literature of opera and the musical theatre, especially American

 

Margaret P. Murray  Ph. D., New York University (Phone: 203-837-9120  Email: murraym@wcsu.edu) __ 19th-century American literature; American regional literature; American women writers; Wharton and Freeman; colonial American literature; American Studies; Women Studies

 

Ingrid Pruss  Ph. D., Vanderbilt University (Phone: 203-837-9071  Email: prussi@wcsu.edu) __ 16th-and 17th-century British literature; Women Studies; critical theory; Old Testament Studies

 

Shouhua Qi  Ph. D., Illinois State University (Phone: 203-837-9048  Email: qis@wcsu.edu) __ Victorian literature; Hardy; the English novel; American short fiction; genre studies; creative writing (fiction and nonfiction)

 

Margaret Judith (Judy) Sullivan M.A., St. John’s University (Phone: 203-837-9073  Email: sullivanm@wcsu.edu) __ Medieval literature; Chaucer; Shakespeare; children’s literature; drama; African American literature; African literature         

 

Çiğdem Üsekes Ph. D., University of North Dakota (Phone: 203-837-9329  Email: usekesc@wcsu.edu) __ Drama, especially modern drama; American drama; African American drama, fiction, and non-fiction; race studies; Woolf; 20th-century American literature

Appendix: Format for the Master’s Thesis Title Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title of the Thesis

 

 

Author’s Name

 

 

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

 

for the Degree of

 

MASTER OF ARTS

 

Department of English

 

WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

 

Month Year