Asking for simple advice from all who have copmleted an MS Thesis

[random_soldier1337]

Can you sum up the process of how to go about it?

 

Also how does one go about selecting a topic for it?

[DrP]

Talk to your head of faculty or a senior lecturer or a professor at the university you are studying at and ask them for advice. I would choose a topic that interests you and one that you think you have a good understanding of. Do they have a list of available topics? I doubt you will be able to make your own project - usually there are a list of projects designed by the research staff and lecturers that you can apply to work on. It is then up to the supervisor who he chooses for the position.

[random_soldier1337]

I am not actually at my university currently. I have enrolled for Fall 2017 onwards.

 

I didn't realize that was how it worked. I thought students had to do their own independent research or is that P.hD only?

 

Anyway, I just wanted the gist of how things work. I will see how to acquire the appropriate information ASAP and think on that.

[DrP]

I am not sure how it works in the US - but I would think that you would have to choose from a list of titles offered to you from the research group you will be working with. If you have a good solid title that you want to pursue that you have come up with yourself you could put it forward, they might accept it if it's good and relevant to the group's work, otherwise you might have to find your own individual funding to research your own ideas. More likely you will be continuing the work of your supervisor in your group and interact with the other researchers and your supervisor with respect to how your project unfolds.

 

Good luck anyway! I hope it works out for you and you find an interesting project. Keep us posted.

[random_soldier1337]

Don't worry. I come running for advice often. I'm sure you'll hear from me sooner than later.

[Country Boy]

You will need, probably after a semester or year of preparatory classes, to ask a faculty member to supervise your research. Part of that selection will, of course, be based on what topics interest you- ask a faculty member who works in the field you are interested in. He or she will probably select a number of topics from that field and you will select one of those.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Country Boy

[KipIngram]

In my neck of the woods, a mater's thesis is intended to "demonstrate mastery" of a topical area. A PhD dissertation, on the other hand, should "contribute original research" to a field of endeavor. So with that in mind, for a thesis I'd say you first identify the scope over which you intend to demonstrate mastery, then you identify a body of work that will accomplish that, then you do that work, and then you document it - that documentation is the thesis.

And yes, like HallsofIvy said, you need help for this. It's generally your supervising professor who helps you heavily with defining hte scope and planning the work, and then guides you more lightly during the execution and documentation of the work. If he has to spoon feed you in those last stages, then it's really his mastery that's demonstrated, not yours, and that doesn't get the job done.