Undergraduate Program

完成毕业论文的时间线因学生而异，取决于电子游戏正规平台的性质, 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.
• Consult with faculty who share your research interests about writing a thesis with them.
   

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 and a 2-3 page research proposal to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Jeremy Shakun (jeremy.shakun@dctdsj.com). Note that the contract and proposal need to be approved by your thesis advisor.
• 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

• Complete data analysis, figure generation, and writing the remaining sections of the thesis.
• 向你的指导老师提交并修改几份草稿(草稿的截止日期应与指导老师一起制定，并包含在课程合同中).
• 4月20日或之后的第一个正常上课日(如果是周末/假期):提交最终论文(由指导老师批准)给本科电子游戏正规平台主任.
• Discuss with your thesis advisor the possibility of depositing the thesis in eScholarship@BC, a searchable database of undergraduate, graduate, and faculty scholarship.
• Consider presenting your research at the year-end department colloquium as a talk or poster.

A thesis includes multiple sections that organize and logically present the flow of research.

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, and other sources of reputable evidence in order to provide context for the study. 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.

有资格获得部门荣誉的最终论文由论文导师批准，并在4月20日下午5点之前以数字格式提交给本科电子游戏正规平台的地球与环境科学主任, or if that is on a weekend or holiday, by 5 pm on the first regular days of classes thereafter. All other theses are due to the advisor for final grading at an agreed upon time.

我们鼓励所有已经完成毕业论文的学生在年度部门研讨会上展示他们的电子游戏正规平台, which typically occurs during the last week of classes.

We also encourage you to share your research findings by publishing your thesis via:

• 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, completed under the guidance of a faculty member over the course of an entire academic year. Rather than just synthesizing existing literature, a thesis conducts novel research on a question that is new or approaches a question in a new way.

What are the benefits of writing a thesis? 

写论文是一项艰苦而有益的练习，它为学生提供了一个在一个主题上获得专业知识的机会, work closely with a faculty advisor, and produce a publishable-quality research project. It allows you to follow your intellectual interests, digging deep into a topic of your choice and asking the kinds of questions you want to ask. 论文作者向未来的雇主和电子游戏正规平台生院证明他们有能力完成一个持续的电子游戏正规平台项目, and that they have expertise in a particular topic. You are eligible to graduate with Department Honors if also meeting GPA requirements (3.3 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. Expect thesis research to take as much time as a strenuous 3-credit course each semester. Unlike a standard course, however, it is much more independent, student-driven, and fluid. 因此，对电子游戏正规平台感到兴奋有助于培养你组织和管理时间的能力. 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?

熟悉教师和他们的电子游戏正规平台兴趣，看看谁可能是一个很好的适合-检查教师 websites, talk to other students who may already be working with faculty, 参加9月系系列研讨会期间的教师座谈会，届时教师将介绍他们自己和他们的电子游戏正规平台. 然后与任何感兴趣的教员交谈，表达你对写论文的潜在兴趣，看看有什么电子游戏正规平台的可能性——敲开办公室的门, 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?

Research can involve various approaches depending on the question you are trying to answer. 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. 您可以在大三的春季申请高级学习补助金，以支持随后的夏季电子游戏正规平台, or a Thesis Research Grant in the fall of senior year. Visit the website for BC Fellowships site for more information. 如果论文是他们拥有的大型资助电子游戏正规平台项目的一部分，教师也可以获得财政支持. 

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

Junior year is a good time. 你需要在大四开始时确定论文导师和主题(官方截止日期是提交日期), and it may be useful to start research during the summer beforehand. 一些学生在不列颠哥伦比亚省的早期就与教师一起参与电子游戏正规平台，然后在大四的时候将这项工作发展成论文.  

How does a thesis qualify for Department Honors?

The Undergraduate Studies Committee evaluates theses according to the following criteria, scoring each item with “no” (0), “somewhat” (1), or “yes” (2). A minimum score of 12 points is required to qualify for Department Honors.

• Problem statement and justification for the research are clear and convincing
• 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
• Results are accurate and well presented in a combination of text, figures, and/or tables
• Discussion interprets the results well and relates findings to other studies
• Conclusion wraps up the main findings and significance of research