Suggestions from a recent Graduate-Steps to Writing a Thesis

Steps to Writing a Thesis – The uncensored version shared by Emma, a recent graduate:

All the information you need to write and defend your thesis and graduate from this program is available…somewhere.  However, most of it is hard to find and if you are like me, and this is your first experience with writing a thesis, none of it can be found if you don’t know what you are looking for.  I haven’t added most of the due dates because they change every year but the can all be found on the grad division website and you should check at the start of each semester and find the due dates for whichever forms you need to turn in that semester.

So here’s the deal:

-Second semester 

-you want to start thinking about what you are interested in doing, and more importantly what topics you have a realistic chance of finding a data set in. 

-Start emailing around and going to office hours, most professors either have data you can use or will point you in the right direction

-End of semester is the time you want to lock down at least your committee chair.

-Your chair is the most important person on your committee and the one responsible for your success or failure, make sure you like working with them.  They absolutely do not have to be your advisor, but if you like your advisor it’s a good place to start. 

-You will need to find two other committee members; your second comes from the GSPH but the third needs to come from OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT! Start emailing, most people are open to it because they don’t have to do almost anything and they get to put their name on your research so don’t be shy. 

-I recommend trying to have your thesis committee together (all three members) either over the summer or by the first couple weeks of 3^rd semester, particularly your chair and second member which are harder to come by. 

-You need at least the chair and it helps to have the second before you register with them for 797 (thesis research) next semester.

-Third semester

-You have a topic and a chair.  Register for thesis research.  You need to fill out an application online through the GSPH website.  You say who your chair and probably your second committee member are and how many units you are signing up for with each of them (it will probably be 2 units with your chair and 1 unit with your second, unless you don’t have one yet and you will register for all 3 units with your chair).  Whoever you said was your committee members will get an email about it, approve you, and then the school emails you back to give you an add code.

 - You also need to submit you Official Program of Study which needs to be signed by both your thesis chair and Alma Koch, so make sure you have enough time before the deadline.

 - This semester you need to write your introduction, literature review, and methods section in order to eligible to advance to candidacy (i.e. be able to defend your thesis and graduate in the spring).  Most chairs have a way they prefer everything to be done (ie where you should focus, how you should structure it, so you need to be good about checking in with them as you write.)

-You do not have to take the scientific writing elective, but if you are the kind of person who needs deadlines and due dates in order to get things done (I am) you may want to consider it. 

-Also, and this is very important, you need to get IRB approval before you are technically supposed to open your dataset.  The virtual IRB is on webportal and if you have already written your intro and part of your methods and lit review you can more or less cut an paste into it (if you take the scientific writing class this is covered at the end but you don’t have to wait till then if you don’t want to.  Ask your adviser for help if you need it) 

-Also, the Applied Data Analysis class is very helpful if you are planning to do your analysis in SAS!!!! (If you are using SPSS, this class won’t be useless but may not be super helpful either).

-OK, it is now the end of 3^rd semester and you should have written your first three chapters, given them to your chair for approval (and probably your committee members so they are in the loop and can give you feedback).  Your chair needs to see that you are on the right track and have your first three chapters written (they can still be a bit rough) before they will sign your committee form and approve you to advance for the next semester.

-You now have to physically go to the graduate division and get a committee approval form.  I repeat, you cannot download this form; you have to go get it. You need to give yourself enough time to have all three members of your committee and Alma Koch sign it.  When you give it to Alma Koch, also be sure to give her a copy of your IRB approval with it.  Then she gives it back to the grad division and they approve it and send you an email telling you are approved.  Then, when its time to register, you call the graduate division office for your add code (they tell it to you over the phone, or you can go in too, I think) so you can register to defend your thesis your 4^th semester.  Seriously.  I know it’s ridiculous but this is how it’s done. 

-Now, there is one more form you need and you can do it this semester or wait till the beginning of next but it is due on the last day to add or drop a class of your 4^th semester.  This is your APPLICATION TO GRADUATE!!!!! You have to download off the grad division website, fill out, and turn in with a check for $55.  It doesn’t matter if you defend your thesis, if you don’t fill this out, you will not get a diploma.

- 4^th semester

-You have jumped over most of your paperwork hurdles. 

-Your chair should be keeping you informed of what they need from you, but now is the time where you finish up (or start, it depends on how much you were able or willing to do over break) your data analysis and write up your results and discussion sections. 

-Then you defend your thesis, where you bring your committee form that goes on the front of your final product so that you can have your whole committee there to sign it and get it done (this form is also on the grad division website). 

-You format your thesis and turn it in BEFORE THE “WITHOUT RISK” DATE. If you get it in by this date they promise to give it back to you in time for you to correct your formatting mistakes and resubmit it before the final due date!!!!!.  Again, this date is somewhere on the grad division website. 

-Then you fix it and turn it in again and I am under the impression that somebody, somewhere awards you an MPH.