Thesis writing and defense experience
By Nicolas Navas, June 2024
Writing our final thesis in sociology and cultural sociology seems like a challenge, but instead, it is a fantastic journey where we use our capabilities to discover new things. Since the beginning of the third semester, we must start working on our thesis and define the scope of our research and the theories and methodologies we will use. By the end of the third semester, we must choose our advisor, and it is essential to choose wisely. Every professor has a specialty, and we should identify what we want to research to know if our advisor will be helpful enough for our thesis.
Two semesters seems to be a lot of time for writing our thesis, but without a schedule and discipline, we can quickly lose track of time and end up in a hurry to accomplish deadlines. I recommend structuring the thesis so you can develop each chapter in parts. It requires a lot of reading, taking notes, and talking to classmates and professors to start with the flow of work that a thesis requires. The most important tip I can bring is to work closely with your advisor. Our professors always have some time for us, but as busy people, it is essential to plan when to see your advisor and arrive at the consultation with material they can review. It is much better when the professor gives you criticism over a written text than just leaving the discussion to general ideas. Take a notebook and your text, visit your professor, and discuss as much as needed. The knowledge you get from the consultations is vital for your research, our professors have immense experience writing, and they do understand the difficulties it brings.
Every thesis has different challenges, and sometimes it feels like we are losing track of everything. It is essential to know that we are not the only people going through this and that even though it is difficult, it is not impossible. Writing the thesis takes a lot of time because is not only putting words on a document, but also it takes a lot of re-reading. I had to change the whole structure of my thesis, being in the middle of the process, it seemed to be the end of the world for me. But in the end, it clarified a lot of ideas in my head, and my advisor's indispensable help helped me finish the text in a much more organized way. Our professors see things beyond our knowledge, so I advise everyone to pay close attention to their comments and to discuss the findings with classmates and other people to receive other insights. If others understand our discourse, then we have a clear idea of it. If people do not get what we are saying, then that means we are not clear enough, and sometimes, it is because, in our minds, we don’t fully understand what we are researching. So, it's really important to have academic discussions with other colleagues to receive essential insights into the process of our thesis writing.
The thesis defense is a short time before the state exams, generally between 8 and 10 minutes. Once you wrote and re-read your thesis many times during its creation, you know better than anybody what you wanted to say. You will receive feedback from your advisor and opponent during the thesis defense, even though you received the same feedback in your mail at most one week before the thesis defense and state exam. That’s the perfect opportunity to defend your ideas, understand what could have been done better, and discuss with your professors your findings. There’s nothing to be afraid of; our professors are open to any academic discussion, and they will guide you during the process. When presenting your defense, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of your theoretical framework and to understand why and how you used it to explain your findings.
Before your thesis defense it is crucial to sleep well and eat properly. Food and rest are the base of our brain energy, and during that important day, you will need the most of your capacities. I can assure you that with discipline, passion for your studies, and paying close attention to what you learned during your studies, you will succeed in your studies. Good luck in your journey, and wish you the best on your thesis defense and state exams.