The thesis defense is the final stage of the Master's thesis writing process, in which students present their papers and research findings to a panel of three professors with backgrounds in the same area of concentration (e.g. international economics, energy, resources and the environment, international politics, international and comparative law, or Chinese Studies). During the defense, professors will raise questions ranging from the implications of a thesis’s research findings to how the thesis is concluded, or offer up suggestions for how the thesis can be improved upon. But before students reach this final stage of the MA thesis process, there’s a great deal of research, revision, and discussions with thesis advisors before the final draft of a 15,000 character minimum thesis is ready to be submitted to the defense panel. In this post, I’ll be going through the major steps in the thesis writing process for MAIS students.
Step #1: Selecting a topic and finding an advisor
It is highly recommended that MAIS students spend time during their first semester seriously considering what they want to research for their thesis topic. During the beginning of the second semester, students are expected to choose a topic and a thesis advisor, and will meet with their advisor at least three times to discuss their preliminary research on the topic.
Step #2: Research and field work
Some MAIS students will use the time during their summer or winter holidays to engage in field research, such as conducting interviews or survey work. Even if you are not doing field research, holidays are still a great time to make progress on your thesis research or identify and refine your topic. For example, I’m writing my thesis on geoeconomic competition between China and India, which is a topic I first became interested in over the summer as a research intern at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Selecting a thesis topic which is related to a professional or personal interest is a good approach for two reasons: 1. Choosing a topic that you find interesting and meaningful will help with staying motivated throughout the long writing process, and 2. Having extensive research experience in an area where you are interested in pursuing a career helps build relevant skills and background knowledge (and might help in an interview).
Step #3: Proposal writing and presenting your topic
After compiling an ample amount of research, and having identified a particular question that your thesis will attempt to answer, it’s time to start the initial writing stage. Early on in the third semester, MAIS students will first submit a 开题报告 (thesis prospectus) outlining the basic premise and structure of their thesis, and an annotated bibliography of the research sources they have used so far. The prospectus will include the guiding question for research, methodology for approaching the question, and a summary of the existing literature surrounding the topic. After handing in the proposal, detailed feedback is provided on changes that should be made or areas to pursue further. A few weeks after submitting the prospectus, students will present their thesis topics and current research findings to classmates and professors in their target language. These presentations are a great chance to facilitate a discussion with classmates about problems you might be running into, or areas of uncertainty, while also learning about the research other classmates have been conducting.
Step #4: Writing and revision
After the thesis prospectus is approved and you’ve received feedback on your topic, the next step is to start the first draft chapter of your thesis—this will usually take the form of a 导论, or introduction chapter. Students are given a deadline to submit this first chapter, which is typically at the end of the third semester for MAIS candidates. As this is the first piece of writing that will be included as a part of the final thesis, students are given detailed feedback on their first draft chapter. In addition to submitting the draft, I also recommend actively seeking out feedback from your advisor and other professors, particularly if you have specific questions about how you should direct or focus your thesis. Most professors will be happy to arrange a time to discuss your topic, and it can help to get multiple perspectives on your research.
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| Jorge Cortez Martinez, MAIS ’18, pictured after successfully defending his thesis |
Step #5: The defense!
Compared to the rest of the thesis writing process, the defense is a relatively brief final step. Defenses will usually last from 30 minutes to an hour. Students prepare an opening statement to read at the beginning of their defense, thanking those who helped them, explaining their interest in the topic, and outlining important findings. As a student who began in the Certificate program and applied to stay on in the MAIS program, I will be defending my thesis this coming December, so I still have some time to go before I get there. Having the chance to watch several of my classmates successfully defend their thesis this past week has helped me to know what I can expect, while also calming some of my nerves about my own defense. Attending a thesis defense, or just talking with more experienced students about their thesis, can help to get a better idea of how to start your own writing process.
Congratulations to all this year’s MAIS graduates! students who successfully defended!
Written by Amanda Bogan, MAIS ’18
