Decideing Upon My Master's Thesis.

When I began my MA classes I knew I had to come up with a Master's Thesis paper. The paper would have to be a detailed piece of work which "expanded the depth of knowledge of the academic community." As I quipped to a former Under graduate friend who is also studying for her MA in History, "The only thing so far that I have expanded is my waistline!"

Anyway. All this sounded impressive and I first thought to look at the origins of the American Revolution as a dispute over differing views of the English Constitution. Having contacted the school a a professor informed me that such a paper had been published in only April 2011 and was far better than a graduate student could ever produce. So with that idea shot down there was not much to interest me I thought.

But recently I began researching a class paper for US History from the Reconstruction until the End of the Cold War. My class paper is about the role of US Route 66 in the Depression migrations and World War II.

Going over some of the resources, which includes John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, I learned of the Farm Securities Administration and labor camps created in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Then ideas started to come together. Living in the San Joaquin Valley I live right on top of this history, sources are relatively close and I think that I can pick out something new on the subject.

I then had to approach the head of the school again with my idea and he passed me on to a professor who would be my advisor if the paper looks like working out.

At this stage I am just doing basic research. Finding out possible sources.

I will consider looking to local library archives in the county libraries.

State legislature archives.

Newspapers.

Books as secondary sources.

There may also be Federal resources too which I can turn too.

I am also finding by mining book bibliographies other books on the subject.

There are also resources available such as local history groups and also academic collections, I have found the Library at Berkely has a collection of documents from members of Federal sponsored reporting groups and also Oakland Public  Library shares part of that same collection.

This project does not have to be completed until November 2013. But already I am building up some data to help on this great journey of detection.

It also shows if your first idea does not work out, stick to your desire to gain the prize of an MA. You just need to shift your gaze a little and a new idea will come to you.

Thesis Paper

One part of completing any degree wheter a BA or MA is a final Thesis Paper.

Choosing your Thesis paper topic is vital to your success.

Choose the wrong topic and all your hard work could be for nothing.

What topics are worng topics?

First of all any topic which you are not interested in is a wrong topic. You will need to work on a Thesis paper for at least two months and at a MA level up to one year.

Maintaining an interest in a subject for that long is hard even if you are interested in the subject. Choosing an idea in which you have little interest leads to at best boredom and swapping mid paper, at worst submitting a paper which does not show your work at its best.

Choose an advisor who can work with you and whom you can work with. If you don't like an advisor and can't discuss a matter with them then accept any criticism without feeling personally insulted then you will not produce good work. An advisor is there to keep you focused, to help hold your hand as you prepare your thesis. They are not there to write your paper for you, nor are they trying to sink your thesis at every turn.

An area of research where there is not enough information makes a bad thesis paper. If you cannot find previous research it may be a signal to look elsewhere, unless you are writing a thesis paper at the cutting edge of scientific discovery. Then you may just be on your way to a Nobel Prize for a new discovery.

Choose a topic in which you feel some passion. That will drive your interest, choose some area where you really want to know more. Proving you have discovered something new can be a vital part of a thesis paper. Find an advisor you can work with, but don't expect them to do your work for you.  Finally as with all study plan, write, edit, pan and edit again.

Keep the Prize in Mind

As you progress on your course it can become easy to get so involved in the day to day business of study.

This blinkered view can lead you into just going through the motions of studying. You read, take notes, write papers, over and over again week after week.

Now and again set yourself the goal of reminding yourself that you are studying for a reason.

Whatever your personal reason is. Remind yourself,

Your personal reason maybe for self-satisfaction, to encourage your children or to help gain a promotion or change career. This is your own personal prize.

Reminding yourself occasionally what your prize is will help you to do better.

You will be happier in your studies if you can see the prize getting closer. Planning your education will help you to break up your classes into areas where you can see rapid progress.

Seeing progress will help you maintain a positive outlook towards your courses.

In my time studying online I have noticed a few common factors. Most students begin a course in a blaze of enthusiasm. By the end of the second week I see the students fall into two groups, the early posters, and the wait till moments before the midnight deadline posters.

Which of those are you?

But guess which group always do better?  Yes. The early posters. I can almost guarantee by the end of the course it is the last minute poster who is no longer in class. Whether dropped or just not posting.

They seem to have lost the view of their own prize. By the time that final paper in the last week is due. They have gone. What a waste.

Weeks of work gone for nothing.  A waste of their time and money.

So take time to stop and remind yourself of the prize. It is your prize.  You are getting closer to it each day.

Office Hours

One of the great things about  taking classes online with National University is their class live program.

Class live is an interactive portion of the class. You can take part using a headset and microphone to talk to your instructor and any class mates or you can type in items rather like an instant message.

The real beauty of the system is that you can get to talk with your instructor in real time and if you don't understand something in the course you can clarify the matter. If you are very lucky you can get a whole session for yourself.

Imagine finding yourself in a bank, the safe wide open and all the cash to hand. You know you can take all the treasure you want and it's free of consequences.  Well if you use your instructors office hour properly, this is the very situation that you are in.

Like all situations with regard to your education, it is up to you to put some effort and prepare for office hours or class live sessions.

Your instructor will be pleased to offer help and talk over matters. Matters to do with the course that is. Did you see something in a text which you thought significant, then ask your instructor. It shows you are questioning and trying to learn. Share an insight into a portion of the class. Again it shows you are working.

Learning is not a passive occupation, you are not some water jug which the instructor needs to fill in order for you to pass the class.  The more you work and the more you show that you are working, the more you will encourage your instructor to teach you.

If your instructor doesn't find you prepared to work, why should they bother to try to help you? And no just because you pay for the class is not a good answer!

Showing up for an office hour is just part of your strategy. Yes the instructor will notice you, but it is not a session to talk about the weather, save that for after or before class. Prepare questions or share an insight. You might find that your insight was the key which your instructor had hoped you would see. If not, you may also pick-up on that extra clue as to what your instructor expected. Maybe you also show your genius by discovering a piece of information or insight which the instructor hadn't considered, then you can see the "a" grade registering in the instructor's mind.

Congratulations. You just passed the class with honors.

Second Class Almost Over

Well here I am again, facing yet another final week.

Since joining National University in November 2011 I have taken two classes.

That is a lot of work for just eight weeks study time.

One thing which will be new to me is that this present class, A Seminar in Modern China, finishes on Saturday and my next class, Seminar in American History II, starts next Monday.

That only gives me time to watch the Superbowl on Sunday and I am off again.

It was this regime that convinced me to add a break month every third class. Conveniently every third session coincided with not many choices of class for me. Funny how that works.

So I get a break in March.

In my previous college we had two weeks between our eight week sessions to recover a little.  It will be interesting to see how I feel when I do a full twelve weeks and three classes, April-June.

Mid- Class Blues

There is a time in all students careers where they come to a point of collapse.

You see nothing but classes trailing behind you, like the chains dragged by Marley's ghost, and a long and winding road of classes ahead of you and your heart sinks into the pit of your stomach.

You are coming to the Mid-Class Blues. Believe me they can hit you hard. It is at this time you need your inner strength to take you forward and the help of fellow students is one of the best morale boosters you can get.

Your fellow students know what it is like to go through these struggles.

You have lost the initial enthusiasm of your Freshman days, and graduation can seem further away than ever and you have to take more classes. Why?

Many students hit the blues and throw in the towel and quit. It can be that serious, but then like Marley's ghost you drag around that chain of wasted classes forever, you may mention that you have college credits on a resume or in an interview, but then what reason do you give to show your not finishing? Almost anything you say will come out badly for you. Even if you don't talk about them you know they are there, you will question everyday why you gave up.

Talking to others will help you through the mid-class blues. If only to realize that you are not on your own.

And if someone approaches you and talks about bad times with classes. Don't mock them, don't give advice.

Sit down, listen, share time and listen. Maybe share that you have felt the same in the past or that you can see they are bothered. If you haven't known what the mid-class blues are like you are not really in a position to give advice. If you have had the mid-class blues you know you don't need advice, just someone to listen.

Getting through the mid-class blues is a new lease on life. You feel the enthusiasm for classes again and that long chain of old classes no longer clainks and rattles but is as light as a feather. Better still you can see the cap and gown already in your closet.

The reward for all the work you put in is knowing you earned your degree. Any employer now can see you will not quit.

What Smart Students Know

When I returned to school four years ago I was at a loss, new country, new education system. I knew nothing of the US way of teaching. I knew though that I needed to learn and to do so fast.

This book saved me a lot of time and effort. It showed me what teachers expected and how to structure my work and study time. 

It has been an invaluable help to me and I refer to it still.

The book is easy to read, pick it up open a page and find the very question you are asking. Ansers are written in a matter of fact way with good examples of real world problems that every student finds in their life, whether you are in a traditional college or sat hunched over a computer at home taking online classes, this book can help.

Did it make me a 4.0 GPA graduate? Maybe, it certainly helped me to get good grades because it taught me how to cope with school.