Question about theses / dissertations

Mr.Nice Guy

I have consulted a few theses when visiting archives and sifted through some. One thing that I always wondered was whether the people who wrote them keep a final version for themselves, or is it just handed in to the university and forgotten about?

Can anyone who has done one enlighten me? :cool:

Odysseus

I have a copy of my MA Research thesis in fromt of me here. I still use it for references and I finished mine in 2002. I got three copies fort myself, I have one in my office, one for use at home, then I got one copy hard bound for myself to keep. It took me two years to write and is just under 200 pages.

Over the years I have certainly got plently of use out of it.

Tom Dunne

Nah, despite my supervisor telling me to keep a copy for myself, I only got two copies made.

I don't ever regret it.

jokettle

My thesis isn't due for 2 more years but I defintely want a copy for myself! Chances are I'll never look at it again, but I can keep it on my coffee table to impress people Seriously though, I think it'd be nice to have a solid reminder that working for 3 years was productive and (hopefully) worthwhile.

pow wow

I have about 5 versions saved on my computer and I don't know which one was the actual 'final' one. I don't want to know either!

piby

I'd definately keep a copy for yourself!! It's something you've poured your heart and soul into for a year (masters) to 3/4 years (PhD). It's a testament to your work so even if you never ever look at it again you have it all the same.

flutegirl

Get a copy for yourself. Although it's hard work it's no hardship to print off an extra copy and get it bound when you're doing the other copies for uni. It's nice to have after all the hard work. Good luck!

Red Alert

Sure don't people have a copy of it on their computer anyway? I'm actively trying to reduce the amount of paper-based stuff I have, so the only extra copy of my thesis will probably be one for mum and dad.

JohnMearsheimer

I kept a copy of mine. I spent too much time on it just to forget it. I have wondered if anyone at the university library has ever picked it up....I doubt it though...its probably gathering dust along with the rest of them

El Siglo

I heard before from a lecturer in UCD that there's literally an acre underground of theses gathering dust. Mental stuff!

JohnMearsheimer

I'd believe it, it's a shame when you think of all the work people put into writing them.

El Siglo

JohnMearsheimer wrote: »

I'd believe it, it's a shame when you think of all the work people put into writing them.

And just for them to gather dust, it's pretty disgraceful.

LadyMayBelle

I kept a soft copy with cheaper paper for myself. I know some people got hard copy gilt edged ones for themselves and some who didnt bother at all, but when it's only 10-12 euro (in galway anyway), why not. My family found it nice to see my acknowledgements and i found it great putting on a disappointed face when they tried to read the rest of the thesis!! boring!!

JohnMearsheimer

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

I kept a soft copy with cheaper paper for myself. I know some people got hard copy gilt edged ones for themselves and some who didnt bother at all, but when it's only 10-12 euro (in galway anyway), why not. My family found it nice to see my acknowledgements and i found it great putting on a disappointed face when they tried to read the rest of the thesis!! boring!!

Ha, that sounds familiar. I think my parents didn't make it past the first page of mine. At least my 15 year old sister finished the first chapter.

celtic ride

Jeeze, you need advice on this question, and you hope to get a masters?

brianthebard

El Siglo wrote: »

And just for them to gather dust, it's pretty disgraceful.

You can always read any that apply to your topic, I imagine it would be a good way of finding sources and seeing what's been done before, as well as learning the format of a thesis answer. Sometimes MA (but more often Ph.D) theses are referenced in books by other authors the same as any other source.

LadyMayBelle

celtic ride wrote: »

Jeeze, you need advice on this question, and you hope to get a masters?

I'm not surprises as many colleges don't have any information on this kind of thing for students. Also, many students on postgrad courses never had to do an undergrad thesis, so are often at a slight disadvantage as to 'how' to do a thesis. In my department in particular, we were told three different things are regards font/number of copies/whether they had to be soft or hard etc. So I do think his question worthwhile.

El Siglo

brianthebard wrote: »

You can always read any that apply to your topic, I imagine it would be a good way of finding sources and seeing what's been done before, as well as learning the format of a thesis answer. Sometimes MA (but more often Ph.D) theses are referenced in books by other authors the same as any other source.

True. It's just a pity for the ones that only get checked out twice every twenty years.;)

banshee_bones

I got three bound for my under grad thesis, one went to the library, my supervisor kept the other one (and I found out one day when I went to see him the following year to return books was using it as an example of some sort with his current students!) and I kept the third, its nice to have it and I will be getting and extra copy of my Msc one for myself in September.

vicecreamsundae

i kept a copy of mine for undergrad, just a softcover, and will keep one from my masters too. hardcover or soft will depend on how well it turns out/ proud of it i am :P