I am trying to decide whether or not to write a thesis. What are some good and bad reasons to write a thesis?
Writing a thesis will probably be your first experience writing an extended piece of scholarly research. It can be an extremely rewarding process to conceptualize, research, and write a senior thesis. It will help you develop the necessary discipline for completing a complex project, which can be good practice for conducting research at the graduate level, if you choose that route after graduation. It will give you a chance to work closely with an academic mentor. And it offers you the means of earning honors in the department – which, it must be noted, should not be your primary or only reason for writing a thesis. You should not write a thesis simply to get honors. First of all, writing a thesis does not guarantee an honors recommendation. It is a serious commitment, and you should have a sincere interest in your research beyond its ability to earn you honors. You should not write a thesis simply for the purpose of being a resumé builder. There are other ways of increasing your profe
