FAQs

Q. What is an honors thesis?

A. A thesis is a sustained, scholarly investigation of an important question or substantive problem. It deals with its topic in greater length, depth and detail than a term paper. A thesis in Political Science can be written on a wide array of topics, ranging from a close rereading of a classical text in political theory to conducting survey research on a contemporary policy. It may be based on field work done abroad or research conducted at Northwestern.

You will write your thesis with the assistance of a faculty advisor. It is recommended that you meet with your advisor approximately once a week. With his or her guidance, you will be responsible for selecting a topic, compiling a bibliography, designing a research plan, and following through with research and writing. A Political Science thesis is generally between 60 and 120 pages long.

Q. What are the pre-requisites for signing up for an honors thesis?

A. You must be a Political Science major of junior standing, and have a GPA in the major and college of at least 3.5. Priority is given to students who have completed the department’s methods and 395 requirements. Entrance is competitive, and the quality of the proposal is important.

Q. What exactly do I need to do to sign up for an honors thesis?

A. These are the steps you should follow to apply to the honors program:

Discuss pursuing honors with a political science faculty member you know. The decision to pursue honors is a weighty one; it will affect the entire experience of your senior year of college. You should discuss this decision with an advisor, and you should discuss potential research topics. It is a good idea to think about possible topics that might interest you before you meet with a faculty advisor. Better yet, take a stab at formulating a paragraph about a possible thesis topic. Students studying abroad are encouraged to start talking about potential topics before they depart for studying abroad. You should begin conversations about a potential topic no later than the winter quarter of your junior year.

Develop a proposal for a thesis topic in consultation with a faculty member. Admissions to the program will be based on the quality of the thesis proposal. In general, the proposal involves framing a question that can serve as the basis of a thesis project. Expertise in the topic is not required at the proposal stage. See the tips on crafting a thesis proposal.

Complete the cover sheet of the application and the top portion of a recommendation form. Give your recommendation writer a copy of the cover sheet and the recommendation form with the top half already completed. The recommender also needs a copy of the proposal. Don’t wait until the last minute! The recommendation form is designed to be completed quickly. Still, you need to give a faculty member advanced warning and time to discuss your proposal with you and complete the form. You may complete the recommendation form electronically as indicated on the form.

Print out a current transcript of your studies, verifying that your GPA in the major (political science) and college is 3.5 or higher.

Submit three copies of the Cover Sheet, unofficial transcript and 2-3 page project proposal to Bonnie Gordon, Undergraduate Program Assistant (due date TBA).

Tips for Writing a Thesis Proposal

Q. How do I find a thesis topic?

A. We recommend the following steps.

1. Find an area (or subfield) that interests you.

You want a topic that combines personal excitement with scholarly potential. Look over your past work at Northwestern and find those themes that run through the choices you have made. Is there a question or an event that jumps out at you? Do you find yourself selecting classes on a general topic or returning to a subject repeatedly? Is there something happening in the world that appears puzzling and that you would like to make sense of? Sometimes the topic may come from your personal experience or from something you observed. Your initial idea may be about a very broad subject (“I’m interested in the role of religion in American Politics”) or something more specific (“How is France trying to assimilate immigrants from its foreign colonies?”). In each case, you will need to transform a topic into a research question.

2. Transforming a topic into a research question

Most first efforts at formulating a research topic are too broad. They lack focus and need to be narrowed and framed in a way that makes the topic researchable. To give focus to a broad interest, read in the subject until some anomaly or surprise catches your eye. Ask yourself what specific concerns led you to the general issue. How did you first see the problem? What events stand out? Around what cases do the discussions revolve? Was there an important book, newspaper article or lecture that piqued your interest? Is there a recurrent argument about current affairs? Formulate questions with these specific facts in mind. Talk with others about the topic, including political science faculty members and TAs.

Keep in mind that it is usually better to ask a question rather than to state a topic. Thus you should transform an interest in civil war into a question about the conditions under which a civil war or type of civil war occurs.

3. Formulate a research question in a way that widens its appeal.

Merely exploring a topic because it interests you is not enough; the thesis must pose a question that subsequent research attempts to answer or resolve. This question should be framed in a general way that highlights its importance. “Why was John Roberts confirmed to be a judge on the US Supreme Court” is probably too specific. It would be better to ask “What factors lead to success or failure in the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices?” You may end up answering this question by looking at confirmation hearings across time or by a comparison of just two nominees. The key is that the question is important in its own right and that answering it provides insight that is useful beyond the specifics of the case. Even with a carefully posed question, you still need to highlight its importance. You need to explain why it matters whether or not someone is confirmed for the US Supreme Court, and explain why confirmation is problematic enough to be worth sixty to a hundred pages of analysis.

More advice on selecting a thesis topic and crafting a proposal are available at the following website:

http://www.charleslipson.com/How-to-write-a-thesis.htm

Q. Is it possible to write honors theses in two majors?

A. The department discourages students from pursuing honors in two majors. Instead, we encourage double majors to pursue the option of an interdisciplinary honors project. Studentsdoinginterdisciplinary honors theseswill normally be expected to register for and to complete successfully the honors sequences in both departments.Information about interdisciplinary honors is available here:

http://www.wcas.northwestern.edu/advising/honors2.html

Q. What should I do if I want to sign up for an honors thesis, but I am spending my junior year abroad (winter quarter included)?

A. Even if you are abroad, you still need to apply to the honors program during the winter quarter of your junior year. You should also still work with a faculty member on your proposal, either a Northwestern member or a faculty member abroad. You will need to be in correspondence with a Northwestern faculty member regarding your recommendation form and a letter of recommendation. You may also work with a faculty member on your proposal via e-mail.

Northwestern has funds available to conduct research, and you should explore applying for these funds to begin research on your topic while abroad.

Information on research support is available at :

http://www.northwestern.edu/fellowships/.

Q. I missed the application deadline. What do I do?

Normally only students who submit an application on time will be admitted to the program. Late applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but the bar for entry is higher, and late applications will be accepted in exceptional cases only. Study abroad is not considered an exceptional reason unless the student is spending the winter quarter of their junior year in an area of the world with no electricity or internet connections. We encourage students to anticipate a situation that may lead to a late application, and talk to the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Honors Director in advance.