Thesis Workshop for Juniors

The CES Thesis Workshop for Juniors builds fundamental skills for writing a successful senior thesis on Europe.

Hannah Callaway, CES Thesis Workshop Leader

Writing a senior thesis can be a daunting task. For Harvard College students interested in writing on a Europe-focused topic, CES offers a carefully structured workshop to guide them through the process. The sessions are designed to build fundamental skills for writing a successful thesis and offer a chance to learn from seniors completing their projects. Topics include:

Formulating a thesis topic
Managing research and leveraging Harvard’s resources
Identifying advisers
Developing and applying effective research methodologies
Creating an organized and substantive proposal

Consult the schedule below for the 2018-2019 line up of sessions.

Michael Tworek, CES Thesis Workshop Leader

Workshop Schedule 2018-2019

What is a Senior Thesis? - October 9, 2018, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

This session will address questions such as the scope, the purpose, and the structure of the senior thesis. It will focus on strategies for developing a good topic (finding a manageable and interesting question and case selection) as well as finding an advisor. It will also look into research resources available at Harvard (navigating Hollis, e-resources, reference works, document collections) and will include an introduction by a Harvard librarian.
How to Find An Adviser and Access Harvard's Resources? - November 13, 2018, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Once you have decided to write a senior thesis, this session will give invaluable advice on:
- accessing the rich Europe-focused resources through Harvard's library system
- using effective strategies for requesting letters of recommendation
- finding the right thesis adviser to guide you through your thesis project.
Senior Thesis Conference - Undergraduate Research on Europe - November 30, 2018, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

This event provides the opportunity for CES thesis research grantees to present their research and preliminary findings and receive support and constructive feedback during their writing process from faculty, scholars and fellow students.
For the Harvard community, this event is an opportunity to learn from new research and findings on diverse social science topics related to Europe. Moreover, for those students considering writing a thesis and applying for a CES senior thesis grant, this conference helps to illustrate what to expect in preparing and writing a thesis as well as the how you will benefit from this rigorous but rewarding process. See the full list of student presentations here.
How to Write a Winning Proposal - Spring 2019, TBA

Are you hoping to secure funding from Harvard for summer thesis research? Get a jump start on the Harvard's application deadline with this workshop. We will outline the structure of a successful proposal, provide budgeting tips, and offer real-world samples of winning proposals. Students who attend the workshop will also be able to sign up for office hours to have their proposals reviewed one-on-one.
To attend this session, students are advised to RSVP to Hannah Callaway.
Research Methodologies - Spring 2019, TBA
This seminar, split into two sessions, will cover methods in archival and interview-based research. This will be a great chance to solidify your research question and mode of inquiry at an early stage of your thesis research.

Students must RSVP with Hannah Callaway.
Research, Traveling, and Living in Europe - Spring 2019, TBA

Geared towards students who are conducting research this summer in Europe, we will provide tips and answer questions for how to navigate various cities and archives in Europe.
Students must RSVP with Hannah Callaway.

To sign up for workshop updates or to ask questions, contact the CES Workshop Leaders

Hannah Callaway Michael Tworek