Guidelines for completing an MS Thesis with Dr. David Janzen

1. Plan on spending a full year working on the thesis.
2. 1st Quarter: Plan the research
• Explore, Determine, and Refine a topic
• Write a project proposal that includes a structured abstract, a schedule of milestones, and an initial bibliography (around 30 references)
• Select your committee
• Assemble your committee for a brief presentation on your proposal (Not required, but strongly recommended)
3. 2nd Quarter: Conduct the research
4. 3rd Quarter: Analyze and document the research
• Write the thesis in LaTeX (see Thesis Template)
• Deliver a complete first draft to Dr. Janzen at least one month before your proposed defense date. Better yet, deliver chapters even earlier as they are completed.
• Use the Writing Center to improve your writing, but don't count on them to proofread or edit your thesis. You might find a friend to help you do that.
• Deliver what you think is a final draft to your committee members two weeks before your proposed defense date (one week is the bare minimum, and this may not be enough time if given towards the end of a quarter).
• Plan and give the thesis defense presentation
• Write a conference or journal version if appropriate (Optional, but recommended)

Until I publish more complete guidelines, please reference what some other professors expect.

• Cal Poly CSC Master's Wiki
• Mei-Ling Liu
• Franz Kurfess
• Dan Stearns
• Lew Hitchner
• Zoe Wood
• Chris Buckalew