To many underclassmen, thesis writing is a complete mystery. Maya Wilcher '16 doesn't understand why anyone would undertake the daunting task of writing a paper that typically spans over eighty pages.
"Are theses graded? That's really depressing," she said. "I wouldn't do that."
But a lot of people do write theses. For many, it is an obvious choice. Luke Peters '13, an English major, is completing a screenplay for his thesis because he wants to pursue writing as a career.
"Doing a creative writing thesis and wanting to be a writer gives you a great opportunity to focus on one work throughout your senior year," he said.
Creative writing theses require writing a manuscript of fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Science theses involve lab research, while those in the humanities involve more traditional research. All theses require a huge time commitment senior year, which often deters many students. The history department website warns, "Keep in mind that a successful thesis requires a substantial commitment of time, energy, intelligence and especially self-motivation."
Jamie Mitchell '14, an economics modified with computer science major, decided not to write one because of this commitment.
"It seems like a lot of extra work for little reward, and it's not a requirement," he said.
Chidi Anyadike '13, a history major, consulted with older students in the department.
"During my junior winter, I started talking to a lot of '11s to ask about the process," Anyadike said. "They said anyone can do a thesis and that you don't need to have an esoteric question. It just needs to be something you're interested in and want to know more about."
Anyadike emphasized the importance of community among thesis writers in the department.
"We really took it upon ourselves to socialize outside the academic context," she said. "We learned that you can really benefit from talking to your peers about the writing process. Not only does it help you think about ideas, it also helps keep you sane."
In order to be eligible to write a thesis, students usually need a certain GPA in the department and a thesis advisor. Departments require thesis seminars, usually in the winter and spring of senior year. Some departments also require seminars in the fall to begin thesis research.
The research component itself can take many forms. Jane Cai '13, a government major who received a Hopper grant and funding from the Rockefeller Center and the Undergraduate Research Center, will travel to Beijing to conduct research on the evolution of Chinese national identity in the post-Communist era.
To research for his creative writing thesis, Peters received a grant last summer to live in a cabin where he spent his time fishing as his screenplay is about the life of a professional bass fisherman.
Dan Marcusa '13, a chemistry major, explains that he just had to find a professor who was willing to take him on.
While researching and writing a thesis is a lot of work, the process can be rewarding. Marcusa said he enjoys working in a lab developing a new organic chemistry reaction.
"If you do work every day toward something, you make progress that is really fulfilling," he said. "This is a somewhat important contribution to organic chemistry and it was all my work."
Writing a thesis, however, is not for everyone. Ali Oberg '13, an Asian and Middle Eastern Studies major, decided not to write a thesis, explaining that she would rather take advantage of the opportunity to work with a group of diverse peers at Dartmouth.
"I was thinking about the ways that I can get the most value of my time and have the most fun with my time as a senior, and I know that based on my experience the past three years that I thrive more in a classroom setting with groups than I do by myself doing research," she said.
Marcusa said that writing a thesis has been a fulfilling culminating experience of his education.
"Writing a thesis is a fun experience in which you are aware you are going to go crazy and you are aware as you are going crazy, but you enjoy becoming crazy," Peters said.
Although thesis writing is not for everyone, it certainly creates a community by pushing students beyond their intellectual boundaries. Maybe the only way to truly understand the eyes hidden behind the piles of books is to hide behind them ourselves.
