EAE News
Guidelines for doing a Perfect Bachelor’s Thesis
06 de April de 2020
What are the essential points for producing a good Bachelor’s Thesis?
When doing your Bachelor’s Thesis, it is perfectly natural to have countless question. It is an important project that not only enables you to finish your program and get the qualification, but it is also your opportunity to focus and apply everything you have learned during your studies. At EAE, the Thesis is the central core of the Bachelor Degree. It is a course in its own right and it has to be completed individually with the support of a tutor. So, how can you be sure to produce an excellent Thesis? There are certain points that you have to bear in mind.
Selecting the topic and format
First and foremost, you have to decide on the topic that you want to focus on and the format that you want to use for your Bachelor’s Thesis. Both points are extremely important as they determine the following stages of the project. With respect to the topic, it is crucial that, as well as being a current topic, it is also useful and stimulating. In terms of the format, you have to choose taking into consideration the professional path that you want to embark on. For instance, if you are taking the Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and Management and you are keen on business strategies, it is more advisable to do a business plan as a Bachelor’s Thesis than a bibliographic research project.
Forming the team
Once you have selected the topic and format, the next step is to decide whether to work individually or as a group. If you decide to go solo, you should bear in mind that, while you will have greater freedom in the course of action you choose, you will also have more responsibility. If you decide to form a team, you must find teammates who are pursuing the same objective as you, you communicate well with and are as committed as you are.
Tutoring
Your communication and relationship with your tutor are as important as they are with your teammates. The tutor is your guide who will help you focus the project along the right path so that you can achieve your goals, answer your research questions and verify your hypothesis. Therefore, the more fluid the communication, the better and faster you will see the results.
Remember that the tutors are your greatest allies, giving you guidance on the following points:
- Explaining the regulations on the Bachelor’s Thesis
- Selecting a suitable topic area
- Deciding on a realistic and achievable topic
- Preparing a consistent work plan with a specific timeline
- Choosing the best methodology to follow
- Resolving doubts - Preparing for the defence
Research
The most important part of any Bachelor’s Thesis is the research, as it requires you to condense all the material to be able to build the body of your project. As well as finding reliable sources, applying various qualitative and quantitative techniques and putting all your tutor’s advice into practice, it is essential that, during this stage, you set a timetable that enables you to analyse the information gathered so that you can then put it in order and give it form in line with your methodological objectives.
Structure
When drafting your thesis, it is crucial that you take into account the formal requirements stipulated for producing an academic project:
-Cover sheet: The cover sheet must include the project title and its translation in Spanish English, depending on the language in which it is written, the authors’ names, the program taken, the group, the year of completion and the name of the institution.
-Internal cover sheet: This must contain the same data as the external cover sheet.
-Abstract: The abstract must be written in both Spanish and English. It should summarize the project in no more than 250 words, highlighting the topic, the research questions, the objectives and the results.
-Keywords: At least 5 keywords must be included, in both Spanish and English.
-Contents: This should list the sections and subjects of the project with the corresponding page numbers.
-Introduction: The introduction should include the objective of the project, the conceptual framework, the status of the question, the academic relevance of the topic and the methodology applied. Moreover, the student must add a justification explaining their motivations for undertaking the research.
-Body of the Thesis: The body of the Bachelor’s Thesis contains the most important aspects of both the development and the analysis of the project. Therefore, it must follow the structure in line with the format and plan developed with the tutor. To facilitate the readers’ understanding, it is important to define a clear structure with effective titles and subtitles.
-Conclusions: These should sum up the results obtained in line with introduction and body of the project.
-Bibliography: It is absolutely essential that you avoid plagiarism and cite all the material you have used. As such, the bibliography must include all the supporting content in line with the stipulations of standard ISO 690-2:1987 without exception.
-Annexes: The annexes primarily consist of the content used from sources that are difficult to consult, to facilitate the work of the members of the panel.
Defence
If you have undertaken your Bachelor’s Thesis with the proper dedication and commitment, the defence will be easy because you will know your research back to front and have no problem explaining each of the chapters. However, it is advisable to organize and practise your speech several times so that nerves do not get the better of you. Moreover, it is also a good idea to preempt potential questions that they panel may ask so that you have the answers ready. This will enable you to be in greater control and it will all go even better.
What do you think? Are there any other essential points to keep in mind when doing a Bachelor’s Thesis?