Thesis in Italian Studies
Regardless of how many papers you have written in your undergraduate careers, you will feel a bit apprehensive when you enter the thesis writing process. It is not only longer than anything you have been asked to write before, it also requires sustained attention to a single, complex topic over the course of almost an entire year. A thesis asks you to delve into the discourses and debates that have arisen around your topic; it asks you to integrate the knowledge you have gained through your classes and field work; and it asks you to frame and articulate your contribution to the field. It essentially becomes your gift to yourself, an achievement that marks your undergraduate education and that often builds a bridge to wherever you go next.
Writing a thesis represents a new kind of scholarly endeavor, one that challenges you as a student and shapes you as a scholar. The process teaches you to have the patience to try again after false starts, it demands from you the courage to interact intellectually with others who have come before you, and it requires you to work independently and meet strict deadlines. The coursework that you have done at Franklin and elsewhere has already given you the tools to succeed in this new challenge. Now all you need to do is find a good topic.
- Teacher: Fabio Ferrari