Steps to prepare an essay
Schedule
Preparing a thesis is can be a time-consuming and nerve-racking experience because it demands a serious and neat study routine during an entire academic year. Generally speaking, the student is supposed to have a clear idea about the desired topic of the dissertation in order to start the preparation of the research in September. Afterwards, students need to get along with the supervisors and teaches who can assist them throughout the whole thesis preparation.
The three first months of preparation are usually dedicated to reading and establishing contact with relevant professionals of the targeted field of research. Besides, a regular contact with the supervisor is of paramount importance because it enables the progress and improvement of the research.
At the end of the first semester, students will inevitably begin an active analysis by performing empirical work such as conducting interviews, consulting different archives and records, executing transcription and data analysis.
From January to February, the research question of the academic thesis should be well-formulated and validated by the supervisor.
In April, the thesis is supposed to be elaborated and developed during several weeks, in parallel with making reviews. Finally, the dissertation is usually printed and submitted in May, before the deadline obviously. After the deadline, The thesis defense takes place in June. It is the last step of the thesis preparation.
The selection of the topic
The topic is selected according to the student’s interest, professional development and feasibility. It must arouse a lasting fulfillment and be practicable in the available time while having access to the necessary sources.
Two different approaches are possible:
· A « pre-professional » dimension that helps students identify their future profession or determine their favorite field of work.
· An « intellectual » dimension that serves as a tool to analyze in depth an issue, concept or idea.
The selection of the supervisor:
Selecting a suitable supervisor depends on their capacity to guide and assist the student throughout the entire academic year. That is why it is mandatory to make inquiries about their specialty, availability, commitments and responsibilities.
The main role of supervisor is to help the student choose the topic, define the thesis question, clarify the investigation area, allow an easier access to the specific field of study and accompany the student completely in their thesis preparation process. It is also necessary to indicate the supervisor’s name should be approved by the specialization coordinator before the end of October.
The question of research:
Formulating a pertinent question of research consists of transforming a topic into a concrete scientific object. It requires the formulation of a principal question joined by some hypothesis in order to reflect the targeted topic and determine the scientific plan that will be adopted. To reach this level, the student should take into consideration three crucial axes:
· Why : The selection of the topic needs to be justified.
· How : The methodology of the thesis must be explained.
· Hypothesis : Some hypothesis should be mentioned in order to confirm or refute the research issue.
The research issue is elaborated through a combination of reading, conducting interview and thorough analysis of studied object. Students should be attentive to what they read by taking notes and underlining the essential ideas and relevant information so as not to forget the content of each consulted source of knowledge. It is advisable to ask the supervisor about the recommendable scientific works that will help the student in their essay.
The investigation
The investigation involves gathering a significant amount of empirical data (collected from interviews, files, scientific articles etc) in order to confirm or disprove the hypothesis mentioned in the introduction. Moreover, it essential to master the field of research before asking for information or conducting superfluous interviews. The ultimate goal of the investigation is to draw a general conclusion concerning the selected topic and question of research.
Construction of the essay
The construction of the essay must be coherent and thorough. In other words, the student should know appropriately how to create a sensible link between the paragraphs and use logical arguments and information. Furthermore, it is compulsory to write in a clear and neat way by avoiding any kind of grammatical mistake, using adequate vocabulary and wording, choosing a suitable graphic design and layout, including relevant images, graphs, numbers etc.
The size of the essay is normally fixed between 60 and 100 pages. This size is adapted to the requirements of the essay’s professional and theoretical aim. Anyway, the director and supervisor of the essay is the person who fixes its minimal size. That is why it would be wise to schedule an appointment with the supervisor before starting the essay’s writing so that they can validate the plan of the student.
The plan
The plan of the essay must follow a logical structure and be directly linked to the question of research. The plan is structured as soon as the student gets their overview of research question and investigation is validated by their supervisor. Each written part should be precise and well-presented so as to ensure a smooth progression of the ideas that lead to the confirmation or disapproval of the hypothesis. Besides, the plan should begin with the simplest idea and gradually assemble more complex ideas and concepts. Ideas that exceed the expected plan should be mentioned at the lowest part of each page and be considered as optional notes.
Thus, an essay overview is structured as follows :
- Introduction (including the question of research and the hypothesis)
- Theoretical part
- Empirical part
- Conclusion
Typographical rules
It is recommended to format the text using Times New Roman, size 12, with 1,5 line spacing, and an indentation of 0,5 to 1 cm for each paragraph. The notes that are at the bottom of each page (footnotes) are written in font size 10 . Last and not least, the pages must be numbered and this numbering should be included in the table of contents.
Bibliography :
https://www.sciencespo-lille.eu/sites/default/files/guide_preparer_et_rediger_un_memoire_de_recherche.pdf
https://proredaction.com/memoire/comment-reussir-la-redaction-dun-rapport-de-stage-2/#:~:text=La%20structure%20d'un%20m%C3%A9moire%20inclut%20toutes%20les%20parties%20du,la%20bibliographie%20et%20les%20annexes.
https://fil.ulpgc.es/sites/default/files/2021-05/Norme%20de%20r%C3%A9daction%20du%20M%C3%A9moire%20en%20fran%C3%A7ais.pdf
