I’ve just recently cast off the shackles of the fall 2020 semester, and I’m now free to sleep in and hopefully blog a bit more. For me, the process of slogging through finals concluded just a day or two ago when I submitted a project that had been simultaneously tormenting me and enriching my intellect for months: my Senior Essay on the influences of the 1918 flu pandemic on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

Some universities call it a thesis, some call it an independent study, and some have multiple options like these, depending on the amount of time the student is pursuing the project and the specific requirements for completing it. However, what all of these projects have in common is that they place the onus on the student to generate ideas, conduct research, refine their main points as they go along, and ultimately turn in a polished piece of work that they have worked on with little supervision. It’s a very intimidating prospect for those of us who have spent our college careers being handed detailed essay prompts with strict formatting guidelines (though I must add that at some non-American universities, like Oxford or Cambridge, independent research is the norm for students). At the same time, it’s very exciting to be able to free yourself from the confines of the standard “essay prompt” and explore an interest of yours (whether it’s literary, political, economic, etc.) in greater depth.

After several months spent indulging my love of Tolkien while also challenging myself to deepen my understanding of his fantasy world-building, I would like to share a bit of “wisdom” I’ve gained from going through the process of writing this 75-page monstrosity.

1. Think HARD about your topic and advisor!

As obvious as it sounds, it’s really important to consider these two aspects of your independent study before you start it. You’re going to spend an extended period of time working with this topic and this advisor, so don’t take this first step lightly! You might also want to think about why you are pursuing this project and how it will contribute to your academic/professional life. Here are some questions I recommend asking yourself:

  • As I’ve gone through school, what are some topics I’ve found to be the most interesting/enriching?
  • Are there topics in my major that I haven’t had a chance to study in depth, but would like to study before graduating?
  • Am I pursuing this project to improve my prospects for grad school? Fellowships? Postgraduate employment? (While you shouldn’t choose a topic just because you think it might look good on a grad school application, do think about whether the topic would be relevant to the grad programs you’re considering. For example, if you’re looking at programs that specialize in American history, it’s probably a good idea to think about topics in American history you’ve enjoyed studying so that you can put a sample from a relevant project on your application).
  • Which faculty in my department have I really connected with during my college career? Which faculty have an area of specialization I’m interested in?

You don’t have to commit to choosing an advisor right away, so I recommend sitting down with potential candidates and having a conversation with them. Tell them what topic(s) you’re considering and ask them about past projects they’ve supervised or what they wrote their dissertation on—don’t be shy! Even if a certain professor doesn’t end up advising you, you’ll have been able to get to know them better!

2. Consider how you process information best.

Do you learn better by handwriting or typing? Highlighting text or adding sticky notes? Do you prefer working alone in your room or with a bit of background noise? As trivial as it sounds, you’re going to be processing a LOT of academic resources, and taking stock of the learning techniques that have aided you throughout your academic career will enable you to work more efficiently when it’s time to get rolling on your project.

A random pro tip from me: you don’t have to read an entire book; check the Index for relevant terms and start there! It will save you a ton of time.

3. You’ll need a set of major claims to start out with, but be open to altering these claims as you go along.

One of the most challenging aspects of working on an independent study is developing your main argument(s), or creating a tentative “thesis,” but it may be a mistake to remain absolutely set on seeing your initial claims through to the finish line. As you continue your research, adding new sources and making new discoveries, you may find that you need to make substantial changes to your initial ideas.

I knew from the start that I wanted to compare Tolkien’s depictions of contagion to the depictions of contagion found in the novels and poems of High Modernist writers (Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, etc.), but I found as I researched and wrote the essay that the comparisons I was trying to make between these writers weren’t feasible and I had to rework these claims entirely. As frustrating as it is to realize that your thesis isn’t quite as airtight as you wanted it to be, consider this advice I received from a good friend: “It’s better to change your thesis to fit your essay than to change your essay to fit your thesis.” You’re probably working on this project to challenge yourself intellectually, so constructing and deconstructing your arguments is a part of the process. Don’t panic!

4. Generate a few “research questions” to keep an open mind while you work.

To spare yourself the pain of growing attached to ideas that don’t end up working, it may be helpful to start your research a couple of months in advance and approach it with a set of questions you are curious about. A couple of my first research questions included, “Did Tolkien represent contagion through his evil characters?” and “How might Tolkien’s experience in the WWI trenches have shaped his perception of contagion?” They can be vague!

It’s quite fun to ask yourself these questions, and you can always add more as you continue your research. As you start getting answers to these questions, a clearer thesis will emerge and you’ll figure out what’s most worth writing about. Remember: not every question has to be answered! It’s about quality, not quantity.

5. Keep a pen and paper/sticky notes on you for random ideas.

When I was working on my essay, most of my clearest and most innovative points didn’t magically emerge as soon as I sat down in my desk and told myself it was time to “put my thinking cap on.” I got ideas while I was watching TV with friends, falling asleep at night, and walking to work. When an idea pops up, you’ll want to be ready for it, and no matter how many times you tell yourself that you’ll remember it and write it down later, that probably won’t be the case! You don’t need a whole notebook—just a bit of paper and a pen will do for the times when you have an “aha!” moment and you know you’ll want to incorporate it into your project later.

6. Consider creating a “visual” to develop your arguments.

It’s one thing to work with a standard outline in Microsoft Word or Google Drive, but there’s a pretty high likelihood that you will get sick of staring at chunks of text on a screen (especially during covid, when we’re spending so much time on Zoom!) My “sticky note wall” (pictured above) was one of the best techniques I thought of for developing an outline and synthesizing my ideas because it was a fun and colorful way to visualize the progression of my arguments and avoid “brain fatigue.” You may find yourself surprised at how refreshing it is to unpack your ideas in a different format, even if it is only temporary.

7. Use your peers as resources.

Joining a casual “thesis support group” was a terrific experience for me, mostly because it was refreshing to meet up informally with other students who were working on extensive academic projects like me. Our areas of study were completely different—English, Economics, Health Policy, Chemistry, and Creative Writing—but we had a great time hearing about each other’s work and offering research tips. If you ask around and find out the names of other students who are doing senior theses/independent studies, chances are they will be thrilled to have others to talk to about their experience! Also, I found that friends can make excellent editors, especially when you’ve been over your project dozens of times and you really need a second pair of eyes to point out the errors or gaps you missed. 🙂

I hope these tips are helpful, and best of luck on your project! Please feel free to email me if you have additional questions about the process of working on an independent study.