Barrett, The Honors College | Thesis/Creative Project Student Guidebook
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What is a Thesis?
Getting Started
The experiences in your classes, Honors
Enrichment Contracts, internships, research
opportunities, study abroad programs, and other
co-curricular experience can all produce ideas
for your topic. Assess which academic papers,
courses, internships, service work, creative
projects, research, professors, and personal
experiences hold promise for further exploration.
Group projects are an opportunity for more than one Barrett student to work on a thesis together.
Working in a group gives students valuable experience and enables them to take on larger, more
complicated topics. Students may begin a group project with approval of a Thesis Director.
Honors Thesis Pathways are unique opportunities where students can be paired with faculty on
engaging topics. The pathway options provide students a structured experience in completing their thesis,
while researching a topic that interests them. Learn more at barretthonors.asu.edu/thesis/pathways.
Thesis
• A scholarly research project involving
critical analysis that is presented in
written form
• Length varies depending on
the nature of the project and
expectations of the Thesis Director
Creative Project
• A creative work that may be based on visual or
performing arts, computer programming, architecture,
film, business models, or other endeavors
• Includes a written component offering relevant
research and analysis to support the project, which will
be evaluated as an integral part of the project
The Thesis/Creative Project is an
original piece of work developed
by you under the guidance of
your Thesis committee.
If something in a class excites your interest, take the time to discuss with the professor how this topic
might lend itself to a Thesis/Creative Project. A topic often emerges from substantial knowledge of a
specific subject, such as one from your academic major. Every academic experience has the potential to
introduce you to ideas that could grow into your Thesis/Creative Project. One key to your success is to be
in conversation with faculty as your ideas emerge.
Once you have identified a few ideas for the project, you need to narrow your topic. This should be done
under the guidance of Faculty Honors Advisors and other faculty in your area(s) of interest. Develop a
topic that is broad enough to be researchable, but specific enough that you can thoroughly dissect and
discuss it. You and your committee will create the goals and parameters for your specific topic.