OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

 

Phase Four: Final Draft

Every research project is different. But all successful research projects have one thing in common: "polish." "Polish" means that every sentence is succinct and is written in Standard English. It means that every paragraph is unified and clearly relates to its immediate context and to the main point of the essay.

Polish your final essay until it looks and reads like a publishable article. It should represent you at your very best. Familiarize yourself with the style manual used in your field (for example, the MLA Handbook in literature, the APA Publication Manual in the social sciences, the American Chemical Society Handbook for Authors, or any other manual appropriate to your discipline), and adhere to its guidelines. In addition, follow "Instructions for Preparing and Filing the Master's Thesis" (available from your Graduate Deputy or the Office of Graduate Studies) for specifics about margins, binders, labels, etc. Type your thesis neatly, get it typed, or print it out on a high-quality printer. If it involves charts, drawings, or diagrams, prepare them carefully. Proofread carefully and use spell check.

When you are finished, place two copies in appropriate binders, label them, and take them to your advisor. Your advisor should then complete and sign a form, "Approval of Thesis/Master Recital/ M.F.A. Project." You should bring the two copies and the approval form to your graduate deputy by the final due date for the semester in which you are planning to graduate. If everything is in order, the Graduate Deputy will sign the form and take one copy to the Office of Graduate Studies. After their approval, that copy will be placed in the Brooklyn College Library. The second copy will remain in your department.