Senior Thesis Writing Groups
Senior Thesis Writing Groups (.pdf) offer workshops for seniors in participating departments. They help thesis writers learn the methods and expectations of research and writing in their concentration, provide practical guidance for tackling big research projects, and establish communities of writers for support and feedback. To join, contact the graduate student group leader (.pdf) in your department.
Many Thesis Groups also sponsor occasional Boot Camps, which give seniors a quiet space to write, focused time for reading and thinking, the camaraderie of fellow writers, and the opportunity to reflect on the writing process. To find out about Boot Camps, visit http://www.princeton.edu/writing/university/bootcamps/seniorthesis/.
The first Senior Thesis Writing Groups were established in 1998-99 at the suggestion of history professor Tony Grafton and religion professor John Gager to combat, in Professor Grafton’s words, “the intellectual and social isolation in which Princeton seniors spend much of their last year here.” The number of departments sponsoring writing groups has grown from eight that first year to two dozen, and span the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.
Students who have participated in the writing groups have said how much the experience helped them stay motivated and meet deadlines throughout the year, and gave them a strong sense of intellectual community and collegiality.
The Senior Thesis Writing Group initiative is underwritten by the Office of the Dean of the College and organized with help from the Princeton Writing Program. For Senior Thesis guidelines and schedules, contact individual departments.
