So I have a question for you that have experience with this. Is it better to do a thesis or paper for your masters? I'm working on an MS in electrical engineering, but my goal is to go on and get a PhD in physics or geophysics. I thought about doing a paper in remote sensing since it doesn't seem like there's any research locally that would be related. However, someone had told me it's better to do a thesis if I plan to continue...
TIA
TIA
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North Dakota
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Sat, January 15, 2005 - 1:42 PMI'm confused about the difference between a thesis and a paper. A thesis is a paper.
In Biology you can get a Master's by exam or do a research project which is a thesis. If you are continuing on in research the second option is preferable. -
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Sun, January 16, 2005 - 6:24 AMIn the program I'm in, the paper is a compilation of the research already done on a subject, not requiring any original research. I think you're required to take 30 credits for that. The thesis option requires original research, but I'm only required to take 21 credits (although I'm taking 24 anyway).
The question came up because I'm taking a couple grad level classes outside of my department in a related field of interest, so I could use those classes and end up with 30 anyway. If I want to include them in my plan of study, I would have the number of credits needed and be able to do a paper instead of a thesis.
I just wondered if doing a paper would look bad versus a thesis. -
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Sun, January 16, 2005 - 7:56 AMI'd go with the thesis I think. When doing my undergrad in engineering my advisor suggested that original research is always better and easier to defend, since it is YOUR data and YOUR interpretation. I did some kind of bizarre thesis on trying to use present day traffic volume counts correlated with existing pavement conditions to back-cast historical traffic levels and pavement damage. Even today, I'm not sure of the relevance of the topic, but it was the research methods and analyses that counted in the end. If you plan on going on to a doctorate, research will form a large part of your life, right? Might as well start now. Good Luck! -
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Sun, January 16, 2005 - 8:52 AM:-D Yeah, I was thinking that a thesis might be better, but it's odd since I'm doing an MS in electrical engineering with the intention of going on to a PhD in physics or geophysics. I figured I would take the extra classes anyway, just to give me the knowledge, even if they didn't directly apply. But I guess I'll also have to see how the research issue goes. I suppose if my research is a flop, I'll at least have the literature search done and the possibility of doing a paper since I'll have the classes done.
Okay...so explain your thesis a bit. So you tried to use modern pavement and traffic levels to estimate levels in the past? I supposed that would also have some application in forecasting, would it not? -
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Mon, January 17, 2005 - 4:29 AMEven if you are going into a different field, doing original research might be a better idea. It will give you more experience for your doctorate, and it is held a bit higher in esteem if you are going on to get a Ph.D. If you weren't going on to a Ph.D., doing the original research wouldn't be so important. An added benefit is to see if you like doing original research. And, as you say, if it doesn't work out, you always have the review work.
Also, don't forget to consider time. Research masters are held a bit higher because they usually take a bit longer as well, so don't forget about that. Sometimes it's beneficial to finish sooner and move quicker onto the next step.
Best of luck. Sounds pretty exciting whatever you do.
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Mon, January 17, 2005 - 6:44 PMI'm not sure I can explain it :) It made sense at the time; something about being able to look at a regional street, know the history of industries on it, make some assumptions about how traffic volumes changed overtime and better understand failures in the pavement. At the time I was considering a specialty in transportation engineering, but ended up doing a 180 and now deal almost exclusively with buried pipelines (they call me the Sewer Queen) - so I hear what you're saying on the differences between electrical eng and geophysics.
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Re: Thesis or Paper
Fri, January 21, 2005 - 9:55 PMWould someone really let you write a paper on remote sensing for an MS in electical engineering?!
Can I read it when you're done?
