Thesis Topic/Research Question
The thesis should pose a question relevant to contemporary discourse and issues. The research question evolves during the semester toward increased focus, relevance, arguability, and within the given time frame and student resources, its measurability.
Abstract
A short 250 word maximum summary that identifies the specific area of interest. The abstract should introduce the topic and the research question in context, justify its relevance, and make an hypothesis about methodologies the student plans to apply when investigating the question and related projects.
Literature Review
A 2000 word maximum survey and discussion of the literature organized chronologically or thematically. Students are expected to present and to analyze, in a critical manner, the relevant published literature in order to justify their research question and demonstrate a detailed knowledge of their area of interest. The literature review should follow an appropriate bibliographic style. The department and/or thesis advisor will suggest the style manual that is most appropriate to the student. More...
Thesis Proposal
The thesis proposal - not to exceed 500 words - should capture the question or premise that students propose as the subject of the thesis. It is a concise summary: the guiding question or premise, the processes students intend to use, the anticipated outcomes, and the audience. Students should include a justi cation that de nes a rationale for the work and addresses why the study is important to the eld of design with references to previous works and other related research. Students should de ne and visualize the positioning of their thesis in relation to other disciplines and clearly specify the thesis’ contribution to the design discipline.
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