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Ah, the good old Master’s thesis. Nearly every college and university Master’s program requires students to write an acceptable Master’s thesis before they can graduate with a degree. While many graduate students shudder at the thought of researching and writing the mandatory Master’s thesis, they needn’t fear it. This form of academic writing exists as a culmination to the Master’s program; its goal is to encourage original thought and research to investigate an issue useful to the discipline in which a student is earning a degree. Unlike other forms of academic writing, the Master’s thesis is more intense and demanding. It requires time and attention to detail: procrastinators need not apply! Most universities set aside credits specifically for the Master’s thesis. It exists as a class with a faculty mentor assigned to guide the student through the arduous process of forming a viable Master’s thesis, conducting research, organizing a logical argument, and ultimately presenting the paper during a thesis defense. A well-constructed Master’s thesis takes the better part of a semester if not longer to finalize. Just getting started on this academic undertaking? Here are the basics to help demystify the aspects of a masterful Master’s thesis.