Working on a Music Thesis: Top 10 Writing Hints


Writing a music thesis should not be just an academic exercise, it’s a chance to provide an in-depth examination of a topic that truly interests you. Think of it as an opportunity to research and learn about something you want to study and become an expert in. Here are the top 10 writing hints for writing a great music thesis:

Choose a Good Topic


It’s much easier to write about a topic that you will enjoy and will be useful to you in your professional academic career. Preferably, you will want to meet both criteria but the first takes priority.

Build a Bibliography


Start building your bibliography as soon as you’ve selected your topic. Remember that you won’t be using all of the resources in your bibliography so you want to give yourself plenty of time to review all of the articles and books you might use.

Draft a Succinct Title


Jot down a few ideas for a title. Remember that good title will succinctly summarize what you aim to prove in your music thesis. A separate title page is not necessary (refer to MLA guidelines) but short titles that are direct are preferable.

Draft Your Thesis Statement


Even if your thesis statement will change after you begin your research, it’s good to have some idea of the argument you will attempt to prove. Your thesis should also be succinct and straight to the point. If you have any doubts about its clarity have a fellow classmate read it for feedback.

Write a Catchy Introduction


Your introduction is your first and possibly only opportunity to hook your reader into reading the rest of your thesis. Though your advisory board will be reading your entire music thesis, you don’t want them to proceed without interest in your topic. Use a catchy introduction sentence and quickly move to the point you are trying to make.

Use Transition Sentences


In the body of your music thesis you will devote each paragraph to a single topic, where each sentence provides some evidence in support of your topic sentence and overall thesis. You should also be aware of how your paragraph transition from one another. A great thesis will move forward logically with fluidity.

Write a Great Conclusion


Your conclusion is a chance to drive home the point of your argument. It also lets you summarize and synthesize the supporting evidence you have provided. Don’t introduce any new information since this will be distracting and confuse the reader. Instead, leave them with a profound statement or question so that he or she is left with a lasting impression.

Revise, Revise, Revise


After you complete the first draft of your thesis, you should set your work aside for a day or two before returning to conduct a full revision. This is your opportunity to rearrange sections and cut out ineffective and extraneous sentences, paragraphs and even entire sections.

Proofread and Edit


After you revise you should prepare yourself to conduct a final proofread and edit of your entire work. The most effective way of doing this is to do this in three levels: the paper level, paragraph level and sentence level. You should approach each level with a set of fresh eyes to ensure you catch even the smallest mistakes.

Use MLA Style Guide


Music theses are written using the MLA Style Guide, so it’s important to invest in a standard copy to reference throughout the writing of your paper. After proofreading and editing it would benefit you to go through and check your citations one more time to ensure accuracy.