physics senior thesis ideas

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Best Senior Thesis Topics

31 May 2023

Senior thesis topics are research projects students undertake in their final year of undergraduate studies or graduate programs. These senior thesis topics allow students to demonstrate their expertise in academic writing.

School senior thesis topics can cover a wide range of disciplines. This spans science and humanities to social sciences and engineering. All of these allow students to explore their academic interests in depth and make valuable contributions to their respective fields against any grade stereotypes or even gender stereotypes.

With a thousand ideas, it may be hard to nail a good topic. This article covers a series of college and high school senior thesis topics for different subjects.

Key Points:

• School senior thesis topics allow students to dig deep into a specific study area within their chosen field. 
• A strong senior thesis topic can potentially make a valuable impact on the academic community and shape future research in the field.

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The Importance Of A Good Senior Thesis Topics

Well-selected senior thesis topics capture the interest of the student and hold significance in their field of study. This is important for the following reasons.

Firstly, well-chosen school senior thesis topics provide students with an opportunity to explore a specific area of study. This fosters a sense of ownership and engagement with the research process. These personal investment projects enhance motivation and dedication, resulting in a higher quality of work. However, not every student had the luxury of time. In case you have a question like, who can write my thesis , there are professional platforms that can render such a service. With 24/7 customer support and experienced writers, for you to write a thesis becomes so easy.

Secondly, good high school senior thesis topics enable students to make original contributions to their field by conducting research, analyzing data, and generating new insights. This can lead to advancements in knowledge and potential solutions to existing problems.

Lastly, a strong senior thesis topic demonstrates students' ability to think critically and develop analytical skills. It requires formulating search questions, designing methods, and interpreting complex data. These processes cultivate intellectual maturity, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills.

Tips On How To Select The Best Senior Thesis Topic?

Selecting the best high school senior thesis topic requires a thoughtful and systematic approach. With numerous options available, it is important to consider the topic selection process carefully. Nonetheless, you can buy thesis paper pieces online if you cannot spare that much time for the steps involved, with professors available to help. Listed below are some tips to help you choose the best senior thesis topics.

1. Identify your interests and passions

Choose topics in the subjects that excite you and the areas of study that keep you on your toes. This will keep you energetic throughout the search process and increase the worth of your work.

2. Consider the scope and feasibility of the topic

Ensure that the topic is manageable within the given timeframe and aligns with the resources and expertise available to you. It is essential to strike a balance between a topic that is challenging enough to showcase your abilities and one that is realistic and achievable.

3. Seek guidance from your professors and advisors

They possess valuable expertise and can provide insights into potential research areas or suggest topics based on your academic strengths. They can also provide ideas on how to write a thesis for research paper pieces - a crucial aspect of research writing. Engage in discussions with them to receive feedback and better understand the viability and relevance of your topic ideas.

Good Senior Thesis Topics

The right thesis topic showcases a student's expertise and passion and sets the stage for a quality research experience. 

However, the steps of choosing a senior thesis topic can be overwhelming. Below is a curated list of topic ideas for your next project.

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Job Automation: Analyzing the Effect on Employment Trends.
• Accessing the Effects of Plastics in the Evolution of Marine Ecology
• A Closer Look at the Relationship Between Social Media Usage and Mental Health Outcomes.
• Exploring the Thin Line Between Genetic Engineering and Moral Ethics
• A Case Study on the Impact of Climate Change on Ecological Biodiversity 
• Analyzing the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives on Consumer Behavior and Brand Perception.
• Exploring the Intersection of Gender and Leadership: A Comparative Study of Leadership Styles and Organizational Performance.
• Investigating the Psychological Effects of Virtual Reality: Examining its Potential in Therapy and Mental Health Treatment.
• Assessing the Impacts of Global Warming Policies on Energy Transition: Case Studies from Different Countries.
• Exploring the Representation of Race and Identity in Contemporary Literature: Comparative Analysis of Works by Diverse Authors.

Senior Thesis Topics For High School And College Students

When it comes to selecting senior thesis topics, both high school and college students are faced with a challenge. This challenge is finding a subject that aligns with academic interests and demonstrates their research abilities. 

An important point to remember is to seek help from your professors. They provide valuable advice on questions like - how to finish my thesis and strategic planning to craft a good one if you feel unsure. Listed are some popular topics for both college and high school senior thesis.

• The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: An Analysis of the Relationship between Social Media Usage and Psychological Well-being in Society.
• Renewable Energy Solutions: Assessing the Feasibility and Environmental Benefits of Implementing Solar Energy Systems in a Local Community.
• Cultural Differences in Perception of Beauty: Examining how cultural norms shape the perception of beauty and body image ideals.
• The Effects of Climate Change on Biodiversity: Investigating the Relationship between Global Warming and Species Extinction Rates.
• Gender Equality in the Workplace: Analyzing the Factors Affecting the Gender Pay Gap 
• Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: Assessing the Best Practices for Protecting Personal and Organizational Data in the Digital Age.
• The Influence of Music on Emotion and Memory: Investigating the Cognitive and Psychological Effects of Music and Its Potential Therapeutic Applications.
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sports Injuries Prevention Programs among Professional Athletes
• Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Analyzing the Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits of Organic Farming
• Urbanization and Urban Planning: Evaluating the Impacts of Rapid Urban Growth on Infrastructure, Transportation, and Quality of Life in Urban Society.

Psychology Senior Thesis Ideas

When selecting  psychology senior thesis topics and how to write them, the choices can be vast and exciting. This list explores some topics to help most students generate compelling senior thesis best topics.

• The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health: Physiological Responses Study
• Examining the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Social Anxiety Disorder and Stress in College Students
• The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Romantic Relationships in Adolescents
• Investigating the Role of Parenting Styles in the Development of Emotional Intelligence in Children
• Exploring the Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Functioning and Executive Functioning
• The Influence of Personality Traits on Career Choice and Self Esteem
• Understanding the Psychology of Eating Disorders and Self-Esteem in Young Adults
• Investigating the Impact of Social Support Therapy on Depression Treatment and Anxiety Reduction
• The Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Cardiovascular Dysfunction in Children
• Examining the Effects of Exercise on Eating Disorders and Anxiety Symptoms in Individuals with Major Depression

English Literature Senior Thesis Topics

With a vast landscape of works in literature and critical theories to explore, finding the perfect English literature senior thesis topics can be exciting and challenging. Students can draw inspiration for writing from the following listed English literature senior thesis topics:

• Exploring gender roles in Shakespeare's Tragedies: The Differences of Women like Ophelia, Lady Macbeth, and Desdemona.
• The Influence of Colonialism in Postcolonial Literature: A Study of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
• Shakespearean Tragedy in Modern Context: A Comparative Study of Hamlet and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
• An Analysis of Gothic Elements in the Books of Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe.
• The Illustration of Mother Nature in Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth's Poetry.
• Politics and Religion in Literature Periods
• The Portrayal of Social Class, Civil Rights and Inequality in Women from Jane Austen's Novels.
• Social Critique and Satire in the Novels of Charles Dickens
• A Comparative Study of Gender and Sexuality in the Works of Virginia Woolf
• The Influence of Colonialism and Imperialism on Heart of Darkness and Wide Sargasso Sea.

Graphic Design Senior Thesis Ideas

Writing a senior thesis in graphic design can be interesting as it offers students an opportunity to showcase their creative prowess. Some topics to refine for creative folks in this field are:

• Designing Dynamic Interactions in the Digital World for the Human Mind.
• Visual Storytelling: Examining the Role of Graphic Design in Narrative Communication
• The Intersection of Graphic Design and Social Justice: Using Design as a Catalyst for Promoting Positive Social Impact.
• Sustainable Design Practices in Graphic Design: Exploring Eco-Friendly Approaches and Materials.
• The Evolution of Branding in the Digital Age: Analyzing the Shift from Traditional to Digital Branding Strategies.
• Graphic Design for User Experience: Investigating the Creation and Impact of Visual Design on User Engagement and Satisfaction.
• Visualizing Data: Exploring Innovative Techniques for Information Design and Data Visualization.
• Exploring Cultural Identity through Graphic Design: Examining the Representation of Identity and Diversity in Visual Communication.
• The Power of Color in Graphic Design: Investigating the Psychological and Emotional Effects of Color in Visual Communication.
• Designing for Accessibility: Examining Inclusive Design Principles and Practices in Graphic Design.

Political Science Senior Thesis Topics

Science senior thesis topics offer a chance to demonstrate your research writing skills and critical thinking abilities. The thesis topics you choose will shape your writing and research journey and ultimately determine the success of your thesis. 

Therefore, getting all the help you need can help you generate interesting political science senior thesis topics. So, some interesting political science senior thesis topics to look into include:

• Analysis of European Union Protests and the Use of Social Media in Political Mobilization.
• Investigating how Gender Quotas Affect the Political Representation of Women in Parliamentary Systems.
• The Influence of Political Campaigns on Voter Behavior: A Case Study of a Recent National Election.
• Assessing the connection between governance stability and disparities in wealth in modern society.
• Analysis of Right- and Left-Wing Populist Leaders' Political Rhetoric Use in Populist Movements.
• Evaluating how well international human rights treaties work to encourage adherence to human rights.
• An analysis of non-governmental organizations' (NGOs) influence on environmental policy in modern society.
• Public Trust in Politics and National Scandals: A Comparative Analysis of Previous Cases.
• Exploring the Rise of Authoritarianism in Democracies: Factors and Challenges.
• Investigating the Influence of Media Ownership and Control on Media Bias in Political Reporting.

History Senior Thesis Ideas

History is a vast field with countless potential topics to explore for writing. This makes the selection process both exciting and daunting. 

However, with careful consideration and planning process, researchers can write and find the perfect history senior thesis topics. Some history senior thesis topics that showcase history students’ analytical skills and intellectual prowess are:

• The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Modern Society and Culture in the Renaissance Era
• Breaking Gender Limitations: The Contribution of Women to the Equal Rights Campaign
• The Causes and Consequences of the Cold War: A Comparison of the USA and the USSR
• Evaluating the Causes and Effects of the French Revolution
• The African-American Experience during the Reconstruction Era: Progress and Challenges 
• The Role of Propaganda in World War II Development: Analysis of Nazi and Allied Strategies
• The Rise and Fall of Colonialism: Examining the Impact of European Powers on Africa
• The Origins and Development of Ancient Greece Culture
• The Great Depression: A Case Study on its Effects on the Society.
• The Impact of Rational Concepts on the American Revolution and the Rise of the US.

Criminal Justice Senior Thesis Ideas

Criminal justice senior thesis topics should address significant issues within the field. This gives students the chance to contribute to understanding the challenges and improvement of the criminal justice system. Listed are some senior thesis topics to consider:

• The Impact of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Accountability and Public Trust
• The Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Practices in Reducing Recidivism Rates
• A Look at the Correlation between Mental Health and Criminal Behavior
• Exploring the Impact of Race and Ethnicity in the Law Enforcement System's Sentencing Inequalities
• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Drug Courts in Keeping Substance Abuse Offenders Out of the Regular Law Enforcement System
• The Use of Risk Assessment Tools in Sentencing and Parole Decision-Making
• Investigating the Factors Influencing False Confessions and Their Implications for the Criminal Justice System
• Evaluation of the Impact of Capital Punishment on Criminal Activity Suppression and Community Response.
• Investigating the Links Between Halt and Search and Racism in Policing
• Rates of Juvenile Delinquency and Relapse and the Effectiveness of Rehab Initiatives

Senior thesis topics chosen with careful deliberation allow students to demonstrate their prowess in academic research. It is an opportunity for students to make original contributions to their fields, advance knowledge, and potentially impact the broader academic community.

The selection of good senior thesis topics for writing should be based on personal interest, feasibility, and relevance. This ensures a meaningful and successful research project. Good luck!

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Dr. Caroline Phd

I have always been a bit of a polymath – I loved going through encyclopedias, learning interesting facts about the world around us. Even when it was time to choose my major, I struggled a lot, as I wanted to learn everything about everything.

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Department of Physics

Senior thesis projects.

The following options are available to satisfy the writing intensive curriculum (WIC). There is a formal class (PH317), or, students can write a senior thesis with one-on-one guidance from a research mentor. If working with a research mentor, you will enroll in PH401 (research) and PH403 (thesis).

PH317 - Adv. Phys. Lab

12 available projects Graduating students: Allard ('23), Bickley ('23), Gregory ('24), Han ('23), Hildebrandt ('24), Koutsopoulos ('23), Le Fevre ('23), May ('23), Ragan ('23), van Balderen ('23), Bennett ('23)

Project information

The advanced physics lab gives students experience with designing and performing physics experiments and writing advanced lab reports. The next offering of PH317 is Winter term, 2024

David Craig

0 available projects Graduating students: Kangethe ('23), Seibert ('23), Siebersma ('23) Continuing students: Lein ('24),

• Quantum inequalities in the decoherent histories formulation of quantum theory
• Decoherence, the uncertainty principle, and quantum information
• Canonical structure of loop quantum cosmology
• Singularity resolution in loop quantum cosmology
• Emergence of the arrow of time
• Effective equations in loop quantum cosmology
• Path integrals, decoherence, and partitions of space-time paths

Tevian Dray (Mathematics)

0 available projects

• Math Education; mathematical physics

Elizabeth Gire

1 available project Graduating students: Seghers ('23), Shapton ('24) Continuing students:

• Students use of various sensemaking strategies in PH315 and PH335
• Development of course materials and assessments for Paradigms courses.

Matt Graham

0-1 available project Graduating students: Zaback ('23) Continuing students: Goodwin (’24), Moret (’25)

If interested, please consider applying to URSA-ENGAGE advertisement, SURE or other scholarship programs through with lab ( http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/physics/energetics/ ). End of the Spring term is the best time to inquire unless applying for a scholarship program (then ask early, ask often).

Optoelectronics: electronic confinement and current generation in emerging semiconductor materials. Optical laser spectroscopy.

Kathryn Hadley

0 available projects Graduating students: Erickson, A ('23) Continuing students: Jones, C ('24), Jackson, D ('24)

Computational astrophysics: modeling protostellar systems; Rossby wave instabilities, plasma shocks

Jeff Hazboun

2-3 available projects Continuing students: Thompson, M ('24), Gourlie, K ('24),

Gravitational wave astronomy with pulsar timing arrays. Using signal analysis, Bayesian data analysis methods and astrostatistics to understand gravity. Computational astrophysics focused on supermassive binary blackholes.

Greg Herman

Ambient-pressure XPS (expt)

Pavel Kornilovich (Hewlett Packard)

• (computational) Stable knots in nematic liquid crystals.

Davide Lazzati

• Contact Dr. Lazzati (Astrophysics). Projects normally involve some computer coding. Besides that there is a lot of flexibility with finding a project that satisfies the student's curiosity about the subject.

Yun-Shik Lee

1 available project Continuing students: Johnson, N ('24), Worrell C ('24)

• High-Field Terahertz spectroscopy of 2D materials

Corinne Manogue

0 available projects Current students: Takach ('24)

• Contact Dr. Manogue (Physics Education, mathematical physics)

David McIntyre

0 available projects Graduating students: Snyder, B ('23), Stephens, J ('23)

• Optical tweezer trapping and Brownian motion (exp/comp)
• Optimized laser focusing via adaptive optics and machine learning (exp/comp)
• Optical spectroscopy of materials (exp/comp)

Ethan Minot

1 available project Continuing students: Wall ('24, PH minor), Joy, R ('24), Miller, N ('24), Rashid, A ('25)

• Characterization of two-dimensional semiconductors (atomically thin crystals) using atomic force microscopy, electrical measurements, and optical measurements.
• Characterization of carbon nanotube electrical properties as a function of gas ratios in the growth process.

Oksana Ostroverkhova

1 available project Graduating students: Munk ('23) Continuing students: Kirms ('23), Swartz, C ('24), Gragg, M ('24)

Light-matter interactions in organic microcavities and plasmonic nanostructures

Vanessa Polito

1 available project Continuing students: Gessner, J. ('24), Guillen, R ('24)

Solar physics research projects will involve analysis of data from NASA satellites to study solar flares or other energetic events on the Sun and/or comparison with computational models.

Weihong Qiu

1 available project Graduating students: Chen, Z ('23) Continuing students:

Experimental/Computation Biophysics

• In silico characterization of the interaction of molecular motor proteins with the tracks they run on
• Characterize the mechanism of bidirectional kinesin motor proteins

Heidi Schellman

0 available projects (2022/23) Continuing students: Lefevre, P. ('24)

Sabbatical 2022-23

Neutrino physics.

Guenter Schneider

2 available projects Graduating students: Shin ('23) Continuing students: Freeman ('24), Culley, J ('24)

Computer modeling of materials properties, for example superconductors and topological materials (requires some programming). Develop tools (requires a lot of programming) to setup and analyze (may include visualization and machine learning) aforementioned calculations. There is flexibility to tailor projects to the interests and curiosity of students.

Xavier Siemens

Graduating students: Ashby ('23) Continuing students: Pelletier (?), Lein (?)

• Using radio telescopes to search for pulsars
• Using radio telescopes to perform gravitational wave observations (pulsar timing)
• Searching pulsar timing data for nanohertz gravitational waves.

1 available project Continuing students: Weigel, M ('24)

How will climate change affect extreme precipitation from atmospheric rivers in western North America? Involves analyzing numerical simulations using Matlab or Python.

1 available project Graduating students: Continuing students:

• Characterizing cell migration in conflicting environment (experimental, and matlab data analysis)
• Developing deep learning methods for cell detection and tracking (proficient programing skills needed)
• Comparison of dimensional reduction algorithms for cell migration trajectories

0 available projects Graduating student: Farmer, S ('23)

More information

• Amorphous-to-crystalline transition in thin films
• Optical properties of semiconductors (experimental)

Rebecka Tumblin

• Computational astrophysics.
• Metalicity of stars and planets, data mining, cluster analysis

0 available projects Graduating students: Toll, M ('23)

• Ecampus comparative study of introductory physics using educational data mining and learning analytics.
• Predictive modeling student success using various artificial intelligence methods.
• Language processing student's reflective writing.

Allied-disciplines, OSU advisors:

Chong fang (chemistry).

0-1 available projects Graduating students: Bailey-Darland, S ('23)

Using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods to study fluorescence mechanisms of functional molecular systems (e.g., proteins, chromophores, biosensors) in solution. Contact Dr. Fang at [email protected] or visit the group website.

Erin Pettit (CEOAS)

College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Paul Cheong (Chemistry)

Computational Chemistry

Brian Woods (Nuc. Eng.)

Graduating students: Holler ('23) Continuing students: Miles, H ('24)

Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Reactor

Vince Remcho (Chemistry)

Graduating students: Chirica ('23)

Allied-disciplines, advisors outside OSU:

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Home / academic-programs / Undergraduate / Senior Thesis

Senior Thesis

Changes for the senior thesis - effective 2020-2021.

Starting with the 2020-2021 catalog, physics majors can satisfy their Disciplinary Communications (DC) requirement in one of two ways:

• Complete PHYS 182 “Scientific Communication” or
• Complete PHYS 195A “Senior Thesis I” and 195B “Senior Thesis II" 

This means that the senior thesis is optional for new students; you have the choice of taking PHYS 182 or writing a senior thesis in PHYS 195AB. If you are a continuing student, you can choose to graduate under these new catalog requirements as long as you will satisfy the other requirements. (Note that the new capstone courses are 134, 135, 135AB, or 136. You must take one of these lab courses to graduate under the new catalog requirements.)

What is the senior thesis?

The senior thesis is an option to satisfy the DC requirement for graduation in the Physics, Physics (Astrophysics), and Applied Physics majors. Students work on their senior thesis as coursework for PHYS 195A and PHYS 195B. The senior thesis is a clear, logical presentation of some independent, physics-related work done by the student under the supervision of a thesis advisor.  Possible forms of the thesis include: results of the student's experimental, theoretical, or numerical investigations (often in connection with on-going research at UCSC); a review of a particular topic in physics; or a significant extension of class material (for example a Physics 134 or 135 experiment). The thesis must display understanding of physics at the level of an upper-division physics course. In conclusion, the senior thesis may range between a literature review on a topic that the student will choose in agreement with an advisor and the representation of significant research effort. Examples of senior theses can be found here. These theses use LaTeX template files for the standard UC thesis format , with examples of figures, tables, references, etc.  The package has been tested with the graphical Web tool Overleaf ( overleaf.com ) but may also work with stand-alone LaTeX or other interfaces.  Please report errors to Prof. David Smith .

The value to you of a senior thesis

The senior thesis is designed both as an option to complete the undergraduate physics experience and as an opportunity to develop writing and research skills that will be important for your career in physics and beyond. Complementing standard physics courses, the senior thesis emphasizes independent decision-making, activity-scheduling, and presenting of scientific material in a well-written form. It allows you to explore and develop subjects of your own choosing and develops your ability to communicate your work effective ly. Students considering graduate school are encouraged to complete a senior thesis. A reference letter from your thesis advisor will be a valuable addition to your graduate school application. Furthermore, yo ur transcript will reflect the fact that you completed the requirements by writing a senior thesis.

The senior thesis and PHYS 195A and PHYS 195B

The PHYS 195 course is designed to guide you through writing your senior thesis. The structure, format, and content of a senior thesis are discussed in detail. Grammatical skills, effective writing, and literature search techniques are developed. You will plan your topic and develop reference lists, outlines, and drafts. The thesis approved by your thesis advisor must be submitted before the end of PHYS 195B in order to pass the course. The se two courses should be taken in your thesis advisor’s section during the two quarters you intend to write your thesis. This means that you must identify a thesis advisor, who agrees to guide you in your thesis research and writing, before you enroll in Physics 195A. The Physics Department can help you find an advisor if you choose to write a senior thesis.

The thesis advisor agreement

You and your thesis advisor will sign an agreement at the start of the process.   If you are doing research with a UCSC faculty member, that person will usually be your thesis advisor. This document contains the agreement between the student and their thesis advisor , outlining the expectations of both, and a checklist to help the advisor determine when the thesis meets departmental standards.  The agreement should be completed at the start of the thesis process and reviewed at the beginning of PHYS 195A.

Timeline for the senior thesis

Finding  a research project.

Students are encouraged to begin a thesis project between 1 and 2 years before their expected graduation. You should have identified a thesis advisor and research project at least 3 quarters before your expected graduation. As you choose a research project and begin your work, remember that unexpected results -- including null results -- are common in science. Even if your work does not yield the conclusion you first expected, there is great value in documenting and discussing your research work in the senior thesis. 

Enrolling in PHYS 195AB

Enroll in your thesis advisor’s section of PHYS 195A and PHYS 195B during the two consecutive quarters you plan to work on the thesis. For example, if you are graduating in Spring quarter, you can take PHYS 195A in Winter and PHYS 195B in Spring. (If you are graduating in Fall, enroll in PHYS 195A in Spring and PHYS 195B in Fall.) Make sure to leave enough room in your schedule for these 5-credit courses, as they reflect the amount of work you will need to do on your thesis.

Completing the senior thesis

The senior thesis must be submitted before the end of PHYS 195B in order to pass the course , and good progress must be made throughout the course, with first full drafts required in Week 7 of the quarter. If the thesis is not submitted in acceptable form by the end of the course, the instructor/advisor may decide to grade the work as Incomplete; in that case the usual policies apply for removing an Incomplete grade before it becomes a failing grade.

Physics Department Thesis Honors Procedure

The senior thesis of a physics, applied physics, or astrophysics major may be given an honors designation, an honor that will be mentioned in the graduation ceremony. In order that all of our majors have an opportunity to receive the thesis honors designation, we have adopted the following procedure:

1)  No later than June 3rd, 2022 the thesis advisor may provide a nomination of the honors designation to the chair.This is best done at the time the thesis advisor signs the thesis. It is important that all faculty be aware of the honors designation and give consideration to all theses that they sign.

2)  The Department Chair  or their designated assistants review the advisor’s recommendation within the context of the full set of senior theses received and either accept or reject the nomination.

3)  The honors designation is forwarded to the Physics Advisor at [email protected] to be recorded.

4)  Late theses, for example those completed over the summer, may still be given an honors designation, but no mention of that will be possible at the student’s graduation ceremony.

The following general criteria should be considered when nominating a thesis for honors:

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Senior Thesis Center

• Senior Theses
• Our Faculty

• Formally write a report of the internship or senior research in AIP Format, including the literature search, a description of the research, conclusions drawn as a result, and areas of future research. Here is a sample template written in LaTeX you are welcome to use:   https://github.com/rtlines/Orbit
• Report progress in a weekly class meeting.
• Defend the thesis in front of a faculty committee.
• Experience with writing research proposals.
• Experience editing in committees.
• Help with the research process and putting together respectable bibliographies.
• Learn to set your own deadlines and work under your own initiative—an experience you don't often get in an undergraduate course. ( Hint: that's what a big part of what you're graded on. )

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Phys 799 Thesis

[From the Undergraduate Catalog]

Students work under the direction of a faculty sponsor to plan and carry out independent research resulting in a written thesis. Required for Honors-in-Major. Restricted to seniors. Prereq: permission. Writing intensive. 4 credits, may be repeated to a maximum of 8 credits.

Guidelines for Phys 799 Thesis

Proposal process.

A student who wants to do a thesis, either honors or non-honors, needs to identify an advisor who is a physics department faculty member. Typically students have worked at least a semester or a summer on research already.  Occasionally students also have an advisor in a closely related field (e.g. mathematics or computer science).  The first step in this process is to submit a proposal the semester before you expect to sign up for the thesis.

submit a proposal

If you have any questions about the senior thesis process, contact  Prof. Karl Slifer  or  Prof. Harald Kucharek   who are the departmental senior thesis coordinators. 

While the main responsibility of advising rests with the advisor chosen by the student, the co-advisor will monitor the progress made in the research as well as the writing of the thesis. The co-advisor will make sure that the criteria of a writing-intensive course, reproduced below, are met. It is the student's task to keep the co-advisor informed about her or his progress towards the thesis. The student should meet with the co-advisor at least once a month to discuss writing to date.  Both advisors together will assign a grade to the thesis.

The time spent should be similar to that for any other 4 credit course:  12-14 hours per week for non-honors and 16-20 hours for honors.

The Written Thesis

Unless a student intends to continue Phys 799 for the following semester (s)he will submit a thesis  no later than the last day of finals  to the advisor and co-advisor who will evaluate and grade it. Advisor and co-advisor may define more specific expectations concerning the deadline for submission and for the scope of the thesis. In any case, especially if the thesis is being prepared during the following semester, substantial writing assignments should be done throughout the semester (see the next section for details).

To give you a sense of expectations we provide here two sample theses on magnetic reconnection on and the solar cycle.  Also, there is an archive of UNH Physics senior theses and capstones.

magnetic reconnection

solar cycle

archive of UNH Physics senior theses and capstones

For those who would like to learn LaTeX, we include a sample thesis as LaTeX source code.

LaTeX source code

Here is a broad Rubric for grading senior thesis about what questions your thesis should address.

Rubric for grading senior thesis

You may also find the American Institute of Physics style guide of some use.

style guide

Oral Presentation

The student  must present their thesis  work in one other formal way. The student, advisor, and co-advisor should choose the presentation format together. This presentation could be a poster and/or a talk at the annual spring UNH Undergraduate Research Conference, a talk or poster at a regional professional meeting, a talk to fellow physics students or to the whole physics department (this is scheduled for the last colloquium of the semester), or a paper in a professional journal.

If you choose to speak at the department colloquium, plan on a 10 minute talk, using either Powerpoint or the blackboard.  You will not be able to present everything you did, so focus on motivating why your question is interesting, your main method of investigatin and your key results.  We strongly recommend that you practice giving the talk to a few friends to make the talk go more smoothly.

How to Make the Course Writing Intensive

Phys 799 is writing intensive; writing needs to be an integral part of it throughout the semester. For a project that extends over more than one semester, it may be more appropriate to register for Phys 795 (Independent Study, no writing required) during the first semester, and for Phys 799 during the following semester.

Handing in a final thesis at the end of the semester is not enough to make this a writing intensive course (see the criteria on the next page). Here are some suggestions and some requirements for meeting the criteria in a way that supports experimental or theoretical research in physics:

• Read relevant articles and write summaries.
• Next steps in experiment
• Current understanding of what is going on
• Evaluation of data taken
• The thesis must be written throughout the semester, not just at the end. (The thesis can be written over two semesters if the course lasts two semesters.) In the beginning writing can be done on literature review, question to be studied, experimental setup. Data analysis and conclusions will come last.
• The thesis advisor and co-advisor must see drafts of the thesis and give feedback on what is written. The student should make use of the Connors Writing Center. The advisors should concentrate first on higher order concerns, that is, is the physics correctly explained, does the argument flow well, and so on.
• About half of the grade should be given on the quality of the data taken and creativity and care in carrying out the experiment or calculation. The other half of the grade should be given on the quality of the thesis. That is, are the data presented clearly? Is the literature carefully reviewed and connected to the student's work? Is a thesis clearly presented and carefully supported? Is the argument of the thesis clear and convincing? Note that this grade includes issues of style and grammar, but is also very dependent on the student's understanding of the discipline and how we come to know things within this discipline. (To see that this is more than style, imagine what kind of thesis an English professor who is given good data but who has no knowledge of physics would write.)
• The student must present their thesis work in one other formal way. The student, advisor, and co-advisor should choose the presentation format together. This presentation could be a poster and/or a talk at the annual spring UNH Undergraduate Research Conference, a talk or poster at a regional professional meeting, a talk to fellow physics students or to the whole physics department (this is scheduled for the last Monday of the semester), or a paper in a professional journal.

Criteria and Expectations for Writing Intensive Courses

From: Writing Intensive Course Guidelines

• Students in the course should do substantial writing which enhances learning and demonstrates knowledge of the subject or discipline. Writing should be an integral part of the course and should count for a significant part (approximately 50% or more) of the final grade.
• Writing should be assigned in such a manner as to require students to write regularly throughout the course. Major assignments should integrate the process of writing (prewriting, drafting, revision, editing). Students should be able to receive constructive feedback of some kind (peer response, workshop, Writing Center, professor, T.A., etc.) during the drafting/revising process to help improve their writing.
• The course should include both formal (graded) and informal (heuristic) writing. There should be papers written outside of class which are handed in for formal evaluation as well as informal assignments designed to promote learning, such as invention activities, in-class essays, reaction papers, journals, reading summarize, or other appropriate exercise.

Reed College

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Physics Department

Senior thesis.

All Reed physics seniors complete an independent project, which culminates in a written document and is defended in an oral examination conducted by faculty from within the Division of Mathematical and Natural Sciences as well as from outside that division. Almost all physics theses are two-semester projects but, in rare cases, a student may petition for a one-semester thesis.

While publishable research is not a goal of a Reed physics thesis (although it is achieved in a select number of cases), most physics theses do involve some original work that is theoretical, computational, or experimental in nature. Ideally, a thesis will include a combination of theory, numerical modeling, and experiment. The thesis is supposed to be a substantial body of work, but it is not intended to be all consuming. Students must take a course load of at least 6 units in their senior year, two unit of which are thesis, a college-level rule designed to place reasonable limits on the amount of time students dedicates to their thesis projects.

In a typical year, the physics thesis process begins with a thesis start-up meeting, during which each physics faculty member provides a brief presentation of their research interests and potential thesis topics that would be related to that research. Students then have a week to meet with individual faculty members to discuss potential projects in more detail. Ideas for potential projects may be directly related a faculty member’s research program or may be student-generated, but in either case, discussion between the faculty and the student is required to mold the initial idea into a doable thesis project. At the thesis proposal deadline, each student submits proposals for two possible projects. The faculty then meet as a group to approve one thesis project for each student and assign an appropriate faculty adviser to each project. When assigning advisers the faculty seek to distribute the workload roughly equally (in recent years, that has meant three or four thesis students per faculty member.

At the end of the first semester, each student has a mini-oral exam, where the thesis adviser and one other physics faculty member are present. In this informal setting, the student describes the progress that they have made on their project over the course of that semester and also presents a proposed schedule of work for upcoming semester. The faculty members ask questions and provide suggestions about issues that the student may want to concentrate their efforts on in the second semester.

Toward the end of the second semester, each student makes a presentation of their thesis research to the department during our weekly seminar time. Thesis documents are due on the last day of classes, and students defend their theses at a ninety-minute oral exam during reading week. Present at the exam are the thesis adviser and at least one other member of the Physics Department. Also present, and chosen by the student, are one other faculty member from the Division of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, and one faculty member from outside the MNS Division.

Thesis grades are assigned by the entire department during a department meeting following reading week. The thesis grade is assigned based on the faculty’s judgement of the quality of the research work, thesis document, mini-oral exam, oral defense exam, and seminar presentation.

Importantly, the thesis process develops a student’s technical communication skills: from reading literature to identifying a project, to giving multiple oral presentations, and ultimately to writing one’s thesis document. These skills are essential for any practicing professional, be it a physicist or otherwise.

Finally, Reed physics students in the dual degree (3/2) program do not spend a senior year at Reed, and so they do not write a Reed thesis. This feature is a potential drawback for a student considering the 3/2 program; frequently a student who had intended to pursue the 3/2 route elects instead to remain at Reed for the senior year in order to enjoy the thesis experience.

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Thesis Information

Upcoming thesis defenses.

If you are defending this term and do not see your information listed, please contact Sydney Miller in the APO.

Forming a Thesis Committee

When : Doctoral Students – After completing the written and oral exams and generally by the beginning of their third Year of study. Forming their committees at this stage will allow students to consult with all members of the committee during their studies and can provide additional advice and mentorship for them.

How : Register for thesis research under subject number 8.ThG, form a thesis committee, meet with full committee, and submit a formal thesis proposal to the department.

Thesis Committee Formation

Student should consult with their Research Supervisor to discuss the Doctoral Thesis Committee Proposal Form which will name the 3 required members of the Physics Doctoral Committee and a descriptive preliminary thesis title. 

Doctoral Committee must include 3 members with MIT Physics faculty appointments:

• Committee Chair: Research Supervisor from MIT Physics Faculty or Research Supervisor from outside MIT Physics + Co-Supervisor/Chair from MIT Physics Faculty
• Selected Reader: from MIT Physics Faculty (in the same/similar research area, selected by student and supervisor)
• Assigned Reader: from MIT Physics Faculty (in different research area, selected by the Department’s faculty Graduate Coordinator.)

The Form should include the names of the Student, Chair, and Selected Reader and a Thesis Title, when it is forwarded to the Academic Programs Office via email to [email protected] and Sydney will work with Faculty Graduate Coordinator Will Detmold , who will identify the Assigned Reader.

Following the consultation with their supervisor, the student should reach out to the proposed Selected Reader to secure an electronic signature or email confirmation in lieu of signature to serve on this committee. (Form should include either signature or date of email agreement.) It will take approximately 2-3 weeks before an Assigned Reader will be added and Sydney will provide an introduction to this final member of your Doctoral Committee.

Thesis Committee Meeting and Proposal

Once the Thesis Committee is established, the student should send all members a draft description of the proposed thesis topic and set up the first committee meeting with all members attending together in real time. A formal 2-page written Thesis Proposal should result from this important meeting and be sent to Sydney for the student’s academic record.  

Thesis Proposal

You should discuss your thesis research with your committee members all together in real time at your first committee meeting. Following this full discussion about your thesis topic, please write up your formal Thesis Proposal to reflect the mutually-agreed thesis plans and forward the Proposal to the graduate program at the APO using [email protected] for Sydney to document in the department’s academic records.

Thesis Research

Following the formation of the doctoral committee and submission of the thesis proposal, the student will continue to work on their thesis research in consultation with their Research Supervisor and other members of their Committee. This important communication paves the way for the thesis defense and degree completion.

When students are ready to defend, they should complete an ‘ Application for Advanced Degree ’ with the Registrar and schedule a thesis defense with all committee members attending in real time, whether in person or by video. Announcements for the defense will be coordinated by the Academic Programs Office and students should be in close contact with Sydney Miller during their final term or study.

Further details about this last stage of your studies will be available separately.

Thesis Defense

If there is even a slight possibility that you may finish this term, please complete an Application for Advanced Degree at the Registrar’s website at the beginning of the term. It is easy to remove your name if your plans change, but this timely step will avoid late fees!

Defenses will be conducted remotely this term, with a Zoom meeting. You and your thesis committee will decide on a mutually-convenient defense date, whenever this works best for your studies.  

Once you have scheduled your defense, please send this information to Sydney at [email protected] :

• Thesis Title:
• Committee Members:
• Zoom Meeting Details: (can be sent in the final week before the defense)

She will create the email notifications for our physics community (with zoom links) and the MIT Events and Physics Calendar listings (without the zoom links). This information you provide her is also used to generate the defense grade sheet for your defense.

Please send your committee members a thesis draft to help them prepare for your defense and plan to spend around two weeks making thesis revisions after your successful defense. The date you submit your thesis document to the department will determine whether it is for a Fall, Spring, or Summer degree.

Thesis Formatting

Archival copies of all theses must adhere carefully to principles specified by the MIT Libraries for formatting and submission. For complete information about how to format your thesis, refer to the  Specifications for Thesis Preparation .

Graduate Program Coordinator Sydney Miller can review your title page and abstract for accuracy before you submit the thesis. You may send these to her at  [email protected].

Required Signatures and Documentation

• Signatures:  On hard copies, the title page of both copies must have original signatures of the student, research supervisor, and co-supervisor (if applicable). Theses are accepted by the Associate Department Head, Professor Lindley Winslow , who will sign each thesis before it is submitted to the MIT Library Archives.
• Thesis defense grade sheets:  Before accepting a PhD thesis, the Academic Programs Office must have a signed thesis defense grade sheet from the research supervisor indicating a “Pass” on the thesis defense.
• Thesis letter grade:  Before accepting an SM thesis, Academic Programs must have received a letter or email from the research supervisor, assigning a final thesis grade of A, B, or C.

Finalizing and Submitting your Thesis to MIT

Departments collect the thesis documents on behalf of the MIT Thesis Library Archives and Physics graduate students will submit their thesis to Sydney Miller.  Review overall information from MIT about  thesis specifications and format .

Please see the attached doctoral title page format for Physics and send your draft of the title/cover page and abstract to Sydney for review and any necessary edits. Once these are approved, please prepare the full document, with pagination appropriate for double-sided printing.

Theses may be completed and signed on any date of the year and the degree requirements are completed when the thesis is submitted. This is the final day of student status and payroll. (International students are eligible for Optional Practical Training starting on the following day.)

MIT awards degrees at the end of each term:

• Fall Term degree is in February. (Theses due by mid-January.)
• Spring Term degree is in May. (Theses due by early-May.)
• Summer Term degree is in September. (Theses due by mid-August.)

For this term, thesis submissions are electronic files and you will submit the following to Sydney:

• A complete thesis document, without signatures
• A title page with electronic signatures from yourself, your supervisor (and co-supervisor, if required). Sydney will work with the Associate Head, Lindley Winslow , whose signature is required for the department and this will be added after you submit your document to the department/Sydney.
• A separate abstract page

Doctoral students also complete and submit the  Proquest/UMI form  (PDF), with attached title page and abstract (no signatures).

In addition to submitting your thesis to the department for the library archives, you may also  add your thesis to DSpace .

Digital Submission Guidelines

As of Spring 2020, all theses are being accepted by the MIT Libraries in  digital form only . Digital theses are submitted electronically to the Physics Department, along with a separate signed title page. Students on the degree list will receive specific guidance about submission from the Academic Programs Office.

In-person Submission Guidelines (not currently in effect, Spring 2021)

In regular semesters, MIT requires two signed original printed theses from each graduating student. Follow these guidelines for submitting a hard copy thesis to the Physics Academic Programs Office:

• provide two printed copies of the thesis, plus one additional abstract page and title page stapled together;
• be sure that both copies have original signatures and are printed on archival bond paper (check for a 25% or greater cotton watermark). MIT Bond and recyclable bond paper are not acceptable. Thesis paper and thesis printing are available at  CopyTech ;
• clip each copy of the thesis together with a temporary cardboard cover, available in the Academic Programs Office. Tape a copy of the title page to the cardboard cover to provide required information for the Archives. Do not hole-punch or staple thesis pages or covers;
• submit the completed  University Microfilms, Inc. Form  with a copy of the title page and abstract attached (PhD theses only).

Voluntary thesis e-submission system : students providing hard copies of a thesis may use the  MIT Library’s DropBox  to upload an electronic version for display in DSpace. For more information, contact  [email protected] .

General Thesis Policies

All theses are archived in the MIT Libraries. An archival fee must be paid before a student’s final candidacy for a degree can be officially approved.

After all required materials have been submitted to the Academic Programs Office, a thesis receipt will be sent by email.

Thesis Due Dates

Check the MIT Academic Calendar for official due dates for both PhD and SM theses for each semester. Official deadlines are three to four weeks before the end of a term.

In practice, departments have some leeway to accept theses later than the published official submission deadlines. In planning, expect to budget two weeks between the date of the defense and the planned date of submission to make final revisions to the thesis. Consult with Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin to determine your thesis submission timeline.

Thesis FAQs

The information on this page is applicable for both PhD and Masters (with the exception of an Oral defense) degree candidates.

How do I submit a Thesis Proposal? When is it due?

Students register for thesis research units and assemble a thesis committee in the term following passing the Oral Exam.

The first step is for the student and research supervisor to agree on a thesis topic. An initial Graduate Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet (PDF) (Master’s Degree candidates should see process in section below) must be submitted to Academic Programs by the second week of the term.

The form requires

• an initial thesis title
• the name and signature of the research supervisor
• the name of one additional reader for the thesis committee agreed upon by the student and advisor

A third reader from the MIT Physics faculty, who is not in the same research area but whose background makes him or her an appropriate departmental representative on the committee, will be assigned by the Graduate Program Faculty Coordinator. If a student has a co-supervisor (because the main supervisor is from outside the MIT Physics faculty), the thesis committee will consist of four people: research supervisor, co-supervisor, selected reader, and assigned reader.

After the student is notified of the assigned reader, he or she should convene an initial thesis committee meeting within the same term. The student should also register for 8.THG beginning in this term, and in each term thereafter. 8.THG registration should be for up to 36 units, depending on whether the student is also still taking classes and/or receiving academic credit because of a teaching assistantship. All post-qual students should routinely register for a standard total 36 units.

Master’s degree candidates should complete an SM Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet (PDF). A second reader for the Master’s degree thesis committee is assigned by the Graduate Program Faculty Coordinator. Note that there is no public defense required for an SM degree.

See the Doctoral Guidelines for additional information.

I am going to graduate soon–what do I have to do in terms of paperwork etc.?

Please reference the Registrar’s complete graduation checklist . Students should reference this list at the START of the semester prior to graduation. Your research area’s administrative office and the Physics APO will also help you manage the final stage of your degree.

How do I get on/off the Degree List?

Fill out the Degree Application through the student section of WebSIS . Petitioning to be on the degree list for a particular commencement is required. Note that it is easier to be removed from the degree list to be added, so students are encouraged to apply for the degree list if there is any reasonable chance they will complete the PhD in the coming term.

The WebSIS degree list is used to communicate information about thesis defense announcements and grade sheets, thesis formats, and completion dates, so it is important to file a degree application to be on the list in a timely way. The standard deadline for filing a degree application without being assessed a late fee is the Friday of the first week of the term in which a student anticipates graduating. Removing oneself from the degree list requires an email to Academic Programs .

When is my thesis due? Can I get an extension?

Students can defend and submit their thesis on any dates that work for their committees, but MIT confers degrees only 3 times each year: at the end of each semester. The Doctoral Thesis due dates for September, February, and May degrees can be found on the Institute’s Academic Calendar .

The department can generally grant some extensions beyond the Institute deadline. Students desiring extensions should contact the Academic Administrator, Shannon Larkin .

How do I find a room for my Thesis Defense?

Many Divisions have conference and/or seminar rooms which can be used for oral exams and defenses. These locations are recommended to keep your Thesis Defense comfortable and in familiar territory. Students who cannot book a room in their research area should contact Sydney Miller in the Physics APO to check availability of a Physics departmental conference room (often difficult to schedule due to heavy demand) or to help schedule a classroom through the Registrar’s Office.

When I submit my thesis to Physics Academic Programs, what do I need to bring?

Please refer to the Graduate Thesis Submission Guidelines .

Senior Thesis

Senior Theses must be submitted and approved by your advisor by the  last day of classes for the semester/term in which you need a grade for the thesis. Otherwise you can get a T grade until you complete it.

As a BS Physics or BS Physics & Astronomy major (not applied physics, though applied majors can do a thesis and take 498R or a capstone and take 492R), you are required to complete a senior thesis research project as part of your educational experience. You should start thinking about this experience early in your education. Here we've compiled answers to many of the questions that students ask about the senior thesis.

Why do I have to do a senior thesis?

Your work on a senior thesis is perhaps the closest thing to a "real-world" experience that you will have in college. Nobody solves textbook problems or takes exams for a living. Soon, others will judge you primarily by your creativity, initiative, and ability to obtain and communicate research results; your college grades will be superfluous. We designed the senior thesis requirement to prepare you for this new reality.

In your thesis, you will craft and define a problem (often with significant help from your advisor) which inevitably will be murky in the beginning. There will be no "answer at the back of the book" to lean on. You will have to find and explain the context for that problem, including a clear summary of the related works of others. You must justify why your research problem is worth pursuing. The research for a senior thesis will require initiative, imagination, and hard work to complete. Once completed, you will have the opportunity to develop a clear written description of your work and a coherent and concise argument for its conclusions.

You should know that the professors who made the senior thesis requirement added a significant burden to themselves by agreeing to mentor your research and edit your thesis. We are willing to do it because research and writing are essential to a successful career (even if you don't end up in physics), and they can only be mastered with practice.

How do I get started?

Read the first couple of chapters in these instructions for writing a senior thesis .  The document is formatted in the style of a senior thesis, and gives lots of good pointers for getting started on undergraduate research.

When should I start?

Get started right away. The most important first step is to get involved with a research group. Browse through the research opportunities listed on the research page and find something that interests you. Then contact the faculty member in charge of this research to see if they have space for you to join their group. Often faculty members have project ideas already thought of for you to work on. Usually there is a learning curve before you can do useful research, so you shouldn't expect to immediately start your senior thesis project. Join a group early so you can learn the ropes early in your program and have sufficient time and skills to complete a project that you find interesting.

What about an Honors thesis?

If you are working through the Honors Program, be aware that you can use the same thesis to satisfy the senior thesis requirement and the Honors thesis requirement. The research and writing process will be the same as for a regular senior thesis, but the Honors Program has a few additional requirements. Work with the Honors office to make sure you fulfill the honors requirements . You use the same formatting guidelines as the senior thesis for the Honors thesis, but you'll need to add a slightly different cover page. To fulfill the senior thesis requirement upload the thesis into the department online system. The only consideration here is that to fulfill the department requirement the honors thesis must have sufficient physics and astronomy material as determined by your advisor.

What is Phscs 498R?

You are required to take two credit hours of Phscs 498R to satisfy the senior thesis requirement. This course is the university's way of bookkeeping to make sure you finish your thesis before you graduate. There are no formal lectures or course materials for Phscs 498R (no class to attend), and you can register for the course any time during your research.  We recommend that you register for it during a semester when you are already paying full-time tuition so it won't cost you any extra money.  However, it can also be a convenient way to stay full-time without adding other classes.

To sign up for Phscs 498R please fill out this online form . For the senior thesis you may do research outside the department, but you must have a faculty member within the Department of Physics and Astronomy who will certify that there is a sufficient physics and/or astronomy content in the thesis to fulfill this requirement. You may sign-up for between 0.5-2 hours of Phscs 498R in a given semester, but you need to eventually take 2 total credits. If you need/want more credits than this for research, you can talk to your advisor about taking credits of 497R. Your 498R grade it based on your written document. You can earn a grade for research through 497R, though this is optional.

Your grade for Phscs 498R will be a "T" (which has no effect on your GPA) until you have submitted your final thesis. When you submit your final thesis a senior thesis coordinator will consult with your advisor and change the "T" to a normal letter grade reflecting your performance in the research and writing process. This is true for both Honors and Senior Theses.

How much work is involved?

This depends a lot on you, your advisor, and the project you choose. It's unrealistic to expect to complete a quality thesis in as little time as the minimum two credit hours of the 498R Senior Thesis requirement suggests. The research and writing typically take a few hundred hours (and students are often given financial support…see the student employment section). Talk in depth with your advisor to make sure you both have realistic expectations about the project.

Why so much focus on writing? This isn't English!

Good writing is foremost an exercise in clarity of thought. Everyone in physics at one time or another has experienced the frustration of being on the receiving end of a poor presentation, the natural result of insufficient attention paid to clear thought. No matter how well you understand physics and no matter how imaginative your research, if you cannot communicate your ideas clearly, they benefit no one. Good writing skills will be crucial in any career you choose. If you do not acquire them now, you will have to develop them later, most likely in an ad hoc fashion under embarrassing and unpleasant circumstances.

What is Physics 416?

Your senior thesis will probably be the most challenging writing that you do as an undergraduate. A thesis is much more involved than a final paper that you may write for other classes. The physics department has developed Physics 416 specifically to help you work through the thesis-writing process. We offer the course each Winter semester, and you need to have the research phase of your senior thesis essentially finished before you can enroll in the course. This class also fulfills the advanced writing requirement in GE, and will teach you many skills which will be directly useful in a physics career which are not covered in the general advanced writing classes.

Sometimes a student's research timetable doesn't lead to a finished result in time to allow participation in Physics 416. In these cases you can take the general advanced technical writing course through English (which is offered more frequently than Physics 416), and they will usually let you write a draft of your thesis as the final paper for the course. The following guide gives a good summary of how to write a senior thesis, which you should refer to whether taking Physics 416 or the general technical writing class:

• Instructions for writing a senior thesis

What format should I use for the written document?

The submitted PDF of your thesis will need to conform to the formatting standards illustrated by these sample documents:

• Minimal sample showing the format of a senior thesis
• Minimal sample showing the format of an honors thesis
• Thesis archive with many examples of theses

These example documents were created using the LaTeX typesetting system, and some of the instructions in the sample text are specific to that system. You may write the thesis using any software you choose, as long as you produce a correctly formatted PDF document for submission. LaTex may not be right for your thesis, but we recommend you at least take a look at the LaTex resources page to see what it is. We recommend that you discuss your choice of writing software with your advisor.

What is the deadline for submitting my thesis?

The deadline to submit your senior thesis to the department website (through the Submit a Thesis/Capstone link) and have it approved by your advisor is the last day of classes of the semester/term you need the grade in (for graduation) . You and your advisor need to be working on creating the final draft of your thesis before the last day of classes so that you can submit it and have your advisor approve it before the last day of classes. This deadline gives the coordinator enough time to review your document, possibly require you to make changes, and submit a grade before the grade submission deadline. If your senior thesis is doubling as an Honors thesis, please check with the Honors program as they have an earlier deadline.

How do I turn in my thesis?

• Complete research and be writing your thesis. The writing and revision process typically takes 40+ hours, so don't wait until the day before the final draft is due to start writing. The thesis should have gone through many revisions with your advisor before the first submission deadline.
• Create a PDF of your thesis that is less than 40 MB . A huge file size for a PDF usually comes from using raster images with very high resolution. You should use vector graphics or limit the resolution of your raster graphics to 600 dots per inch. If you don't want to limit your graphics size during the creation process, the student lab computers have Acrobat professional, which allows you to compress your PDF graphics appropriately via File -> Save As Other -> Optimized PDF...
• Before the first deadline listed above make all changes suggested by your advisor. Then upload your the latest version of the thesis using the electronic submission system .
• Work with your advisor to get them to electronically approve the thesis. Just having your thesis uploaded by the deadline is not enough. If the advisor doesn't grant their approval by the deadline, the thesis may not be considered for that semester's graduation.
• After your advisor approves your thesis, the department senior thesis coordinator will review it. You will likely receive a few corrections at this point. Make the corrections and upload the new PDF file into the electronic submission system . All changes requested by the research coordinator must be completed and approved before grades are due for that semester/term. Once again, if the approval is not completed by the deadline the thesis will not be processed for that semester's graduation.

Do I Need to Give an Oral Presentation?

A short oral presentation of your completed research project is strongly encouraged, but not required (a presentation is required for Honors theses).  For students graduating in April this requirement is most naturally satisfied by giving a 12-minute talk at the annual College Student Research Conference, usually held in March. Students can also arrange other times/locations with their faculty advisors.

Thesis Coordinators

The "Senior Thesis Coordinator" and the "Honors Coordinator" may be found on Advising .

How Will My Thesis be Graded?

You will initially receive a temporary T grade if your senior thesis is not completed during the term in which you registered for credit. Note that T grades do not count towards graduation (or to your GPA)! A letter grade, determined by the Thesis Coordinator in consultation with your project advisor/mentor, will only be assigned after the senior thesis is submitted in the Thesis/Capstone system and both the advisor and coordinator have reviewed it. A letter grade is required for graduation. The grading scale used to evaluate your senior thesis is as follows:

A-, A The student has completed a quality thesis.  The advisor is primarily responsible for deciding whether the thesis should receive this grade, although the Undergraduate Research Coordinator must agree. The thesis reflects on the advisor's reputation. It should be something that the advisor would be proud to show to an external reviewer.

B-, B, B+ The student has produced a significant written report on his or her research that falls short of a quality thesis. (A written report does not preclude the possibility of a lower grade if the quality of the research and/or writing is poor.) This grade range indicates a completed thesis that follows appropriate formatting guidelines, but is not a thesis the advisor feels should be considered a quality thesis.

C-, C, C+  The student has documented his or her research but failed to produce a thesis. This range of grade is justified for students who, for example, participate in the Spring Research Conference and who produce meaningful (and reasonably extensive) technical notes to be passed on to other students who continue the work.

D-, D, D+ The student has been involved in meaningful research, appropriate for the number of credit hours (i.e. 15 x 6 hrs = 90 hrs for 2 credits). However, the student has failed to produce a written report.

Your advisor and thesis coordinator will be using the following criteria in determining your grade.

• Conceptual understanding and explanations of the physics in the research topic is at the senior level of coursework
• Understanding and correct use of mathematical descriptions of the physics in the research topic is at the senior level of coursework.
• Good design of experimental, computational and/or theoretical approach
• Experimental, computational and/or theoretical skills appropriate for the research are demonstrated.
• Work was continued until a meaningful result was achieved
• Statistical significance of results is treated correctly.
• Significance of project is not exaggerated, and is demonstrated by its relation to previous work.
• Writing: clear and concise
• Writing: correct grammar, spelling
• Writing: appropriate style and tone
• Writing: credit and references given for work of others
• Graphics are clear and appropriate

Can I Get a Bound Copy of My Thesis?

You can purchase a bound printed copy of your thesis if you want one for your personal collection, but this is not required. If you want a bound copy of the thesis, go to  printandmail.byu.edu/gradWorks/ to submit a .pdf of your thesis and order it for printing.  That web site will give you an estimate of the cost before you order.

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• Careers in Physics and Astronomy

Relating Flows and Currents in Auroral Arcs Joshua Gutow Advisor: Kristina Lynch

A Luminosity Function for Field Ultra-diffuse Galaxies Joshua Perlmutter Advisor: R yan Hickox

An Analysis of Optical Polarization Angle Variations in Blazar Jets Tara Sweeney Advisor: Jedidah Isler

Modeling Astrospheres of Cool Main-sequence Stars According to Observable Stellar Parameters Gregory Mark Szypko Advisor: Hans Mueller

Tara E. Gallagher Fabrication and Characterization of Graphene Devices Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan  

Adam Burnett Senior Thesis: Testing Theories of Aural Radio Emissions With Direction-of-Arrival Measurements Advisor: James LaBelle

Krishan Canzius Senior Thesis: Entanglement Metrcis in Quantum Spin Chains Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Emily Golitzin Senior Thesis: Follow-up on a Swift/BAT Detected Seyfert II: Gas Ionization, Kinematics and the Spectral Energy Distribution of SWIFT J0446.4 + 1828 Advisor: Ryan Hickox

Raphael Hviding Senior Thesis: Understanding the Galactic Scale Effect of AGN with Fabry-Perot Spectroscopy from SALT Advisor: Ryan Hickox

Alana Juric Senior Thesis: Studying the Space Weather of Exoplanets in Binary Star Systems Advisor: Hans Mueller

Chenguant Li Senior Thesis: Memory Reactivation in Neural Networks Advisor: Alex Rimberg

Katherine Mentzer Senior Thesis: Extracting Density-Density Correlations From Quantum Degenerate Gases Advisor: Kevin Wright

Saba Nejad Senior Thesis: Does Gravity Enforce Macrorealism Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Andrew Sun Senior Thesis: Time-Dependent Simulation of Neutral Helium in the Heliosphere Advisor: Hans Mueller

Douglas Tallmadge Senior Thesis: Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion as an Undergraduate Laboratory Advisor: Robyn Millan

William Tremml Senior Thesis: Methods of Approximating Divergence-Free Vector Fields for Ionospheric Data Advisor: Kristina Lynch

Kent Ueno Senior Thesis: Entanglement Spectra of Engineered NMR Spin Hamiltonians Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Erik Weis Senior Thesis: Benchmarking Quantum Computers Using Electronic Structure Algorithms Advisor: James Whitfield

Anne Woronecki Senior Thesis: Optical Trapping and Transportation of an Ultracold Cloud Using a Focus Tunable Lens Advisor: Kevin Wright

Samuel Greydanus Senior Thesis: Approximating Matrix Product States with Machine Learning Advisor: James Whitfield

Margaret Lane Senior Thesis: X-Ray Spectral Modeling of Obscured AGN with Torus Models and Comparison to Mid-IR Emission Advisor: R yan Hickox

Jack Neustadt​ Senior Thesis: Optical Observations of Galactic Supernova Remnants Advisor: R obert Fesen

Lucas Bezerra​ Senior Thesis: Fast Wavefront Characterization of Optical Traps for Quantum Gases Advisor: Kevin Wright

Pawan Dhakal​ Senior Thesis: High Precision Helium Spectroscopy and Quantum Gravity Effects Advisor: R oberto Onofrio

Oscar Friedman​ Senior Thesis: Time Evolution of the Wigner Flow Function Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Muhammad Kiani​ Senior Thesis: Fabrication and Characterization of Graphene Devices Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Luis Martinez​ Senior Thesis: Bubbles in My Scalar Field Soup: A Study on Oscillons in Cosmology Advisor: M ercelo Gleiser

Jonathan Vandermause​ Senior Thesis: Characterization and Control of Nuclear Spin Systems Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Kathryn Waychoff​ Senior Thesis: Zonal Wind Variability of the Jovian Planets Advisor: Robyn Millan

William Athol Senior Thesis: Design and Validation of a Zero Field and Low Field EDMR System Advisor: Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Matthew Digman Senior Thesis: Gravitational Anomaly in Anistropic Spacetimes Advisor: Robert Caldwell

Nina Maksimova Senior Thesis: Testing Alternatives to the Standard Cosmological Model using the Cosmic Microwave Background Advisor: Robert Caldwell

Laurel Anderson Senior Thesis:  Experimental Control of Spin Chain Dynamics Advisor:  Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Todd Anderson Senior Thesis:  Orbital Dynamics Model of a CubeSat Swarm Under Aerodynamic Torque in LEO Advisor:  Kristina Lynch

Spencer Diamond Senior Thesis:  Plasma Etch Characterization for Use in Cavity Optomechancis Experiment Advisor:  Alex Rimberg

Peter Horak Senior Thesis:  Attitude Estimation for Rocket-Borne Sensorcraft Advisor:  Kristina Lynch

Sarah Pasternak Senior Thesis:  Design and Early Verification of an Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance (EDMR) System Advisor:  Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Nathan Utterback Senior Thesis:  Kinematic Modeling and Analysis of the Galactic Supernova Remnant 3C58 (G130.7 + 3.1) Advisor:  R obert Fesen

Benjamin Katz Senior Thesis: Special-Relativistic Effects of a Microscale Oscillator on a Macroscopic Quantum State Advisor:  Miles Blencowe

Alexander Meill Senior Thesis: Implementing Measurement-Based Quantum Computing in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Advisor:  Chandrasekhar Ramanathan

Michael Chilcote Senior Thesis: Numerical and Experimental Investigations of Ionospheric Sounding Using AM Radio Advisor: James LaBelle

Aryeh Drager Senior Thesis: Using Multimedia Pre-Lecture Assignments to Improve the Introductory Physics Experience Advisor: Robyn Millan

Emily DeBaun Senior Thesis: Nonlinear Dynamics of a Biological Cell in a Uniform Electric Field Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Nicholas Knezek Senior Thesis: An Analysis of Energetic Oxygen Interaction with Europe in the Jovian Magnetosphere Advisor: Robyn Millan

Amanda Slagle Senior Thesis: Vector Field Mapping and Analysis Using Finite Sensor Swarms Advisor: Kristina Lynch

Dhrubo Jyoti Senior Thesis: Numerical Explorations of Dipolarly-Coupled Chaotic Quantum Spin Systems Advisor: Lorenza Viola

John Roland Senior Thesis: Fabrication of Nano-Mechanical Resonators for the Study of the Quantum to Classical Transition Advisor: Alex Rimberg

Julianna Scheiman Senior Thesis: The Feasibility of Using POES Satellite Data and Ground-Based Riometer Data to Examine Relativistic Electron Events Advisor: Robyn Millan

Ian Boneysteele Senior Thesis: Delta Pion Channels Advisor: Timothy Smith

Laura DeLorenzo Senior Thesis: The Non-Linear Dynamics of a DC Voltage Biased Microwave Cavity With An Embedded Josephson Junction Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Ian Hayes Senior Thesis: Microwave Resonators for the Study Of the Quantum-To-Classical Transition Advisor: Alex Rimberg

Umair Siddiqui Senior Thesis: Design, Calibration and Use of a Collimated Electron Source for Plasma Sheath Studies Advisor: Kristina Lynch

Evan W. Brand Senior Thesis: Dynamics of an Oscillating Classical Heisenberg Spin Chain Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Benjamin Chapman Senior Thesis: Nonlinear Effects in Oscillator Chains Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Matthew Schenker Senior Thesis: VLBI Mapping of H2O Megamasers in MRK 1419 Advisor: John Thorstensen

Wendell Smith Senior Thesis: The Entangled Twin Paradox Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Steven J. Weber Senior Thesis: Radio Frequency Quantum Point Contacts With On-Chip Inductors Advisor: Alex Rimberg

Phillip Bracikowski Senior Thesis: Study of Mesospheric Dust Advisor: Kristina Lynch

Alexander Crew Senior Thesis: Data Analysis of Magnetic Fields from the ROPA Sounding Rocket Advisor: Kristina Lynch

Parker Fagrelius Senior Thesis: Understanding Quantum Mechanics: Entangling our Reality Advisor: Marcelo Gleiser

Brendan Huang Senior Thesis: Investigation of Microscopic Photon and Phonon Non-Demolition Schemes Advisor: Miles Blencowe

Leon Maurer Senior Thesis: Low Temperature Coulomb Blockade Advisor: Alex Rimberg

Bennet Meyers Senior Thesis: Bremsstrahlung X-Rays Produced in Lightning Stroke Events Advisor: Robyn Millan

David Strauss Senior Thesis: VLF Propagation Study at 24kHz Advisor: James Labelle

Karl Yando Senior Thesis: Monte Carlo Simulation of the NOAH POES Particle Detector Module and Analysis of Relativistic Electron Fluxes Advisor: Robyn Millan

Jordan Zastrow Senior Thesis: An Optical Study of the Circumstellar Medium in Cassiopeia A Advisor: Robert Fesen

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80+ Science Research Paper Topics Ideas For Students

Essay writing or writing dissertation is an integral part of education at any level, middle school, high school, or college. Some of the most common essays are on science research topics, and they are also quite interesting. However, choosing research paper topics isn’t as straightforward as you’d like. You’ll need to carry out a survey on and draw inspiration from several scientific research topics before finally choosing one. Choosing science topics, especially if they are argumentative essay topics , to write about can be a frustrating task, especially when science is a pretty wide subject. If you need inspiration on interesting science topics, we’ll give you some science research paper ideas. But, first, let’s talk about how to choose the best science research paper topics – it makes things easier.

What Are Some Science Topics You Can Write About?

Interesting science research topics, ideas of science research topics for high school students, science research topics for college students, science research topics for middle school, scientific research question examples, science presentation ideas, cool science topics to research, ideas of scientific topics for research on nanotechnology, fascinating ideas for science research projects, interesting science topics for high school research papers, tips for choosing science research topics.

Being a very broad subject, students often find choosing a science topic for a research paper difficult. However, the secret is knowing what scientific research questions will make for a good paper, and what people will want to read. So, when choosing science topics for papers, here are tips you can follow to make the task easier.

• Choose cool science topics you’re interested in and that’ll interest your readers.
• Search online for research question examples science for ideas on what your paper should be about.
• Avoid choosing too-broad research topics for high school, to ensure your work is well detailed.
• Consider contemporary scientific research questions concerning recent happenings; they can be fun to write
• Read your notes and online academic papers for inspiration on good science research paper topics.
• Choose simple but highly informative research topics for high school students.
• Choose good science topics you have some knowledge of and can confidently talk about.
• Learn how to choose science topics for high school to make things easier.
• Be familiar with the dos and don’ts of choosing scientific research paper topics.
• Choose a scientific topic for research papers that has enough accessible information.

The Dos and Don’ts of Choosing Science Topics

Knowing the dos and don’ts of choosing a science title helps you select a good topic and ultimately write an outstanding paper. So, when searching for science topics for presentations,

• Do understand that there are different topics in science you can research on;
• Do read extensively for science research paper ideas; it helps you know what to write about;
• Don’t include words like “Research of” or “Study of” in your chosen science topics to research;
• Don’t choose high school science research paper topics with scanty or inaccessible information available;
• Do check online for interesting science research ideas on how to write your paper;
• Feel free to ask your instructor, colleagues, or seniors for scientific research ideas.

When searching for interesting science topics or social media research topics related to science to writing on, you will find different ones on different subjects, which can be confusing. You can follow the tips we listed for choosing science-related topics for a research paper. Meanwhile, here are some science paper topics you can use if none is forthcoming.

• Is there a move for the Covid-19 vaccine?
• What “flattening the curve” means
• Molecular evidence of humans interbreeding with Neanderthals
• Impact of cardio exercise on heart health
• The importance of exploring the solar system
• Can a comet strike the earth?
• The Hubble Space Telescope
• Top ten chemistry careers
• Acid rain effect aquatic plants’ growth
• Room color and human behavior
• How can plants grow in pots?
• Water’s surface tension weight capacity
• What does the paleo diet mean?
• Is Pluto still a planet?
• The future of commercial space flight
• Do you inherit fingerprint patterns?
• Ways in which handwashing prevents the spread of the Covid-19 virus
• Molecular biological research on rare genetic disorders impact on understanding cancer
• Do men pass on genetic abnormalities to their posterity as they age?
• How can men’s exercise affect the traits they pass on to their children?
• Is there really life on Mars; has there ever been?
• Ways of solving the problem of junk space
• The importance of Dark Matter
• Black holes
• Different ways to keep ice from defrosting
• Are pet hairs harmful to the human body?
• Some of the germs you’ve seen in your school
• The effect of music on your assimilation ability
• The types of food dogs prefer the best
• Good hygienic practices for keeping clean
• Foods that develop molds the fastest
• How different body parts aid the effective functioning of the system
• Do worms in the soil really affect plant growth and how?
• Can light brightness make plants grow well?
• What kinds of fertilizers work best, chemical or natural?
• Can mice (or any animal of your choice) learn?
• How can age affect the human reaction?
• Why does water boil faster when put in salt?
• Can food affect the heart, how?
• Can background noise interfere with learning and assimilation?
• Can Higgs Boson destroy the universe?
• Effects of sunspots on man
• Should humans live in space?
• The most important technological innovations in medicinal chemistry in recent years
• The danger of chemicals emitted from pharmaceutical companies
• The importance of big data and bioinformatics to chemical research
• The sugar chemistry behind making candy
• Biomacromolecules
• Trends in India’s medicinal chemistry research
• Nuclear fusion
• Reproduction in mammals
• How do fish mate?
• How useful are science museums in teaching science?
• Why do birds have beautiful feathers?
• The safety of offshore drilling
• The importance of climate change legislation
• Hydraulic fracking’s negative effects
• Uses of microelectronics
• Nanotechnology in medicine
• Nanotechnology for cancer treatment
• Can nanofibers repair brain injuries?
• Effect of nanomedicine on human lifespan
• Nanomaterial
• How nanotechnology helps in patient diagnosis
• How to reduce antibiotic use in agriculture
• The ethics of stem cell research
• The best leukemia treatment
• Gene therapy
• Causes of skin cancer
• Colonoscopy testing on colon cancer
• Why eliminating malaria is difficult
• The possibility of predicting the next pandemic
• Do childhood vaccines prevent diseases?
• How cells shield the body against diseases
• Should wild animals interact with humans?
• Are self-driving cars good?
• Regulating sugar use
• Different types of headaches
• Can migraine cause death?
• The ideal weight for living long

Feel free to choose from this scientific research topics list for your science research paper. There are many things to research where science is concerned, including stem research topics , among others. There is no shortage of scientific topics to research and choosing the best one gets easy when you know how to. If you’ve chosen a topic and you need help writing on them, you can contact our professional writing service. We have a team of experts who can write on any science topic and ensure you meet your deadline.

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Undergraduate research projects by year, including Honors Theses, Independent Study courses, and other Undergraduate Projects.

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