The wise and witty guide to researching and writing a thesis, by the
bestselling author of The Name of the Rose--now published in English
for the first time.
Learn the art of the thesis from a giant of Italian literature and
philosophy--from choosing a topic to organizing a work schedule to
writing the final draft.
By the time Umberto Eco published his best-selling novel The Name of
the Rose, he was one of Italy's most celebrated intellectuals, a
distinguished academic, and the author of influential works on
semiotics. Some years before that, Eco published a little book for his
students, in which he offered useful advice on all the steps involved in
researching and writing a thesis. Since then, it has been translated
into 17 languages--and is now for the first time presented in English.
Eco's approach is anything but dry and academic. He not only offers
practical advice but also considers larger questions about the value of
the thesis-writing exercise in six different parts:
- The Definition and Purpose of a Thesis
- Choosing the Topic
- Conducting the Research
- The Work Plan and the Index Cards
- Writing the Thesis
- The Final Draft
Eco advises students how to avoid "thesis neurosis" and he answers the
important question "Must You Read Books?" He reminds students "You are
not Proust" and "Write everything that comes into your head, but only in
the first draft." Of course, there was no Internet in 1977, but Eco's
index card research system offers important lessons about critical
thinking and information curating for students of today who may be
burdened by Big Data.
Irreverent and often hilarious, How to Write a Thesis is unlike any
other writing manual and belongs on the bookshelves of students,
teachers, writers, and Eco fans everywhere.
