how to list honors thesis on resume

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Use these honors and awards resume examples to land your next job

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What’s the honors and awards section of your resume?

3 reasons to list honors and awards on your resume

3 types of awards to put on your resume, where to put honors and awards on a resume, 5 tips for adding honors and awards to your resume, 4 examples of awards and achievements on a resume, land your next big role.

An effective resume needs more than an education and experience section. To stand out from the competition, you must show hiring managers your history of excellent performance.

But creating an eye-catching resume isn’t an easy process. And attracting attention is challenging when other job seekers often hold similar education and work experience. 

When you’re brainstorming things to put on a resume, don’t rule out non-traditional additions. If you performed well in school or a previous role, consider leveraging your achievements in the job application process. It’s a great way to show a track record of success and hard work when you don’t have a lot of professional experience to fall back on.

Whether you’re a recent college graduate looking to land your first role or a seasoned professional navigating a career change, don’t shy away from celebrating your accomplishments. Let’s explore how to integrate these milestones in your application package and honors and awards resume examples for inspiration.

What’s the honors and awards section of your resume? 

The honors and awards section is a resume component designated for past successes. Here, you can list achievements that pertain to the job description of the role you’re applying for. This might include your college GPA, an industry award, or a scholarship you received for higher education.

Past successes show recruiters how well you perform academically and professionally. If you’re a recent graduate, proof of your academic excellence can compensate for your lack of experience and prove you’re a top contender for the role.

Being selected for a job interview for a competitive role can be difficult, whether the position is entry-level, junior, or senior. Here’s why listing honors and awards on an academic resume is beneficial for any role:

Make your resume stand out

Many job seekers only list their responsibilities during their past roles and forget to show proof of their achievements. Don’t save discussing your accomplishments for the job interview — instead, use your awards and achievements to demonstrate your ability to excel.

Compensate for a lack of experience

If you’re a recent graduate with limited work history or have career gaps , listing school awards and academic achievements can compensate for your lack of experience. Achievements show recruiters that despite any holes in your resume, others have commended you for your skills and knowledge.

Highlight your value

Although the previous job titles and education highlight your qualifications, achievements demonstrate your soft skills . Accreditation given by others validates the strengths of your basic professional skillset in any role and highlights your value to potential employers.

The type of awards you should include on your resume depends on the role you’re applying for. If you’re tossing your hat in the ring for a management position, you want to list awards that display your leadership and communication skills . If you’re applying for a technical assistant job, you should choose achievements that illustrate your industry-specific knowledge and capabilities.

Here are three types of awards and examples of each you can adapt for your resume:

Academic honors

Academic awards display your commitment and the quality of your work. They illustrate your ambition to surpass what’s required and compete with the best of your peers. They may include:

High school honor society

SAT exam results

Scholarships

Dean’s list

Departmental awards

Fellowships

Grants 

Degree-specific honors

Cum laude distinctions 

Professional honors

Professional honors range from internal company awards to industry-wide achievements. These awards show you’re an asset in a work environment and the industry at large. Professional awards may include:

Employee of the month awards

Leadership awards

Industry awards

Association awards

Acknowledgment in a trade publication

Military honors

You may have received awards for leadership and dedication if you’ve worked for the military. Although your service may feel unrelated to the position you’re applying for, you’ve likely gained transferable skills that will impress a hiring manager. Possible honors include:

Personal decorations

Military academy awards

Service awards

When determining the placement of awards and achievements on your resume, consider what you’d like to accomplish. If the section includes widely recognized achievements you want to put a spotlight on, consider placing it near the top of your resume, before work experience. If the section is small or niche, you may choose to put it toward the bottom of the page.

Aside from the location, you can list accomplishments on your resume in two ways:

Creating a separate honors and awards section: Use a separate awards section on your resume if you have three or more notable distinctions. A specific section for achievements calls attention to your performance and gives you space to list awards that fall outside the scope of your education or previous jobs, such as community or volunteer distinctions. 

Distributing honors and awards across your resume: If you have less than three distinctions, you may decide to mix the awards among relevant experiences. For example, if an award relates to an educational experience, you can list the achievement under the institution in the “Education” section of your resume. 

Take additional steps to make each distinction more informative to the recruiter. Use these five pointers to make your honors and awards sound impressive and credible when building your resume:

1. Mention the purpose of the award

Describing the purpose of the award adds context for those who are unfamiliar with the distinction. It also emphasizes the specific attributes that contributed to you earning the award. 

For example: “Earned Excellence in Engineering Award 2020 for leading a team of four engineers in developing the best-performing robot.” 

This description states the name of the award and spells out the skills in leadership and engineering skills that earned the prize. 

2. Only choose the most significant awards

More isn’t always better. Mentioning minor awards can detract from the importance of your significant ones. When determining which honors you should list, consider whether they pertain to the particular role you’re applying for by displaying relevant skills . 

If you’re unsure of the significance of your awards, you can distribute them throughout your resume instead of placing them in their own section. 

3. Include the date the distinction was granted

You should always add the date you earned an award or achievement. The date makes the award appear relevant and shows employers that your skillset is up-to-date.

4. Use measured achievements

Quantified achievements impress hiring managers. When possible, clarify the value and time frame of your accomplishment. 

For example: “Increased company sales by 10% in 6 months.” 

Numbers make achievements easier to visualize and your claims more credible. 

5. Show your consistency

Showing that you’re a consistent high-performer is imperative on a professional resume. Awards that are time sensitive, such as repeated “Employee of the Month” distinctions or appearances on the Dean’s list, show you’re persistent. 

On the other hand, if you’ve only received these distinctions once or twice, they may make your performance appear inconsistent. Make sure to include awards that prove your ability to do well long-term. 

Adding honors to your resume doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. Use the following examples as inspiration when creating your next resume :

Example 1: awards section

Write out each distinction in an ordered list under a separate awards section. To make the honors a focal point of your resume, use concise bullet points.

How to format awards 

• Excellence in Leadership Award 2022 from XYZ organization
• Top Sales Award 2020 at XYZ company 
• Employee of the Month Award at XYZ company, January 2018 

Example 2: awards and achievements combined

To draw attention to both your awards and quantifiable achievements, create a section for both. Use a similar format for each bullet point so the section remains visually cohesive and easy to read. 

How to format awards and achievements

• Drove a 20% increase in sales revenue in 12 months at XYZ company
• Best Resolution Award, Model United Nations, 2018
• Dean’s list and GPA 4.0, Harvard University, 2017

Example 3: education with awards

If you have less than three achievements and adequate work experience, it’s reasonable to list awards within your “Education” section. Including your college awards and honor examples on your resume with your credentials communicates your expertise and education all at once.

How to format awards with education:

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA — Bachelor of Arts, Classics

GPA 3.7, Dean’s List

Example 4: awards with experience

Similar to the education example, you can list awards and achievements in your job experience section. This saves space when you have a lot of work experience.

How to format awards with experience

Sales Associate at XYZ company

Employee of the Month January, February, and March 2020

Building a great resume takes time. Most hiring managers decide whether or not a resume makes it to the next round quickly, so you need to make a solid first impression . 

In competitive job markets, listing examples of honors and awards on your resume is a simple but effective way to stand out from the crowd. Remember to weigh the significance of your achievements and only include those relevant to the role you’re applying for. With a concise and competitive list, you’ll be fielding interview requests in no time.

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Allaya Cooks-Campbell

With over 15 years of content experience, Allaya Cooks Campbell has written for outlets such as ScaryMommy, HRzone, and HuffPost. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and is a certified yoga instructor as well as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. Allaya is passionate about whole-person wellness, yoga, and mental health.

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How to Put Your Thesis on a Resume

In This Guide:

When it's appropriate to feature your thesis in a resume

A template and example on how to feature a thesis on your resume

Tips to list your thesis on your resume.

A thesis is a statement that explains the general point of a project. Typically, this statement gives the reader a clear idea of the primary points so they can have more context when working through the information to follow. It may also offer a definitive hypothesis, statement, or personal perspective.

The thesis also refers to an academic project that a doctoral candidate completes in pursuit of their professional qualification. We’ll focus on that usage today, looking at how to add this project to a resume.

In this article, you’ll learn

• When it’s appropriate to add a thesis to a resume
• Tips on adding your thesis to a resume
• Key takeaways

When it's appropriate to feature your thesis in a resume

Here are a few instances when you should add your thesis to your resume.

When applying for another degree

Thesis work looks good when you’re applying for other programs. It shows that you’re familiar with academic coursework and have completed significant challenges in your field.

When it’s relevant to the position

A thesis shows that you’ve earned specialized knowledge. When that knowledge pertains to a certain position, the employer must know that. Even if the relevance is a slight stretch, it’s still worth citing on your resume.

When you want to show transferable skills

Gaining a thesis requires refined skills. Those skills are likely transferable . Isolate those skills and think of ways they could apply to your intended position. If the skills relate directly, that’s a great reason to add the thesis to your resume.

Let’s see how you could add your thesis to a resume . It might be challenging to figure out where you should add the information. The following examples should give you some perspective.

Example of a thesis on a resume

Here’s an example of how to cite your thesis under “relevant experience.”

Doctoral Thesis

March 2019 - january 2020.

Produced an accepted thesis on the function of microorganisms in the onset of heart disease. Worked closely with University faculty to achieve insights that have since saved lives. Utilized intense research, communication, and organizational skills to complete the project.

A few concise sentences about impact, structure, and the effort required will help display the work you’ve done.

A thesis on resume template

You could cite your thesis in numerous places in your resume. However, it’s smart to find one place and stick to it.

In a template , you might find space for your thesis under “work experience,” “professional experiences,” “education,” or somewhere in an introduction.

Here are a few things you could note in your description of the thesis.

Make sure to mention your GPA

Your GPA holds a lot of weight. Noting that you could finish a thesis and maintain a solid GPA is smart. You can also note any grading that came from your thesis work, specifically.

List relevant research projects

Cite particular research projects that occurred within your thesis work. These will all highlight different skills or unique knowledge that you have.

A key thing to remember is that you can apply skills gained while earning your thesis. You can also use your thesis in numerous areas of the resume.

Understanding how to add a thesis to your resume intelligently can help you stand out and utilize the skills you gained through your doctoral process.

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How To List Honors On Your Resume

Adding honors to your resume helps job seekers make an impression. It shows transferable skills. Here’s how to do that with a few examples to get started

2 years ago   •   6 min read

The job hunt is hard. It’s even harder to stand out from other equally qualified applicants. One easy way to boost your job search is by listing honors on your resume.

Should you list honors on your resume?

Yes! If you're a recent graduate, academic honors absolutely belong on your resume. Including honors on your resume allows you to:

• Demonstrate your work ethic and commitment
• Illustrate that you turn in high quality work and get results
• Provide evidence of your achievements and academic qualifications
• Customize your resume for a specific job
• Stand out from a sea of other applicants with similar qualifications and experience

And the best news is, it only takes a few minutes. Here's how!

How to put honors on your resume

• Brainstorm all of your honors and activities. These can be extracurricular or part of your degree program.
• Scan the job description to see if you have any obvious matches. For example, if you're applying for a job as an accountant, definitely include your position as a society treasurer.
• Also include any particularly prestigious honors or awards (scroll down for help choosing the best ones).
• List your most relevant and/or impressive honors first. Aim to include 1-5 honors in total.
• Add as much information as necessary, including the name of the honor, where you got it from, and when.

We'll take a look at some examples of how to list honors on your resume later, but first, here's a short list of the honors that do — and don't — belong on your resume.

What Honors Should You Include On Your Resume?

There are a lot of honors that might go on a resume. Some of these honors include degree honors, cumulative GPA, and awards.

To make it simple, let’s break them down into two groups: Honors that always have relevance, and honors that you can leave off as time goes on.

Honors to include on your resume

Honors that always have relevance on a resume are the ones that can help you land a job. These can help you stand out or form a connection with the hiring manager.

The following have always have a place on your resume:

• Standing w ithin a n o rganization ( e.g. President, Vice President)
• Academic fraternities and Greek s ocieties (e.g. Phi Beta Kappa)
• Latin h onors ( e.g. c um laude , m agna cum laude, summa cum laude )
• Professional honors and work-related awards

These are all prestigious honors that will stand the test of time and can stay on your resume, especially if they only take up a line or two.

Honors to exclude from your resume

In general, more common or less prestigious honors have less of a place on your resume. If you're just starting out in your career, you can include more of these than usual, but once you have a little more experience under your belt, you can safely start removing them.

You should eventually remove honors like:

• Club membership (including membership in campus, national, international, or community service organizations)
• High c umulative GPA (3.5 or above)
• Honor Roll Distinctions (e.g. Dean's List)
• Academic awards and prizes

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. When deciding what to include, ask yourself, how relevant is this to my field, my current experience, and the job I’m applying for?

Where to put honors on a resume (with examples)

You can choose to list honors in a few different places on your resume:

• In the education section
• In a separate awards section
• In your work experience section
• In an additional information section

Below, we've included resume examples for you to follow and tips on the best place for different types of honors.

How to list honors in your education section

The education section of your resume is the best place for academic honors and cumulative GPA. You can list these below your degree and major, along with extracurricular activities, study abroad, and relevant coursework.

When: If you're a current student or recent graduate with a longer than usual education section.

How: Having issues with formatting? Here's a great guide from Purdue Owl on how to format honors on your resume .

Here's a text-based example for you to copy and paste:

EDUCATION Resume Worded University     January 2012 Master of Engineering • Awards: Resume Worded Teaching Fellow (only 5 awarded to class), Dean's List 2012 (Top 10%)

Listing honors in a separate awards section

If you have a lot of honors or awards, you might be best served by creating a separate resume section to list them.

When: If you want to shine a spotlight on any particularly impressive honors.

How: Create a separate 'Awards' section underneath your work experience. List the name and date of the award as well as any other pertinent information.

Highlighting honors in your work experience

Hiring managers care most about your work experience, which means that anything you definitely want them to notice should go in that section.

When: If you have work-related honors or awards.

How: Include it as a separate bullet point underneath your employer and job title.

Briefly listing honors in an additional information section

Want to keep honors on your resume without taking up a lot of space? Consider moving older awards to an additional section at the bottom of your resume.

When: If you have older honors you still want to include on your resume.

How: Include honors or awards on a single line with an 'Awards' subheading.

When to include (and remove) honors on your resume

A resume serves as a snapshot of your strengths and experiences for prospective employers. In your resume, always include any information that is relevant to the job and your experience. This includes putting honors on your resume. However, just like any other piece of information on your resume, it is all about placement and relevance.

The 15 year rule

It is often recommended to only include the last 15 years of employment history or jobs relevant to the prospective job on your resume. The same goes for including honors. Some honors always hold relevance in the job search. On the other hand, you might need to leave others off.

A good way to find out if you have listed honors relevant to the job or if you need to leave them off, is to upload your resume to the tool below - it’ll scan it and let you know what you need to add or remove from your resume and give you suggestions on how to improve other aspects of your resume.

What If I Have Limited Job Experience?

When developing your resume, you might run into the problem of having limited job experience . If this is the case, consider beefing up the extracurriculars and honors section of your resume. Often, these skills are transferable to jobs and emphasize your abilities.

In this scenario, adding in an extracurriculars or honors section to your resume is beneficial. Start by listing out any organizations you belong to or volunteer experience you have. Then, much like you would with jobs, list your responsibilities. Write each blurb in an active voice to make yourself stand out.

If you have limited work experience, you should aim to show transferable skills and hard skills relevant to the job you’re applying for — use the skills search tool below to search for the right skills.

Key takeaways

Don't get discouraged. Job hunting is tough, especially when you're just starting out. Sometimes, all you need is a few small tweaks to your resume — not a complete overhaul.

Including honors on your resume helps you to stand out. Relevant or prestigious honors can catch a hiring manager’s eye and help you make an impression.  

Remove honors from your resume over time. What's relevant as a recent graduate will become less important once you have a few years of experience. Hiring managers will always care more about work-based accomplishments than educational honors.

Get feedback on your resume. A quick way to do that is to run your resume through our free assessment tool, Score My Resume. It scans your resume and gives you immediate feedback on how to improve it.

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Honors and Awards Section on the resume

Make your honors and accomplishments really stand out with a well-written resume awards section. Understand which awards you should include and the best ways to include them.

Certified Professional Resume Writer

When  looking for a first job , many students find that their resume gets lost in a pile and barely gets considered. Especially when there are countless other applicants with similar qualifications and skills.

Listing  honors and awards on your resume  can give you the edge you need to reach the interview stage and beyond.

In the following guide you’ll find out:

• Where awards should go on a resume
• How to include them
• Which awards you should list
• Tips for including them on your resume

There are also resume awards section examples and our  easy-to-use resume builder  to help you  create your own honors section in minutes .

Why Include Honors and Awards on a Resume

If you have the space on your resume and the achievements are relevant to your professional profile and the job offer, then it’s  recommended to list your accomplishments .

That includes any awards and honors.

To understand the importance of  adding awards to a resume , it’s key to remember that hiring managers receive dozens if not hundreds of resumes for potentially just one vacancy. This means the  successful candidate needs to find a way of making their resume stand out!

Here are some specific reasons your award section can help you do just that:

• Demonstrates excellence : Awards and honors showcase your achievements and demonstrate excellence in your field, reinforcing your qualifications.
• Sets you apart : They help differentiate you from other candidates by highlighting unique accomplishments that not everyone might have.
• Shows initiative : Certain awards, like those requiring a significant personal initiative or leadership, can highlight these sought-after leadership qualities.
• Highlights your relevant skills:  Awards can underscore skills relevant to the job you’re applying for, making you a stronger candidate.
• Indicates recognition : They indicate peer or industry recognition, suggesting that your work is respected and valued by others in your field.

Don’t hold back if you have various awards in a certain field, or you’ve achieved something special in a previously-held position similar to the vacancy. Humility has littleplace on your resume!

What Are the Best Awards to Put on a Resume?

When considering what awards to add to your resume, it’s essential to  focus on recognitions that highlight your skills , experiences, and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Here are a few types of awards that can help enhance your resume:

• Industry-specific : These are awards that are specific to your field of work or study. For instance, a “Salesperson of the Year” award would be highly relevant when applying for a sales role.
• Academic : Plenty of college awards on a resume look great and can illustrate your dedication and commitment to your field of study.
• Leadership : Any recognition for leadership, such as “Employee of the Month” showcases your ability to lead a team, which is a valuable trait in many roles.
• Community Service : Awards that showcase your commitment to the community and can be particularly relevant for roles in the non-profit sector or roles that value community engagement.
• Creative : If you are in a creative field, awards from competitions, festivals, or shows can illustrate your creative abilities.

A major key to listing awards on a resume is  the relevance to the position . Always align your awards with the requirements of the job you are applying for to demonstrate your suitability and stand out as a candidate.

Additionally, provide context for each award to highlight why it’s significant and how it  showcases your potential value  to the prospective employer.

Different Awards You Can List

You may have been recognized at one time or another during your college or even high school career, and now you’re wondering “Should I put National Honor Society on my resume?”, or if your other academic achievements are worth mentioning.

Here is a list of  common awards  that you can place on your resume  if you have them :

• Magna Cum Laude
• Honor Society
• Dean’s List
• Presidential Volunteer Service Award

If you have any of these awards or even  a certificate  relevant to the job you plan on applying for  don’t hesitate to include them  to your resume.

How to Write Honors and Awards on Your Resume

If you’ve decided that an honors and awards section will add value to your resume, you should  create a separate resume section  to make your accomplishments stand out.

If you have lots of work experience, it is advisable to include any  professional awards on your resume  to highlight the fact your work was recognized for its excellence in a certain field.

The accomplishments that you choose to add to your resume must be  relevant to the job vacancy  you’re applying to or relate in some way to the industry or specific company.

When it comes to  listing awards on a resume  you should remember to include the details of when and where it was awarded to you, such as the date and the school, college or enterprise.

What Information You Should Include About Your Awards

When listing awards on your resume, the goal is to provide the reader with enough  context to understand its relevance and significance .

The information you include about each award plays a crucial role in this. Here is what you should mention:

• Award title : Begin with the formal name of the award. This should be the official title as given by the awarding body. The title alone can often indicate the award’s prestige, nature, and relevance to your field.
• Awarding organization : Include the name of the institution, organization, or body that presented the award.
• Date of award : Add the date (typically the year) you received the award. This gives employers a sense of your career timeline and recent achievements.
• Reason for the award : Briefly describe why you received the award. This can highlight specific achievements, skills, or qualities that the award recognized.
• Competition level : Mention the scale of the competition (local, regional, national, or international). This can indicate the level of expertise or skill required to win.
• Significance in the industry : If the award is reputable in your industry, briefly explain its importance.

By providing this information you can  support your  skills section  and paint a clearer picture of your capabilities for the hiring manager

When Should You Include Honors and Awards on Your Resume?

Your  resume is one of the most important tools  you have at your disposal during a job hunt. It’s the first point of contact for potential employers, and it is what they’ll use to decide whether or not to give you an interview.

Therefore, knowing  how to write a good resume  is crucial. You need to tailor it to the job at hand to show how you will add value to your potential employer’s organization.  Putting Honors and Awards on your resume  can do this, but only if you use the right ones.

Should I include honors and awards on my resume?  The answer to this question depends on a few considerations. The main aspect to consider is whether or not  the achievement is relevant for the position  you’re applying to.

If you are a  student , it is  definitely worth including Honors and Awards  on a resume because you are likely to have limited work experience and you will need to fill space.

Honors and Awards on a resume can highlight skills which are valuable to many employers. The same applies if you have limited work experience or are  writing an entry-level resume .

Your  personal statement  can show that you have self-belief, your Awards and Honors section on your resume can prove you have the ability. They can also be verified during the background check.

When not to include Honors and Awards on a resume?  In most cases resumes shouldn’t be longer than 2 pages. Space on your resume is highly valuable. If you are not a student and have lots of relevant work experience, you will probably have filled a lot of the available space already. If so, consider whether it’s worth including this section or not against other areas of the resume.

Every item on your resume should highlight why you are the best candidate for the job , so only write a resume with Honors and Awards if the achievements are directly relevant.

On a  professional resume  it can be useful to  include professional awards , if they are relevant to the position you’re applying for, as they act as an easy reference for your ability.

For example, if you’re applying for a job in accounting at the age of 30, don’t include an award you won at school for creative writing.

Or if you won an award for Best Young Web Designer, and you are applying for a job as a web designer, it will clearly look good and help make your resume stand out.

Where Should Awards and Honors Go on a Resume?

Deciding where to place an  Awards and Honors section  will depend on the  resume format . However, no matter how impressive this section is, it should not be the main focus of your resume.

So,  where do you put awards on a resume?

Any  awards and acknowledgements  that you choose to add to your resume should be prominent, but your  experience and qualifications are the main selling points . You could put it directly below or next to your Experience or Qualifications section.

Your resume tells your story , and demonstrates why you are the right person for a position. The Awards and Honors section should accompany your Qualifications and Experience, adding extra value to your resume.

As a tip, reviewing awards examples for your resume can also give you the inspiration and ideas needed to come up with the perfect structure for your section.

Examples of Honors and Awards Section

Like any other part of your resume, it will be critical for you to first examine how to list honors on your resume correctly. That way you’ll have a clear idea of  how this information should be presented .

Check out the following example of a resume awards section:

Salesperson of the Year, ABC Company, 2023

• Awarded for exceeding annual sales targets by over 25%.

Magna Cum Laude, XYZ University, 2021

• Graduated with high honors in recognition of academic excellence.

Dean’s List, XYZ University, 2020-2021

• Recognized for maintaining a GPA of 3.8 or above for all terms.

It’s also important to note, that for an academic achievement, you should not  mention your GPA  unless it is over 3.5.

Tips for Building Your Honors and Awards Section

Depending on your professional profile, including a  specific resume section dedicated to honors and awards  could be just what you need to stand out in the application process.

• Most colleges and higher education institutions have  academic honor societies for their brightest students . Make sure you  include the names  of these along with a  brief description .
• Also include  relevant professional awards  and any involvement you’ve had in professional societies if it relates to the job you’re applying for.
• Don’t include high school honors on your resume. Unless you’ve just finished high school and are  creating a high school student resume , there’s no need to include them in your education section. It will seem like you’re desperately trying to fill space.
• Provide information with each award . Give an explanation of what each achievement means and what it involved. The employer may not be familiar with the award or the organization, so briefly explain this by including  scope, significance and purpose  of the accomplishment.
• Focus on the  elements which are directly relevant to the job  at hand. Do not add unnecessary information if it is not pertinent to the vacancy or industry you’re applying to.

To  ensure these details are included , don’t forget to use a  resume template  to ensure that you don’t leave any critical information out.

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How to Include Thesis in Resume

Do you feel that every time you apply for a job, you feel a lot of pressure and uncertainty? If you are tired of not getting a job interview, then you need to be ready to change something. Logically, the best method would be to improve your knowledge and skills.

However, if they already are at the highest level, then there is something wrong with your resume!

Fortunately for you, multiple options are in front of you, and it is up to you whether you will choose the best one. One thing that will certainly raise your chances of getting a job interview is to put a thesis on your resume. It is a document that confirms your expertise in a particular topic.

Also, you can check this fantastic read about how you should list patents on your resume. But, how to put a thesis on a resume?

Answering that question in one or two sentences is not easy. That is the reason why we decided to provide you with an in-depth guide on how to list a thesis on a resume. We strongly recommend you analyze each tip from the list and apply those that seem most suitable to your career ambitions and goals!

4 Tips on How to Include Thesis on Resume

As you could conclude on your own from the subheading, there are four different ways you can complete this part of the job. Moreover, four different parts of the document you submit are ideal for something like this. Let’s find them out together!

Presenting your thesis effectively on your resume is crucial for the positions you apply for. However, optimizing your resume requires more effort, and our resumesolution reviews can offer valuable insights. Learn more about how ResumeSolution can make your application stand out.

1. Include a Thesis in Resume Education Section

We will start the list with the most common method people use for adding a thesis to their resume. The education section is the ideal place to add a piece of information like this. All you will have to figure out on your own how connected your thesis is with the job position you are applying for.

In case you see there is a strong connection, then you should add more details. For instance, you can say more about the achievements you had, mention the name and the title of the advisor you worked with, etc. On the other hand, if there is no strong bond between the job position and the thesis you possess, then it is going to be enough to add the name and location of the institution as well as the period of education. Everything else is going to be irrelevant to the hiring manager.

2. Include Your Thesis in the Work Experience Section

Another place where you can put a thesis in your resume is the work experience section. However, this time, adding a thesis to your resume is going to be a bit more demanding as you will have to be a bit more creative.

In this section, you will have to create some sort of subheading where you will describe all the projects you worked on. But, the question is – how to list research on a resume ? How difficult is that?

Don’t write a lot of pieces of information there as your document won’t be eye-pleasing that way. Instead of that, you should only highlight a couple of relevant pieces of information there

• Name of the research project/job title
• The name of the institution where you worked
• More information about your supervisor
• The period you worked there
• All the duties, responsibilities, and achievements that can confirm your expertise

As you see, including a thesis on a resume this way is a bit more challenging. However, work experience is usually at the top of the document. Because of that, there is a big chance you will make your expertise more visible by applying this tip.

3. Write about Thesis In Skills Section

Research programs you worked on as a student will certainly help you put a senior thesis on your resume. However, as mentioned, if you decide to put that in the education section, there is no need to talk about a bunch of details. Instead of that, if you want to talk about skills you got there, there is a separate section where you can do that.

Dividing the skills section is the best thing you can do. One subheading should contain all the hard skills you gained through the research you had. On the other hand, there should also be one subheading dedicated to soft skills you improved during that period. Listing a thesis on a resume that way will certainly raise your chances of getting a job interview.

4. Include a Thesis in the Resume Summary Section

All the pieces of advice we mentioned above are going to be valuable for each candidate. We only suggest you put into consideration your career ambitions and goals as well as the job position you are applying for. The answer on how to include a thesis in resume in the best possible way will appear after that.

Yet, as a rule of thumb, all the hiring managers will primarily check the summary of the document. Because of that, whichever method you decide on, not mentioning this information at the beginning of the document would be a huge mistake!

You probably feel right now that you know how to mention your thesis in resume. But, if you truly strive to achieve the best results, then we have some additional information for you! Continue reading if you want to get more valuable pieces of advice!

Avoid Adding Irrelevant Information

People that know how to include a thesis on a resume will always follow the standards! More precisely, they will never add irrelevant pieces of information to boost the word count of their resume. As a rule of thumb, the resume should not be longer than 2 pages. That especially counts for the job positions that a big number of people are applying for. Hiring managers will not have enough time to check all the details of every document they get.

Structure Your Thesis Resume Based on Your Work Experience

We already mentioned that the work experience section is usually the first one after the resume summary. However, that is not the standard that all candidates should strictly follow. If you recently graduated and you lack work experience, then the education section should first appear in the resume. Moreover, the education section is the ideal place to put an honor thesis on a resume.

But, if you have at least three years of work experience, then there is no need to use that structure. Start your story with a work history where you will mention your research projects. After that, add the skills you gained in the Skills Section in the way we previously suggested.

Use Assistance If You Can’t Handle the Obstacles

Even after reading all the pieces of advice, we shared here, some people may not manage to figure out how to put honors thesis on a resume. Because of that, looking for assistance is going to be a smart move.

Keep in mind that the average job-seeking process usually lasts around 5 months . If you want to speed up the entire process, hiring a professional resume writing service will certainly pay off. However, don’t do that immediately! Check out how actually creative you are by exploring how to put a senior thesis on your resume. Giving up immediately should not be your habit!

When Should People Put Thesis on Resume?

No, the answer to the question from the subheading is not “always”. There are particular scenarios when including a thesis on the resume is extremely important. Let’s find them out together!

Whenever a Candidate Applies for Another Degree

Many people do not stop with their education after they conclude their master’s degree. If you are applying for a Ph.D. program, then adding more information about your thesis to your resume would be an amazing thing. If you manage to get Ph.D. ABD, your chances of getting an interview invitation would raise even more! However, we will not analyze how to list Ph.D. ABD on resume in this article; you will manage to find a bunch of posts online analyzing that subject.

Lack of Work Experience

We already analyzed this, so there is no need to talk too much. If you lack work experience, then highlighting your education and confirming your expertise that way is the only option you have. Hiring managers will understand the “flaws” you have, but they will recognize the potential that you have to become a perfect employee one day!

When It Is Not Connected with Job Description/Requirements

Okay, you already know that putting a thesis on a resume is essential if it is relevant for the job position you apply for. However, there are some moments when you can add this piece of information even if it is not connected with the requirements of the company. Some people want to prove their transferable skills with their thesis. Because of that, if you gained skills like time management, work ethic, communication skills, and others, adding a thesis to the skills section would be good!

Matthew T. Cross, an expert that even wrote books about resume writing said an amazing thing.

He said – “No one will ever create a perfect resume on his first try”.

Because of that, do not be desperate if everything you just read seems confusing and challenging. You will probably get refused many times until you realize how to write a kickass resume.

If you need assistance, writing services are always available online. The professionals will know how to boost the quality of the document and represent your skills and mentality in the best possible way. So, are you ready to start this amazing journey? If you need help with your resume writing, then check here our list of the top resume writers online and be sure that you have perfect documents.

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One of our team members is Alina Burakova. She has vast experience in reviewing career and education-related websites. Being a little shy, Alina dislikes writing about herself too much, so here is her short bio. In 2010, she graduated from ...

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CV Formatting Essentials

In general, the main thing to consider when developing your CV is readability.  It is important because reviewers will likely read 100s of CVs for applications. Therefore you want to make this as easy and painless as possible.  The following are just a few tips we think will help you get started.

• To start, make sure to use 12 point font (or no smaller then 10) and one inch margins (or no smaller then 8)
• The following are some common sections found in a CV:
• Publications
• Presentations
• Professional or Work Experience
• Community or Academic Service
• Honors & Awards
• When describing your experience a CV generally uses a paragraph structure, compared to a resume which is typically formatted using bullet points.
• The emphasis for a CV is on academic accomplishment, research inquiry, methods or techniques used, and analytical approaches.
• Briefly highlight your dissertation or thesis in the Education section. When describing your dissertation or thesis in a CV, you typically include the title within the Education section included just under the degree. The details of the work will be include later within the Research Experience section. For those in the Humanities, you will add a Dissertation section with a brief synopsis of your research. See Humanities  CV sample .
• A CV could include names of collaborators and your PI, research outcomes or future areas of inquiry. Skills and abilities are also included in a CV. Those skills particular to graduate students and postdocs include the ability to analyze data, conduct archival research, test hypothesis, and reason logically.
• Include a reference section.  A Reference section is typically included when applying for a faculty or postdoc position. Follow the instructions. If the position description calls for three references, provide them with three. Be sure to include the name, department, email, address and phone number. Referees for academic appointments generally send the reference letter directly to the institution, so you will want them to know exactly how to contact your references in case the letter does not arrive.
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How to List Academic Achievements on a Resume

This in-depth article covers how to list awards on a resume. If you are looking for academic achievements, check out this detailed guide on listing academic achievements on a resume  or our Career Center for more job seeker resources. 

In an increasingly-competitive marketplace, sometimes it really can come down to the little things that we often overlook in resumes, such as awards and achievements, that may make a big difference.

The awards and achievements listed in a resume might be the final factor that can get you a callback for a job interview — instead of being forgotten in their email inbox.

But just having an award or two on your resume isn’t enough for hiring managers. You need to know what awards are actually important to employers, and how to list them in a resume, to actually get noticed.

While some job seekers may want to include every award that they have ever received in a lifetime of school, work, and extracurriculars, other applicants are a little hesitant to tell their life stories in their resumes.

The best advice lies between these two views: include awards that are relevant to you and the job post.

Awards that provide clear evidence of experience or a skill relevant to your target job will help you to stand out. But you have to be critical, selective, and detail-relevant when it comes down to deciding which awards to include.

This is especially true in our fast-paced world. The latest resume trend is job seekers writing a specific resume based a particular area of expertise, instead of a general professional summary rolled into a one-page resume.

This resume-writing article covers:

• Exactly how to list awards on a resume
• How to describe them in a relevant way to employers
• List of common awards and recognitions to list in a resume

You should also know that while this article is primarily aimed at resumes for students, recent grads, and other professionals at all stages of their career, it also covers specialist professionals in academia, the medical industry, and STEM.

What Are Relevant Awards For Resumes?

An award is a general term for a broad range of official recognitions on a professional, academic, or personal level. There are many types of awards that a job seeker could have, but not all awards will be relevant for you and the job you’re applying for .

When deciding what awards to include in your resume, bear in mind that not every award needs to be listed. In general, only include awards and other recognition if these provide evidence of experience or hard skills that potential employers may be looking for. For example, if you received a ‘Team Player Award’ in recognition of your collaboration skills, you may consider omitting this unless at an early stage of your career (when you are more likely to seek ways to add grit to your resume).

The same advice goes for common awards that are no longer current, such as the Employee of the Month recognition you received more than five years ago. While the Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award from twenty years ago may seem attractive to include because of its recognition of national-level noteworthy or extraordinary service, it will be of little interest to a potential employer if you are a mid-career level professional.

When thinking about what awards to include in your resume, don’t forget that some awards don’t actually have the word ‘award’ in their title. These may range from the above-mentioned Employee of the Month (which often drops the word ‘award’) through to Dean’s List. What you ultimately decide to include in your resume, however, will depend very much on your job, industry, career level, and available page space.

In general, the further you progress in your career, the more career-related your listed awards should be. If you’re just starting out, potential employers are much more likely to be interested in that Dean’s List or Honor Roll recognition than they will later on. As you gain experience, academic awards can graduate to an honourable mention against the appropriate qualification under ‘Education’, or be removed altogether.

Some awards are highly valued in specific industries, but have little value in others. A Top Chef award from your days working in that local fine dining restaurant would be of interest if you stay within the food industry, but would be of no interest to a potential employer if you move into an unrelated sector or industry (unless you actually won the top prize on the TV show Top Chef, of course, in which case, go right ahead and tell the world!).

Don’t forget about hobby and personal interest awards, either! If you have been recognized for volunteer or extracurricular activities that are immediately relevant to professional skills, such as leadership, project management, interpersonal skills, then by all means include these in your resume. Such awards can be included in a separate Awards section, or towards the bottom of your resume under the Personal Interests section (an optional resume section).

Confused about what awards you should include in your resume, and which awards you shouldn’t list? Here is a quick list of do’s and don’ts for how to know whether you should list an award in your professional resume:

Award Do’s:

• Do include awards that highlight your skills and abilities related to the job you’re applying for
• Do remember to include all recognitions that you’ve received, even if they were not formal awards

Award Don’ts:

• Don’t include any award that is older than 10 years unless it is crucial for your resume
• Don’t include awards that are not important or relevant to your career
• Don’t list awards that do not add value to your job application

Popular Awards To List In Resumes – Examples

Here are example of common awards that job seekers list on resumes, divided by type:

Business and Specialist Industry Award Examples:

• Employee of the Month/Employee of the Year
• Top Salesperson Award
• Best Performer Award (financial or non-financial performance-based)
• Customer Service Award
• Chairman’s Award
• Leadership Award
• Medical Information Leader of the Year Award
• Scientist of the Year Award
• Young Professional Engineers Award

Academic Award Samples:

• Scholarships
• National Merit Scholar
• Dean’s List
• Valedictorian

Academic & Professional Award Examples: 

• Faculty Merit Award for Scholarly Activities
• Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award
• Distinguished Scholar Award

Relevant Extracurricular Award Examples:

• Distinguished Toastmaster Award
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year (such as from a Chamber of Commerce)

Exactly How to List Awards On A Resume

Now that you know which awards are relevant for you and your job application, you should learn how to include awards on a resume correctly. 

Here is a quick checklist on how to include awards on a resume: 

• Did I list awards in chronological order?
• Did I include a description when it was appropriate to list one (see next section for more help)?
• Is the award title correct? If you’re not sure, check the original award or do a quick Google search.
• Did I avoid using unusual or confusing acronyms or abbreviations?
• Did I avoid repeating the same information in an awards section and somewhere else on my resume?

If you’re just starting out in your career, or if you work in academia or a specialist field (such as engineering or medicine), it often useful to have a separate Awards section to add visual weight to your resume. Otherwise, awards can be listed in the actual job descriptions or in the Education section, depending on which section is more relevant to the award.

In a standard business resume where employers tend to quickly skim documents for relevance, award formats should be kept fairly concise yet usefully informative.

In academic or specialist resumes, or if you are just starting out in your career and need to add depth to your resume, more detail is broadly acceptable. We’ll look at each of these in more focus below.

There are 4 different ways to include and format awards in a resume. I will go into detail about each of these formatting methods for resumes:  

• Including awards in job descriptions
• Listing awards under an “Awards” resume section (concise)
• Listing awards under an “Awards resume section (detailed)
• Including achievements under “Personal Interests” or “Hobbies” resume section

Listing Awards In Job Descriptions

How to list awards in the job description of a resume (text example):

Employment History T-shirts for Tots, Boston, Massachusetts Sales Associate                                                                                                                                              November 2015 – Present

• Received Salesperson of the Year Award in 2016 in recognition for achieving 193% of annual target (nearest rival achieved 102%)

Listing Achievements Under “Awards” Resume Section – Concise

This is how to list awards under an “Awards” resume section with very little text: 

Awards 2016 Salesperson of the Year Award (Johnson & Associates) 2016 Top Performer Award Quarter 4 (Johnson & Associates) 2015 Salesperson of the Year Award (Johnson & Associates)

Listing Achievements Under “Awards” Resume Section – Detailed

This is how to include awards in a resume with more information for the hiring manager:

Awards 2016 Salesperson of the Year Award (Johnson & Associates)

• In recognition for achieving 193% of annual target; nearest competitor achieved 102%

2016 Top Performer Award Quarter 4 (Johnson & Associates)

• In recognition for achieving 127% of quarterly target (nearest competitor achieved 97%)

2015 Salesperson of the Year Award (Barnaby Scone Consultants)

• In recognition for consistently exceeding every quarterly target

How To List Awards In “Personal Interests” or “Hobbies” Resume Section

This is how to include an achievement under your “Personal Interests” or “Hobbies” section of a resume:

Personal Interests In addition to painting and hiking in my spare time, I am an enthusiastic member of Toastmasters International. As well as building my confidence in public speaking, my participation in Toastmasters has pushed me to truly develop as a leader. I was thrilled to receive the Distinguished Toastmaster Award in 2017.

How to Describe Awards on a Resume

If you decide to add a description to an award, a good rule of thumb is describe awards briefly and objectively .

When writing a description, only include information that is important to the job application. Avoid using a lot of unnecessary words to fill space in a resume. Having a full looking resume doesn’t mean that the hiring manager will be impressed unless the information is relevant and interesting. Stick to easy to understand and straightforward language.

Remember, awards can convey to a hiring manager insight into your strengths, both at work and in the wider community. Ask yourself what attributes you want your selected awards to highlight. For example, do you want to draw attention to your leadership skills or specific industry know-how? Ensure that your description emphasizes these attributes. When in doubt,  ask a friend or mentor to review your description with fresh eyes to ensure it sends the message you want to give to an employer.

Example of a Good Award Description

2016 Salesperson of the Year Award (Johnson & Associates) In recognition for achieving 193% of annual target; nearest competitor achieved 102%

Example of a Flawed Award Description

2016 Salesperson of the Year Award (Johnson & Associates) Despite a slow start, I still managed to reach my annual target by increasing my amount of cold calls and by contacting existing clients to upsell/cross-sell.

As you can see, the good description gets to the point concisely, uses objective language, and backs the award up with quantifiable evidence. On the other hand, the ineffective description rambles on without a clear purpose, uses subjective language, and forgets to include factual evidence to support the award.

Here is an easy checklist for making sure you’re describing an award on a resume properly: 

• Did I use objective and fact-based language?
• Did I use evidence to support the award, such as measurable achievements or metrics?
• Did I keep the award description concise and relevant to the job post?
• Did I avoid rambling and avoid details that aren’t relevant or interesting?
• Did I avoid including irrelevant information?
• Did I avoid misspelling the name of the award or any words I used to describe it?

Get Started On Your Resume! 

Including relevant awards or special recognition is a great way to catch the eye of potential employers and give the reader insight into your skills and capabilities. Selected carefully, awards can help to set you apart from the crowd and give the reader insight into your capabilities such as initiative, leadership, sales, and so forth. Depending on the resume, type of award, and how far along you are in your career, this information can be listed in your job descriptions, in a separate section, or under Education.

Our advice would be to only include awards and other recognition if these provide evidence of skills or abilities that potential employers are likely to be looking for. If you’re not sure, ask someone for a second-opinion.

If you need a little extra help to get started on your resume, use the customizable online resume templates from Resume.com  — no credit card or payment info required.

Final Awards Checklist

• Have you included the award date/year, award name, issuing organization, level (e.g. national or international, if relevant), and reason you received it (in the job description or in a separate section)?
• Have you used consistent formatting for all awards?
• Is the information easy to read?
• Is the award outdated/irrelevant?
• Have you been selective?
• Have you proofread it for grammar, spelling, and punctuation consistency?
• Have you avoided unfamiliar acronyms and abbreviations?
• Finally, does the award truly make you stand out?

A Distinctive Achievement Honors Thesis

As a Schreyer Scholar, you are required to complete an undergraduate honors thesis as the culmination of your honors experience. The goal of the thesis is to demonstrate a command of relevant scholastic work and to make a personal contribution to that scholarship.

Your thesis project can take many forms — from laboratory experiments all the way to artistic creations. Your thesis document captures the relevant background, methods, and techniques and describes the details of the completion of the individual project.

Two Penn State faculty members evaluate and approve your thesis — a thesis supervisor and an honors adviser in your area of honors.

Planning is Key Project Guide

The thesis is, by design, your most ambitious undertaking as a Scholar.

A successful thesis requires a viable proposal, goal-setting, time management, and interpersonal skills on top of the disciplinary skills associated with your intended area of honors. This guide will walk you through the thesis process. Keep in mind, though, that your honors adviser and thesis supervisor are your key resources.

Planning A Thesis

An ideal thesis project should:

• Satisfy your intellectual curiosity
• Give you the opportunity to work closely with faculty
• Develop transferable skills
• Clarify your post-graduation plans

The single biggest factor in determining thesis quality is your level of interest in and engagement with the topic, so consider multiple possibilities rather than selecting the first one that seems attractive to you.

From the perspective of the Schreyer Honors College, the purpose of the thesis experience is to develop your intellectual and professional identity in the field and to help you think about your future.

Once complete, the purpose of the thesis is to advance knowledge, understanding, or creative value in its field.

Lab-Based Research Fields

We recommend avoiding the temptation to stick with your first lab placement merely out of convenience if the topic is not interesting to you. The quality of your thesis is truly dependent on the depth of your interest and the energy behind your curiosity. Your intellectual engagement is the thing that will carry you through what may at times feel like a long and sometimes difficult process.

A Thesis Needs A Thesis

A thesis is problem-oriented and identifies something of importance whose answer or best interpretation is not fully known or agreed-upon by people who make their careers in the field, and it proceeds towards the answer or best interpretation. Even with a creative or performance thesis, the purpose is not to demonstrate technical ability (writing, painting, acting, composing, etc.), but to express something you think is worth expressing and hasn't been fully expressed already.

Identifying a Topic

An interest can come from anywhere, but the problem that defines a thesis can only come from a thorough acquaintance with "the literature," the accumulated knowledge or creative value in your field.

By speaking with faculty (preferably more than one) and reading professional journals (again, more than one), you not only get a "crowd-sourced" sense of what is important, you also get a sense of what the open questions are. This is where you start to strike a balance between ambition and feasibility.

Feasibility & Realistic Ambition

You might want to come up with the definitive explanation for Rome's decline and fall, or the cure for cancer. There is strong evidence — several thousand prior theses — that your honors thesis will not accomplish anything on that scale. This realization might be disheartening, but it is an introduction to the reality of modern scholarship: Knowledge almost always moves incrementally and the individual units of knowledge production and dissemination (theses, journal articles, books, etc.) are only rarely revolutionary in isolation. This is part of what the thesis experience will test for you — whether or not you want to continue via graduate school in that kind of slow-moving enterprise.

The feasibility of a given thesis problem is bounded, as mathematicians might say, by several factors.

The honors thesis should not extend your time at Penn State by design. There are circumstances where you might defer graduation to complete your thesis, but that should not be your initial plan.

Resources are a potential issue in that even a comprehensive and well-funded university like Penn State does not have the physical infrastructure for every possible kind of research. The expense of ambitious off-campus research, such as a comparative study requiring visits to several countries, can easily exceed our funding abilities. If you expect to incur more than $300 in expenses, you should get commitments from your department and academic college before proceeding.

Proposal, Supervisor & Area of Honors

Thesis proposal.

The thesis proposal is due at the end of your third year, assuming you're on a four-year path to graduation. File your Thesis Proposal with the Schreyer Honors College via the Student Records System (SRS) . The end-of-third-year requirement is from the Honors College, but your major may expect a much earlier commitment so be sure to talk to your honors adviser as early as your second year about this. The thesis proposal needs the following things:

• Supervision
• A Working Title
• Purpose/Objective
• Intended Outcome
• How do you intend to earn honors credit?
• How often do you plan to meet with your supervisor?
• Will your thesis satisfy other requirements?
• Does your thesis involve working with human, animals, or biohazardous materials or radioactive isotopes?

The Honors College staff does not review the content of the proposal, so the intended audience is your thesis supervisor and the honors adviser in your intended area of honors.

Thesis Supervisor

Your thesis supervisor is the professor who has primary responsibility for supervising your thesis.

Ideally your thesis supervisor will be the single most appropriate person for your thesis in the whole university, or at least at your whole campus, in terms of specialization and, where relevant, resources. How far you can stray from that ideal depends on the nature of the thesis. If specific lab resources are needed then you cannot stray too far, but if general intellectual mentoring is the extent of the required supervision then you have more flexibility, including the flexibility to choose a topic that does not align closely with the supervisor's specialization.

Apart from a professor being unavailable for or declining your project, the biggest reason to consider bypassing the "single most appropriate person" is that you have doubts about whether you would get along with them. Do not put too much stock in second-hand information about a professor, but if after meeting him or her you have concerns then you should certainly consider continuing your search.

Area of Honors

Thesis honors adviser.

An honors adviser from the area in which you are pursuing honors must read and approve your thesis. If the thesis supervisor and thesis honors adviser are the same person, you must find a second eligible faculty member from your area of honors to read and approve your thesis.

Multiple Majors

If you have more than one major, you can do the following:

• Pick one major and write a thesis for honors solely in that major
• Pick a topic that can legitimately earn honors in both majors. This will be considered interdisciplinary .
• Write multiple theses, one for honors in each major

The first scenario is the most common, followed by the second depending on how closely related the majors are. You can also pick a non-major area of honors.

Second- and Third-Year Entrants (including Paterno Fellows)

If you were admitted to the Honors College after your first year or via the Liberal Arts Paterno Fellows program, you are expected to write your thesis for honors in your entrance major. You do have the right to pursue honors elsewhere, for instance in a concurrent major for which you were not admitted to the Honors College, but there is no guarantee of approval.

Topic, Not Professor

Typically, the area of honors suggested by the topic aligns with the professor's affiliation, as when you seek honors in history based on a history thesis supervised by a professor of history. But if the supervisor happens to be a professor of literature, you are still able to pursue honors in history based on the substance and methodology of the thesis.

This is especially worth remembering in the life sciences, where faculty expertise is spread among many different departments and colleges. As always, the honors adviser in the intended area of honors is the gatekeeper for whether a given thesis topic and supervisor are acceptable.

From Proposal to Thesis

Timetable & benchmarks.

The thesis proposal does not require a timetable, but you and your supervisor should have a clear idea of how much you should accomplish on a monthly basis all the way through completion. Not all of those monthly benchmarks will be actual written work; for many Schreyer Scholars the write-up will not come until toward the end. If you fall behind during the earlier part of the thesis timeline, it will be difficult if not impossible to make up that ground later.

Regular Meetings with Your Thesis Supervisor

You should take proactive steps against procrastination by making yourself accountable to someone other than yourself. Scheduling regular meetings (or e-mailing regular updates) with your thesis supervisor — even if you are working in the same lab routinely — is the best way to do that. You should also regularly update your thesis honors adviser.

Think ahead, preferably well before the time of your thesis proposal, about what your thesis work will mean for your fourth-year schedule. This is especially important if you have a significant capstone requirement like student teaching for education majors, or if you expect to do a lot of job interviews or graduate/professional school visits.

There are many reasons to plan to include the summer between third and fourth year in your research timeline: those mentioned above, plus the benefit of devoting yourself full-time to the thesis, whether it is in a lab on campus or in the field. Funding opportunities for full-time summer thesis research include Schreyer Honors College grants , the Erickson Undergraduate Education Discovery Grant , and funding via your thesis supervisor (especially in the sciences and engineering).

Department & College Thesis Guides

In addition to this guide, many departments and colleges have thesis guides with important information about their deadlines and expectations. If you do not see your college or department listed, consult with your honors adviser.

• College of Agricultural Sciences
• Smeal College of Business
• Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
• Aerospace Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Biobehavioral Health
• Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Hospitality Management
• Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
• College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Comparative Literature
• Germanic & Slavic Languages and Literatures
• Global & International Studies
• Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• College of Nursing
• Astronomy & Astrophysics: Thesis 1
• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Chemistry: Thesis 1 | Thesis 2 | Thesis 3
• Mathematics: Thesis 1 | Thesis 2 | Thesis 3 | Thesis 4 | Thesis 5 | Thesis 6

Follow the Template Formatting Guide

The formatting requirements in this guide apply to all Schreyer Honors theses. Please follow the thesis templates provided below:

Information about using LaTeX is available from the University Libraries .

Formatting Requirements

Fonts & color.

All text should use the Times New Roman font.

Reduced type may be used within tables, figures, and appendices, but font size should be at least 11-point in size and must be completely legible.

The majority of your thesis document should be in black font, however, color is permissible in figures, tables, links, etc.

Organization

Begin each section on a new page. Do the same with each element of the front matter, the reference section, and the appendix.

Try to avoid typing a heading near the bottom of a page unless there is room for at least two lines of text following the heading. Instead you should simply leave a little extra space on the page and begin the heading on the next page.

If you wish you use a "display" page (a page that shows only the chapter title) at the beginning of chapters or appendices, be sure to do so consistently and to count the display page when numbering the pages.

Page Numbers

Excluding the title page and signatory page, every page in the document, including those with tables and figures, must be counted. Use lower case Roman numerals for the front matter and Arabic numbers for the text. The text (or body) of the thesis must begin on page 1. Follow the template provided at the top of this section.

Use the template provided as a pattern for creating your title page. Be sure all faculty members are identified by their correct professional titles. Check with the department for current information. Do not use such designations as "PhD" or "Dr." on the title page. (Ex. John Smith, Professor of English, Thesis Supervisor).

Electronic Approvals

Please submit your final thesis to your Thesis Supervisor and Honors Adviser at least two weeks prior to the final submission due date to allow them ample time for review and suggested changes. Also, please communicate with your professors to find out their schedule and preferred amount of time to review your thesis. Once your thesis is submitted, your committee will review the thesis one last time before giving their final approval.

Number of Approvals

A minimum of two approvals is required on each thesis. If one of the approvers has a dual role (e.g. Thesis Supervisor and Honors Adviser), then list both roles under the professional title. Do not list the same person twice. If the sharing of roles leaves you with fewer than the required number of approvals, an additional approver must be added (Faculty Reader).

Professional Titles

Be sure to identify all faculty by their correct professional titles. Check with the department for current information. Do not use such designations as "PhD" or "Dr." on the title page.

This is a one-paragraph summary of the content of your thesis that identifies concisely the content of the thesis manuscript and important results of your project. Some students like to think of it as an advertisement — i.e., when someone finishes reading it, they should want to examine the rest of your work. Keep it short and include the most interesting points.

The abstract follows the title page, must have the heading ABSTRACT at the top, and is always page Roman number i. There is no restriction on the length of the abstract, but it is usually no longer than one page.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis and it is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis. You may choose to include first-level headings, first- and second-levels, or all levels. Keep in mind there usually is no index in a thesis, and thus a fairly detailed table of contents can serve as a useful guide for the reader. The table of contents must appear immediately after the abstract and should not list the abstract, the table of contents itself, or the vita.

Be sure the headings listed in the table of contents match word-for-word the headings in the text. Double check to be sure the page numbers are shown. In listing appendices, indicate the title of each appendix. If using display pages, the number of the display page should appear in the table of contents.

Formatting Final Touches

An honors thesis manuscript should replicate the appearance of professional writing in your discipline. Include the elements of a formal piece of academic work accordingly. For specific questions on organization or labeling, check with your thesis supervisor to see if there is a style guide you should use.

Acknowledgements (Optional)

Acknowledgements are not a required component of an honors thesis, but if you want to thank particular colleagues, faculty, librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here's the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgements page if you received a grant from the University or an outside agency that supported your research.

Tables & Figures

A table is a columnar arrangement of information, often numbers, organized to save space and convey relationships at a glance. A rule of thumb to use in deciding whether given materials are tables or figures is that tables can be typed, but figures must be drawn.

A figure is a graphic illustration such as a chart, graph, diagram, map, or photograph.

Please be sure to insert your table or figure. Do not copy and paste. Once the figure or table is inserted, you right click on it to apply the appropriate label. Afterwards, return to the list of tables or list of figures page, right click on the list, and "update table (entire table)" and the page will automatically hyperlink.

Captions & Numbering

Each table and each figure in the text must have a number and caption. Number them consecutively throughout, beginning with 1, or by chapter using a decimal system.

Style Guides

These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on the style guide you are following. Your discipline will use a consistent style guide, such as MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago. Whichever style you are using, stick to the rules and be consistent.

Appendices (Optional)

Material that is pertinent but is somewhat tangential or very detailed (raw data, procedural explanations, etc.) may be placed in an appendix. Appendices should be designated A, B, C (not 1, 2, 3 or I, II, III). If there is only one appendix, call it simply Appendix, not Appendix A. Titles of appendices must be listed in the table of contents. Appendix pages must be numbered consecutively with the text of the thesis (do not number the page A-1, A-2, etc.).

Bibliography/References (Optional)

A thesis can include a bibliography or reference section listing all works that are referred to in the text, and in some cases other works also consulted in the course of research and writing. This section may either precede or follow the appendices (if any), or may appear at the end of each chapter. Usually a single section is more convenient and useful for both author and reader.

The forms used for listing sources in the bibliography/reference section are detailed and complicated, and they vary considerably among academic disciplines. For this reason, you will need to follow a scholarly style manual in your field or perhaps a recent issue of a leading journal as a guide in compiling this section of the thesis.

Academic Vita (Optional)

The academic vita is optional, must be the last page of the document, and is not given a page number or listed in the table of contents. The title — Academic Vita — and the author's name should appear at the top. A standard outline style or a prose form may be used. The vita should be similar to a resume. Do not include your GPA and personal information.

The Final Step Submission Guide

Once your final thesis is approved by your thesis supervisor and honors adviser, you may submit the thesis electronically. This guide will provide the details on how to submit your thesis.

Public Access to Honors Thesis

Open access.

Your electronic thesis is available to anyone who wishes to access it on the web unless you request restricted access. Open access distribution makes the work more widely available than a bound copy on a library shelf.

Restricted Access (Penn State Only)

Access restricted to individuals having a valid Penn State Access Account, for a period of two years. Allows restricted access of the entire work beginning immediately after degree conferral. At the end of the two-year period, the status will automatically change to Open Access. Intended for use by authors in cases where prior public release of the work may compromise its acceptance for publication.

This option secures the body of the thesis for a period of two years. Selection of this option required that an invention disclosure (ID) be filed with the Office of Technology Management (OTM) prior to submission of the final honors thesis and confirmed by OTM. At the end of the two-year period, the work will be released automatically for Open Access unless a written request is made to extend this option for an additional year. The written request for an extension should be sent 30 days prior to the end of the two-year period to the Schreyer Honors College, 10 Schreyer Honors College, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, or by e-mail to [email protected] . Please note: No one will be able to view your work under this option.

Submission Requirements

Electronic submission of the final honors thesis became a requirement in spring semester of 2010. Both the mandatory draft submission and the final copy must be submitted online.

The "official" copy of the honors thesis is the electronic file (eHT), and this is the copy that will be on file with the University Libraries. Electronic submission does not prevent the author from producing hard copies for the department or for personal use. All copies are the responsibility of the author and should be made prior to submission. The Schreyer Honors College does not provide copies.

How to Submit

In order to submit your thesis, you must upload a draft in PDF format to the Electronic Honors Thesis (eHT) website .

What/When to Upload

• The initial submission, the Thesis Format Review, should be the textual thesis only and should be in a single PDF file (it may include image files such as TIFFs or JPEGs)
• The recommended file naming convention is Last_First_Title.pdf
• Failure to submit the Format Review by the deadline will result in removal from the honors graduation checklist. If this occurs, you must either defer graduation or withdraw/be dismissed from the Honors College

Uploading Video, Audio or Large Images

If your thesis content is such that you feel you need to upload content other than text to properly represent your work, upload the textual portion of your thesis first as a single, standalone PDF file. Then, add additional files for any other content as separate uploads.

If the majority of your thesis work is a multimedia presentation (video, slideshow, audio recording, etc.) you are required to upload these files in addition to your PDF.

Acceptable formats include:

Please do not upload any ZIP files. If uploading more than one file, keep individual file sizes for the supplementary material under 50 MB where possible. Large files will upload, but it may take a long time to download for future use.

Final Submission & Approval

Final submission.

In order to submit your final thesis:

• Refer to the thesis templates above to create your title page (no page number).
• Make sure you have correctly spelled "Schreyer Honors College".
• Be sure to include the department in which you are earning honors, your semester and year of graduation (Ex. Spring 2024, not May 2024), your thesis title and your name.
• List the name and professional title of your thesis supervisor and honors adviser (in the department granting honors). If your honors adviser and thesis supervisor are the same person, a second faculty reader signature from the department granting honors is required.
• Include your abstract following your title page (Roman numeral i).
• Make sure your thesis is saved in PDF format.
• Upload your final thesis on the eHT website .

Final Approval

When the final thesis is approved, the author and all committee members will be notified via e-mail of the approval. Your thesis will then be accessible on the eHT website within a month after graduation unless you have specified restricted access.

After hearing about Schreyer from a friend, I was motivated to achieve the GPA to be accepted into the Honors College as a current Penn State student. Schreyer has provided me with leadership opportunities through the Schreyer Honors College Student Council, given me the ability to work closely with faculty, and held me accountable for my education. Edka Wong ' 18 Political Science

Honors Theses

What this handout is about.

Writing a senior honors thesis, or any major research essay, can seem daunting at first. A thesis requires a reflective, multi-stage writing process. This handout will walk you through those stages. It is targeted at students in the humanities and social sciences, since their theses tend to involve more writing than projects in the hard sciences. Yet all thesis writers may find the organizational strategies helpful.

Introduction

What is an honors thesis.

That depends quite a bit on your field of study. However, all honors theses have at least two things in common:

• They are based on students’ original research.
• They take the form of a written manuscript, which presents the findings of that research. In the humanities, theses average 50-75 pages in length and consist of two or more chapters. In the social sciences, the manuscript may be shorter, depending on whether the project involves more quantitative than qualitative research. In the hard sciences, the manuscript may be shorter still, often taking the form of a sophisticated laboratory report.

Who can write an honors thesis?

In general, students who are at the end of their junior year, have an overall 3.2 GPA, and meet their departmental requirements can write a senior thesis. For information about your eligibility, contact:

• UNC Honors Program
• Your departmental administrators of undergraduate studies/honors

Why write an honors thesis?

Satisfy your intellectual curiosity This is the most compelling reason to write a thesis. Whether it’s the short stories of Flannery O’Connor or the challenges of urban poverty, you’ve studied topics in college that really piqued your interest. Now’s your chance to follow your passions, explore further, and contribute some original ideas and research in your field.

Develop transferable skills Whether you choose to stay in your field of study or not, the process of developing and crafting a feasible research project will hone skills that will serve you well in almost any future job. After all, most jobs require some form of problem solving and oral and written communication. Writing an honors thesis requires that you:

• ask smart questions
• acquire the investigative instincts needed to find answers
• navigate libraries, laboratories, archives, databases, and other research venues
• develop the flexibility to redirect your research if your initial plan flops
• master the art of time management
• hone your argumentation skills
• organize a lengthy piece of writing
• polish your oral communication skills by presenting and defending your project to faculty and peers

Work closely with faculty mentors At large research universities like Carolina, you’ve likely taken classes where you barely got to know your instructor. Writing a thesis offers the opportunity to work one-on-one with a with faculty adviser. Such mentors can enrich your intellectual development and later serve as invaluable references for graduate school and employment.

Open windows into future professions An honors thesis will give you a taste of what it’s like to do research in your field. Even if you’re a sociology major, you may not really know what it’s like to be a sociologist. Writing a sociology thesis would open a window into that world. It also might help you decide whether to pursue that field in graduate school or in your future career.

How do you write an honors thesis?

Get an idea of what’s expected.

It’s a good idea to review some of the honors theses other students have submitted to get a sense of what an honors thesis might look like and what kinds of things might be appropriate topics. Look for examples from the previous year in the Carolina Digital Repository. You may also be able to find past theses collected in your major department or at the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library. Pay special attention to theses written by students who share your major.

Choose a topic

Ideally, you should start thinking about topics early in your junior year, so you can begin your research and writing quickly during your senior year. (Many departments require that you submit a proposal for an honors thesis project during the spring of your junior year.)

How should you choose a topic?

• Read widely in the fields that interest you. Make a habit of browsing professional journals to survey the “hot” areas of research and to familiarize yourself with your field’s stylistic conventions. (You’ll find the most recent issues of the major professional journals in the periodicals reading room on the first floor of Davis Library).
• Set up appointments to talk with faculty in your field. This is a good idea, since you’ll eventually need to select an advisor and a second reader. Faculty also can help you start narrowing down potential topics.
• Look at honors theses from the past. The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library holds UNC honors theses. To get a sense of the typical scope of a thesis, take a look at a sampling from your field.

What makes a good topic?

• It’s fascinating. Above all, choose something that grips your imagination. If you don’t, the chances are good that you’ll struggle to finish.
• It’s doable. Even if a topic interests you, it won’t work out unless you have access to the materials you need to research it. Also be sure that your topic is narrow enough. Let’s take an example: Say you’re interested in the efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and early 1980s. That’s a big topic that probably can’t be adequately covered in a single thesis. You need to find a case study within that larger topic. For example, maybe you’re particularly interested in the states that did not ratify the ERA. Of those states, perhaps you’ll select North Carolina, since you’ll have ready access to local research materials. And maybe you want to focus primarily on the ERA’s opponents. Beyond that, maybe you’re particularly interested in female opponents of the ERA. Now you’ve got a much more manageable topic: Women in North Carolina Who Opposed the ERA in the 1970s and 1980s.
• It contains a question. There’s a big difference between having a topic and having a guiding research question. Taking the above topic, perhaps your main question is: Why did some women in North Carolina oppose the ERA? You will, of course, generate other questions: Who were the most outspoken opponents? White women? Middle-class women? How did they oppose the ERA? Public protests? Legislative petitions? etc. etc. Yet it’s good to start with a guiding question that will focus your research.

Goal-setting and time management

The senior year is an exceptionally busy time for college students. In addition to the usual load of courses and jobs, seniors have the daunting task of applying for jobs and/or graduate school. These demands are angst producing and time consuming If that scenario sounds familiar, don’t panic! Do start strategizing about how to make a time for your thesis. You may need to take a lighter course load or eliminate extracurricular activities. Even if the thesis is the only thing on your plate, you still need to make a systematic schedule for yourself. Most departments require that you take a class that guides you through the honors project, so deadlines likely will be set for you. Still, you should set your own goals for meeting those deadlines. Here are a few suggestions for goal setting and time management:

Start early. Keep in mind that many departments will require that you turn in your thesis sometime in early April, so don’t count on having the entire spring semester to finish your work. Ideally, you’ll start the research process the semester or summer before your senior year so that the writing process can begin early in the fall. Some goal-setting will be done for you if you are taking a required class that guides you through the honors project. But any substantive research project requires a clear timetable.

Set clear goals in making a timetable. Find out the final deadline for turning in your project to your department. Working backwards from that deadline, figure out how much time you can allow for the various stages of production.

Here is a sample timetable. Use it, however, with two caveats in mind:

• The timetable for your thesis might look very different depending on your departmental requirements.
• You may not wish to proceed through these stages in a linear fashion. You may want to revise chapter one before you write chapter two. Or you might want to write your introduction last, not first. This sample is designed simply to help you start thinking about how to customize your own schedule.

Sample timetable

Avoid falling into the trap of procrastination. Once you’ve set goals for yourself, stick to them! For some tips on how to do this, see our handout on procrastination .

Consistent production

It’s a good idea to try to squeeze in a bit of thesis work every day—even if it’s just fifteen minutes of journaling or brainstorming about your topic. Or maybe you’ll spend that fifteen minutes taking notes on a book. The important thing is to accomplish a bit of active production (i.e., putting words on paper) for your thesis every day. That way, you develop good writing habits that will help you keep your project moving forward.

Make yourself accountable to someone other than yourself

Since most of you will be taking a required thesis seminar, you will have deadlines. Yet you might want to form a writing group or enlist a peer reader, some person or people who can help you stick to your goals. Moreover, if your advisor encourages you to work mostly independently, don’t be afraid to ask them to set up periodic meetings at which you’ll turn in installments of your project.

Brainstorming and freewriting

One of the biggest challenges of a lengthy writing project is keeping the creative juices flowing. Here’s where freewriting can help. Try keeping a small notebook handy where you jot down stray ideas that pop into your head. Or schedule time to freewrite. You may find that such exercises “free” you up to articulate your argument and generate new ideas. Here are some questions to stimulate freewriting.

Questions for basic brainstorming at the beginning of your project:

• What do I already know about this topic?
• Why do I care about this topic?
• Why is this topic important to people other than myself
• What more do I want to learn about this topic?
• What is the main question that I am trying to answer?
• Where can I look for additional information?
• Who is my audience and how can I reach them?
• How will my work inform my larger field of study?
• What’s the main goal of my research project?

Questions for reflection throughout your project:

• What’s my main argument? How has it changed since I began the project?
• What’s the most important evidence that I have in support of my “big point”?
• What questions do my sources not answer?
• How does my case study inform or challenge my field writ large?
• Does my project reinforce or contradict noted scholars in my field? How?
• What is the most surprising finding of my research?
• What is the most frustrating part of this project?
• What is the most rewarding part of this project?
• What will be my work’s most important contribution?

Research and note-taking

In conducting research, you will need to find both primary sources (“firsthand” sources that come directly from the period/events/people you are studying) and secondary sources (“secondhand” sources that are filtered through the interpretations of experts in your field.) The nature of your research will vary tremendously, depending on what field you’re in. For some general suggestions on finding sources, consult the UNC Libraries tutorials . Whatever the exact nature of the research you’re conducting, you’ll be taking lots of notes and should reflect critically on how you do that. Too often it’s assumed that the research phase of a project involves very little substantive writing (i.e., writing that involves thinking). We sit down with our research materials and plunder them for basic facts and useful quotations. That mechanical type of information-recording is important. But a more thoughtful type of writing and analytical thinking is also essential at this stage. Some general guidelines for note-taking:

First of all, develop a research system. There are lots of ways to take and organize your notes. Whether you choose to use note cards, computer databases, or notebooks, follow two cardinal rules:

• Make careful distinctions between direct quotations and your paraphrasing! This is critical if you want to be sure to avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else’s work. For more on this, see our handout on plagiarism .
• Record full citations for each source. Don’t get lazy here! It will be far more difficult to find the proper citation later than to write it down now.

Keeping those rules in mind, here’s a template for the types of information that your note cards/legal pad sheets/computer files should include for each of your sources:

Abbreviated subject heading: Include two or three words to remind you of what this sources is about (this shorthand categorization is essential for the later sorting of your sources).

Complete bibliographic citation:

• author, title, publisher, copyright date, and page numbers for published works
• box and folder numbers and document descriptions for archival sources
• complete web page title, author, address, and date accessed for online sources

Notes on facts, quotations, and arguments: Depending on the type of source you’re using, the content of your notes will vary. If, for example, you’re using US Census data, then you’ll mainly be writing down statistics and numbers. If you’re looking at someone else’s diary, you might jot down a number of quotations that illustrate the subject’s feelings and perspectives. If you’re looking at a secondary source, you’ll want to make note not just of factual information provided by the author but also of their key arguments.

Your interpretation of the source: This is the most important part of note-taking. Don’t just record facts. Go ahead and take a stab at interpreting them. As historians Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff insist, “A note is a thought.” So what do these thoughts entail? Ask yourself questions about the context and significance of each source.

Interpreting the context of a source:

• Who wrote/created the source?
• When, and under what circumstances, was it written/created?
• Why was it written/created? What was the agenda behind the source?
• How was it written/created?
• If using a secondary source: How does it speak to other scholarship in the field?

Interpreting the significance of a source:

• How does this source answer (or complicate) my guiding research questions?
• Does it pose new questions for my project? What are they?
• Does it challenge my fundamental argument? If so, how?
• Given the source’s context, how reliable is it?

You don’t need to answer all of these questions for each source, but you should set a goal of engaging in at least one or two sentences of thoughtful, interpretative writing for each source. If you do so, you’ll make much easier the next task that awaits you: drafting.

The dread of drafting

Why do we often dread drafting? We dread drafting because it requires synthesis, one of the more difficult forms of thinking and interpretation. If you’ve been free-writing and taking thoughtful notes during the research phase of your project, then the drafting should be far less painful. Here are some tips on how to get started:

Sort your “evidence” or research into analytical categories:

• Some people file note cards into categories.
• The technologically-oriented among us take notes using computer database programs that have built-in sorting mechanisms.
• Others cut and paste evidence into detailed outlines on their computer.
• Still others stack books, notes, and photocopies into topically-arranged piles.There is not a single right way, but this step—in some form or fashion—is essential!

If you’ve been forcing yourself to put subject headings on your notes as you go along, you’ll have generated a number of important analytical categories. Now, you need to refine those categories and sort your evidence. Everyone has a different “sorting style.”

Formulate working arguments for your entire thesis and individual chapters. Once you’ve sorted your evidence, you need to spend some time thinking about your project’s “big picture.” You need to be able to answer two questions in specific terms:

• What is the overall argument of my thesis?
• What are the sub-arguments of each chapter and how do they relate to my main argument?

Keep in mind that “working arguments” may change after you start writing. But a senior thesis is big and potentially unwieldy. If you leave this business of argument to chance, you may end up with a tangle of ideas. See our handout on arguments and handout on thesis statements for some general advice on formulating arguments.

Divide your thesis into manageable chunks. The surest road to frustration at this stage is getting obsessed with the big picture. What? Didn’t we just say that you needed to focus on the big picture? Yes, by all means, yes. You do need to focus on the big picture in order to get a conceptual handle on your project, but you also need to break your thesis down into manageable chunks of writing. For example, take a small stack of note cards and flesh them out on paper. Or write through one point on a chapter outline. Those small bits of prose will add up quickly.

Just start! Even if it’s not at the beginning. Are you having trouble writing those first few pages of your chapter? Sometimes the introduction is the toughest place to start. You should have a rough idea of your overall argument before you begin writing one of the main chapters, but you might find it easier to start writing in the middle of a chapter of somewhere other than word one. Grab hold where you evidence is strongest and your ideas are clearest.

Keep up the momentum! Assuming the first draft won’t be your last draft, try to get your thoughts on paper without spending too much time fussing over minor stylistic concerns. At the drafting stage, it’s all about getting those ideas on paper. Once that task is done, you can turn your attention to revising.

Peter Elbow, in Writing With Power, suggests that writing is difficult because it requires two conflicting tasks: creating and criticizing. While these two tasks are intimately intertwined, the drafting stage focuses on creating, while revising requires criticizing. If you leave your revising to the last minute, then you’ve left out a crucial stage of the writing process. See our handout for some general tips on revising . The challenges of revising an honors thesis may include:

Juggling feedback from multiple readers

A senior thesis may mark the first time that you have had to juggle feedback from a wide range of readers:

• your adviser
• a second (and sometimes third) faculty reader
• the professor and students in your honors thesis seminar

You may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of incorporating all this advice. Keep in mind that some advice is better than others. You will probably want to take most seriously the advice of your adviser since they carry the most weight in giving your project a stamp of approval. But sometimes your adviser may give you more advice than you can digest. If so, don’t be afraid to approach them—in a polite and cooperative spirit, of course—and ask for some help in prioritizing that advice. See our handout for some tips on getting and receiving feedback .

Refining your argument

It’s especially easy in writing a lengthy work to lose sight of your main ideas. So spend some time after you’ve drafted to go back and clarify your overall argument and the individual chapter arguments and make sure they match the evidence you present.

Organizing and reorganizing

Again, in writing a 50-75 page thesis, things can get jumbled. You may find it particularly helpful to make a “reverse outline” of each of your chapters. That will help you to see the big sections in your work and move things around so there’s a logical flow of ideas. See our handout on  organization  for more organizational suggestions and tips on making a reverse outline

Plugging in holes in your evidence

It’s unlikely that you anticipated everything you needed to look up before you drafted your thesis. Save some time at the revising stage to plug in the holes in your research. Make sure that you have both primary and secondary evidence to support and contextualize your main ideas.

Saving time for the small stuff

Even though your argument, evidence, and organization are most important, leave plenty of time to polish your prose. At this point, you’ve spent a very long time on your thesis. Don’t let minor blemishes (misspellings and incorrect grammar) distract your readers!

Formatting and final touches

You’re almost done! You’ve researched, drafted, and revised your thesis; now you need to take care of those pesky little formatting matters. An honors thesis should replicate—on a smaller scale—the appearance of a dissertation or master’s thesis. So, you need to include the “trappings” of a formal piece of academic work. For specific questions on formatting matters, check with your department to see if it has a style guide that you should use. For general formatting guidelines, consult the Graduate School’s Guide to Dissertations and Theses . Keeping in mind the caveat that you should always check with your department first about its stylistic guidelines, here’s a brief overview of the final “finishing touches” that you’ll need to put on your honors thesis:

• Honors Thesis
• Name of Department
• University of North Carolina
• These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on whether your discipline uses MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago (also known in its shortened version as Turabian) style. Whichever style you’re using, stick to the rules and be consistent. It might be helpful to buy an appropriate style guide. Or consult the UNC LibrariesYear Citations/footnotes and works cited/reference pages  citation tutorial
• In addition, in the bottom left corner, you need to leave space for your adviser and faculty readers to sign their names. For example:

Approved by: _____________________

Adviser: Prof. Jane Doe

• This is not a required component of an honors thesis. However, if you want to thank particular librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here’s the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgments page if you received a grant from the university or an outside agency that supported your research. It’s a good idea to acknowledge folks who helped you with a major project, but do not feel the need to go overboard with copious and flowery expressions of gratitude. You can—and should—always write additional thank-you notes to people who gave you assistance.
• Formatted much like the table of contents.
• You’ll need to save this until the end, because it needs to reflect your final pagination. Once you’ve made all changes to the body of the thesis, then type up your table of contents with the titles of each section aligned on the left and the page numbers on which those sections begin flush right.
• Each page of your thesis needs a number, although not all page numbers are displayed. All pages that precede the first page of the main text (i.e., your introduction or chapter one) are numbered with small roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages thereafter use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.).
• Your text should be double spaced (except, in some cases, long excerpts of quoted material), in a 12 point font and a standard font style (e.g., Times New Roman). An honors thesis isn’t the place to experiment with funky fonts—they won’t enhance your work, they’ll only distract your readers.
• In general, leave a one-inch inch margin on all sides. However, for the copy of your thesis that will be bound by the library, you need to leave a 1.25-inch margin on the left.

How do I defend my honors thesis?

Graciously, enthusiastically, and confidently. The term defense is scary and misleading—it conjures up images of a military exercise or an athletic maneuver. An academic defense ideally shouldn’t be a combative scene but a congenial conversation about the work’s merits and weaknesses. That said, the defense probably won’t be like the average conversation that you have with your friends. You’ll be the center of attention. And you may get some challenging questions. Thus, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing yourself. First of all, you’ll want to prepare 5-10 minutes of opening comments. Here’s a good time to preempt some criticisms by frankly acknowledging what you think your work’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are. Then you may be asked some typical questions:

• What is the main argument of your thesis?
• How does it fit in with the work of Ms. Famous Scholar?
• Have you read the work of Mr. Important Author?

NOTE: Don’t get too flustered if you haven’t! Most scholars have their favorite authors and books and may bring one or more of them up, even if the person or book is only tangentially related to the topic at hand. Should you get this question, answer honestly and simply jot down the title or the author’s name for future reference. No one expects you to have read everything that’s out there.

• Why did you choose this particular case study to explore your topic?
• If you were to expand this project in graduate school, how would you do so?

Should you get some biting criticism of your work, try not to get defensive. Yes, this is a defense, but you’ll probably only fan the flames if you lose your cool. Keep in mind that all academic work has flaws or weaknesses, and you can be sure that your professors have received criticisms of their own work. It’s part of the academic enterprise. Accept criticism graciously and learn from it. If you receive criticism that is unfair, stand up for yourself confidently, but in a good spirit. Above all, try to have fun! A defense is a rare opportunity to have eminent scholars in your field focus on YOU and your ideas and work. And the defense marks the end of a long and arduous journey. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Atchity, Kenneth. 1986. A Writer’s Time: A Guide to the Creative Process from Vision Through Revision . New York: W.W. Norton.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. 2012. The Modern Researcher , 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Elbow, Peter. 1998. Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process . New York: Oxford University Press.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. 2014. “They Say/I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Lamott, Anne. 1994. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . New York: Pantheon.

Lasch, Christopher. 2002. Plain Style: A Guide to Written English. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Turabian, Kate. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations , 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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• University of Kentucky
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What is the Honors Thesis

The Honors thesis provides a culmination to an Honors student’s academic career. The Honors thesis should be an outgrowth of the student’s academic work, rooted in their chosen discipline, in most cases in the student’s major or minor. In cases where a student has multiple majors, minors, or interdisciplinary interests that are not captured in a major or minor, the student should work with their Honors academic advisor to identify an area that is supported by their academic work and direct them to relevant faculty. 

The Honors thesis offers an opportunity - along with the responsibility - for a student to work with a faculty member on a research or creative project that integrates and expands on previous work. The Honors thesis will incorporate relevant, current research/previous work and demonstrate experience with design, execution, analysis, and presentation. An Honors thesis proposal must be submitted and approved by the faculty member advising the project and by the Lewis Honors College (proposals and the finished work needs to be submitted to your Honors academic advisor). Students with specific questions are asked to contact their Honors advisor. 

The Honors thesis may take different forms based on the student’s field of study. The product/output of the Honors thesis may take the form of a paper developed out of independent research done in a lab, a creative project with research into an artistic movement or period, an engineering design report outlining an original solution to a significant problem, or another similarly academic, discipline-specific project. 

A major goal of an Honors thesis is for the student to demonstrate a command of the relevant research/discipline/creative area and to document their own personal contributions to the area in a discipline appropriate manner. Typically, the product/output of the Honors thesis is a written report and a public presentation, where the length and level of detail will vary depending on the discipline. For example, in fine arts the final performance or artwork would serve as the presentation and the written document would provide an explanation of or reflection on the creative process followed, demonstrating the information literacy of the student. With a full recital, the written document could be program notes, while a lecture recital would require a more extended paper. 

Requirements

An Honors thesis will consist of a written document and a public presentation and must be associated with a graded, 3 credit course, such as HON 491 (starting Fall 2020, pending senate approval) or a departmental equivalent. Students are asked to reach out to their Honors academic advisor to find out if their major has a departmental equivalent or a suggested path for completing an Honors thesis in that major. Some departments have courses that require a significant individual project, including both a written component and an oral presentation (e.g., BIO 398). With departmental approval, this course may fulfill the Honors thesis requirement. All departments are encouraged to create their own courses to meet this requirement.  

One year prior to thesis completion students should submit a Thesis Agreement Form, securing their faculty mentor. The Honors Thesis Proposal is due in the second week of the semester in which a student completes their thesis. Finally, theses should be submitted with the signed cover page for certification of completion.

Next Steps and Timeline

Step 1 - one year before you graduate.

Submit an Honors Thesis Plan.

Step 2 - In Fall or Spring of Your Graduating Year

Complete your Honors Thesis through HON 491 - Senior Honors Thesis or appropriate departmental course. Submit your completed Honors Thesis Proposal within the first two weeks of the course.

Step 3 - By the Last Day of Classes in Your Thesis Semester

Turn in your completed thesis with a cover page using the thesis cover page template.

Important Documents and Forms

Faculty faqs.

Lewis Honors College University of Kentucky Lewis Hall, 420 Hilltop Avenue Lexington, KY 40508 Phone: 859-257-3111

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Honors thesis & capstone projects, purpose of this guide.

• Submit Your Work
• Useful Library Guides
• Open Access Dissertations and Theses Online

Undergraduate Publications  are an important part of Lehigh scholarship and they are available through the  Lehigh Preserve , institutional repository.

A digital copy of each Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects created at Lehigh University is uploaded to and published by the Lehigh Preserve, and made available online as "open access". We are grateful to all for making Lehigh undergraduate scholarship more visible and accessible.

Archives and Special Collections Librarian

• Next: Submit Your Work >>
• Last Updated: May 10, 2024 8:08 AM
• URL: https://libraryguides.lehigh.edu/honors

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50 Best Honors Colleges – 2024

May 9, 2024

Honors colleges can be a cost-effective and highly rewarding undergraduate experience for top-notch students. In the best-case scenario, you can enjoy all the benefits of a large university (research opportunities, athletics, and a diverse student body) while still benefiting from an intimate, rigorous, and individualized experience usually reserved for students attending elite liberal arts colleges. Our list of the Best Honors Colleges will help you decide which honors college or honors program is right fit for your desires.

Best Honors Colleges Methodology

Selectivity Score (25%) – Accounts for the average SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA of incoming students, the university’s overall acceptance rate, and the percentage of a university’s student body enrolled in the honors program.

Benefits Score (50%) – Accounts for housing and living-learning opportunities made exclusively available to honors students, access to priority registration, undergraduate research offerings, the availability of travel and research grants, and support for applications to national and other competitive scholarships/fellowships.

Rigor Score (25%) – Accounts for the number of honors credits enrolled students are required to take, whether a thesis or culminating project is offered and required, and the minimum GPA honors students must maintain to remain in the program and to ultimately graduate with honors distinction.

1) University of Georgia (Morehead)

• Honors Enrollment: 2,800
• Honors Percentage: 9.1%
• SAT: 1506 Average
• ACT: 34 Average
• Average GPA: 4.3
• Required Honors Credits: 9 Courses
• Number of Honors Courses Offered: 365
• Senior Thesis: Offered
• Priority Registration: Yes
• Housing: Yes
• Average Class Size: N/A

2) Miami University

• Honors Enrollment: 1,930
• Honors Percentage: 11.4%
• Average GPA: 4.43
• Required Honors Credits:  40
• Number of Honors Courses Offered: 154
• Senior Thesis: Required
• Average Class Size: 24

3) University of South Carolina

• Honors Enrollment: 2,300
• Honors Percentage: 8.4%
• SAT: 1430 – 1520
• ACT:  32-34
• Average GPA: 4.5-5.1
• Required Honors Credits: 45
• Number of Honors Courses Offered: 600
• Average Class Size: 16

Best Honors Colleges (Continued)

4) purdue university (martinson).

• Honors Enrollment : 3,263
• Honors Percentage : 8.6%
• Average GPA : 3.9 (unweighted)
• Required Honors Credits : 24
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 140
• Senior Thesis : Required
• Priority Registration : Yes
• Housing : Yes
• Average Class Size : 18

5) Texas A&M University

• Honors Enrollment : 2,000
• Honors Percentage : 3.5%
• SAT : 1360 (Min)
• ACT : 28 (Min)
• Average GPA : N/A
• Required Honors Credits : 30
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 300
• Average Class Size : N/A

6) University of Michigan (LSA Honors)

• Honors Percentage : 6.1%
• Required Honors Credits : All
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : N/A
• Priority Registration : No
• Average Class Size :

7) Pennsylvania State University (Schreyer)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,800
• Honors Percentage : 4.3%
• SAT : Test-Blind
• ACT : Test-Blind
• Required Honors Credits : 35

8) University of Connecticut

• Honors Enrollment : 2,300
• Honors Percentage : 12.1%
• SAT : Test-Optional
• ACT : Test-Optional
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 244

9) Arizona State University (Barrett)

• Honors Enrollment : 7,200
• Honors Percentage : 11%
• Average GPA : 3.81 (unweighted)
• Required Honors Credits : 36
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 173
• Average Class Size : 15

10) University of Pittsburgh (Frederick)

• Honors Enrollment : 2,800
• Honors Percentage : 14%
• SAT : 1450-1500
• ACT : 32-33
• Average GPA : 3.8 (unweighted)
• Senior Thesis : Offered

11) University of Vermont (Leahy)

• Honors Enrollment : 950
• Honors Percentage : 8%
• Average GPA : 3.85 (unweighted)
• Required Honors Credits : 21-22

12) Clemson University

• Average GPA : 3.97
• Required Honors Credits : 18
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 220

13) University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

• Honors Enrollment : 1,900
• Honors Percentage : 9.4%
• Average GPA : Top 3-4% of Class
• Required Honors Credits : 27
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 190

14) University of Washington

• Honors Enrollment : 1,300
• Required Honors Credits : 39-48
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 84
• Average Class Size : 25

15) Florida Atlantic University (Wilkes)

• Honors Enrollment : 600
• Honors Percentage : 2.5%
• Average GPA : 4.18
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 271

16) Ohio State University

• Honors Enrollment : 4,100
• Honors Percentage : 8.9%
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 350
• Average Class Size : 20

17) Rutgers University – New Brunswick (SAS)

• Honors Percentage : 5.5%
• Average GPA : 4.17
• Required Honors Credits : 8 Courses
• Average Class Size : 10-50

18) University of Oregon (Clark)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,360
• Honors Percentage : 7%
• Average GPA : 3.9
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 130
• Average Class Size : 19

19) University of Virginia (Echols)

• Honors Enrollment : 800
• Honors Percentage : 4.6%
• Required Honors Credits : N/A
• Senior Thesis : Recommended

20) City University of New York (Macaulay)

• Honors Enrollment : 2,100
• Honors Percentage : 100%
• Average GPA : 3.7 (minimum)
• Housing : No

21) Florida State University

• Honors Percentage : 6%

22) University of Delaware

• Honors Percentage : 10.6%
• SAT : 1360-1490
• ACT : 30-34
• Average GPA : 4.37-4.58
• Required Honors Credits : 18-24
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 592
• Average Class Size : 20-25

23) College of Charleston

• Honors Enrollment : 850
• Honors Percentage : 8.5%
• Average GPA :
• Required Honors Credits : 31
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 78

24) New Jersey Institute of Technology (Dorman)

• Honors Enrollment : 700
• Honors Percentage : 7.8%
• Average GPA : 3.5 (Minimum)
• Required Honors Credits : 11 courses

25) University of Maryland

• Honors Enrollment : 4,200
• Honors Percentage : 13.8%
• Required Honors Credits : 15-18
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 182

26) University of Minnesota

• Honors Enrollment : 2,200
• Honors Percentage : 5.6%
• SAT : 1403-1511
• ACT : 30-33
• Average GPA : 3.98-4.04

27) East Carolina University

• Honors Percentage : 3.7%
• Required Honors Credits : 12-23

28) University of Massachusetts – Amherst (Commonwealth)

• Honors Enrollment : 3,126
• Honors Percentage : 12.8%
• Required Honors Credits : 9 Courses

29) University of North Carolina at Wilmington

• Honors Enrollment : N/A
• Honors Percentage : N/A
• Average GPA : 4.31
• Required Honors Credits : 26
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 92
• Average Class Size : 5-20

30) The University of Texas at Austin (Plan II)

• Honors Percentage : 1.7%
• Required Honors Credits : 28
• Housing : N/A

31) University of Mississippi (Barksdale)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,600
• Honors Percentage : 9.2%
• Average GPA : 3.5-3.7 (Minimum Unweighted)
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 174

32) The University of Tennessee

• Honors Percentage : 7.4%
• SAT : 1450-1480
• Average GPA : 4.4
• Required Honors Credits : 17-22

33) University of South Florida (Genshaft)

• Honors Enrollment : 2,500
• Honors Percentage : 6.6%
• Required Honors Credits : 6 Courses
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 100

34) Temple University

• Honors Percentage : 9.1%
• Average GPA : 3.95
• Required Honors Credits : 10 Courses
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 175

35) University of Arizona (Franke)

• Honors Enrollment : 4,500
• Honors Percentage : 11.1%
• Average GPA : 3.92 (unweighted)
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 76

36) Colorado State University

• Honors Percentage : 6.9%
• Average GPA : 3.8 (unweighted minimum)
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 184

37) SUNY at Albany

• Honors Enrollment : 500
• Honors Percentage : 4%
• Average GPA : 3.4-3.8
• Required Honors Credits : Yes
• Number of Honors Courses Offered :

38) University of California – Irvine (Campuswide Honors)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,000
• Required Honors Credits : 3-9 Courses

39) University o f Central Florida (Burnett)

• Honors Enrollment : 2,393
• Honors Percentage : 4.1%

40) Auburn University

• Honors Enrollment : 1,500
• Honors Percentage : 5.9%
• SAT : 1330 (Minimum)
• ACT : 29 (Minimum)
• Average GPA : 3.85 (Minimum)
• Required Honors Credits : 24-30
• Average Class Size : 25-30

41) Indiana University – Bloomington (Hutton)

• Honors Enrollment : 5,200
• Honors Percentage : 14.6%
• SAT : 1500 (Minimum)
• ACT : 34 (Minimum)
• Average GPA : 4.0
• Required Honors Credits : 21
• Average Class Size : 19-22

42) Louisiana State University (Ogden)

• Honors Enrollment : 3,000
• Honors Percentage : 9.7%
• SAT : 1360 (Minimum)
• ACT : 30 (Minimum)
• Required Honors Credits : 32
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 280

43) Ohio University (Honors Tutorial College)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,250
• Average Class Size : 20-30

44) Oregon State University

• Honors Percentage : 6.2%
• SAT : 1300 (Minimum)
• ACT : 27 (Minimum)
• Average GPA : 3.75 (Unweighted Minimum)
• Required Honors Credits : 15-30
• Average Class Size : 12-20

45) San Diego State University (Weber)

• Honors Enrollment : 1,200
• Honors Percentage : 3.8%
• Average GPA : 3.7 (Unweighted Minimum)
• Required Honors Credits : 16

46) Mississippi State University (Shackouls)

• Honors Percentage : 13.7%
• SAT : 1400 (Minimum)
• Average Class Size : 15-25

47) University at Buffalo

• Honors Enrollment : 1,400
• Honors Percentage : 6.7%

48) University of Houston

• Honors Percentage : 5.3%
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 198

49) Virginia Commonwealth University

• Honors Enrollment : 1,158
• Average GPA : 3.5 (Unweighted Minimum)
• Number of Honors Courses Offered : 62

50) University of Wisconsin (L&S)

Best honors colleges – additional resources.

• College Transitions Video on Honors Colleges 
• Hardest Colleges to Get Into
• Best College Dorms
• Best CSU Schools Ranked
• UC Schools Ranked
• Colleges with the Happiest Students
• Ivy League Schools Ranked
• College Search/Knowledge

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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