Master’s Written Thesis Handbook
The Master’s Written Thesis Handbook, by long-time Graduate Studies faculty Anne West, is an invaluable guide to both the spirit and the logistics of the thesis.

Book of Thesis Books
The Book of Thesis Books is an annotated guide to 37 exemplary thesis books. The books are divided into five categories—Academic Thesis, Monograph, Project Document, Mosaic Essay, and Artist’s Book—which demonstrate a variety of overall approaches. The annotations identify each book’s special features, such as research methodologies, experimental narratives, precedent studies, and innovative imagery. The books in the Book of Thesis Books are marked with a red dot on their spines in Special Collections.

Guide to Thesis Book Design
The Guide to Thesis Book Design, by Graphic Design alum Marcus Peabody, provides a step-by-step guide to thesis book design, including overall principles, exercises, and timelines.

Departmental Guidelines
Each graduate department has a different philosophy and set of expectations around the written thesis. You will receive a set of guidelines outlining length, content, and other requirements from your Graduate Program Director.

Library Guidelines
Each graduate department has a different philosophy and set of expectations around the written thesis. You will receive a set of guidelines outlining length, content, and other requirements from your Graduate Program Director.

Thesis Committees
You will select or be assigned a thesis committee in the fall semester of your final year. These experts in your studio discipline and/or research interests will be active sounding boards throughout your thesis process. 

Departmental Written Thesis Courses 
Some departments (Digital + Media, Photography, and Graphic Design, for example) offer or require written-thesis courses that support the development of your ideas and expression.

Graduate Studies Written Thesis Courses
Anne West’s thesis-prep, writing-intensive courses invite deep inquiry into inspiration, process, and context. Other writing-intensive courses, such as Debra Balkan’s “Critical Issues in Contemporary Art,” often help generate material for the written thesis.

Fleet Library
The Fleet Library houses a vast archive of graduate theses that offer practical models and inspiration. RISD librarians offer individual research consultations to all graduate students. See the thesis libguide to learn more about research support and methods. 

Liberal Arts Faculty
RISD’s Liberal Arts professors are a tremendous resource for graduate thesis writers, acting as committee members or informal advisors. You can find their research and teaching interests on the LAS, HPSS, and THAD Faculty web pages.

RISD Center for Arts & Language 
A&L offers peer consultation in writing for all RISD students. Grads may make one-hour appointments to review the thesis at any stage; weekly mentoring is available for ongoing support throughout the thesis-writing process. A&L’s Graduate Liaison Anne West is available for tutoring biweekly. Email artsandlanguage@risd.edu to inquire about ongoing appointments.

Peer Feedback
Your peers can be very constructive thesis readers. See our Thesis Peer Review guidelines to help you identify and respond to key areas of content, organization, and style.

Outside Copy Editors
A&L compiles a Copy Editors List available for hire for those seeking comprehensive writing assistance.