Daniel Gunnarsson, Library Manager at Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM), explains how the idea to provide students with support early in the thesis writing process came to be. Getting started on your thesis and understanding the process and the challenges involved are key factors for effective thesis writing.
“At the library, we noticed that many students sought guidance towards the end of their thesis writing,” says Daniel. “We saw that there was a need to organise support activities early on, to reduce the stress and frustration that can otherwise arise.”
Another goal of Thesis Support Week is to raise awareness of the support available to students at LUSEM. For example, students can book individual consultations for specific questions they have about thesis writing.
“By bringing together support activities over the course of a week, we also hope to increase students’ awareness of the thesis support available at LUSEM,” says Daniel.
During Thesis Support Week, students can get help with many general questions. Those with more complex queries also have the option to book individual consultations.
Understanding the process and the components of a thesis
During the week, a range of lectures and workshops are held on topics such as AI and thesis writing, how to write a literature review, managing statistics or financial data, and how to use reference management systems.
The first session of the week is a lecture on the thesis-writing process, led by Garo Harwood from Academic Skills Services (ASKS) at LUSEM. What is the difference between a thesis and a report? What is the purpose of the different components of a thesis? How do you use academic language in a thesis? And above all – how do you get started? These are some of the questions being discussed during the lecture.
Sophie, Maria and Belen are studying on the Master’s programme Managing People, Knowledge and Change. They appreciate the lecture and the opportunity to participate actively in discussions.
“It feels very useful to learn about the process and the different parts of the thesis in a structured way,” says Sophie.
“I have a much better understanding now,” agrees Maria.
Introduction to Bloomberg in the LINC Finance Lab
LINC, Lund University’s Finance Society for students, organises several sessions during Thesis Support Week. One of the most popular is ‘Bloomberg: Introduction and Workshop’. The LINC Finance Lab is equipped with Bloomberg terminals, which are used daily by LINC members but are also available to all students during drop-in hours.
Christian Carlsson, Head of Career Preparation at LINC, explains that Bloomberg Terminal is one of the world’s most widely used tools in the finance and economics sector.
“For students aiming for a career in banking, asset management, consultancy or similar fields, it is a clear advantage to already have a basic understanding of the system,” says Christian. “It’s about both being able to retrieve and analyse financial data, and understanding the ‘language’ used in the industry.”
During the introduction, participants learn everything from how to log in and navigate to how to search for and export financial data to Excel. The large screen at the front of the room shows how to retrieve data from companies such as Apple. The participants follow along, clicking their way around the terminals. One student raises their hand:
“Could you repeat which keys you pressed just now to copy and paste the data correctly?”
It was clear that several saw the practical benefits directly linked to their dissertations, for example, for retrieving market data or finding relevant key figures.
After the session, Christian Carlsson is pleased with the students’ participation during the workshop.
“I think the engagement was good,” says Christian. “Many students showed genuine interest and asked questions. It was clear that several saw the practical benefits directly linked to their dissertations, for example, for retrieving market data or finding relevant key figures.”
LINC now hopes that more students will find their way to the Finance Lab on the lower ground floor of the Holger Crafoord Centre.
“We are happy to contribute to Thesis Support Week in this way,” says Christian. “Our Finance Lab is a resource we want more students to be aware of and feel confident using – it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think. We hope more students will find their way here whilst working on their Bachelor’s and Master’s theses.”
Students satisfied with Thesis Support Week
Participants complete a survey after each session during Thesis Support Week. While the impact on students’ final theses is difficult to measure, the evaluations show that the week is much appreciated and that the sessions meet participants’ expectations.
“From the responses in the surveys, we can see that students have been satisfied with the various activities, that they have gained a better understanding of the learning process, and that they have been given the structure they need to succeed in their thesis writing,” says Daniel Gunnarsson. “The support we provide is always based on the students’ needs – this is something we are constantly developing.”
Thesis Support Week is organised by the LUSEM Library, Academic Skills Services (ASKS), the Data Science Lab and the student organisation LINC, Lund University Finance Society.
