Selecting an Advisor

Choosing the right advisor is one of the most important aspects of the Henry Rutgers Scholars Program. Your selection will significantly affect the quality of your experience and the thesis that you produce.

To start, decide what type of worker you are. Even if you have never written a paper on the scale of a thesis before, take the time to answer the following questions, which will help you to set up a framework for your ideal research situation and writing process:

• You must be self-motivated to a great extent to write a thesis in any case, but you and your advisor should determine how much he or she will participate in the manner in which you complete the paper. Think about papers you have done for previous assignments: are you self-motivated, or do you need deadlines imposed on you to get your work done?

• Do you like a lot of feedback on your written work? If so, how frequently would you want it?

• Are you going to want to meet with your advisor on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis? Would you prefer to meet in person, or correspond through email or over the phone? Perhaps you feel you will need more guidance at the outset of the first semester when you are formulating your ideas, during the second semester when you are writing the thesis, or maybe you want to work closely with your advisor all year long.

If you have narrowed your choice down to two professors, one who is an expert in the field you want to research, and one with whom you have a good rapport and knows you and your work, you should always go with the latter professor as your advisor. Even if an advisor is not entirely familiar with your topic, chances are that the person who knows you well will be more willing to work closely with you on your project.

Also, when contacting potential advisors, it may be helpful to explain to them how you envision your experience with the Henry Rutgers Scholars Program (for example: weekly meetings to toss around ideas and discuss the quality of your written work, periodic meetings for review of written pages with otherwise independent work, etc.) Ask them if they have ever served as an advisor for an undergraduate on a long-term writing project, and find out what that experience was like for them.

After considering the questions above, try to define your strengths and weaknesses as a worker as well as your expectations for the year for both you and your advisor. Decide whether or not these strengths, weaknesses, and expectations will be compatible with the professor you plan to approach. Ideally, if you are comfortable doing so, you could discuss these points with your potential advisor to get a feel for whether or not you will be able to work well together.