Honours thesis in psychology/Timeline

The Gantt chart provides some indicative time ranges for the major thesis tasks. The following list provides a more detailed schedule. However, these are generic guidelines which should be negotiated between student and supervisor according to project-specific requirements and presented as part of the research proposal.

Table. Gantt chart showing indicative timeline for the major tasks involved in a one-year (35-week) Honours thesis

Semester 1

 * Week 0
 * 1) Supervisor allocation


 * Week 1 (Week 1/35)
 * 1) Initial meeting with supervisor
 * 2) Topic brainstorm


 * Week 2-3 (Week 2-3/35)
 * 1) Topic refinement


 * Week 4 (Week 4/35)
 * 1) Submit Proposal draft 1


 * Week 5 (Week 5/35)
 * 1) Submit Proposal draft 2


 * Week 6-7 (Week 6-7/35)
 * 1) Present Proposal for peer review
 * 2) Review proposal feedback with supervisor


 * Week 8 (Week 8/35)
 * 1) Submit human research ethics application draft 1


 * Week 9 (Week 9/35)
 * 1) Submit human research ethics application draft 2


 * Week 10 (Week 10/35)
 * 1) Submit human research ethics application final


 * Week 11 (Week 11/35)
 * 1) Submit Literature Review plan
 * 2) Prepare for data collection


 * Week 12-13 (Week 12-13/35)
 * 1) Begin data collection
 * 2) Develop Literature Review draft 1

Semester 1 Break

 * Week 1-3 (Week 14-17/35)
 * 1) Develop Literature Review draft 1

Winter Term
Week 1 (Week 18/35)
 * 1) Submit Literature Review draft 1


 * Week 2 (Week 19/35)
 * 1) Submit Method draft 1


 * Week 3-4 (Week 20-21/35)
 * 1) Develop Literature Review draft 2


 * Week 5 (Week 22/35)
 * 1) Submit 2nd draft Literature Review


 * Week 6-7 (Week 23-24/35)
 * 1) Develop syntax for data analysis
 * 2) Submit Results plan
 * 3) Finalise data collection
 * 4) Data screening

Winter Term Break

 * Week 1 (Week 25/35)
 * 1) Develop Results draft 1


 * Week 2 (Week 26/35)
 * 1) Submit Results draft 1

Semester 2

 * Week 1 (Week 27/35)
 * 1) Develop Introduction draft 1


 * Week 2 (Week 28/35)
 * 1) Submit Introduction draft 1


 * Week 3 (Week 29/35)
 * 1) Develop Introduction, Method, and Results draft 2


 * Week 5 (Week 30/35)
 * 1) Submit Introduction, Method, and Results draft 2
 * 2) Supervisor to nominate external examiner


 * Week 6-8 (Week 31-33/35)
 * 1) Draft Discussion


 * Week 9 (Week 34/35)
 * 1) Proofreading


 * Week 10 (Week 35/35)
 * 1) Finalise human research ethics end-of-project requirements (e.g., electronic data storage)
 * 2) Compile penultimate draft
 * 3) Submit


 * Week 16 (Week 41)
 * 1) Discuss examiner feedback
 * 2) Make plan for submission for publication


 * Following 3-6 months
 * 1) Preparation manuscript for publication
 * 2) Submit for publication