When writing a thesis or paper you must make good use of the insights you have gained during your lectures and studies so far. You should also refer to relevant literature and carry out your own research on the topic.
One of the most important things you will learn during an academic study programme is how to write an interesting piece of work that meets the criteria of scientific quality, whilst also being accesible to the broader public.
Refer to our Study skills pages for more information on academic writing skills.
The Board of Examiners is responsible for appointing a supervisor for the master’s thesis and the bachelor’s thesis
Every study programme has its own procedure for appointing supervisors. Please consult the course description of the master’s thesis or bachelor’s thesis in the e-prospectus.
Need help with your writing assignment? Come to the Writing Lab!
Want to discuss your academic writing assignment (final paper, paper or other) with a trained peer tutor? Book a free appointment at the Writing Lab.
Workshops and thesis events
The Writing Lab organises interactive, hands-on (and free!) workshops and thesis events every semester to help you improve your academic writing skills and/or make writing your thesis a success!
The 45-minute individual coaching session allows you to focus on exactly what you need or have questions about. Everything you discuss with your coach remains between you and the conversation can take place face-to-face or online. If you want, you can also send your writing coach a piece of text in advance, which you will then discuss together during the appointment.
Students who have earned 20 ec (MA) or 70 ec (ResMA) can begin working on their theses. The thesis needs to be written under the supervision of a lecturer affiliated with the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics.
Students are free to choose their supervisor and suggest a thesis topic. Once you and your supervisor have agreed on the research question you can fill out the Thesis Proposal Form and submit it to the Coordinator of Studies of your specialisation for the formal approval by the Board of Examiners.
