By Hessa Kawthar Binti Abdul Manan and Norsyazwina Zulkifli
You stopped writing and looked out the window. Hmm, FYP. You know that you have to start worrying about FYP since you’re entering your final year. But where do I start? You wondered. If you have the same question as this, then this read is for you!
Preparing for FYP is just the same as how you would prepare for an internship. There are stages and formal guidelines that you have to follow. Firstly, find your interest. Look back at your graduation audit or study plan and see which specialization you are more inclined to; linguistic, literature, or combination. If you have taken more linguistic courses, then you are encouraged to go on the same path. This is because you are eligible to do topics that you have studied. For instance, you cannot do FYP on Stylistics (ENGL 4054) if you have not taken the subject yet.
Have you decided which one interests you more? Would you prefer to do a study on the nature of the English language and society or would you rather analyze literary works? You can also do a combination like studying speech acts in a novel, but I believe it is best to stick to either linguistics or literature.
If you are still confused about what topics you should do, you can try and search previous studies for inspiration. Have a read, especially on the research gaps because you can conduct another study that will fill in the lack of previous research. For example, you can replicate a study with different samples or specify the research objectives to make your study more beneficial and meaningful for the Malaysian context. Now you can list out some topics that might interest you for FYP.
Okay, I have one topic, what’s next?
Great! Now you have to create your thesis statement based on the topic that you have chosen. It is important to construct a specific thesis statement to guide you, although your thesis statement might be revised while doing your FYP. Based on the thesis statement, start writing a brief abstract. You can start the abstract with the background of the topic and end it with your thesis statement, no more than 250 words, preferably. The abstract should consist of a brief background of your proposed topic, significance of the research, problem statement, goals of the research, methodology, and expected findings.
Abstract, done!
Time to propose your abstract! You should make sure your abstract is written with full clarity and pay attention to grammatical mistakes because you need to catch the attention of your lecturer. Now, finding the lecturer to be your supervisor is one of the crucial steps in FYP since they will be with you until you complete FYP 2. Still, there are cases where students changed their supervisors in the new semester but that depends on certain situations. Hence, you have to find a supervisor that has the expertise with your topic as soon as possible.
Approaching the lecturer should be done with utmost respect and formality. You can either email the lecturer and attach the abstract or meet them face-to-face to discuss your topic. However, do avoid approaching multiple lecturers at one time to avoid conflicts. What if they all want you? This is not “The Voice”, that American TV series if you’re familiar with it. Therefore, approach one lecturer at a time, seek their permission, and make sure you get an explicit agreement to be their supervisee..
Now, you are ready to embark on an FYP journey!
FYP would be registered automatically once you have secured a supervisor and filled in certain forms given by FYP coordinator. In other words, you do not need to manually pre-register the course.
Do not feel panicked if you have yet to figure out your topic or if you feel left out. Make sure you work closely with your supervisor so that they could guide you along the way, but try to do your reading before consulting them so that you could offer some valuable ideas as well.
What to do when you have a writer’s block? No worries, having a writer’s block is a nature of writing FYP, and you are not alone. After writing for a such a long time, you might run out of ideas. Everyone has this, it is just a matter of time and urgency, but you will get over it. Acknowledge your effort and take a break for a while, and start writing a little bit when you have recovered.
Below are FAQs that might be helpful to clarify your confusions regarding FYP!
Can I approach our advisor to seek advice on specialisation topics?
Yes.
What should I do if I do not have a supervisor by the beginning of the new semester?
You can consult Dr Homam Altabaa, our FYP coordinator or BENL academic advisor, Dr Siti Nurnadilla and Br. Mazlan. But please do this as early as possible in order for you to start writing your FYP.
What are the tips for FYP from other seniors?
Make sure the topic is under your area of interest, and manage your time accordingly. Do not procrastinate until the last minute to write because it would be too overwhelming by then. Make a schedule of what you want to achieve every week, and try to stick with it. Reread and revise each chapter from time to time to help you make a conclusion of what your FYP is about.
Also, do not be afraid to change your topic and explore other areas of study but try to do this as early as possible to avoid cramming your FYP workload. However, this must be done with a thoughtful consideration. Do not change your topic impulsively, e.g., if you think other topics are easier than your topic. All topics are equally challenging, and you should study other options well before making a decision.
Last but not least, FYP is a test of resilience. Consider it as an opportunity to train yourself to write better, and to gain first-hand feedback from your supervisor. Do not worry about perfection (indeed, there is no such thing as it is), just focus on improving yourself and getting it finished. Try to make the best of your ability, in shaa Allah God will provide you with clarity and you will be fine.
Click this link for more information on FYP by our previous seniors!
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