Interview Feature: Discussions with Eric Ahn during the Seasonal Period
Shannon Yeow, the Engineering Correspondent, shares insights from her interview with Eric Ahn '22, a finance major who recently completed his senior thesis. In this article, Ahn discusses his experience writing his thesis and offers advice for rising seniors.
Key Steps for Writing a Senior Thesis in Finance
Ahn's thesis, titled "Trading Options Around Earnings Uncertainty Risks," follows a similar process to other finance senior theses. Here are the key steps he followed:
1. Define Your Research Question
Ahn chose his topic because he enjoyed taking ORF 335: Introduction to Financial Mathematics and had a summer internship at Citadel, trading options on a team that focused on earnings.
2. Conduct a Literature Review
Ahn narrowed his thesis topic by understanding his skill set, knowing what data was available, and reading current research.
3. Develop a Research Proposal
Ahn defined his data needs, decided on his approach (empirical analysis), and created a timeline for his project.
4. Gather and Analyze Data
Ahn collected data, cleaned and prepared it, and applied statistical and econometric techniques to draw meaningful conclusions.
5. Write the Thesis
Ahn structured his document, drafted and revised his work, and ensured clarity, grammar, and formatting were correct.
6. Present Your Findings
Ahn prepared a presentation to summarize his research and defended his thesis when required.
7. Finalize and Submit Your Thesis
Ahn met submission deadlines, ensuring his thesis followed any specific guidelines provided by his institution.
Advice for Rising Seniors
Ahn emphasized the importance of setting deadlines for his senior thesis work. He set deadlines in the form of drafts, a midterm, and a final. If one does not have deadlines, Ahn suggests setting deadlines for oneself.
Ahn's one piece of advice for rising seniors working on their theses is not specified in the provided text.
Looking Ahead
Shannon Yeow found Eric Ahn's interview insightful and is excited for her junior year's independent work. She hopes the interview provides readers with more direction or insight.
Yeow is also looking forward to the next article in the Seasonal Series.
Meanwhile, Shannon Yeow is considering opting in to write a senior thesis herself.
Shannon Yeow is the author of this article.
- Shannon Yeow is considering opting in to write a senior thesis in the future, inspired by the independent work and experiences shared by finance major, Eric Ahn '22.
- As Ahn concludes his undergraduate education, he advises rising seniors to set deadlines for their senior theses, fostering a sense of structure and accountability in their research.
- In addition to education, Ahn has also developed an interest in education-and-self-development through investing in stocks and bonds, complementing his academic pursuits with real-world finance insights.
