Writing Your Thesis
Dealing with slumps
The mid-way slump. Half-way horrors. Middle year blues. These are all just myths, right? Probably not actually. Problems are inherent in any form of prolonged original research, and many of these will occur 'in the middle'. Whilst these might not be any worse than problems nearer to the start or the end, they may seem so. Hence, those names. So what's going on? To state the obvious: almost any doctorate can be roughly divided into three stages - the beginning, the middle and the end - with recognisable characteristics of each stage. Do any of these sound familiar from the beginning: excitement, enthusiasm, desire to 'get on with proper research', impatience, anxiety ('I'm not good enough to do this', 'everyone knows more than me' - aka the academic fraud syndrome), freedom, confusion ('what exactly am I supposed to be doing'), wallowing in information..? Similarly, the final stage ... read more
Getting out of the dumps
Down in the dumps', 'Stuck in a rut', 'Slumps'. Terms like these can be applied equally well to many aspects of life and a PhD is no exception. Any prolonged piece of research is going to throw up challenges and when the excitement of 'the beginning' has worn off and 'the end' is not yet in sight you may find yourself in a mid-way slump. So here is my advice on how to get through, out of the rut and out of the dumps! Set short term goals - try to stop worrying about the big picture and set yourself an attainable goal that you can achieve within a day or two so you can see the progress you really are making. Learn a new skill - As a PhD researcher you have the opportunity to recieve training in many things for free because your university probably provides training courses. New skills, whether they are directly or only indirectly related to your PhD can offer inspiration and give y... read more
Writing Research - Thesis
When should you begin writing-up your thesis? As soon as you finish reading this .....No really!.....Literally as soon as you’re done here. It is absolutely never too early to begin the writing process. The problem for most of us though is getting down to it. But before we tackle that, a quick re-wind: In case you’ve been advised to research for 3 years and then write-up, or are planning to start writing in year 3 / towards the end - pause. Think about it: Are you seriously planning to write intelligently about work you’ve done 2-3 years ago? Is it wise to research, and trust that the results / findings / material will work, and provide all you need when you actually put it through the rigour of writing at thesis-level? Are you prepared to become essentially a full-time writer in the last months of your doctorate? Can you actually do this? And, if you are not an experienced w... read more
Writing Up
Writing research dissertation seems to be the most difficult and troublesome task for any PhD student. Writing a research dissertation in some quantitative areas such as mathematics, finance, are even more disappointing for a doctoral candidate. When they start writing their dissertation, they are simply naïve about how to accomplish the uphill task successfully. Quality of the write-up and time limit are some of the other problems the researchers face during thesis writing. This article is supposed to through some light on how to initiate writing a good dissertation. When you intend to start writing your PhD dissertation, it is suggested to take up the following steps: Do a logical segmentation of the proposed chapters: researchers are expected to present their research findings in a logical and effective way. So, it is a prerequisite of a good dissertation that it follows a logic... read more
Completing your thesis
Although a thesis contains fewer words than a Doctorate dissertation, it nevertheless consumes a lot of (thinking, drafting, and revising) time. For those with additional obligations beyond the academic ones, time is a scarce resource. As one who worked more than one job at different phases of my graduate career, I discovered how to balance writing with class time and with work and, as such, learned how to apply this sometimes precarious balancing of my busy schedule into the thesis-working phases. PLANNING IS KEY Probably the most important criterion in writing your thesis is the planning of it. You already know that professors can be rigid about schedules because they have their own deadlines to meet, so negotiate your final draft due date with your advisor and then break it down into shorter chapter phases, making sure to include due dates for each phase. If your advisor wishes... read more
Finishing Up (Part 1)
In this article, I wish to share my own experiences of finishing my Ph.D. I hope by sharing these experiences I can help to alleviate some of the fears that will no doubt be in the minds of those who currently sit in this worried state of being. This article is split into five overlapping and definitely related sections. The first is the transition from taking results into full-time writing. The second is the time between starting your write-up and submission to viva. The third is preparing for the viva examination. The fourth is the viva and we finish with ‘finishing up’. You have the go ahead to write-up So, you have taken all of the results you are going to take, you have argued with your supervisor relentlessly for the past year about how you are ready for the write-up and then you get the email telling you that you now have enough results and you can start writing-up. T... read more
Preparing your thesis for print
If you are about to send off that final copy of your thesis to print, it is easy to forget the small details that make all the difference to the final printed version. In the following article we outline a few things to think about before sending your thesis off to print; they might just help you avert last minute setbacks and speed up the printing process. TEXT: Check that the fonts you are using are compatible with the fonts used by the printing company to avoid small but critical changes to the text layout in the final print. Print companies usually advise 1-3cm of white space at either side of your text. This is important, especially if you are preparing the document for binding. Check with your print company about the exact requirements. Check that your text is in black (rather than greyscale), where appropriate, to avoid being charged for colour pages where there is only ... read more
On Not Writing
This article has been reproduced from an article submitted to the Writing Across Boundaries Project funded by the ESRC and hosted by the Universities of Durham and Newcastle. Like perhaps many post-grads I was instructed by my eminent supervisor to read C. Wright Mills 'On Intellectual Craftsmanship' to appreciate his ease with words and the many useful hints and tips on how to work at the 'craft' of academic writing. True, it was lovely reading but it was also hugely dispiriting. Where are my carefully arranged cross-classified files? My creative journal that bridges personal experience with academic reasoning? I mutter to the wall above my computer but this is not perhaps the cultivation of helpful imaginary characters that Mills was referring to? All the encouragement to daily writing results in a paralysis of thought and deep-seated inertia where the trivial and unimportant tri... read more
Get Writing - Why Wait?
When should you begin writing-up your thesis? As soon as you finish reading this. No really. Literally as soon as you're done here! It is absolutely never too early to begin the writing process. The problem for most of us though is getting down to it. But before we tackle that, a quick re-wind: In case you've been advised to research for 3 years and then write-up, or are planning to start writing in year 3 / towards the end - pause. Think about it: Are you seriously planning to write intelligently about work you've done 2-3 years ago? Is it wise to research, and trust that the results / findings / material will work, and provide all you need when you actually put it through the rigour of writing at thesis-level? Are you prepared to become essentially a full-time writer in the last months of your doctorate? Can you actually do this? And, if you are not an experienced writer... read more
Top Tips for Writing Up
Writing research dissertation seems to be the most difficult and troublesome task for any PhD student. Writing a research dissertation in some quantitative areas such as mathematics, finance, are even more disappointing for a doctoral candidate. When they start writing their dissertation, they are simply naïve about how to accomplish the uphill task successfully. Quality of the write-up and time limit are some of the other problems the researchers face during thesis writing. This article is supposed to through some light on how to initiate writing a good dissertation. When you intend to start writing your PhD dissertation, it is suggested to take up the following steps: Do a logical segmentation of the proposed chapters: researchers are expected to present their research findings in a logical and effective way. So, it is a prerequisite of a good dissertation that it follows a logic... read more
3 Steps to A Thesis
A thesis consumes a lot of (thinking, drafting, and revising) time. For those with additional obligations beyond the academic ones, time is a scarce resource. As one who worked more than one job at different phases of my graduate career, I discovered how to balance writing with class time and with work and, as such, learned how to apply this sometimes precarious balancing of my busy schedule into the thesis-working phases. PLANNING IS KEY Probably the most important criterion in writing your thesis is the planning of it. You already know that professors can be rigid about schedules because they have their own deadlines to meet, so negotiate your final draft due date with your advisor and then break it down into shorter chapter phases, making sure to include due dates for each phase. If your advisor wishes to review each chapter after its completion, allocate sufficient discussion ... read more
Steps to becoming a better writer
It's a funny thing, but most people don't get into research because they want to write. And yet writing is the most important dissemination tool you have - it is what you will be judged on more than anything else (despite the current fuss about 'impact'). Hence, good technique and good discipline are essential to your success as a researcher. More than this, it can be a crucial part of the research process itself - "It's in the writing that many ideas are formed" (Don Watson, 'Gobbledygook'). And yet it doesn't come naturally to many of us. But there are things we can do to improve. I've written previously about some of the simpler techniques - to recap: - Daily targets for writing every day, e.g. 100 words - Aim to write 1 sentence about any new research (something read, conversation had, conference paper heard, experiment result gained, subject interviewed, etc.) There is... read more
First Drafts: Breaking the [writing] ice
Like a frozen lake, the initial stages of a writing project can sometimes feel inaccessible, unmoving and uninviting. But with ice picks at the ready, the first draft represents a breakthrough into the water (the actual paper, abstract, presentation or thesis chapter) and will allow your writing project to begin to thaw and the information and ideas to flow. By this stage in our academic lives we have done plenty of drafting, but it's never too late to consider the way we do it and to try and improve. Getting the hang of the way to write a first draft is therefore an important step to becoming a more effective writer. Here are 5 points to think about when creating a first draft: Start with a focused introduction Despite the sound of some advice out there, drafting is not a chaotic process and should still be focused on what you want the writing to achieve, whilst taking an open... read more
How to keep motivated when writing a thesis
Writing a thesis is a true academic challenge. A thesis is usually long in length (over 10,000 words) and is written over a longer period of time than say an essay or a dissertation. A thesis can take a year to research and write, but generally, if it is forming part of a PhD study course, it will take between 2 and 5 years to finalise. That is a long time to dedicate yourself to responding to one research question or to exploring a tiny element of a specific subject matter. So how do you keep yourself sufficiently motivated to continue with your research and writing over such a long period of time? And importantly, how do you keep yourself so motivated that you continue to enjoy the subject that you are investigating and that this enthusiasm you have for the subject comes through in the final thesis that you produce? It can all be very tricky, regardless of how much enthusiasm an... read more
How to layout your dissertation for Postgraduate study
It may be a while since you studied if you are undertaking a Masters and therefore, knowing how to layout your dissertation correctly and what to look out for may not be as straight forward as it is for students who have studied more recently. Here are a few tips to help with layout. How it looks really does matter! For your dissertation, it is extremely important to follow all style and presentation guidelines that have been given to you. The way you layout your dissertation will be the first clue to the examiner that you have followed stipulated guidelines from your university or college. If you have not, it is likely that you will be deducted marks. Be sure that you are absolutely clear about the guidelines on style and layout given to you. If you have any doubts check with your tutor before you embark on setting your dissertation out as you don’t want to put unnecessary wor... read more
Writing your Thesis
by Glasgow University Psychology Dept. A guide to all aspects of the thesis writing progress. read more
Producing a PhD Thesis
by Patricia de Winter from Kings College London, from Birkbeck College London. Some good practical tips for getting your thesis written, proofread and bound before you submit. Some details are quite focused on Birkbeck University but there is some good general advice on processes and structures. read more
Writing and Submitting Your Thesis
From Leicester University Graduate School. This document takes you briefly through all the stages of submission and completion in your final year. Deciding that your thesis is ready for submission is a big step. So how do you know when the time is right to submit? When is enough enough? read more
How to Write a Thesis
by A.G.Howard. Personal guidance on the thesis writing process from an experienced academic from the chemical and environmental research sector. The advice is general and will benefit all disciplines. read more
Key Skills in Researching and Writing your Masters Dissertation
by Simon Lee, sourced from Hull University. Covering the main topics: - The Purpose and Value of Your Dissertation - 15 Key Skills in Researching and Writing Dissertations read more
Key Skills in Researching and Writing your Masters Dissertation
by Simon Lee, sourced from Hull University. Covering the main topics: - The Purpose and Value of Your Dissertation - 15 Key Skills in Researching and Writing Dissertations read more
Thesis Whisperer
The Thesis Whisperer is a blog ‘newspaper’ dedicated to the topic of doing a thesis. It contains lots of posts - all no longer than 1000 words - written by PhD students. Its about sharing stories and starting conversations. read more
Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
by Howard S. Becker. This book was recommended by the influential PG blogger Inger Mewburn. read more
Helping Doctoral Students Write: Pedagogies for Doctoral Supervision
Book by Barbara Kamler and Pat Thomson. Mostly aimed at supervisors but has some ideas and tips on how to organise your writing and stay on track. Some of the chapters include: - Putting doctoral writing centre stage - Writing the doctorate, writing the scholar - Persuading an octopus into a glass: working with literatures read more
How to Write a Thesis
by Rowena Murray. An interesting book, which considers the more theoretical, discursive aspects of writing a thesis as well as providing practical steps, check lists and tasks. read more
Academic Writing and Publishing: A practical handbook
by James Hartley. A lively guide for both students and supervisors; it is aimed at new researchers and eases you gently into the ins and outs of academic writing. read more
Authoring a PhD Doctoral Dissertation How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation
by Patrick Dunleavy. A book that handles the intricate aspects of planning, ordering, styling, editing and finally publishing a PhD dissertation. read more
Resources
Dealing with slumps- Getting out of the dumps
- Writing Research - Thesis
- Writing Up
- Completing your thesis
- Finishing Up (Part 1)
- Preparing your thesis for print
- On Not Writing
- Get Writing - Why Wait?
- Top Tips for Writing Up
- 3 Steps to A Thesis
- Steps to becoming a better writer
- First Drafts: Breaking the [writing] ice
- How to keep motivated when writing a thesis
- How to layout your dissertation for Postgraduate study
- Writing your Thesis
Producing a PhD Thesis - Writing and Submitting Your Thesis
How to Write a Thesis- Key Skills in Researching and Writing your Masters Dissertation
- Key Skills in Researching and Writing your Masters Dissertation
Thesis Whisperer- Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
- Helping Doctoral Students Write: Pedagogies for Doctoral Supervision
- How to Write a Thesis
- Academic Writing and Publishing: A practical handbook
- Authoring a PhD Doctoral Dissertation How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation
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Writing Your Thesis services
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