8 Most Effective Ways to Increase Motivation for Thesis Writing
Writing a master’s or doctoral thesis is a tough job, and many students struggle with writer’s block and putting off work. The journey requires not just skill and knowledge but a sustained motivation for thesis writing. Here are eight essential strategies to help you find and maintain your motivation to write your thesis throughout the thesis writing process.
Know why you lack motivation
It’s important to understand whether you’re just avoiding writing (procrastination) or if you genuinely don’t feel interested in it (lack of motivation). Procrastination is when you delay writing even though you want to finish it, while a lack of motivation for thesis writing is when you have no interest in writing at all. Knowing the difference helps you find the right solution. Remember, not feeling motivated doesn’t mean you can’t write; it just might be less enjoyable.
Recognize external vs. internal motivation
In the early stages of your academic journey, things like job prospects or recognition may motivate you to write your thesis. These are external motivators. Over time, they might become less effective. That’s why it’s important to develop internal motivators, like a real passion for your topic, curiosity, or wanting to make a difference in your field. Shifting to these internal motivators can keep you energized about your thesis writing for a longer period.
Develop a writing plan
As you regularly spend time on your thesis, you’ll start to overcome any initial resistance. Planning and thinking about your work will make the next steps easier. You might find yourself working more than 20 minutes some days. As you progress, plan for longer thesis writing periods and set goals for completing each chapter.
Don’t overwhelm yourself
Getting stuck is normal in thesis or dissertation writing. Don’t view these challenges as impossible obstacles. If you’re frustrated or unsure, take a break for a few days. Then, consult your advisor or a mentor to discuss your challenges and find ways to move forward effectively.
Work on your thesis daily
Try to spend 15-20 minutes daily on tasks related to your thesis or dissertation. This includes reading, researching, outlining, and other preparatory activities. You can fit these tasks into short breaks throughout your day, like waiting for appointments, during commutes, or even while cooking.
Understand that thesis writing motivation changes
Realize that thesis writing motivation isn’t always the same; it changes over time. Your drive to write will vary with different stages of your research and life changes. Knowing that motivation can go up and down helps you adapt. When you feel less motivated, focus on small, doable parts of your work instead of big, intimidating goals.
Recharge your motivation regularly
Just like you need to rest and eat well to keep your body energized, your motivation for thesis writing needs to be refreshed too. Do things that boost your mental and creative energy. This could be talking with colleagues, attending workshops, or engaging in hobbies that relax you. Stay aware of your motivation levels and take action to rejuvenate them. This way, you can avoid burnout and keep a consistent pace in your thesis work.
Keep encouraging yourself
Repeating encouraging phrases like “I will finish my thesis by year’s end” or “I’ll complete a lot of work this week” can really help. Saying these affirmations regularly can focus your energy and keep you on track with your thesis writing motivation .
Remember, the amount you write can vary each day. Some days you might write a lot, and other days less. The key is to keep writing, even if it’s just rough ideas or jumbled thoughts. Don’t let the need for perfection stop you. Listening to podcasts where researchers talk about their writing experiences can also be inspiring and motivate you in your writing journey.
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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.
This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.
Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence)
Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.
This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.
Arguable thesis with analytical claim
While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.
This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.
Arguable thesis with normative claim
Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.
This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.
Questions to ask about your thesis
- Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?
- Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?
- Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?
- Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?
- Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples
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What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.
When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.
You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus.
Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.
Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point.
The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.
Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.
Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing
When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:
- Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
- Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
- Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.
Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make
Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:
- What impact did reality TV have on American society?
- How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
- Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?
If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that.
If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:
“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”
Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point
Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:
“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”
Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves.
Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing
Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.
When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.
If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.
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How to Write a Good Thesis
Last Updated: June 30, 2024 References
This article was co-authored by Bryce Warwick, JD and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman . Bryce Warwick is currently the President of Warwick Strategies, an organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area offering premium, personalized private tutoring for the GMAT, LSAT and GRE. Bryce has a JD from the George Washington University Law School. This article has been viewed 107,338 times.
Do you have a big term paper or essay on your academic horizons? Before diving into your assignment, you’ll need a thesis: a clear, sentence-long explanation at the end of your first/introductory paragraph that defines what your paper will be analyzing, explaining, or arguing. [1] X Research source A good thesis is easy to write if you know what to include—that’s why we’re here to walk you through everything you need to know. Read on for plenty of tips, explanations, and examples to help take your thesis-writing game to the next level.
How do you write a strong thesis statement?
- Argumentative prompt example: Technology helps students succeed in school. The prompt wants you to state whether you agree or disagree with this stance, and why.
- Analytical prompt example: Do video games influence the thoughts and actions of teenagers? The prompt wants you to research both sides of this controversial topic and come up with an analysis.
- Expository prompt example: Why is a calorie deficit diet plan effective for weight loss? The prompt wants you to go into detail on a specific topic.
- The prompt “Genetically-modified foods provide an essential service to society” could be changed to “Do genetically-modified foods provide an essential service to society?”
- The prompt “Many people are divided over the advantages and disadvantages of wearing masks” could be adjusted to “What are the pros and cons of wearing masks?”
- Example: GMOs provide a high volume of delicious, long-lasting food, making them an essential service to society.
- Example: Although politicians debate the practicality of masks in a post-pandemic society, evidence suggests that regular masking helps prevent the transmission of harmful illnesses.
- Remember—your thesis is a work in progress! You’re welcome to tweak, adjust, and completely change your thesis so it accurately represents your research.
- If your professor or teacher assigns an essay or paper with a pre-assigned topic, you might not have to do as much research.
What makes a thesis statement good or effective?
- Bad thesis: Pollution is harmful.
- Better thesis: Pollution risks harming millions of people through the spread of toxins in the air and waterways.
- Bad thesis: Pineapple is a pizza topping.
- Better thesis: Pineapple’s sweet flavor profile makes it an unsavory choice as a pizza topping.
- Bad thesis: Drunk driving is bad.
- Better thesis: Alcohol impairs a person’s mental functions, making it difficult and dangerous for them to drive a vehicle.
- Bad thesis: Twitter is good and bad.
- Better thesis: Twitter offers greater visibility to important issues at the risk of imparting a heavy bias.
- Bad thesis: The rise of technology has pros and cons.
- Better thesis: The rise of technology improves digital literacy, but limits opportunities for in-person interactions.
- Bad thesis: The 1970s served as a turning point for women’s rights, LGBT rights, and environmental awareness.
- Better thesis: The 1970s launched a new era for women’s rights that has continued on into the 21st century.
Examples of Thesis Statements
- Eliminate passive verbs like “is” or “was”—they don’t paint a very clear picture for your reader.
- A list format works well for expository thesis statements! List out the different topics you’ll be discussing, and then dedicate different sections of your paper to each point.
Expert Q&A
- Ask your professor or teacher for a second opinion once you’ve drafted your thesis. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/thesis_or_purpose/
- ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/writing-a-thesis
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
- ↑ https://www.norwellschools.org/cms/lib02/MA01001453/Centricity/Domain/206/Thesis%20Statement.pdf
- ↑ https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/argumentation
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How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis
8 Straightforward Steps + Examples
By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020
How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps
- Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
- Find a unique and valuable research topic
- Craft a convincing research proposal
- Write up a strong introduction chapter
- Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
- Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
- Present the findings of your research
- Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications
Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is
This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.
So, what is a dissertation?
At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:
- Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
- See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
- If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
- Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings
In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:
- Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
- Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
- Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
- Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis
If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.
The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.
If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!
Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic
As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…
A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:
Let’s take a closer look at these:
Attribute #1: Clear
Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.
Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:
An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.
As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).
Need a helping hand?
Attribute #2: Unique
Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).
For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.
One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.
Attribute #3: Important
Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.
For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.
So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊
Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal
Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.
So, what’s in a research proposal?
The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:
- You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
- You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
- You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)
At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).
Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .
So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .
Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter
Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.
Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.
What’s the introduction chapter all about?
The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.
What goes into the introduction chapter?
This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:
- A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
- A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
- Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
- The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world
As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.
Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.
What’s the literature review all about?
There are two main stages in the literature review process:
Literature Review Step 1: Reading up
The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.
Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .
Literature Review Step 2: Writing up
Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:
- You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
- You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
- You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .
As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .
But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .
Step 6: Carry out your own research
Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.
There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:
1 – Design your research strategy
The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.
In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:
- Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
- Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
- Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
- Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)
If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.
2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data
Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.
Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:
- If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
- If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).
Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.
The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:
- If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
- If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
- If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach
Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.
Step 7: Present your findings
Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .
What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?
While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.
For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:
- Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
- Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.
Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.
Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).
For example, if we look at the sample research topic:
In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .
Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications
Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.
What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.
Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:
Key findings
This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:
While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:
Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…
Implications
The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:
The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….
The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…
As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.
Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis
You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.
To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:
- Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
- Find a unique (original) and important research topic
- Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
- Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
- Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
- Undertake your own research
- Present and interpret your findings
Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.
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21 Comments
thankfull >>>this is very useful
Thank you, it was really helpful
unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.
Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.
This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.
Very rich presentation. Thank you
Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!
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It is an amazing comprehensive explanation
This was straightforward. Thank you!
I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂
Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*
Very educating.
Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.
Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.
thank you so much, that was so useful
Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?
could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification
my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.
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Strategies for Writing a Compelling Thesis Statement
- A thesis statement encapsulates what an essay is about and how it will defend its claim.
- In academic writing, the thesis most commonly appears in the first paragraph.
- A strong thesis statement makes a debatable claim others may disagree with.
- Your introduction should give readers a glimpse into how your essay is laid out.
A thesis statement , or thesis claim, is what answers the question, “What is this essay about and what will it prove?” If the essay fails to answer this question within the first paragraph — or within the first few paragraphs for a long paper or dissertation — the reader will have no reason to continue reading.
Professors are obligated to read your work, but even they would like to know what and why they are reading. Convention leads college instructors to expect a thesis statement at the beginning of a paper — though, as we’ll discuss, some essays may call for it in the conclusion instead.
Knowing when and how to include a thesis statement will not only help you get better grades on your papers, but will also train you to write for future situations in which readers are not paid to read your work.
Where Does the Thesis Statement Go?
College students have two options for where to put their thesis statement in an academic essay: the introduction (deductive essay) or the conclusion (inductive essay).
Academic writing prizes clarity and information offered in an ordered and incremental manner.
An inductive essay offers relevant facts and information before gradually narrowing them down to a specific claim, usually found in the conclusion; this is also called a “delayed thesis.” Unless an assignment explicitly calls for the inductive model, do not use it.
Academic writing generally prefers the deductive model, in which the essay begins with a claim and then devotes its remainder to proving that assertion. While some disciplines, like creative writing, may prefer subtlety, opacity, deliberate confusion, or other efforts to misguide the reader, academic writing prizes clarity and information offered in an ordered and incremental manner.
Weak vs. Strong Thesis Statements
For most college essays, your thesis must include an argument. A purely descriptive claim or a statement of opinion will make for a weak and unconvincing thesis statement. If you’re not sure whether your thesis is appropriate, consult your professor.
An argument is a claim that reasonable people can agree or disagree with. Sometimes this is a value claim, meaning it comes from your personal understanding or your opinion of the world or subject. Other times it may be an intellectual claim, offering scholarly evidence to change or add a level of understanding to a particular topic.
Here’s an example of a weak thesis statement that lacks a clear, debatable assertion:
Weak Thesis Statement:
“Many archaic civilizations had clearly defined social classes.”
This thesis highlights an empirical fact that the student can prove by listing examples, making it adequate for an expository paper or a report; however, it would be weak for an argumentative essay, since no reasonable person could theoretically disagree with it.
Strong Thesis Statement:
“Archaic civilizations with clearly defined social classes produced more successful warriors than those without.”
This narrower thesis claim attempts to affirm a connection between two facts — social classes and successful warriors — using several pieces of evidence. Even if the writer succeeds in proving this claim, reasonable people may disagree with it and propose other reasons the student didn’t consider. Similarly, the student may refute others’ counterarguments.
This intellectual debate is what it means to be involved in an academic conversation — and what it means to have a strong thesis statement.
Here are two more examples of argumentative thesis statements on the same subject. Note that I changed the focus from sociology to archeology and geography, respectively, to illustrate how one subject can be approached through a different lens. The underlined parts are the thesis statements.
It is a known fact that archaic civilizations with clearly defined social classes often survived longer than those without. One anomaly is seventh-century XXX. Close analysis of the cultural artifacts of the XXX region reveals that a social system that operates on exploitation, rather than sharing, will always fail. This lack of inclusion actually leads to a society’s downfall.
Modern-day sociology scholars have argued that class exploitation ensured the success of archaic civilizations. It is my contention, however, that access to food played an equally important role. Archaic civilizations that had food-growing opportunities and systems survived better than those that did not, regardless of the existence of class exploitation.
The above thesis statement examples are more in line with what you’d be expected to write for doctoral-level work, so don’t panic if you’re an undergraduate. Just know that no matter the degree you’re going for, you’ll be expected to forge arguments that go deeper than the obvious or literal level.
Using the First Person to Enhance Your Thesis Claim
Generally, formal writing does not use first- and second-person pronouns, such as “I” and “you.” One exception, however, is the essay’s introduction.
Even then students are usually advised to avoid “you” altogether unless it appears in the hook, and to limit the use of “I” or “my” to just once. This single use of the first person — inserted at a crucial moment in the introduction — can go a long way toward sharpening your argument and establishing the strength of your voice.
You’ll see that I didn’t use any second-person pronouns (i.e., “you,” “your,” “yours”) in any of the four thesis statement examples above; however, I did use one first-person pronoun in the last example (“It is my contention, however, that …”). In this sentence, using the word “my” followed by “however” highlights the fact that my idea is distinct from those of the sociologists mentioned in the first sentence.
This single use of the first person — inserted at a crucial moment in the introduction — can go a long way toward sharpening your argument.
The use of “my” also signals to the reader that the upcoming clause likely contains something important: the thesis claim. The final sentence in that paragraph further develops that claim.
Perhaps you’ve been taught that a thesis statement should only be one sentence long, but this doesn’t always work well for longer or more complicated research papers. Ultimately, you should use as many words as you need to for your thesis, as long as you avoid sounding repetitive or self-contradictory.
Remember that clarity is key. The more work you do in your introduction, the clearer your thesis will be to you and your reader — and the more focused the rest of your essay will be.
Organizing Your Introduction and Thesis Statement
In addition to explaining what your essay will be about, a good introduction should answer the question, “How will the essay prove this claim?” Giving the reader an idea of the organization of what you’ll be discussing is like handing a map to a driver headed someplace new: It makes the journey clearer and more enjoyable.
Moreover, by providing answers to the “how” question, students often end up augmenting the answer to the “what” question. In other words, they develop their thesis claim — an essential part of a compelling college essay.
Let’s return to the third thesis statement example above:
It is a known fact that archaic civilizations with clearly defined social classes often survived longer than those without. One anomaly is seventh-century XXX. Close analysis of the cultural artifacts of the XXX region reveals that a social system that operates on exploitation, rather than sharing, will always fail. This lack of inclusion actually leads to a society’s downfall. Excavated military objects, remnants of tapestries and clay pots, and the poetry of the era all demonstrate the clash between exploitation and sharing, with the former leading to loss and the latter leading to success.
This final sentence instructs the reader to expect the essay to focus on military objects first, tapestries and clay remnants second, and literary analysis third. It also clarifies that the student will be using artifacts to prove their stated claim: that this culture believed sharing brings success, whereas exploitation or exclusion brings failure.
The sequence of the topics listed in the introduction should match how they’re laid out in the body of the essay.
If the student wanted to start with literary analysis, they should go back to the introduction and make sure that topic is listed first. Put simply, the sequence of the topics listed in the introduction should match how they’re laid out in the body of the essay. This format will lead the student to prove their thesis three times, each in a different manner, making the essay strong and convincing.
But this isn’t the only way to answer the “how” question. Let’s return to the fourth thesis example above:
The “hows” of this thesis break down the claim into component parts in order to compare and contrast the evidence of class hierarchy with the evidence of food production to illustrate which was more impactful.
There are many ways you can frame your essay’s introduction and thesis statement. The point is that the clearer and more developed your introduction is, the easier the rest of the essay will be, both for you to write and for the reader to follow.
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7 tips for efficient thesis writing
Writing your thesis isn’t always a walk in the park, so here are some tips to help you out.
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It’s no secret that writing your master’s or doctoral thesis is no easy task. Writer’s block and procrastination haunt many graduate students. Nonetheless, Geneviève Belleville, psychology professor at Université Laval, has a few tricks that can help make things easier. Back in 2014, she compiled her advice into a book: Assieds-toi et écris ta thèse! Trucs pratiques et motivationnels (Sit Down and Write Your Thesis: Some Practical and Motivational Tips).
At the most recent Journées de la relève en recherche held by Acfas, the association of French-speaking researchers, Dr. Belleville gave a presentation on seven keys to writing a thesis efficiently and (almost) worry-free.
1. Set specific times for writing
To start off, Dr. Belleville advises that you set aside short periods of time each day to write. She encourages you to regularly re-evaluate how long these blocks of time last. Why choose shorter writing periods over longer ones? To prevent procrastination and to reduce the eventual pressure to write. While it is important to write each day, she also recommends taking complete breaks from it. “The kind of person who succeeds in graduate studies is someone who also manages to do other things in life,” she says. “It’s a bit of a paradox, but [people who are successful] are invested in their studies but are also able to do other things, for example, on evenings or weekends.”
2. Set goals
Dr. Belleville says there are different types of goals that apply to writing a thesis: long-term, specific and weekly goals, as well as time-bound or project-driven goals. “You can’t expect a master’s degree or a PhD to be easy — you have to set goals and define motivations,” she explains. She suggests taking inspiration from the concept of SMART objectives to help with this stage. This method prescribes setting objectives that are s pecific, m easurable, a chievable, r ealistic, and t ime-bound. For example, don’t take on a literature review when you have 35 minutes left at the end of a long workday!
3. Distinguish the different writing stages
There are three main stages to a thesis: planning, writing and editing. A well-thought-out plan makes it easier to start writing while reducing stress and hesitation. When it comes to writing, she recommends tackling this task without overthinking it. Writing ideas quickly without thinking about every word choice accelerates the process and prevents you from getting bogged down in one spot for too long. The editing stage is where it’s important to carefully consider the relevance of each sentence, spend more time on your structure and argumentation, correct typos and refine your style. Dr. Belleville reminds us that “We’re writing for others — not ourselves.”
4. Inspiration is a rationalization
Dr. Belleville adds that waiting for inspiration to start writing is just an excuse to procrastinate. “Writing doesn’t need inspiration, it needs structure,” she says. She believes that the best ways to get motivated are to write each day, for example, or to keep a notebook of ideas, vary your tasks, or talk about the subject with the people around you.
5. Avoid procrastination
“Scientific writing is one of the jobs most likely to be put off to the next day,” she explains. One of the reasons this happens in thesis writing is the anxiety it causes. The last stage of a PhD is also the most important, as it determines whether or not you earn your degree. More often than not, procrastination only causes more anxiety. Dr. Belleville has advice for fighting this tendency to postpone work. First, she emphasizes the importance of planning short, daily writing periods. You also need to create a pleasant, functional space that’s conducive to writing. Lastly, you need to remember that everyone procrastinates from time to time, so there’s no need to get hung up on it when you do!
6. Resist perfectionism!
Dr. Belleville argues that perfectionism and productivity are not the same thing. She says that while it’s a good thing to have high standards, having unrealistic ones is just shooting yourself in the foot. “Perfectionists are often unproductive because they are paralysed by their perfectionism.” She sees perfectionism as kind of cult “where the ideals we aim to achieve are attractive but unrealistic.” Perfection can come with certain nuances. Wanting to perform and excel is not the same issue as taking on too much, and both have very different outcomes.
7. Stay connected and talk about it with others
She concluded her presentation by stating “you have to make sure not to get lost in the thesis writing process.” Shutting yourself in, away from everyone else, is far from a good idea, and you shouldn’t hesitate to discuss any problems that come up. It’s important to remember that this kind of project will always come with setbacks.
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How to Write Master Thesis: Strategies for Effective Writing
Writing a master’s thesis shouldn’t be daunting. Learn the essentials with our guide on how to write master thesis and achieve your goals!
Knowing how to write a master’s thesis is a significant undertaking that requires meticulous planning, rigorous research, and effective communication skills. It can be both an exciting and daunting endeavor, but with the right approach and guidance, you can successfully navigate the process. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to write a master’s thesis. From how to choose a topic to conduct thorough research, organizing your ideas, and presenting coherent arguments. By following our tips and strategies, you can confidently embark on your master’s thesis journey and produce a high-quality piece of academic work that showcases your expertise and scholarly growth.
What Is A Master Thesis?
A master thesis is a comprehensive research project undertaken by graduate students to demonstrate their mastery of a specific subject area within their field of study. It serves as a culmination of their academic journey and is a requirement for completing a master’s degree.
Purpose Of A Master Thesis
The primary purpose of a master’s thesis is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in in-depth research, critical analysis, and original contribution to their chosen field. It allows students to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their academic program, showcasing their ability to conduct independent research, think critically, and present findings in a scholarly manner.
Types Of Master Thesis
There are different types of master theses, depending on the field of study and program requirements. Some common include two types: qualitative and quantitative.
A qualitative or creative thesis involves conducting research that explores topics in a descriptive, exploratory, analytical, or creative manner. This type of thesis is commonly pursued by graduate students in departments that encompass the arts and humanities. It allows students to delve into their subjects of interest through methods such as literature reviews, case studies, interviews, observations, or artistic creations. The focus is on gaining a deeper understanding of the subject matter by examining its nuances, context, and subjective interpretations. Qualitative theses often emphasize the subjective experiences, perspectives, and narratives of individuals or communities. The findings are typically presented through detailed descriptions, narratives, quotes, and artistic representations, providing a rich and contextualized understanding of the research topic.
A quantitative thesis involves the collection and analysis of numerical data obtained through scientific devices or instruments. This type of thesis relies on objective measurements recorded on a scale. The findings of a quantitative master’s thesis are typically presented through quantitative data representations, such as graphs, tables, and statistical measures, allowing for objective interpretations and generalizations. Examples of quantitative master’s theses can include studies on the effects of interventions on outcomes, analyzing relationships between variables, investigating patterns or trends in data, or examining the impact of factors on a particular phenomenon.
It is important to note that the specific types and requirements of a master’s thesis may vary across institutions and academic programs, so students should consult their program guidelines for more detailed information.
Choosing A Topic For The Master Thesis
Choosing a topic for a master’s thesis involves a deliberate process that revolves around finding a research gap and developing relevant research questions. Firstly, it is crucial to explore the existing literature in your field of study to identify areas where knowledge is lacking or conflicting. This helps you pinpoint research gaps that can be addressed in your thesis. Next, consult with advisors and professors who can offer guidance and insights based on their expertise. Brainstorm and formulate focused research questions that contribute to advancing knowledge in your field. Ensure that the chosen topic is feasible in terms of available resources and time constraints, and consider the practical implications and relevance of the topic to assess its potential impact on the field.
Finding A Research Gap
Identifying a research gap is essential when the student is choosing the topic for the master thesis to ensure the thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge. Students need to conduct a thorough literature review to identify areas where research is lacking or where further investigation is needed. This ensures that the master’s thesis adds value and fills a void in the current understanding of the subject matter.
Developing Research Questions
Formulating clear and focused research questions is crucial for guiding the master thesis. Research questions should be specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant. They should address the research gap identified and guide the entire research process. Students can refine and develop their research questions in consultation with their advisors and by considering the research objectives and scope of their master thesis.
Research Methodology For Master Thesis
The research methodology section of a master thesis outlines the strategies, approaches, and techniques employed to gather and analyze data. It provides a framework for conducting the research study, ensuring its validity and reliability. The research methodology encompasses various components, such as the research design, data collection methods, data analysis techniques, and ethical considerations.
Data Collection Methods
Data collection methods involve the systematic gathering of relevant information to address the research questions. Common data collection methods include surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, archival research, and document analysis. Students should select appropriate methods based on their research objectives, sample size, resources available, and the nature of the research topic. It is important to ensure data collection methods are reliable, valid, and ethical.
Data Analysis Techniques
Data analysis techniques in a master’s thesis refer to the methods and procedures used to analyze and interpret the data collected during the research process. These techniques help researchers make sense of the data, uncover patterns, draw conclusions, and address their research questions or hypotheses. The choice of data analysis techniques will depend on the nature of the research questions, the type of data collected, and the objectives of the study. Researchers need to select the appropriate techniques that align with their research goals and ensure the accuracy and validity of their findings.
Writing The Master Thesis
Writing a master thesis requires careful planning, organization, and effective communication of research findings. It involves synthesizing research data, analyzing results, and presenting arguments coherently and logically. Writing the master thesis is an opportunity to showcase academic writing skills and demonstrate mastery of the subject matter.
Structure Of A Master Thesis
The structure of a master thesis typically includes several key sections. While the specific organization may vary by discipline, empirical dissertations typically follow a common format. Here’s a breakdown of the key sections:
Abstract: A concise summary of the thesis, providing an overview of the research question, methods, findings, and conclusions.
Table of Contents: A list of the main sections and subsections in the thesis, enabling easy navigation.
List of Tables/Figures: A compilation of tables and figures used in the thesis, with corresponding page numbers.
Introduction : An introductory section that sets the context, states the research problem or objective and outlines the scope and significance of the study.
Literature Review : A comprehensive review of existing research and scholarly works related to the thesis topic, demonstrating the gap or need for further investigation.
Methodology : A detailed explanation of the research design, methods, data collection procedures, and any statistical or analytical techniques employed.
Findings: Presentation and analysis of the research findings, often supported by tables, charts, or graphs.
Discussion : Interpretation and evaluation of the findings, comparing them to previous research, addressing limitations, and offering insights and implications.
Conclusion: A concise summary of the research, restating the main findings and their significance, along with suggestions for future research. For more details about the thesis conclusion, read our content “ Thesis Conclusion: Making Your Research Paper Outstanding “.
References: A list of all the sources cited in the thesis, following a specific citation style.
Appendices: Additional materials such as raw data, interview transcripts, or questionnaires that provide supplementary information to support the thesis.
Writing Style And Formatting Requirements
When writing a master’s thesis, it is important to adhere to the specific writing style and formatting requirements set by the academic institution or program. This may include guidelines on font type and size, margins, line spacing, citation style (such as APA , MLA, or Harvard), and referencing conventions. Following these requirements ensures consistency and professionalism in the presentation of the thesis. Maintaining a clear, concise, and formal writing style is essential to effectively convey ideas and arguments in a scholarly manner.
Proofreading And Editing The Master Thesis
Proofreading and editing a master thesis is a crucial step to ensure its quality and coherence. Start by scheduling a meeting with your advisor to discuss the revision and editing process. Check for consistency in formatting, citation style, and numbering. Review grammar, punctuation, and spelling manually, while also using automated tools. Improve sentence structure and logical flow, ensuring arguments connect smoothly. Verify citations and references for accuracy and proper formatting. Seek feedback from trusted peers or advisors and incorporate their suggestions. Make necessary revisions and conduct a final proofread, paying attention to details.
Submitting The Master Thesis
Submitting the master thesis is the final step in the process, marking the culmination of extensive research and writing. Before submission, ensure that the thesis adheres to the prescribed guidelines and formatting requirements set by the academic institution or program. Review the document for any errors, inconsistencies, or formatting issues, ensuring that all sections, citations, and references are accurate and properly cited. Include any required supporting materials or appendices as specified. Create a comprehensive checklist to verify that all necessary components, such as the title page, abstract, acknowledgments, and table of contents, are present and correctly formatted. Finally, submit the master thesis by the designated deadline, following the specific submission instructions provided by the institution or program.
Defending The Master Thesis
Defending the thesis is an essential step in the completion of a master’s degree. Here are some tips to help prepare a successful thesis defense:
Preparation: Thoroughly review and understand the thesis, including the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions. Familiarize with the relevant literature and anticipate potential questions or criticisms.
Structure the presentation: Create a clear and logical structure for the presentation. Include an introduction, background information, research objectives, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Use visual aids such as slides to illustrate key points effectively.
Explain methodology: Describe the research methodology, including data collection techniques, tools, and analysis methods. Justify choices and explain how they align with the research objectives.
Present results: Present the research findings and highlight the key outcomes. Clearly explain any statistical analyses or experiments conducted and discuss the implications of the results.
Discuss limitations: Acknowledge the limitations of the research. Explain any constraints or factors that may have influenced the outcomes or impacted the validity of the results. Demonstrate awareness of these limitations and discuss potential areas for future research.
Be open to feedback: View the defense as an opportunity to receive valuable feedback. Show receptiveness to suggestions for improvement and engage in constructive discussions.
Remember that these steps are general guidelines, and the specific requirements and expectations for defending a master’s thesis may vary among institutions. It is advisable to consult the advisor or program guidelines for additional information and recommendations tailored to this particular situation.
Learn more about how to Approach Thesis Defense Questions: https://mindthegraph.com/blog/thesis-defense-questions/
Common Mistakes To Avoid In Writing A Master Thesis
When writing a master’s thesis, it is important to be aware of common mistakes and take steps to avoid them. Some common mistakes to avoid include:
Lack of clarity in research objectives: Clearly define the research objectives and ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant. Unclear objectives can lead to a lack of focus and coherence in the thesis.
Poor organization and structure: Plan thesis structure carefully, ensuring a logical flow of ideas and smooth transitions between sections. Poor organization can make it difficult for readers to follow the arguments and understand the research.
Insufficient literature review: Conduct a comprehensive literature review to provide context and establish the theoretical framework for the research. Failing to adequately review existing research can result in a weak foundation for the thesis and overlook essential contributions to the field.
Inadequate data analysis: Ensure that the data analysis is robust and appropriate for the research questions. Use suitable data analysis techniques and provide clear interpretations of findings.
Inconsistent referencing and citation: Follow the required citation style consistently throughout the thesis. Accurately cite all sources and provide a comprehensive reference list or bibliography. Inconsistent referencing can lead to accusations of plagiarism and undermine the academic integrity of your work.
Lack of proofreading and editing: Thoroughly proofread and edit the thesis to correct grammatical errors, improve sentence structure, and ensure clarity. Neglecting this step can result in a lack of professionalism and diminish the overall quality of your work.
Tips For Writing An Effective Master Thesis
Here are some tips for writing an effective master thesis:
Start early: Begin the thesis writing process as early as possible to allow ample time for research, analysis, and writing. Procrastination can lead to unnecessary stress and compromise the work’s quality.
Develop a clear research question: Define a focused and well-defined research question that aligns with the interests and contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the specific field. A clear research question will guide the research and provide a strong foundation for the thesis.
Plan and outline: Create a detailed outline or a roadmap for the thesis, including the main sections, subtopics, and key arguments. This will help to stay organized and maintain a logical flow throughout the writing.
Conduct thorough research: Invest time in conducting comprehensive research, including literature reviews, data collection, and analysis. Use credible sources and critically evaluate the information to support the arguments effectively.
Maintain academic writing style: Write in a formal, concise, and clear style appropriate for academic writing. Avoid excessive jargon and ensure that ideas are communicated effectively to the target audience.
Structure the thesis effectively: Follow a logical structure with well-defined sections, such as an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Each section should contribute to the overall coherence and flow of the thesis.
Seek feedback and revisions: Share the work with the advisor, peers, or mentors to get feedback and constructive criticism. Incorporate their suggestions and revise the thesis accordingly to strengthen the arguments and improve the overall quality.
Stay organized and manage time effectively: Create a realistic timeline, set deadlines, and manage time effectively throughout the writing process. Break down the tasks into smaller manageable parts to avoid feeling overwhelmed and ensure steady progress.
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13 Ways to Quickly Improve Your Academic Essay Writing Skills
#scribendiinc
Written by Scribendi
Anyone can learn to produce an academic essay if they begin with a few basic essay-writing rules.
An academic essay must be based upon a solid but debatable thesis, supported by relevant and credible evidence, and closed with a succinct and thorough conclusion.
By adhering to the best way to write an essay, you can create valuable, persuasive papers even when you're under a time crunch!
What Makes a Good Essay?
As previously noted, the foundation of any good academic essay is its thesis statement.
Do not confuse your thesis with your opening sentence. There are many good ways to start an essay , but few essays immediately present their main ideas.
After you draft your thesis, you can begin to develop your essay around it. This development will include the main supporting points of your essay, which will scaffold its main body.
Essays also typically include a relevant and compelling introduction and conclusion.
Learn How to Write a Great Thesis Statement .
Understanding How to Write a Good Essay
When writing an academic essay, you must take a number of qualities and characteristics into careful consideration. Focus, development, unity, coherence, and correctness all play critical roles when it comes to distinguishing an exceptional essay from one that is less than perfect.
The following essay-writing tips can help writers organize, format, and support their essays in ways that fit their intended purpose and optimize their overall persuasiveness. Here are 13 essay tips for developing and writing your next academic paper.
1. Know What You Are Going to Write About Before You Start Writing
While untrained writers might just sit down and start typing, educated and experienced writers know that there are many steps to writing an essay.
In short, you should know what you want to say before you type a single word. The easiest way to narrow down a thesis and create a proper argument is to make a basic outline before you begin composing your essay.
Your outline should consist of rough notes that sketch out your introduction (including your thesis), the body of your essay (which should include separate paragraphs that present your main supporting points with plenty of evidence and examples), and your conclusion (which ties everything together and connects the argument back to your thesis).
2. Acquire a Solid Understanding of Basic Grammar, Punctuation, and Style
Before getting into more refined essay-writing techniques, you must have a solid grasp of grammar, punctuation, and style. Without these writing fundamentals, it will be difficult to communicate your ideas effectively and ensure that they are taken seriously.
Grammar basics include subject and verb agreement, correct article and pronoun use, and well-formed sentence structures. Make sure you know the proper uses for the most common forms of punctuation. Be mindful of your comma usage and know when a period is needed.
Finally, voice is tremendously important in academic essay writing. Employ language that is as concise as possible. Avoid transition words that don't add anything to the sentence and unnecessary wordiness that detracts from your argument.
Furthermore, use the active voice instead of the passive whenever possible (e.g., "this study found" instead of "it was found by this study"). This will make your essay's tone clear and direct.
3. Use the Right Vocabulary and Know What the Words You Are Using Actually Mean
How you use language is important, especially in academic essay writing. When writing an academic essay, remember that you are persuading others that you are an expert who argues intelligently about your topic.
Using big words just to sound smart often results in the opposite effect—it is easy to detect when someone is overcompensating in their writing.
If you aren't sure of the exact meaning of a word, you risk using it incorrectly. There's no shame in checking, and it might save you from an embarrassing word misuse later!
Using obscure language can also detract from the clarity of your argument—you should consider this before pulling out a thesaurus to change a perfectly appropriate word to something completely different.
4. Understand the Argument and Critically Analyze the Evidence
While writing a good essay, your main argument should always be at the front of your mind. While it's tempting to go off on a tangent about an interesting side note, doing so makes your writing less concise.
Always question the evidence you include in your essay; ask yourself, "Does this directly support my thesis?" If the answer is "no," then that evidence should probably be excluded.
When you are evaluating evidence, be critical and thorough. You want to use the strongest research to back up your thesis. It is not enough to simply present evidence in support of an argument. A good writer must also explain why the evidence is relevant and supportive.
Everything you include should clearly connect to your topic and argument.
5. Know How to Write a Conclusion That Supports Your Research
One of the most overlooked steps to writing an essay is the conclusion. Your conclusion ties all your research together and proves your thesis. It should not be a restatement of your introduction or a copy-and-paste of your thesis.
A strong conclusion briefly outlines the key evidence discussed in the body of an essay and directly ties it to the thesis to show how the evidence proves or disproves the main argument of your research.
Countless great essays have been written only to be derailed by vague, weakly worded conclusions. Don't let your next essay become one of those.
6. Build a Solid Thesis to Support Your Arguments
A thesis is the main pillar of an essay. By selecting a specific thesis, you'll be able to develop arguments to support your central opinion. Consider writing about a unique experience or your own particular view of a topic .
Your thesis should be clear and logical, but it should also be debatable. Otherwise, it might be difficult to support it with compelling arguments.
7. Develop an Interesting Opening Paragraph to Hook In Readers from the Get-Go
No matter how you begin your essay, you must strive to capture the reader's interest immediately. If your opening paragraph doesn't catch the eye and engage the brain, any attempt at persuasion may end before the essay even starts.
The beginning of your essay is crucial for setting the stage for your thesis.
8. Always Remember to Edit and Proofread Your Essay
Any decent writer will tell you that writing is really rewriting. A good academic essay will inevitably go through multiple drafts as it slowly takes shape. When you arrive at a final draft, you must make sure that it is as close to perfect as possible.
This means subjecting your essay to close and comprehensive editing and proofreading processes. In other words, you must read your paper as many times as necessary to eliminate all grammar/punctuation mistakes and typos.
It is helpful to have a third party review your work. Consider consulting a peer or professional editing service. Keep in mind that professional editors are able to help you identify underdeveloped arguments and unnecessarily wordy language, and provide other feedback.
Get Critical Feedback on Your Writing
Hire an expert academic editor , or get a free sample, 9. when developing your essay's main body, build strong and relevant arguments.
Every sentence in the main body of your paper should explain and support your thesis. When deciding how much evidence to include in an academic essay, a good guideline is to include at least three main supporting arguments.
Those main supporting arguments, in turn, require support in the form of relevant facts, figures, examples, analogies, and observations.
You will need to engage in appropriate research to accomplish this. To organize your research efforts, you may want to develop a list of good research questions .
10. Choose the Format of Your Essay before Writing It
The final shape that your essay takes depends a great deal on what kind of format you use. Popular college essay format types include the Modern Language Association of America ( MLA ), American Psychological Association ( APA ), and Chicago Manual of Style ( Chicago style).
These formats govern everything from capitalization rules to source citation. Often, professors dictate a specific format for your essay. If they do not, you should choose the format that best suits your field.
11. Create Clear Transitions between Your Ideas
Although unnecessary transition words are the enemy of clarity and concision, they can be invaluable tools when it comes to separating and connecting the different sections of your essay.
Not only do they help you express your ideas but they also bring a cohesive structure to your sentences and a pleasant flow to your writing. Just be sure that you are using the right transition words for the right purpose and to the proper effect.
12. Always Include an Organized Reference Page at the End of Your Essay
As a key component of MLA, APA, and Chicago Style formatting, the reference or Works Cited page is an essential part of any academic essay.
Regardless of the format used, the reference page must be well organized and easy to read so that your audience can see exactly where your outside information came from.
To produce a properly formatted reference page, you may have to familiarize yourself with specialized phrases and abbreviations, such as " et al ."
13. Use Inclusive Language
Incorporating inclusive language in your academic writing ensures that your work is respectful and accessible to all readers. Use gender-neutral pronouns like "they/them" and replace gender-specific terms with inclusive alternatives, such as "firefighter" instead of "fireman."
You can also respect cultural diversity by avoiding stereotypes and generalizations, specifying details like "Japanese, Thai, and Indian cuisine" rather than "Asian cuisine." Engaging with diverse audiences for feedback and staying updated on inclusive language practices will help you continuously improve your writing.
How to Write a Good Hook for an Essay
The key to a good hook is to introduce an unexplored or absorbing line of inquiry in your introduction that addresses the main point of your thesis.
By carefully choosing your language and slowly revealing details, you can build reader anticipation for what follows.
Much like an actual worm-baited fishing hook, a successful hook will lure and capture readers, allowing the writer to "reel them in."
How to Get Better at Writing Essays
You can get better at writing essays the same way that you improve at anything else: practice, practice, practice! However, there are a few ways that you can improve your writing quickly so you can turn in a quality academic essay on time.
In addition to following the 13 essay tips and guidelines above, you can familiarize yourself with a few common practices and structures for essay development.
Great writing techniques for essays include brainstorming and tree diagrams, especially when coming up with a topic for your thesis statement. Becoming familiar with different structures for organizing your essay (order of importance, chronological, etc.) is also extremely helpful.
How to Write a Good Introduction for an Essay
To learn how to write a good essay, you must also learn how to write a good introduction.
Most effective essay introductions begin with relatively broad and general subject matter and then gradually narrow in focus and scope until they arrive at something extremely specific: the thesis. This is why writers tend to place their thesis statements at the very end of their introductory paragraph(s).
Because they are generally broad and often relate only tangentially to an essay's main point, there is virtually no limit on what the beginning of a good introduction can look like. However, writers still tend to rely on somewhat cliché opening sentences, such as quotations and rhetorical questions.
How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Essay
Briefly put, a good conclusion does two things. It wraps up any loose ends and drives home the main point of your essay.
To learn how to write a good conclusion, you will want to ensure that no unanswered questions remain in the reader's mind. A good conclusion will restate the thesis and reinforce the essay's main supporting points.
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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:
- An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
- An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
- An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.
If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.
2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.
3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.
Thesis Statement Examples
Example of an analytical thesis statement:
The paper that follows should:
- Explain the analysis of the college admission process
- Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors
Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:
- Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers
Example of an argumentative thesis statement:
- Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college
- Translation
PhD Writing 2: How to improve your writing skills in preparation for writing your thesis
By charlesworth author services.
- Charlesworth Author Services
- 28 October, 2021
Writing a thesis is a substantial undertaking : it takes discipline, organisation and most of all, time, to produce a high-quality thesis. You may worry about many aspects of it, like whether you have done enough reading or gathered enough data, but as with most PhD students in your position, you’re most likely overthinking it. You have worked on this research for years, so you can be sure that you do have enough data and you have read enough. The final worry is how to actually write it. Let’s discuss three of the best practices to help you prepare for this.
Read more – and better
A thesis is, in essence, an enormous journal paper . Usually split into Introduction , Methodology, Results and Analysis/ Discussion chapters, the overall structure of a thesis follows a similar formula to that of a paper. It therefore follows that you can take inspiration from academic papers in your field to help you structure the flow and language of your thesis.
The next time you read a paper, don’t think only about the content, but also how it is written, structured and presented. You want your thesis to have a certain narrative , to be easy to read and to follow similar stylistic and linguistic conventions to what academics in your field will be used to. Already existing publications are a valuable resource for you to tap into.
Write more frequently
The single best way to get better at anything is to practise frequently and consistently, and writing is no different. Find ways to can get involved in any writing, whether it is a paper your lab is working on, a personal or professional blog post or an article on online platforms like LinkedIn. You will become more familiar with your writing habits , your own voice as a writer and any weaknesses you might identify along the way, so you can focus on addressing them and refining your writing skills.
Seek (relevant) feedback
Finally, do not be afraid to ask for feedback from your supervisor, colleagues, friends and family. Your writing will probably require a high level of technical detail, but should still be readable for diverse audiences . A great way to gain an understanding of how you’re doing in this regard is to ask as varied a group of people for as much feedback as you can, so as to identify areas that may require refinement.
Writing comes easily to some, and less easily to others. The key to improving your writing is understanding the level you are currently at, and identifying what needs improvement. Compare your own writing to published papers, and learn from feedback. Practise as much as you can, and you’ll no doubt be successful in writing your thesis.
Read next in series: PhD Writing 3: How to write the introduction chapter of a thesis
Read previous in series: PhD Writing 1: Things you should do in preparation for writing your thesis
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Apr. 12, 2021
Writing your thesis: tips for successful, self-directed progress, by emily elia: words of wisdom about how to stay productive when your work schedule is self-directed..
For many Ph.D. students, the first few years of grad school look quite different from the last few years. In the beginning, grad classes take up a lot of time and structure much of the work and research. But Ph.D. students are not in classes throughout their entire degree. Eventually, you'll complete classes and focus solely on research. This change from more structured to less structured time can be difficult for many students. You know you are supposed to be working on your dissertation over the next few years, but how? When?
Without the more structured schedule of classes, managing time and staying organized can be difficult. However, this challenge is one that most (if not all) Ph.D. students have faced! There's a lot of advice out there about how to stay on top of your research and writing. Below, I outline some words of wisdom about how to stay productive when your work schedule is entirely up to you and undoubtedly daunting.
Some say to write every day.
No matter what field you are in, all Ph.D. students dedicate time to writing. We have to write in order to synthesize and convey our research to a larger audience, and we certainly have to write to produce a dissertation. Writing advice from all kinds of writers, from fellow academics to authors of novels, frequently includes this tip: work on your writing every day, even if only for a brief moment. Many writers state that they carve out a specific time in their day that is dedicated only to writing, and they commit to getting something down on paper during that time.
Pick a time during the day that you think is your peak time for writing. For some, it’s early morning right after they wake up. For others, it’s just before bed, or perhaps just after lunch. Whenever the time, dedicate it to writing every day. Of course, some days you will be writing far more, but on the days that feel especially sluggish, having this little bit of time tucked away for writing can help you chip away at your writing tasks, even if that chipping is miniscule. Remember that getting your Ph.D. is a marathon, not a sprint!
Also remember that writing every day does not mean you have to contribute to your research writing every single day. Writing other things (such as papers outside your dissertation, blog posts, notes for readings, etc.) can have a positive impact on your writing productivity in general. Writing skills are like a muscle; the more you work at them, the stronger they will become. Just as there are many different exercises that can help you build muscle strength, there are many different forms of writing that will help you become a stronger writer overall.
Take advantage of university resources!
The Center for Academic and Professional Communication at Rice is a great resource for all your writing needs. The CAPC offers various ways to help you improve writing and help you get your writing done. You can set up one-on-one consultations to go over your writing with CAPC staff and get individualized feedback. To help stay productive, you can go to the (virtual) Graduate Writers’ Lounge on Zoom for some writing group motivation, or even participate in more field-specific writing groups with other Rice grad students. If you want guidance about how to improve your writing as well as some helpful tools for staying on top of it, visiting the CAPC is a great place to start.
For more helpful writing guidance, check out CAPC’s resources page .
Figure out what motivates you to work.
Some people have no problem getting work done. They say they will do X and so they sit down and do it. Unfortunately, not all of us have that much laser-focused will power! Many of us need some kind of motivation to get our work done that goes beyond the sheer desire to get our work done. It may be a deadline, a reward for finishing a task, or social support, to name just a few motivators. Understanding what motivates you to work is an important step in being a better manager of your time. For example, if you know that deadlines do absolutely nothing for your motivation, then don’t think setting a deadline for that dissertation chapter is going to impact your progress significantly. In contrast, if you know external incentives are a big motivator, then commit to buying yourself a reward only when that dissertation chapter is finished.
Accountability groups can be a big help.
In the same vein as understanding your motivation, it is also important to understand how you best hold yourself accountable. Many people find accountability groups to be extremely helpful in staying on track with work. Having a tough time making yourself work on that paper? Get together with some of the students in your grad program to form a writing group. Pick a set time every week to “meet” (this could be virtually over Zoom!) to work solely on writing. At the beginning of each meeting, everyone in the group states what they are working on. After a set amount of time passes, everyone updates the group on the progress you have made. Nobody wants to be the person who says, “Actually, guys, I didn’t write anything during this past hour because I was scrolling on Twitter.” Accountability writing groups are a popular tool amongst writers of all kinds, and there is a lot of advice out there about how to set up a successful group. You can check out how to make a successful accountability writing group here , here , and here .
Make SMART goals.
Writing a dissertation is a daunting task. Writing one paper can feel overwhelming oftentimes! While the goal of “finish my dissertation” is well and good, it provides you with absolutely zero guidelines. Instead, break up your big goals into small goals that can actually be crossed off a to-do list frequently.
Many people swear by the concept of SMART goals . What are SMART goals? They are:
SMART goals can help you chop up big goals into smaller, doable pieces. Think of your goals like Russian nesting dolls. You have your big, main goal: finish your dissertation. That is a two or three year goal, but it isn’t a SMART goal. It contains no criteria that guides you on how to complete it. You have to store your SMART goals within this big goal—that is how the big goal gets done. So, within your big dissertation doll, you have a series of subsequently smaller dolls that represent SMART goals (that get SMARTer and SMARTer). Within that goal, you have your goal for this year: complete all data collection for the dissertation, for example. Within that goal, you have your goal for the next six months: run your first experiment. Then, your goal for the next few months, the goal for this month, the goal for this week…
Having big goals is important, but you need to have small goals that can actually get done. These are the goals that move you closer to that big goal! Making sure your goals are specific and doable will help you make progress. Like the old saying goes, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at time!
Take time off to recharge.
You know what is not good for your productivity? Working all the time! A lot of grad students believe that they must be working 24/7, but that mindset is not practical or healthy. That constant grind is also not inherently improving the quality of your work. In fact, taking time off can make you more successful at your work. If you sit down at your computer and feel only exhaustion and frustration, you may be burnt out and in desperate need of a break. Burnout will probably look a bit different for everyone, but here are some common signs that you’ve been burning the candle at both ends for far too long.
Make sure you allow yourself to step away from work, whether that be in the form of a vacation to a favorite destination, or long weekend visiting friends and family nearby, or a weekend where you do not touch your work at all (no, really -- hands off the laptop!). Combating burnout can also be helped by having a consistently structured work schedule that separates work time from relaxation time. However, even if you are somebody who does a good job of balancing work and play, taking a vacation every now and then can still help you feel recharged and recentered.
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About the author: Originally from Massachusetts, Emily Elia is a third-year Ph.D. student in political science. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018 and currently studies comparative politics with a focus on Latin America.
Is English Your Second Language? Here Are 7 Ways To Improve Your Academic Writing
Nov 3, 2018
Writing a PhD when English is your second language is scary. It’s scary enough when English is your first language. 80,000 words, sometimes even more, in a technical language and at the highest level of academic rigour. Terrifying, right?
Here I present 7 tips you can use to improve your academic writing when writing your PhD.
I’ve proofread countless PhDs from people just like you and one thing stands out – you’re doing great. Sure, it’s hard and you sometimes struggle, but how many native English speakers can write a PhD in a second language? Not many.
So stop worrying. International students pass at the same rate as native English speaker and they do so quicker. To get onto your PhD program in the first place, you already had to show your competence in English. Don’t forget that.
If your supervisor has ever criticised you, you’ve ever been told your English can be improved, you’ve ever had a chapter sent back for language errors or you simply want to improve your own English-language skills, these strategies are for you.
Interested in group workshops, cohort-courses and a free PhD learning & support community?
The team behind The PhD Proofreaders have launched The PhD People, a free learning and community platform for PhD students. Connect, share and learn with other students, and boost your skills with cohort-based workshops and courses.
Tip 1: spot your mistakes.
We know from our years of proofreading experience that most international students writing in English make the same few mistakes over and over again.
Overall their language is great, but a few errors show up time and time again. Try and think about what mistakes you make most frequently . If you’ve ever had your work proofread, have a look at the changes that the proofreader made. Can you spot any patterns? If you can, make a note of the changes the proofreader made and see if you can learn them.
When you write something new, take another read through it, paying attention to these common mistakes.
Read it out loud – it helps.
Tip 2: Read, read, read
Spend time each week reading well-written journal articles or book chapters. Carefully consider how they have been written.
Often the problem with writing English in a second language isn’t just spelling or grammar, but sentence structure and academic tone. So think about how the authors have introduced their argument.
Ask yourself:
How have they structured their introduction? How have they structured the article as a whole? Do they use long sentences with lots of commas or do they keep their sentences short? How do they conclude? Thinking carefully about these things will help you understand your own writing. How do you introduce your argument? How do you structure your introduction? How does that compare? Is there anything you can learn?
Tip 3: Write as much as possible
Write as much as possible. The more you practice, the better you will become, especially if you’re having your work checked by a proofreader, taking note of their suggestions for changes and keeping an eye out for repeated mistakes and patterns. Writing PhD chapters as early as possible is good practice anyway, so it’s a double-win.
If your PhD doesn’t give you much opportunity to write until later years (maybe if you’re doing lots of fieldwork first), you can find other ways to practice. You can write detailed notes in English on your reading, or you could join the editorial board of a journal.
Tip 4: Take advantage of your university
Take advantage of the resources offered your university. Many universities now have dedicated departments to offer courses and training for those for whom English is a second language. You should definitely take advantage of these. They are often run by academics who are experts in teaching ESL students.
Tip 5: Write in English, but if you get stuck on a word include it in your first language
The worst thing you can do is write your thesis in your first language and then translate it to English. It’ll take you ages and it’ll make it difficult for a proofreader to understand, because different languages have different rules about things like sentence structure and word order, which means your translated text will read in a strange way.
Instead, write the text in English primarily, but if you are having trouble with a particular word, include it in your native language. You may already do this when you’re speaking in English and don’t know a particular word. It’s the same principle in writing.
Doing this will mean you can move forward in your thesis. Then, when you go through and edit things, you can translate the individual words into English.
Tip 6: Bigger is not always better
Lastly, you don’t need to write with long, complex sentences. These are hard to read and add an unnecessary level of complication to your work.
Instead, focus on presenting your ideas in short, concise sentences that are easy to read. Many of the problems we see when we proofread PhDs are down to poor sentence structure and using overly complex sentences.
If you use simple, shorter sentences, you will avoid these common mistakes.
Tip 7: Hire a proofreader
This advice applies to both native and international students. You can be the best writer in the world, but after you’ve written 80,000 words, edited it and re-read it twice, you’ve become so familiar with it that you will miss mistakes. Guaranteed. Everyone does.
You need a fresh set of eyes, those of a professional proofreader. They will be able to make sure you haven’t made mistakes and that your ideas and arguments are clearly presented.
Don’t forget that a PhD is a very technical document. It is difficult to separate how much of the struggle you have is because of the difficulty with learning the new technical language of your discipline – which native speakers also have to do and also find difficult – and how much is because of speaking another language. Often, the problem is because words that you already know are being used in new ways that are often contested. We know that definitions in academia are often hard to pin down; you may not understand the meaning of a word simply because the meaning of the word isn’t really known by anyone!
Again though, it’s hard not to assume it’s because of your problems with English. Remember that native speakers often struggle to understand academic text.
Remember, you’re doing great. There’s always room for improvement though, so follow these seven steps and you’ll be improving in no time. For more on how to improve your writing and to see how we can help you, visit our Knowledge Base.
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I received much knowledge from your tips and guides me to improve my writing dissertation. Thanks indeed, really support me.
I’m glad the guide helped. Good luck with the thesis!
These are very practical tips. Really helpful. What do you think about the use of Apps like Grammarly?
I think for most people Grammarly is really useful. For some though it won’t be enough – it’s not great at huge bodies of text, or if your English language skills aren’t great. That’s where a proofreader comes in.
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Yash Lal will be presenting his proposal on reasoning in narratives and plans this coming Monday. Come join us. Details below.
Time: Monday, November 4 at 12:30pm
Venue: NCS 120 or Zoom link
Title: Using Causal Knowledge to Improve Reasoning in Narratives and Plans
Abstract: Humans reason about everyday situations by making commonsense-based inferences, derived not only from explicitly stated information but also from implicit, unstated knowledge. Consider the sentence, John walked by a man peering into the hood of a car in the driveway with tools around him. If one were to ask “Why was John peering into the hood of a car?", humans can provide a range of inferential answers such as the engine was broken (cause), he was finding the problem in the engine (effect), he was working to fix the car (goal), and he wanted to use the car going forward (motivation). To infer such answers, humans use explicit information, as well as their causal knowledge of everyday situations. In this thesis, I investigate whether NLP models have different aspects of such causal knowledge and how to improve their understanding of narratives and plans. For each domain, I create a resource to benchmark how much causal knowledge NLP models possess to reason about them. Then, for each domain, I develop methods to improve their comprehension of such knowledge.
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Keep encouraging yourself. Repeating encouraging phrases like "I will finish my thesis by year's end" or "I'll complete a lot of work this week" can really help. Saying these affirmations regularly can focus your energy and keep you on track with your thesis writing motivation.
Thesis. Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore ...
Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education.
A strong thesis should do the following things: Go beyond announcing a subject - join an ongoing conversation by taking a stand on an issue or offering an interpretation of something (a text, a policy, a new scientific discovery, etc.) Get specific - rule out most of the broad material pertinent to your topic and zero in on a clear claim ...
Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.
Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing. Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and ...
Tip #2: Begin Work on the Thesis Statement and Break Up the Thesis into Manageable Sections. After selecting an appropriate topic and developing a central research question for the thesis statement, it is then necessary to apply the research and writing skills you have learned throughout your degree program.
A good thesis statement highlights a specific thought or idea. The more vague your thesis is, the more disorganized and scattered your paper will seem. Hone in on a specific aspect of an idea, rather than using a broad issue as a talking point. [6] Bad thesis: Drunk driving is bad.
Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications.
The thesis is central to an argumentative essay. These strategies and thesis statement examples will teach you how to write a quality essay introduction. Many schools have rolling admissions, which means you can start a program in a few weeks! 1. Take our college quiz.
Writing a masters dissertation or thesis is a sizable task. It takes a considerable amount of research, studying and writing. Usually, students need to write around 10,000 to 15,000 words. It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at ...
Perfection can come with certain nuances. Wanting to perform and excel is not the same issue as taking on too much, and both have very different outcomes. 7. Stay connected and talk about it with others. She concluded her presentation by stating "you have to make sure not to get lost in the thesis writing process.".
A clear research question will guide the research and provide a strong foundation for the thesis. Plan and outline: Create a detailed outline or a roadmap for the thesis, including the main sections, subtopics, and key arguments. This will help to stay organized and maintain a logical flow throughout the writing.
Avoid transition words that don't add anything to the sentence and unnecessary wordiness that detracts from your argument. Furthermore, use the active voice instead of the passive whenever possible (e.g., "this study found" instead of "it was found by this study"). This will make your essay's tone clear and direct. 3.
An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.; An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.; An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an ...
Improving Your Thesis Statement. For three years I taught a university course all about Critical Writing, and one of the most important elements of this required course was to help students see the importance of a good, sophisticated, and well-developed thesis statement as the linch pin of their essay. But sometimes that's easier said than done.
Charlesworth Author Services; 28 October, 2021; PhD Writing 2: How to improve your writing skills in preparation for writing your thesis. Writing a thesis is a substantial undertaking: it takes discipline, organisation and most of all, time, to produce a high-quality thesis.You may worry about many aspects of it, like whether you have done enough reading or gathered enough data, but as with ...
If you want guidance about how to improve your writing as well as some helpful tools for staying on top of it, visiting the CAPC is a great place to start. For more helpful writing guidance, check out CAPC's resources page. Figure out what motivates you to work. Some people have no problem getting work done.
This has two additional advantages. First, it will allow you to preempt criticism that may come up in your viva. By acknowledging problems in the text, you avoid any nasty surprises in the viva because you are already aware of the problems with the thesis. Second, you can respond to and address the limitations and shortcomings in a post-doc, if ...
Tip 1: Spot your mistakes. We know from our years of proofreading experience that most international students writing in English make the same few mistakes over and over again. Overall their language is great, but a few errors show up time and time again. Try and think about what mistakes you make most frequently.
Yash Lal will be presenting his proposal on reasoning in narratives and plans this coming Monday. Come join us. Details below. Time: Monday, November 4 at 12:30pm Venue: NCS 120 or Zoom link Title: Using Causal Knowledge to Improve Reasoning in Narratives and Plans Abstract: Humans reason about everyday situations by making commonsense-based inferences, derived not only from explicitly stated ...