How to Write a Thesis

Praise for this edition: "This book has filled a huge gap in the market...Using wonderful examples, this book will not only help students build up a writer's "toolbox", but will also build confidence and empower thesis writers." Professor William J. Kerr, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, WestCHEM,University of Strathclyde Praise for the previous edition: "Rowena Murray's down to earth approach both recognises and relieves some of the agony pf writing a PhD. The advice in this book is both practical and motivational; sometimes it's "PhD-saving" too." Dr Christine Sinclair, Lecturer in the Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement at the University of StrathclydeHow to Write a Thesisprovides a down-to-earth guide to help students shape their theses. It offers valuable advice as well as practical tips and techniques, incorporating useful boxed summaries and checklists to help students stay on track or regain their way. The book is the culmination of many years of work with postgraduates and academics and covers all aspects of the research, writing and editing involved in the process of successfully completing a thesis.In this book, the author moves beyond the basics of thesis writing, introducing practical writing techniques such as freewriting, generative writing and binge writing. This edition now deals with the range of different doctorates on offer and integrates more examples of thesis writing. Building on the success of the evidence-based approach used in the first edition, there is also new coverage of Masters theses and undergraduate research projects, along with outlines of useful generic structures for social science and humanities projects.How to Write a Thesisis the most grounded guide available to students on the practicalities surrounding thesis writing and should be recommended reading for, and by, all supervisors.

Preface to the first edition

xiii

Preface to the second edition

xv

Acknowledgements

xvi

Overview

xvii

Introduction: How to write 1000 words an hour

1

(253)

The need for this book

1

(2)

What the students say

3

(2)

A writer's 'toolbox'

5

(6)

Principles of academic writing

11

(1)

The literature on writing

12

(2)

Disciplinary differences

14

(4)

Thinking about structure

18

(1)

Prompts

19

(1)

Enabling student writing

20

(1)

Writing in a second language

21

(1)

Grammar, punctuation, spelling

22

(2)

Goal setting

24

(3)

Lifelong learning

27

(2)

Audience and purpose

29

(1)

Timetable for writing

29

(2)

Checklist: defining the writing task

30

(1)

1 Thinking about writing a thesis

31

(42)

Doctorate or masters?

31

(1)

What is a doctorate?

32

(3)

New routes to the PhD

35

(1)

Why are you doing a doctorate?

36

(1)

Internal and external drivers

37

(1)

PhD or professional doctorate?

38

(3)

Full-time or part-time?

41

(1)

What will you use writing for?

42

(1)

Regulations

43

(3)

How will it look on the page?

46

(1)

Demystification: codes and guides

47

(6)

How will my thesis be assessed?

53

(1)

What are the criteria?

54

(4)

Defining 'originality'

58

(2)

What is the reader looking for?

60

(4)

IT processes and needs

64

(3)

Reasons for not writing

67

(1)

Peer discussion and support

67

(1)

Your first meeting with your supervisor

68

(2)

Questions for reflection

70

(1)

Prompts for discussion

70

(1)

Writing timetable

70

(3)

Checklist: pre-planning

72

(1)

2 Starting to write

73

(30)

Can't it wait till later?

74

(1)

Audiences and purposes

75

(1)

Primary audience

75

(1)

Secondary audience

76

(1)

Immediate audience

77

(1)

The role of the supervisor

78

(4)

A common language for talking about writing

82

(4)

Writing to prompts

86

(1)

Freewriting

87

(12)

Generative writing

99

(4)

Checklist: starting to write

102

(1)

3 Seeking structure

103

(27)

Revising your proposal

104

(1)

Outlining

105

(2)

Finding a thesis

107

(1)

Writing a literature review

108

(13)

Plagiarism

121

(2)

Designing a thesis

123

(2)

'Writing in layers'

125

(2)

Writing locations

127

(1)

Writing times

128

(1)

Checklist: seeking structure

129

(1)

4 The first milestone

130

(25)

First writing milestone

131

(1)

The first-year report

131

(1)

From notes to draft

132

(3)

Dialogue

135

(2)

Monitoring

137

(1)

Pressure

138

(1)

What is progress?

139

(1)

Work-in-progress writing

140

(7)

A writers' group

147

(8)

Checklist: the first milestone

154

(1)

5 Becoming a serial writer

155

(25)

What is a serial writer?

156

(1)

Scaffolding for an argument

157

(1)

Paragraph structure

157

(4)

Introductory paragraphs

161

(2)

Writing about the method(s)

163

(2)

Study buddy

165

(1)

Regular writing

166

(1)

Problems with writing

167

(1)

Writer's block

168

(8)

Incremental writing

176

(1)

Writing binges

176

(2)

Developing a writing strategy

178

(2)

Checklist: becoming a serial writer

179

(1)

6 Creating closure

180

(24)

What is closure?

180

(2)

Interim closure

182

(1)

Don't put it off any longer

183

(1)

Research journal

184

(6)

Writing habits

190

(2)

Halfway point

192

(2)

Brown's eight questions

194

(2)

Pulling it all together

196

(1)

A design for writing

197

(1)

Frustration

197

(1)

Writing conclusions

198

(6)

Checklist: creating closure

203

(1)

7 Fear and loathing: revising

204

(13)

Why 'fear and loathing?'

205

(1)

Repetition

206

(1)

Forecasting

207

(1)

Signalling

208

(1)

Signposting

209

(1)

Conceptualizing and reconceptualizing

209

(3)

Managing your editor

212

(3)

End of the second phase

215

(1)

Look back to the proposal

215

(2)

Checklist: revising

216

(1)

8 It is never too late to start

217

(20)

Step 1 Take stock

221

(1)

Step 2 Start writing

222

(2)

Step 3 Outline your thesis

224

(3)

Step 4 Make up a programme of writing

227

(3)

Step 5 Communicate with your supervisor(s)

230

(1)

Step 6 Outline each chapter

231

(1)

Step 7 Write regularly

232

(2)

Does the fast-track mode work?

233

(1)

Step 8 Revise

234

(1)

Step 9 Pull it all together

235

(1)

Step 10 Do final tasks

235

(2)

9 The last 385 yards

237

(17)

The marathon

238

(1)

'Done-ness is all'

239

(1)

Concentrated writing phase

239

(1)

Well-being

240

(1)

Peer support

241

(1)

Discussion chapter

242

(1)

New goal

243

(1)

Style tips

244

(1)

Finishing

245

(1)

Enough is enough

245

(2)

It is good enough

247

(1)

You have made a contribution

248

(1)

Convince your reader

248

(1)

'Polish' the text

249

(1)

Motivation

250

(1)

Presentation of final copy

250

(1)

Timetable for writing

251

(5)

Checklist: polishing

253

(1)

10 After the thesis examination: more writing?

254

(37)

More writing?

256

(1)

What is a viva?

256

(5)

Pre-viva

261

(2)

Defining tasks

263

(2)

Talking about your writing

265

(2)

Practice

267

(1)

Anticipate the questions

268

(5)

Mock viva

273

(1)

Fear

273

(2)

The external examiner

275

(2)

During the viva

277

(4)

Post-viva

281

(1)

Endurance

282

(1)

Revisions and corrections

282

(1)

Anti-climax

283

(1)

Is there life after a thesis?

283

(1)

Was it really worth it?

284

(1)

Recovering

284

(1)

Getting your thesis published

285

(1)

Audience and purpose (again)

285

(3)

Looking for topics

288

(1)

The end

289

(2)

Checklist: before and after the viva

289

(2)

Bibliography

291

(8)

Index

299

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