Thesis Writing Advice

Does the very thought of starting to work on your thesis scare you badly? Well, no wonder: you should always learn from the experience of those who have tried it before you. The web is actually filled with websites and advertisements for books that teach you many things you need to know about how to write the thesis for your MA or for your PhD.

First of all, make sure you choose an appropriate topic: not to vast but not too narrow either. Brainstorm and think if the topic you like is interesting to others as well, if it leads you to new conclusions and if what your trying to prove hasn’t already been proven before through the same means. Then, you should choose your adviser and see about that thesis committee: your fate is in their hands, more or less. And then, don’t hesitate to start writing: you don’t want to leave it till later and then realize you don’t have enough time. Every once in a while, you’re going to want to revise what you have written, maybe even re-write it. Make sure you consult with your adviser and that he or she gets to read what you’ve worked on well in advance of your deadline: you don’t want to have to re-write everything in 24 hours.

Then remember that the thesis structure is really important: you should have a title page, an abstract, a table of contents, a list of figures, a list of tables, an introduction, the methods, the results , a discussion and your conclusions. Remember that you’re writing for an audience and that editing is highly important. No grammar errors or vocabulary errors will be tolerated. Make sure you respect the recommended length for your thesis: this may vary, depending on your major, your subject and your field of research. Talk to your adviser about it. And under no circumstances should you forget about the recommendations, acknowledgements, references and appendices.