Thesis writing tips

Use these tips to help you improve your thesis writing http://www.bubooks.com/displayclsfd.php?ad_id=7714 skills for your HDR program.

Before you begin writing your thesis, make sure you've read our advice on thesis preparation for information on the requirements you'll need to meet.

Structure your ideas

If you're struggling with how to structure your ideas, it can help to create a concept map – this way you don't have to worry about the order of your work while you brainstorm. Once you've finished your map, you can put your ideas into a logical order.

You may also want to read our general advice on how to structure your thesis.

Write as you go

It takes time and effort to write a thesis, so it's best to spread your writing out over the length of your research degree, rather than trying to rush it all at the end – writing as you go gives you time to refine the structure and content.

As you start to write, you may discover gaps in your reasoning or things you need to consider further. Use this as an exercise to focus on your ideas – it's better to find problems earlier rather than later.

If you're struggling to work out what you want to say, try:

• explaining yourself aloud or to a friend – this can help you discover why you're having problems
• writing dot points on key ideas – this gives you something to work from
• free writing – write whatever pops into your head without worrying about grammar, punctuation, complete sentences or a logical flow.

Don't worry about your writing being perfect: once you have something to work with you can identify how to improve it.

Be aware of examiner expectations

When reading your thesis, your examiners will be looking for:

• a coherent, well-written argument
• logical, reasonable links between theoretical perspectives
• a solid understanding of the theory
• original, creative and clever work
• confidence in your own work.

Overall, your examiners will expect your thesis to demonstrate:

• advanced knowledge of the research methods and principles relating to your discipline
• work that engages with the literature and work of others
• for PhD theses, a significant and original contribution to knowledge
• for MPhil theses, originality in the application of knowledge.

Provide evidence for personal experience

Relevant personal experience, such as extensive experience working in a government agency or as a practitioner in a field, may help you to describe what motivated you to pursue a certain line of research.

While it's okay to refer to your personal experience, remember that statements without any supporting evidence or arguments are unacceptable – you'll need to be able to describe your experience and back up your observations with research.

Learn from others

Reading other theses can help you understand what you're expected to produce. You can search for UQ theses on the Library website. For prime examples, search for theses that received commendations from their examiners.

When reviewing others' theses, pay attention to:

• how they introduce and link ideas
• how they structure their arguments
• how they indicate their level of confidence in the conclusions they draw from their evidence
• what sort of questions they address in different sections.

It can be helpful to build up a collection of standard phrases for your writing, such as:

• "these results suggest that"
• "a second approach to addressing the problem of X is to do Y".

Check for logic and clarity

Ensure that there is a logical flow of ideas in your writing and that your arguments are clear.

To help you check your logic, you can:

• create an outline – either when you are initially planning, or when you have started structuring your ideas
• plan out your paragraphs in a logical sequence of questions that need answering
• create a flow chart of your main ideas to see how they link together.

You can also ask someone to read your thesis to check for a logical flow and to make sure you are explaining your research clearly.

Ask for feedback

All writers can benefit from feedback on their writing. To get useful feedback on your thesis, ask your advisor specific questions, such as:

• Do you think the structure is okay?
• Are my explanations clear?
• Is the argument in this section convincing enough?
• Do you think I need more supporting data in this section?

Make sure you clarify any feedback you don't understand and continue to ask for feedback as you progress through your thesis.

Proofread your work

You should always proofread your work to look for spelling and grammatical errors. Proofreading requires close, careful reading.

To help you thoroughly proofread your thesis:

• work from a paper copy rather than on a screen – it's can be easier to find errors this way
• read your work aloud – reading aloud helps you to focus on every word
• look out for sentences that sound odd, incomplete or are awkward to say – this can help identify grammatical problems.

You should always proofread your work last, after other structural changes have been made, so you haven't wasted time proofreading sections that may be removed later.