How to write a thesis

"This book has become a trusted resource for students from a wide range of disciplinarybackgrounds. Not only does it take you through the steps and stages of thesis writing,but more importantly, it offers rich advice and support that helps build confidence,sets up effective writing habits and generates a positive orientation towards thecomplex task of thesis writing."
Professor Sarah Moore, Associate Vice President Academic,University of Limerick, Ireland

"I've found Rowena's shrewd and insightful suggestions for writing helpful, not onlyfor others but also for me."
Peter Elbow, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

"This book is a brilliant resource for all doctoral students to help guide them through the completion of their doctoral thesis. The book develops students' confidence and motivates them to start the writing process."
Emma Jackson,Second Year PhD Student, University of Worcester, UK

Providing down-to-earth guidance to help students shape their theses, Rowena Murray offers valuable advice and practical tips and techniques. Useful summaries and checklists help students to stay on track or regain their way.

Moving beyond the basics of thesis writing, the book introduces practical writing techniques such as freewriting, generative writing and binge writing. Issues such as working out the criteria for your thesis, writer's block, writing a literature review and making notes into a draft are also covered.

New to this edition:

New introduction by students - 'How I used this book' Update on doctoral skills set and Training Needs Analysis Extended treatment of plagiarism - and how to avoid it Expanded section on students' well-being Learning outcomes for each chapter

Author Notes

Rowena Murray is Reader in the School of Applied Social Sciences at Strathclyde University, UK, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Higher Education Academy and Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia.

Preface to the third edition	p. xiii
Acknowledgements	p. xv
Overview	p. xvii
Introduction: How to write 1,000 words an hour	p. 1
The need for this book	p. 1
What the students say: 'How I used this book'	p. 3
What the students want	p. 14
A writer's 'toolbox'	p. 16
The 'quality question'	p. 17
Principles of academic writing	p. 22
The literature on writing	p. 22
Disciplinary differences	p. 24
Thinking about structure	p. 29
Prompts	p. 29
Supervisors enabling student writing	p. 31
Writing in a second language	p. 32
Grammar, punctuation, spelling	p. 34
Goal setting	p. 35
Lifelong learning	p. 39
Audience and purpose	p. 40
Timetable for writing	p. 41
Checklist: defining the writing task	p. 42
Learning outcomes	p. 42
1 Thinking about writing a thesis	p. 43
Doctorate or masters?	p. 43
What is a doctorate?	p. 44
New routes to the PhD	p. 47
Why are you doing a doctorate?	p. 48
Internal and external drivers	p. 49
PhD or professional doctorate?	p. 50
Full-time or part-time?	p. 53
What will you use writing for?	p. 54
Regulations	p. 55
How will it look on the page?	p. 58
Demystification: codes and guides	p. 59
How will my thesis be assessed?	p. 65
What are the criteria?	p. 65
Defining 'originality'	p. 70
What is the reader looking for?	p. 72
IT processes and needs	p. 75
Reasons for not writing	p. 78
Peer discussion and support	p. 79
Your first meeting with your supervisor	p. 79
Training needs analysis	p. 81
Questions for reflection	p. 83
Prompts for discussion	p. 83
Writing timetable	p. 83
Checklist: pre-planning	p. 84
Learning outcomes	p. 85
2 Starting to write	p. 86
Can't it wait till later?	p. 87
Audiences and purposes	p. 87
Primary audience	p. 88
Secondary audience	p. 89
Immediate audience	p. 90
The role of the supervisor	p. 91
A common language for talking about writing	p. 96
Writing to prompts	p. 100
Freewriting	p. 101
Generative writing	p. 112
Checklist: starting to write	p. 116
Learning outcomes	p. 116
3 Seeking structure	p. 117
Revising your proposal	p. 118
Outlining	p. 119
Finding a thesis	p. 121
Writing a literature review	p. 122
Plagiarism	p. 135
Designing a thesis	p. 144
'Writing in layers'	p. 146
Writing locations	p. 148
Writing times	p. 149
Checklist: seeking structure	p. 150
Learning outcomes	p. 150
4 The first milestone	p. 151
First writing milestone	p. 152
The first-year report	p. 152
From notes to draft	p. 153
Dialogue	p. 156
Monitoring	p. 158
Pressure	p. 159
What is progress?	p. 160
Looking for topics	p. 162
Work-in-progress writing	p. 163
A writers' group	p. 170
Checklist: the first milestone	p. 177
Learning outcomes	p. 177
5 Becoming a serial writer	p. 178
What is a serial writer?	p. 179
Scaffolding for an argument	p. 180
Paragraph structure	p. 180
Introductory paragraphs	p. 184
Writing about the method(s)	p. 186
Study buddy	p. 188
Regular writing	p. 189
Problems with writing	p. 190
Writer's block	p. 191
Incremental writing	p. 198
Writing binges	p. 199
Developing a writing strategy	p. 200
Checklist: becoming a serial writer	p. 201
Learning outcomes	p. 201
6 Creating closure	p. 202
What is closure?	p. 202
Interim closure	p. 204
Don't put it off any longer	p. 205
Research journal	p. 206
Writing habits	p. 212
Halfway point	p. 214
Brown's eight questions	p. 216
Pulling it all together	p. 218
A design for writing	p. 219
Frustration	p. 219
Writing conclusions	p. 220
Checklist: creating closure	p. 225
Learning outcomes	p. 225
7 Fear and loathing: revising	p. 226
Why 'fear and loathing?'	p. 227
Repetition	p. 227
Forecasting	p. 229
Signalling	p. 230
Signposting	p. 230
Conceptualizing and reconceptualizing	p. 231
Managing your editor	p. 233
End of the second phase	p. 236
Look back to the proposal	p. 236
Checklist: revising	p. 237
Learning outcomes	p. 237
8 It is never too late to start	p. 238
Step 1 Take stock	p. 242
Step 2 Start writing	p. 243
Step 3 Outline your thesis	p. 245
Step 4 Make up a programme of writing	p. 248
Step 5 Communicate with your supervisor(s)	p. 251
Step 6 Outline each chapter	p. 252
Step 7 Write regularly	p. 253
Step 8 Revise	p. 254
Step 9 Pull it all together	p. 255
Step 10 Do final tasks	p. 255
Does the fast-track mode work?	p. 256
Learning outcomes	p. 257
9 The last 385 yards	p. 258
The marathon	p. 259
'Done-ness is all'	p. 260
Concentrated writing phase	p. 260
Well-being	p. 261
Peer support	p. 263
Discussion chapter	p. 264
New goal	p. 265
Style tips	p. 266
Finishing	p. 267
Enough is enough	p. 268
It is good enough	p. 269
You have made a contribution	p. 270
Convince your reader	p. 270
'Polish' the text	p. 271
Motivation	p. 272
Presentation of final copy	p. 273
Timetable for writing	p. 274
Checklist: polishing	p. 275
Learning outcomes	p. 276
10 After the thesis examination: more writing?	p. 277
More writing?	p. 279
What is a viva?	p. 279
Pre-viva	p. 283
Defining tasks	p. 285
Talking about your writing	p. 287
Practice	p. 289
Anticipate the questions	p. 291
Mock viva	p. 295
Fear	p. 296
The external examiner	p. 298
During the viva	p. 299
Post-viva	p. 304
Endurance	p. 304
Revisions and corrections	p. 304
Anti-climax	p. 305
Is there life after a thesis?	p. 306
Was it really worth it?	p. 306
Recovering	p. 306
Thesis into book	p. 307
The end	p. 311
Checklist: before and after the examination	p. 311
Learning outcomes	p. 312
Bibliography	p. 313
Index	p. 323

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Table of Contents