Writing a PhD thesis is a monumental task that can be broken down into many manageable pieces. By deconstructing the process of writing a PhD thesis in this way you can turn an epic task into something that you can easily do. This is the ultimate guide to writing a PhD thesis.
Make Your Choices
Before you do anything else you have to decide on the topic of your PhD thesis. This can be a job in itself but it must be done before you can proceed. Put in the effort necessary to get this done and get it done. You need it to move on to the next step.
Make A Plan
To write your PhD thesis you will need to make a plan. You will need to plan out every little aspect of the writing process. This is not a writing task that you can play by ear and hope that it all works out for the best. The more that you start off with a clear structure the better off you will be. Following are some of the plans that you need to make.
Timetable
Create a timetable for your writing. How much time will you spend writing each day? How much will you have done by your chosen checkpoint dates? When will you be done with your first draft?
How much time are you giving yourself to edit your work? How much extra time are you putting into this timetable for those unavoidable circumstances that are sure to throw off your schedule? You want to know what you are doing, when you are doing it, and that everything will still work out fine if you miss a day of writing.
Outline
If you want your thesis to have a logical progression of information then plan that out from the start. You want to outline your thesis down to small details so that you know where you are going with each section. By planning out each chapter, section, and subsection you will know what to write about when and your PhD thesis will be as focused as you want it to be. This is an excellent defense against writer's block too. If you already know what you want to write about then it is that much easier to just write about it.
Overcoming Obstacles
You are going to face obstacles of one kind or another. Sometimes life will get in the way and other times you will just lose focus. If you need a break then take one and make it a real break. Leave your PhD thesis behind for a while or even for a day every so often if that is what you need to return to it as committed as you were when you started. Don't think about it, talk about it, or plan what to do next during this time so that you will be able to focus when you get back.
When all is said and done, writing a PhD thesis can be broken down into two steps. Create a plan. Execute the plan.
Tom Rheinecker discusses the advantages to enrolling in a
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