Guidelines on How to Write a Thesis
Writing a thesis, be it for a Doctorate or a Masters, is not an easy-go-lucky essay writing. Thesis writing demands much more than the requisites of writing a good essay. Apart from a sincere dedication to the subject, a persevering attitude, a good command over language and effective research conducting skills, you cannot go on until you have a framework or an outline to begin with. An aspiring research scholar might be well aware of the features and methodology, but if he/she doesn’t know how to systematically follow them, the efforts may prove unproductive.
Getting to work on your doctoral thesis: Crucial Steps.
Primary Research: To begin with, Choose the subject you would want to pursue research in. Make sure you have a major degree in it, in case you have two majors, choose the subject in which you have deeper interest. Deciding the right subject and research topic is a matter of primary research. Consult your dissertation guide, share your area of interest and ask for reading recommendations. Explore all the areas of your interest and read about them.
Choosing the topic: You will have a general idea of the topic you will work on once you have done a wide research on the available research areas in your subject. At this phase of thesis writing, you must begin with a wider topic and let your thesis statement rest for a while. Also, for practical purposes, it is always wiser to take note of other practical considerations like research methodologies, availability of information and resources while choosing a research topic.
Narrowing the topic, First Research phase: Your rigorous research begins at this point. Now you will concentrate on researching the topic you have decided to work on. Research at this phase should be creatively and effectively recorded as your interest in the topic shifts with time, and becomes concentrated after you have done some research. Ask your dissertation guide for research directions, or go by instinct. This will help you narrow down your topic as you become interested in a particular aspect.
Second Research Phase: Once you have narrowed down to the topic of your research, look for past dissertations, thesis on a similar topic. This helps you keep abreast of the current research and its developmental background. Also, it helps you avoid duplicating your own research. Follow the tips of conducting an effective research, both online and offline, and manage your resources with utmost care.
Writing: Writing begins with making an outline and following the framework in accordance with your research proposal. Your research proposal can be of good help to begin writing as it holds the crux to your research. Choose an effective and persuasive thesis statement and make sure you come back to the thesis statement every now and then in your writing. Follow the required research format in accordance with your subject and make sure you follow all the instructions on writing and presentation closely.
Editing: Since writing a thesis is a long procedure taking up years at a go, it tends to become incoherent and loose. A good editing and proofreading becomes a necessity in academic writing.
