Writing Tips for First Time Researchers
This blog looks at how best a PhD student can go about the task of completing his thesis. To help students complete their thesis successfully, a few points are mentioned. Readers of this blog with experience in writing or supervising a thesis are requested to chip in with what works best for them. It is important to note that no two people are alike and what works for one person may not work for another. The points outlined in this blog are of a generic nature that should benefit most students if they are adhered to.
Firstly, you need to be writing all the time. Resist the temptation of leaving the writing to some future time set aside towards completing the thesis. Understandably, this is easier said than done. Even for people who love to write, the enormity of a PhD thesis can be quite overwhelming. For the many of us who don’t love the writing, it is even more difficult. To make the task easier, it may be a good idea to pretend that the thesis is being written for an audience. Writing with an audience in mind will improve your fluency and clarity. Also, get in the habit of reviewing what you have written.
Secondly, if you are offered the chance of attending other people’s research presentations, grab the opportunity. You will learn a lot from watching other people presenting their work and being criticized. It is a lot easier to watch someone else being torn apart to shreds instead of experiencing it yourself. Attending such sessions will also help you understand the kind of examination you are likely to face when it is your turn to defend your thesis.
Thirdly, do some research on writing techniques. Some of us may have done a bit of writing in the past but the research paper demands standards that are a notch higher. After all, your work will be judged by reputed scholars whose standards are very high. So, remember to look up the available material on writing styles, techniques and the like.
Next up, attend to paperwork. As an academic, paperwork is central to your life. File your papers and applications properly. A well written application can sometimes be fed right back into your research paper. It can also be used in other forms.
And finally, use the technology that you have at your disposal. Learn to use The Internet tools that are relevant for your purpose and use them well. There are websites, like Doublephd.com, that offer to help you write your paper. If you feel that on your own, your writing will not be able to measure up to the required standards, use the help these websites provide.
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