Table of Contents
How to start writing your PhD thesis?
10 things you should know about thesis writing.
๐. ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฑ, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐: Writing a 100+ page document in MS word can become a headache. Arranging headings, tables of content, references, etc can become a challenge. So, instead of MS word, use Latex. It will take care of all such things. Also, Latex has many add-ons available that can help with difficult stuff like making tables in Latex.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ: Before starting your thesis, identify 10-15 exemplar theses that is within your research area or the PhD is carried out in a similar fashion as yours. Skim through them especially the first chapter to understand how to structure your thesis.
๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ: During your PhD, you work on different papers that might not be totally linked in a straightforward way. Put these different pieces in front of yourself and think about how to make them link with each other and make a smooth story.
๐. ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ค: This chapter summarizes your whole thesis and leaves an impression on the reader/examiner. Invest the most amount of time in writing this chapter. Amongst others, clearly mention upfront the research papers you have published during your PhD.
PhD students โ How to 10x your PhD productivity?
๐. ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ: Mention within 3-4 lines the concrete problem you have solved during your PhD. Also, examiners look for 3-4 solid contributions made by the PhD student. Donโt make them search for them. Present these contributions upfront in the Introduction chapter.
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐:ย PhD thesis is a very long document. Navigating through it can be a challenge. Include a figure in the Introduction section that shows the organization of the thesis including the various chapters. A reviewer can just print this figure and keep it in front of himself/herself to navigate through the whole thesis.
๐. ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐: Donโt leave thesis writing until the very end. Depending upon the situation, at least leave 4 months for thesis writing.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค: Manage your writing in a way that each part gets reviewed. If you are running short of time, you can send each chapter separately as it completes to your supervisors for feedback.
๐. ๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐๐ซ๐๐๐: One of the most common comments from thesis reviewers is to fix the typos. Proofread your entire thesis a couple of times before submission to avoid getting this comment.
Why should you do a PhD?
๐๐. ๐๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ: Make sure that the chapters are linked together. For example, it shouldnโt appear that when the reviewer starts reading chapter 4, it is completely different from chapter 3. At the start of chapter 4 or end of chapter 3, mention how they are linked.
Writer: Faheem Ullah
Assistant Professor
Computer Science, Australia
