Category Archives: thesis

tracking the path to research claims

Posted on January 6, 2020 by pat thomson

All researchers make claims about their work. Remember the phrase staking a claim? That’s what we are actually doing when we claim something. We are metaphorically placing a marker in a field that we are prepared to stand on, stand … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, argument, claim, claims, evidence, revision, revision strategy, thesis, thesis revision | Tagged argument, claims, evidence, Pat Thomson, revision, thesis | Leave a comment

writing the thesis from the middle

Posted on October 7, 2019 by pat thomson

This is a guest post from Dr Milena Popova, a rogue scholar and activist. They offer one-to-one academic tuition, and tweet as @elmyra. As I hit the start of the second year of my PhD, one of my supervisors casually … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, IMRAD, thesis | Tagged academic writing, IMRAD, Maria Popova, thesis, writing from the middle | 15 Comments

oh no, it’s thesis hand-in limbo

Posted on September 9, 2019 by pat thomson

It’s time to talk about the phenomenon of thesis limbo-land. That’s the unknown number of days between handing in and the examination. Handing in the thesis is both a triumph and exhausting. It’s no surprise that many people think of … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, hand-in limbo, handing in, phd defence, thesis, viva, wellbeing | Tagged handing in thesis, Pat Thomson, thesis, thesis lmbo, viva, wellbeing | 4 Comments

a thesis (often) needs A Big Idea

Posted on June 10, 2019 by pat thomson

Everyone knows that the thesis has to make a contribution. No probs. Well yes, there are actually probs. At the end of the research it can be hard to find one. Contribution, where is it? You’re exhausted from generating all … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, argument, Big Idea, contribution, thesis | 5 Comments

don’t give your thesis examiner a bad first impression

Posted on May 27, 2019 by pat thomson

My hunch is that I’m a lot like most thesis examiners. When we get sent a thesis we often don’t plunge in straight away. We have a bit of a look around first. That’s not an unusual response to a … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, examiner, proofreading, thesis, thesis abstract | Tagged abstract, examiner, Pat Thomson, proofreading, reference list, thesis | 5 Comments

mapping a text

Posted on March 4, 2019 by pat thomson

I love a good map. I’m not talking about the satnav you have in your car, or its predecessor the street directory. Nor am I talking about the underground map I occasionally have to consult when I’m down in London. … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, argument, book writing, mapping, thesis | Tagged argument, book, mapping, Pat Thomson, thesis | 7 Comments

counting down to #thesis completion

Posted on February 25, 2019 by pat thomson

Many PhDers are under pressure to complete their research and thesis within set time frames. In the UK where I work, studentships are generally only for three years with a fourth unpaid year of ‘thesis pending’. This roughly equates to: … Continue reading →