Llandis Barratt-Pugh

Know your Gods, and other bijoux

  1. Read some similar works.
  1. Read Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss.
  1. By now you know your Gods – which examiners are you writing this for? Check them out – only three readers matter.
  1. When gathering your quotes and literature learn how to change a PDF into a word document, how to use the small blue ‘cite’ button under every reference in Google Scholar to build your references, how to compare two similar word documents (whenyou alter the wrong one!) in word, and how to use Peggo to bring down your favourite music to be in the background to sooth your nerves.
  1. Plan the structure – be clear about the intent of each chapter and subheading – give each of then a word count.
  1. Write on one page of A4 the title, research purpose and questions, and your main argument in dot points with 4/5 points for each chapter. Keep it in front of you.
  1. Change your proposal into your draft thesis – adapt and change tenses and focus.
  1. Throw your ideas, quotes and text pieces into each chapter as you collect or think of them all the way through.
  1. The first draft is just to get it all down – the second review edit makes it readable by others.
  1. Now focus on a section at a time, and not the whole mountain.
  1. Write down the first paragraph of each chapter – state the content, focus and the sections.
  1. When you have a lot of rough text there is no screen big enough to see it all at once and sort it. Print your chapters full of rough bits of ideas and text out – cut them up – shift them into section piles – sort them into an order for each section – tape them together, and then rearrange your chapter texts on the screen.
  1. Now it is just a job of linking them together – write.
  1. Write bits at a time, making your draft ideas into real text - words make phrases, phrases make sentences, sentences make paragraphs, paragraphs make chapters, and chapters make a thesis – do it – write.
  1. Get used to small targets in small time periods – there are unlikely to be uninterrupted days – do just a sentence or a paragraph.
  1. When blocked do not stop – write in italics what you are trying to say in colloquial English. Go back to it later when you are feeling positive and change it into great text.
  1. When stuck for creativity – do some of the mundane work on the text.
  1. When buzzing with ability – focus on writing the key parts.
  1. Do not over write. If a chapter is 7k, then the seven sections are just 1k each, and the five paragraphs in each section just 200 words each. Stick to it.
  1. Use the word thesaurus to gain new words and variation – but – keep to the same key words throughout as they act as markers to anchor readers.
  1. Repetition is good – give readers signposts at every chapter start and end. Where are we going, what have we had? Make sure the purpose and questions are clear at the start, at the Lit end, in the method and remind the reader again as you discuss. Make the argument clear by repeating and adding to it as you progress – it is a long way to read without guideposts. It is not their job to sort it out – it is your job to guide them.
  1. There is no ‘right’ place for text. It is unique to your thesis. Copy what others have done, or produce a rationale for why it is there in the text!
  1. Make sure every important step through the text is supported either by a higher power, or by evidence from your data.
  1. Don’t just say why you have chosen or done something – say also in places why the alternatives were not as good – this shows your capability.
  1. Where you had issues and make changes always make notes so you can show how your researcher decision-making brain was working.
  1. Do express limitations about what you could not do – but impress by saying what you did instead and how it was better.
  1. Close the door to alternative paths. Say how you recognise the option, but say early on why you did not take that route.
  1. Be clear about what you collected, the issues, and what the data says – without interpretation – an overview.
  1. Then choose the key areas to explore and link back to theory from the lit review. If you now know more theory – insert it in the lit review. Make sure the findings evidence support each of your assertions.
  1. Remember to focus on how your work extends, confirms or contests prior knowledge.
  1. Be cautious in generalisation away from the specific characteristics of your sample and population. What are the messages for other places, groups and times?
  1. Remember to show how your work can help practitioners. Reassemble surveys and concepts into models and surveys that practitioners can use for self-investigation.
  1. Avoid reading too much while writing – stick with the ideas you have.
  1. Get several readers – it should be readable to a non-technical person.
  1. Add up to date references afterwards, and limit the text additions for them.
  1. Make sure your 30 key words that describe the thesis are all in that first chapter to give the reader a clear steer – this is not a ‘who done it’.
  1. If your thesis deviates from the normal pattern explain early and hard why this is so.
  1. Be crystal clear to answer your research questions, and to complete the sentence, “this thesis contributed to the theory/stock of knowledge in this area by…….”.