Writing a PhD Thesis is one of the most prestigious projects that any postgraduate student can write as they head towards their graduation. However, drafting a successful doctoral thesis can also be an intimidating task. One of the biggest issues that complicate this project is the fear of making costly blunders and the lack of a clear understanding of how to avoid them. This post from Thesis Panda discusses some of the mistakes you need to avoid when writing your PhD thesis.
Using generalizations
If you want to make your project more forceful and impactful, you should avoid using general statements that don’t give readers a clear picture of what you are saying. When you use statements such as “many, most, or majority” while you can give clear figures, you show your readers you have not taken effort to get your facts right or your evidence is not credible.
Using long or short sentences
To communicate your ideas clearly, you should avoid these two extremes when writing your sentences. The reason is that your sentences are the primary tools of communicating your thoughts to your audience. Therefore, do not use sentences that are not too short lest you fail to include necessary thoughts your readers need to know. Also, avoid writing very long sentences so that you do not confuse your readers.
Using wrong words
Another blunder you need to avoid in your thesis is using wrong words. You need to be careful to draft your thesis using words that fit the context of what you are saying. Don’t bow in to the pressure of wanting to look “big” with your words and end up confusing or infuriating the reader.
Using an incomplete bibliography
To succeed in your project, use a complete bibliography. You need to clarify any new terms and words you used so that your examiners can be informed. If you assume they know every word and term you used in your research, you will be creating a platform for your examiners to reject your evidence.
Referencing books that you are not familiar with
Another mistake you need to avoid is trying to support your paper by citing books you have not read. The reason why you need to read a book before you cite it is that your examiners may decide to throw some questions at you to determine your depth of understanding. If you fail to answer those questions well, you can end up jeopardizing your reputation before them.
Failing to keep in touch with the committee
Failure to keep in touch with the committee during the writing process is one of the capital blunders many students make. They assume by keeping the committee members briefed amounts to bothering them. On the contrary, keeping them abreast with your project’s progress benefits you. The reason is that they are in a better position to help you to fine-tune it to meet their expectations so that you do not get a last-minute rude shock during your defense.
Typing errors
The last mistake that most students make in their thesis is failing to proofread their work thoroughly. It may sound something too obvious, but failure to fine-tune your work will lead to the devaluation of your assignment. In addition, by failing to deal with spelling and typing errors, you prove to the committee that you are a sloppy student who pays no attention to details.
Closing remarks
You are now up to date with some of the blunders you need to avoid for excelling in your thesis-writing project. If you need further academic help, you can contact us here.
