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Introduction
By the time graduate students begin to write the thesis, which involves crafting a cohesive story from all the
research components, many have written numerous course papers and some have even published in peerreviewed journals. They have written and defended a thesis proposal and some have passed extensive
comprehensive exams. Why, then, do so many students fail to finish their programs? Virginia Wolfe famously
wrote, A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction. This chapter takes up the
question, What does a graduate student need
to write a thesis? In addition to Wolfe notions of money and a
space to write, graduate students need time, motivation, and supervisor support. This article offers strategies that
help students make the most of their time and secure support and motivation from their supervisors.
Time
Anne, a recent graduate, had worked on her thesis for a number of years and was near the time limit allowed by
her university. Last summer, she focused all her energies on finishing her thesis. Oneday, her young daughter
came to her, asking her to play. Anne explained that she was working and would play with her later. Her daughter
looked at her and asked, Mommy, when will you be fun again?
Annes story echoes that of many graduate students who must choose between academia and their life, which
must be placed on hold in order to finish the thesis. Byers et al (2014) examined the survival strategies of ten
doctoral students and found, They often felt guilt (i.e., feelings that their studies were taking time away that
could be spent with family or friends) and worry (i.e., concern they might not be able to meet the challenges of
the program) (p. 123). Putting aside the thesis to take a walk in the forest, to have dinner with friends, or to take
children to the park brings unbelievable joy. These fleeting positive moments are soon replaced by guilt and
worry.
Students who were both lucky and unlucky to obtain faculty positions while ABD (all but dissertation) find the
stress to be magnified. Many take offers before completing because they need themoney and fear another offer
will not come along. This is the proverbial offer you cant refuse. Students who take tenure track positions and try
to write their thesis find themselves in a double bind ofattending to competing goals. They must publish and
present to ensure tenure, and finish their thesis as a student. Similarly, students may need to work, some taking
on one or more jobs, which diminishesmotivation to write considerably.
An abundance of self-help books on how to write a thesis line library bookshelves. Graduate students are the
ideal audience for this literary genre. I surveyed a number of books available from my library and found most
offered some valuable advice. Like diet books, they will yield positive results, provided readers follow the advice
offered. I note, however, that most of books were still on the shelf leading me to believe they are not being used.
While there is a great deal of research and advice being dispensed about and to graduate students, most do not
have the time to locate the information when they need it. A colleague remarked to me that when he was
preparing to write his thesis, his supervisor gave him a copy of Joan Bolkers (1998) famed Writing Your Thesis
in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing your Doctoral Thesis.
Did it help? I asked.
I didnt have time to read it. I had to write my dissertation he replied. The most useful advice provided by selfhelp books, such as those by
Bolker (1998) and Silva (2007), is that to be productive, students must set aside time to write. Time is finite and
everyone has demands competing for their attention. Silva, in How to Write a Lot: APractical Guide to Productive
Academic Writing recommends that writing needs to be a daily habit by making a schedule and adhering to it.
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Students who devote a full day once per week will accomplish less than those who work consistently an hour a
day, every day. Students lose momentum after a couple of days. Working consistently keeps the thesis always
on the mind. When the thesis is out of sight, it is out of mind. Time is spent trying to get back to the place they left
off in the last writing session. In some cases, this involves remembering and locating the resources that have
been filed away.
Bolker and Silva suggest writers treat their writing schedule as they would an important appointment with a
doctor. Unlike teaching a class or other appointments, writing time is flexible. No one cares if you skip a day of
writing, but everyone is concerned if you miss an appointment. Importantly, they also stress that writing requires
persistence and it is a waste of time to attempt writing the perfect first draft. It is easier to revise a poorly
written text than craft a brilliant one. For Silva, The cure for writers blockif you can cure a specious affliction
is writing (p. 46).
Writing Support
Most supervisors do not know how to help students write, despite Pars (2011) assertion that, In a very real
sense, doctoral supervisors are writing teachers (p. 59). Most supervisors are researchersand teachers of
discipline knowledge and are not trained to teach writing skills. Delamont, Parry, and Atkinson (1998) interviewed
nearly 100 supervisors and found that many struggled to find the balance between intervention and nonintervention in the students writing (p. 163). This involved deciding to either leave students to work through their
writing problems on their own or spoonfeedingthem (p. 160).
We learn language in situ and use it without reflection. McAlpine and Amundsen (2011) explain that academic
language, like learning ones mother tongue, is a gradual process and rarely theorized.Perhaps supervisors
believe that students will acquire this language and writing culture by reading published papers and mimicking
them. Kiley (2009) suggests supervisors also know when a student is faking it as evidenced in this quote from
an experienced supervisor, My supervisor used to say fake it until you make it (p. 296). While a certain amount
of mimicry is necessary, it is not a substitute formastery.
Students can find help from style guides specific to their discipline. A thesis in biology will have a different tone,
style and format than will one in Art History. Academic culture is embedded in language and form. For example,
in my field, we tend to write theses as narratives, which explain and describe. We do not formulate arguments.
When a student writes, I will argue that we aretaken aback. Students need to know if they should write in first
person or in third. Does the discipline use passive voice or active voice? How do researchers position
themselves in the research?
Many students use books about methodology to write their proposals, but stop at the data analysis chapter.
These books hold valuable information on how to write in that specific methodology. For example, it is a mistake
for those conducting action research and PAR to refer to themselves as the researcher. Herr and Anderson
(2015) explain, This typically is a sign that the action researcher (or his or her dissertation committee) lacks a
fundamental understanding of the epistemology of the insider action research (p. 43).
Motivation
Spaulding and Rockinson-Szapkiw (2012) point out that motivation is a key factor in persistence to complete a
degree, and working with a supportive supervisor is essential to motivation. Motivation from supervisors comes
is many forms and it cannot be understated how important it is to receive feedback from a supervisor when
writing the thesis. It is important to get feedback early in the writingstage and there are some ways to accomplish
this. Graduate students often initiate the feedback cycle by sending the supervisor a draft. Frequently, they
complain that they do not receive feedback or that supervisors are ignoring them. Many wonder if they should
send reminders, and question how long they should wait for a response. The problem is twofold: the work was
unsolicited and it is not the supervisors first priority to respond. Students should not send work in progress,
without warning, with the request, Can you take a look at this and tell me if I am going in the right direction?
Before sending work to a supervisor, the student needs to meet with their supervisor.
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student. If a supervisor is not willing to meet with students on a regular basis, then they need to consider if this is
the right supervisor for them.
Once the deadline for work has been agreed upon, make it a priority to send the work in on time. Do not email to
beg for extensions. If some event prevented the work from being completed, cancel the appointment and attempt
to set new deadlines and meeting times. When sending the work, or in any correspondence, include the last
email to remind the supervisor of what took place at the last the meeting. This serves as an aide memoire to help
the supervisor place your work in a context. Popular supervisors may be working with several students and
cannot recall the details of your research.
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After submitting a draft to the supervisor, do not, under any circumstances, continue to work on the same draft.
One supervisor I interviewed recounted an instance where he spent hours reading and commenting on a draft.
When he returned it to the student, the student said he reworked it and had taken another direction. The
supervisor said this was a horrible waste of my time. One can surmise that the next time this student submits a
draft far less investment will be made reading and commenting on it. Once a draft is submitted, work on another
section of the thesis. Update the literature review.
Conclusion
Intelligence, skill, and innate talent helps, but persistence is needed to finish a thesis. Establishing a regular
writing schedule with clear deadlines replicates coursework. It breaks the mammoth job of writing a thesis into
manageable parts and helps to put the task of writing a thesis into perspective. At its most basic level, the thesis
is an academic exercise that demonstrates the capacity to carry out research. It is a take home, open book
exam. The thesis demonstrates the ability to systematically gather and analyze date. A completed thesis tells a
cohesive story of that research.
November 11, 2016
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