6 Ways To Read Your Thesis

An incomplete list of ways to read your thesis in preparation for your viva.

  1. At the last minute: waiting until the day before to cram it into your brain!
  2. Casually and without care: just reading whenever and wherever with no agenda.
  3. Late in the day: after all of the other work for the day is done and you’re tired.
  4. At a glance: just skimmed because you wrote it!
  5. Obsessively: read and re-read and re-read again to make it stick.
  6. Planned and with purpose: read carefully to help your thinking.

To avoid any doubts, I’m clearly signposting the last option!

Sketch out a plan around submission time for how you will read your thesis. Don’t leave it until the day before your viva. Take time to read your thesis in a way that suits you and your other responsibilities. Consider the best time to get the work done. Read your thesis carefully at least once. You don’t have to re-read your work: you just need to feel confident that you know what you’ve presented in your thesis.

Sketch a plan. Read your thesis well. Be prepared.