A Few More Words

Annotation helps you to prepare in two ways.

First, you have to think carefully about your thesis while you add the notes or emphasis you need.

Second, you have a more helpful resource for your viva.

 

Annotation is effective when you do it in two stages.

First, think carefully about what you really need or want your thesis to have. What do you want to see or find more easily? Make a list.

Second, consider how you will do each of the items on the list in a clear and consistent way. How can you make your annotations simple so they don’t confuse you?

 

In the big picture view of viva prep, annotation is a few more words to add to your thesis to help you get ready. With a little thought it can be a relatively simple exercise to make your thesis better.

What do you need? How will you do it?

A Few More Words

There’s a lot of empty margins in a thesis. A lot of space free in headers and footers. And in the centre of most pages a LOT of words.

A thesis is a summary of at least three years of research. An embedding of thoughts into words. It’s taken time to get it all just so.

When you’re reading it all back, remember that a few more words can make a difference:

  • The right word in a margin can draw your attention to something important.
  • A few words in pencil can decode a piece of jargon or a tricky acronym.
  • Ten new words at the top of a page can summarise the other 300 you’ve written.

Annotation helps. Don’t be afraid to add a few more words.