An Imperfect Thesis
“Submitted is perfect” was a piece of thesis writing advice that jumped out to me on Twitter a few weeks ago. I wish I could remember where I saw it, though I imagine the person sharing it was not unique...
Daily viva help for PhDs
“Submitted is perfect” was a piece of thesis writing advice that jumped out to me on Twitter a few weeks ago. I wish I could remember where I saw it, though I imagine the person sharing it was not unique...
Take your time as you finish your thesis. You’ll never make it perfect but you can be proud it’s as good as you can reasonably make it. Take your time as you get ready for your viva. Plan your prep...
Find half an hour in the days after your viva to sit and reflect on what you’ve done. You stayed determined. You learned and developed. You created something that no-one else has ever done and that many people can’t do....
There are three general viva outcomes. Minor corrections are minor: correcting typos, editing for clarity and amending diagrams. Most candidates are asked to complete minor corrections as a result of the viva. Major corrections are unlikely: they account for very...
Corrections. Amendments. Changes. They’re called lots of things, but the requests for alterations to your thesis after the viva really are just the very last, final tweaks to make your thesis the best it can reasonably be. The vast majority...
A few months after my viva, when my corrections were all completed, it was time to pack up the desk in my shared office. I wish I had considered it properly at the time. Instead, I just packed everything into...
How good will it feel when those words are real? How will you feel when your thesis is finished and submitted, you’ve had your viva, you’ve done whatever corrections you need to and – finally! – you’ve graduated? Completing a...
It’s likely that you will have corrections to complete after your viva. You’ll probably still need to discuss your work with your supervisors. And it’s possible that you might want to do more work based on your thesis research, whether...
Because there are typos in their thesis and passages that need editing. That’s it! That’s all! Enough said! OK a little more… 🙂 Writing a book is hard. Proofreading is hard. Combining these both in a project...
Today marks fifteen years since I submitted my final PhD thesis. I remember that I went with a friend to hand my copies in. I wanted someone to be a witness with me to this great moment. The university admin...