This is a general guide to help you in structuring your thesis writing. Each journey is unique in that some people will have their main research result chapters written already (e.g., thesis by publication), whilst others may have collected all their data first before putting pen to paper. People will also have different deadlines they are working to. With all that in mind, please use this as a broad guide and take what serves you best! 

We have divided this blog into 5 sections: the initial planning, project management, planning the writing, the actual writing, and looking after yourself.  

 

Initial Planning 

• Make sure you read your institution’s guide on how to structure and format your thesis. Each university will have slightly different expectations so before you start writing, it is good to have a clear understanding of this. You can usually find this information on your university doctoral college homepage. 

• Reading other people’s theses can be mega helpful. If you can get your hands on someone’s thesis from within your department, as well as one from another university (both within your general discipline), it can help give you a feel of the types of information included, how they breakdown each chapter, and the rough word count allocated to each chapter.  

 

Project Management 

It can be useful to view your thesis as a project that needs to be managed. So, at the beginning, you need to sit down with your calendar (and maybe a project management tool like Asana or Notion). 

1. First look at the big picture and plan backwards. For example, if you want to submit the final version by Feb 1st, you likely want to get a full draft to your supervisor by mid-December (provided they’ve already seen and approved individual sections). Hopefully they get your comments back by mid-January, giving you two weeks to make final amendments and submit. For this to work, you need to have a plan in place with your supervisor i.e., how often are you going to send them drafts, how long they need to review before sending you feedback. Have these conversations early as they will help with your planning and meeting your deadline.  

2. Once you have your submission date, you need to start breaking your thesis into chunks. Don’t view it as a 100,000 word essay. It can be helpful to make a “thesis skeleton” which is essentially a table that lists each chapter, along with the main headings/sections within that chapter (see table below for example). 

CATEGORY	IN PROGRESS	BEEN REVIEWED	EDITED	COMPLETED
CHAPTER 1: Introduction (3,000 words)
Research problem
Theoretical framework   Self-determination theory  Socioecological model
Aimes & Objectives
Overview of thesis structure
Original Contribution of knowledge
CHAPTER 2: _______ (X words)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Once you have done this for each chapter, you’ll essentially have a big to-do list. You can start taking these sections and adding them to your calendar so that you have a clear pathway getting you from the start to the deadline. E.g., estimating it will take you three weeks to write your literature review, 2 weeks for your discussion chapter etc.   

 

Planning the Writing 

1. Figure out what works best for you and get into a routine. For some people it works well to write in the morning, take a few hours away and then come back in the afternoon. For others, a Pomodoro technique is the way to go. Find your writing routine and to stick to it. Having a routine takes the decision away from choosing if/when you’re going to write because it is just part of your day.  

2. Set a target for what you want to have written by the end of the day. It could be a word target or a section target (e.g., finishing the “aims & objectives” section). Be strict with yourself so that you can keep to plan and meet your deadlines. If you spend a lot of the day procrastinating, you might end up working late and missing out on relaxation time – which hopefully motivates you to stay focused in future! 

3. Now it’s time to break those sections down even more. It can be useful to list bullet points of all the points you want to make in that section and then later you will come back and turn them into sentence. For example in your Literature Review chapter > Heading on “Benefits of exercise” > Subheading on “Physical Benefits > topics discussed in this paragraph are weight management, bone development, muscle strengthening. Then you do the same for “psychosocial benefits of exercise” and so on. You've done the hard part by listing the main points, now all you need to do is flesh it out into a sentence and add your citations.  

 

The Actual Writing 

1. Start with an easy section. This will help you to mentally get into the flow.  

2. Use a reference manager from the beginning. You will not only save so much time but also reduce errors. Integrate the manager into your word processor if possible, e.g., EndNote integrates into Microsoft Word.  

3. Try to stop focusing on the word count and instead focus on ticking off the sections (your thesis skeleton). Remember, more words do not mean better.  

4. If you are having a bad day and finding it hard to write, spend this time instead formatting tables and figures, or other similar tasks that will need to be done eventually but aren’t quite as mentally taxing.  

5. It can be helpful to separate out the “writer” and the “editor” roles. It means that you aren’t constantly fixing yourself as you write, nor spending heaps of time trying to edit a sentence so it sounds perfect. Try schedule the morning to write X section, and then schedule the afternoon to edit the section.  

6. Keep getting distracted? If you are working on a laptop, it can give you a bit of motivation to work more effectively if you aren’t plugged into a battery charger. You have to work to a strict timeframe before it dies. It goes without saying you want to be working on a file that autosaves!  

 

Looking After Yourself 

1. Writing a PhD thesis is no easy feat. It’s often a time where you truly immerse yourself in writing and you might not stick to “normal” work hours. If you regularly phone home or have other social commitments, it can reduce feelings of guilt to let them know that over the next few weeks you might not be as responsive. It’s important that you prioritise your needs, and it’s likely that when you finish writing for the day all you will want to do it binge watch Netflix and sleep. Of course, this won’t be for everyone. But whatever you can do to communicate your needs with those around you, will help you feel less obliged to do anything you don’t want to do. 

2. I know you don’t want to hear it, but sticking to an exercise routine or getting outside for a walk will really do you wonders. Usually, it is these types of activities that we sack off when we’re stressed but having an hour (or whatever amount of time) to truly zone out and physically not be able to write is so important not only for your physical health but also your mind.  

3. Treat yo self. We are humans after all and most of us will do a decent amount of work if we know we’re getting something good at the end of it. Plan yourself a treat for whatever timepoint or milestone is important to you.  

4. Location. Location. Location. If you feel like you’re getting bogged down working at home or in the office, why not change up your scenery. This can really help boost your creativity and energy. Try out the local library, or (as above!) treat yourself to a pastry during your morning writing block in a coffee shop. Can you join a writing group? Does your university offer a writing retreat away somewhere? Our environment matters, so make sure to pay attention to it and how it makes you feel.