Writing as it is Writ
Some Examples of Gems from History
Each pronoun should agree with their antecedent
Just between you and I, case is important
A preposition is a poor word to end a sentence with
Verbs has to agree with their subject
Don’t use no double negatives
A writer mustn’t shift your point of view
When dangling, don’t use participles
Join clauses good, like a conjunction should
Don’t write a run-on sentence because it is difficult when
you got to punctuate it so it makes sense when the reader
reads what you wrote
About sentence fragments
Do you have any others?
From Go to ………..
Approaching the Finish Line:
How to Write a PhD Thesis
OR
A man may write at any time, if he will
set himself doggedly to it
Samuel Johnson
Outline of Presentation
A thesis is a journey and only one
part of your academic training
How is a thesis structured, our views
Based on the field of biomedical
science and social science
Questions
Synopsis of the Session
Background: the concept of a thesis
Requirements for a thesis, and the journey there
Self authorship
COFFEE?
Personal issues with creating a thesis
Some things to tell students
Special cases: internationals; trauma, illnesses
Strategies in therapy of avoidance
Examiners, editors, exemplars
Some things students have told me
Your personal experiences
Discussion
About Laurie
PhD in Human Rehabilitation
(University of Northern Colorado USA)
15 years at QUT
Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Built
Environment and Engineering and
Creative Industries (2012)
8 PhD (supervise) and 4 PhD (cosuper)
Research focus: with people!
About Terry
PhD in Biochemistry (UQ)
Seven years U Pennsylvania USA
Three years Australian National Uni
Twenty four years QIT/QUT
Director Research Studies FaST
Head of School Biomedical Sciences
Personal focus
– Over two dozen graduated students
– Research on structure and function
What is a PhD?
A holder of a Ph.D. … should have knowledge,
skills, perspectives and understanding to be
capable of self-directed scientific work of a
quality satisfactory to others in the field
IUBMB PhD Standards
Distinctive contribution to knowledge with
evidence of originality shown by discovery of new
facts &/or exercise of independent critical power
University of London
What Does a PhD Signify?
Recognition, formulation & resolution
of a research question
Evaluation of significance of solution
Clear written & oral presentation of
results
Self-directed (original) significant
contribution to knowledge
Strong sense of research integrity
and professional standards
What is a thesis?
A themed written argument
Exposition of original research in
context
Culmination of an apprenticeship
Possibly largest (& most selfindulgent) work students do
Something that could be published
(is published)
Differences among Disciplines
‘Experimental’ Science
– Thesis writing often late in candidature
– Hypothesis formulated to test theory
– Aims/goals address hypothesis
‘Social’ Science
– Thesis writing begins early
– Formulation of research questions
– Data gathered, then analysed various
ways
Getting Started
Encourage you to
Pin the working title and hypothesis
above the work area
Read some theses from your
group/area
Have a plan and concept map
Take the lead – use their own words
and ideas
Plan the argument
Things to Help Planning
How to write
Content – background, methods, results,
conclusions
Format – typeface, spacing, figures
Style – language, logic and efficiency
Planning – do it today; yes, NOW
Timing – estimate and double or treble it
Editing – acceptable inputs
Finishing – deciding to draw the line under
the exercise
Writing IS fun!
CRUNCH TIME (when? – see later)!
This is the hardest part
Allocate 2 to 3 times the amount of time
to writing as to gathering material
Students must be writers as well as a
researchers - write well
Write early and write often
Learn to draft and revise
‘Get it right, but get it written first!’
Simple Structure of a Thesis
The Bellman’s Rule of Three
Overall
Introduction – what the thesis says; context of the hypothesis
Body of the thesis – what makes the thesis
Conclusion – what the thesis said; what it means for future directions
Each chapter
Introduction – what this chapter says; where it sits in the theme
Body of the chapter – methods, results
Conclusion – what this chapter means; how it leads logically to the next
Each paragraph
Introduction – broaches an idea; links to previous ideas
Body of the paragraph – describes the idea
Conclusion – concludes the idea (and links to next)
Not just repetition – linking, theme, rationale, integration
A Generic Structure
Introduction/Theme
Why am I doing this?
Literature Review
What is known? What is unknown?
Aims
What do/did I hope to find out?
Methodology
How is/was it found out?
Results
What did I find?
Discussion
What does it mean?
Conclusion
What is the significance? What
applications? Where to next?
Thesis by Publication
Common practice in many countries
QUT has this option
Thesis has published manuscripts (as
chapters) with format of traditional
thesis
Discuss this with supervisor early
and plan out papers in advance
– one has to be accepted before thesis
submission
Planning the thesis
Write one sentence for:
Example:
Introduction
A PhD is examined by a written
thesis
Problem addressed
Many students do not complete
on time
Literature/background
Late submission is highly
correlated with delay of start of
writing
Methods to solve problem
Create a thesis map and collect
material for each chapter
throughout study
Results
Non-linear approaches bring
advances on many fronts
Conclusion
Drafting and re-drafting chapters
is a normal process
Developing the Thesis
Convert plan/argument into chapters
– at least one chapter per sentence
perhaps more than one, sometimes
Develop a physical “structure”
– set up folders for each chapter
have a plan for each chapter
Allow the plan to evolve
– don’t be worried about changing
new results may require reinterpretations
Gathering material
Fieldwork, literature review
Interviews; Methodology (6 months)
Proof of Principle (6 months)
Data analysis and validation
Maintain notes (laboratory workbooks),
but also …
– turn notes into thoughts from the start
A thesis takes about 60 mins a day
– this is about 6 months
It Takes MUCH Longer …….
Based on experience of 28 PhD and Masters (Research) students
Ch
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Title
Intro/Abstract
Lit Review (rev)
Methods
Results 1
Results 2
Results 3
Conclusion
Length
500
20,000
10,000
20,000
20,000
20,000
10,000
Time
3 months
12 months
10 months
10 months
12 months
18 months
12 months
Bibliography – it doesn’t come last
Keep a database of complete
references
– Use an accepted reference style
Use a tool (Endnote)
– Get the detail right first time
Spelling, page numbers, titles, publishers
Try to be consistent throughout
– Published & unpublished works
Explain variations up front
Special Cases
International Students
– Expressions
– Cultures
– Support networks
Changing & Forming Relationships
– Friend or mentor
– External demands
– Peer groups
Maintaining Momentum
Strategies in Therapy of Avoidance
Tricks for Staying Focussed
Practise often:
the ‘pitch’
1 - 2 sentences that summarise what the thesis is about
the paragraph
– the abstract of the thesis
the page
– a chance to briefly outline an argument
Align the exercises to current work and problems
If there are problems in any of these, it is a symptom of a
lack of focus, structure and clarity!
Problems with writing 1
“How do I plan? When do I plan?”
The best way and time is at the
beginning:
– Stage 2, Confirmation, Progress Reports,
laboratory books (diaries/journals) are all part
of thesis writing
PhD project management should
include a strand for thesis writing
Consult, review, TODAY.
Problems with writing 2
“I think I have writer’s block”
work on manageable pieces
write down the main points – revisit
your theme
you don’t have to write it in order
accept there are several drafts – get
the ideas down
complex ideas may not be linear –
draw a ‘concept map’
Problems with Writing 3
“I have trouble showing it is my idea”
Recommended passive tenses can
cloud attributions.
Try making the authors the subject of
the sentence
– use “in my opinion” if necessary.
Don’t be afraid to play with sentence
structure to get the idea across
– practice expression and interpretation as a
team.
Examiners and Editing
Think about the Examiners
Discuss them early with supervisors
Examiners are busy (like you)
Examining is a chore
– Make it easy; they might become
colleagues & mentors
Most theses are read in trains, boats,
planes and buses
“Oh no, not another one”
What does an examiner do?
Typical scan of a thesis
Abstract
Contents listing
Conclusions
Finally, a quick read
Major chapters
Figures
Introduction,
literature review
Then – questions: Are they answered or considered? Is any of
it published?
Corrections: some examiners think this is the only way to
show they’ve read it; expect to have some
Editing - know the different versions
Three types:
substantive editing
exemplary editing
proof-reading
Supervisors are helpers and advisors,
–
not editors or proof readers
Editing – how much is too much?
You are being trained
– Become familiar with reference texts on style;
workshops on writing are available
– Understand why expressions and structures
are changed – ambiguities, break down
complex concepts, overly long sentences
confuse, etc
– Good ideas need clear English
Parsing, punctuation, precis
“This publication will have my name on it”
Summary
Start today, never later
Keep title and hypothesis handy
Write down skeleton arguments clearly
Expand arguments into chapters
Keep concurrent folders for each chapter
Keep the thesis plan a living plan
Simple sentences, simple ideas, linked structures
Maintain your project plan (manage, revise, update)
Don’t be afraid to cut and cull
Be prepared for multiple drafts
Know your audience
Help the reader to understand
Get advice from others (reading drafts)
Finally, remember: You will probably know more about the thesis,
as a whole, than any of the examiners.
Things I Have Been Told
Would you be comfortable
with these titles?
Multiple infections among newborns
resulting from implantation with
Staphylococcus aureus
Preliminary canine and clinical
evaluation of a new anti-tumour
agent, Streptovitacin
Isolation of antigens from monkeys
using complement-fixation
techniques
Efficiency of Expression - 1
Many authors, including this laboratory
(1), have been engaged in the study of
the identification and detection of specific
biologically active molecules by
autographic methods. This problem has
recently been reviewed (2).
Many authors (1-4) have used autographic
methods to detect and identify biologically
required molecules (for review see ref 4).
Efficiency of Expression - 2
Using L. arabinosus, detection of about 10-3 µg of
pantothenic acid was possible utilising the tetrazolium plate
technique, meanwhile detection of 10-4 µg and even less
was achieved by the slide method advocated here.
However, E. coli produced a somewhat more satisfactory
growth response than L. arabinosus, for this species forms
more compact and easily observed microcolonies upon
incubation at suitable growth temperatures.
With L. arabinosus, the “tetrazolium plate” technique could
detect 10-3 µg of pantothenic acid whereas the slide
method could detect as little as 10-4 µg. The growth
response with this organism was, however, more difficult to
observe than with E. coli, which forms more compact
microcolonies on incubation.
Efficiency of Expression - 3
The slide method reported appears to offer a possible
useful application in identification of unknown paper
chromatogram spots. Since the lowest concentration
of most amino acids detectable as spots lies in the
range of 10-1 µg to 5.0 µg and this method will
detect as little as 10-2 µg (Table 1), it would perhaps
be possible in many cases to cut a spot area into two
or more pieces and screen it against several different
organisms with varying amino acid requirements.
The very high specificity of nutrient requiring mutant
bacteria would provide a precise means of
identification which may often be applied in
circumstances wherein limitations of time or
availability of sample are prohibitory to identification
of spots by more conventional methods.
Efficiency of Expression - 3a
The method may perhaps be applied to the
identification of unknown compounds on paper
chromatograms; spots cut from such
chromatograms could be incubated with
auxotrophic bacteria having highly specific
nutrient requirements. Spots of amino acids that
are detectable with spray reagents contain at
least 0.1 to 5.0 µg, and since the slide method
will detect as little as 0.01 µg (Table 1), a single
spot from a chromatogram could, if necessary, be
divided and tested against several organisms
with different amino acid requirements. This
bioassay would be rapid, sensitive and specific.
References
Books
Truss, L. Eats, Shoots and Leaves Profile Books, London,
2003.
Day, R. How to write a scientific paper ISI Press 1979
Cribb & Hartomo Sharing Knowledge: A Guide to Effective
Science Communication CSIRO Publishing 2002
(more about general communication than theses)
Web Sites (accessed 10/05/2012)
www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/thesis.html
www.learnerassociates.net/dissthes/
learningforsustainability.net/research/phd_research.php