PhD Dissertation/Thesis Writing Tips
PhD Dissertation or PhD thesis is the final output of your hard spending hours in your PhD. Writing your PhD dissertation required huge writing skills. Here are top tips to write your PhD dissertation or thesis easily.
- Follow the sample format of seniors’ thesis.
- Decide the names of the 5 chapters of thesis.
- Write headings and sub heading under each chapter.
- Expand each heading with out ambiguity and repetition.
- Write each paragraph in no more than 300 words.
- Write thesis to a minumum of 70000 words.
- Use table and figures appropriately.
- Explain every figure and table in a good length.
- Finally, write Cover Page, Index Page, References, Table of Contents
.Always follow the given thesis’ format
Whether you want to write thesis, you must take the sample format that is available with your seniors. Never follow your own format to write thesis or do not take it from online. Usually every university has its own regular thesis format to write. Follow it strictly. This is the first step of writing a good thesis. Choose some nice location and serene place where your reflections flow straight from the mind to write a thesis for PhD. Whatever the small idea, make a point to write on your short note. This way you can collect some important points.
.Choose which are the 5 chapters to write in a thesis

Every thesis must consist of 5 chapters at least. So you must think of the name of chapters on which you will depend to write the whole thesis. Be clear about which chapter to start first and last. Your supervisor will help you here. Never take your own choices about the names of chapters. Always ask your supervisor and collaborate each other to bring out the names of chapters. To get some ideas, visit public library and seek some important sources those are relevant to your topic. This will allow you to get some points about your topic. Always maintain short notes for this. Or else you will be in trouble forgetting what you have read. Visiting library and spending some time over your topic is always a quality habit to bring success
.Also decide the headings and sub headings in a thesis

Do not start writing your thesis all the way chapter wise. First touch all the chapters and give headings and sub headings all the chapters that you have decided to write. Your class teacher is the near best source on whom you can rely on for every help. So make use of her or him to the fullest. They can guide you being your favorite teacher. So do not be lazy t approach your teachers around you.
A thesis has a standard format that has headings which are useful because they guide the scholar on the type of content expected in different sections of the paper.
The headings enable the researcher to divide the research paper into parts. Equally important are subheadings that fall under the broader headings and aid the student to identify relevant content that should be researched.
They assist the researcher in ensuring that the paper is uniform and that all areas are covered adequately. Subheadings also make the paper have a structure, presentable and readable. Therefore it becomes more comfortable for the reader to understand how the research shifts from one point to another.
.Expand in appropriate length of all headings

Somehow try to expand all heading in a good paragraphs. Do everything according to the research that you have been doing for the last three to four years. Put together aptly and coinciding each other with out any problems. There should be a good readability while writing a thesis.
Always have strong determination from the beginning to the end. Sometimes you are very excited to finish your dissertation but in the long run you will get rid of your past excitement and there is a possibility that you lose interest in your topic.
Be ready to rectify mistakes: Whatever the work you do may sometimes put you in a situation to redo the work. Which means doing same work again and again? So have patience to rectify your mistakes.
Your Guide: Meet your guide as often as possible. This will raise positive impression on you. Arrange your meeting with your guide to discuss things of interest about your topics and finally I can say that if you follow the 7 rules, your will successfully submit.
.Write thesis in a short paragraphs through out

Never include to big paragraphs or repetetive paragraphs. Every paragraph must be unique not exceeding 300 words. If it is necessary only, you must go beyong the limit of paragraph. How to write a PhD thesis depends on how you enjoy when writing a PhD. dissertation. Many scholars find the structure of a PhD thesis boring and therefore tend to develop a negative attitude thus they become less motivated.
While writing doctoral dissertation, It is common knowledge that when a person does not find something enjoyable, they lack the incentive to work hard towards achieving the fruits of the same.
To avoid such a situation, the scholar is advised to develop a positive attitude towards the thesis and follow tips for writing a PhD thesis and consider the process as a learning opportunity as well as an avenue that will enable them to achieve their long-term goals and objectives.
It is recommended that scholars should adapt to their schedule designed by themselves so that they allocate reading and writing time as they deem fit.
.Do not write too short or long thesis ( Follow your university norms to write PhD thesis)

Normally most of the universities follow 70000 to 83000 words. You must maintain double space and probably around 250 words may fit in a single page of thesis writing. But anyhow the normal calculation about the length of the thesis is 83000 words. There are some universities which have less number. But it all depends upon the university norms and conditions. I suggest you ask your supervisor about this. But in no way, you can exceed the 83 number in any university. Any research scholar who is aspiring to get a doctoral degree writes a PhD thesis or dissertation. Here I am giving tips for writing dissertation. This PhD thesis advice will help you to get rid of all sorts of confusion in terms of how to start writing a dissertation. This advice is simply a help to write PhD thesis
.Use good number of tables and figures ( Do not overuse)

The one important thing that every PhD student misses is not explaining figures and tables at an appropriate length for which many thesis’ gets a review for the second time after submission. So be careful not to just insert figures and tables and foget them. Every figure and table must be explained perfectly and more in length.The reason why the scholar is advised to ensure that thesis write up is enjoyable is to prevent the candidate from getting bored and losing interest along the way.It is essential that the candidate should have an interest in the reading and learning process so that they can love what they are doing.The main reason why it is essential for the scholar to find the dissertation process enjoyable is to ensure that they understand the importance of writing a good research paper.Once the importance is established, the scholar is in a position to know how to write a PhD thesis paper that meets the requirement. A candidate that is bored with the thesis is guaranteed to produce a bad thesis.
.Brush up writing your thesis with introduction, conclusion and references, bibliography etc;
For Bibliography and References writing for your thesis.
For Note-Making to write PhD thesis.
For Storage and Back up to write PhD thesis.
.For Project Management to write a good PhD thesis.
.For Academic Writing to implement well in your PhD thesis.
Many candidates find it difficult to complete the thesis paper in good time, and some of them are forced to request an extension which is not a good thing.
In part, failing to complete the dissertation on time creates the impression that the scholar is irresponsible and incapable of organizing and planning their time efficiently.
To prevent this from happening, it is highly recommended that the candidate avoids procrastination as much as possible and concentrate on how to write a good PhD dissertation. To avoid delaying the paper, the scholar should ensure that start working on the paper as soon as they are admitted and assigned a supervisor.
Once the dissertation process is initiated, the candidate must be consistent all the way and try as much as possible to work on the thesis on a daily basis.
.Do not set back if something goes wrong while writing thesis for PhD.
Writing a thesis is not easy and cannot be compared to writing a ten-page essay, and therefore the scholar is bound to encounter challenges along the way.
Such problems should be welcomed and viewed as opportunities to learn new things and also promote creativity and innovation in formulating new ideas. First one must know how to start writing a thesis. If things do not go as planned, the candidate is advised to avoid despairing and losing momentum.
Instead, they should face the challenge and find ways of preventing the same problem from arising in future. They should understand that other researchers before them also encountered difficulties but did not give up.
On the contrary, they should be more enthusiastic in ensuring that they present a good research paper that will impress the reviewers and accepted for publication by reputable journals.
.Double save the copy all your PhD thesis writing
Accidents happen, and there are cases where researchers lose their years of work because they kept their research on single storage. For instance, a scholar may be writing their research on their laptop and fail to have a backup copy.
In case the laptop crashes get damaged or stolen, all the research work is lost. To avoid such an incident, the researcher is advised to double save their work preferably in external storage such as an external hard disk.
Besides, technology has improved, and people can save their work on cloud storage which makes it easy to retrieve data. Some cloud-based storage has subscription charges, but others like Gmail are entirely free depending on the size of data.
.Keep in mind the mind of your supervisor while writing PhD thesis writing.
Writing a thesis is an independent process, and the scholar is required to write the same on their own, but they are advised to regard the supervisor’s advice.
The supervisor’s role is to guide the candidate throughout the writing process. They have experience in writing a dissertation and therefore have valuable information that would ensure that the scholar writes a good research paper.
The candidate should cooperate with the supervisor from the starting point which is choosing a research topic. Before making a decision that has a significant impact on the thesis, a candidate must ensure that they consult the supervisor and listen to their views. If the supervisor feels that the changes are necessary, they will give the candidate the, but if they think otherwise, they will advise against the same.
.Writing a PhD thesis acknowledgment
Here you have to make sure to congratulate and thank everyone who has helped to finish your Ph.D. dissertation.
.Writing PhD Thesis Structure
200 pages thesis means write two pages of thesis for 100 days (set clear target)Depending on the number of page requirement, the scholar must be in a position to create a schedule that fits their program.It is essential because it enables proper allocation of time which is a scarce resource and is never enough. The scholar is advised to formulate a schedule so that the thesis is divided into tasks. Not only does this make it easy to manage time, but it also breaks down the thesis so that it does not appear as a big task.
Apart from forming a schedule, it is vital that the candidate sets realistic targets that can be achieved comfortably without too much strain since they may also be required to meet other responsibilities such as work and personal commitments.
.How many chapters should a PhD thesis have
A typical PhD thesis or dissertation consists of 5 to 6 chapters as per the requirement. Each chapter has its own headings and sub-headings. You may get help in writing PhD thesis from your professors or read others’ online.
.Reward yourself at the end of the day’s work of writing thesis.
Writing a thesis involves adapting to a specific routine which can be boring and therefore, the researcher can easily find themselves having deviated from the schedule.
It is vital that the scholar renews their enthusiasm and ensure that they reward themselves if possible on a daily basis. It is essential because it breaks the monotony and keeps the scholar motivated thus they cannot lose interest in the project.
There are different ways of rewarding oneself such as going out with friends for the favorite drink at the place where the scholar likes to hang out during leisure time.
Others may prefer to go for a movie or watch a football match while others want to go shopping. The important thing is that the scholar should assess their hobbies and do what they find enjoyable.
.Learn to use Micro soft word to speed up your PhD thesis writing.
Writing PhD thesis in word may sound strange to a scholar especially when they consider themselves computer literate. Surprisingly, many people that think themselves conversant with a computer are perplexed when they find out that basic computer programs such as Ms.
Word have many features that remain unexplored. Writing a 200-page paper may not be an easy task, but some features can make the writing process tranquil. Some shortcuts can save the researcher considerable time thus make writing enjoyable.
It is worth noting that the program has a dictionary that makes it easy to check the meaning of new vocabulary encountered rather than necessarily consulting the dictionary or searching on the internet.
.Relax on the weekends and festivals giving a short breaks during thesis writing.
As the saying goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” we recommend the scholar to set aside time for relaxing especially the weekends.
After a week of hard work through researching, the mind is bound to be exhausted and cramped with new information. It is necessary to relax the mind so that it can assimilate further information.
In cases where the scholar is working, the weekend is the best time for relaxation and engage in light activities. During festivals, the researcher should find time to participate in social activities and interact with other people such as family members, friends, and neighbors. After relaxation, the mind becomes fresh, and therefore the cognitive process is facilitated.
.Choose the best place to write PhD thesis and chair to sit (Comfortable writing)
Effective reading and writing take place in a comfortable environment, and therefore the scholar is advised to create one. They should find a quiet place and a comfortable chair to sit on so that they do not tire easily or strain their body.
When the candidate is relaxed, they can concentrate on the readings and also understand the content. Effective comprehension is necessary which is facilitated by good cognitive abilities.
A good location is free from noise and unnecessary distractions which enable the researcher to understand the content and retain the same for a long time before it becomes necessary to revisit the reading material.
.Be patient in the beginning, and later you will feel much easier while writing thesis for your PhD
At the onset of writing the thesis, it common for the scholar to feel demoralized or lack motivation since the work appears endless especially when they think about the total number of words that are required.
Candidates are advised to disregard the feeling of lacking motivation and instead focus on achieving the targets as stipulated in the schedule. Focusing on the goals one step at a time makes the task seem easier and less.
Furthermore, it takes time to get used to the schedule, and at times it may take months. However, once the scholar adapts to the timetable, writing the thesis becomes easier. It becomes much more comfortable after the candidate familiarizes with the topic and the databases where content can be researched.
.Read some other old thesis before even writing PhD thesis
The best way to familiarize with what a thesis should look like is going through previous arguments of thesis that have been written by other scholars. Such research papers are available are available on the internet and can also be accessed in databases such as the University of Manchester’s thesis search.
We recommend the scholar to compare those that have been accepted as well as those that were rejected. The practice is important because the candidate places themselves in a better position to understand what qualifies as a good thesis and what does not.
By considering previously done papers, the researcher can identify areas that need improvement and also those that need to changes altogether.
.Write the names of graphs and diagrams carefully in your PhD thesis.
Unlike small essays, a thesis requires the use of visual aids such as diagrams and chart to support the information contained in the text. Some sections require the scholar to use facts and figures to support their argument.
Such instances are understood better when the data is illustrated in tables. However, it is worth noting that visual aids must be used appropriately which means that they should represent data found in the text.
It is prohibited to include diagrams and graphs that contain foreign data that is not in the thesis. Also, the scholar should ensure that they use the appropriate number of tables and figures.
.Gather all the notes that you researched for three years and add to your PhD thesis that is relevant.
A thesis is a collection of notes that have been collected and written as one document in a chronological fashion such that it is comprehensible.
Before writing the thesis, the scholar should collect all the notes written over the period of researching and the content arranged and organized.
The notes are fitted into the headings and subheadings before writing a draft. Within three years of research, the candidate should ensure that they have written notes enough to comprise a full thesis paper.
It is crucial for the researcher to note the importance of note-taking because it directly reflects how much research has been conducted. All the notes are collected and written on a single document categorizing the points according to the most appropriate headings.
.Use more references and bibliography while writing your PhD thesis.
Referencing is probably the most prevalent aspect of the paper that gives the reader a hint of how extensive the research has been done. Sources must be reliable and relevant to the research topic.
However, a Ph.D. the thesis requires advanced research techniques, and this involves using as many sources as possible. It is recommended that the researcher ensures that they cite their work after every 2 to 3 sentences.
It not only provides that the thesis is adequately cited, but it also indicates that the scholar has done thorough research and therefore they have addressed the problem sufficiently. The reviewer can tell how many sources have been used in the thesis by looking at the Bibliography section.
.Use some technical keywords in the same manner throughout thesis writing
As discussed in another article, every field has technical terms that should be used to exhibit that the scholar commands an understanding of the topic.
The candidate must ensure that they understand the meaning of such terminologies as they are used in context regarding the source. Since such terms must also be included in the thesis, the scholar must ensure that they use such vocabulary appropriately and uniformly within the text.
They should not be used to bring out other meaning(s). It is common for some terminologies to have different meanings depending on how they are used but this is discouraged. If a technical term has been used to mean something, whenever it is used again in the thesis it should maintain that meaning to eliminate ambiguity.
.Be aware of all numbers (how many chapters, tables, graphs, figures, etc.)
The fact that a thesis has abstract, headings, subheadings and visual aids such as tables, figures and charts mean that they are numbered. The scholar must be aware of how many headings and subheadings are found in the thesis. Numbering the headings enable the researcher to know how many sections the paper comprise and can, therefore, divide the word requirement evenly.
The case for graphs, tables, and figures is much easier because Ms. Word has a feature for inputting captions on the same and it numbers them automatically.
Numbering also makes the work organized, and the researcher can identify sections that require more attention than others and allocate them more research time and word requirement.
.Always keep in mind the structure of all your thesis
One thing that the researcher should keep in mind is a visualization of the thesis’ structure at all times when researching.
It may not be easy to look at the whole document at a glance since a thesis is the size of a book. The best that the scholar can do is to meditate upon the appearance of the paper and towards maintaining its structure as dictated by the headings and subheadings.
The process becomes more comfortable if the candidate has divided the paper into sections that cover the entire topics and also assigned each section the best wording.
.Write a Title Formation to your thesis
The title is the first section of the thesis paper and comes at the beginning with relevant information regarding the thesis, student, institution and supervisor. The title page must contain the title of the thesis which entails the topic and the problem being researched. It should also include the student’s name, the course, supervisor information and the university where the candidate is studying their doctorate. Another important information on the title page are the dates when the thesis process began and when it was submitted.
.Secondly Write Abstract insertion
The abstract like in other essay papers is a summary of the entire document that allows the reader to know what the thesis contains. It will enable the reader to glance at the thesis and identify the significant points discussed within without necessarily reading the whole document. Although the abstract appears at the beginning of the text, it is advised that the scholar writes it after writing the entire thesis so that they can be able to pinpoint all the major ideas contained in the research paper.
.Thirdly Write acknowledgement
The supervisor is the candidate’s advisor although there may be other faculty members that may have made contributions to the completion of the research paper.
The title page on contains the name and portfolio of the advisor, unlike this section which goes into details. The researcher mentions the advisers and their contributions to ensuring that the project was a success.
In most cases, the supervisor is considered to be the student’s co-author, and therefore they also have rights to the research paper and should be acknowledged if other researchers cite the paper.
.Write Table of content for the whole thesis.
The table of contents is a section that contains the thesis headings and subheadings as they appear in the research paper. The titles and subtitles are numbered following their appearance and the page number where each of them is located. The table of content is also vital to the reader as the author because it enables them to find desired content easily by looking up the heading and page number. Once this information is acquired, one can quickly jump to that page and read the content.
.Writing a good preface to thesis
A preface is a form of introduction to the writing usually written by the author and introduces the reader to the literary work. However, it should be noted that a thesis does not require a preface unless the scholar feels like including it. Usually, a preface concludes with acknowledgment and seeing that the section has already been covered shows that the preface is not necessary for a Ph.D. thesis.
.Writing Relevant Introduction to your PhD thesis.
At the beginning of the thesis is the introduction section that prepares the reader for what they are going to read in the thesis. The introduction briefly states the topic and identifies the problem(s) that are facing the community making it necessary to address the issue. At the introduction, the scholar defines terms that may be difficult for most people. The section also briefly describes the causes of the problem and may also state the most affected population. The introduction prepares the reader for the thesis.
.Write and narrate all chapters with research problem and Results
This section contains all the headings and subheadings in the thesis and is where the scholar discusses all the content that they have researched.
In this section, the candidate writes all the points according to their finding being careful to ensure that all information is appropriately cited according to the rules and guidelines of writing. In most cases, they may be required to cite using APA, Chicago or Harvard format.
The candidate must provide in-text citations for every information according to the author of the source document. In this section, the scholar writes all the findings, results, findings and recommendations.
.Write strong conclusion to the thesis.
After the previous section, the author is required to provide a conclusion of the entire research where they restate the objectives of the study and summarize the findings and results. In this section, the candidate makes a recap of the significant points and ensures that they do not include new information.
The conclusion comprises of data that is contained in the thesis, and it is through the conclusion that the author states whether the findings were according to expectation and whether they think that their recommendations are practical solutions to the problems identified in the investigation.
.Mention your publication history about this topic
After the conclusion, this section gives the author an opportunity to recognize previous efforts by the same to address the same problem in other research papers that have already been published. It is important to note that scholars are allowed to publish papers before submitting their thesis to the faculty.
If they choose, they can print the thesis, but it is not encouraged since there are instances where researchers have complained that other researchers have stolen their ideas. If the scholar has managed to write other research papers that relate to the thesis’ topic, they are at liberty to write about such publications in this section.
.How to write PhD thesis with References
The thesis paper is not complete without the work cited section which is a list of all sources that have been used in the research.
The list is arranged alphabetically and must include all sources that have been included in the in-text citations. It is essential that the bibliography must contain only reputable sources and if possible they should all be books that are published by reputable publishers in reputable journals. References must originate from credible databases.
After the bibliography is the appendices which contain visual aids that contain information relevant to the research’s topic.
How to write a Ph.D. thesis is the greatest challenge for many. For this reason, many opt for some services online. If you follow the above guideline, you will easily get success in your Ph.D. thesis submission and your Ph.D. thesis will never get rejected.
Bonus tips to write PhD thesis
Writing the thesis is probably the most stressful moment during the bachelor phase. Do not panic, below you will find several supporting tips so that you too can successfully submit your thesis.
Suddenly you have to do whole research, make a plan, write an argument with findings and standpoints. And then there is also the use of very many sources. While writing your thesis you go through many different phases, as we know the research, reading infinite jurisprudence and literature, and then the threshold to start writing. How long do I have to spend? How do I divide the chapters? And more importantly, where do I start? Writing may take more time than expected. Do not panic, below you will find several supporting tips so that you too can successfully submit your thesis.
Tip 1. Keep Track Of The Sources As You Write And Collect All Your Thesis Material
While collecting all your sources, you no longer see the forest for the trees. That is why it is very important to keep track of everything from the start. For example, you can create a login which you write down used search terms and which sources you found with them. Place the sources you use directly in the footnotes and state for yourself which page numbers or legal considerations you use in your thesis. So in the end, when everything seems to be confused, you don’t forget which piece of the text comes from which source.
Tip 2. Write Your Thesis In Parts
Often, after a while of writing, you are not that sharp anymore, so that unnecessary mistakes are made and sentences do not always turn out smoothly. You must regularly work on your thesis in pieces. It is better to look at it more often in shorter time frames than to spend whole days doing it a few times. If you try to ram your thesis out in one go in a few days, you will overlook many mistakes. By regularly working on it you look at it with a fresh look every time. This way you prevent a lot of mistakes in your piece. Therefore always leave a few days before the deadline, in this way you look at it one last time with a fresh look and discover errors that you initially looked over.
Tip 3. Always Submit A Complete Concept
In the rush of writing, it seems tempting to skip deadlines for submitting a draft to continue working. But it is important to use every feedback moment. That is why it is also very good to have regular contact with your thesis supervisor. It may not seem necessary, but the more you submit in advance, the more feedback you get. And with that the more you can improve. After all, a supervisor is there to support you in writing your thesis.
Tip 4. Don’t Know Much About Your Subject Yet? Then Look Up Many Current Events
Writing a thesis about a subject that you do not know much about or that you find not interesting is very difficult. It quickly feels boring and that makes you less productive. Therefore, try to read many current affairs about your subject. In this way, you may understand a certain problem behind the subject more and it will also come to life more. And so you might also have found a nice opening for your introduction.
Tip 5. Find Several Sample Theses Online
Especially during the bachelor phase, it is difficult to imagine what a thesis should look like. Universities often place an example thesis and the assessment of that thesis online. Read this through, then you can immediately see what teachers will look for when checking. You can also often find many other students’ theses on other websites. Looking at several theses globally can probably help you gain inspiration for your layout, and it can help with the image of what a thesis should look like.
Tip 6. Always Have Your Thesis Read By Someone Who Knows Nothing About The Subject
Of course, you must regularly read your pieces yourself, but a thesis must be easy to understand for others. For example, let a fellow student or your parents read it. If they understand your thesis easily, then your story is easily traceable. Then you can put your story on paper as clearly as possible. Others may also discover a few language errors that you did not see at first.

