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How Do I Motivate Myself To Finish My Thesis Quickly?

Some graduate or doctoral students who are in the incredibly challenging thesis or dissertation phase of their program have had thoughts about quitting. In particular, students who are moving into their third, fourth, or even tenth (yes, I’ve heard those stories too) year may begin to lose hope that they will ever finish. They may have aspired to a career as a researcher or professor, and now are on the precipice of reaching that goal, but their motivation is gone. Or, life has simply encroached upon their ability to finish the journey they embarked on so many years ago. If you are one of the many students who have had thoughts about quitting, do not despair because you are not alone.

It may not even be that you are concretely thinking about quitting. Rather, it simply may be that life has slowed you down. It has become more and more difficult to close the deal as your family and work responsibilities grow. Your thesis or dissertation is hanging over you like a never-ending whisper. “You have to do it, it’s not done, do it…” You want to get it done, but you just cannot seem to find the time, and, yes, sometimes the motivation.

The director of the doctoral program at my school said that, generally, one-third of doctoral students never complete their dissertation, mainly because life has gotten in the way. I think about all the talented students I completed coursework with. It makes me sad that some of them will not get the recognition they deserve because they were no longer able to fit doctoral studies into their lives.

Another reason some students lose motivation is that they simply feel they no longer need the degree. Perhaps another professional opportunity has come along. They’ve found that it is something they have always wanted to do or is particularly promising in terms of career advancement and pay. These folks may say to themselves, “My new position is rewarding and does not require this degree, so why spend any more time pursuing it?”

There are many reasons why you may lack the motivation or ability to complete your thesis or dissertation. You might be experiencing burnout or losing interest in your topic. Perhaps you’ve realized that you do not need the degree or that you have too much on your plate. (Read more about these specific reasons below.) But there are things you can do to get back on track. You can rekindle your motivation and come to realize that it is worth it to round the final curve and graduate.

This post was written by Stephanie A. Bosco-Ruggiero (PhD candidate in Social Work at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service) on behalf of Dave Maslach for the R3ciprocity project (Check out the YouTube Channel or the writing feedback software ). R3ciprocity helps students, faculty, and research folk by providing a real and authentic look into doing research. It provides solutions and hope to researchers around the world.

The following are some reasons students lose their motivation to finish their thesis or dissertation and some tips for how they can get back on track.

Find a bit of time each day to work on your project

The first tip is less about motivation and more about simply finding the time to get started, keep moving forward, and to complete your thesis or dissertation. Find at least fifteen to twenty minutes a day reading, researching, outlining, or doing other small tasks that will help you move toward the critical task of writing your thesis or dissertation. There is so much to do before writing such as reviewing articles for your literature review, developing survey instruments, outlining your project, or collecting data, so try to get these tasks done in small increments.

Taking the time to do the smaller tasks of preparing to write your thesis or dissertation can be snuck in at odd times such as while waiting to see a doctor, while you are on hold with someone, while you are using public transportation, at the very end or beginning of each day, while the kids are finally amusing themselves for fifteen minutes, while you are waiting for the casserole to finish baking, etc. There are fifteen to twenty minutes in each day that you can find to do something to move your project forward.

Develop a plan

As you get more and more done with your fifteen to twenty minutes each day you will have broken the ice, the logjam, the writer’s block, the resistance -whatever you want to call it. You are THINKING and PLANNING and that makes whatever comes next easier. You will find yourself on a roll at times and spending more than your allotted fifteen to twenty minutes a day doing these smaller tasks or even writing. You may get less sleep a few nights due to the momentum you find yourself experiencing, but that is ok, it will not kill you. As you get more and more preparation for writing done, develop a plan for moving into the heavier writing phase. Think about whether you can take a day off her and there to work on your project. Having a straight 7 or 8 hours a day to write uninterrupted, here and there, will really get you going. Also, perhaps develop a goal for when you want to get each chapter of your project done by.

Do not catastrophize

Everyone gets stuck or stumped along the way of writing their thesis or dissertation. Do not make it into this insurmountable hurdle that you cannot get past. When you are feeling frustrated, do not know which direction to go in next, or feel that you have taken a wrong turn, put your work away for a few days. You will calm down; THEN contact your chair or a mentor and talk through what is challenging you. They will help you move forward productively.

Find supportive peers and ignore the naysayers

Talking to others in the same boat as you can help you feel like you are not alone in your lack of motivation, and as a group of colleagues, you can come up with ways to motivate each other. My doctoral program’s director setup a writing challenge where students work on their dissertation for half hour each day and share their accomplishments on a discussion board with others in the group. A group like this can help you keep a routine and find the inspiration and motivation to keep going.

The second part of this tip is to ignore the naysayers and those who would question why you are pursing this degree. Do not listen to those would urge you to quit. Quit only if you really want to, not because others want you to. If you do not have the strength to reject the negativity and naysayers, quitting may be the best thing for your to do, but most of you will keep going despite what others say because you truly care about your research, your field, and accomplishing what you set out to do. Listen to Dave talking for a few minutes about how easy it is, and important, to reject the negativity and keep going.

Think about the money

You really should, because you have spent a lot of money on courses and you really should get the degree to make the investment worthwhile. Why spend so much money only to be ABD the rest of your life? Also, if you think you already have the promotion or career opportunity that you want and do not need the degree (especially a graduate degree) think twice. Down the line the degree could open even more doors, help you increase your earning, and gain more respect in the field. With a PhD you will be viewed as someone who can do research and who is an independent worker and thinker.

Think about how far you have come

This gets to some of the core principles of motivation. You have accomplished so much in completing your coursework and getting through the comprehensive exam process if your program has one. There is one more step toward earning your degree, and it is critical and important step toward earning that degree. Completing a thesis or dissertation shows that you can work independently on a major research project and contribute knowledge to your field. It is key display of your adherence to the scientific process and that you have master of specific research methods. Do not accept the attitude that completing a thesis or dissertation does not matter and that having the coursework on your resume is what counts. When you complete a thesis or dissertation you have then truly earned your degree, and people will respect you for the work you have put into your venture.

Do it for the love of your discipline

If you truly find your area of study fascinating you should have a lot of the natural motivation to complete your degree. Some students in this phase may realize they are simply not that interested in their field of study, or specific research topic, anymore. That is a problem, but not insurmountable. If you have decided you want to completely abandon the field you are in because you are skeptical that it truly makes a difference or matters, talk to colleagues, mentors, and professors. Everyone has some doubt now and then about giving so much to such a narrow topic or field of study, but experienced professionals in the field can help you see the big picture of why your work matters. Also, remember that you are not wedded to your thesis or dissertation topic forever. Many graduates move away from the topic they studied for their capstone project towards a different area of study they are more interested in, after graduating, and do so with ease and satisfaction.

Choose a new research topic/question if you need to

If you are really not that into the research question you originally chose for your thesis or dissertation, choose a different one. It’s best to choose a new research question under the same general subject area so you can use some of your literature review, but by all means, go in a different direction with the research question. You are not too far along in the process if still in the proposal phase and choosing a new topic may be just the thing to help you get motivated again.

Get a writing coach

Others might call it tutoring, but what coaching or tutoring can do for you is provide you with the support you need to keep going. A good coach can help you through writing blocks and research problems. You may not have the spare change to meet with them as frequently as you would like to, but even a meeting here and there can help you gain clarity and get moving. Personally, I have helped several students who would have otherwise given up if not for the support I provided them. You can find writing tutors/coaches through tutoring website, freelancing sites, or by searching for writing/dissertation coaches.

Stay involved with the r3ciprocity community

Dave has established a wonderful community where people can get writing support, share ideas, get motived, view informative videos, and read blogs like this one. The blog and vlog sites truly have a wealth of information and advice about academia, being a student, choosing the right direction, how to deal with challenges as a student, getting motivated, solving research challenges and obstacles, etc. Personally, I have benefited greatly from watching and viewing vlogs and blogs produced by Dave and his team of writers, and from writing some posts myself.

Stick with r3ciprocity community to get your motivation back. Check out these other short motivational vlogs Dave recorded for the community:

Today Is The Right Day. | #motivation To Get Started. – YouTube

The bottom line

There are many ways recapture the motivation you need to finish your thesis or dissertation. You may even want to talk to your committee about the challenges you are facing in making progress or finding motivation. They are not there to check in on you regularly and make sure you are making progress, but they do care and may be able to help you with creating a plan for moving forward. Some schools set deadlines for completing a thesis or dissertation, while others may let students take as much time as they need (one piece of advice – don’t take ten years). If you are charged for each semester that you are working on your dissertation, this could be a motivator to get it done as well!

The keys to motivation are to look at how far you have come and how much you have already invested in terms of time and money and to ask yourself if the benefits of quitting really outweigh the rewards of finishing. Also, seek the support and encouragement of peers if your program is not so competitive that people are hesitant to do so (quite unfortunate if that is the case). Also, stick with the r3ciprocity community for extra motivation and support!

If you enjoyed this blog, you may want to check out some of these other posts on blog.r3ciprocity.com

R3ciprocity_Team

Dissertating Like a Distance Runner: Ten Tips for Finishing Your PhD

The above photo is of Sir Mo Farah running past Buckingham Palace into the home stretch of the London Marathon. I took the photo two days after my viva, in which I defended my PhD dissertation. Farah become a British hero when he and his training partner, Galen Rupp, won the gold and silver medals in the 10k at the London Olympic Games.

I had the honor of racing against Rupp at Nike’s Boarder Clash meet between the fastest high school distance runners in my home state of Washington and Rupp’s home state of Oregon. I’m happy to provide a link to the results and photos of our teenage selves since I beat Galen and Washington won the meet. (Note: In the results, ‘Owen’ is misspelled with the commonly added s , which I, as a fan of Jesse Owens, feel is an honor.) By the time we were running in college—Rupp for the University of Oregon and myself for the University of Washington—he was on an entirely different level. I never achieved anything close to the kind of running success Rupp has had. Yet, for most of us mortals, the real value in athletics is the character traits and principles that sports instill in us, and how those principles carry over to other aspects of life. Here I want to share ten principles that the sport of distance running teaches, which I found to be quite transferrable to writing my doctoral dissertation.

To provide some personal context, I began as a doctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham in 2014. At that time my grandparents, who helped my single father raise my sister and me, continued their ongoing struggle with my Grandfather’s Alzheimer’s. It was becoming increasingly apparent that they would benefit from having my wife and I nearby. So, in 2015 we moved to my hometown of Yakima, Washington. That fall I began a 2/2 teaching load at a small university on the Yakama Nation Reservation as I continued to write my dissertation. Since finishing my PhD four years ago, in 2018, I have published one book , five research articles , and two edited volume chapters related in various ways to my dissertation. As someone living in rural Eastern Washington, who is a first-gen college grad, I had to find ways to stay self-motivated and to keep chipping away at my academic work. I found the following principles that I learned through distance running very helpful.

(1) Establish community . There are various explanations, some of which border on superstitious, for why Kenyan distance runners have been so dominant. Yet one factor is certainly the running community great Kenyan distance runners benefit from at their elite training camps, as discussed in Train Hard, Win Easy: The Kenyan Way . Having a community that values distance running can compel each member of the community to pursue athletic excellence over a long period of time. The same can be said for academic work. Many doctoral researchers have built-in community in their university departments, but for various reasons this is not true for everyone. Thankfully, alternative ways to establish community have never been easier, predominantly due to technology.

Since my dissertation applied Aristotelian causation and neo-Thomistic hylomorphism to mental causation and neural correlates of consciousness, I found it immensely helpful to meet consistently with neuroscientist, Christof Koch, and philosopher of mind, Mihretu Guta. Mihretu does work on the philosophy of consciousness and Christof propelled the dawn of the neurobiology of consciousness with Francis Crick . Though Mihretu lives in Southern California, we met monthly through Skype, and I would drive over the Cascade Mountains once a month to meet with Christof in Seattle. As my dissertation examiner, Anna Marmodoro, once reminded me: the world is small—it’s easier than ever before to connect with other researchers.

It can also be helpful to keep in mind that your community can be large or small. As some athletes train in large camps consisting of many runners, others have small training groups, such as the three Ingebrigtsen brothers . Likewise, your community could be a whole philosophy department or several close friends. You can also mix it up. As an introvert, I enjoyed my relatively small consistent community, but I also benefitted from attending annual regional philosophy conferences where I could see the same folks each year. And I especially enjoyed developing relationships with other international researchers interested in Aristotelian philosophy of mind at a summer school hosted by the University of Oxford in Naples, which Marmodoro directed. For a brief period, we all stayed in a small villa and talked about hylomorphism all day, each day, while enjoying delicious Italian food.

Whatever your community looks like, whatever shape it takes, what matters is that you’re encouraged toward accomplishing your academic goal.

(2) Know your goal. Like writing a dissertation, becoming a good distance runner requires a lot of tedious and monotonous work. If you don’t have a clear goal of what you want to achieve, you won’t get up early, lace up your running shoes, and enter the frosty morning air as you take the first of many steps in your morning run. There are, after all, more enticing and perhaps even more pressing things to do. Similarly, if you don’t have a clear goal of when you want to finish your dissertation, it is easy to put off your daily writing for another day, which can easily become more distant into the future.

(3) Be realistic about your goal . While it is important to have a clear goal as a distance runner and as a doctoral researcher, it is important for your goal to be realistic. This means your goal should take into account the fact that you are human and therefore have both particular strengths and limitations. Everyone enters the sport of distance running with different strengths and weaknesses. When Diddy ran the city it would have been unrealistic for him to try to break the two-hour barrier in the marathon, as Eliud Kipchoge did . If Diddy made that his goal, he probably would have lost all hope in the first mile of the marathon and never finished. Because he set a more realistic goal of breaking four hours, not two hours, he paced himself accordingly and actually finished.

The parent of two young children who is teaching part-time can certainly finish a dissertation. But the parent will have a greater likelihood of doing so with a reasonable goal that fits that individual’s strengths and limitations. If the parent expects to finish on the same timescale as someone who is single with no children nor teaching responsibilities, this will likely lead to disappointment and less motivation in the middle of the process. Motivation will remain higher, and correspondingly so will productivity that is fueled by motivation, if one’s goal is realistic and achievable.

Another element of having a realistic goal is being willing to adapt the goal as your circumstances change. Sometimes a runner might enter a race expecting to place in the top five and midway through the race realize that she has a great chance of winning (consider, for example, Des Linden’s victory at the Boston Marathon ). At that point, it would be wise to revise one’s goal to be ‘win the race’ rather than simply placing in the top five. At other times, a runner might expect to win the race or be on the podium and midway realize that is no longer possible. Yet, if she is nevertheless within striking distance of placing in the top five, then she can make that her new goal, which is realistic given her current situation and will therefore sustain her motivation to the finish line. Sara Hall, who could have and wanted to crack the top three, held on for fifth at the World Championships marathon because she adjusted her goal midrace.

The PhD candidate who initially plans to finish her dissertation in three years but then finds herself in the midst of a pandemic or dealing with a medical issue or a family crisis may not need to give up on her goal of finishing her dissertation. Perhaps, she only needs to revise her goal so that it allows more time, so she finishes in five years rather than three. A PhD finished in five years is certainly more valuable than no PhD.

(4) Know why you want to achieve your goal . My high school cross-country coach, Mr. Steiner, once gave me a book about distance running entitled “Motivation is the Name of the Game.” It is one of those books you don’t really need to read because the main takeaway is in the title. Distance running requires much-delayed gratification—you must do many things that are not intrinsically enjoyable (such as running itself, ice baths, going to bed early, etc.) in order to achieve success. If you don’t have a solid reason for why you want to achieve your running goal, you won’t do the numerous things you do not want to do but must do to achieve your goal. The same is true for finishing a PhD. Therefore, it is important to know the reason(s) why you want to finish your dissertation and why you want a PhD.

As a side note, it can also be immensely helpful to choose a dissertation topic that you are personally very interested in, rather than a topic that will simply make you more employable. Of course, being employable is something many of us must consider. Yet, if you pick a topic that is so boring to you that you have significant difficulty finding the motivation to finish your dissertation, then picking an “employable dissertation topic” will be anything but employable.

(5) Prioritize your goal . “Be selfish” were the words of exhortation my college cross-country team heard from our coaches before we returned home for Christmas break. As someone who teaches ethics courses, I feel compelled to clarify that “be selfish” is not typically good advice. However, to be fair to my coaches, the realistic point they were trying to convey was that at home we would be surrounded by family and friends who may not fully understand our running goals and what it takes to accomplish them. For example, during my first Christmas break home from college, I was trying to run eighty miles per week. Because I was trying to fit these miles into my social schedule without much compromise, many of these miles were run in freezing temps, in the dark, on concrete sidewalks with streetlights, rather than dirt trails. After returning to campus following the holidays, I raced my first indoor track race with a terribly sore groin, which an MRI scan soon revealed was due to a stress fracture in my femur. I learned the hard way that I have limits to what I can do, which entails I must say “no thanks” to some invitations, even though that may appear selfish to some.

A PhD researcher writing a dissertation has a substantial goal before her. Yet, many people writing a dissertation have additional responsibilities, such as teaching, being a loving spouse, a faithful friend, or a present parent. As I was teaching while writing my dissertation, I often heard the mantra “put students first.” Yet, I knew if I prioritized my current students over and above finishing my dissertation, I would, like many, never finish my dissertation. However, I knew it would be best for my future students to be taught by an expert who has earned a PhD. So, I put my future students first by prioritizing finishing my PhD . This meant that I had to limit the teaching responsibilities I took on. Now, my current students are benefitting from my decision, as they are taught by an expert in my field.

While prioritizing your dissertation can mean putting it above some things in life, it also means putting it below other things. A friend once told me he would fail in a lot of areas in life before he fails as a father, which is often what it means to practically prioritize one goal above another. Prioritizing family and close friendships need not mean that you say ‘yes’ to every request, but that you intentionally build consistent time into your schedule to foster relationships with the people closest to you. For me, this practically meant not working past 6:00pm on weekdays and taking weekends off to hang out with family and friends. This relieved pressure, because I knew that if something went eschew with my plan to finish my PhD, I would still have the people in my life who I care most about. I could then work toward my goal without undue anxiety about the possibility of failing and the loss that would entail. I was positively motivated by the likely prospect that I would, in time, finish my PhD, and be able to celebrate it with others who supported me along the way.

(6) Just start writing . Yesterday morning, it was five degrees below freezing when I did my morning run. I wanted to skip my run and go straight to my heated office. So, I employed a veteran distance running trick to successfully finish my run. I went out the door and just started running. That is the hardest part, and once I do it, 99.9% of the time I finish my run.

You may not know what exactly you think about a specific topic in the chapter you need to write, nor what you are going to write each day. But perhaps the most simple and helpful dissertation advice I ever received was from David Horner, who earned his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford. He told me: “just start writing.” Sometimes PhD researchers think they must have all their ideas solidified in their mind before they start writing their dissertation. In fact, writing your dissertation can actually help clarify what you think. So “just start writing” is not only simple but also sage advice.

(7) Never write a dissertation . No great marathoner focuses on running 26.2 miles. Great distance runners are masters of breaking up major goals into smaller goals and then focusing on accomplishing one small goal at a time, until they have achieved the major goal. Philosophers can understand this easily, as we take small, calculated steps through minor premises that support major premises to arrive at an overall conclusion in an argument.

Contained within each chapter of a dissertation is a premise(s) in an overall argument and individual sections can contain sub-premises supporting the major premise of each chapter. When you first start out as a doctoral researcher working on your dissertation, you have to construct an outline of your dissertation that maps out the various chapters and how they will relate to your overall conclusion. Once you have that outline in place, keep it in the back of your mind. But do not focus on writing the whole, which would be overwhelming and discouraging. Rather, focus on writing whichever chapter you are working on. The fastest American marathoner, Ryan Hall, wrote a book that sums up the only way to run long distances in the title Run the Mile You’re In . And Galen Rupp discusses in this interview how he mentally breaks up a marathon into segments and focuses on just finishing one segment at a time. Whatever chapter you’re writing, make it your goal to write that chapter. Once you’ve accomplished that goal, set a new goal: write the next chapter. Repeat that process several times and you will be halfway through your dissertation. Repeat the process a few more times, and you will be done.

By the time you have finished a master’s degree, you have written many chapter-length papers. To finish a dissertation, you essentially write about eight interconnected papers, one at a time, just as you have done many times before. If you just write the chapter (which you could call a “paper” if that feels like a lighter load) you’re writing, before you know it, you will have written a dissertation.

(8) Harness the power of habits . Becoming a great distance runner requires running an inordinate number of miles, which no one has the willpower to do. The best marathoners in the world regularly run well over one hundred miles a week, in addition to stretching, lifting weights, taking ice baths, and eating healthy. Not even the most tough-minded distance runner has the gumption to make all the individual decisions that would be required in order to get out the door for every run and climb into every ice bath apart from the development of habits. The most reliable way around each distance runner’s weakness of will, or akrasia , is developing and employing habits. The same can be true for writing.

If you simply try to write a little bit each weekday around the same time, you will develop a habit of writing at that time each day. Once you have that habit, the decision to write each weekday at that time will require less and less willpower over time. Eventually, it will take some willpower to not write at that time. I have found it helpful to develop the routine of freewriting for a few minutes just before starting my daily writing session of thirty minutes during which I write new content, before working on editing or revising existing content for about thirty minutes. My routine helped me develop the daily habit of writing, which removes the daily decision to write, as I “just do it” (to use Nike’s famous line) each day.

I have also found it helpful to divide my days up according to routines. As a morning person, I do well writing and researching in the morning, doing teaching prep and teaching during the middle of the day, and then doing mundane tasks such as email at the end of the day.

(9) Write for today and for tomorrow . Successful distance runners train for two reasons. One reason—to win upcoming races—is obvious. However, in addition to training for upcoming races, the successful distance runner trains today for the training that they want to be capable of months and years ahead. You cannot simply jump into running eighty, ninety, or one-hundred-mile weeks. It takes time to condition your body to sustain the stress of running high mileage weeks. A runner must have a long-term perspective and plan ahead as she works toward her immediate goals on the way to achieving her long-term goals. Similarly, for the PhD researcher, writing a dissertation lays the groundwork for future success.

For one, if the PhD candidate develops healthy, sustainable, productive habits while writing a dissertation, these habits can be continued once they land an academic job. It is no secret that the initial years on the job market, or in a new academic position, can be just as (or more) challenging than finishing a PhD. Effective habits developed while writing a dissertation can be invaluable during such seasons, allowing one to continue researching and writing even with more responsibilities and less time.

It is also worth noting that there is a sense in which research writing becomes easier, as one becomes accustomed to the work. A distance runner who has been running for decades, logging thousands of miles throughout their career, can run relatively fast without much effort. For example, my college roommate, Travis Boyd, decided to set the world record for running a half marathon pushing a baby stroller nearly a decade after we ran for the University of Washington. His training was no longer what it once was during our collegiate days. Nevertheless, his past training made it much easier for him to set the record, even though his focus had shifted to his full-time business career and being a present husband and father of two. I once asked my doctoral supervisors, Nikk Effingham and Jussi Suikkanen, how they were able to publish so much. They basically said it gets easier, as the work you have done in the past contributes to your future publications. Granted, not everyone is going to finish their PhD and then become a research super human like Liz Jackson , who finished her PhD in 2019, and published four articles that same year, three the next, and six the following year. Nevertheless, writing and publishing does become easier as you gain years of experience.

(10) Go running . As Cal Newport discusses in Deep Work , having solid boundaries around the time we work is conducive for highly effective academic work. And there is nothing more refreshing while dissertating than an athletic hobby with cognitive benefits . So, perhaps the best way to dissertate like a distance runner is to stop writing and go for a run.

Acknowledgments : Thanks are due to Aryn Owen and Jaden Anderson for their constructive feedback on a prior draft of this post.

Matthew Owen

Matthew Owen (PhD, University of Birmingham) is a faculty member in the philosophy department at Yakima Valley College in Washington State. He is also an affiliate faculty member at the Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan. Matthew’s latest book is Measuring the Immeasurable Mind: Where Contemporary Neuroscience Meets the Aristotelian Tradition .

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What to do with your finished thesis

Introduction.

So you have recently finished writing your thesis or dissertation – huge congratulations! What’s next? How can you make the most of your thesis? If you’ve done a good job researching your topic, now it’s time to take steps to ensure your thesis will not end up in a drawer and will instead see the world. How can you do that?

We want to help you make the most of the value you’ve created with your research and get recognition for your hard work, so we’ve put together some ideas about how you can get your research out there.

Publishing your research on our website

Firstly, if you have worked on a topic related to some of our recommended research directions, you might be interested in publishing your research on our Finished Theses page so others can read your research and learn from your experience of writing your thesis or dissertation. If you’re interested in this option, please message [email protected] .

This option does not exclude the others below, since you do not need to publish the full text of your thesis on our website, just your ‘Author’s note’ and a message that people can reach out to you if they want to read the full text. Therefore, we would recommend reaching out to us to have your thesis published on our website even if you consider some of the other options below. We would love to hear from you and share your work with others.

Publishing a post on the EA Forum

If you have worked on a topic related to some of our recommended research directions, we also recommend publishing part of your research or learnings on the Effective Altruism Forum . If you’re not already familiar with the EA Forum, it’s the central place for collaborative discussion in the EA community – a community of people interested in using evidence and reason to do as much good as possible.

Why publish on the EA Forum?

If your research is related to one of our recommended research directions, this means you wrote on a topic that many people in the EA community likely will be interested in, as it’s a topic on which further research is particularly likely to improve the world. So the EA Forum is a place where you’re likely to get engagement and feedback.

How could sharing your research help you and others?

Posting on the EA Forum could help you connect with other talented, motivated people who are also interested in the topic you did your research on. You could connect with future collaborators, organisations who might want to hire you, people whose work could benefit if they know about your research, and others who could give you feedback and ideas for future research.

Here is an encouraging talk by Aaron Gertler, who moderates the EA Forum, on Why you (yes, you) should post on the EA Forum (our tips below are taken from this talk). Posting on the EA forum would mean summarising your main learnings from your thesis, so this could be compatible with the other options mentioned in this post such as publishing your research on our website or in an academic journal (since for each of these channels you would probably use slightly different text/parts of your thesis).

How do I write a good forum post?

Start by considering what you most want to get out of posting on the Forum. You could summarise the parts of your work which encapsulate your best ideas or the main parts you are uncertain about in order to get feedback on them. For inspiration, we recommend reading through Aaron’s advice for posting on the EA Forum . We’ve summarised some of these tips on how to construct a good EA Forum post from your research below.

Beginning your post

Begin in a way that quickly gives readers context on what your post will be about.

Write a brief summary of the key points of your post (a few sentences or bullet points).. This lets readers more easily figure out whether they want to invest time in reading the post, and lets you draw attention to a few key points (action items, counterintuitive ideas, etc.).
Further points you could address in this top section are why you have written the post and how confident you are in your results.
For examples of posts with nice ‘top of the post’- sections see this , this or this post.

The main part

Be concise. Explain what is necessary to convey the points you would like to make and leave out anything that (even though very interesting) does not do that job. Provide a link to your full thesis or dissertation, or if it isn’t publicly accessible, consider providing your email address and let people know they can reach out to you if they would like access to the full version.
It is okay to be more informal here – remember you’re explaining your ideas to a friendly community. Think about how you would explain your points to a friend without losing much precision and clarity.
Consider that people with no background in your field will see your post.Think about whether you want to make the post accessible to people with no background in your field or if you want to only address people working in this field.

After you publish

Are there any questions you’d like readers to answer for you? If so, try putting each question in a separate comment at the end of the post. This makes it easier to coordinate discussion around certain questions.

Getting further advice

You could join the EA Editing and Review Facebook group to get feedback before publishing your post on the Forum.

Publishing in a peer-reviewed journal

You could also publish a paper based on your research in a peer-reviewed journal. This is one way to get more people to see your research, contributing to global scientific knowledge. It’s great career enhancement if you want a research career or to apply for a PhD. It’s also a way of getting feedback from reviewers and teaching you more about the academic publishing process. Sometimes supervisors will help you publish your work or publish with you. This is an opportunity you should take if it’s available. Publishing is a lot easier if someone with a more established reputation is the co-author of your paper.

The publishing process

Here is a brief summary of the process for publishing in a journal, along with a few other resources:

Finding a journal

The first strategic decision you will have to make is to select suitable journals. The resources below can help you evaluate journals using relevant criteria.

JournalGuide and Jane are sites that suggest suitable journals based on your abstract, title or keywords.
Here are some journal selection tips
Here is an article on the impact factor , which is one factor you may want to use when selecting a journal to publish in.

Prepare your paper for submission

Every journal has specific guidelines with which you need to conform. Transforming your research into a paper will take some time. The resources below should help you with this writing process.

Get published quick guide from Researcher Academy
Thoughts on which audiences to address from Stuart Armstrong
Your one-stop resource to writing a great research paper from editage insights

Submit and revise

In most cases you simply upload your final paper online. Your paper will be peer reviewed and either be rejected, accepted or most likely before acceptance you will be asked to revise your paper and include feedback from reviewers.

Here are a few additional resources to help you understand the whole publishing process further:

How to Publish a Research Paper from wikiHow
Online course: Free Research Academy by Elsevier
How to get your research published and then noticed by Elsevier

Types of journals and publishing fees

Different types of journals use different business models. Open Access journals make money from charging authors (you) a large article processing fee (APC) of up to 4000$, with an average of approximately 2000$ per article. The benefit is that everyone can access your research without barriers.

On the other hand, subscription-based journals earn money from their readers, who pay for reading the journal regularly. This means that it is cheaper and sometimes free for authors to publish there. You will also find hybrid models.

You should also look at journals that do not use any common business model. Here are some no-fee open access journals and here is another collection of journals where you can submit without fees, however, these are often less established (unless subscription based) and there may be some risk involved. Beware of predatory journals and check whether the journal you’re interested in is legitimate before publishing with them. Think, Check, Submit supports you in avoiding journals which exploit inexperienced researchers and these lists can help you identify predatory journals.

Another class of journals are student journals . There are a handful of journals which publish student research . This is usually free (or you may need to pay a small processing cost) and it is easier to get published, however these journals are not as well known, so you may want to try established journals first.

How to cover the cost of publishing in open access journals

Apply for help from your university: Universities usually have funds to which members of the university can apply to cover the cost of open access publishing. There’s a list of open access publication funds here . Universities also sometimes have “deals” with publishers, giving you the opportunity to publish for free in some open access journals. You could also try asking your supervisor whether your university offers either of these.
Waivers: Some publishers waive fees (partly or fully) for low-income/lower-middle-income countries, and sometimes for other reasons, although this is not a widespread practice. Here and here are two examples of such policies.

Publishing on a pre-print platform

Pre-print platforms allow you to quickly publish a final draft of your research paper, before it has gone through the often lengthy process of peer-review and being published in an academic journal. While the papers on a pre-print platform have not gone through a peer-review process, there are advantages to pre-prints, both to you as an individual researcher and to the research community, so this is an option we encourage you to explore.

Publishing to a pre-print platform can be useful for reasons such as:

Providing evidence of your research output for grant applications
Informing others about your findings as soon as possible so they know what research has already been done
Establishing scientific priority for discoveries
Making it easier for other researchers to read and cite your research, and the platforms are open access
Allowing you to receive feedback from a wide range of researchers, helping you to improve the manuscript

Before you publish in a pre-print journal, however, check the submission guidelines of the peer-reviewed journals you will ultimately try to publish in. Some journals will consider preprints to be prior publications and this may harm your ability to publish your paper later.

Here are some pre-print journals you may want to consider:

bioRxiv for biology
Arxiv for physics, maths and computer science
The Open Science Framework for medicine and health sciences
Preprints.org , the multidisciplinary preprint platform

Applying for prizes and awards

Prizes and awards give you another kind of validation and recognition of your work and are a good thing to put on your CV to increase your career prospects both within academia and outside. Some awards may come with the opportunity to present your paper at a conference, and can result in you becoming part of a network of other researchers.

Bear in mind that submitting a paper to a journal and submitting it for awards are sometimes mutually exclusive – check the submission requirements for any awards and journals to which you want to submit your research.

What can I apply for?

We have a list of awards here and also encourage you to apply for our Effective Thesis Exceptional Research Award . You can also sign up to our newsletter to hear about awards related to your research direction.

Your next steps and staying in touch

If you continue to pursue an academic career, we can offer you further support. Please do not hesitate to reach out , for example if you want guidance on choosing a PhD programme or a supervisor. Also don’t forget about our database of potential supervisors and PhD funding database . It might also be helpful to you to hear about relevant internships, scholarships, research job offers, conferences and other interesting opportunities via our ECRON newsletter . Finally, we would also very much recommend joining our online community of students who are interested in the research directions we recommend, so you can create new connections, learn from others’ experiences and share what you learned during your research journey.

If you’ve had a positive experience with a supervisor who you think would be a good fit to supervise students working on at least one of our research directions, please let us know via this form . If you completed a PhD and would be interested in supporting students working in your area of expertise yourself, you could also apply to join our expert network . Our experts provide valuable guidance to students – they might help students identify most important and impactful open research questions, offer feedback on a research proposal or student’s ideas, or provide ongoing mentorship throughout the thesis-writing process – the role is very flexible and you can choose the level of commitment.

Congratulations on your finished research and good luck with whatever next steps you take!

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Learn about all the services we offer to help you have more impact with your research career.

Sharing your research findings beyond academia

Could your research findings inform the decisions of stakeholders outside of academia? In this post we cover who you could reach out to and how to make your research more accessible.

Research paths after undergrad or masters

Pursuing a PhD, working in a think tank and finding a research role in industry are just some of the options you could explore.

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Explore the research resources and tools that can help take your research to the next level.

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10 habits that helped me finish my PhD

Doing a PhD is a long-distance run where you don’t know when (and if) you get to cross the finish line. Moreover, you are running through a misty landscape, unsure for long stretches where you are and whether you are heading in the right direction (and what is the right direction, anyway).

Sounds familiar? It surely was familiar to me. Few years into my PhD, I found myself in a very uncomfortable situation: it was slowly time to finish my work & write up the thesis, but I didn’t have any reasonable, publishable results yet. I was in the middle of a big mess — and my mind was a big mess, too. I was distracted most of the time, jumping from paper to paper, from idea to idea, starting something but not finishing it, procrastinating with little busy work, and pushing away what was important. This stressed me out more and more, so that finally I had to face the reality and do something about it.

So I read some blogs about self-management and productivity and started to experiment with my behaviors. And I discovered that productive habits and routines were indeed the perfect solution for my situation.

The power of habits

Why are habits so powerful? The short answer is that having any kind of regular routine is helpful because it alleviates the burden of choice . Decision making is exhausting for the brain, and when we have to make too many decisions in a given day, we feel overwhelmed and even unhappy.

So developing habits frees us from wasting our decision capacity on little everyday things like when we are going to do what. As a result, we will feel more focused and capable to do better work for longer time.

Moreover, habits and routines are a great help with achieving goals . Setting goals is not sufficient to actually achieve them – we need to do something, and for big goals it means doing a lot. Some people even argue that you don’t need to set goals at all – just develop the right habits and they will bring you the desired outcome.

You can design your routines by deciding which behaviors you want to do daily or weekly, and allocating certain time (and/or a place in a sequence) for them. For example: after I wash my teeth, I do some yoga, then I have breakfast.

Before a habit becomes automatic, you need to repeat it daily for a month or two. There are many tricks that help you stick to your chosen behavior and not give up. For example, you can place little notes to yourself at visible locations around your room or house, set an alarm clock that will remind you that it is time for your habit, use a big calendar and mark every day when you do your habit with a big cross, or even ask a friend to act as an accountability partner and report to them every day (or week) how you are doing with your routine. If you want to learn more, here is my favorite minimalist guide to sticking to habits .

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10 habits that saved my PhD

Now, let’s be more precise: How can you overcome your problems and finish the bloody PhD? Here I show you the most important daily and weekly habits that I developed during grad school, habits which helped me complete my thesis and stay (mostly) sane.

Planning , which included daily, weekly, and long-term planning of my projects. I tried to plan my day at the end of the previous day, so that I could be productive from early morning and didn’t waste time with figuring out what I need to do. Furthermore, I learned to divide my todo list in two parts: “ big rocks ” that I tackled first thing in the morning, and “todo” containing all the little things that needed to be done, like emails and other organizational stuff. Big rocks were the most important things, but they were rarely urgent. So if I would not prioritize them, they would be endlessly postponed. Moreover, I found it important to break down these “big rocks” into small actionable steps , otherwise they would feel too big and intimidating, so I would rather procrastinate than work on them.
Morning routine was another game changer for me. I designed an optimal start into my day where I could do all the necessary things quickly without employing much decision making and start my work day with a fresh and focused mind. I included here healthy habits like morning yoga that gave me the necessary energy boost for a whole day of hard work.

Daily writing in my lab book : Towards the end of my PhD I (finally!) started to document my research activities in a great detail — in a lab book. (If you wonder why I started so late with it: As I was working with computational models, lab book was not required, unfortunately.) I described here not only my procedures and results, but also included notes about the papers I read, and reflections about ideas and open questions I had. Starting with the lab book was THE great turning point in my PhD: turning away from procrastination and towards great productivity that allowed me to graduate much faster than I thought was possible. Regularly using the lab book brought multiple benefits : First, it generated detailed documentation, so I didn’t need to repeat simulations or re-read papers anymore. Second, writing about my difficulties actually helped me find solutions. Third, I wrote texts that I could recycle in manuscripts and my thesis. Fourth, it gave me daily painless writing practice that later enabled me to write up my thesis quite fast, without writer’s block and procrastination. And fifth, it created a feeling of daily progress, which motivated me to keep going and not give up.
Taking notes when reading papers : I used to just highlight the relevant parts in the text and write my comments and questions on the side as I was reading a paper. Later I realized that I can avoid the need to re-read papers (for example, when searching for appropriate references) when I write a little summary of the most important points (most important for me and my project!), including my evaluation of the methods and results and their relevance to my project. Since the papers I read were related to my own work, this additional writing practice helped me build a rich vocabulary for describing my own research.
Weekly meetings with my supervisor and co-author turned out to be an excellent measure against procrastination. For example, I could not spend the whole week lost in the literature — I had to do at least something that I could bring to the discussion. These meetings were a great opportunity to talk about my research challenges, which was itself often sufficient to resolve them. Moreover, here I found motivation in times of despair: when I was fed up with my project, talking about what I did and what I thought often increased my interest in the project again.
The big picture day : Friday afternoons were reserved for stepping away from the daily work and trying to get a larger overview of what I was doing, what the recent results meant, and where should I go next. These moments allowed me to cut through the fog and search for the direction and meaning in what I was doing. It was also the perfect time for planning my activities for the next week.

Having a regular hobby that has nothing to do with your research. For me, it was music and dancing. What I learned the hard way: don’t stop with your hobby when you feel like you need to be working more. My hobbies helped me overcome the dark periods when I worked hard for my thesis, but the effort was not reflected in the achieved results. During these times, it is important to have something else that works, something where one can experience progress.
Regular sport activities : The long days at the desk during my PhD were not good for my body, I felt that very clearly. My back was aching, the shoulders were stiff, even my digestion seemed to work worse than before. I had to start with regular sport to not hurt myself. Jogging, other aerobic activities (dancing :)), and yoga not only helped with my body, but as a result I felt more energized and focused as well.
Having a social life is similar to cultivating a hobby, but here it’s about interpersonal connections that, at the end, make life worth living. Similarly to giving up a hobby, we might tend to sacrifice our social life when the work gets tough. But that’s a bad idea: when I stopped meeting friends and going out for more than few weeks, I felt isolated and unhappy. A phone call with a good friend or a Friday night out would improve my mood and make me ready for work again.

These 10 habits made a great difference in my PhD productivity and well-being. But what about you? Do you have experience with some of the listed habits? Or do you cultivate other habits that help you with your PhD life? Please, share them with us in the comments!

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5 thoughts on “ 10 habits that helped me finish my PhD ”

Thanks…I would rather call these as the 10 PhD commandments…….specialisation, not bringing work to home, daily planning are my habits…in these scale I consider myself as a 5/10 boy. Sport….sport….I have to get into it……..Friday night out….?

Haha, thank you! Friday night out was an example: find a way to socialize that works for you 😉

If it possible to make download as PDF documents it will be so readable. Thank you

Dear Moustafa, unfortunately, no pdfs of my online articles are currently available. I’m sorry! Best, Martina

Comments are closed.

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Finishing your PhD thesis: 15 top tips from those in the know

Trying to complete a PhD thesis in time for the October deadline? We share some advice on getting over that final hurdle

The key to a successful PhD thesis? Write in your own voice

Many PhD students are now in the final throes of writing their thesis. Turning years of research into a single, coherent piece of work can be tough, so we asked for tips from supervisors and recent PhD graduates. We were inundated with tweets and emails – and @AcademiaObscura helpfully created a Storify of the tweets. Below is a selection of the best tips.

1) Make sure you meet the PhD requirements for your institution “PhD students and their supervisors often presume things without checking. One supervisor told his student that a PhD was about 300 pages long so he wrote 300 pages. Unfortunately the supervisor had meant double-spaced, and the student had written single-spaced. Getting rid of 40,000 extra words with two weeks to go is not recommended.” ( Hannah Farrimond, lecturer in medical sociology, Exeter University)

2) Keep perspective “Everyone wants their thesis to be amazing, their magnum opus. But your most important work will come later. Think of your PhD as an apprenticeship. Your peers are unlikely to read your thesis and judge you on it. They are more likely to read any papers (articles, chapters, books) that result from it.” ( Dean D’Souza, PhD in cognitive neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London)

3) Write the introduction last “Writing the introduction and conclusion together will help to tie up the thesis together, so save it for the end.” ( Ashish Jaiswal, PhD in business education, University of Oxford)

4) Use apps “ Trello is a project management tool (available as a smartphone app) which allows you to create ‘boards’ on which to pin all of your outstanding tasks, deadlines, and ideas. It allows you to make checklists too so you know that all of your important stuff is listed and to-hand, meaning you can focus on one thing at a time. It’s satisfying to move notes into the ‘done’ column too.” ( Lucy Irving, PhD in psychology, Middlesex University)

5) Address the unanswered questions “There will always be unanswered questions – don’t try to ignore or, even worse, obfuscate them. On the contrary, actively draw attention to them; identify them in your conclusion as areas for further investigation. Your PhD viva will go badly if you’ve attempted to disregard or evade the unresolved issues that your thesis has inevitably opened up.” ( Michael Perfect, PhD in English literature, University of Cambridge)

6) Buy your own laser printer “A basic monochrome laser printer that can print duplex (two-sided) can be bought online for less than £100, with off-brand replacement toners available for about £30 a pop. Repeatedly reprinting and editing draft thesis chapters has two very helpful functions. Firstly, it takes your work off the screen and onto paper, which is usually easier to proof. Secondly, it gives you a legitimate excuse to get away from your desk.” ( James Brown, PhD in architectural education, Queen’s University Belfast)

7) Checking is important “On days when your brain is too tired to write, check quotations, bibliography etc so you’re still making progress.” ( Julia Wright, professor of English at Dalhousie University, Canada)

8) Get feedback on the whole thesis “We often get feedback on individual chapters but plan to get feedback from your supervisor on the PhD as a whole to make sure it all hangs together nicely.” ( Mel Rohse, PhD in peace studies, University of Bradford)

9) Make sure you know when it will end “Sometimes supervisors use optimistic words such as ‘You are nearly there!’ Ask them to be specific. Are you three months away, or do you have six months’ worth of work? Or is it just a month’s load?” ( Rifat Mahbub, PhD in women’s studies, University of York)

10) Prepare for the viva “Don’t just focus on the thesis – the viva is very important too and examiners’ opinions can change following a successful viva. Remember that you are the expert in your specific field, not the examiners, and ask your supervisor to arrange a mock viva if practically possible.” ( Christine Jones , head of school of Welsh and bilingual studies, University of Wales Trinity St David)

11) Develop your own style “Take into account everything your supervisor has said, attend to their suggestions about revisions to your work but also be true to your own style of writing. What I found constructive was paying attention to the work of novelists I enjoy reading. It may seem that their style has nothing to do with your own field of research, but this does not matter. You can still absorb something of how they write and what makes it effective, compelling and believable.” ( Sarah Skyrme, PhD in sociology, Newcastle University)

12) Remember that more is not always better “A PhD thesis is not a race to the highest page count; don’t waste time padding.” ( Francis Woodhouse, PhD in mathematical biology, University of Cambridge)

13) Get a buddy “Find a colleague, your partner, a friend who is willing to support you. Share with them your milestones and goals, and agree to be accountable to them. This doesn’t mean they get to hassle or nag you, it just means someone else knows what you’re up to, and can help to check if your planning is realistic and achievable.” ( Cassandra Steer, PhD in criminology, University of Amsterdam)

14) Don’t pursue perfectionism “Remember that a PhD doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Nothing more self-crippling than perfectionism.” ( Nathan Waddell, lecturer in modernist literature, Nottingham University )

15) Look after yourself “Go outside. Work outside if you can. Fresh air, trees and sunshine do wonders for what’s left of your sanity.” ( Helen Coverdale, PhD in law, LSE)

Do you have any tips to add? Share your advice in the comments below.

Join the higher education network for more comment, analysis and job opportunities , direct to your inbox. Follow us on Twitter @gdnhighered.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

Start with a question
Write your initial answer
Develop your answer
Refine your thesis statement

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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

Why you hold this position
What they’ll learn from your essay
The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

Ask a question about your topic .
Write your initial answer.
Develop your answer by including reasons.
Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/

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My Master’s Thesis Journey: How to Finish a Research Paper in Four Months (1 Term)

By vivomigsgee in Event Features June 11, 2021

The moment I got the thesis hardbound in my hands, I thought “Oh boy, I am so done with my master’s thesis!” Yes, the seemingly daunting and never-ending research journey is finally over. That means no more sleepless nights… Independence Day is just around the corner, what better way to celebrate it than concluding that it’s a great day to BOOK my way to FREEdom (Abas, 2021).

Looking back 2 years ago, I initially wanted to enroll in a non-thesis program but it’s no longer offered. I was left with no choice. Fast forward today, I personally think I made the right decision. In just four grueling months, I managed to endure both proposal hearing and oral defense – all in one research-packed semester – making me the first and only MSA-IA candidate in USC to defy the odds. So, if you are planning to take a master’s study or currently undertaking a master’s thesis this semester, then this article is for you.

Thesis writing involves two major stages – proposal hearing and oral defense. These stages are normally taken in two separate semesters or terms with the exception of my chosen graduate program’s curriculum (I’m one of the few students under the pioneering batch and holds the title of the sole graduate of said program in USC who successfully completed a thesis in a super tight timeline ~ 1 term).

PROPOSAL HEARING

Despite being busy at work and blog activities, I managed to come up with a thesis proposal at a short time as I have a “research-o-clock” in place. It means you really need to allocate time working on your thesis as it is really a demanding task ~ especially researching related articles online and visiting libraries and reading books. If you’re working from 9 to 5, then you may set your body clock to start writing from 8pm onwards on a daily basis. You have to sacrifice your weekend and prioritize your thesis.

Another thing, don’t hesitate to ask help from your thesis adviser. I wouldn’t have done my reasearch proposal if it weren’t for my thesis adviser’s guidance from Chapter 1 to 3. You really need to meet periodically with your thesis adviser, whether physical or virtual, to prepare you for the proposal hearing. In fact, there is a thesis advising monitoring sheet wherein your adviser will review, sign and submit to the Graduate Program Office (GPO).

By the third week of March, I applied for a proposal hearing (with endorsement from my thesis adviser) and was accepted by the research committee. And so, the day has come and my first ever thesis hearing proposal, albeit done virtually, was a success. I can really say it was all worth it. I’ve never imagined ending a very hectic month with a bang! Tired but glad to know that I’m moving forward on to the next chapter!

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How to finish my thesis or dissertation

Are you having difficulty finishing — or perhaps even starting — your dissertation or thesis? Many students spend far too many hours “aspiring” to research and write, but, in reality, getting very little done. Don’t let guilt become your prime motivator. Instead, learn how to finish your paper with confidence and control. See more, below.

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The figurative language of Maggie O’Farrell….

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Starting (or finishing) your book or thesis is not rocket science

The need to write a long-form project, such as a book, thesis or dissertation freaks out many people. The project is so big! Their minds spin with questions such as:

Where do I get started?
How much research do I need to do?
How much time should I spend writing every day?
How can I stop procrastinating
How am I going to maintain the quality?
Academics: Will my supervisor accept this work?
Book authors : How can I ever find an agent or publisher? Or, should I self-publish?

Stop! Take a deep breath and make a plan to approach the project in a calm and sensible way. Get it Done is a five-year time-tested program that can help give you a sense of order. Starting in 2013 Daphne has worked with a small group of writers helping them complete their books, theses and dissertations.

The heart of the program is its accountability system: you need to report your achievements to the group, five days a week for three months. People are not automatically accepted into the group; it’s necessary to apply.

You want to...

Find more time to write, be a more productive writer, improve your writing, beat writer's block, become a better editor, write or publish your book, finish your thesis or dissertation, be more creative.

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Say goodbye to unnecessary stress and get your PhD 12 months sooner with our free guide

Finish Your Thesis

Get a PhD and Finish Your Thesis 12 Months Sooner

If You Are Working on Your Thesis…

How would your life change if you could finish your thesis faster.

“When Will You Be Done With Your Thesis?”

At the end of my fifth year in a PhD program at MIT the one question that everyone asked me was “When will you be done with your thesis already?”

I remember feeling really embarrassed and just talking about something else because I had no idea when I would graduate.

I was terrified of disappointing myself and my family if I had to drop out of school after sacrificing so much time and money in graduate school.

In my sixth year, a physical injury forced me to cut down down on my work hours and I had to develop a new time-management system.

Surprisingly, I became more productive than ever before and my thesis started to come together.

By the end of my sixth year, I defended my thesis and I had three first author publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Unfortunately, I saw many of my peers drop out of their programs after sacrificing personal relationships and years of their lives in graduate school.

After I graduated I realized that only 50% of doctoral students received their Ph.D.’s and I made it my mission to support other graduate students finish their theses.

Since 2009, I personally trained hundreds of graduate students to help them finish their Masters or PhD theses and publish papers, even after they hand’t made progress in months or years.

I created the “Finish Your Thesis Program” because I wanted all graduate students around the world to have access to the system that I and hundreds of other students used to finish their thesis.

The Online “Finish Your Thesis Program” will help you to:

Become more confident and develop a plan to finish your thesis faster,
Manage your time better, so you can increase your productivity without working more hours,
Have more energy so you can improve your focus and stay motivated,
Resolve conflicts with your supervisors and committee members so you can get the guidance you need,
Improve your academic writing skills so you can finish publications and get your thesis DONE.

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When you register you get access to Module 1 immediately, and Module 2 will be released in one week.

*Special Bonus*: Register now to reserve your spot in our 5 month LIVE group coaching program with Dora.

Our first group coaching session will be in Mid-November and you will get all the details in advance.

What I wish I had Known Before Entering Graduate School:

Only 50% of doctoral students get a phd degree.

The primary reasons for the high attrition rate are:

Time management problems, which can lead to exhaustion and burnouts
Lack of motivation or loss of interest in research,
Lowered self-esteem and not feeling “smart enough”
Lack of mentoring or conflicts with supervisors. and
Loneliness and loss of motivation, due to lack of a structured support system.

The average length of time to finish a Ph.D. degree ranges from 6.7 to 12.7 years.

Quitting your ph.d. program or graduating 6-12 months later than planned can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in debt and lost income., the root of most stress in graduate school is that undergraduate programs do not teach you the necessary skills to complete a graduate-level thesis., the online “finish your thesis program” will give you the training you need to complete your ph.d. or masters thesis:.

Organizational skills so you can gain clarity about the purpose and goals of your thesis
Time management skills so you can meet your deadlines and keep your thesis on track
Productivity skills so you can stay focused and motivated throughout the day
Communication skills so you have the confidence to resolve conflicts with your supervisor
Writing skills so you can finish your thesis and manuscripts efficiently.

Read what successful professionals have said about the Finish Your Thesis Program

the most comprehensive program that i have seen for completing your thesis.

“Dora’s Course is the most comprehensive program that I have seen for completing your thesis. The content not only focuses on the “how to” of writing a thesis but also focuses on the mindset and psychology you need to complete this extensive project. In having already completed my thesis, I absolutely know this program would have been an invaluable tool in helping me complete my research, writing and dissertation presentation. Dora’s Finish Your Thesis Program will not only help you complete your thesis but will help you finish your thesis soaring ready for the next adventure that life brings you!” Wendi Francis, Internationally Recognized Speaker, Author, Strategic Breakthrough Coach

Suited to those who need to bring structure and solid planning to their research

“The Finish Your Thesis Program offers practical advice on the most common problems graduate students face, like procrastination, conflicts with the thesis supervisor or how to plan your research. I really liked to see a module dedicated to taking care of your health, something very few people talk about and a great problem in academia. This course is suited to those students who need to bring structure and a solid planning to their research. You can expect great video intros (top notch quality) and detailed materials to read.” Julio Peironcely, Ph.D., Founder, Next Scientist

The Finish Your Thesis Program offers a systematic approach with practical steps

“ There IS no magic bullet for finishing a dissertation or thesis . Thinking back to my own experience as a burned-out graduate student, I might have balked at the idea of spending additional time on a course to help me get “unstuck.” However, the Finish Your Thesis Program offers a systematic approach with practical steps, which will guide you to improve your productivity, communicate assertively, develop strategies for approaching publications and for completing your thesis/dissertation on time, maintain your physical and mental health during the process, begin your job search, and much more. The course is supported with live webinars, during which Dora answers questions and addresses difficulties encountered by attendees. Finish Your Thesis targets not only the writing process itself, but also an overarching change in mindset and attitude through lessons that will carry over into your professional career.” Michelle Capes, Ph.D., Freelance writer, and Founder, Adeptify

Very, very impressive

“I wrote my Ph.D. thesis approximately six years ago, and I still remember the painful process vividly. The work in graduate school that culminated in the writing up process was hard, but writing the actual thesis itself was tantamount to torture. Dora’s program is essential for those graduate students that want to circumvent these feelings. Very, very impressive. The program teaches you not only how to maximize your productivity (as well as strategies to implement the necessary changes to do this), but also how to recognize when you need help (and get it), and how to care for yourself and your wellbeing during the process. Dora speaks of strategies that, if employed, would save so many graduate students a lot of heartache. Do yourself a favor. Sign up for the course. Don’t let the writing up process be torture.” Colin White, Ph.D., Career Coach, Founder, Colin White Counsulting

Dora will get you on the right track with your thesis and career

“Lots of us, when we have trouble getting something done, turn to reading more about the topic. But sometimes you don’t need more information. This makes me wary about online classes, because there’s the risk that I’ll just read more and not actually do anything, but this course includes that crucial action part. Dora will get you on the right track with your thesis and career. When I worked with Dora as a coach, she did a fantastic job to help me figure out what I needed to do. She knows how to keep people accountable, but accountable for realistic goals, not the impossible demands we place on ourselves as researchers. Dora also has great advice about how to take care of your health before you turn into a burnt-out mess. (And if you’re a burnt-out mess, she can definitely help!).” Jessamine Price, MFA, Writer, Editor, Writing Coach

The material is road-tested and proven to work

“Dora’s Finish Your Thesis Program is an essential programm for anyone who wants to complete their thesis on time and to the highest standard. I wish that I had access to this type of material when I completed my dissertations as it includes everything I could have possibly needed -and critically the material is road tested and proven to work.I would recommend Dora’s programme to anyone who wants to compete a thesis or dissertation to the highest possible standard. ” Michael Smith, Personal and Professional Coach, Speaker, Author, Co-Founder, Developed Edge

Dora’s program will assist you in creating your own individualized concrete plan

“As a recent doctoral candidate, who successfully completed her thesis, I genuinely wished I had this program from the beginning of my journey to guide me through the process. While subscribing to an on-line course might seem time consuming,this program will assist you in creating your own individualized concrete plan to maximize the amount of time actually spend on completing your thesis. C oncise on-line video segments with accompanying written, downloadable text, provides a platform for all learning styles to prepare your proposal, outline your research and completing your thesis once and for all. The Finish Your Thesis Program packs in all the necessary advice and guidance needed to finish your thesis while maintaining your health and, most importantly, your sanity” Elaine Alden, Ed.D., Mathematics Coach

Get this program now and start it right away. You won’t regret it.

“I’m not a big fan of online programs for academics, but I was really impressed with Dora’s Finish Your Thesis Program. Dora’s program made me wish I could go back in time and write my thesis over again. Things would have been so much easier! The reason I’m such a big fan of the program is because it’s not just about writing your thesis. The program covers everything from how to become more productive, to scientifically proven ways to stay focused, to dealing with difficult academic advisors, to writing high-quality publications. The Finish Your Thesis program really has everything you need to finish your thesis on time. I strongly recommend the Finish Your Thesis program to anyone trying to get out of graduate school successfully. Don’t be like everyone else and just hope that your thesis finishes itself. Get this program now and start it right away. You won’t regret it.” Isaiah Hankel, Ph.D., Internationally Recognized Speaker, Author, Founder, Cheeky Scientist

Read the results that other graduate students have achieved after enrolling in the Finish Your Thesis Program:

I was in my 5 th year of my PhD program when I enrolled in the Finish Your Thesis program and it was the best decision I ever made.

“I was in my 5 th year of my PhD program when I enrolled in the Finish Your Thesis program and it was the best decision I ever made.I felt a lot of pressure to finish my thesis, but without support it was difficult to know where to start writing and keep myself motivated through the setbacks. One of the immediate benefits I experienced after enrolling was that I was able to write 30 pages of my thesis within a few weeks. The organizational skills I learned helped me to let go of my perfectionism and get my thoughts on paper. It felt incredible having written so much in such a short time-frame! In addition, I always felt a huge wave of motivation after the live webinars, and I am still using those strategies to stay productive. What makes this program unique is that the material is well organized and presented cohesively. The online community also provides an incredible atmosphere of motivation and companionship with other fellow program members, and you will feel like you found the long sought-after support group that you’ve been hoping for through all these years of graduate school.” Christiane Rudmann, Ph.D. Student, Passau University, Germany

I am feeling more energetic, and I am graduating a semester earlier than I had expected.

“Like many other graduate students, I found it challenging to get motivated and stay motivated. Sometimes I felt guilty about not working hard enough and disappointing my supervisor. Just a few weeks after enrolling in the Finish Your Thesis Program I became more organized, and I started using the strategies and planning sheets in the course to plan my experiments and book my equipment. This helped to get more make progress faster, and I feel more energetic in my research – it’s sometimes even fun! The Facebook group was very supportive, and it was a safe place where we could all talk about the things that were hard. This community helped me to realize that I was not the only one having trouble, and it was good to see other people speak candidly about their challenges. The confidence I gained from being in the program helped me to prepare better for presentations at conferences and meetings with my supervisor and committee. I am feeling more energetic, and I am graduating a semester earlier than I had expected!” Holly Johnsen, PhD Student, MIT

With the strategies I learned in the program I am now able to make consistent progress on my writing and I feel at least twice as productive as before.

“Before joining the Finish Your Thesis program I frequently felt like I was not making enough progress on my thesis, and it was difficult to manage my time efficiently. I am not a native English speaker, and scientific writing was challenging for me. With the strategies I learned in the program I am now able to make consistent progress on my writing and I feel at least twice as productive as before. The resources and the support I received from the Facebook community and live webinars also helped me to become more confident and I am on track to graduating in a few months.” Yuxiang Tan, PhD Student, Boston University

I liked the course material, and when I implemented the tips from the modules, they worked every time.

“After I started the Finish Your Thesis Program I became more self-confident about finishing my PhD. I found the beginning of the program especially motivating because I learned that almost everybody goes through the same problems in graduate school, and you need to have a different mindset to succeed. I liked the course material, and when I implemented the tips from the modules, they worked every time. The questions in the material helped me to plan my PhD thesis and stay committed to what I want for my career. The part that teaches how to deal with the supervisors was really helpful! I realized I didn’t know how to ask for help and this made it difficult for my supervisor to support me. I am now more assertive and my supervisor is more willing to help me to finish my thesis. If you care about your PhD don’t waste more time with the same problems (lack of motivation, problems, bad supervisor etc). If you want to solve these problems the Finish Your Thesis program will show you how to get over them so you can graduate.” Cynthia Vanessa Henrique, PhD Student, CBPF, Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Simply… there’s no other program with this kind of down-to-earth advice, and it works.

“The Finish Your Thesis Program helped motivate me more than words can describe. I was amazed at how much my productivity improved just within the very first week. Simply… there’s no other program with this kind of down-to-earth advice, and it works. I have overcome my fears about not being “good enough” to finish, and I realized that there are lots of other people dealing with the same struggles I have. Just knowing that I wasn’t alone in my struggles gave me added confidence and renewed my commitment to finish. Dora’s presentation style is great and I also really liked being able to interact with the other participants in real time during the live webinars. The information presented was outstanding, and I do feel like I’m part of this community. Everyone cares about each other and I can’t wait to congratulate each other as we finish. I’m much more confident and enthusiastic about finishing my dissertation after participating in this program, and as a side benefit, I’m also a happier and healthier person after incorporating exercise and healthy eating and sleeping habits into my life. Don’t hesitate, you’ll be so glad you joined!” Mary Abercrombie, PhD Student, University of South Florida

I loved the Facebook group since I got to learn so much from others as they shared their experiences and resources whole-heartedly.

Since joining the Finish Your Thesis program, I have developed a can-do attitude towards my research and life. I have drawn up a thesis structure which my committee have approved, and my main supervisor said that I have turned a corner after struggling with my results last year. I am now more positive and have become more confident with respect to my research, and I have developed a critical thinking approach that has made me more assertive during group discussions. The live webinars provided strategies and a structure that we could implement to help us complete our thesis soon. I loved the Facebook group, since I got to learn so much from others as they shared their experiences and resources whole-heartedly. Their encouragement was heart-warming and I am very grateful for their presence in my life. The Finish Your Thesis Program has made me richer as an individual, and helped me realize my strengths as a person, and become a better version of myself.” Durgaprasad Iyer, PhD Student, University of Cape Town, South Africa

The kind and unconditional support from the online community has been so helpful during the good and the bad

“When I first learned about the Finish Your Thesis Program I was not sure whether it was right for me, because I was not at the writing stage yet. Now that I finished the course, I can only share my own excellent experience with Dora and the program. If you need help getting organized to get stuff done and could use not only helpful strategies, but also a supportive environment, this is the program for you. Not in the “writing stage” of your thesis? No problem, I joined well into the “research stage” of my project and the skills I learned in the program have been incredibly helpful to organize my data acquisition while at the same time begin the writing process early. I am now organized, motivated and focused. The kind and unconditional support from the online community has been so helpful during the good and the bad, and it is amazing helping these talented men and women succeed. Based on what I know from my graduate school experience and what my friends and colleagues share about their own, I’d say the Finish Your Thesis program will provide you the productivity skills and supportive environment you need to finish your thesis and graduate. ” Ileana Freytes-Ortiz, PhD Student, University of South Florida

If you want to graduate, the Finish Your Thesis Program and the online community will be really helpful for you to stay motivated and complete your degree.

“One of my fears before joining the Finish Your Thesis Program was that I would not be able to graduate on time. I felt stressed and this led to a lack of motivation. After I started the program I became more productive and I learned to focus on the tasks that were helping me to finish my thesis. I developed a new routine, I write every day, and I see my thesis coming together. The online community was very inspiring because I saw that I was not the only one having problems in graduate school. I learned that if others can make things work out, so can I. If you want to graduate, the Finish Your Thesis Program and the online community will be really helpful for you to stay motivated and complete your degree.” Quang Evansluong, PhD Student, Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden

I am so glad I joined the Finish Your Thesis Program early in my PhD studies, and I have already highly recommended it to other graduate students

“This program has been incredibly helpful for me to succeed in academia and life as well. Before joining the program I felt stressed and I didn’t know how to manage my time and the meetings with my supervisor. Now I always prepare a detailed plan for the meetings, and my supervisor really appreciates it because it shows that I respect her time. I am more productive now than I was before joining the program because I know how to prioritize and manage my energy do I can stayed focused for the whole day. The Facebook community was one of the best parts of the program because it gave me the opportunity to connect with an international community of students and Dora and get daily support for my work. Whenever I posted any questions to the group I got a response very quickly. I am so glad I joined the Finish Your Thesis Program early in my PhD studies, and I have already highly recommended it to other students.” Leili Ghazi zadeh, PhD Student, Regenerative Medicine, Montreal, Canada

Give yourself the gift of confidence through this timely and needed online course

“ Dora Farkas has been instrumental in guiding me through the tenuous process of writing my Ed.D. thesis. Dora’s Finish Your Thesis Program comprehensively explains what is needed to bring your mind and body together holistically, to approach one of the most academically challenging educational pursuits in one’s academic lifetime. These modules can also extend beyond ones graduate work and be translated into lifetime skills that can carry one through work and personal relationships . Through mindful and deliberate attention to the questions, vignettes, and actionable goals in each module, the task of writing your thesis becomes less daunting. Give yourself the gift of confidence through this timely and needed online course that will provide the necessary tools and strategies for realizing your academic dream.” Colleen Fritze, Doctoral Candidate, Northeastern University

Everything that you get in this online course:

22 high-definition professionally-edited videos,
Downloadable workbooks for each module, summarizing the course material,
Your personalized “Finish Your Thesis Plan”
6 step-by-step training sessions (Value: $300)
Webinars are recorded so you can listen to them at any time.
4 bonus modules that cover writing skills, online productivity tools, thesis defense preparation, and career development strategies (Value: $397)
Bonus time-management tracking sheets from private clients ($300)
*Special bonus* Membership in our 5 months of live group coaching program (Value $597)
Daily support from me and private online community as long as you are in grad school (Value: priceless)
Email support for the first three months after your enroll in the program

Total Value: Over $2000

Your investment: $297, how is the course structured, module 1: the most important factors of success in graduate school.

The mindset that helps graduate students finish their thesis quickly.
How to avoid the habits that make your life unnecessarily difficult in graduate school
Three steps to turn any goals into reality, and
The most effective productivity tips to help you make progress right away.

Module 2: Develop a step-by-step plan to finish your thesis FAST

The top 5 elements of a successful thesis proposal and thesis
Set up an action plan to reach your goals quickly
How to write your publications in advance (even before you collect all your data)

Module 3: Become confident and resolve conflicts with your supervisor and coworkers

The most effective communication skills that will solve 90% of all your conflicts
How to avoid biggest communication mistakes that keep you stuck in grad school
Cope with really difficult supervisors and get them on your side.

Module 4: Strategies that will help you become more focused and efficient

Set up a productive schedule that prevents burnouts
Develop a sustainable progress to make consistent progress
The top 10 strategies to beat procrastination and get your work done,

Module 5: Tips to help you improve your health and increase your energy

How to turn stress into productive energy
Fuel your brain and sharpen your focus through nutrition
Prevent physical injuries related to excessive computer use

Module 6: Develop your “Personalized Finish Your Thesis Plan” to get your thesis DONE

Get a crystal clear vision of what you need to do to finish your thesis
Identify the factors that are preventing you from graduating on time
Set up a support network & accountability to keep you motivated until you finish your thesis.

Your Exciting Bonus Modules

Bonus #1: “Tips to begin your job search while you are still in graduate school” will introduce you to strategies to get a head-start on advancing your career.

Bonus #2: “12 simple strategies to overcome writer’s block and finish your theses and manuscripts” will help you to write your thesis and publications more efficiently.

Bonus #3:” The latest online technology tools to help you boost your productivity and stay organized” will show you free or low-cost online tools to help you manage your time better, organize information, and collaborate effectively with others.

Bonus #4: 5 months of LIVE group coaching calls with me so you can get all of your questions answered about grad school. Space for the group coaching program is limited. Register now to reserve your spot in our group coaching program.

How is Course Delivered?

As soon as you sign up, you will get access to Module 1.
Subsequent modules will be released weekly.
Each week the course materials will be delivered to you in the form of 4 short video presentations and accompanying workbook,
The workbook includes all the course materials as well as exercises and questions that you can do at your own pace,
Each module includes and online webinar with step-by-step strategies to help you make progress fast.
Webinars will be recorded so you can watch them at any time, if you cannot attend the live session.
We will also have an exclusive private Facebook group where you can post your questions and read tips on how to finish your thesis.
You will have email support during the duration of the course and for an entire month after the course is completed.

You Are Not Alone

One of the biggest challenges that graduate students face is isolation, which can lead to loss of motivation and reduced productivity.

The “Finish Your Thesis Program” will provide you with a community where you can personalized support from me and other graduate students on a daily basis.

The process of completing your dissertation will become easier when you have the organizational and communication skills necessary to complete your thesis, as well as a community to provide you support.

As a “Finish Your Thesis Program” member you get access to all of our course materials, exciting bonuses and daily support from our exclusive private Facebook page for as long as you are in grad school.

what is unique about the finish your thesis course, this is the only online course that addresses every aspect of graduate student life, including:.

Developing a plan with clear milestones to finish your thesis,
Optimizing your productivity and time management skills,
Resolving conflicts with your supervisor, coworkers, and thesis committee members,
Improving your writing skills, so you can publish your manuscripts and write your thesis efficiently,
Reducing stress and improving your health given your busy schedule and limited budget,
Preparing for your career while you are still in graduate school, and

You will have daily support from me and other graduate students through our online community and live webinars to guide you at every step of the program.

A Little Bit About Me (Your Guide)

I started my career as a graduate students at MIT in the Department of Biological Engineering. My plan was to become a professor or a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, like everyone else in my department.

I passed all my exams, and I followed everything that my supervisor told me to do, but at the end of every semester, I wondered “Will I ever graduate?” My thesis topic was challenging, and my committee members didn’t agree on what I had to do to graduate.

Eventually, I finished my Ph.D. thesis and published several papers as well, but I saw many of my peers (who were very bright students) struggle for years, or drop out of grad school.

I continued my career at Tufts Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow, and there too, I saw that many of the graduate students were frustrated and considered leaving their programs.

I also learned 50% of doctoral students drop out of grad school (that’s 50,000 students a year in the US alone), and I decided to take action.

I accepted a Senior Scientist position in the pharmaceutical industry, but I also coached graduate students on the side. I was amazed that the time management and productivity skills that I used to finish my thesis helped students in other fields and other countries to complete their thesis.

After coaching graduate students for over 5 years, I decided to put all of the time management, productivity, writing, and communication skills that I taught to my students into an online course, and that is how the “Finish Your Thesis Program” was born.

This Course Is For You If You …

Are committed to finishing your thesis,
Want to improve your time management skills so you can make progress more quickly,
Would like to develop a better relationship with your thesis supervisor,
Want to have more energy and become more productive, and
Would like to improve your writing skills so you can finish your thesis as quickly as possible.

This Course Is Not For You If You …

Are not sure whether graduate school is for you,
Have not started graduate school yet,
Are trying to decide between Masters or PhD-level programs,
Finished writing your thesis, or
Are defending your thesis in less than 2 months.

Your success is my priority

I offer a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee.

You will have full access to all of our course materials for the first 30 days.

If you decide that this course is not for you, you will get a 100% refund, no questions asked.

You have nothing to lose except stress, frustration and sleepless nights.

What if you are not a native English speaker?

You are in good company, because English is not my first language either.
I have coached international students over Skype, and I feel comfortable communicating with non-native English speakers.
I understand the challenges of having to do research and write publications in your non-native tongue.
The course material is summarized clearly in the workbooks so it is easy for non-native English speakers to follow,
During our previous enrollment periods we had graduate students from 30 different countries
At our live webinars questions will be types into in the chat box, so it will be easy for both native and non-native English speakers to understand
Live webinars will be presented at an easy-to-follow pace and recorded so you can review them at your own pace

How do you get the most out of the Private Facebook group?

Our private and exclusive Facebook group already has members of the Finish Your Thesis Community who have taken the course. Through this community you can get daily support from other students and me to help you overcome challenges in graduate school.

The more you participate by asking questions or offering support to other students, the more you will get out of the group.

How can you protect your privacy?

During the webinars you can submit written questions in the chat box, but you may use a pseudonym when registering for the webinar to protect your privacy. You have the option to join our private Facebook group, but you may also send me questions (even anonymously from an alternative email address ) which I can address either directly through email or during the webinar.

What is the time commitment if you enroll in the course?

The Finish Your Thesis Program was designed for the busy graduate student lifestyle, and the material is condensed into easy-to-read workbooks and short videos. Each module takes only 1 hour per week, and the weekly webinars are 1 hour long.

How long does it take to complete the course?

The Finish Your Thesis Program has 6 modules, and you will get access to one module every week as soon as you enroll in the course. I know that you are busy, and you will get access to the best productivity tips in week 1, so you can start seeing results very quickly.

What if you cannot attend the webinars, or you fall behind?

I understand that you have a busy life. All webinars will be recorded, so you can listen to them at any time. You can also study the course materials at your own pace, and contact me directly at [email protected] if you have questions or fall behind.

Is this course applicable to all fields of study?

Yes, this course is based on success stories from graduate students from over 30 different fields of study including mathematics, life and physical sciences, engineering, humanities and social sciences.

The strategies I will teach you will help you to become more productive regardless of your field of study.

At what stage of graduate school is the Finish Your Thesis Program most helpful?

We have had students who just started their graduate programs, and we also had students who joined the course in their last semester. The skills you learn in the course and the interactive support network will help you to manage your time better, reduce stress and become more productive at any stage of graduate school.

What if you are not at the writing stage of your thesis?

The time management, productivity, and communication skills in this program will help you during the research stage and the writing phase of graduate school. During our last enrollment period we had students who were early in their program and the strategies in the program helped them to become more efficient with their research so they could begin writing their papers sooner.

How will this program help you to write your thesis?

This program will teach you time management and productivity strategies to help you stay motivated and focused so you can make consistent progress on your thesis. I also have two bonuses that will be especially useful for you as you write your thesis: 1) “ 12 simple strategies to overcome writer’s block and finish your theses and manuscripts” will help you to write you manuscripts more efficiently and 2) ” The latest online technology tools to help you boost your productivity and stay organized” will show you free or low-cost online tools to help you organize information for your thesis to make the writing process more efficient.

What information is included about staying healthy in graduate school?

The program provides suggestions on how to reduce stress, improve nutrition, and prevent injuries related to excessive typing in graduate school. The program does not provide medical advice, and any health-related information in the program is based on my opinion and is for information purposes only. The program is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical opinion, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified medical professional.

DO YOU HAVE A REFUND POLICY?

I am fully committed to helping you to finish your thesis as efficiently as possible. You can try out the program for the first 30 days of the course. If you decide that the course is not for you, you get a 100% refund, no questions asked.

You have a specific question I have not addressed

If you are interested in this course but I have not addressed your question, please email me at [email protected]. View the complete Terms and Conditions of our program here.

Are you Ready to Finish Your Thesis?

The best thesis is a “finished thesis.”, join now if you want to finish your thesis and graduate. .

*Special Bonus*: Register now to reserve your spot in our 5 month LIVE group coaching program with Dora.

Still on the fence? Listen to the following reviews:

Aviv sharon, a recent graduate, shares how the program helped him to finish his thesis..

Aviv Sharon, Ph.D. Student, Technion Israel Institute of Technology

Leili Ghazzi zadeh, a Ph.D. student, describes how the program helped her to become more productive and get better mentoring from her supervisor

Leili Ghazi Zadeh, Ph.D. Student, Université de Montréal

Listen to the benefits of the program from professionals who work with PhD students:

“dora’s program gives you step-by-step instructions on how to finish your thesis”.

Isaiah Hankel, Ph.D., Internationally Recognized Speaker, Author, Founder, Cheeky Scientist

“Dora’s Program Will be the Coach That You Need to Get to the Finish Line”

Elaine Alden, Ed.D.,Mathematics Coach

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COMMENTS

How to Finish Your Dissertation
In my experience, people who don't finish their dissertations have one of two problems with the people they surround themselves with: 1) they don't have anyone who is actively writing a dissertation in their daily life (i.e., they remove themselves entirely from contact with other dissertation writers) or 2) they surround themselves with ...
How can I finish my PhD in the next year when I don't have any
Assuming you do decide to finish (maybe in spite of your supervisor), and sort your draft conclusions out to achieve, then to get finished in a finite time, you could do what the same friend did: made a deal with himself that if he wrote a page of his thesis in a day, he could go boozing that evening.
What Is a Thesis?
A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.
How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion
Step 1: Answer your research question. Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research. Step 3: Make future recommendations. Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field. Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation. Full conclusion example. Conclusion checklist. Other interesting articles.
How Do I Motivate Myself To Finish My Thesis Quickly?
Find at least fifteen to twenty minutes a day reading, researching, outlining, or doing other small tasks that will help you move toward the critical task of writing your thesis or dissertation. There is so much to do before writing such as reviewing articles for your literature review, developing survey instruments, outlining your project, or ...
12 Tips To Overcome Writer's Block For PhD Students (#6 was ...
Two weeks later I submitted my thesis proposal to my committee and I successfully defended it a week later. The rest is history. These writing strategies allowed me to finish my doctoral ...
Dissertating Like a Distance Runner: Ten Tips for Finishing Your PhD
There are, after all, more enticing and perhaps even more pressing things to do. Similarly, if you don't have a clear goal of when you want to finish your dissertation, it is easy to put off your daily writing for another day, which can easily become more distant into the future. (3) Be realistic about your goal.
What to do with your finished thesis
For examples of posts with nice 'top of the post'- sections see this, this or this post. The main part. Be concise. Explain what is necessary to convey the points you would like to make and leave out anything that (even though very interesting) does not do that job. Provide a link to your full thesis or dissertation, or if it isn't ...
10 habits that helped me finish my PhD
Few years into my PhD, I found myself in a very uncomfortable situation: it was slowly time to finish my work & write up the thesis, but I didn't have any reasonable, publishable results yet. I was in the middle of a big mess — and my mind was a big mess, too. I was distracted most of the time, jumping from paper to paper, from idea to idea ...
Finishing your PhD thesis: 15 top tips from those in the know
12) Remember that more is not always better. "A PhD thesis is not a race to the highest page count; don't waste time padding.". ( Francis Woodhouse, PhD in mathematical biology, University ...
How to Write a Thesis Statement
Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education.
My Master's Thesis Journey: How to Finish a Research Paper in Four
My Master's Thesis Journey: How to Finish a Research Paper in Four Months (1 Term) By vivomigsgee in Event Features June 11, 2021. The moment I got the thesis hardbound in my hands, I thought "Oh boy, I am so done with my master's thesis!". Yes, the seemingly daunting and never-ending research journey is finally over.
5 Shortcuts to Finish Your Thesis 12 Months Sooner
2. Map out the path to your finished thesis. Your thesis will not write itself. The fastest way to finish your thesis is to know what you need to get done to satisfy the requirements, and then map out a plan. The idea of creating a map may seem intimidating for a few reasons. First, if your graduation is far in the future, you may not know what ...
Advice for how to get (and stay) motivated to write your dissertation
Writing a dissertation is a grueling process that does not just require academic prowess, an excellent writing style and mastery of a very specific area of knowledge. It also demands discipline (in setting a writing schedule), perseverance (in keeping that schedule) and motivation (to get the writing done and the project completed).
Finish my thesis or dissertation
Get it Done is a five-year time-tested program that can help give you a sense of order. Starting in 2013 Daphne has worked with a small group of writers helping them complete their books, theses and dissertations. The heart of the program is its accountability system: you need to report your achievements to the group, five days a week for three ...
About the Finish Your Thesis Academy
This is how the Finish Your Thesis Academy was born. Over the past 5 years I have had the honor of supporting thousands of graduate students worldwide through live workshops, online courses and private coaching. By working with me, student realize that graduate school is designed to prepare you for your career, and it is meant to challenge you.
If You Are Working on Your Thesis...
The online "Finish Your Thesis Program" will give you the training you need to complete your Ph.D. or Masters thesis: Organizational skills so you can gain clarity about the purpose and goals of your thesis. Time management skills so you can meet your deadlines and keep your thesis on track.
Reddit, I can't seem to finish my thesis. : r/AskReddit
I suggest this: on Monday, get up. Do whatever you do to get in writing mode from 9 to 10. At 10 o'clock, sit down at the computer and write. Turn off your internet connection (unless you need it for research) and write from 10 - 12:30. from 12:30 to 12:45 have lunch. From 12:45 to 1:30 do some physical activity.
Procrastinated and now I have 1 month to write my thesis
I procrastinated 3 months away and did 90% of the research and writing in about one month for my 40 page minimum master's thesis. You can see a flurry of activity on my github in the 1-1.5 weeks of writing. I'm now doing a PhD straight out of my master's. You'll be okay.
I Wrote My Master's Thesis in 8 Hours (One Night), And Here ...
The sun started to rise. My room suddenly regained its colors as the sunshine barged in through the window. I was happy, my thesis was finished. Then my phone started ringing. It was my thesis ...
HR just asked for my degree. I don't have it yet. What do I do?
My college told me I could finish my thesis after graduation and get my degree once I did. At the time, I was heartbroken because I thought my company would rescind my offer. I decided to be honest, though, and told HR that I hadn't gotten my degree, but could get it in the fall. Surprisingly, they were okay with it.

How Do I Motivate Myself To Finish My Thesis Quickly?

Find a bit of time each day to work on your project

Develop a plan

Do not catastrophize

Find supportive peers and ignore the naysayers

Think about the money

Think about how far you have come

Do it for the love of your discipline

Choose a new research topic/question if you need to

Get a writing coach

Stay involved with the r3ciprocity community

The bottom line

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