CTL PhD Guide - Writing the Dissertation

writing the dissertation

how can I start?

Writing a dissertation is a long process! It can feel overwhelming! You've likely never written a dissertation before (unless this is your 2nd PhD - good on you if that's the case).

You might want to start by looking up dissertations related to your topic/focus for ideas around how others have organized their work. You might also want to look up dissertations written by former students of your supervisor.

To get an idea of a format that works for you, consult with your supervisor. Some people write what is called a monograph dissertation and others write a paper dissertation.

A monograph dissertation means you write your dissertation in chapters that build off one another.

A paper dissertation means you write your findings into papers that you will try to publish.

One of the trickiest aspects of writing a dissertation is simply writing: organizing and clarifying your thinking in a coherent way.

Here are a couple of tips to get you started as you write your dissertation:

Set some dedicated writing time aside. If you can, try to write a little bit every day
Keep track of important and/or useful resources and readings--one tip is to keep an online or hard copy of a document containing important notes and readings that you might want to look up later on
Set reasonable deadlines for yourself. Having a long project in front of you (such as a dissertation) is often very daunting. One way to overcome some of these worries and uncertainties is to set deadlines for yourself. This will help you to stay accountable and on track with your work. If you think it will be helpful, consider emailing your supervisor with your set deadlines and due dates to help you stay motivated.
Don't worry if you have a couple of set backs, or if you take a bit of a break from writing. Reading, researching, and thinking about how best to clarify your ideas are all very important parts of the dissertation writing process. You can do this, and you are doing an awesome job!

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