from professional academic writers and editors
When I began supervising graduate theses over twenty years ago, I quickly realized that no two students write the same way or face the same challenges. I remember one of my first students, a brilliant but shy international student named Minh, who struggled not with research but with confidence. Minh would often whisper, "Professor, I don't know if my writing is good enough." That moment stayed with me. It reminded me of my own graduate days, when I spent long nights rewriting the same paragraph because I wasn’t sure if it made sense. I know the feeling of staring at a blank screen, full of doubt and pressure. Writing a thesis can be overwhelming, especially for those of us who come from different language backgrounds or are the first in our families to pursue graduate education. This guide is built from years of those moments - from Minh’s quiet determination to my own setbacks and small victories. Everything I share with you comes from direct experience. I want you to know that it’s normal to struggle and that those struggles can lead to powerful growth, not just as a writer but as a thinker. Let's start this journey together with honesty, support, and practical advice that goes beyond theory.
One of the first things I always tell my students is this: start early. I learned this lesson the hard way during my own master’s program. I waited too long to organize my research and thought I could write everything in just a few weeks. What happened instead was panic, long nights with little sleep, and a rushed final draft that did not reflect the quality of my research. Looking back, I know that starting early would have helped me avoid a lot of stress and would have given me more time to think clearly and write better.
Now, when I guide students, I ask them to start writing even before they feel ready. That does not mean writing full chapters right away. It could be writing a few lines about what they are reading, what they think about a topic, or why they are interested in their research question. One student, Ana, used to keep a small notebook where she wrote ideas during her commute. Those small notes later became the base of her literature review.
Starting early also gives you time to ask questions. When you feel confused, you can meet with your advisor, talk with classmates, or read more to clear things up. Waiting too long means you might run out of time to get help or make changes. I have seen this happen more than once, and I want to help you avoid that.
So my advice is simple: start now, even if it is just a little. Write something, organize your ideas, and build slowly. It may not feel perfect, but it is better to have a rough beginning than to face a rushed ending.
Choosing a good topic is the first hurdle many students falter at. You need to consult with your supervisor about the relevant topics you can write about. Remember that your topic needs to be very specific, and cannot be a general idea, as you will be used to from your undergraduate work.
One aspect of choosing a topic many students find especially difficult is the fact that they need to meet the requirement of originality. They mistake this for meaning that their writing should revolutionize their subject field and change the landscape. However, this is not the case. You need to remember that anything new produced in academia builds upon the current existing research. For example, improving or critiquing an existing method is constituted as original, and it very worthy of being a thesis topic.
Learn More Get IdeasYou need to conduct very good research to compile the best sources possible to implement in your paper.
The best way to do this is to visit journals related to your subject field. These will have all the latest literature submitted pertaining to your topic, as well as an archive of past submissions. Through this, you can see how your subject field has evolved, and this can also give you a general idea of what type of topic you need to choose for your dissertation. Another good way to collect sources is to visit your university’s library. Ask the librarian about the best books and literature available relevant to your topic. This can help greatly in collecting sources, as sometimes books can have sources that are hard to find online, especially for very specific and less popular topics.
Learn More Get IdeasThe writing style of your work should implement academic writing. This means that your work should be formal and avoid any informal language, colloquialism, contractions and vagueness. Your writing should be concise and easy to understand. A mistake many students make is to think that they need to write with long and varied extremely varied vocabulary; this is not necessary. You just need to ensure your language is formal and easy to understand.
| Writing Style | Main Features | Used In | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA | Focuses on clear and objective writing. Uses author and year in citations. | Psychology, Education, Sociology | (Smith, 2021) |
| MLA | Uses author and page number. Often used in writing about books and media. | Literature, Arts, Cultural Studies | (Smith 23) |
| Chicago (Notes) | Uses footnotes at the bottom of the page. Good for long explanations. | History, Theology, Philosophy | 1. John Smith, Book Title (City: Publisher, 2021), 45. |
| Harvard | Similar to APA. Uses author and year. Format may change by school. | Business, Law, Sciences (UK, Australia) | (Smith 2021) |
| IEEE | Uses numbers in square brackets. Sources listed by order they appear. | Engineering, Computer Science | [1] |
The structure of a dissertation differs in many ways from other essays you may have written during your undergraduate studies. You should structure your writing as follows:
If you follow these handy directions, you will certainly achieve high marks for your thesis. Although it is a hard task to produce excellent thesis papers, it is certainly possible with our tips.