1. Some Examples of Gems from History
Writing as it is Writ
Some Examples of Gems from History
Each pronoun should agree with their antecedent
Just between you and I, case is important
A preposition is a poor word to end a sentence with
Verbs has to agree with their subject
Don’t use no double negatives
A writer mustn’t shift your point of view
When dangling, don’t use participles
Join clauses good, like a conjunction should
Don’t write a run-on sentence because it is difficult when you got to punctuate it so it makes sense when the reader reads what you wrote
About sentence fragments
Do you have any others?

2. A man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it
From Go to ……….. Approaching the Finish Line: How to Write a PhD Thesis OR
A man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it
Samuel Johnson

3. Outline of Presentation
A thesis is a journey and only one part of your academic training
How is a thesis structured, our views
Based on the field of biomedical science and social science
Questions

4. Synopsis of the Session
Background: the concept of a thesis
Requirements for a thesis, and the journey there
Self authorship
COFFEE?
Personal issues with creating a thesis
Some things to tell students
Special cases: internationals; trauma, illnesses
Strategies in therapy of avoidance
Examiners, editors, exemplars
Some things students have told me
Your personal experiences
Discussion

5. About Laurie
PhD in Human Rehabilitation (University of Northern Colorado USA)
15 years at QUT
Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Built Environment and Engineering and Creative Industries (2012)
8 PhD (supervise) and 4 PhD (co-super)
Research focus: with people!

6. About Terry PhD in Biochemistry (UQ) Seven years U Pennsylvania USA
Three years Australian National Uni
Twenty four years QIT/QUT
Director Research Studies FaST
Head of School Biomedical Sciences
Personal focus
Over two dozen graduated students
Research on structure and function

7. What is a PhD?
A holder of a Ph.D. … should have knowledge, skills, perspectives and understanding to be capable of self-directed scientific work of a quality satisfactory to others in the field
IUBMB PhD Standards
Distinctive contribution to knowledge with evidence of originality shown by discovery of new facts &/or exercise of independent critical power
University of London

8. What Does a PhD Signify?
Recognition, formulation & resolution of a research question
Evaluation of significance of solution
Clear written & oral presentation of results
Self-directed (original) significant contribution to knowledge
Strong sense of research integrity and professional standards

9. What is a thesis? A themed written argument
Exposition of original research in context
Culmination of an apprenticeship
Possibly largest (& most self-indulgent) work students do
Something that could be published (is published)

10. Differences among Disciplines
‘Experimental’ Science
Thesis writing often late in candidature
Hypothesis formulated to test theory
Aims/goals address hypothesis
‘Social’ Science
Thesis writing begins early
Formulation of research questions
Data gathered, then analysed various ways

11. Getting Started Encourage you to
Pin the working title and hypothesis above the work area
Read some theses from your group/area
Have a plan and concept map
Take the lead – use their own words and ideas
Plan the argument

12. Things to Help Planning

13. How to write Content – background, methods, results, conclusions
Format – typeface, spacing, figures
Style – language, logic and efficiency
Planning – do it today; yes, NOW
Timing – estimate and double or treble it
Editing – acceptable inputs
Finishing – deciding to draw the line under the exercise

15. Writing IS fun! CRUNCH TIME (when? – see later)!
This is the hardest part
Allocate 2 to 3 times the amount of time to writing as to gathering material
Students must be writers as well as a researchers - write well
Write early and write often
Learn to draft and revise
‘Get it right, but get it written first!’

16. Simple Structure of a Thesis
The Bellman’s Rule of Three
Overall
Introduction – what the thesis says; context of the hypothesis
Body of the thesis – what makes the thesis
Conclusion – what the thesis said; what it means for future directions
Each chapter
Introduction – what this chapter says; where it sits in the theme
Body of the chapter – methods, results
Conclusion – what this chapter means; how it leads logically to the next
Each paragraph
Introduction – broaches an idea; links to previous ideas
Body of the paragraph – describes the idea
Conclusion – concludes the idea (and links to next)
Not just repetition – linking, theme, rationale, integration

17. A Generic Structure Introduction/Theme Why am I doing this?
Literature Review
What is known? What is unknown?
Aims
What do/did I hope to find out?
Methodology
How is/was it found out?
Results
What did I find?
Discussion
What does it mean?
Conclusion
What is the significance? What applications? Where to next?

18. Thesis by Publication Common practice in many countries
QUT has this option
Thesis has published manuscripts (as chapters) with format of traditional thesis
Discuss this with supervisor early and plan out papers in advance
one has to be accepted before thesis submission

19. Planning the thesis Write one sentence for: Example: Introduction
A PhD is examined by a written thesis
Problem addressed
Many students do not complete on time
Literature/background
Late submission is highly correlated with delay of start of writing
Methods to solve problem
Create a thesis map and collect material for each chapter throughout study
Results
Non-linear approaches bring advances on many fronts
Conclusion
Drafting and re-drafting chapters is a normal process

20. Developing the Thesis Convert plan/argument into chapters
at least one chapter per sentence
perhaps more than one, sometimes
Develop a physical “structure”
set up folders for each chapter
have a plan for each chapter
Allow the plan to evolve
don’t be worried about changing
new results may require reinterpretations

21. Gathering material Fieldwork, literature review
Interviews; Methodology (6 months)
Proof of Principle (6 months)
Data analysis and validation
Maintain notes (laboratory workbooks), but also …
turn notes into thoughts from the start
A thesis takes about 60 mins a day
this is about 6 months

22. It Takes MUCH Longer ……. Ch Title Length Time 1 Intro/Abstract 500
Based on experience of 28 PhD and Masters (Research) students Ch
Title
Length
Time 1
Intro/Abstract
500
3 months 2
Lit Review (rev)
20,000
12 months 3
Methods
10,000
10 months 4
Results 1 5
Results 2 6
Results 3
18 months 7
Conclusion

23. Bibliography – it doesn’t come last
Keep a database of complete references
Use an accepted reference style
Use a tool (Endnote)
Get the detail right first time
Spelling, page numbers, titles, publishers
Try to be consistent throughout
Published & unpublished works
Explain variations up front

24. Special Cases International Students Changing & Forming Relationships
Expressions
Cultures
Support networks
Changing & Forming Relationships
Friend or mentor
External demands
Peer groups

25. Maintaining Momentum Strategies in Therapy of Avoidance

27. Tricks for Staying Focussed
Practise often:
the ‘pitch’
1 - 2 sentences that summarise what the thesis is about
the paragraph
the abstract of the thesis
the page
a chance to briefly outline an argument
Align the exercises to current work and problems
If there are problems in any of these, it is a symptom of a lack of focus, structure and clarity!

28. Problems with writing 1 “How do I plan? When do I plan?”
The best way and time is at the beginning:
Stage 2, Confirmation, Progress Reports, laboratory books (diaries/journals) are all part of thesis writing
PhD project management should include a strand for thesis writing
Consult, review, TODAY.

29. Problems with writing 2 “I think I have writer’s block”
work on manageable pieces
write down the main points – revisit your theme
you don’t have to write it in order
accept there are several drafts – get the ideas down
complex ideas may not be linear – draw a ‘concept map’

30. Problems with Writing 3 “I have trouble showing it is my idea”
Recommended passive tenses can cloud attributions.
Try making the authors the subject of the sentence
use “in my opinion” if necessary.
Don’t be afraid to play with sentence structure to get the idea across
practice expression and interpretation as a team.

31. Examiners and Editing

32. Think about the Examiners
Discuss them early with supervisors
Examiners are busy (like you)
Examining is a chore
Make it easy; they might become colleagues & mentors
Most theses are read in trains, boats, planes and buses
“Oh no, not another one”

33. What does an examiner do?
Typical scan of a thesis
Abstract
Contents listing
Major chapters
Conclusions
Figures
Introduction, literature review
Finally, a quick read
Then – questions: Are they answered or considered? Is any of it published?
Corrections: some examiners think this is the only way to show they’ve read it; expect to have some

34. Editing - know the different versions
Three types:
substantive editing
exemplary editing
proof-reading
Supervisors are helpers and advisors,
not editors or proof readers

35. Editing – how much is too much?
You are being trained
Become familiar with reference texts on style; workshops on writing are available
Understand why expressions and structures are changed – ambiguities, break down complex concepts, overly long sentences confuse, etc
Good ideas need clear English
Parsing, punctuation, precis
“This publication will have my name on it”

36. Summary Start today, never later Keep title and hypothesis handy
Write down skeleton arguments clearly
Expand arguments into chapters
Keep concurrent folders for each chapter
Keep the thesis plan a living plan
Simple sentences, simple ideas, linked structures
Maintain your project plan (manage, revise, update)
Don’t be afraid to cut and cull
Be prepared for multiple drafts
Know your audience
Help the reader to understand
Get advice from others (reading drafts)
Finally, remember: You will probably know more about the thesis, as a whole, than any of the examiners.

37. Things I Have Been Told

38. Would you be comfortable with these titles?
Multiple infections among newborns resulting from implantation with Staphylococcus aureus
Preliminary canine and clinical evaluation of a new anti-tumour agent, Streptovitacin
Isolation of antigens from monkeys using complement-fixation techniques

39. Efficiency of Expression - 1
Many authors, including this laboratory (1), have been engaged in the study of the identification and detection of specific biologically active molecules by autographic methods. This problem has recently been reviewed (2).
Many authors (1-4) have used autographic methods to detect and identify biologically required molecules (for review see ref 4).

40. Efficiency of Expression - 2
Using L. arabinosus, detection of about 10-3 µg of pantothenic acid was possible utilising the tetrazolium plate technique, meanwhile detection of 10-4 µg and even less was achieved by the slide method advocated here. However, E. coli produced a somewhat more satisfactory growth response than L. arabinosus, for this species forms more compact and easily observed microcolonies upon incubation at suitable growth temperatures.
With L. arabinosus, the “tetrazolium plate” technique could detect 10-3 µg of pantothenic acid whereas the slide method could detect as little as 10-4 µg. The growth response with this organism was, however, more difficult to observe than with E. coli, which forms more compact microcolonies on incubation.

41. Efficiency of Expression - 3
The slide method reported appears to offer a possible useful application in identification of unknown paper chromatogram spots. Since the lowest concentration of most amino acids detectable as spots lies in the range of 10-1 µg to 5.0 µg and this method will detect as little as 10-2 µg (Table 1), it would perhaps be possible in many cases to cut a spot area into two or more pieces and screen it against several different organisms with varying amino acid requirements. The very high specificity of nutrient requiring mutant bacteria would provide a precise means of identification which may often be applied in circumstances wherein limitations of time or availability of sample are prohibitory to identification of spots by more conventional methods.

42. Efficiency of Expression - 3a
The method may perhaps be applied to the identification of unknown compounds on paper chromatograms; spots cut from such chromatograms could be incubated with auxotrophic bacteria having highly specific nutrient requirements. Spots of amino acids that are detectable with spray reagents contain at least 0.1 to 5.0 µg, and since the slide method will detect as little as 0.01 µg (Table 1), a single spot from a chromatogram could, if necessary, be divided and tested against several organisms with different amino acid requirements. This bioassay would be rapid, sensitive and specific.

43. References
Books
Truss, L. Eats, Shoots and Leaves Profile Books, London, 2003.
Day, R. How to write a scientific paper ISI Press 1979
Cribb & Hartomo Sharing Knowledge: A Guide to Effective Science Communication CSIRO Publishing 2002
(more about general communication than theses)
Web Sites (accessed 10/05/2012)
learningforsustainability.net/research/phd_research.php