how to finish phd thesis in 2 months

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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.

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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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How to Write a Doctoral Dissertation in Two Months

Don’t navigate through a forest of challenges.

Instead of taking two years to write your doctoral dissertation, what if you could write it in two months? Think you can do it? Yes, it ’ s possible, but your success will depend upon dedicating yourself to the task and, if needed, requesting help of others who thrive at researching.

Avoid navigating through unknown territory alone

When you discipline yourself, you can create an outline, define the steps for acquiring your data, and write a draft in six weeks. However, you must set up deadlines for each phase, and it ’ s important to note that social invitations and other shiny objects that might tempt you to delay even one day in your deadline are not an option.

How to Begin your Writing

First, decide on start and stop dates for your researching and writing. Next, find a competent academic editor to review your first draft, which will allow you another week to fine-tune your final document before submitting it. If you can follow these rules, then you will finish writing your doctoral dissertation in two months.

Reassure your doubting brain that you can do this. Don ’ t share this information with family, friends, or anyone who is in your world. Why? Their opinions, thoughts, and suggestions don ’ t matter. You ’ re in this to complete your dissertation, not get feedback or approval from peers, family, friends, or strangers.

On a sheet of lined paper, write time slots down the left column. Next, fill in the blanks for each time slot with a task that you will accomplish that day. Think of it as a tiny check list. You do one thing from 9:00-10:00. Take a 15-minute break. Then from 10:15-11:00, complete the next task. If you can work six hours in one day, then fill in the details for what you WILL accomplish in each of those time slots.

Establish a start date for your two-month project. Write the date on your calendar, and put a huge note in a place you can’t miss to remind yourself of your start date. Know in your heart and mind that it’s an exciting date and you’re looking forward to it.

Arrange for sufficient time to select your topic. This is one of the most important steps in this process because it sets the goal for your research work. If you allow one week to brainstorm ideas and choose a topic that you ’ re passionate about, the rest of your work will go more smoothly and quickly. Note : Not completing this step in the time allotted could mean you won’t be able to complete your thesis, and you might wind up delaying your thesis indefinitely. Stay positive. Stay focused. Complete this step!

Create a working outline. Below are bullet points to get you started. Reject, accept or add more bullet points as needed.

Jot down the key points and ideas that you’ll include in your project
Define how you will arrange your arguments and supporting paragraphs
Establish a method for recording your research notes in such a way that the details almost write themselves
Use your smartphone to take a picture of your bibliography sources from printed materials. Don’t waste precious time writing this down. Let a photographic image be your resource tracker.
Make a short list of anything that you ‘must’ cover and that you don’t want to forget about later.
Make a quick list of your analytical findings that you’ll use in your final statements and resolutions.
Finally, as the thoughts and impressions cross your brain, write down and record the results that you interpret from all your data gathering sessions.

Once you have your outline with you, it is merely a 15-day task to write and proofread your thesis. If you have missed your earlier deadlines for some reason, you can utilize the remaining time by staying focused and active. You will have to dedicate all your time to writing in the last 15 days. Do not let yourself take leave under any circumstances. Write on a regular basis and dedicate at least half of your day to writing your thesis.

To complete your thesis writing project in less than two months, you must have your data and raw material assembled in a digital form that you can quickly look through to extract only the best information you will use during the writing process. Once you have researched your topic thoroughly and you know the results you want to present, the writing process becomes much easier.

Caution : It you begin the writing process with only bits of information, thinking that, if needed, you will stop and collect additional data and then start the writing process again, this could increase the amount of time you need to finish your dissertation. Be careful with this step. When you discipline yourself and proceed according to your deadline dates, you will write at an easier pace. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.

About halfway through your project, you might want to take a two-to-three-hour break to walk in the woods, have a coffee with your friends, or get a little more rest to relax your eyes and hands—and your tense, deadline-driven brain. Reward yourself with a favorite food or beverage, knowing you ’ re half-way finished. That’s good!

Dedicate the last 15 days to writing and editing your thesis. Do not let anything or anyone interfere with this precious time that you ’ ve set aside to reach your goal. Write every day. Write and only write at the same dedicated time. No exceptions.

Hire a reputable academic editor to review your document, and then allow sufficient non-rushed time to make changes, revisions and finish your final draft.

Submit your dissertation. Breathe a sigh of relief. Pat yourself on the back, and go celebrate. You did it!

Things to keep in mind

Following the above procedure and completing your thesis within two months is no mean task. Apart from the meticulous planning elaborated above, there are certain other things which you will need to concentrate on as well. The most important of these is maintaining a positive mindset.

Psychology plays a great role in our success, and it is extremely important when you are trying to complete a thesis in just two months. Practice meditation or spend some time for exercise on a daily basis. This helps to keep your body and mind in good shape and, hence, improve your productivity. Be aware of the situation when you are feeling stressed out and be sure to have a few emergency stress relief mechanisms planned out when needed.

Discipline is also necessary. Successful completion of all the above steps is predicated on your ability to be disciplined throughout the span of work. No compromises should be made on the deadlines that are set up for completing each of the subtasks.

Possessing a good working relationship with your editor also helps make the whole process more efficient. Make sure that you invest some time finding the right editor for you. Maintain a good line of communication and give your editor full cooperation.

While completing a thesis in two months is a tough task, it is definitely achievable. With proper planning, a conducive mindset and efficient execution, the goal can be achieved—even with a bit of time to spare.

Some common grammar mistakes (and how to avoid them), write what you know — with a twist, when to query, about the author.

Candace Sinclair is passionate about turning an author’s words into professional books and web-based content that delivers favorable results. In addition to editing and creating SEO-based content, Candace has ghostwritten more than 300 books and 20 screenplays for individuals and business owners. She has also authored hundreds of her own eBooks, edited thousands of books for authors, and has been traditionally published for more than 25 years. Her passion for editing drives authors to come back to her every time they write a new book, or when they want her expertise. Formerly the VP of Publishing for a major company in the Pacific Northwest, and the owner of three publishing companies, Candace traded in her corporate day job for the opportunity of serving others as a freelance writer, editor, and professional photographer.

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Tips for finishing your PhD thesis on time

Scholar siân lindsay’s research on doctoral completion has yielded valuable insights and practical advice.

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The problems of meeting deadlines are as acute in academia as in any other line of work – if not more so. And perhaps the first high-stakes encounter academics have with this difficult-to-master discipline is the PhD.

Siân Lindsay, lecturer in educational development at City University London, has investigated the process of doctoral completion. She interviewed several PhD candidates at her institution as they were writing up their theses, in a bid to understand the factors that facilitate or obstruct their progress.

Dr Lindsay – who will speak about her project at a Society for Research into Higher Education event in London on 13 June – shared some of her discoveries with Times Higher Education .

“Overwhelmingly, students who were on track to complete their thesis on time had actually written their thesis as they went along,” she said.

“It seems really obvious to say, but the reason students don’t complete on time is because they don’t tend to have their thesis ready.”

She added that it was not particularly important what form such continual writing took, whether drafting chapters or keeping an academic diary, which is what she herself did.

“Every single day I’d write down what I’d done and why I’d done it, because when you write up your thesis you have to justify why you’ve gone in certain directions,” she said.

“Looking back on the diary helped me, particularly in the viva. I could use it to rationalise my decision not to approach it in a certain way.”

Dr Lindsay said she believed that “serial writing”, a term used by Rowena Murray in her book How to Write a Thesis , helped with the development of a thesis because you are not “just ‘telling’ knowledge, you’re ‘developing’ it”.

The second key factor she identified was a proactive supervisor who offered encouragement and feedback during the write-up.

“When you’re writing your thesis it’s very strange because you don’t know where the goalposts are. You can look at other examples of students’ theses, but it’s hard to figure out how your thesis needs to look. So your supervisor is key to guiding you towards what the end product should look like.”

Acknowledging that it was too simplistic to say “make sure you have a good supervisor”, she advised students to be “making and sustaining contact with your supervisor, particularly during write-up”.

“Then there are self-based factors: being motivated, organised, having self-discipline – strategies to understand how you work best,” she said. “Feeling overwhelmed” is common among PhD students, so breaking work into chunks can be a very productive approach.

“Having support and encouragement from friends and family and a good working environment are crucial too,” she added.

Immersing oneself in academic culture was a factor Dr Lindsay also rated highly. “At City we have an annual research symposium and students can present their work and talk about their research,” she said. “That’s so important because it not only prepares you for the viva, but it’s fun to do. Avoiding those offerings by universities is going to tempt you into isolation and wanting to leave the whole process. When you’re talking to other people, you’re getting new ideas and perspectives. It’s refreshing your isolated state of mind.”

Meanwhile, Dr Lindsay said that she was surprised at how few students had told her that they had “let their thesis fall by the wayside” because they had run out of money.

“A lot of the students went and sought part-time work anyway,” she said. “While they were writing they could have that part-time job as a distraction and it helped to structure the process. But being in full-time employment was a big no-no.”

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The done deal: Siân Lindsay’s top tips on finishing your thesis on time

Continual writing during your research project is key; don’t leave writing to the very end, as then the task of writing your thesis may seem impossible. Remember that the very act of writing things down can help you develop your ideas.
Making and sustaining supervisor contact and supervisory support is essential, especially when nearing the end.
Immerse yourself in academic culture and get talking about your research at conferences and research symposia. It is worth trying to publish in a peer-reviewed journal. This will be a valuable confidence boost for your viva.
Don’t get a full-time job, even if you are sorely tempted. However, a part-time job could work in your favour because it could help to structure your time, providing a break from unhelpful spells of isolation and giving you an anchor to the rest of the world.
Support and understanding from friends and family is important. Talk to them about the challenges you may be experiencing, especially during the final stages.
Find a writing-up environment that works best for you and minimises unhelpful distractions.
Reflect on what drives you to write your thesis. Breaking the task into manageable chunks with self-imposed deadlines works well for most, and being organised is paramount.

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Tips for Completing Your PhD Thesis on Time

Completing a PhD course is undoubtedly one of the most fulfilling pursuits for academics. Recently, however, a new term arose: ABD (“All but Dissertation”). ABD refers to students who have completed their coursework and passed the exam, but have yet to complete and defend their theses. Indeed, ABD students are more common than previously thought. The PhD Completion Project revealed that the ten-year cumulative completion rate for PhD students ranges from 64% (engineering) to 49% (humanities). While not all students advance to the doctoral writing stage before dropping out, a significant portion do, based on these numbers. Leaving graduate school without finishing your thesis has psychological and occupational consequences. Completing your thesis on time is, therefore, essential for career advancement and personal growth.

Overcoming a Time Crunch

Being pressed for time will likely happen, especially if you are holding down a part-time job during your doctoral studies. The pressure to finish is greatest during the last year of your PhD and this is usually the time when conflicts and tensions arise. There are tips that can help you finish your PhD on time , even when you’re pressed for it.

Prepare an action plan for your last year. This will help you optimize the time that you have left and avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the things that you have to do.
Clarify your priorities. Ask yourself what you intend to finish first and stick to it. It may be helpful to break down your priorities into smaller and simpler tasks.
“The truth can wait.” That is, it is vital to start writing your doctoral thesis once you have your data, even if more can be done.
Know all the rules and regulations of the university. Prepare a list of all the documents and papers that you will need before you need them. This will help you avoid pitfalls in your last year.
Familiarize yourself with software. Producing scientific documents entails the use of specific programs, such as LaTeX. While the program may not be as easy to understand as other editors, there are marked advantages such as ease in publication and faster manipulation of images.
Pay attention to your career. While you may think that this is not the best time to think about your career , it is. Your career should follow suit after your doctoral studies, and focusing on what lies ahead will help you frame the current situation.

Key Tasks for Finishing Your PhD on Time

Finishing your PhD thesis on time is not as daunting as it sounds. Although many students will be pressed for time, completing your study is possible with a little ingenuity from your part.

First, ensure that you meet all the PhD requirements set by your institution. Never presume anything without double-checking with your institution and your supervisor. This can save you from a lot of wasted time and stress.
Keep a good perspective. Your peers are unlikely to read your thesis , but they are likely to read journals and articles resulting from it.
Contrary to what most people say, your introduction should be written last. Breaking your thesis into defined stages is important for success. On that same note, your conclusion also should be written last.
Get familiar with project management applications, such as Trello.
Buy your own laser printer. This will save you from having to rush elsewhere to have your drafts printed. It will save you time and money as well.
Get feedback on the entire thesis—from start to finish. Getting feedback for individual chapters is fine, but you should aim to get feedback on the entire work.
“Begin with the end in mind.” Make sure you know when your doctoral studies are supposed to end, and when your work will be considered as done.

Planning and Writing Your Thesis

Breaking down your tasks into manageable blocks is one way to ensure that you actually finish the entire thing. There are plenty of techniques to help you along the way, such as the 25-minute Pomodoro for academic writing. Undoubtedly, writing your thesis is at least as hard as performing the actual study, but it is never impossible. With the right tools at your disposal and a positive mindset, you can finish your PhD on time. Below is a checklist of things that you need to do to get to graduation day.

Draft your proposal and research design
Acquire IRB consent
Pilot study
Gather data and information for your study
Analyze your data
Write, write, and write some more . Ideally, aim to write for a minimum of 30 minutes a day
Defend your thesis

Completing your PhD paper on time is definitely possible. Knowing the tips and tricks of the trade can help you to get on your way towards a life in academia.

Thanks for the very useful article to complete the Ph.D. thesis before the deadline. The doctorate course is very difficult for the student so the student could not able to complete the work on time. But your article helps to finish the article to complete the work for the students.

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A 5 step program for finishing your PhD (finally!)

Part of the fun of being Thesis Whisperer is the emails I get from all around the world. Many of them outline classic PhD student dilemmas, which are excellent blog fodder, such as this one, from Laura S:

Have you, or have you considered anything along the lines of *actually finishing* writing? I can produce writing like nobody’s business, and get well on my way into a paper. Finishing, however, is agony. I think this is in part because I’m a lateral thinker and a perfectionist. I’m sure you are familiar with these traits! It is also, however (as I’ve recently discovered) a particular challenge for folks with ADHD. Discovering as an adult that I had ADHD has been a real light on a lot of my patterns and tendencies, so when I feel ready (i.e. more research) I would be happy to contribute a couple of blogs on the topic if you are interested and think it would be helpful to others.

Now, I can’t talk about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder specifically because I am not an expert, but I do know a thing or two about finishing a piece of writing. The ‘ Thesis Bootcamp ’ program I run at ANU helps PhD students who have run out of time to complete their dissertation. The program is insanely popular, but it’s expensive to run. We can only take 26 people from up to 100 applicants, so we must choose people who are most at risk of dropping out. We look for people who have done most of the thinking and just need to write. Our selection strategy means most of our Bootcampers have faced significant challenges along the way, such as failed experiments, ill-health and conflict with advisors. Despite these issues, most of these people just need to sit down and, well – write. Sadly they can’t seem to do this on their own because they feel ‘stuck’. It’s almost like they have late stage dissertation constipation.

At thesis Bootcamp, we use a range of strategies to help people move on from this ‘stuck’ feeling. We are proud that everyone who spends a weekend with us writes at least 5000 words, and many write more. At least a couple of people hit our ‘stretch goal’ of 20,000 words. After watching over 400 people go through this program, I’ve got a good idea of what it takes to finish a dissertation. Below is my patented, trialled and tested 5 step program for drawing a line under your PhD studies and calling it done.

Step one: identify what is holding you back

In my experience, there is a range of factors at play in people feeling unable to finish, but most people are held back by fear. Some people are in a comfortable rut and fear what comes next after their PhD – especially if the job market for their skill set is unclear. Other people are perfectionists – functional or otherwise- who fear the dissertation they are crafting will not pass. Others fear confrontation with their supervisor over the content of the dissertation.

Unpacking the feelings with a professional therapist is the best way I know to put these fears to rest, which is why we hire at least one for the Bootcamp weekend (sometimes we have two!). Having a therapist on hand while confronting the fear of finishing is amazingly powerful. Some people who have resisted therapy in the past are finally free to share their concerns with an expert who can help them lay those fears to rest. Later these therapy resisters tell me that confronting their fear of writing helped them with other issues too. Some have saved their marriage, others have got divorced, some change careers or cities – some even decide to drop out of their PhD. The program is meant to stop the dropouts of course, but I figure that helping a person move on with their life without the PhD is sometimes the best outcome.

Step two: commit to it

Some people have a habit of restarting their writing (or even their whole project) over and over again. The reason for restarting all the time seems rational until you dig a bit deeper and see a pattern that stretches right back to the beginning of candidature. Restarting over and over is a symptom of perfectionism: if you feel like your writing is misshapen and ugly, working with the text long enough to finish provokes a range of unpleasant feelings. One way to avoid the feelings is by starting again with a ‘clean slate’. Other people have trouble committing to a structure for the dissertation. These people can be functional perfectionists, who are willing to accept their ‘bad writing’ but get obsessed with finding the perfect structure for the whole work. You will never find the perfect structure because it’s an illusion. A dissertation is a story of the research done, that’s all. You could tell at least10 different stories; some will be better or worse, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter because the PhD endeavour is a pass/fail proposition. Perfect is the enemy of done. Just find a structure and stick with it long enough to get the whole thing written.

Another good avoidance strategy is to funnel creative energy into side projects. Instead of finishing the (now slightly boring) big project, I encounter people who are getting stuck into journal papers, articles, blogs, podcasts – you name it! There is always another creative distraction if you look for i. It’s easier, in the moment, to go for immediate gratification ahead of long term benefits.

I don’t want to shame anyone for these behaviours – I’ve done many of them myself. There’s no need to beat yourself up. In fact, the shame spiral just makes things worse. If you really want to finish, learning to focus is crucial. In the first instance, just notice and be aware of your behaviour. Noticing helps you develop strategies to counter the unhelpful patterns. When you feel like starting over again because you hate what you have written, put it away for a day or two and then come back. I guarantee the writing isn’t as bad as you thought it was when you come back to it. Self-talk helps too. When the feelings that everything you write is shit well up, say out loud: ‘ok, it isn’t perfect, but it will have to do for now’, or ‘I’ll come back to this later, let’s move on’. Self-talk can help you suspend judgment and just keep writing – which is most of the trick to finishing after all.

Step Three: Write the conclusion before you finish

In my What do examiners really want? workshop, I advise people who are to write a draft of the conclusion to their dissertation at around the six-month mark. The suggestion always gets funny looks, but there’s method in my madness. Writing the conclusion sometimes helps you think through your methods: what experiments or data gathering would you need to do to prove anything you said? Writing a draft of your conclusion also forces you to surface assumptions and biases so that you can be aware of them as you process your data. People ask whether writing the conclusion early is ‘cheating’. Of course, it would be if you just constructed the whole project to ‘prove’ what you thought in the first place – that isn’t research. My view is, writing the conclusion early is acceptable as long as you:

consciously write the conclusion draft as a thought exercise only and/or
use the draft as part of the development of your project and method, and
take the opportunity to examine and critique your own biases.

Writing the conclusion can work when you are close to the end as well. When you’ve finished most of the other writing, doing the conclusion can usefully narrow the scope of what remains to be written. The conclusion fixes your endpoint and forces you to commit to finishing – sort of like aiming an arrow at a target. Give it a try and see.

Step Four: list it out

When you have written the conclusion, start a list about what you want to achieve in the piece of writing and tick it off as you go. Making a list forces you to articulate a pathway to the end and define what ‘finished’ means. For example, at the moment I am working on a journal article about what non-academic employers want, using job ads as data. Here’s my list of provisional goals for the paper:

Why is it important to know what non-academic employers want?
Tell the reader why using job ads is a good approach and how you have used them.
Explain the key findings – particularly the unexpected ones
Explain the new curriculum model and how it could be used in research education and policy development.

The list is not a writing outline – I can address these points in any order I want to. The paper will be ‘finished’ when I’ve written about everything on the list to my satisfaction, so I try to keep the list as short as possible. After the first brainstorm, I leave it for a few days, review it (or share it with co-authors) and then finalise the ‘master list’. I then pretend the master list is not allowed to be altered. This forces me to commit. In my experience, this mind game is remarkably effective, but it only works for short pieces, so if you are employing this technique for a dissertation, do a goal list for each chapter.

Step Five: Imagine life without the dissertation

At Bootcamp we ask people to write on a single post-it note a fun, non-work thing they have been putting off doing. The answers range from ‘sleeping as long as I want’ to ‘having a baby’ or ‘riding a motorcycle around Sicily’. We then encourage people to imagine how they will feel when they do those things they have put off. People sit with dreamy smiles on their faces as they contemplate the bliss of a dissertation free life complete with babies, motorcycle rides and endless sleep (well, not all at once – I don’t think those things are compatible really!). We encourage people to keep the post-it note as a handy reminder of the long term rewards they can have if they do the boring, finishing bit first. Some people tell me they hang on to this encouraging piece of paper for years afterwards!

Ultimately, if you decide to finish, you will. And that’s all I have to say on the subject of Taming your PhD. Why don’t you go off now and do it?

How to write 10,000 words a day

PhD detachment

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The Duck of Minerva

10 steps to finishing a phd thesis (or book) in 6 months.

by Megan MacKenzie

12 December 2012, 0003 EST

Most academics will admit to themselves and students that the majority of dissertations and books are written in a 6 month block of time (the remainder of the post focuses on a PhD process, but it can be easily applied to book writing). I’m talking here about the WRITING process- not the research, figuring out the question, organizing the chapters etc (no wizard can do all that in 6 months- at least not this wizard). But once you’ve done your (field) research, reading, thinking through the chapters, taking notes etc. it really should only take you 6 months to finish the thesis. For PhD students this is referred to as the end of the faffing about/procrastination/reading gawker and people.com daily/existential crisis about the structure of the thesis phase and the start of the “time to suck it up, close the office door, shut off the email, and just f#$@king write” phase.

So how can one get a complete draft of the thesis done in 6 months? Here is the 10-Step Process to Completion.

1. Figure out what your D-Day is. Look ahead approximately 6 months and determine either when you would like to submit a full draft or else acknowledge when you MUST complete (maybe the last date before you have to pay for an extra semester of tuition, maybe your committee members are leaving for sabbatacle after a certain date, maybe your partner has threatened to leave if you don’t finish by a particular date, maybe you want to finish before you give birth)- whatever it is, get the date and highlight it on all your calendars and write it up in a threatening font and paste it to your wall (I used the final date as my email password so I had to enter it everyday as a reminder….and no, I don’t still use the same password).

2. Count back from that date and clarify how much time you have left. Is it 6 months or slightly more or less? Count the number of weeks (ie 24), then acknowledge any potential periods within that time frame where you know you won’t be working (Holidays, attending a wedding etc). Now you have your total number of weeks until D-Date.

3. Panic. Yes, coming to terms with the fact that you’ve got 22 weeks to crack out a thesis before you will be faced with an extra semester of tuition sucks. Revel in the panic for a day, it will ultimately be motivating. Ask yourself how many more times you want to get questioned about “still being in school” from family members during the holidays, think about how it would feel if the student in your tutorials become your grad-student colleagues, calculate what your retirement (non)savings plan will look like if you are a student for another year- now take that panic and zen-force it into writing fuel.

4. Set out a work plan. Using the 22 week example, make a list of each of the chapters that you need to write. Start with the chapters that you feel most confident with (ie the ones that may be partially written or are based on an article or conference presentation you’ve already done). Now calculate how many weeks you can spend on each chapter and still stay within your 22 week budget. Try to be realistic (most people can’t write a decent chapter from scratch in 1 week, but you can probably revise an article and build it into a chapter in 2 weeks).

5. Panic. This is the “holy SH*T I’m never going to be able to finish” stage. Again, revel in it for an afternoon. Acknowledge fully that your days of 2-hour coffee sessions and showing up to the office hungover at 11am are over. Say goodbye to facebook, better yet, unplug or delink your office computer from the internet for all but one hour a day (most research related searches leads to an hour staring at fashion.com or somehow reading about Jessica Simpson’s second pregnancy- you know it, and I know it, so just fix the problem)

6. Based on the timeline you set at stage 4 break every week up into smaller tasks. For example, if you known you only have 2 weeks to revise a chapter and update it, break down the list of tasks that will be required and give yourself specific things to accomplish everyday (this could include reading 3 articles and incorporating the work into the chapter, revising the conclusion section etc). Again, be reasonable. I recommend writing out your weekly and daily goals up on a big piece of paper and sticking it to the wall, or getting a white board and having everything clearly laid out. You’ll look like Russel Crow from a Beautiful Mind hunched over your desk with maps and outlines everywhere- but whatever. When you finish your tasks for the day reward yourself by going home or heading out for coffee- conversely, if completing the days task means you need to stay late, so be it. Also, if you get off-track from an illness or unexpected distraction, don’t throw in the towel and abandon the whole plan. Instead, try to revamp the schedule and redistribute the tasks so that you can reasonably get back on the rails. Getting sick for a day or two is no excuse for throwing the entire plan into the garbage.

7. Set weekly rewards for yourself. Use the internet as a reward- surf through the Duck of Minerva after you’ve edited for an hour straight. Give yourself 15 minutes of Jon Stewart when you finally revise the intro you’ve been working on.

8. Make a list of brainless tasks and set it aside. Footnotes, grammar and spelling checks, looking for a lost resource are all things you should do at the end of the day or when you are feeling like a zombie. When you have to do this type of work, throw on some reggae music or whatever makes you feel good and pretend you are not doing the devil’s work.

9. Everyone says it, but you really need to do it: set a word goal everyday. In addition to your specific tasks- free write for at least an hour everyday and remind yourself that during this time you don’t need to worry about perfection. No one will read this first spewing of ideas but it will provide you with something to revise and rework into a legible chapter.

10. Let go. Get over the idea of your first draft being an earth-shattering opus and let go of your identity as a PhD student holed-up in the office writing. You will NEVER finish if you wait for perfection or if you get too attached to your student status. For me, and for most others, the best parts of my research life started POST PhD. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy the process and revel in the time and environment you are privileged with as a grad student- just don’t cling to it like a security blanket.

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Megan MacKenzie

Megan MacKenzie is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney in Australia. Her main research interests include feminist international relations, gender and the military, the combat exclusion for women, the aftermaths of war and post-conflict resolution, and transitional justice. Her book Beyond the Band of Brothers: the US Military and the Myth that Women Can't Fight comes out with Cambridge University Press in July 2015.

https://www.cambridge.org/ee/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/international-relations-and-international-organisations/beyond-band-brothers-us-military-and-myth-women-cant-fight?format=PB

10 Comments

I’ve found it useful to set a word count target for each work day and to track my progress with a spread sheet. Some days I might not make it, but tracking over time allows me to ensure that on average I am on target. It also let’s me be accountable to myself.

wouldn’t take advice from someone who spells sabbatical “sabbatacle”…

OMG. A spelling troll! I haven’t seen one of those in years. Quick, someone take a picture before it disappears.

It sure is a “spectical” to see.

And it’s still going. How adorable.

anon. read the Phenomenology of Error (it is a short essay; and, maybe read Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue), watch the “grammar Nazis” Hitler clip on Youtube, talk to a therapist about the source of your anal retentive tendencies, and, finally, realize that those of us who know way more about this subject than you (linguistics profs, comp-rhet folk, et al) say you’re response is simply an ad hominem serving Empires (both past and present) and amounts to a stupid, stupid comment for a highly educated person to make.

Cause here’s the thing: countless brilliant people have been bad spellers, comma placers, etc. (like Einstein, F, Scott Fitzgerald, or Shakespeare, to mention just a very, very few). However, only a complete fool would confuse Einstein or Shakespeare’s lack of grammar/spelling hygiene for intelligence, correct?

I feel very identified, good post!

I’ve read your post. Obviously, it is really informative. But the format you scratch recommendations diverse from the phd dissertation writing service although they claim them-selves when expert phd dissertation writer.

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How to write a masters thesis in 2 months [Easy steps to start writing]

Writing a master’s thesis is completely possible to write a thesis within two months as long as you stay completely focused on your writing and you do a little bit every single day. I was able to write my thesis (master’s and PhD) in approximately two months – but I did have some of the sections already prepared.

To complete your master’s thesis in two months you should start by creating an outline of the sections and headings of your thesis. Then, worked diligently to fill in the gaps with data and analysis.

It would help if you create a schedule of how many sections you need to complete a day to write up in two months.

Also, it is important that you get your supervisor on board from the earliest opportunity so that they understand the urgency and their responsibility of getting any drafts back to you in a timely fashion.

How long does it take to write a master’s or graduate thesis?

Writing a graduate thesis can be a long and arduous process that can take anywhere from one month to many years.

It is essential to start writing your thesis early in your final year of graduate school, as it requires extensive research, data collection and analysis, in addition to the actual writing.

It is important that you go into the thesis writing portion of your degree with as much of the data analysis done as possible.

When you are writing you want to focus 100% on the production of words on a page.

Depending on the topic and depth of study, it can take anywhere from six weeks to two or three months just to complete the first draft.

This is followed by further revisions and edits before finalizing the dissertation.

My 8 tips on how to write a thesis or dissertation in two months

Writing a thesis or dissertation in two months can be a daunting task, but it is certainly possible. This assumes that you have all of the data analysis done and you are literally just writing up what you have found.

Here are eight tips that can help you finish writing your thesis in 30 days:

Start by breaking up the task into manageable chunks and set deadlines for each stage of the process. This will make it easier to stay on track and not become overwhelmed by the whole project.
Make sure to give yourself enough time to do a thorough literature review, as this is an important part of any thesis or dissertation. Many people have already completed the literature review in the early stages of their graduate degree. Revisit and use as much of this literature review is possible and add the research from recent years.
Write your first draft as quickly as possible; don’t worry too much about grammar and spelling right now, that comes later. It is all about getting the words out onto the page as quickly as possible.
Set aside some time every day for writing your thesis; even if it’s only an hour or two, this will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the entire writing process. I used to work in two hour blocks. I was able to squeeze three of these in a day which meant I got a lot of writing done.
Don’t forget to use helpful tools like Grammarly to ensure the quality of your work is at its highest level before submitting it for review.
Take regular breaks during your writing sessions; this will help you stay fresh and focused on what needs to be done next. I used to take a break every two hours away from my screen and ensure that I refuelled with good food and caffeine.
Seek feedback from other PhD students or experts in your field; getting constructive criticism can help you improve the quality of your thesis significantly before submitting. However, do not allow people to sit on the draft for ages. We need a quick turnaround if we are going to complete your thesis in two months.
Finally, plan ahead and stick to deadlines; this will help keep you on track with completing your thesis in a month’s time!

If you want to know more about how to finish a masters thesis in two months check out my other video where I show you the unglamorous trues about writing a thesis.

Understanding what you are going into and what is likely to happen is half the battle.

If you want to know more about how long a Masters’s thesis and PhD dissertation is you can check out my other articles:

How Long is a Masters Thesis? [Your writing guide]
How long is a PhD dissertation? [Data by field]
Is writing a masters thesis hard? Tips on how to write a thesis

What are the common structures of a Masters’s thesis?

The common structure of a thesis or dissertation usually includes:

the main text,
literature review,
methodology,
results and discussions
conclusions

Depending on the school and field of study, there may be additional elements such as appendices.

Generally speaking, the first step in writing a thesis or dissertation is to create a literature review that assesses relevant academic sources related to the topic at hand. This is typically done in the early stages of your research project so you can reuse many parts of your literature review in your thesis. Just make sure you update it with new information.

Then, the methodology section outlines how research was conducted and what methods were used.

The main text presents your findings and conclusions based on your research and the final part of the thesis is to summarise everything you have just written in an abstract.

Each section must be written with clarity and accuracy in order to be accepted by graduate school. However, initially you only have to worry about getting your ideas out onto the page – you can refine them for clarity and accuracy in the editing stage.

Here are all of the sections of a typical master’s thesis and how to write them quickly.

Introduction/literature review

The introduction and literature review are an important part of any academic paper. It outlines the topic, provides background information, and introduces the research question.

The introduction is typically the first section of a paper and should explain the general context and importance of the research being undertaken.

The literature review follows the introduction and provides an overview of relevant previous studies, theories, or debates related to the paper’s research question.

This section may include summaries of key articles or books that have been published on the topic, as well as alternative perspectives and arguments.

A strong literature review will provide a comprehensive summary of prior work while also identifying gaps in knowledge that can be addressed by the current study.

Reuse your literature review from the early stages of your project and update it with more recent publications.

Methodology in a thesis

this is the part of the thesis which details the methods used in researching and writing the paper.

The methodology should include information on how data was collected, analyzed, and interpreted.

I quite often like to start with the methodology because it feels like I am making a lot of progress whilst it being a relatively easy to write.

Feel free to look at other people’s theses that have used the same techniques and follow a similar format that they used. It is common for research groups to share their methodology sections with each other including any schematics required to describe your research process.

You can republish these as long as you reference the appropriate studies and people.

It can also explain why certain methods were chosen over others and provide justification for any assumptions made during the research process.

Results and discussion

Results and discussion provide a platform to present the findings of a research study.

They are essential components of any research paper as they provide an opportunity to analyze and interpret the data collected during the study.

Results typically include descriptive statistics, tables, figures, or graphs that display the main outcomes of the research.

These are what you should place under the headings first.

Create a story with the figures and tables you have already created throughout your research. If you haven’t done them already, create the figures and tables that display your data before writing.

The discussion section should explain how these results relate to prior studies and answer the original research question posed in the introduction.

It should also discuss any limitations or unexpected findings that emerged from the study, as well as potential implications for future research.

Conclusions in a thesis

Conclusions in a thesis are important because they provide readers with a final summary of the main points and themes discussed throughout the thesis.

The conclusion should not introduce any new information, but rather draw on existing evidence to summarize the overall argument presented in the thesis.

It should also reiterate the main points of the paper and include implications for further study or action that could be taken based on the findings.

Conclusions should be written in clear language, using strong arguments and evidence to support their claims.

It is really important to avoid making broad generalizations or unsubstantiated statements in one’s conclusions as this could weaken an otherwise sound argument.

The abstract of a thesis

The abstract of a thesis is a concise summary of the contents of the entire thesis.

And it should be written as one of the last parts of your thesis.

It should give an overview of all the major aspects discussed in the thesis, such as the research question, methodology, findings and conclusions.

The aim of an abstract is to give potential readers a clear idea of what the full dissertation contains without having to read it word for word.

An effective abstract should be concise and self-contained; it should be able to stand alone without needing any explanation or clarification from outside sources.

It should provide enough detail so that readers can determine whether they have an interest in reading the full dissertation.

Writing motivation

If you want to know more about how to increase your writing motivation check out my other video below.

Wrapping up

this article has been through everything you need to know about if you can write a Masters thesis in two months.

It is completely doable as long as you have all of the appropriate data and figures ready and you are committed to writing consistently throughout the two months.

Another really important part of completing your master’s thesis on time is getting buy in from your supervisors so that they return any drafts as quickly as possible.

Work diligently and consistently and in no doubt that you will be able to finish your master’s thesis in two months.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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Tress Academic

#2: So you want to finish your PhD on time?

March 11, 2019 by Tress Academic

Do you sometimes daydream about the day your PhD is done? The very moment you proudly turn in your dissertation to the faculty and realise you are finished? Your PhD is completed! Such an elevating, happy and memorable moment! But then you slide back into the daily reality of your PhD . . .

You’ve been working on your PhD project for some time already and, with one eye on your work and the other on the calendar, you get the first inkling that you may not make it in time. And if you think a bit further – you feel that creeping fear of what would happen then? No more funding, maybe no supervision, and a scenario of writing up the final bits of your thesis at home?

Or, are you a PhD student who is just starting out and you know that your contract is limited to 3 or 4 years, and you’re 100% committed to and optimistic that you will hand in your dissertation on time? Well, go for it! You can do this.

We’ve got something for everyone here: Get a quick overview on the 5 factors that are the most influential when it comes to PhD completion time !

1. Decide early on project-goals

PhD students often lose an awful lot of time in the beginning months of their PhD projects. Here are a few reasons:

Feeling as if you’ve got lots of time?

Funny, but at the start of a PhD, 3-4 years may seem like an awful lot of time. We often meet PhD students who just started and tell us that ‘there’s not a lot they can do right now . . .’! Are you among those who feel no urgency to get a head-start on the important work for their PhD?

Not feeling ready yet?

Or, do you think you’re not quite ready to identify your project goals and start working, because you don’t know enough about your topic yet, and you want to read more , and more, and then more . . .! Or you’re lining up potential topics for your project but you can’t make a decision which one will be best? So you do a few trials here and there, you look around at what other people are doing and that only creates more ideas, and further confuses your goals!

Do you really believe you will know a lot more after reading a few additional research articles, or waiting two more weeks to make a decision? Well, most of the time the answer is no. Because all you are doing is postponing the decision and potentially delaying your PhD.

Better get a head-start …

Take a few weeks at the beginning to do focused literature research on the state-of-the-art in your field. Be as specific as you can. Then start outlining your project ideas, gradually narrowing them down to the most promising ones. Discuss with your supervisors and further refine your ideas, until you can develop a clear goal for your PhD project .

2. Design your research project to be appropriate

Are you approaching your PhD from an angle of ‘I want to do research on this topic until I know everything about it’? Well, the more you discover, the more you will realise that there are still tons of things that you don’t know. The more questions you answer, the more new ones will pop up. And that’s ok. But you can’t learn it all in your PhD years . If you are enjoying research and you make it your career choice, you can spend a lifetime researching the topics you are interested in, and dig in really, really deep. But PhD projects often are so big and time-consuming, that even if you were a superhuman it would be virtually impossible to complete on time.

Make your project fit the time you have available for it

For your PhD project, the smarter way to approach it is to say: ‘Alright, I’ve got 3 years’ (or 4 or 5 depending on your country, funding, contract etc.) time to do my PhD. I need a project that fits to that!’ You need a sleek, smart, and innovate project that can be completed in this time span. Pick research questions and experiments that will yield enough promising and publishable results to allow for timely completion with high quality. Make sure your project is the adequate size so that you can manage.

3. Be focused

Are you enjoying the freedom you have to decide what to work on and how you spend your time? Do you feel like it’s a massive bonus to be able to work at your own pace and preferences? But maybe you also realise that it’s sometimes a bit of a challenge.

Do you know how your days pass by?

How do you currently spend your time? Yeah, seriously. We know you’re doing research for a PhD, but how do you spend your time in a more narrow sense? How do your days pass by? On a weekly basis, how much of your working time is devoted to advancing your PhD?

We’re asking, because many PhD students struggle to spend their time in the most meaningful way. Are you among those doing a bit of work here and there, trying out stuff that might or might not end up in your PhD project? Or do you catch yourself daydreaming, surfing the web, or spending a lot of time on social media? Do you join interesting but (for you) irrelevant meetings or activities, and spend an awful lot of time chatting with colleagues, answering simple e-mails, or preparing another party with your roommates?

Are you postponing important stuff?

We know that it is so easy to go astray and busy yourself with easy-to-do tasks. But it is much more difficult to sit down and tackle the difficult stuff surrounding your PhD . It takes courage and discipline to sort out your research questions, and it takes willpower and a sharp intellect to work on difficult tasks for your project every single day.

The problem with this kind of work-pattern is that you’re losing time fast . It doesn’t take a dramatic turn of events to suddenly postpone your research. Simply losing a few hours every day due to unfocused or unnecessary work is steadily eroding your time budget. And without even noticing, you pile up a big delay.

Focus on the most important tasks

The good news with this problem is that your work-behaviour is in your own hands. You can change it – and it’ll boost the speed with which you can make progress. They key to solving it is to sharply focus on the crucial tasks and develop a crystal clear sense of what is the most important work that will bring your PhD project ahead.

Ask yourself at the start of every single work day: What is most important task for me to do today so I can get on with my project? What has the biggest impact? Plan your day using a schedule so you know when to do which task. Start with the most difficult or most important task first. Work on this in a 1-2 hour session or for as long as you deem appropriate. For most people this is easiest in the morning and it has the great side-effect, that early in the day you’re done with the most important work! What an amazing confidence booster!

If you want to dig deeper into how to improve your efficiency and daily planning, download our free expert guide ‘How to boost your productivity as a researcher?’ .

Work with a project plan

In order to better estimate the overall demands on your time, work out a project plan for the remaining months of your PhD time so you know what to work on during each period of time. Sit down at the end of each month and take stock. What was your progress in the past four weeks? Are you working according to your schedule? Are you working on the most important tasks?

You may also want to develop the ability to say ‘no’ to unnecessary tasks, irrelevant activities and any other distraction that comes your way.

4. Start writing early

Sure, we know: You did this PhD to do research , and you love and enjoy doing that. Well that’s how it should be and it’s great to hear! But there’s another crucial component of doing research: writing . Researching without reporting is like a banana cake without bananas, or chocolate fudge brownies without the chocolate – it does not exist!

Writing about your findings, insights and discoveries is an essential part in any PhD. One does not exist without the other. This is the way to communicate your interesting results to the scientific community, make your findings available, and help to advance research in your discipline. Ahh yes, and without it you won’t get your degree.

Do you want to keep writing into the later stages of your PhD?

In spite of its importance, there is not enough emphasis on writing or developing writing skills right from the start of a PhD. There’s a very persistent belief among some PhDs (and some supervisors) that first you do your research, then you ‘write it up’. You save it for when you’re done with your research . This is a super problematic approach , because your PhD time is often running out or up by the time you think you can start to write. And then you end up in chaos, and experience an extremely stressful period, where you hastily write as much as you can in a short time span, often producing lower quality work.

Get into the habit of writing regularly

But it does not have to be this way! Writing is a skill that you have to develop . It’s like a muscle that you train up so it’s ready when you need it most!

You’ll achieve the best results and find writing much easier, if you make a habit of writing regularly, e.g. write every day at a particular time for an hour or two. We suggest you adopt a pretty broad attitude as to what constitutes writing tasks that you perform during your writing time. A writing task would be anything that you do that will eventually help you to get your papers for your dissertation or your monograph written.

Here are a few examples: Making notes or excerpts from scientific papers that you read. Also searching for literature, or setting up a reference manager, making a shortlist of journals in which you could publish your work, working on the overall topics for your papers . . . Include all of the above as writing tasks because you need to do them to get your dissertation written.

Get used to writing right from the start of your PhD and writing the essential parts in your dissertation or publishing individual papers for it will literally feel like a piece of cake: Banana or Chocolate – the choice is yours!

5. Line up support

Let everyone around you know that you want to finish on time. If no one knows that this is important to you, because you never speak about it, they’ll assume that you don’t care or it is not a priority for you to complete your PhD at a certain date. So try to get everyone around you to acknowledge your goal of finishing on time and supporting you as far as possible.

Get everyone on board

Tell other PhDs around you. Tell your friends, aunt Annie and your granny and they will take you up on it! Speak about it with your partner or spouse, as it is important for them to follow up on that goal , so you will have their support in difficult times . There will be weeks with a higher than normal workload and you will want to ask them to run for groceries, or drop the kids in pre-school, or do the laundry. There will be times when you’re down and you’ll need them to motivate you, support you, and reinforce your belief in yourself that you can make it in the end.

Get help from your supervisors

Be intentional and purposeful with your work. In your workgroup, with your boss or PI, whenever the discussion about additional tasks or new ideas comes up – emphasise that you want to complete on time . Let your supervisors know right from the start that it is your goal to do a great PhD and complete on time. Explicitly ask for their support and help. Ask them to hold you accountable for what you want to produce and to deliver it in a given time. Ask them to check-in with you regularly to review your progress and the quality of your work.

Yes, you can complete on time!

Now visualise the moment you turn in your dissertation . It will feel so great! You’ll be so proud of yourself and your research. Saviour the feeling of that moment! From now on, tune into this thought every day so you know that one day you will be gratified by your extra effort! Then make sure you put everything in place to move yourself towards this goal. You can make it happen. You can be among those completing on time! Good planning makes a for a happy PhD!

Related resources:

Expert guide: 5 reasons why PhD students delay and how to avoid!
Expert guide: 5 steps to boost your productivity as a researcher!
Smart Academics Blog #47: Plan your project – save your PhD!
Smart Academics Blog #85: Planning your PhD workday
Smart Academics Blog #112: PhD project-planning quick-start

More information:

Do you want to complete your PhD successfully? If so, please sign up to receive our free guides.

Do you know other PhDs who might want to get their PhD done on time? Please share this post with them!

#GetAPhD, #PhDCompletion, #FinishPhD, #PhDStudy

IMAGES

How to finish a PhD thesis quickly
How to write a PhD Thesis
Write PhD thesis in 2 months: 9 Easy Strategy Tips
How To Write a Better PhD Thesis/Dissertation?
Guide to Write a PhD Thesis
How to finish your thesis on time

VIDEO

Writing That PhD Thesis
Mastering the Thesis: A Six-Month Journey
Thesis in 3 Weeks: Day 16
Thesis in 3 Weeks: Day 14
PhD Thesis Writing Advice
Thesis in 3 Weeks: Day 1

COMMENTS

How can I finish my PhD in the next year when I don't have any
If "no," ask how far are these results from a PhD thesis and what else needs to be accomplished. If the gap is small and you feel that you can bridge it within the next half a year, then work on both: Writing your current results and working on bridging the gap. ... then ask how you can possibly finish the work in the next 6 months. A bit more ...
How to finish a PhD thesis quickly
How do you finish a Ph.D. quickly? Well, it takes a lot of dedication and ruthlessness towards how you spend your time. Follow these 5 tips and you'll be abl...
Finishing your PhD thesis: 15 top tips from those in the know
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 ...
Dissertating Like a Distance Runner: Ten Tips for Finishing Your PhD
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.
Write PhD thesis in 2 months: 9 Easy Strategy Tips
Key strategy tips:1) How long is a PhD thesis? You've written annual reports, literature reviews, and methods. Recycle them and use software like Mendeley an...
Write Your PhD Thesis In One Month Or Less
FIGURE 8. EndNote's Cite While You Write function. 2) Intermediate documents: the thesis/dissertation proposal and grant applications. Think of your thesis or dissertation proposal and any grant applications as being a big first step toward the first chapter of your final document: the introduction.
How to Write a Doctoral Dissertation in Two Months
Step 2: On a sheet of lined paper, write time slots down the left column. Next, fill in the blanks for each time slot with a task that you will accomplish that day. Think of it as a tiny check list. You do one thing from 9:00-10:00. Take a 15-minute break. Then from 10:15-11:00, complete the next task. If you can work six hours in one day, then ...
#73: What's needed to finish your PhD?
Phase III: The final phase starts when your research draws to an end. This comes when your research questions are answered, data are gathered, and field-campaigns are completed. Your focus is now on doing remaining analyses, data interpretations, revising papers that came back from review, and on dissertation writing.
Tips for finishing your PhD thesis on time
2. Immersion: talking about their work at symposia can help students stay the course. Source: Getty. The problems of meeting deadlines are as acute in academia as in any other line of work - if not more so. And perhaps the first high-stakes encounter academics have with this difficult-to-master discipline is the PhD.
Finishing a PhD
In the UK, a standard full-time PhD takes between three and four years to complete. If you are a funded student, then your funding body will outline an expected hand-in period. This will usually be six to twelve months after the completion of your third year. If you are on track to finish your PhD late you will be charged continuation fees.
Tips for Completing Your PhD Thesis on Time
Gather data and information for your study. Analyze your data. Write, write, and write some more. Ideally, aim to write for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Defend your thesis. Finish. Completing your PhD paper on time is definitely possible. Knowing the tips and tricks of the trade can help you to get on your way towards a life in academia.
Insider's Guide: Writing A Thesis When You're Short On Time
Instead of inserting "work on thesis" into your calendar, insert measurable goals like "finish Figure 1" or "write two pages of Chapter 2.". 7. Write In Very Short Bursts. Writing in several short bursts is more efficient than writing in a few, long extended periods of time. If you ever tried to write for several hours in a row, you ...
A Guide to Writing a PhD Thesis
A PhD thesis is a work of original research all students are requiured to submit in order to succesfully complete their PhD. The thesis details the research that you carried out during the course of your doctoral degree and highlights the outcomes and conclusions reached. The PhD thesis is the most important part of a doctoral research degree ...
The Thesis Whisperer
Below is my patented, trialled and tested 5 step program for drawing a line under your PhD studies and calling it done. Step one: identify what is holding you back. In my experience, there is a range of factors at play in people feeling unable to finish, but most people are held back by fear. Some people are in a comfortable rut and fear what ...
What to do if you only have 3 months left to finish your PhD
How I wrote a PhD thesis in just 3 months: https://jameshaytonphd.com/quick-tips/how-i-wrote-a-phd-thesis-in-3-monthsThe PhD Academy: https://www.phd.academy
My thesis is due in two months. If I do not submit in this ...
it is a post 4 years ago, so I suppose the OP has already moved on the next stage of their life. So my comment is more like a note I left for myself. I am in the same boat now and I really really wish to finish my phd in two months time and leave academia. I want to be free. I want to say to myself that I can do it.
10 Steps to Finishing a PhD Thesis (or book) in 6 Months
10. Let go. Get over the idea of your first draft being an earth-shattering opus and let go of your identity as a PhD student holed-up in the office writing. You will NEVER finish if you wait for perfection or if you get too attached to your student status.
How to write a masters thesis in 2 months [Easy steps to start writing]
Week. Actions. Week 1. Collect all of the data into one place and create a structure with all of the chapters and sections you want to write. Finish up any experiments quickly and make your data as presentable and "thesis ready" as possible. Start putting bullet points under each section so you understand what you want to write in each. Week 2.
PhD Thesis: How to write the first draft in 3 months
Prioritize sleep and exercise. Work smartly. Plan, reflect, and adapt. 1. Commit publicly. The first thing to do is to decide on a realistic date. The emphasis is on realistic. Make sure that you ...
#2: So you want to finish your PhD on time?
Get used to writing right from the start of your PhD and writing the essential parts in your dissertation or publishing individual papers for it will literally feel like a piece of cake: Banana or Chocolate - the choice is yours! 5. Line up support. Let everyone around you know that you want to finish on time.
How I wrote a PhD thesis in 3 months
7. Targets and consistency. I set myself a target of 3 months, broken down into targets for each chapter. This would give me about 3 months in reserve before the final absolute deadline. I had a daily minimum target of 500 words, which I knew I could meet even on the least productive days.