Writing and Research Tips
Finishing Your Dissertation
25th August 2022
The Challenges of Dissertation Writing Dissertations are huge projects. They are often the biggest, most extensive undertaking that a graduate student has been tasked with completing up to that point of his or her academic career.Dissertation Writing Tips
25th August 2022
Dissertation Writing Tips Writing a dissertation is a marathon rather than a sprint and it’s important to remember that slow and steady wins the race.Dissertation Isolation Syndrome
25th August 2022
The process of writing a dissertation or thesis can be incredibly isolating. You seclude yourself for days on end with nothing but books, pages on a computer screen, and your own thoughts.Go on the Job Market - Without a Finished Dissertation?
25th August 2022
Tackling the professional world (especially the academic one) is already challenging enough, but doing so while you are writing your dissertation is just a bad idea—or is it? Melissa Dennihy recently did just that, and wrote a detailed article about her experiences doing so with Inside Higher Ed.Helpful Dissertation-Writing Blogs
25th August 2022
Writing a dissertation can be a long, lonely, difficult process. Dissertation writing is filled with highs and lows, exciting and dull stretches, moments of elation and despair.Dissertation Writing Practice
25th August 2022
At the start of my PhD program, a member of my dissertation committee told me something that I never thought would help me finish my degree: “There will come a point in your graduate school career where you will think you are dying.Running an Effective Dissertation Writing Group
25th August 2022
Forming a writing group is a great way to combat the feelings of isolation that can come with dissertation writing.Avoiding Digital Distraction while Writing Your Dissertation
25th August 2022
It happens all too easily. One moment you're staring at your dissertation on your computer screen, trying to work through a tough sentence or idea.Dissertation Formatting Tips: Citing Digital Sources
25th August 2022
Dissertation formatting can be challenging enough as it is – there are so many meticulous details to pay attention to, and it's crucial to adhere to the formatting and citation style prescribed by your institution or department.What is a Dissertation Committee Supposed to Do, Anyhow?
25th August 2022
Your dissertation committee is a team of professors who are meant to provide expertise, guidance, mentorship, and dissertation help.Summertime Dissertation Writing: How to Stay On Task When the Sunshine Beckons
25th August 2022
Summer! The sun is out, the beach is beautiful, and it's time to relax, right? Well, for those who have dissertations to write, summer is perhaps less a chance to kick back, and more of a chance to get some serious work done in the absence of the regularly scheduled demands of the academic year.Dissertation Research Help: Scholarly Sources
25th August 2022
When you are researching your dissertation, you will need to make extensive use of scholarly sources.How to Safeguard Your Mental Health from the Hidden Costs of a PhD
25th August 2022
In the right circumstances, earning a PhD can be an amazing undertaking. It gives you the opportunity to grow as an intellectual and a thinker.Dissertation Help: Creating the Perfect Dissertation Workspace
25th August 2022
I often fantasize about my perfect office. It would be at the top of a tall building, and my desk would be in front of a window with a great view.Formatting Friday #1: The Importance of Proper Formatting
25th August 2022
Welcome to our new blog series, Formatting Friday! Every Friday, we’ll be looking at a topic in formatting.Plagiarism: What it Is, and How to Avoid It
25th August 2022
One of the most common inquiries we get from graduate students is whether we can check for plagiarism; another common type of email is that of a student wanting us to go over the TurnItIn report and “fix” the plagiarism that was found.Thoughtful Thursday: Anxiety about Writing
25th August 2022
Anxiety during graduate school is normal, and a small amount of anxiety can actually be healthy. However, if it starts interfering with work, daily routine, or mood, it can be a sign of a problem.Scholarly Writing: Words and Phrases to Avoid in Your Dissertation
25th August 2022
Academic writing is much different than writing for the general population, and it can take some time to get acclimated.Dissertation Writing Tips: Tightening up Your Academic Writing
25th August 2022
When editors write things like “tighten this up!” or talk about “tightening up” during a consultation, they’re not referring to physical fitness! Tightening up a piece of writing, whether it’s academic or creative, means cutting the excess, streamlining the ideas, and getting to the point.Dissertation Writing Tips: How to Improve and Strengthen Your Writing
25th August 2022
Nathaniel Hawthorne once said “Easy reading is damn hard writing.” He was right, of course. Good writing takes time and practice, and even if you have a natural inclination toward writing, it’s still not easy.Dissertation Writing Tips: How to Paraphrase
25th August 2022
Avoiding plagiarism is a central focus when you’re writing your dissertation, and part of that involves paraphrasing the research you read.Dissertation Writing Tips: Writing Transitions
25th August 2022
Many clients come to Dissertation Editor with notes from the professor that say “choppy,” or they’re told that their ideas need to flow better.How to Utilize National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), Even for Your Dissertation!
25th August 2022
It’s November, and it’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Although it was developed for people writing novels, many people use it to write nonfiction.Dissertation Writing Tips: Helpful Writing Software
25th August 2022
We know that the best advice to get started with writing is just to write. But there are definitely tools that help make the process less arduous (see our favorite books about writing here).Organizing Your Dissertation: A Reverse Outline
25th August 2022
You’re probably familiar with using an outline to help plan your thesis or dissertation, but what about a reverse outline? A reverse outline is usually used to check your work.The Benefits of Journaling in Graduate School
25th August 2022
When was the last time you journaled? For many of us, it was as angsty teens, or kids who kept a diary.How Close Reading Can Help Your Academic Writing
25th August 2022
In the book Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose examines the link between reading and writing, and how reading informs writing, and vice versa.Writing 1000 Words a Day (or 750, or 500...)
25th August 2022
Did our blog headline get your attention? Great! We thought it would. Too good to be true, you might be asking? Nope.Academic Writing Tips: How to Declutter Your Writing
25th August 2022
It’s important to get words down on the page. Without it, you don’t have a thesis or dissertation.How Do You Know if You Have the Right Dissertation/Thesis Topic?
25th August 2022
Many people spend a lot of time wondering how to choose a thesis or dissertation topic, but how do you know when you have the right one? Well, it can be different for everyone, including how you define “the right topic,” but there are a few ways to know you’ve picked a good topic.Finding and Maintaining your Motivation during the Dissertation Process
25th August 2022
Most people writing a dissertation have heard the comparisons to a “marathon, not a sprint.” While that’s not wrong, sometimes that’s not entirely helpful, either.
Some of our Favorite Books on Academic Writing
25th August 2022
I’m a big reader. If I’m facing a problem or difficulty, I like to read books or articles about it – about people who’ve faced similar situations, or instructions on how to make it easier.
Thoughtful Thursday: Books About Science that Everyone Should Read
25th August 2022
It’s the tail end of winter break for many of you, and hopefully you've been able to take at least some time off from writing and research and enjoy some free time, get some sleep, get outside and play in the snow, or do some “pleasure reading.
Write Every Day
21st September 2020
Writing is central for both working on a thesis and for a career in academia.
Literature Review Writing Tips
16th September 2020
It's Time to Write Your Literature Review! So, you’ve finished your coursework and passed your exams.
Clear Communication with Your Thesis Supervisor
27th August 2020
Your relationship with your thesis supervisor is important. Both the quality of your post-graduate school experience and the success of your thesis depend a lot on how well you work with your supervisor.
Dealing with Feedback
25th August 2020
This blog post might be difficult to read. That isn't a bad thing! Receiving feedback can be uncomfortable, but what you do with the feedback is important.
