Writing a thesis. You would think it gets easier the second time around, but it does not. After a lot of trial and error (and learning the hard way), I have picked up some techniques that have helped me over the years. Everyone develops their own habits, but if this helps even one student, I will be happy. Here is what I have learned;
Take those Comments Seriously
First off, take your thesis supervisor’s comments and suggestions seriously. It might seem obvious, but there will be times when you think you know better or disagree with your supervisor. In those moments, don’t ignore their feedback. Instead, explain politely why you disagree and how you would approach the problem differently. It is great to have your own ideas, but remember, your supervisor usually has a lot of knowledge on the topic and is trying to help you.
Better Save than Sorry
Always save your files somewhere accessible in case your laptop crashes. This might seem obvious too, but it is easy to overlook. I learned this the hard way. For your thesis document, consider using Google Drive. I highly recommend LaTeX, which automatically saves your work and is perfect for including mathematical equations. However, LaTeX depends on the technicality of your thesis and requires some learning. For data files or scripts, I would suggest using programs such as Dropbox or GitHub.
Create a document to save links to papers or text snippets that might be useful later. You will often find yourself thinking, “I read something useful a while ago,” and then struggle to find it again.
Out of Cite, Out of Mind
Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT postpone properly citing the papers you reference in your thesis. First, you will forget which source you used where. Second, learning to cite properly from the start will save you a lot of time. MS Word has an easy way to do APA citations. It is a bit trickier with LaTeX at first, but there is plenty of documentation online, and it is worth spending time on.
Save the papers you cite (or might want to cite later) in a separate folder. This way, you can mark important sections and easily revisit papers you have read. Plus, it prevents having dozens of browser tabs open.
This is The End…
Lastly, remember that thesis writing can be frustrating with many obstacles, but it is also usually very rewarding.
