Workshops
Demystifying the PhD Thesis
Presenter:
Dr. Michael Smyth (Edinburgh Napier University);
Organiser:
Marwa Salayma (Edinburgh Napier University);
RDF Domain: A1 - Knowledge Base; B2 - Self Management; C1 - Professional Conduct; C2 - Research Management;
Lecture slides will become available here
Abstract
So you have read the literature, refined your research objectives, carried out a study or two, maybe even indulged in a little light analysis of your data, possibly built something that people/bots have evaluated or tested ..... but whatever you have done, one thing for certain is ...... the thesis.
How do you go about writing a thesis, have you ever looked at a finished thesis or is that just too scary?
In this workshop we will attempt to demystify the thesis by discussing the following and more:
- How should it be structured?
- What should it look like?
- How long should it be?
- How could I possibly convey the subtlety of my research in a thesis?
- Will my thesis ever be coherent?
- Maybe if I did a little more work, then I could write my thesis...
Session Outline
- Part 1 (40 minutes): Presentation, what is the purpose of the thesis; how can a thesis be structured and who is the audience for the thesis?
- Part 2 (30 minutes): Discussion, using examples of previous theses.
- Part 3 (20 minutes): Round up.
Learning Outcomes
- LO1: Enable critical reflection on the purpose of the thesis.
- LO2: Present techniques for planning and structuring your thesis.
- LO3: Provide insight into how a thesis is read and examined.
