Reaching the Finish Line: Writing and Presenting Your Thesis

If you are a graduate student, the final stage of your studies typically involves writing a PhD thesis and then defending it in front of a thesis committee. Writing a PhD thesis from scratch can be a daunting and laborious experience. For this reason, it’s a good idea to plan your thesis as early as possible and write parts of it as you move through the different stages of your graduate studies. The best way to do this is to write a review article, which can serve as your background literature chapter, and several original research articles, which can serve as chapters in the main body of your thesis. However, your ability to write several scientific manuscripts during your PhD is highly dependent on your field of study. In some fields, it is normal to publish none or only one paper from a thesis, whereas in other fields, it is possible to publish several papers. Your oral presentation should accurately describe what you did, why you did it, what you found, and why it’s important. It should also be clear, concise, and engaging to the audience. You should therefore design your oral presentation to flow well and be visually compelling. This chapter gives advice on writing the different sections of a PhD thesis. It also gives tips on how to design a final PhD oral defense that is impactful and engaging.