Ten PhD Writing Tips from Rosaline (Rose) Barbour
Emerita Professor of Health Care, The Open University
Director - Barbour Workshops Ltd.
1. Start writing - anything! You can always decide later where it fits in your thesis.
2. Your contents page should make sense on its own, as it should signpost and trace your argument.
3. Structure is important. The order should be logical and cumulative. There should be no jarring surprises.
4. Don't under-estimate the power of cross-referencing. This can add coherence.
5. Do move pieces of text around. Curiously, they can serve a different function in another place. ‘Suck it and see’.
6. Sign up for #PhDBootcamp in Edinburgh 6-8 Oct, 2015 - www.barbourworkshops.com
7. When using quotes, don't paraphrase, reproduce AND summarise. Be restrained and think of the purpose they serve.
8. Diagrams can help advance your argument - but use them sparingly, not just for the sake of it.
9. Appendices can be a useful resource for the reader. Select material with this in mind. Don't just use them to dump stuff.
10. Linking sections are really important for ensuring coherence. it's well worth spending time on these.
Emerita Professor of Health Care, The Open University
Director - Barbour Workshops Ltd.
1. Start writing - anything! You can always decide later where it fits in your thesis.
2. Your contents page should make sense on its own, as it should signpost and trace your argument.
3. Structure is important. The order should be logical and cumulative. There should be no jarring surprises.
4. Don't under-estimate the power of cross-referencing. This can add coherence.
5. Do move pieces of text around. Curiously, they can serve a different function in another place. ‘Suck it and see’.
6. Sign up for #PhDBootcamp in Edinburgh 6-8 Oct, 2015 - www.barbourworkshops.com
7. When using quotes, don't paraphrase, reproduce AND summarise. Be restrained and think of the purpose they serve.
8. Diagrams can help advance your argument - but use them sparingly, not just for the sake of it.
9. Appendices can be a useful resource for the reader. Select material with this in mind. Don't just use them to dump stuff.
10. Linking sections are really important for ensuring coherence. it's well worth spending time on these.
