Writing Up - Advice

From my kind supervisor for me to remember when trying to write:

*Always signpost for the reader, don't leave them guessing where you are going. The introduction is very, very inmportant. Have an introduction for each chapter, tell the reader what happened in the chapter before, what will happen in this chapter and at the end, summarise and say how it links to the next chapter.

*The thesis should always be driven by your thesis. Don't write anything unnecessary. Each chapter is a process of unpacking, disaggregating and deconstructing whaty is going on you are not simply engaged in narrative. Be explicit and clear to the reader so what you hear in your head is down on the paper - don't assume they know what you know!

*Imagine your thesis is a skeleton/thread throughout the PhD to guide the reader. Hangs loosely together but is invisible under the meat and bones that are your research and the chapters.

*Don't say 'we have seen that' or 'this chapter looks at'. No one wants to know what you have seen or are looking at, they want to know what is being *argued*, what is being unpacked, what is being *analysed*.

*Be aware that only three people will read this version of the PhD (until you try and make it a book that others probably won't read either ;0)). You are writing for these people. They are busy and looking for certain things so they will skim read, they know what they are looking for. They won't quibble with you over small details, but they will want you to be consistent. They won't quibble over minor references you have used but will over the big names. You must know who says what and why and be able to relate the nig names to each other. 'So and so believes this but I know that so and so would disagree...'. With the VIVA this kind of knowledge is very impressive and if you can say something about current lit, after your thesis was published, this will be even better.

*Your examiners will firstly read introductions and conclusions and go to the references to see what you are saying, why, and how clearly, before reading anything else. Again, make these clear as day and you will have the examiner in a very good mood. This work is not a magical mystery tour.

* Getting the PhD is about showing that you can explain what is in your head to someone else. It is about being able to engage in a high level of intellectula activity and make it so someone else can understand it and learn (maybe!) from it.

* Throughout the thesis send out little signals regarding the final analysis - the discussion shouldn't be a surprise but will be developed from these signals.

tis all for now :0)
x J