Sit down and write your thesis!
In the framework of the PhD@Work project, UNamur PhD-students participated to the conference "Sit down and write your thesis", by Professor G. Bellevilleon, on October 26th 2018 in Brussels. During this conference, P. Belleville shared her "tips and tricks" to overcome the fears and anxieties that thesis writing can sometimes provoke.
You will find below the links to the video-conferences "Sit down and write your thesis" by P. Belleville (french):
2018: https://www.uliege.be/cms/c_4652649/fr/utilitaire-lecture-video flux=conferences%2F2018%2F2018_10_25%2FRentree-des doctorants&titre=Rentree+des+doctorants&fbclid=IwAR0Uxj o7WTnpIACn8E0ckpZjcixlCitwXxY3PbWfDiw6a07Cp3tJlCDL6c
2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbQ02vJkXQw
Good conference and ... Go to your pens!
TO SUM UP
Here is a quick summary of the few tips presented in the conference and from different PhD students' experiences if you do not have time to watch the whole video.
Define writing slots. Avoid choosing the after-meal time, because you risk to end up with the marks of the keyboard keys on your face after falling asleep ... Prefer the morning instead. Two hours will be enough to get you started and you will be able to continue if inspiration is there.
You don't have inspiration? Are you scrared of the blank sheet?
Then, start with something simple. How about writing the title page? Or, the acknowledgements or the table of illustrations? You'll hate to take care of the layout at the end, so why not start? Plus, you'll have written 10 pages (almost blank but it doesn't matter) in one morning!
What to do the next day? You've already written 10 pages, keep going! A little ritual before writing can help you:
- always prepare your desk or always do the same activity before writing. But above all, avoid watching a nice little video that will lead to a second one, a third one and finally will last all morning long. This is called procrastinating (post-poning work).
- Start writting, even if it's the weather of the day. The important thing is to induce movement. (But keep your diary in another document, it's only for your own interest).
- use the "just 5 min" technique: write a paragraph using a timer set on 5 min time. You will see the stopwatch ring when you'll have just found the idea you wanted and you will be in the mood to continue with the second paragraph smoothly.
- The first draft won't be perfect at first. What you need at the beginning is to get started, you will put the finishing touches afterwards.
Write down your ideas as soon as they come up: so if you have any "blank page" problem in the morning, just take an idea you've already written and develop it further. Make sure to always have a notebook and a pencil on you, or your phone to take notes.
You are allergic to animals, but you would rather work in a shelter than write your thesis? In that case, identify the personal projects that are really important and that bring you pleasure and eliminate those that are meant to avoid writting ... The most important thing is to be aware that you are doing anything. Then you can force yourself to write.
Keeping a planning with deadlines to finish chapters and give them for correction is very useful too. An even better idea, is to share it with your superviser. Then, once shared, you won't be able to avoid writting anymore! Someone will be waiting for your chapters. Keep also in mind that the corrections are there to help you improve your work. They are not punishments. The planning will also be helpful in case your supervisor is distracted or very busy, it will get him or her to think about making the corrections as well!
Set a date to submit your manuscript, if stopping funding is not an important step for you. The backtracking process will be self-evident. And don't forget that after one or two cycles of corrections from your promoter, you'll submit your thesis and you will be both on holiday!
To finish, times-out are necessary. Just because you are writting a thesis, doesn't mean you can't go on holiday. A work-life balance is the key to make work easier, but being on holiday all the time won't help you finish your thesis. After all, don't you want to get gratuated? You haven't worked so many years to stop now! So, get to work, future doctor!
