• Interesting
  • Scholarships
  • UGC-CARE Journals

12 Steps to plan, draft, write and finish a PhD thesis or dissertation?

Here's a concise summary of the key steps to plan, draft, write, and finish your doctoral research:

Dr. Sowndarya Somasundaram

The journey to write a PhD thesis or dissertation is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. This article aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap, from the initial planning stages to the final touches, to help you navigate the complex process of completing your doctoral research.

Write a PhD thesis: A Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Drafting, and Finishing Your Dissertation

1. selecting a research title to write a phd thesis.

Choose a specific, relevant, and feasible research title aligned with your interests and the existing literature.

2. Creating a Structured Plan:

Develop a detailed plan with milestones, deadlines, and tasks to serve as a roadmap throughout the research process.

3. Literature Review:

Conduct a thorough literature review to identify gaps and controversies, providing a strong foundation for your research.

4. Formulating a Research Design:

Clearly define your research methodology, justify your choices, and seek feedback to ensure the robustness of your design.

Research Design iLvoePhD

5. Data Collection and Analysis:

Systematically collect and analyze data , keeping detailed records and being open to modifying your approach based on findings.

6. Writing the Dissertation:

Start writing early, maintain a consistent schedule, and develop each chapter cohesively with a logical flow.

7. Seeking Feedback:

Share drafts regularly with advisors and peers to receive constructive feedback, enhancing the quality of your work.

8. Revision and Editing:

Allocate time for thorough revision, checking for clarity, coherence, consistency, and proper formatting.

9. Managing Your Time Effectively:

Create a realistic timeline, break tasks into manageable chunks, and adhere to deadlines for effective time management.

10. Overcoming Challenges:

Anticipate challenges such as writer’s block, setbacks, or unexpected findings, seeking support from advisors and colleagues.

11. Celebrating Milestones:

Acknowledge and celebrate small victories along the way to maintain motivation and recognize progress.

12. Finalizing and Submitting:

Proofread your dissertation carefully, ensuring proper formatting and adherence to institution guidelines before submission.

With meticulous planning, dedication, and persistence, you can successfully navigate the challenges of write a PhD thesis or dissertation and contribute meaningfully to your field. Good luck on your academic journey!

  • Celebration
  • data collection
  • Dissertation
  • Literature Review
  • methodology
  • Scholarly Work
  • time management

Dr. Sowndarya Somasundaram

Top 100 Journal Publications in the World 2024

Fellowships in india 2025 -comprehensive guide, phd memes about research life | high impact phd memes, most popular, how to use chatgpt to write a scientific research paper, science academies summer research fellowship 2025, applications now open: 2025-26 lee kong chian nus-stanford fellowship, how to write a research paper a complete guide, 24 best online plagiarism checker free – 2024, six effective tips to identify research gap, what is a scopus indexed journal, best for you, what is a phd a comprehensive guide for indian scientists and aspiring researchers, popular posts, popular category.

  • POSTDOC 317
  • Interesting 260
  • Journals 236
  • Fellowship 136
  • Research Methodology 103
  • All Scopus Indexed Journals 94

Mail Subscription

ilovephd_logo

iLovePhD is a research education website to know updated research-related information. It helps researchers to find top journals for publishing research articles and get an easy manual for research tools. The main aim of this website is to help Ph.D. scholars who are working in various domains to get more valuable ideas to carry out their research. Learn the current groundbreaking research activities around the world, love the process of getting a Ph.D.

Contact us: [email protected]

Google News

Copyright © 2024 iLovePhD. All rights reserved

  • Artificial intelligence

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

  • Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
  • Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
  • Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
  • Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
  • Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
  • picture_as_pdf Thesis