Hello everyone! i think this is not the right place to place this but i didnt know where it should belong . Am about to start writing my phD thesis but have no idea about its form. please any links or suggestions...thank you!

Ekatherina on Wed Aug 18 13:48:32 2010 said:

hi Ekatherina,

Welcome to Bioforum. This is as good place as any but you'd probably get more feedback if you post your query, perhaps in the Paper and Grant Writing subforum? For your PhD thesis format, I think that your department's graduate program shld have specific guidelines for its preparation and submission....most probably very similar to the qualifying/candidacy requirements so you can check those out. Or you can always look at those submitted by previous PhD graduates from your lab or department....anyways...goodluck..

Welcome to bioforum!

Like Casey already suggested you should check out with your university if they have certain guidelines. If there is nothing like this, think about the best form for your data: did you have independent experiments that need to be discussed seperatly (then I suggest chapters) or was it one big experiment series that needs to be discussed chronologically (form of one enourmous paper). Or are you just doing some sort of putting papers together, then you will only need a general introduction section and a concluding (outlook) discussion at the end.

Nevertheless if you decided on a structure or are given one by your graduate programme, make an outline of your thesis, including the main headings and in keywords what you would like to add to each section, and if you think its clear, comprehensively covers your research and in a logical order see your supervisor if he gives the structure his approvement. This will save you a lot of re-arranging work and a good start for writing the rest of your thesis.

thank you very much guys! can you give me a little idea how long (how many pages )each section should be.... approximately i mean

As long as neccesary to clearly present and discuss your results. There is no need of filling 10 pages with discussion, when you can say everything clearly in 2 p and vice versa. My attempt is to write down everything in the first instance, then carefully check what is necessary for the points I want to make clear and delete everything else again. Then again sleep one night and critically check if everything important is in, and then show it somebody else (who has not seen, written or discussed the text with me but still has a clue what I was doing) to correct and tell me what is not clear.

The tendency, I think, is to write a tome…well, what with all the years of hard work and hardships and a plethora of data (hopefully) …so most institutions would probably have a maximum limit (no. of chapters/pages/words etc) than a minimum (after all, who wants to submit a newsletter?). Oh and you have to check for your own guidelines. Here, we have a manuscript based Ph D thesis with a format different from that of the regular one.

Do what gebZ suggests, it’s easier to trim it down to make it more concise and understandable and for sure you will edit a lot in the end. But the important thing is just to organise yourself and get started. A time table (set this up with your advisor) is also a good idea....discuss when you will submit the first draft, the nth draft so you have a goal and you’d focus more and minimise procrastination. And if ever you encounter the writer’s block or an attack of sloth, then just come back in here so we can whip you back into shape (even literally if we have to ). Seriously, if you’re stumped, then the nice and knowledgeable people here can perhaps try to help you out.

I agree with everyone else's comments. Your institute/university/department will have its own rules on what format the thesis has to be, so ask your supervisor or department office and try and get a look at some previous PhD thesis to get an idea of length and style.
If there are strict rules on the format- then set that up from the beginning- things like margins and fonts etc. My university was strict about this and its much easier to have that in place before you start rather than trying to format 300 odd pages later.
Start with something fairly easy to do like materials and methods (if your thesis format needs it) or the introduction, these will help you get into the flow of it.
Like the others have said, discuss with your supervisor, first with a rough plan, then more in detail later. I had deadlines with my supervisor for various chapters which helped.
Good luck, remember to take breaks and get out of the lab/house for some fresh air...I took up running whilst writing my thesis, it really helped to keep my mind focused (shame I didn't keep it up).

formatting is always waste of time but it is inevitable

and don't forget there is always a rush at the binders. Everybody always seems to decide to bind their thesis on the same day.. ie the last possible moment.

Remember to give yourself at least a week for binding and printing.. And do scout out all the shops that do binding, just in case.