Four Principles of Thesis Writing

1. No stress.  -  You write better when relaxed.

Symptoms that your thesis was written with a stressed mind include: 

• Overly long paragraphs that span a whole page if not more than one page.  
• Overly long and/or too complicated sentences that span several lines.  

This happens because you were rushing to write everything or you were not stopping to see the written thoughts of what you were thinking.  Always remember, one sentence = one thought.  One paragraph = one set of ideas centering around a one idea.

2. Write because you have something to say.  -  Your thesis or any other paper is not a patched quilt of paraphrases that you connect to make a cohesive whole.  Rather your thesis is a manuscript which relays YOUR ideas.  Hence you write around your THESIS STATEMENT.  An idea or argument or claim that you want to prove.  E.g.  Kant’s was “All democracies do not go to war.”  And thus, “The type of government determines if states will go to war.”  Michel’s – Organizations tend to become hierarchic.”  What is YOURS?  

This idea should be prominently be seen all across the five chapters of your thesis.  The thesis statement influences the sequence of contents of the Background of the Study.  It answers the Statement of the Problem.  It is based on your Theoretical Framework, and is explained in detail in your Conceptual Framework.  Its terms are defined.  The topics of the RRLS are influenced by it.  Your method should be aligned to it.  And your discussion of Chapter IV is outlined by it.  Your Conclusion answers the Statement of the Problem (which means that the Conclusion affirms your Thesis Statement.)   The Objectives of the Study and Significance of the Study are aligned with your Statement of the Problem.  And your Recommendations in Chapter V address the Significance.  

The purpose of citations are so that they can support your argument.  Hence, you quote, paraphrase, refer to a source because you said something that is contestable.  Since it is a manuscript detailing a claim of yours, it is one manuscript which is one big explanation, with a hell lot of proofs.  Make sure that you have an argument, and that what you are arguing about has use to people at present and the future.  Or else, your entire thesis does not have any significance.  It’s not worth arguing and it’s not worth reading, nor writing.

3. Write as if you are talking to a child whom you care for. -  Most of the time, panel evaluators have very precious time, hence they are busy.  Sometimes, they already lack the energy to review your work.  Sometimes they’re just cranky as a person undergoing menopause if not in the middle of a bout with dysmenorrhea.  

Hence, since you are writing your thoughts, make sure that you write clearly.  

• This means that each sentence should be clear and direct.  
• Each paragraph should be a standalone idea.  Not composed of several ideas.  If there are several ideas in one paragraph, that means there should be as much number of paragraphs as there are ideas.  
• Each sentence should connect to the previous or to the next sentence.  
• Each paragraph should connect, through transitional devise, to the previous or the next paragraph.  
• And most importantly.  Be addicted to the use of HEADINGS AND SUB-HEADINGS AND EVEN SUB-SUBHEADINGS.  These boldfaced words (e.g. “Scope,” “Method”), phrases (“Decay of Democracy,” “Rise of the Fifth Wave”), and even sentences (“Federalisms effect to poverty,”  “The community’s lure to transnational”) are ways for the reader to easily see the big picture of your thesis. 

4. Write because you know.  -  Your thesis is one of the requirements of graduation.  It is, because it is proof that in your four years, you have proven that you know something about a particular area of your discipline.  It is what defines your gaining your Bachelor’s degree.  

Make sure that you master your topic in terms of your discipline.  You may write about solid waste.  But you write about it as a feature of the Philippines or an Asian country if you are an Asian Studies student.  You write about it in terms of power relations and governance if you are a Political Science student.  You write about it in terms of media awareness and social responsibility if you are a Media Studies student.  

Part of being in the discipline means that you speak the Jargon, hence you will use terms that are used in your particular discipline, this helps you speak better to your target audience – YOUR PANEL.  

In addition, you also cite names and works whom your panel will recognize. It helps build rapport with the panel.  This coupled with the clear way of expressing will help you in passing your defense.