PhD Thesis Tips: Crafting An Original And Eye-Catching Paper
Every year, thousands of doctoral candidates complete their dissertations for board review to obtain their doctorate of philosophy (PhD). These students spend years researching their topic between undergraduate and master’s research papers and courses. In a sea of papers on topics such as the American Revolution, sea mollusk mating habits or John Steinbeck literary critiques; students must ensure that their topic catches the eye of their panel members the following ways:
- Take the prescribed course load before enrolling in a PhD program
- Conduct as much field research as possible
- Find a like-minded faculty member as your mentor
- Choose a topic you are passionate about
- Think outside the box
Take the prescribed course load before enrolling in a PhD program
Many courses require prerequisites before enrolling into a PhD program. Ensure that all courses are taken prior to the commencing of a PhD program otherwise, more work and money is going to be spent toward being prepared for the PhD program. Never underestimate the power of taking one too many courses either, i.e. taking two courses in statistics could better prepare one for a career in research.
Conduct as much field research as possible
Many schools require students to get out and collect samples and/or data. If someone’s PhD topic is in Sociology, field research should occur every time that person walks outside their front door. Group dynamics are alive and well at malls, salons, bars and even libraries.
Find a like-minded faculty member as your mentor
If a student wishes to do well with their paper, they should find a faculty member than can help be their guiding light. These professors are subject matter experts in their fields and can give a wealth of knowledge to their PhD candidates. The power of sharing ideas with someone that has already been in one’s shoes will help more than they realize.
Choose a topic you are passionate about
Topics should be chosen by the candidate to ensure that they are putting their full physical, mental and emotional effort into their PhD papers. If a student has developed their educational career around the literary works of classic American novelists, their paper should not be on German or French authors. If a student has developed scientific research toward the cure for cancer, a PhD topic should not be based on smallpox or polio. Although going beyond one’s expertise will help challenge a student, the goal of a PhD dissertation is to show fellow subject matter experts that you deserve to be in their capacity.
Think outside the box
The most important thing about writing any type of dissertation is to have fun. Although this is a serious matter, if someone is not having fun working on this paper then they will not have fun doing the occupation