Pursuing a PhD is a rewarding a goal for many, but for working professionals, it comes with a set of new challenges everyday. Balancing a demanding career with a prestigious degree does not only require a dedication but also time management, coursework, research work and consistent motivation. But, the core of PhD is Thesis Writing which is a comprehensive piece of original research in your selected field of study.
For Working Professionals who are enrolled in PhD often face challenges with regard to deadlines, meetings and personal responsibilities. They get entangled with professional, personal and academics. However, with a right approach, it is easy to manage and dive deeper into both the worlds.
From understanding what a thesis writing really is while diving deep into its implications and differentiating it from a dissertation, or research writing, this guide provides it all. Whether you are enrolled in a PhD course already or are preparing for PhD admission 2025, this guide is for all. It also manages to explore PhD course structure and requirements, while at the same time talking and tackling the common challenges.
Table Of Content
🔷 What is a Thesis Statement?
🔷 PhD Course Structure and Requirements
🔷 Common Challenges in PhD Thesis Writing
🔷 Tips for Writing a Strong PhD Thesis
🔷 Conclusion
🔷 Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thesis Writing in PhD?
Thesis Writing is the crux of PhD. It is the final coursework in the master’s degree or an extensive research work in PhD degree depending which university are you pursuing your PhD from and which country you reside in. Thesis Writing in PhD is an elongated and original research work on a specific field from English to Psychology.
A PhD Thesis Writing is 70,000-1,00,000 words, again depending on universities. The amount of time taken is 2-6 years. An individual who requires more time is subjected to pay a fine for taking extra time to complete the degree. PhD with the help of thesis writing also helps you in earning a doctoral title by the end of your duration, if you cleared viva voce.
What is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a short one or two line statement which summarizes your thesis or any other form of writing, while sometimes justifying it or even asserting a main claim in your thesis. Even though, the words thesis and thesis statement are used interchangeably, they both mean different things.
PhD Course Structure and Requirements
A PhD program is said to be a long term coursework requiring at least 2-6 years for the completion. Along with that, many universities keep in mind the working professionals and offer them a flexible timing and even weekend classes if required and depending on which university you are a part of. And even while the structure of the program can vary, they mostly follow a similar sequence:
1.Admission and Coursework: After an individual is first enrolled in PhD program, they have to complete a mandatory coursework which requires almost 6 months to a years time. The coursework helps in strengthening research foundations and covers research methodology, core subject areas and interdisciplinary electives.
2. Evaluation: Once an individual has completed the coursework, they are then evaluated on the basis of it. An exam is taken to find out if they are truly eligible for the research work. This stage also depends on university as not all conduct it.
3. Research Proposal: Within the time frame of 3-6 months, an individual needs to submit a detailed research proposal outlining and exploring research objects, problem statement, methodology, expected outcome and review of literature.
4. Research and Data Collection: One of the most intense phase of Thesis Writing is collecting and researching data for future use. It involves conducting experiments, performing fieldwork, collecting and analyzing data and studying and working on case studies. It takes almost 1-3 years to complete the research.
5. Writing The Thesis: Once you have collected enough data, the next step is to start working on your thesis. Working on a thesis takes longer than one can imagine, even though one has to only compile the whole research work. The time taken for thesis writing depends on your speed, feedback loops of your supervisor and the structure of your work.
6. Viva Voce: Once you have completed your Thesis Writing, the final step is to present and defend it before the panelist. Sometimes, a researcher receives an adequate amount of corrections that they need to do, before receiving the degree.
Common Challenges in PhD Thesis Writing
Writing a doctoral thesis can often be challenging as it requires a lot of time, strength and research work. Working Professionals find it hard to especially give an ample amount of time to the research work and other critical areas which inevitably results in multiple corrections and modifications. Below are some of the common challenges faced by researchers:
1.Inadequate Literature Review: An inadequate Literature Review can lead to a lot of confusion amongst the panelists. Many researchers fail to understand what a Literary Review actually is. Literature Review consists of the research work that already exists in the specific field of your concern. It further works on identifying the existing gaps that exists within the research work and furthermore, explores the new research work that you would present us with.
2. Poor Time Management: A poor time management is one of the biggest obstacle in achieving your goal. Usually the working professionals feels overwhelmed by lack of time and often find it difficult to set their priorities straight. Lack of planning, and procrastination can lead to rushed work and increased stress. Last minute submissions and deadlines can cause anxiety.
3. Weekly Defined Thesis Statement: Students and researchers usually underestimate a one or two line thesis statement. Thesis Statement is one of the very powerful structure of the Thesis Writing. It is the first thing that the professors read. It should be enchanting and attractive.
4. Unclear and Unfocused Topic: Wandering off to something that is not relevant in your Thesis Writing is another common problems that the researchers face. Make sure that your arguments are precise and to the point without dealing with unnecessary paragraphs.
Tips for Writing a Strong PhD Thesis
It has been found with the help of studies that only 50% of the enrolled students in their PhD programs are able to complete their degree. Many of the individuals leave their PhD degree in the middle due to various reasons. Some leave because of lack of time management. Other leave because of financial problems. One common cause is the daunting space that PhD thesis holds.
1.Working with your Supervisor: Often times people forget that they have been appointed with a supervisor who could help them out, sorting their problems. Clear and regular communications with the supervisor or someone affiliated with the university can help you in perfecting your PhD thesis .
2. Following the University Guidelines: While writing the thesis, one should always make sure to follow the university guidelines regarding the format and structure of your thesis. It is highly beneficial to ensure that you are meeting the requirements without causing any violations.
3. Putting the Thesis in Sectional Order: One can start their Thesis Writing in any order. It is not important to go by the chronological order. Method and Results are the easiest sections of the thesis . An individual can start with easy and move to difficult, depending on their pace and thinking.
4. Avoid Plagiarism: As the crux and core of Thesis Writing lies in its originality, one should make sure to avoid plagiarism. An individual can cite from sources but plagiarism is a punishable offence and can lead to canceling of your admission.
5. Thesis Writing Services: This is especially beneficial for working professionals. Working professionals can now hire thesis writing services who can help an individual with their thesis writing. Along with that, an individual can also enquire about a specific field where they need help. Make sure to find trustworthy services to not get scammed.
Conclusion
Writing a Thesis can be an excruciating process which can amount to a lot of your time. Working Professionals who want to gain a degree can enroll themselves in PhD admission. An individual can work further in a specialization and in the near future, grab opportunities relating to a similar field. Thesis Writing Services can help a working professional in holding lesser burden and deadlines on their head.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: I just copy pasted a quote that I liked in the novel as a part of my PhD thesis writing, does that count as plagiarism?
Yes, it indeed does count as plagiarism. However, if you want to avoid it, you can put quotation marks or double inverted commas to avoid plagiarism.
Q2: Does one require to give any entrance exam to be admitted into PhD?
Yes, an individual requires to appear in entrance exams like UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE, JEST and some other university based entrance exams.
Q3: What is the eligibility criteria for PhD?
The eligibility criteria for PhD is a master’s degree from a recognized university scoring an aggregate of 55% or more. In addition to that, an individual must appear in entrance exams.
Q4: What is an abstract in PhD Thesis Writing?
An abstract in PhD thesis writing is a summary of an individual’s thesis. It is typically of 150-200 words and is present at the beginning of the thesis writing.
Q5: Are dissertation and thesis writing the same thing?
Depending on which university you are studying in and which country you reside in, the meaning of Dissertation and Thesis Writing are interchanged.
In India, dissertation writing is done in the final year of the master’s degree and is shorter in comparison to the thesis writing.
Thesis Writing, on the other hand, is done in the doctoral program of research, i.e., PhD. Thesis Writing is longer and takes a time duration of 2-6 years to complete.
Q6: I am currently employed full-time. But, I want to do PhD in Literature. How do I manage the deadlines without getting my work life hampered?
This is a really valid question. Working Professionals who are employed full time, barely get any time for themselves. It is difficult for them to manage a degree. Thereby, Thesis Writing Services have opened up to help such individuals with their work. You can consult them for any services, they can help you out in brainstorming, proofreading, researching, methodology, etc.
