I have helped many students with their dissertations over my professional years. The issue that has always stuck with me is that of finding persistence. Even during my thesis many….many years ago, the concept of finding persistence has been a challenge.
 
Persistence is always assumed to be a trait that a person always walks with. It is expressed as a character that never fades and remains an unmovable wall in someone’s life. If someone is persistent, that is what they are always.
 
But the dissertation process challenges that concept. Among the late nights, the multiple reading materials, the unsupportive life partners (for the unlucky ones), and the supervisors who specialize in disappearing acts in the last days of a deadline, a student has to dig deep and find persistence.
 
You see, your thesis is not just a final requirement of your classes but a statement that all the work you did and all the classes you took could be applied to a question and reproduced in a thesis statement. It is through this statement and the application of research you can find a solution.  The thesis is meant not only to prove to the school but to yourself that you can critically and realistically think through a problem. It is this skill that the workplace requires.
 
So when you lose persistence, find it. Find it in your pride, find it in your need to improve your future, find it in your children. You will not regret it!
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Key terms: Persistence. Thesis, dissertation.

​A thesis seeks to express your understanding of a topic. This is why plagiarism is such a hot topic. Your notetaking skills must be on point to prevent plagiarism from happening. (See our Blog on Notetaking). Also, referencing as efficiently as possible is the key to preventing plagiarism. Keep track of your references by starting your document with proper referencing habits. In other words, do not prioritize referencing as the last action, reference while you write. That way, even if you find yourself copying an article word for word, chances are that article will have its in-text reference, which you would have to end up referencing as well. (That’s how I usually catch poor referencing) . The best thing to do to avoid this circling is to “not plagiarize” and write in your own words.

​A thesis or dissertation usually has a standard structure:
•             Title page
•             Abstract
•             Acknowledgement
•             Contents page
•             List of figures
•             List of tables
•             List of abbreviations (if any)
•             Text (and conclusions)
•             References
•             Appendices
 
Within the Text section, the following order usually is maintained:

• Introduction including aims, statement of the problem, justification of studies
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Presentation of Findings
• Discussion of Findings
• Conclusion and recommendations.

 
Within each chapter, however, there can vary the approach of the write-up. It all depends on the topic and the school. Whether you go to the University of the West Indies, the University of the Southern Caribbean or the School of Business and Computer Science, it is important you understand your school’s expectations. See the upcoming blog all about “Your Thesis Guide” .
 
Key terms: Where to put everything in a thesis. Thesis statement, Dissertation Guide, THESIS FORMAT.