Beat the “Thesis Panic”

Hosted by Candice Lee Lamothe
Professional Academic Editor, Writer, and English Teacher

About

Academia has a very big problem: they demand professional-level writing from non-professional writers. What if students tackling a thesis had access to the tools and strategies of professional writers? What if you could hear advice from an academic editor before you even began writing?

In this workshop, you will be exposed to new ways of looking at creating text and how to break your task into smaller, manageable pieces. This class is not about structuring the entirety of the thesis, or how to create an argument: those resources are just a google search away. Instead, learn how to create sentences and paragraphs that are not only easy to read but easy to create.

You will learn tips and tricks used by authors and professional writers to stay motivated and organized when writing a large piece. Even people who are easily distractable and consistent procrastinators will find realistic tools to make steady progress.

Due to the nature of this course and its focus on writing tools — rather than degree-specific requirements– it is suitable for all levels of study, be it Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD.

cOURSE SCHEDULE

There are currently no workshops scheduled.

Workshops can be requested by an organised group of 3-5 people, or by an organisation.

This course can also be taught one-on-one, either in person or online. Please get in touch to discuss prices and details.

SYLLABUS

Week 1: Breaking it Down
A thesis requires the management of many different parts: it’s much more than just a large research paper. We will identify the four main components of a thesis, and how to manage each separately and with confidence. You will have an opportunity to review writing samples and to think like an editor. You will be assigned a small writing project to be used in the subsequent class

Week 2: The Importance of Drafting

Professional writers know the only way to good writing is through bad writing. We will discuss the unexpected, time-saving benefits of writing a true “rough draft”. You will be given specific strategies to scaffold your writing in such a way as to isolate single writing tasks. There will be group discussion, application of new techniques to the previous week’s assignment, and a new task for the following week.

Week 3: The First Draft- Structure

If you’ve already begun work on your thesis, you’ve likely already been exposed to the standard advice on thesis structure and its sections; in our class, we will take our viewpoint from the expanded view of the entire thesis or section, and zoom into the particulars. This week, you will learn to organize paragraphs and sentences for full effect and a cohesive flow of ideas. You will have an opportunity to review real, unedited thesis texts and to play the role of editor. The assigned task from the previous week will be used for discussion, consideration, and as a basis for the next assigned task.

Week 4: Literature Review and Research

The literature review is, unquestionably, an editor’s least favourite part of any thesis: it’s even worse for the author to create. This week, you will learn how to present data in a coherent way, along with methods for identifying and reducing unnecessary digressions. There are facts we love, and there are facts that are relevant: ideally, our research is both. There will be class discussion, an opportunity to read real texts and identify digressions, and an assignment for the following week.

Week 5: From Drafting to Crafting

This week, we will explore how one takes the rough material of the first draft and begins to craft it into what will be the final, polished draft. We will combine our collection of skills and apply our new knowledge to the writing produced by ourselves and others. There will be a group discussion and assignment for the following week.

Week 6: Reading Like a Writer and Editing Like an Editor

Now that you are skilled at the building and crafting of the rough materials of your thesis, it is time to make it shine. We will discuss common mistakes and pitfalls that typically make it to an editor’s desk, and you will hone your skills of observation and “line editing” to finely tune our language and tone. There will be an examination of real texts, a class discussion, and an assignment for the following week.

Week 7: Constructive Criticism

Every good writer knows the value of good feedback. Learn how to ask for what you need, how to use what you hear, and how to give clear, useful advice to others. We will use the assignment from the previous week, and you will be guided through the process of making good use of extra eyes. There will be extensive class discussions and the opportunity to both present your writing and give feedback to others.

Week 8: Reflection and Study Skills

In our final class, we will reflect on the skills that we have learned, and discuss ways to manage a long-term project realistically: no one should be writing their thesis weeks before it is due! Learn how to battle procrastination, and how to use your new knowledge to create a schedule that works realistically with your work/study style. Whether you are hyper-organized or scattered and procrastination prone, create a timeline that works to your strengths and compensates for your personal challenges. There will be an extensive conversation (and cake), and everyone is invited to contribute the strategies that have helped them in the past.