Best Practices In Academic Writing

Abstract

The aim of this book is to assist you in preparing documents related to your postgraduate study. This book is not meant to be a sole reference, but I do believe that it contains most of the elements that you need in writing good research proposals, theses, journal papers, and books. Virtually all postgraduate students have to submit a research proposal before they can conduct a research. A properly written research proposal provides guidance on activities that are necessary to complete a research project. Thus, it is essential to ensure that a research proposal contains the complete details of a project. A thesis is a document that must be completed by a candidate in postgraduate studies. A common sequence of information presented in a thesis follows IMRAD&C which stands for Introduction, Methodology, Results and Discussion, and Conclusions. Information in a thesis must be written in that sequence to assist readers in understanding your research, and for them to appreciate the merits of your research. Writing a thesis is a long and laborious process. It can be a nightmare to some people. It may be even more challenging for supervisors to correct a badly written draft. I have decided to include some tips in converting a thesis to journal papers. You may find this chapter useful if you are doing a degree in research mode because publications usually make the viva voce process easier. From my own personal experience, I spent less than 45 minutes for my viva voce because I had already published two Q1 journal papers. A chapter on the tips to convert your thesis to a book is also included. You may not want to convert your thesis to a book during your postgraduate study, but it could be irresistible to author a book once you have established your research career. In the last chapter, I share some tips on how you can improve your writing skills. There is no shortcut to acquire good writing skills. I spent more than seven years before I could properly write my thesis. Even after I completed my doctoral degree, I never felt that writing has become easier.