How to Succeed in Postgraduate Study

Getting to the Thesis

by Marie desJardins

The hardest part of getting a Ph.D. is, of course, writing the dissertation. The process of finding a thesis topic, doing the research, and writing the thesis is different from anything most students have done before. If you have a good supervisor and support network, you'll be able to get advice and help in setting directions and goals. If not, you may need to be more independent. If this is the case, don't just isolate yourself from the world: try to go out and find the resources and support you need from academics, other postgraduate students, mailing lists, friends, family, and publications like this one.

• Finding a Supervisor
• Finding a Thesis Topic
• Writing the Thesis