Every student can benefit from extra help with matters of organization and style in the writing of term papers, theses, and dissertations - as a precursor to better grades and greater respect. This handy guide from the best-selling author team of "The Art of Scientific Writing" shows how to achieve maximum benefit with relatively little effort. Based on a proven concept that assumes no special talent for writing, the book will be of great value to both native and non-native speakers of English. The treatment is rich in examples and challenging problems (with solutions provided in an appendix), applicable either in conjunction with a course or for self-study.

Click here for an updated 2nd Edition. Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation! is a complete guide to good dissertation and thesis writing. It is written in an accessible style with cartoons and real-life anecdotes to liven up the text. It outlines the rules and conventions of scientific writing — particularly for dissertations and theses — and gives the reader practical advice about planning, writing, editing, presenting, and submitting a successful dissertation or thesis. Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation! can be used as either a guide from day one of the degree course or as a quick reference life-jacket when deadlines are looming.

This comprehensive manual offers direction for every step of the thesis or dissertation process, from choosing an appropriate topic to adapting the finished work for publication.

Students and researchers all write under pressure, and those pressures—most lamentably, the desire to impress your audience rather than to communicate with them—often lead to pretentious prose, academic posturing, and, not infrequently, writer’s block. Sociologist Howard S. Becker has written the classic book on how to conquer these pressures and simply write. First published nearly twenty years ago, Writing for Social Scientists has become a lifesaver for writers in all fields, from beginning students to published authors. Becker’s message is clear: in order to learn how to write, take a deep breath and then begin writing. Revise. Repeat. It is not always an easy process, as Becker wryly relates. Decades of teaching, researching, and writing have given him plenty of material, and Becker neatly exposes the foibles of academia and its “publish or perish” atmosphere. Wordiness, the passive voice, inserting a “the way in which” when a simple “how” will do—all these mechanisms are a part of the social structure of academic writing. By shrugging off such impediments—or at the very least, putting them aside for a few hours—we can reform our work habits and start writing lucidly without worrying about grades, peer approval, or the “literature.” In this new edition, Becker takes account of major changes in the computer tools available to writers today, and also substantially expands his analysis of how academic institutions create problems for them. As competition in academia grows increasingly heated, Writing for Social Scientists will provide solace to a new generation of frazzled, would-be writers.

The wise and witty guide to researching and writing a thesis, by the bestselling author of The Name of the Rose—now published in English for the first time. Learn the art of the thesis from a giant of Italian literature and philosophy—from choosing a topic to organizing a work schedule to writing the final draft. By the time Umberto Eco published his best-selling novel The Name of the Rose, he was one of Italy’s most celebrated intellectuals, a distinguished academic, and the author of influential works on semiotics. Some years before that, Eco published a little book for his students, in which he offered useful advice on all the steps involved in researching and writing a thesis. Since then, it has been translated into 17 languages—and is now for the first time presented in English. Eco’s approach is anything but dry and academic. He not only offers practical advice but also considers larger questions about the value of the thesis-writing exercise in six different parts: • The Definition and Purpose of a Thesis • Choosing the Topic • Conducting the Research • The Work Plan and the Index Cards • Writing the Thesis • The Final Draft Eco advises students how to avoid “thesis neurosis” and he answers the important question “Must You Read Books?” He reminds students “You are not Proust” and “Write everything that comes into your head, but only in the first draft.” Of course, there was no Internet in 1977, but Eco’s index card research system offers important lessons about critical thinking and information curating for students of today who may be burdened by Big Data. Irreverent and often hilarious, How to Write a Thesis is unlike any other writing manual and belongs on the bookshelves of students, teachers, writers, and Eco fans everywhere.

This book takes an integrated approach, using the principles of story structure to discuss every aspect of successful science writing, from the overall structure of a paper or proposal to individual sections, paragraphs, sentences, and words. It begins by building core arguments, analyzing why some stories are engaging and memorable while others are quickly forgotten, and proceeds to the elements of story structure, showing how the structures scientists and researchers use in papers and proposals fit into classical models. The book targets the internal structure of a paper, explaining how to write clear and professional sections, paragraphs, and sentences in a way that is clear and compelling.

Many courses and degrees require that students write a short thesis. This book guides students through their first experience of producing a thesis and undertaking original research. Written by experienced researchers and advisors, the book sets out signposts and tasks to help students to understand what is needed to succeed, including scoping a topic, managing references, interpreting data, and successful completion. For students, the task of writing a thesis is a transition from structured coursework to becoming a researcher. The book provides advice on: What to expect from research and how to work with a supervisor Getting organized and approaching the work in a productive way Developing an overall thesis structure and avoidance of mistakes such as inadvertent plagiarism Producing each major component: a strong introduction, background chapters that are situated in the discipline, and an explanation of methods and results that are crucial to successful original research How to wrap up a complex project with an extended checklist of the many details needed to be checked before a final submission Producing and managing a thesis for the first time can be a daunting task, and this reader-friendly guidebook provides a framework for students to do their best.