1 What Do You Mean It’s Not True?
– Debunking Myths of Thesis Writing
Myth 1 Academic Writing Should Always Start From the Beginning
Myth 2 I Need to Know Everything About the Topic Before I Can Start Writing
Myth 3 Literature Review – The More the Merrier
Myth 4 Thesis-Writing Is Meant to Be Lonely
Myth 5 Academic Writing Means I Cannot Express Any Personal Insight
Recap and Key Takeaways
2 Find Me a Case!
– Choosing the Right Topic for Your Thesis
1. Lessons From the Field
2. Encrypted Case Files: Finding the Right Topic
3. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers to Chapter Exercises
3 Who Can Help Me, and How?
– Working With Your Advisor
1. Finding the Right Fit
2. We’ve All Been There: Personal Stories From Our Writers
3. Making It Work
4. Exercise: Choosing the Right Advisor
5. Do We Have a Match?
Recap and Key Takeaways
4 Am I Cheating?
– Ethics in the Age of AI
1. What Is Generative AI And How Does It Work?
2. Strengths of Generative AI
3. Training Your AI Butler
4. Weaknesses
5. The King and His Advisor (Part I): How to Take a Life
6. How Can I Use AI Wisely?
7. The King and His Advisor (Part II): Sit Tight on the Throne
8. Conclusion
9. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers to Chapter Exercises
5 Do I Sound Like I’m Five?
– Addressing the Nuances of Academic Writing
1. What’s Academic Writing?
2. Why Write This Way?
3. The Do’s of Writing Academically
4. The Don’ts of Making Your Writing More “Academic”
5. Finding Your Academic Sea Legs: Getting the Hang of Academic Writing
6. The Last Word (For Now, at Least)
7. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers for Chapter Exercises
6 Shall We Begin?
– Introduction
1. First Up: What Kind of Study Am I Conducting?
2. Illustrated Introduction Elements: Where Is My Other Sock?
3. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
7 Where’s That Missing Puzzle Piece?
– Literature Review
1. Cooking up a Storm, or Your Lit Review
2. What Is Relevant?
3. The Don’ts of Literature Reviews
4. The Do’s of Literature Reviews
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
8 What Have I Done?
– Method
1. Why Give away My Secrets?
2. What Information to Include
3. The Meow-thod, Illustrated
4. Dos: Consider This Method to Talk About Your Method!
5. Don’ts: Don’t Be Unmethodological (Duh!)
6. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
9 What Have I Found?
– Results
1. Results vs Findings
2. Look What I Found! Organizing Your Research Results
Do’s and Don’ts of the Results Section
3. Do These to Get Good Results!
4. Don’t Fall into These Traps!
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
10 What Have We Learned?
– Discussion & Conclusion
1. The Why: Why Do We Have to Discuss the Findings?
2. The What: Essential Elements of the Discussion & Conclusion
3. Do Keep These in Mind for a Strong Wrap-up
4. Don’t Neglect These Considerations
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
11 The Last Stretch
– Wrapping up the Study
1. Academic Debugging: Proofreading/Editing
2. A Rose by Any Other Name...: Setting a Good Title
3. Writing an Abstract
4. Setting Keywords, or Academic Hashtags
5. What’s Next?
6. All Good Things Come to an End
7. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways