How to Write a Master's Thesis: Three Days before the Deadline


When you are struggling with your thesis and have but a few days before your deadline you should consider applying these tactics.

  1. Commit to some soul searching.

    2. Now might be a good time to make sure this is what you want. Make a list of reasons why you need to complete this writing assignment and complete it now. Get some friends and family to help you and hold you accountable to finishing it. Try free writing about your topic and see if anything inspires you.

  2. Get advice from others
    3.

    If you are struggling to get your work done, look into the campus resources you have at your disposal. Use them to start thinking about the topic and what issues are most important within your field. You might even have a beloved professor or advisor, or even some colleagues in the same department who are able to lend a hand or offer writing tips. Other students who have already finished their writing assignment, or are near completion, may have particularly useful tips for you. If that is not sufficient, turn to your university counseling service or find someone who is qualified to regularly talk to students who are struggling with their writing assignment.

    You should keep your professor informed during the course of your writing project so that they can help you with any problems you experience. You can also try to contact your review board or committee to get extra assistance with your thesis. If you hit a dead end with your research you can go to them and ask for an improved direction; they likely know the ins and outs of your topic much better than you do and are likely acquainted with the best research methods. Ask them for a progress report if that is how you learn best.

    You don’t have to limit yourself to the professor and/or TA either. Use the other students in your class. Talk to them about the strategies that they use for writing and research. They might have something to offer. Perhaps they have developed strategies that are of no use to you, but inspire you to try something different. That, in and of itself, can prove quite useful. If you cannot find good strategies from other students you can always ask your professor or TA if they have any recommended strategies.

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