What I do

So I have been whingeing about this thesis a very large amount over the last few months, and someone pointed out to me the other day that they have little idea what a thesis is, or what I'm doing. So here I go...

A PhD thesis in Science (in Australia) is a summary of all of the lab-based research you have done for the last 2.5-3 years. It's generally written after all of the research is done, and is broken into 3-10 chapters. Normally the structure includes an introduction (a 20+ page literature review which introduces the relevant concepts for the work, and the rationale behind what has been done), a methods chapter (which details as closely as possible exactly what you did and all of the materials, instruments and processes that were used), and then results chapters which each tell a little story about the things you did. The whole thing is supposed to make a nice overall story as well, and so there is a conclusion chapter at the end to sum it all up nicely.

The test for whether or not a PhD thesis is suitable to be passed is whether or not it has "demonstrated an original and significant contribution to knowledge". The length isn't relevant at all, and there are no real indications as to how long it should be (although in science, we tend to be between 200-300 pages). The thesis is sent to 2-3 external examiners, who decide whether or not the work and it's presentation is good enough. The examiners have to be people you (and your supervisors) don't work with, and are paid $300 to read your work. They decide whether it's good enough, if it needs little changes, big changes, total rewrite, or just fails. Most theses pass with little changes.

So anyway, MY thesis (see, what we do is start general, then get specific) is about 250 pages long, has 9 chapters (a LOT), and is entitled "The release of neurotrophic proteins from the conducting polymer polypyrrole to improve the nerve/cochlea implant interface". Thrilling, isn't it? Anyway, I have currently written 4 chapters completely and am 3/4 of the way through another. I have 2 results chapters to write (easy) and an introduction (hard) and conclusion chapter (supereasy). SoI should only be another month or two, and I'll be all done with it and be able to look back at this post without gritting my teeth about PhD theses.