If I had to give just one succinct piece of advice for someone undertaking academic writing, whether it be an essay, article, dissertation or PhD thesis, it would be this: your finished work should be a polished narrative, telling your story. This may sound simplistic but the bottom line is that your completed piece of academic writing should be a clear, accurate and readable story, no matter how complex the subject.
Whatever your subject matter, from scientific papers to Arts theses, the structure and flow of your work should form a narrative. This advice is relevant for most writers, but one that is sometimes not understood by academics. I have often found, when asked to cast an eye over a piece of academic writing, that the writer’s ideas have become muddled in their mind as well as on the page, and a few changes to the structure and flow make a positive improvement not only to the readability of the work but also to the clarity of thought for the writer.
Do contact me if you feel stuck in a quagmire, are uncertain how to proceed, or simply want me to cast an eye over your work – having recently completed my own PhD thesis, you can be sure that I will give an empathetic response! You can read comments from writers whom I have helped previously on my Testimonials page.