Completing A Physics Master's Thesis: Useful Advice

Writing a master’s thesis on Physics is no joke. You can gather data, organize, structure, make diagrams, equations and inferences all day and still not be done. Most students write throughout the day till they reach a point where they cannot write anymore and then start writing again the next day.

You need to be able to understand how much effort and time you are to put behind this job so start working on it from your first semester. There is plenty to be done and you need proper planning and time to do it right. The first and foremost thing you need to understand is that this is not the most important contribution to your career. Only a select few people will actually take the trouble to read your paper, so don’t freak out.

Some useful advice in finishing your Physics Master’s dissertation

Free advice never hurt anyone. And you should never refuse such advice especially when it concerns pointers on how to make an incredibly rough journey like completing your paper, a little bit smoother.

• Abstract: People don’t intend to read lengthy bits of words and numbers to understand what you wish to express. The sign of a good abstract is one which summarizes your topic of thesis so well that people don’t have to read the rest of your work.
• Advisor: This is probably the single most important thing which can decide whether your paper will be successful or not. You need to find about the tendencies and reputation of your professors to make a proper decision. Build a relationship with them. Find out from senior students which professors are the ones who “get people through”. You need to be in touch with your advisor and collect routine feedback on your progress from them. They will be your biggest asset.
• Diagrams: Any artwork, figures or equations need to be professionally represented.
• Grammar: You would be surprised how many dissertations are rejected due to bad use of punctuations, typos, spelling errors or signs of plagiarism. Proofread your work before you submit it.
• Length: The main content of your dissertation should not be too concise or too lengthy.
• Literature: Avoid basic textbooks and try to refer on peer reviewed journals. Any recent (up to 10 years back) work or breakthrough will be published in journals instead of textbooks. You should also consider attending seminars to gather notes and recent findings.