This new edition is designed to help postgraduate and research students with the process, preparation, writing and examination of their thesis. Many students are able to design their programme of research and to collect the data, but they can find it more difficult to transform their data into a thesis. Using his extensive experience as a successful thesis supervisor, the author outlines: the purpose of the thesis and what it should achieve; strategies for organizing your work as you write your thesis; how to the incorporate a theoretical perspective; sound techniques of academic writing; how to benefit from your supervisors' experience; what to do about publishing preliminary findings; and tips on preparing for the oral examination.This updated edition contains additional material on the writing of shorter doctoral theses; writing about ethical issues; presenting qualitative data, and developing strategies for an oral examination. The book is essential reading for students who are completing theses on 'taught' Masters programmes, M.Phil. and Ph.D. students and for those working on the newer 'taught' doctoral programmes.