Health And Wellness

Episode 9. Why Is Thesis-Writing So Damned Hard?

You sit down at the keyboard, ready to write up your research. But the harder you try, the worse you seem to feel. This episode asks: why is thesis-writing so mentally and emotionally taxing? We talk to two writers about their struggles with self-doubt, anxiety and loneliness and look for new ways to think about academic writing.

Suman Varghese and Rob Desjardins - 24 May 2024

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Resources

As discussed in our episode

Cayley, Rachael. Thriving as a Graduate Writer: Principles, Strategies and Habits for Effective Academic Writing. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2023.

On overcoming perfectionism

Counselling & Clinical Services, University of Alberta (2019). My Mental Health: Perfectionism. Edmonton: University of Alberta.

On rethinking thesis-writing

Androsova, Natalya. Dissertation Without Tears: How to Break Up with Your Inner Critic and Nourish the Writer Within. Toronto: North Spirit, 2022.
Cotteral, Sara and Morena Botelho de Magalhaes. "I’ll show you mine if you show me yours": Suggestions for developing writing confidence. Blog. DoctoralWriting SIG, Nov. 28, 2022.
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Teaching Center, Columbia University. Completing Your Dissertation Without Tears. Web resource.