The document provides tips for finishing a PhD thesis by breaking it down into smaller, manageable parts and establishing a regular writing schedule. It acknowledges common excuses graduate students use to avoid writing, such as needing to do more reading or only being able to write at certain times, and advises treating writing like a regular activity done every day. The document also notes that the greatest scientists had trouble finishing their work and advocates writing daily to make productive use of time rather than waiting for bursts of inspiration.

1. Finishing Your Thesis 2 October 2009 How to Finish the PhD Tim Kastelle

2. “ Oh, come on – it’s in my head. Must I go on? Are you really going to make me write it down?” David Mamet

3. The only good PhD…

4. … is a finished PhD

6. The greatest scientist ever… … had problems finishing

7. Data Collection 1831-1835

8. Key Insight - 1837

9. Master’s Thesis? - 1842

10. Main Work Published - 1859

11. Why then?

12. What took so long?

13. What is your problem?

22. “ As late as 1806, I was waiting for genius to set upon me so that I might write... If I had spoken around 1795 of my plans to write, some sensible man would have told me to write every day for an hour or so. Genius or no genius. That advice would have made me use profitably ten years of my life that I wasted stupidly waiting for genius to descend.” -Stendahl

28. Thank you! http://timkastelle.org