Let me share that shocking news again. Your opinion doesn’t matter if you’re writing a thesis.
Many doctoral candidates want to use their thesis as a platform for airing an opinion, to try to persuade everyone to agree with them.
A thesis is all about providing evidence. It’s about reviewing the literature, conducting research, reporting the findings, and drawing conclusions.
That’s conclusions based on the findings, not on your own biased opinions.
When I break the news to candidates that they have to hold off presenting their own unsupported ideas, they often say: “But how do I present my argument?” Of course, I have answers.
First, a thesis isn’t a place to present “your” argument. You can make an argument based on the research findings, but you must step back and stay impartial, unless you’re a participant researcher or have some other interactive role.
Secondly, let the literature present arguments. Narrative citations can be used to let the authors show the different sides of the issues they’ve studied, and how they agree or disagree with each other.
Lastly, the findings from your research will reveal new and original knowledge, so you can draw conclusions based on evidence.
Did I mention that no opinions are required in a thesis?
But let’s discuss how to use your opinions as the basis of a book!