Writing your thesis

Research skills

Information skills for researchers is a website designed by the Library to help postgraduate researchers use information resources effectively.

PhD Skills is a web-based scheme to support OU research students in developing skills they will need to pursue and complete their doctorates successfully and on time.

Writing research papers and dissertations

The OU Library catalogue has references to material on preparing and presenting dissertations and theses under the subject heading Dissertations, Academic Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Resources are also available via the Internet:

• A guide for writing research papers based on Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation Humanities Department and the Arthur C. Banks Jr. Library, Capital Community College, Hartford, Connecticut; maintained by the Professor of English, Charles Darling.
• Writing and presenting your thesis or dissertation; S. Joseph Levine, Michigan State University.
• Writing research theses or dissertations; University of Newcastle-upon -Tyne.

  Where to publish

  Your supervisor will probably be your main source of advice on where to submit material for publication However, you might find the on-line database ISI Journal Citation Reports (JCR) a useful source of information. Click on "Journal Citation Reports" on the ISI Web of Knowledge Interface.

  You can use JCR to generate a list of journals in your subject area ranked by their 'impact factor' a ratio based on the number of times a journal article is cited in academic literature. It is likely that articles in journals with high impact factors will receive greater exposure and notice than articles in more lowly rated titles.