The final months of thesis writing can be tough. We are excited to present The Final Sprint—a 13-week writing program designed to help you get your thesis over the finish line at the highest quality possible. 

Each Thursday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, we’ll host a three-hour writing session at the main UOW campus kicked off by an expert keynote speaker.

Make consistent progress on your thesis alongside peers at the same stage of their research journey.

Spots are limited, so register soon to secure your place.

This program is targeted at HDR candidates at 4EFTSL and above. 

To make steady progress on your thesis, we recommend registering for all 13 sessions. However, if you are unable to commit to the full program, you also have the option to register for individual sessions.

You will receive a confirmation email and calendar invitation for each session you register for.

No. As the sessions predominantly involve structured writing, this program is offered in-person only. 

If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Researcher Development Unit on researcher-development@uow.edu.au

Program 

Week 1
Thursday, 1-4pm                                                                

Goal setting and resources
Keynote: Professor Simon Moss

Explore resources and strategies to help you complete your thesis as efficiently as possible. Learn how to set key milestones, break your objectives into manageable steps, and stay on track toward your completion goal.

Week 2
Thursday, 1-4pm             

Revisiting the Literature Review
Keynote: Professor Corinne Cortese & Professor Danielle Skropeta

Discover effective ways to finalise and integrate literature into your thesis. This session will cover filling gaps in your referencing or discussion of key studies, and cross-checking literature for currency, consistency and alignment.

Week 3
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Strengthening your argument
Keynote: Professor Honglin Chen

Learn how to sharpen your central arguments and ensure coherence throughout your thesis. This session will guide you in strengthening your argument, refining key points, and using peer feedback to enhance your main arguments.

Week 4
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Crafting conclusions and discussions
Keynote: Dr Anne Hellwig

Learn about writing strong conclusions that align with your research question. This session focuses on drafting or refine your discussion and conclusion to ensure your final insight link strongly to the overarching thesis argument.

Week 5
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Refining methodology and data analysis
Keynote: Associate Professor Catherine Mac Phail

Discover best practices for explaining methods and results with clarity and conviction. In this session, learn how to refine your methodology chapter and ensure rigor and coherence in your data presentation.

Week 6
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Chapter structure and flow
Keynote: Dr Anne Hellwig

Learn about building logical flow and smooth transitions in your writing. This involves reviewing and refining chapter outlines, and strengthening transitions to ensure coherence. 

Week 7
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Abstract and introduction finalisation
Keynote: Professor Honglin Chen

Learn how to create a compelling abstract and introduction. Learn how to refine your introduction to clearly justify and showcase the scope of your thesis, and revise your abstract to highlight contributions succinctly. 

Week 8
 

Mid-session break

Week 9
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Polishing your writing style
Keynote: Professor Simon Moss

Learn strategies for maintaining clarity, precision, and consistent academic tone how to create a compelling abstract and introduction. This session will cover style-focused edits, refining your word choices, and sentence structure.

Week 10
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Editing and proofreading techniques
Keynote: Professor Simon Moss

Discover systematic editing approaches and proofreading tools. This session will address how to conduct a targeted edit on a specific chapter of your thesis.

Week 11
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Understanding what examiners really look for
Keynote: Associate Professor Xiaoping Lu

Explore common concerns raised by thesis examiners and refine your thesis to address them effectively.

Week 12
Thursday, 1-4pm 

References and citations
Keynote: Dr Anthony Wotring

Ensure rigour and consistency in in-text citations and references, particularly using EndNote or other reference management software.

Week 13
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Using Turnitin to produce similarity reports
Keynote: Mr Abhilash Vijayan

Discover how to prepare similarity reports using Turnitin, allowing you to edit your thesis more effectively. 

Week 14
Thursday, 1-4pm 

Formatting and submission preparation
Keynote: Professor Corinne Cortese

Review UOW's formatting requirements and submission protocols. This session will overview how to conduct final formatting checks, including margins, pagination, and more.