Many courses and degrees require that students write a short thesis. This book guides students through their first experience of producing a thesis and undertaking original research. Written by experienced researchers and advisors, the book sets out signposts and tasks to help students to understand what is needed to succeed, including scoping a topic, managing references, interpreting data, and successful completion.

For students, the task of writing a thesis is a transition from structured coursework to becoming a researcher. The book provides advice on:

• What to expect from research and how to work with a supervisor
• Getting organized and approaching the work in a productive way
• Developing an overall thesis structure and avoidance of mistakes such as inadvertent plagiarism
• Producing each major component: a strong introduction, background chapters that are situated in the discipline, and an explanation of methods and results that are crucial to successful original research
• How to wrap up a complex project with an extended checklist of the many details needed to be checked before a final submission

Paul Gruba is Associate Professor in the School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne.

Justin Zobel is Professor in the School of Computing & Information Systems, University of Melbourne.