Share a git repo of the project right at the start of the project
With SP and anybody else involved in your project, with write/push access
Submit a first dissertation draft for feedback at least 1 month before submission deadline
This may be in the form of a fleshed-out outline.
Submit a final dissertation (MSc/BSc or Chapter (PhD) draft for feedback at least 1 week before submission deadline
Note the at least part – earlier the better, of course, especially as the person giving feedback (usually, SP) will likely have multiple dissertations to comment on at that point.
Send all drafts in pdf (no Word, OpenOffice, etc.)
You may also share the document on overleaf or equivalent
The final draft must have an Abstract
The abstract should be a mini-paper in itself: So, 1-2 lines on background, 1-2 lines on the paper’s objectives, 1-2 lines on the methods, 1-2 lines on the main results, 1-2 lines on the main conclusions + take homes.
Make the dissertation title as results-oriented as possible
Results-oriented example: “x affects y in z across all of life”
Counter-example (non-results oriented title): “The effect of x on y in z across all of life”
Don’t present hypotheses if they are not backed by logical arguments or mathematical/computational modelling/theory
Asking questions is better than (logically/theoretically) unfounded hypotheses
And if you are going with hypotheses, add statements following the hypotheses that briefly explain the logic behind each hypothesis
But don’t use the word “explore” – The general PawarLab approach is to address questions or (logic-/theory-backed) hypotheses.
Use direct speech (as it is YOUR dissertation!)
So avoid phrases such as “This study investigates”; say “Here I investigate” or something like that instead.
Always give an overview of the methods
Before going into details of different specific components of the methods, describe in a few lines the overall analytical/modelling strategy adopted to tackle the questiions / hypotheses stated.
Supplementary Information, if presented, should be a separate document and cited in the main text
Make sure it is a separate document that includes is own references and sections/subsections.
And when citing the SI, cite specific sections/subsections.
The separate SI should be concatenated with the main document when you send the draft for comments and in the final submission.