Kextips

An informal collection of tips for writing, editing and finessing the bachelor thesis at KTH.

After supervising over 100 bachelor projects, a few patterns in advice and feedback emerge. Perhaps the most intensive phase for feedback comes when the thesis must be written up. Quite often, this is the first significant technical document that students will encounter.

Despite the careful and constructive alignment of technical writing training earlier in their degree and the presence of technical writing support from the local library throughout their bachelors project, recurring problems still arise and the same recurring feedback must be given. This is not a critique on the training on hand, rather a reflection that we only learn to write by writing (a lot).

The aim of this collection is to help both student and supervisor. Students can read and integrate the tips into their process. Supervisors can both share these tips with their students and contribute their own to this collection.

Writing

• Writing and Editing
• Structure, Order and Framing
• Recursive Writing
• Conical Backgrounding
• Doing Discussions
• Respecting the Reader
• Employing AI as a Writer

Editing

• Reading Backwards
• Exploding Paragraphs
• Listen Closely
• Employing AI as a Editor

Finessing

• Artefacts Matter
• Minutiae Matter
• Style Matters

Contributions

Please feel free to post an issue, become a contributor, or simply email me with your ideas for tips.