Thesis & Dissertation Writing Support

Overview

​Culminating years of significant thought and research into a dissertation is rewarding, but it can be very challenging too. Dissertation writing can also be an isolating experience where students work largely on their own. 

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is committed to providing help and support to students throughout the dissertation writing process. SGS recommends scheduling regular consultations with the supervisor, attending formal dissertation writing seminars when offered, and joining student-organized groups to gain support and a sense of community. SGS also offers workshops to help with the logistical aspects of writing a dissertation and writing groups for students to help one another.

Bookable Space at SGS

Many graduate units offer bookable space for dissertation writing groups; in addition, SGS makes space available.

To book space at 63 St. George and 65 St. George, please visit the Room Booking Page.

Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC)

The Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) offers a wide range of workshops to support graduate student writing. Topics include writing literature reviews, mastering citation and sources, editing your work, and many more. Individual consultations are also available by appointment. See the full listing of current GCAC workshops.

Centre for Learning Strategy Support (CLSS)

The Centre for Learning Strategy Support (CLSS) offers graduate writing groups for students. Groups of ten graduate students, with the support of a Learning Strategist and graduate mentor, provide a small, informal and encouraging atmosphere for you to focus on your work and discuss your writing goals. The writing groups run throughout the calendar year.

Get more information and register.

Resources for Writing Support

The student perspective: Support Structures for Graduate Writing (Gradlife blog)

U of T grad students and faculty write about writing: How We Write: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blank Page (open access)University of Toronto, Graduate Supervision Guidelines – Students (2016)

FAQ: Use of Copy Editors for Graduate Theses

Question: Are graduate students permitted to use an external copy editor to assist in refining their thesis?

A: The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) considers the graduate thesis as the culmination of a student’s investment in advanced studies and the most significant academic milestone of graduate education. The University expects a thesis submitted to satisfy degree requirements at the graduate level is the student’s work, completed under the guidance of the supervisor and supervisory committee.

To prepare a high-quality graduate thesis, it is imperative that students develop advanced scholarly writing skills appropriate to their disciplinary field. The iterative process of drafting and revising scholarly work deepens students’ engagement with their research, encourages novel contributions, and facilitates the overall research process. 

In some circumstances, graduate students may need more help refining their writing for their dissertation. It is expected that a graduate supervisor and supervisory committee serve as the primary resource in the development and refinement of writing skills, with additional support available from the Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC). If the student and the committee agree that the thesis has ongoing stylistic issues that have not been resolved through available institutional resources, they may wish to discuss whether an external copy editor might be helpful. It should be acknowledged that engaging with a copy editor for the review of a graduate thesis can be a significant financial burden.

However, should a student seek further writing support through the use of an external copy editor, this must be done with a strong rationale and the prior approval of the supervisor(s) and supervisory committee. This approach is consistent with how other decisions about the thesis, including structure and format, are decided (see Student Guidelines for the Doctoral Thesis). If the student’s request is approved, the parameters of use should be discussed, and the student should understand that the intellectual content of the thesis cannot be modified through the external editing process. Further, the student must clearly identify the contributions of an external copy editor to their work in the thesis document. Students may also be requested to provide the supervisory committee with copies of the thesis before and after professional editing to demonstrate the role of the copy editor. Ultimately, the student must provide sufficient evidence that they themselves have met the Key Criteria of the Doctoral Thesis, adhered to principles of research integrity, and demonstrated that they have met the graduate level degree expectations.

Students may also seek writing support for their graduate theses through generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT. Prior to using AI tools in scholarly work, students should review the SGS Guidance on the Appropriate Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Graduate Theses.

*Note: It is highly recommended that the student, the supervisor(s) / supervisory committee, and the copy editor familiarize themselves with Editors Canada Guidelines for Ethical Editing of Graduate Student Texts and consider requiring all parties to complete the Permission Form to Confirm Editing Services for Student Texts.