Writing a thesis can feel like climbing a mountain — exciting at first, but somewhere in the middle you wonder if you’ll ever reach the top. The good news is that most of the problems students face during thesis writing are completely avoidable once you know what they are.
In this post, I’m sharing the most common thesis writing mistakes I’ve seen students make, along with practical tips to avoid them. Whether you’re just starting or halfway through, these reminders can save you time, stress, and a few late nights with endless cups of tea.
(If you’re struggling to start your thesis, you might also like my post on How to Write Your Thesis in 7 Days.)
1. Starting Your Thesis Without a Clear Structure
One of the biggest mistakes students make is diving straight into writing without a plan. You open a new document, start typing whatever comes to mind, and soon everything feels messy and disconnected.
How to avoid it:
Before you start, spend half an hour creating a simple outline. Most theses follow a clear structure — Introduction/Literature Review → Methodology → Results → Discussion → Conclusion.
Write down what you plan to include under each heading. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just helps you stay organized and focused.
2. Ignoring Thesis Guidelines Early On
Every university has its own rules — formatting, referencing style, word count, even font size. It’s easy to ignore them until the end, but that often means hours of painful re-formatting right before the deadline.
How to avoid it:
Take 20 minutes to read your university’s thesis handbook before you begin. Highlight anything important like referencing style (APA, Harvard, etc.) or specific requirements for layout. Following the guidelines from day one will save you huge amounts of time later.
3. Leaving Thesis Referencing Until the End
This is a very common one. You tell yourself you’ll add the references later — and then “later” turns into the night before submission. Missing citations or inconsistent formatting can easily cost marks.
How to avoid it:
Use a free referencing tool such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote. Record each reference as soon as you use it, even if you’re still drafting. Many of these tools can automatically format your bibliography in your chosen style, which is a massive time-saver.
4. Writing Without Reviewing Enough Literature
Sometimes students start writing their Introduction or Discussion without a full understanding of existing research. This leads to vague statements or outdated references.
How to avoid it:
Before writing, spend a few hours reading at least 3–5 core research papers closely related to your topic. Note down what’s been done, what’s missing, and how your work fits in. This background reading strengthens your argument and shows you understand your field.
5. Overcomplicating the Language
It’s tempting to make your writing sound “academic” by using long sentences and fancy words. But clarity is far more important than sounding clever.
How to avoid it:
Write the way you’d explain your project to an educated friend. Keep sentences short and direct. Avoid unnecessary jargon unless it’s essential. Once you finish a paragraph, re-read it and ask yourself, “Would someone outside my field understand this?” If not, simplify it.
6. Neglecting Editing and Proofreading
After weeks of writing, you might feel too tired to read your thesis again — but skipping proofreading can leave in typos, repeated words, or missing references.
How to avoid it:
Set aside one full day just for editing. Read your thesis aloud — it’s one of the best ways to catch awkward phrasing. You can also use tools like Grammarly or LanguageTool to check grammar, but always do a manual review too. If possible, ask a friend to read it with fresh eyes.
7. Not Backing Up Your Thesis Work Regularly
It sounds simple, but this mistake can be heartbreaking. Computers crash, USBs get lost, and files disappear. Losing your thesis days before submission is every student’s nightmare.
How to avoid it:
Always back up your work in at least two places — for example, your laptop and Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Auto-save features are great, but make manual backups at the end of each writing session just in case.
Final Thoughts
Writing a thesis doesn’t have to be stressful. The key is staying organised, consistent, and kind to yourself along the way. Remember, everyone makes mistakes — what matters is learning from them early.
Which of these mistakes have you faced while writing your thesis? Share your thoughts in the comments — and if you found this post useful, check out my related guides:
How to write your thesis in 7 days
How I successfully published all my PhD chapters in good journals