According to Rita S. Brause, professor of education at Fordham University and author of "Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation: Invisible Rules for Success," your thesis should break new ground. Look for gaps in the research, new methodologies that might shed light on your topic, or novel combinations of subject area. Dr. Brause also advises choosing a topic you love. You'll be intimately involved with it for the next several months or years.
The length, intensity and sophistication of the thesis project all require that you approach the task of writing differently than you have before. Begin freewriting about your topic as early as possible, says Joan Bolker, Ed.D. and author of "Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day." Keep a notebook to record what you're reading, brainstorming sessions, and even wild speculations about your topic. Set a daily freewriting page count--Bolker suggests between three and six pages--to get in the habit of engaging with your topic on the page. When you transition into formally writing your thesis chapters, you'll have pages of ideas on which to draw.
Go out on a regular basis to meetings or social gatherings with your fellow grads. Besides being a source of much-needed fun, these get-togethers can afford you a chance to problem solve any issues with your research. Carol M. Roberts, author of "The Dissertation Journey," suggests keeping on track by building a thesis support group or inviting a friend from your program to be your dissertation buddy. If your peers are not as friendly as you'd like, join an online group like PhinisheD, a support forum for thesis writers (see Resources).
Before you complete the dissertation, find out as much as you can about the defense process at your school. Guidelines for defenses are usually determined by the school of graduate studies or equivalent administrative body. Sonja K. Foss and William Waters, authors of "Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation," suggest that you ask your adviser to fill you in on defense requirements at your school. Ask about the length of the defense, types of question you can expect, and whether you'll need to make a presentation.
By the time you reach the defense, you have become the expert in your particular topic area. Joan Bolker notes that in today's academic environment, the defense is no longer a sink or swim proposition, and most committees will not let you go forward to defense unless you're ready. Hostile questions at defenses are rare, but by the time you've spent the months or years required to complete your thesis, you are well prepared to answer any challenges.