Other help and support during the writing of a thesis

You are not alone with your thesis. The faculties and degree programmes are responsible for the academic guidance and counselling related to a thesis. The named supervisor of the thesis is the primary source of support on the thesis and its contents. However, other forms of support are also available to thesis writers. Support is available, for example, on information searching and data management as well as writing and making progress. Support is offered by the University’s joint counselling services, Language Centre and Library and Data Service.

Facilities for working
Information searching and data management
Making progress
Research methods
Study skills
Talk to someone
Writing

Facilities for working

• Sometimes it is hard to get things done at home and changing one’s work environment may help to promote the thesis process. 
• The Library offers various spaces on four campuses. The Library’s reading, working and storage spaces and devices may be used during the opening times of the facilities and in accordance with the Universities community’s access rights during the self-service times. 
• There are different spaces for working independently and in groups. Some of the facilities are open 24/7 with an access card. The Emma space for online lectures is located in the Library’s reading room in the Linna building where you can participate in distance teaching using your own device. There is also a self-service kitchen in the Linna Library. Take a look at the facilities at the different locations on their pages: 
  • Arvo’s self-service unit 
  • Hervanta’s self-service unit 
  • Linna’s self-service unit 
  • TAMK’s self-service unit 
• You may also use other on-campus facilities. These can be reserved via the Resource Booker. The facilities are described and instructions for reservation and use are available on the Student’s Handbook:
  • Study facilities for students
  • A list of the facilities on campus (pdf)
  • Students’ computer labs

Information searching and data management

Library’s guides and collections

The Library’s collections and guides provide information for the different phases of writing a thesis. Some noteworthy tips are listed here:

• You have access to the Library’s electronic collections via the Andor search, A-Z listing of databases and the Library Guides. You can use electronic materials wherever whenever using your tuni user account. The Library also offers printed materials, which you can search via Andor.
• The Guides for theses and research methods collection gathers together materials for theses and scientific writing as well as guides on different research methods. Taking a look at some of the books there may help you to understand what writing a thesis and the related difficulties are all about.
• The key databases and materials of your own study field can easily be found in the Subject guides. In the guides you will also find useful dictionaries.
• The Information searching guide helps you to understand the process, planning and strategies of information retrieval. The Guide also contains information on searching for scientific knowledge and assessing the reliability of sources. The Information Searching Guide also contains guidelines on using artificial intelligence and referring to it in information searching. 
• The Systematic searching guide contains tips on drafting a systematic review. You may apply the guidelines to any thorough information searching. 
• The Open Science -guide includes general guidelines on data protection, copyright and publishing and links to open access resources. 

Previously published theses 

• At the various stages of writing one’s thesis, it may be useful to take a look at previously published theses. Tampere University’s theses from Bachelor’s theses to doctoral dissertations are published on Tampere University’s publication database Trepo. Theses with limited access can only be viewed with the special devices at the University Library.  
• Links to theses authored at other universities can be found on the Theses tab of the field-specific guides.

Information searching studies 

• The thesis seminar includes studies on information searching. The training gives you basic knowledge of the information searching process, search techniques and the central sources of information in your field. During the studies, you can plan and practice searching information on your thesis topic. The studies also deal with open data and good scientific practice. 

Information searching workshops 

• If you need concrete guidance and help when searching for information related to your thesis, participate in the Library’s information searching workshops. The workshops are arranged remotely or at the Library, and they are taught by Information Specialists. The purpose of the workshops is to help you move forward with your information searching when you need help. 

Support for data management 

• Basic information on data management is available in the Library’s guide. Student's guide to responsible and open science contains useful information on collecting, processing, describing, storing and archiving data. The guide also explains matters related to data protection and data security. 
• Subject guides have links to sources where you can search for open data. 
• One central archive that conveys research data to researchers, teachers and students is the Finnish social science data archive, FSD.
• Important information on good scientific practice and research ethics can be found in the Ethics Guide.
• If you have questions related to the collecting, handling and managing the data for your thesis or matters related to data protection, get in touch with the Library’s data support: researchdata [at] tuni.fi

Making progress 

• Get Stuff Done study sessions offer rhythm and support to get things done. The workshops are organised online via Zoom every week (Mon-Thu) and you do not need to sign up for the events. 
• Thesis weekend is an intensive weekend to advance your own thesis with your peers. At the Thesis weekend students work on goals they have set for themselves. The event is intended to support the advancing of the thesis, especially if the student challenges in achieving and scheduling ones own work, combining work/life situation and studies or has a need for peer support. 
  The weekends are carried out by trained peer tutors. They schedule working time and arrange peer support. Peer tutors do not support the writing of the thesis or in matters related to the content. 
  When registering, the student reserves the place for the whole weekend and commits to participating on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. Thesis weekends are mainly held in Finnish, but you are welcome to participate in the discussions also in English.

Research methods

• The Online handbooks of research methods page contains useful tips to support quantitative or qualitative research. 
• You can also use the Sage's Project planner tool and method guides to plan and promote your thesis project.

Study skills

• Writing a thesis requires skills in planning, goal-setting and independent working. Study psychologists have made short support videos with tips and published them on the Study skills for thesis writers Moodle. 
• Several lectures and workshops on study skills and students’ well-being are also arranged. Current information on these events is published on the Well-being calendar page on the Intranet.

Talk to someone

• The main support and guidance for writing your thesis comes from your own degree programme. In addition to your own responsible supervisor and tutor teacher, you can also turn to your education specialist for any questions related to your degree. See the Faculty guidance services page for contact information and instructions for booking personal appointments.
• Sometimes it is good to discuss with an outsider about the thoughts and feelings related to the thesis or the general life situation of being a student. In personal counselling, you can discuss study ability, motivation, study techniques, getting things started and completed and process feelings. Specialists (study counsellors, career counsellors, study psychologists, specialists organising individual study arrangements) are partners with whom you can think things through and with whom you can book an appointment for individual counselling. Read more about the joint guidance and counselling services and booking an appointment.  
• If you are uncertain which form of support would help you, you can always ask for advice from our low-threshold counselling service Navigaattori, so that we can think things through together.
• Discussions with one’s peers may be a relief. It is worth checking whether your degree programme or your subject association organises Peer support. The peer support page of the Student’s Handbook presents common forms of peer support that further students’ well-being. The purpose of the thesis-writing workshops presented on this page is also to offer peer support.

Writing

• The Language Centre has produced versatile materials to support writing. The Write Now Moodle course helps you at different stages of the writing process. The material supports you to plan your writing, manage the writing the process and finding the courage to write. The material also contains tips on what to do when writing is hard. 
• Useful tips for scientific writing, polishing your text and referencing practices have been compiled on the Writing and citing tab.
• Text Workshop for Students Writing their Thesis, 2 cr is an optional course to be implemented as small group teaching, where you can deepen your writing skills.

Ask for advice

• studentcounselling.tau [at] tuni.fi (studentcounselling[dot]tau[at]tuni[dot]fi) (support for the thesis process and students’ well-being) 
• opetus.kirjasto [at] tuni.fi (opetus[dot]kirjasto[at]tuni[dot]fi )(teaching on information searching) 
• researchdata [at] tuni.fi (matters related to data management 
• kirjasto [at] tuni.fi (library[at]tuni[dot]fi) (collections, facilities, lending services)