12 Help! – The work is stuck

Writing a thesis is not always a walk in the park. There may be times during the thesis writing process when it feels like the work is not going anywhere. It can be difficult to find a suitable topic, delineate it, identify the research problem, find the literature, set up a research setting, or write fluent text. It is important to note that internalising things takes time and writing the thesis involves work (e.g. reading the source texts, planning the thesis, etc.) that may not be immediately visible in the concrete thesis.

When you are stuck, read the thesis instructions again. Check also reporting instructions carefully. If you can’t find instructions, or don’t understand them, ask help from your thesis supervisor!

It is equally important to seek help whenever problems emerge, better sooner than later. If you feel that you have been left alone with your work, contact your thesis supervisor. You can also get support for writing the thesis from a study counsellor or a study psychologist.

Other support for the thesis writers

In addition to your thesis supervisor, you can also get support for your thesis from other Jamk staff. There are thesis workshops, pop-up clinics and other forms of support. They provide you with tips and tricks on how to progress with your thesis. Click the enclosed link for a detailed schedule.

Language clinic

In the language guidance clinic (arranged by the Jamk Language Centre), you can discuss your writing process and get help on grammatical issues with a teacher from the language centre. The meeting time is 30 or 60 minutes and the it can be face-to-face or online. The teacher will not read your text beforehand, but the meeting will beconducted based on the questions you ask. Book an appointment from a separate calendar. Find the link from the link list.

Information-seeking guidance

The library offers open guidance sessions for students working on their theses. Enroll yourself to the session in advance, find the enrolment link from the link list.

Accessibility and barrier-free learning

The study counsellor will provide you with support and guidance in your studies, and you can apply for personal study arrangements for your studies. You can receive individual support for writing your thesis if, for example, you have been diagnosed with dyslexia or your native language is not Finnish. In this case, consult the study counsellor at an early stage of your thesis project. For further information, see the Accessibility and Individual Special Arrangements section of the For Students pages.

Documents

Progress of the Bachelor’s Thesis Project in Wihi (PDF)

Progress of the Master’s Thesis Project in Wihi (PDF)