dissertation boot camp stanford

Dissertation Boot Camp

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Hume's Dissertation Boot Camp will accelerate your progress on a dissertation, master's thesis, or other graduate writing assignment.  It is designed to be a space that provides minimal distraction, a writing regimen/routine, peer motivation, and access to writing consultants. It equips you with writing productivity strategies and techniques that are of use beyond grad school. Boot camps are offered in 3-4 hour writing sessions on weekdays every quarter, including the summer.

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Dissertation Resources

Whether you’re just getting started on your dissertation or are close to completion, Stanford offers a variety of resources to support you along the way.

Synchronous Resources

Academic coaching - center for teaching and learning.

For most graduate students, the dissertation is the most extensive writing project they have ever encountered, and in addition, it has unique demands that make it different from other genres of writing. As a result, it may require adapting some of the approaches you’ve used in the past when it comes to planning, managing your time, staying motivated, and navigating other aspects of academic life. Academic Coaches can meet with you (in-person or online) to develop strategies and plans to support your dissertation goals. Some potential coaching topics include:

• Identifying subtasks within the larger project and developing a timeline for completion 
• Managing roadblocks and recalibrating your plan
• Creating a sustainable writing routine
• Communicating effectively with your advisor and dissertation committee
• Tracking progress and maintaining motivation

Writing and Speaking Consultations - Hume Center

Graduate students can schedule individual consultations with a Hume tutor and can choose to meet with a Lecturer or a peer Graduate Writing Tutor (in-person or online). Consultation topics may include:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Outlining and planning
• Developing an effective literature review
• Revision strategies
• Organizational strategies

Dissertation Support Group - Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

The Dissertation Support Group is a six-session online group which provides space to vent, meet other people like you, share goals and perspectives on navigating common themes (isolation, motivation, relationships), and learn some helpful coping skills to manage the stress of dissertation writing. This is a supportive graduate student space with the expertise of a Graduate Life Office Dean and a CAPS therapist co-facilitating and sharing skills, resources, and support specific to your situation.

Dissertation Boot Camp - Hume Center

The Dissertation Boot Camp is a free program that provides structure and motivation for graduate students who are wanting to make significant progress on their dissertation or other writing project. Dissertation Boot Camps are offered throughout the academic year and the summer. Interested graduate students can register to attend an in-person bootcamp at the Hume Center or an online bootcamp.

Asynchronous Resources

Starting an effective academic writing group - hume center.

This guide from the Hume Center provides strategies and structures that can be used to start and maintain a writing group. Writing groups can be a great way to integrate structure and accountability throughout the dissertation writing process. Dissertation writers often find it helpful to meet regularly with other graduate students who are also at this stage for the purpose of providing feedback, co-working, and/or setting and monitoring writing goals.

Dissertation Success Curriculum - National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity 

Graduate students can access Stanford’s institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD), which provides webinars, newsletters, and other resources related to topics such as writing productivity and time management. To access NCFDD’s Dissertation Success Curriculum, first follow the instructions using the link above to activate your Stanford-sponsored membership. Once you have created an account, navigate to the “Resources” section on the homepage, then select “Dissertation Success.” The curriculum includes 12 training modules covering topics such as creating a dissertation plan, understanding writing resistance, and overcoming academic perfectionism. Participants can also join a moderated discussion forum for peer mentoring and tracking writing progress.

Books on Graduate Writing - Stanford Libraries

A number of books related to writing in graduate school and completing a dissertation are available through the Stanford Libraries. A few examples are listed below:

• Demystifying Dissertation Writing:  A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text by Peg Boyle Single
• How to Write a Lot:  A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul Silvia
• The Productive Graduate Student Writer:  How to Manage Your Time, Processes, and Energy to Write Your Research Proposal, Thesis, and Dissertation and Get Published by Jan Allen
• Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day:  A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing your Doctoral Thesis by Joan Bolker
• Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks:  A Guide to Academic Publishing Success by Wendy Belcher

Honors Boot Camp

Main navigation, honors writing at the hume center.

The Hume Center for Writing and Speaking provides many resources to help you with your Honors project.

Honors Boot Camp Spring 2024 Schedule

Sundays from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the Hume Center Weeks 3 – 7 (Apr. 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12) RSVP is encouraged but not required

Honors Boot Camp: Write-ins & Writing Tips

Want to make progress on your Honors thesis? Getting ready to submit a section to your readers? Honors Thesis Write-Ins at the Hume Center are a phenomenal way to give yourself time to focus on your thesis. Together with a small group of other thesis writers you will focus on moving your thesis project forward. We will have short breaks for conversation & caffeine, but most of our time will be focused on writing. In a micro lesson, learn the Hume Center’s top tips for developing a clear, compelling argument and then apply them to your writing during the session.

During the first 15 mins, we will present a brief writing lesson, after which we’ll pick up our coffees, dig into our writing, and spend time working quietly in community. Drop-in peer writing tutors are available in the Hume lounge to help with any questions you may have!  Please RSVP here .

Materials for Productive Writing

A writing log promotes detailed record keeping and tracking of your daily writing accomplishments. Here is a writing log template you can use.

A daily planner helps you set realistic goals for each writing session. Here is a daily planner you can use.

Writing Consultations

Theses are difficult new genres for undergraduates because a thesis is usually the longest piece of sustained research writing they produce.  In addition to assisting students with traditional writing issues such as clarifying argument and thesis, framing research, improving transitions or providing revision strategies, our writing consultants also work with students on scheduling and planning, staying motivated, overcoming writer’s block, and assessing a writing schedule for the honors thesis. 

To find a consultant whose background and interests match yours, please review the biographies of lecturer and graduate student consultants . Students may arrange to make on-going weekly or bi-weekly appointments with a specific consultant. Talk with your chosen consultant about how to make this arrangement.

Consultations for Multimedia, Digital, or Oral Presentations

The Hume Center also offers Oral Communication or Digital Media consultations for students working on presentations or visual and multimedia projects related to the Honors thesis. Tutors will help you communicate more clearly and effectively in front of an audience or through the design and visual display of information on research posters or PowerPoint/Prezi.

Learn more about Digital Media Tutoring

Learn more about Oral Communication Tutoring

Writing Boot Camps

We offer two types of Honors Thesis Boot Camps:

• A Department or Program-Specific Boot Camp  is hosted for students from a single department/ program. Dates are set in consultation with the department and we ask for the department's help in recruiting students to attend,
• An Open Boot Camp  is offered to any Honors thesis writer. We schedule the date and advertise it to students via their Honors director or student services manager.

For more information or to schedule a Department/Program Specific Honors Boot Camps, please email  [email protected] .

You can request a workshop or ask your faculty advisor to request one. Workshop topics include writing the Honors proposal, managing the Honors thesis, and learning to write in accordance with the conventions of a particular field. To request a workshop, write to us at [email protected] .

Other Resources

Go to our Student Resource Page to find handouts and materials of use for Honors thesis planning and writing.

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Stanford is offering numerous opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to hone their skills, make connections and hear from thought-provoking speakers this summer.

Departments across campus, including the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE), the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), University IT, BEAM, Stanford Career Education and BioSci Careers will host workshops, accelerated classes, guest speaker events and other opportunities designed to help students and researchers stay engaged and productive.

“This summer, Stanford is offering many great opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars,” noted Stacey F. Bent, vice provost for graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. “If they have the bandwidth, I encourage students and postdocs to engage with the campus community and take advantage of opportunities to improve their academic and professional skills through these programs.”

All the programs listed below will take place online this summer due to social distancing requirements. Some have application or registration deadlines. For further details about each event or program, contact the host organization.

Summer opportunities

VPGE’s annual Stanford Graduate Summer Institute (SGSI) is a collection of free, accelerated, week-long courses held two weeks before autumn quarter. In these immersive courses, grad students and postdocs can explore new subjects, experiment with new ideas and meet new people. Courses include Designing the Professional: Addressing the question, “Once I get my degree, how do I get a life?” , which applies the innovation principles of design thinking to designing a life after leaving Stanford. This course begins Monday, Aug. 31.

SGSI also includes Energy@Stanford & SLAC: Energy Research for the 21st Century . In this three-day course, students broaden their understanding of energy, compete in the En-ROADS team challenge, meet Silicon Valley energy entrepreneurs and visit Stanford’s state-of-the-art Central Energy Facility. The course starts Monday, Aug. 31. View all SGSI course offerings here .

Michael Tubbs, mayor of Stocton, CA, and Bonny Simms, president of Jetblue Technology Ventures, are among the speakers participating in the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders series this summer. (Image credit: Courtesy Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders)

In August, OPA will host a Teaching Workshop for Postdocs designed to enhance participants’ versatility as teachers. The program covers numerous topics, including learning climate, communication of goals and evaluation of learners. The workshop takes place Aug. 4–7 and attendance is required for all four days. Interested postdocs can register here .

OPA has also designed a pair of interactive workshops with Jessica Notini, a lecturer at Stanford Law School. These workshops will empower trainees to advocate for their needs at a time when access to resources is limited and competing needs are widespread. Participants will learn collaborative negotiation and critical conversation skills and build a foundation for confident self-advocacy. Be Your Own Advocate: Foundations for Collaborative Negotiation will take place July 10 and Aug. 13 . Challenging Conversations will take place July 13 and Aug. 14 . (Registration for the August workshops will open on July 14.)

The Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering (ICME) will host its Summer Workshops 2020 on Zoom. These day-long workshops cover numerous topics, including machine learning, high-performance computing, data visualization in Tableau and Python. The workshops take place between Aug. 17–22. Registration is now open.

Students and postdocs interested in improving their technology skills might consider enrolling in Technology Training sessions, offered by VPGE and University IT. In these free, virtual, instruction-led sessions, participants learn current and emerging technologies and skills essential for their research, professional development and career preparation. There are three training sessions covering different topics. Each session will last three hours and participants can sign up for one, two or all three sessions.

Preparation and Practice:  Scientific Communication & Media is a course offered by BioSci Careers. Trainees in this course obtain a basic understanding of the publishing process, effective writing technique, an overview of opportunities in the communications field and social media promotion. The class ends with a networking panel featuring alumni in working communications. The class is for STEM postdocs, MDs, PhDs and MS students and registration is limited to 25 students. Sign up on Handshake .

Do you enjoy being at a university, but not sure you want to be a professor? BEAM’s PhD Pathways series is an off-shoot of its annual day-long  PhD Pathways conference , which was canceled this year due to the pandemic. The series teaches participants about the wide range of roles and offices that allow for continued engagement with education, research, students and faculty, while also learning to apply the skills and knowledge you acquired in grad school. The series consists of five panel events featuring people from a variety of disciplines discussing topics such as higher-ed administrative roles, education technology, freelancing and entrepreneurship and more. The first event is July 15. Further details, including registration information, is available on Handshake .

Need help writing your dissertation? The Hume Dissertation Boot Camp is a free program that helps graduate students make serious progress on a dissertation, master’s thesis or other graduate writing project. The program helps students learn to write more productively by providing writing regimens and routines, expert writing consultants, motivation and support, and snacks and supplies. Registration for Summer Camp 3 opens July 6 and for Summer Camp 4 on Aug. 3.

This summer, the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders series is bringing numerous speakers to the Stanford community. In these virtual and candid discussions, speakers discuss their entrepreneurial journey and share personal stories of the secrets and setbacks behind their success. Upcoming speakers include alums Bonny Simi, president of JetBlue Technology Ventures, on July 8, and Michael Tubbs, mayor of Stockton, California, on Aug. 12. Events occur every Wednesday. See the summer line-up of speakers here .

For more upcoming events and programs, visit VPGE and OPA ’s events pages, as well as the main Stanford events calendar .

Dissertations and Theses

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Congratulations on being close to the finish line with your dissertation or thesis.

After you’ve applied to graduate and enrolled, dissertations and theses may be submitted online through the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess.  

Once you finish submitting your dissertation or thesis in Axess, and it has been approved by the university, the submission is considered final and no further changes are permitted. 

The electronic submission process is free of charge and allows you the ability to check your pre-submission requirements and when ready, upload a digital copy of your dissertation or thesis. 

You can learn more about the center on the How to Use the Dissertation & Thesis Center webpage.

• FAQs: Dissertation & Theses
• How to Submit Your Signature Page
• How to Use the Dissertation & Thesis Center
• How to Request to Use Copyrighted Material

Note: The online submission process is not available for master's theses or undergraduate honors theses. Please consult with your department directly regarding submission procedures.

Follow these guides to ensure you meet all the requirements for submitting your dissertation or thesis. 

• Prepare Your Work for Submission
• Submit Your Dissertation or Thesis
• Steps After Submission

Submission Deadlines for Conferral

You must apply to graduate and enroll before you can access the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess.

The Dissertation & Thesis Center opens to submissions on the first day of instruction each quarter for which the student has applied to graduate.

The quarterly deadlines are set as late in the quarter as possible, providing the time necessary for review of the dissertation or thesis, including review of final degree requirements by the Registrar's Office and the departments. 

You are strongly encouraged to submit your work at least two weeks prior to the deadline to ensure that all requirements can be met in time for the conferral of your degree. 

Once you finish submitting your dissertation or thesis in Axess, and it has been approved by the university, the submission is considered final and no further changes are permitted. 

After the final reader approves the dissertation, it typically takes about seven (7) business days for the university to process the submission.  

Deadlines by Quarter

Dissertation deadlines are strictly enforced.  No exceptions are made. By noon on the final submission deadline date, all of the following steps must be completed:           

• The student enrolls and applies to graduate;
• The student confirms the names of reading committee members in Axess, and designates a Final Reader;
• The student submits reading committee signatures;
• The student completes the necessary University Milestones;
• The student’s candidacy is valid through degree conferral;
• The student submits the final dissertation or thesis in Axess;
• The designated Final Reader certifies the final draft of the dissertation or thesis submitted in Axess.

For help, contact the Student Services Center .                                                                        

For faculty and staff information on Dissertations, visit Inside Student Services.