“How to write a thesis” was written in 1994 by Albert Imsland, Hege Folkestad and Anne Mette Kvenseth, three candidates who had recently graduated from the former Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, University of Bergen.
Originally released in Norwegian only, this compendium was designed for a course in thesis writing for Master students, which was a spinoff from BFM301 “Methods of Fisheries and Marine Biology”, an introductory course for new students at the Department. Both courses were meant to be of practical help for a rational completion of the thesis. Understandably, this document rapidly met great success and it was soon decided to translate it into English at the request of foreign students taking the writing course (translation was performed by Espen Bagøien).
During more than 30 years, this compendium has been read and used by many students, not only at the Department of Biology, but also at other departments within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and possibly at other faculties of the University of Bergen. Whereas the most crucial chapters dealing with scientific writing are certainly still actual, other parts have obviously gone outdated. Unsurprisingly, computers and softwares have dramatically improved since 1994. Consequently, the chapters introducing, for example, the use of word processing programmes such as Word Perfect or spreadsheet programmes such as as Lotus 1-2-3 have lost their relevance. Conscious of the fact that “How to write a thesis” is still a useful reference and tool for current MSc students, bioWRITE has decided to refresh it and to provide in a more adapted web-based format.