Killing Your Darlings in Thesis Writing
“I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short.”—Blaise Pascal
In writing, less often turns out to be significantly more. Many writers are familiar with William Faulkner’s advice, “In writing, you must kill all your darlings.” But what if you’re not always ready to bring your knife to the page? This advice is particularly relevant to thesis writing in the University of Twente Industrial Engineering and Management program, where the process typically begins with a detailed project plan followed by the actual thesis.
The project plan serves as an initial guide, outlining the research questions (RQs), literature review, methodology, and expected outcomes. Students frequently regard their project plans as immutable, treating these initial ideas as if they were etched in stone. However, research is inherently exploratory, and new information, such as unavailable data, unforeseen limitations, or additional requirements discovered along the way, can drastically alter the original plan.
When confronted with these inevitable shifts, students often face uncertainty: Should they revise the project plan or stick rigidly to the initial vision?
When Your Original Plan No Longer Fits
Several scenarios illustrate why “killing your darlings” is necessary:
Misaligned Research Questions: Perhaps the approach you initially planned no longer adequately addresses your primary RQ due to a shift in context or available resources. In this case, it’s crucial to revisit and reformulate your research question to ensure relevance and coherence.
Overly Broad Literature Review: Often, students aim to demonstrate extensive knowledge by covering broad literature bases. However, if your focus narrows significantly, trimming the literature review to only essential references will sharpen your narrative and maintain reader focus.
Out-of-Scope Context Analysis: Your context analysis might initially have included extensive details about the company or scenario that are no longer relevant. Eliminating extraneous context prevents distraction and emphasizes the pertinent aspects of your research.
Obsolete Scenarios: If your research initially addressed scenarios that later prove irrelevant or impractical, removing these portions helps clarify your work, maintaining logical and narrative consistency.
The Art of Merciless Editing
Editing is a ruthless but necessary process. It involves critically reviewing every part of your thesis, particularly the early chapters, to ensure they align clearly with your current research outcomes and scope. The goal is to clearly separate the signal (essential insights and relevant information) from the noise (tangential or redundant details).
Remember, readers—including examiners and future researchers—should clearly understand your research story without being bogged down by irrelevant detours. A clean, focused thesis demonstrates clarity of thought and methodological rigor.
Writing is Rewriting
As you progress, your understanding of the research topic deepens, and your initial ideas may no longer fit the evolving narrative. Embrace the iterative nature of writing: revisit, revise, and refine your work continuously. This process not only enhances clarity but also strengthens your argumentation.
Ultimately, only you and your supervisor fully know the behind-the-scenes adjustments and discarded ideas. Resist the temptation to justify every deviation from your original plan. Instead, prioritize coherence and relevance to deliver a thesis that is impactful and concise.