Why Less Can Be More

Hi,

Alright, it's me again! My brain decided to open up for another round of slightly random ramblings. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I just wrapped up a marathon of three PhD vivas in three consecutive weeks. Yes, you read that right. Three. In a row. 💆

My main job became "professional thesis reader," and while I genuinely do enjoy diving into the depths of new research, let me tell you, when it comes to writing those examination reports? That, my friends, is a truly daunting task. It's like trying to summarize an entire epic novel.

Now, this might sound a bit controversial coming from an examiner, but I sometimes scratch my head wondering why a PhD thesis needs to be built like a brick house. My personal philosophy, especially in my role as an examiner, is to help make a thesis better. Not just thicker.

I'll never forget my own beloved supervisor. He had a knack for blunt honesty, and he once (lovingly, I think) called some of my early drafts "rubbish." His advice? "Remove them and focus on the contribution materials only." That tough love led to my own PhD thesis clocking in at a rather 120 pages. It was lean, mean, and hopefully, packed with actual novelty.

Then I look at most of the theses I examine these days, and they often sprawl across 250 to 300 pages. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a thick thesis is inherently bad. But it makes me wonder: why spend precious time meticulously crafting pages of "unnecessary things" when you could be shining a blinding spotlight on the main novelty and true contribution of your work? 

It's like baking a magnificent cake but spending half your time decorating the box instead of perfecting the flavor. Just a thought from your friendly neighborhood thesis minimalist!✌