Can I complete a PhD if I'm bad at writing?

Answer

I assume you are referring to writing in English.

Depends on what you mean by bad at writing. Most students enter a PhD program via a Masters degree, so if you have completed a Masters program you must have a reasonable level of competency, or at least achieved an IELTS Band 6 level.

Many of my PhD students who contacted me seeking help have writing skills equal to IELTS Band 8 level, and they still went through hell! So even if you completed a Masters with an IELTS Band 6 pass, you’re nowhere near what it takes to meet PhD writing criteria. But, that’s the bad news.

Here’s better news…

As an ESL teacher (English as a Second Language) for nearly 16 years, out of the 4 skill sets; namely, reading, listening, writing and speaking, I would posit that writing skills are the easiest to develop and improve. So even if your writing skills are not up to PhD standards, there are many ways to quickly improve your writing.

I could write 10 - 50 articles about improving writing skills. I know of many unusual ways which can be really effective for those Masters and PhD students who are struggling with their writing skills.

Here’s one way which is rarely, if ever, taught to students. Try it…

1a). Go to search engines such as Google Scholar and a download PhD dissertation… they are freely available.

1b). Read a sentence in the ‘Abstract’ or ‘Executive Summary’ several times, and try and get the ‘gist’ or overall meaning. Then write it in your own words, check the original, then go back and revise what you have written, check original again, and so on.

1c). Next, read a short paragraph, repeat the above (1b) process until your draft mirrors the original.

Note: This is somewhat a boring way to learn, but it will serve to quickly raise your writing competency. Stick with it. Work with between 250 to 350 words at a time for a minimum of one hour. Try to make this a daily commitment.

Here’s another way…

2). Is your speaking better than your writing? Often this is the case. I will try to explain the reason for this at another time… Tip: Normally, it’s a psychological barrier, not cognitive.

2a). If your speaking is better than your writing, then record yourself speaking for one minute.

2b). Then try and write what you think you just said.

2c). Next, listen to your recording and revise. Listen again, and repeat this process until what you have written, mirrors your one minute dialogue.

2d). Listen for 1 minute to a podcast or lecture. Repeat the same process as in 2 a - c. Try and write so your writing closely mirrors what you have heard.

There are many, many ways to improve your writing skills. If you plan to do a PhD, yes it is possible, provided you improve your writing skills pre-PhD.

3). Do you have MS Word Spelling and Grammar check, and/or Grammarly? These are other ways to improve your writing skills.

Have you already started your PhD? If so, you need an urgent crash course… not tomorrow, but like… yesterday, if you get my drift. Otherwise, your supervisor is going to come down on you like a ton of bricks.

BTW, how did you get in to the PhD program if your writing is so crap?

So, you asked if you can complete a PhD if you’re bad at writing, correct?

Yes, it’s possible in your dreams. Problem is, dreams end when you wake up, right?

Another option (not so boring, and a whole lot of fun), is to contact me via my website…

PhD Thesis Writing Service | PhD Thesis Help & Proofreading

Or you can email me direct at: [email protected]

I normally work with PhD students who have good writing skills. Globally, the failure rate for PhD students is 50%. Don’t be on the wrong side of this statistic.

If your writing skills are bad… I’ll do my best to help you, because even for PhD students with good writing skills, statistically around half of them quit before the finishing line.

Seriously, don’t waste your money on a PhD until you are prepared. Why? Because even really talented PhD students struggle with loneliness, self-doubt, and a host of other psychological issues before they cross the finishing line. A PhD is the top of the academic food chain. You are the best of the best in your area of expertise. However, you will have to write a 150 - 250 page dissertation, plus publish articles for peer-reviewed journals in order to complete your PhD journey.

There are no shortcuts. If you don’t believe me, go online and check out the stories of PhD students who didn’t make it. Here’s the crazy part, most of them were good writers. Quit the dream, and get started.