This checklist covers the full journey of an MS, MPhil or PhD thesis, from proposal to viva. It is written for students in Pakistan, where the Higher Education Commission (HEC) sets national policies and each university adds its own rules, but the stages apply to most universities worldwide. Tick items as you go: your progress is saved in your own browser only (nothing is sent to us).
The checklist
Stage 1: Topic and proposal
Most delays start here. A narrow, answerable question saves months later.
Stage 2: Literature review
A literature review is an argument that leads to your gap, not a list of summaries.
Stage 3: Methodology and ethics
Examiners look hardest at whether your method really answers your questions.
Stage 4: Writing the chapters
Write in cycles: draft, supervisor feedback, revise. Do not wait to polish everything at the end.
Stage 5: Formatting and referencing
Formatting errors are easy to avoid and annoying to fix in the last week.
Stage 6: Originality and integrity
Your thesis must be your own work, properly credited.
Stage 7: Submission and viva
Plan the last month so that nothing is left to the final week.
Common thesis mistakes and how to avoid them
- A topic that is too broad. "AI in healthcare" is a field, not a thesis. Narrow it to a population, a method and a measurable outcome.
- Research questions that change but chapters do not. Whenever a question changes, update the objectives, methods and conclusions too.
- Starting the literature review too late, or never closing it. Keep a running review file and add new papers every month.
- Writing everything at the end. Draft the methodology while you design the study and the results chapter while you analyse.
- No backups. Use cloud storage plus an offline copy, and save dated versions.
- Ignoring the template until the last week. Start in the official format so that you do not have to reformat 100 pages.
- Last-minute similarity checks. Run an early check on your first chapters so you can fix paraphrasing habits in time.
The Pakistan and HEC context
The HEC sets national policies for higher education, including a plagiarism policy that universities are expected to follow and a Journal Recognition System (HJRS) that classifies journals. Universities then set the details that affect you directly: coursework credits, minimum duration, thesis format, the similarity limit, committee approvals and whether you must publish a paper before defending. Because these details differ and are updated, never rely on a rule you heard from a friend at another university. Check the current HEC policies and your own university's regulations, and confirm with your supervisor or graduate office.
Looking for a journal to publish from your thesis? Read our guide on how to choose a journal and avoid fake or predatory journals.