The Living Thesis: Writing as Research with Dr. Somasundaram R
Learn why writing is research with Dr. Somasundaram R. Discover how to approach your PhD thesis by writing from day one instead of waiting for research to finish.
Best quote from The Living Thesis: Writing as Research with Dr. Somasundaram R
If you wait until the data is 'done' to start writing, you’ve already lost the battle. Research is never really finished—there’s always one more paper to read or one more experiment to run.
This audio lesson was created by a BeFreed community member
How to do research effectively for a doctorate level thesis
Frequently Asked Questions
The core philosophy presented in The Living Thesis is that writing and research are not separate phases of a doctoral project. Instead of waiting until the research is finished to begin the writing process, students are encouraged to treat writing as research itself. This approach helps manage the massive undertaking of a PhD thesis, which typically ranges from sixty thousand to one hundred thousand words, by integrating drafting into the daily research workflow.
Dr. Somasundaram R is an experienced academic who has been in the field for over a decade. He emphasizes that one of the biggest mistakes doctoral students make is separating the 'doing' phase from the 'writing' phase. According to Dr. Somasundaram R, waiting until data collection is complete to start writing is a losing battle because research is never truly finished, as there is always more to read or experiment on.
Students can implement this academic writing strategy by starting their drafts immediately rather than staring at a blank screen. This involves writing literature notes while reading and drafting the methodology section while designing the study. By documenting the process as it happens, the doctoral research process becomes more manageable, preventing the overwhelming pressure of trying to transform into a writer only at the very end of the PhD journey.
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
