Coherence check for your thesis

What does a red thread mean in an academic work?

The red thread is the continuous line of argument that connects research question, outline, individual chapters and conclusion. Readers should be able to see at every point what task a section fulfils in the investigation and how it leads to the next step. Breaks appear often when a chapter is inserted without a connection, a transition is missing, or the conclusion raises points that were never developed before.

When you write, such structural problems are hard to see, because the links between your thoughts are already settled in your own head. A coherence check therefore takes the view of a new reader. It does not only check single phrasings, but whether the argument stays understandable across the whole thesis.

How to have your line of argument checked

1. Upload your thesis. Send your bachelor, master or doctoral thesis as .docx or .pdf. No registration is required.
2. An editor checks the argument. A subject editor reads the document as a whole and marks breaks in the argument, missing transitions and sections that depart from the topic.
3. You receive the marked file. You get a Word file with comments and tracked changes, so you can follow each remark on the red thread and accept it individually.

Check it yourself or hire an editor?

With the self-check below you can compare research question, chapter order, transitions and conclusion systematically. It works well as a first review while you revise. If you would like the eye of an outsider before submission, an editor can examine the coherence of your complete work. The coherence check can be combined with full editing.

Self-check for your thesis: 8 questions

Every question you answer with "no" points to a possible gap in your line of argument.

1. Does the conclusion give a clear answer to the research question from the introduction?
2. Can you see how each chapter builds on the previous one?
3. Does a linking sentence at every chapter transition explain the next step?
4. Does every section clearly contribute to answering your research question?
5. Does your aim stay recognisable in the introduction, main part and conclusion?
6. Does the outline follow a logical and well-founded order?
7. Does the conclusion bring together the key points from the introduction?
8. Would deleting a paragraph leave a noticeable gap in the argument?

What does a coherence check cost?

In editing (from €4.90 per standard page of 1,800 characters) the check is included free of charge. With proofreading you add it for €1.00 per standard page, so together from €2.90 per standard page. Prices for the delivery times (5 days, 48 h, 24 h) are shown in the shop.