"I recommend that the candidate be required to resubmit the thesis in revised form for examination after a specified period of study and research " that's what research students most dread to read in an examiner's report. Which could be worse. A doctoral thesis could be downgraded to a master's. Or, "the candidate be not awarded the degree."

After years of sitting through mind-numbing thesis committee meetings, I've read copious reports of what examiners judged were weak research and poor writing. Over time, I've compiled the examiners' remarks to help my students shape and edit their thesis. The following descriptors on what-to-avoid may find some relevance to journalism, which essentially involves empirical research, substantiated observations and clear writing.