In 1977, when the internet had not yet started to influence almost every aspect of our life, the world-wide famous Italian author of "The Name of the Rose", Umberto Eco, wrote the paper "How to write a thesis" (link below). The paper was first published in Italian (with the title " Come si fa una tesi di laurea") and then translated into several languages. The paper analyses different aspects associated with the proper use of language, textual analysis, organization and contents of a thesis, as well as the instruments to find resources and carry out the research.
Even though the advice offered by Eco is directed to humanistic studies, we think that it is highly applicable to the scientific field and well worth a read. In the era of internet and global communications, writing is key for scientists to share their research, yet it requires a certain ability to tell a story in a clear and engaging style. Many of us are not naturally gifted in such skill and therefore training in coherent writing has a prominent role in any scientist's education. Indeed, we need to remember that " Your thesis exists to prove the hypothesis that you devised at the outset, not to show the breadth of your knowledge".