Academic Consultancy

Supporting your thesis writing from proposal to submission

We provide written feedback and one-to-one discussions that help Master's and PhD students in the Humanities and Social Sciences develop stronger thesis writing from the proposal stage through to submission.

Writing in a Changing Academic Context

Writing in postgraduate contexts is changing.

Supervisors are often stretched for time despite their deep subject expertise, and AI is now part of the reality of academic writing and assessment.

Students, particularly those working in a second language, benefit from structured, ongoing support that includes feedback, discussion, and a written record of how their work develops over time.

That’s where we come in.

Supporting you throughout your thesis

Whether you’re developing a proposal, writing your first chapter, or preparing your final draft, we can support you at any stage of your thesis. Some students work with us on a single piece of writing, while others choose ongoing support as their thesis develops.

Our support complements university supervision rather than replacing it. We focus on the writing process, helping you strengthen your arguments, improve clarity, and develop your thesis with greater confidence.

Developing your research proposal

If you are still developing your research topic or preparing a thesis proposal, we can help you refine your ideas, develop research questions, and think through possible methodological approaches before you begin writing.

You share your university requirements and your initial ideas, and we help you shape these into a focused and workable proposal that reflects your research direction.

Start with a free introductory review

We offer a free introductory review so you can try our approach, receive feedback on your writing, and decide whether ongoing support would be helpful.

You can send up to 2,000 words from any stage of your research — this could be a thesis proposal, a chapter draft, or any other section of your thesis or dissertation.

We provide detailed written feedback followed by a complimentary 30-minute Zoom discussion to talk through your writing, ask questions, and discuss possible next steps.

This introductory review is available once per student.

Ongoing writing support

Many students choose to continue working with us after their introductory offer.

Structured support as your thesis develops

Written feedback is provided at US$0.03 per word, with the option to submit chapters or sections at any stage.

Optional 40-minute Zoom sessions are available at US$30 per session, sitting alongside written feedback to support discussion, clarification, and planning.

Together, this provides structured, ongoing support as your thesis develops.

US$0.03

Per word

Written feedback on submitted chapters or sections.

US$30

Per 40-minute Zoom session

Optional discussion, clarification, and planning support.

Who we are

Pat Strauss

Academic writing and thesis mentoring

Pat has worked for many years in the teaching and research of academic writing, with a focus on the challenges faced by second-language English speakers in postgraduate study. She has supervised Master’s and PhD theses, including three national award-winning theses, and has published widely in academic writing and higher education. Her recent work includes a book on teaching academic writing for ESL educators. She works with students to strengthen their writing, develop their arguments, and navigate the demands of thesis writing.

Susan Sun

Higher education, curriculum and learning design

Susan’s work in higher education has focused on educational design, curriculum development, and how students navigate complex academic environments. As a native speaker of Chinese with extensive experience in English medium higher education, she brings both professional and lived insight into supporting second-language academic writers. Over more than three decades, she has supported students across a wide range of contexts, supervised doctoral theses, and published in higher education and learning design. She works with students to clarify and structure their thinking, develop their ideas, and manage the broader demands of postgraduate study.