Key points at a glance
- Set explicit feasibility questions.
- Test every step from invitation to exported data.
- Log changes and distinguish pilot from main-study records.
Test feasibility, not the final hypothesis
Example: Check whether participants understand the invitation, complete consent, finish the task on a phone and leave a valid record. A small pilot is not a reliable effect estimate. Decide what kind of problem would trigger a change.
Rehearse the full participant route
Try recruitment, access, instructions, duration, failures, withdrawal and export. Ask where the process is unclear. A breakdown in the workflow is evidence about feasibility, not an answer to the substantive question.
Record each revision
Keep the version, date, problem and fix. If items or conditions change, pilot and main data may no longer be directly comparable. Discuss material changes with your supervisor and, where required, the ethics office.
Describe the pilot in methods
State who tested what and which decisions followed. “The pretest worked” tells readers little. Even an unsuccessful pilot strengthens the main study if its lessons are reported honestly.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Feasibility questions set.
- Whole workflow tested.
- Changes versioned.
- Pilot data separated and reported.
Common mistakes
- Treating a pilot effect as definitive.
- Testing only wording and missing technical failures.
- Silently combining changed pilot and main data.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
How large should a pilot be?
Large enough to expose common process issues, not sized as a miniature hypothesis test.
Can I analyse pilot data?
Yes for feasibility; combining it with main data needs justified comparability and approval.
Does a pilot need ethics review?
Check local rules; pilot data collection with people may also require review.