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No matter what your field or specialty is, earning a graduate degree is one of the best ways to advance your career. In fact, for some professionals, earning a master’s degree and a doctoral degree is a requirement. A graduate degree program nurtures professional critical-thinking skills and refines field-specific knowledge, enabling you to prove your expertise and competence.
When completing a graduate degree program, students are required to produce a major research and writing project, such as a dissertation in a doctoral program or thesis in a master’s program. These two projects are often confused, so what is the difference between a dissertation vs. thesis? There are a few major differences and similarities between the two that are important for any potential graduate student to know.
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What is a dissertation, differences between a dissertation vs. thesis, similarities between a dissertation and a thesis.
A thesis is an academic paper completed near the end of a student’s course of study for a master’s degree program. Note that most master’s degrees require the completion of a thesis for graduation. Some bachelor’s degree programs even require students to write an undergraduate thesis, which is typically shorter and less in-depth than a master’s degree thesis.
To write a master’s thesis, students select a reasonably narrow topic of interest in their field. For example, if you’re earning a degree in nutrition science , you might examine the effects of varying compositions of pregame meals on athletic performance.
The next step is to conduct an in-depth review of existing research on your topic. You would then formulate an academic argument (for example, that high-carb pre-game meals are advantageous for endurance athletes) and use the existing research to prove your assertion.
A thesis is typically structured in a relatively rigid format, depending on the policies of the university and the individual department. The following components are often required:
In contrast to a thesis, students working on a doctoral dissertation conduct their own original research after reviewing the established research. The goal of a dissertation is not only to prove the student’s own knowledge and skills but also to add to the existing body of knowledge in their field.
Students may present a new theory or hypothesis in their field or present research disproving a previously presented theory. Alternatively, they may tackle a new angle, taking the established research in a new direction.
The traditional order is to take doctoral courses, complete the qualifying exams and then write the dissertation. However, there are exceptions to this. At some universities, the dissertation process is integrated into the coursework. This allows students to get a jumpstart on their research while working toward the completion of their course requirements. As a result, they may graduate more quickly.
The process of writing a dissertation begins in a way similar to the process for a master’s thesis. Students select their topic and then conduct a literature review, which is a thorough analysis of the existing research on that topic. From there, students can work on developing a new theory, debunking a previously established theory or finding a new angle on an existing theory.
The dissertation defense is often one of the most intimidating aspects of the doctoral degree program. However, students work closely with their selected committees throughout the dissertation process. This means you can rest assured that if your committee has allowed your work to proceed to the point of the dissertation defense point, then your dissertation will almost certainly be accepted, and you will be granted your degree after your successful defense.
Like that of a thesis, the specific makeup of a dissertation depends on the policies and requirements of the university and the doctoral candidate’s department. In general, however, dissertations include the following:
The primary difference between a dissertation vs thesis is the degree programs that require these projects. Students in a master’s degree program will write a thesis, whereas students in a doctoral degree program will complete a dissertation.
Another difference between the two projects is that a dissertation usually requires an oral defense, whereas a thesis generally does not. After submitting the completed dissertation to their dissertation committees, students will schedule dates for the oral presentation of their work. The committee members will ask questions and sometimes pose challenges. Students must be able to justify their methodology and interpretation of their findings.
Additionally, as you might expect, a typical master’s thesis is far shorter than a typical doctoral degree dissertation. A thesis might be between 40 and 80 pages, although it can vary from one degree program to the next. In contrast, the average dissertation is between 100 and 300 pages.
Despite the differences, there are some similarities between a dissertation and a thesis. Both require intensive research and the completion of a lengthy paper comprised of original writing.
In addition, both projects require the following:
Another similarity is the committee. All doctoral degree students work with a committee comprised of faculty members, advisors and similar professionals who guide the student’s research and writing. It’s also customary for students writing a master’s thesis to have a committee.
In both thesis and dissertation committees, the committee chair is the primary point of contact for the student. In other words, the chair is the person who is most closely involved with shaping the direction of the student’s research, academic arguments and writing.
For both types of degree programs, the thesis or dissertation is a requirement to graduate with the degree. It is typically considered the capstone project.
Grand Canyon University offers a wide range of master's and doctoral degree programs to choose from. GCU is committed to helping students enhance their career qualifications, transition to new careers or simply fuel their passion for learning. Click on the Request Info button above to learn more about GCU’s graduate degree programs and how to apply
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
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How to write a masters dissertation or thesis: top tips.
It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at undergraduate level. Though, don’t feel put off by the idea. You’ll have plenty of time to complete it, and plenty of support from your supervisor and peers.
One of the main challenges that students face is putting their ideas and findings into words. Writing is a skill in itself, but with the right advice, you’ll find it much easier to get into the flow of writing your masters thesis or dissertation.
We’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to write a dissertation or thesis for your masters degree, with top tips to consider at each stage in the process.
There are slight differences between theses and dissertations , although both require a high standard of writing skill and knowledge in your topic. They are also formatted very similarly.
At first, writing a masters thesis can feel like running a 100m race – the course feels very quick and like there is not as much time for thinking! However, you’ll usually have a summer semester dedicated to completing your dissertation – giving plenty of time and space to write a strong academic piece.
By comparison, writing a PhD thesis can feel like running a marathon, working on the same topic for 3-4 years can be laborious. But in many ways, the approach to both of these tasks is quite similar.
Before writing your masters dissertation, get to know your research topic inside out. Not only will understanding your topic help you conduct better research, it will also help you write better dissertation content.
Also consider the main purpose of your dissertation. You are writing to put forward a theory or unique research angle – so make your purpose clear in your writing.
Top writing tip: when researching your topic, look out for specific terms and writing patterns used by other academics. It is likely that there will be a lot of jargon and important themes across research papers in your chosen dissertation topic.
Writing a thesis is a unique experience and there is no general consensus on what the best way to structure it is.
As a postgraduate student , you’ll probably decide what kind of structure suits your research project best after consultation with your supervisor. You’ll also have a chance to look at previous masters students’ theses in your university library.
To some extent, all postgraduate dissertations are unique. Though they almost always consist of chapters. The number of chapters you cover will vary depending on the research.
A masters dissertation or thesis organised into chapters would typically look like this:
Section | Description |
Title page | The opening page includes all relevant information about the project. |
Abstract | A brief project summary including background, methodology and findings. |
Contents | A list of chapters and figures from your project. |
Chapter 1 – Background | A description of the rationale behind your project. |
Chapter 2 – Literature Review | A summary and evaluation of the literature supporting your project. |
Chapter 3 – Methodology | A description of the specific methodology used in your project. |
Chapter 4-6 – Data analysis and Findings | An overview of the key findings and data from your research. |
Chapter 7 - Discussion and Evaluation | A description of what the data means and what you can draw from the findings. |
Chapter 8 - Conclusion | Main summary of your overall project and key findings. |
Bibliography | A list of the references cited in your dissertation or thesis. |
Appendices | Additional materials used in your research. |
Write down your structure and use these as headings that you’ll write for later on.
Top writing tip : ease each chapter together with a paragraph that links the end of a chapter to the start of a new chapter. For example, you could say something along the lines of “in the next section, these findings are evaluated in more detail”. This makes it easier for the reader to understand each chapter and helps your writing flow better.
One of the best places to start when writing your masters dissertation is with the literature review. This involves researching and evaluating existing academic literature in order to identify any gaps for your own research.
Many students prefer to write the literature review chapter first, as this is where several of the underpinning theories and concepts exist. This section helps set the stage for the rest of your dissertation, and will help inform the writing of your other dissertation chapters.
The literature review chapter is more than just a summary of existing research, it is an evaluation of how this research has informed your own unique research.
Demonstrate how the different pieces of research fit together. Are there overlapping theories? Are there disagreements between researchers?
Highlight the gap in the research. This is key, as a dissertation is mostly about developing your own unique research. Is there an unexplored avenue of research? Has existing research failed to disprove a particular theory?
Back up your methodology. Demonstrate why your methodology is appropriate by discussing where it has been used successfully in other research.
For instance, a more theoretical-based research topic might encompass more writing from a philosophical perspective. Qualitative data might require a lot more evaluation and discussion than quantitative research.
The methodology chapter is all about how you carried out your research and which specific techniques you used to gather data. You should write about broader methodological approaches (e.g. qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods), and then go into more detail about your chosen data collection strategy.
Data collection strategies include things like interviews, questionnaires, surveys, content analyses, discourse analyses and many more.
The data analysis or findings chapter should cover what you actually discovered during your research project. It should be detailed, specific and objective (don’t worry, you’ll have time for evaluation later on in your dissertation)
Write up your findings in a way that is easy to understand. For example, if you have a lot of numerical data, this could be easier to digest in tables.
This will make it easier for you to dive into some deeper analysis in later chapters. Remember, the reader will refer back to your data analysis section to cross-reference your later evaluations against your actual findings – so presenting your data in a simple manner is beneficial.
Think about how you can segment your data into categories. For instance, it can be useful to segment interview transcripts by interviewee.
Top writing tip : write up notes on how you might phrase a certain part of the research. This will help bring the best out of your writing. There is nothing worse than when you think of the perfect way to phrase something and then you completely forget it.
Once you’ve presented your findings, it’s time to evaluate and discuss them.
It might feel difficult to differentiate between your findings and discussion sections, because you are essentially talking about the same data. The easiest way to remember the difference is that your findings simply present the data, whereas your discussion tells the story of this data.
Your evaluation breaks the story down, explaining the key findings, what went well and what didn’t go so well.
In your discussion chapter, you’ll have chance to expand on the results from your findings section. For example, explain what certain numbers mean and draw relationships between different pieces of data.
Top writing tip: don’t be afraid to point out the shortcomings of your research. You will receive higher marks for writing objectively. For example, if you didn’t receive as many interview responses as expected, evaluate how this has impacted your research and findings. Don’t let your ego get in the way!
Your introduction sets the scene for the rest of your masters dissertation. You might be wondering why writing an introduction isn't at the start of our step-by-step list, and that’s because many students write this chapter last.
Here’s what your introduction chapter should cover:
Problem statement
Research question
Significance of your research
This tells the reader what you’ll be researching as well as its importance. You’ll have a good idea of what to include here from your original dissertation proposal , though it’s fairly common for research to change once it gets started.
Writing or at least revisiting this section last can be really helpful, since you’ll have a more well-rounded view of what your research actually covers once it has been completed and written up.
When to start writing your thesis or dissertation.
When you should start writing your masters thesis or dissertation depends on the scope of the research project and the duration of your course. In some cases, your research project may be relatively short and you may not be able to write much of your thesis before completing the project.
But regardless of the nature of your research project and of the scope of your course, you should start writing your thesis or at least some of its sections as early as possible, and there are a number of good reasons for this:
Academic writing is about practice, not talent. The first steps of writing your dissertation will help you get into the swing of your project. Write early to help you prepare in good time.
Write things as you do them. This is a good way to keep your dissertation full of fresh ideas and ensure that you don’t forget valuable information.
The first draft is never perfect. Give yourself time to edit and improve your dissertation. It’s likely that you’ll need to make at least one or two more drafts before your final submission.
Writing early on will help you stay motivated when writing all subsequent drafts.
Thinking and writing are very connected. As you write, new ideas and concepts will come to mind. So writing early on is a great way to generate new ideas.
The best way of improving your dissertation or thesis writing skills is to:
Finish the first draft of your masters thesis as early as possible and send it to your supervisor for revision. Your supervisor will correct your draft and point out any writing errors. This process will be repeated a few times which will help you recognise and correct writing mistakes yourself as time progresses.
If you are not a native English speaker, it may be useful to ask your English friends to read a part of your thesis and warn you about any recurring writing mistakes. Read our section on English language support for more advice.
Most universities have writing centres that offer writing courses and other kinds of support for postgraduate students. Attending these courses may help you improve your writing and meet other postgraduate students with whom you will be able to discuss what constitutes a well-written thesis.
Read academic articles and search for writing resources on the internet. This will help you adopt an academic writing style, which will eventually become effortless with practice.
The easiest way to keep the track of all the articles you have read for your research is to create a database where you can summarise each article/chapter into a few most important bullet points to help you remember their content.
Another useful tool for doing this effectively is to learn how to use specific reference management software (RMS) such as EndNote. RMS is relatively simple to use and saves a lot of time when it comes to organising your bibliography. This may come in very handy, especially if your reference section is suspiciously missing two hours before you need to submit your dissertation!
Plagiarism may cost you your postgraduate degree and it is important that you consciously avoid it when writing your thesis or dissertation.
Occasionally, postgraduate students commit plagiarism unintentionally. This can happen when sections are copy and pasted from journal articles they are citing instead of simply rephrasing them. Whenever you are presenting information from another academic source, make sure you reference the source and avoid writing the statement exactly as it is written in the original paper.
Read your university’s guidelines before you actually start writing your thesis so you don’t have to waste time changing the format further down the line. However in general, most universities will require you to use 1.5-2 line spacing, font size 12 for text, and to print your thesis on A4 paper. These formatting guidelines may not necessarily result in the most aesthetically appealing thesis, however beauty is not always practical, and a nice looking thesis can be a more tiring reading experience for your postgrad examiner .
The length of time it takes to complete your MSc or MA thesis will vary from student to student. This is because people work at different speeds, projects vary in difficulty, and some projects encounter more problems than others.
Obviously, you should submit your MSc thesis or MA thesis when it is finished! Every university will say in its regulations that it is the student who must decide when it is ready to submit.
However, your supervisor will advise you whether your work is ready and you should take their advice on this. If your supervisor says that your work is not ready, then it is probably unwise to submit it. Usually your supervisor will read your final thesis or dissertation draft and will let you know what’s required before submitting your final draft.
Set yourself a target for completion. This will help you stay on track and avoid falling behind. You may also only have funding for the year, so it is important to ensure you submit your dissertation before the deadline – and also ensure you don’t miss out on your graduation ceremony !
To set your target date, work backwards from the final completion and submission date, and aim to have your final draft completed at least three months before that final date.
Don’t leave your submission until the last minute – submit your work in good time before the final deadline. Consider what else you’ll have going on around that time. Are you moving back home? Do you have a holiday? Do you have other plans?
If you need to have finished by the end of June to be able to go to a graduation ceremony in July, then you should leave a suitable amount of time for this. You can build this into your dissertation project planning at the start of your research.
It is important to remember that handing in your thesis or dissertation is not the end of your masters program . There will be a period of time of one to three months between the time you submit and your final day. Some courses may even require a viva to discuss your research project, though this is more common at PhD level .
If you have passed, you will need to make arrangements for the thesis to be properly bound and resubmitted, which will take a week or two. You may also have minor corrections to make to the work, which could take up to a month or so. This means that you need to allow a period of at least three months between submitting your thesis and the time when your program will be completely finished. Of course, it is also possible you may be asked after the viva to do more work on your thesis and resubmit it before the examiners will agree to award the degree – so there may be an even longer time period before you have finished.
Most universities will have a clear procedure for submitting a masters dissertation. Some universities require your ‘intention to submit’. This notifies them that you are ready to submit and allows the university to appoint an external examiner.
This normally has to be completed at least three months before the date on which you think you will be ready to submit.
When your MA or MSc dissertation is ready, you will have to print several copies and have them bound. The number of copies varies between universities, but the university usually requires three – one for each of the examiners and one for your supervisor.
However, you will need one more copy – for yourself! These copies must be softbound, not hardbound. The theses you see on the library shelves will be bound in an impressive hardback cover, but you can only get your work bound like this once you have passed.
You should submit your dissertation or thesis for examination in soft paper or card covers, and your university will give you detailed guidance on how it should be bound. They will also recommend places where you can get the work done.
The next stage is to hand in your work, in the way and to the place that is indicated in your university’s regulations. All you can do then is sit and wait for the examination – but submitting your thesis is often a time of great relief and celebration!
Some universities only require a digital submission, where you upload your dissertation as a file through their online submission system.
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The summer seems a very long way away, particularly during a COVID lockdown when normal university life seems suspended. But round about now is when students begin thinking about their thesis dissertation. If you were hoping for a flash of inspiration to strike later on, remember that ‘chance only favours the well-prepared mind’!
When it comes to your thesis dissertation, it’s always good to start early. You can gather ideas, run initial thoughts past lecturers, and do some preliminary reading, at leisure. Your library can start retrieving your hard-to-find research materials. And the weeks, sometimes months, they take to arrive won’t stress you out! Meanwhile, you can set to work on initial thesis dissertations ideas. If, for whatever reason, they stop working out, you can discard them without penalty. There's ample time to come up with something new.
Often, initial ideas for the thesis dissertation are far too ambitious. They tend to be loose, baggy monsters, so broad in scope that they cannot tamed with even the most ingenious research and structure. Starting on your thesis dissertation now gives you time to step back and reflect. It gives you time to make good, strategic choices, without kettling yourself into a corner with limited time and no alternatives.
What precisely is a thesis dissertation? Strangely, this is a question often overlooked by both students and lecturers alike. Perhaps where you are studying it’s just called a ‘dissertation’ or a ‘thesis’. At which point, the question becomes: dissertation versus thesis – what’s the difference? This blog post attempts to answer just that question. It also shows how you can move forward in your studies, by understanding the difference between a dissertation and a thesis.
If you are an undergraduate and have been tasked with writing a dissertation, this differs to a dissertation (or thesis) at postgraduate level.
The task you have been set is what many departments at the University of Oxford continue to call the ‘long essay’. This is an extended form that mimics the kind of written work that you’ve already been submitting throughout the year. It may be more ambitious than those other pieces of work. It may use more primary and secondary sources, and will likely be longer. But, overall, it will be similar in form and structure to your usual essays.
Be aware, though, that this is not always the case.
Recently, digital technologies have made research materials more readily accessible to larger audiences. In response, traditional long essays are evolving to resemble higher degree research. Oxford’s Faculty of History has been something of a pioneer in transferring undergraduates from ‘long essays’ to ‘theses’. ‘The thesis offers you the opportunity to engage in primary research on a subject of your own revising, and to work out arguments which are entirely your own, not a synthesis of the conclusions of others’, they explain, ‘[...] Some undergraduate theses are so good that they are ready to be published as they stand’ (University of Oxford, 2020).
The 12,000-word limit of these new undergraduate theses is comparable to that found in peer-reviewed journals. And other universities are following suit. They, too, are making changes towards this new research-based dissertation thesis model.
At the time of writing, these new research-based undergraduate theses are still quite rare. For now, the thesis dissertation remains central to organisation of higher, postgraduate degrees.
Commercial press literature doesn't help much when it comes to the thesis versus dissertation discussion. Savvy writers and publishers are eager for as broad a readership – and as many library catalogue search hits – as possible. Because of this, they tend to hedge their bets when it comes to their choice of title.
Patrick Dunleavy goes with Authoring a PhD Thesis: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Dissertation (2003). Joan Balker chooses Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis (1998).
Others bring the terms closer together. Randy L. Jayner chooses Writing the winning thesis or dissertation: a step-by-step guide (2018). R. Murray Thomas markets Avoiding Thesis and Dissertation Pitfalls: 61 Cases of Problems and Solutions (2001).
The thesis versus dissertation terminology gets even more strained as you move beyond the covers. Inger Mewburn’s How to Tame Your PhD (2013) discusses ‘the oddities of the thesis/dissertation process’. Fred Pyrczak does the same in his Completing Your Thesis or Dissertation (2000), ‘a book to help students with the thesis/dissertation’.
It’s a short skip from Nineties-looking ‘thesis/dissertation’ (complete with forward slash or oblique). And, from there, to the hybrid ‘thesis dissertation’ term that we’ve used so far. This is a term that can be spotted in Alet Kruger’s Corpus-Based Translation Studies (2011). It is also in Antonio Blanco’s Medical Biochemistry (2017), and many other books and publications.
As the two terms blend, it is becoming harder to recognise the difference between 'thesis' and 'dissertation'. The appearance of the new 'thesis dissertation' catch-all doesn't help much either.
Historical usage offers a much-needed point of clarity. In the UK, the extended piece of work done at the end of a master’s degree has traditionally been called a ‘dissertation’. This has been the case since the seventeenth century. The long piece of work done as the primary requirement for a PhD has been called a ‘thesis’ for almost as long.
Cultural influences from America have unsettled these once-fixed definitions. Until the early twentieth century, America followed Britain closely when it came to the use of 'thesis' and dissertation.
Recording Dan Dodson vs The State, the Records and Briefs of the Supreme Court (1832) is one of the earliest mentions of the ‘doctoral thesis’ in America. ‘I have a doctoral thesis on this problem and it tends to say that the new building, at least in a short run, didn’t make that much difference’. As late as 1919, the University of Chicago’s Circular of Information, recorded the ‘Master’s Dissertation’ passed.
By the mid-1960s, however, the terms in America had reversed. The archives begin to discuss and cite the ‘Master’s Thesis’ and ‘Doctoral Dissertation’. The reason for this switch remains unclear. The classical etymologies of the terms don’t point to any distinction that might be pertinent to a dissertation vs thesis debate. ‘Dissertation’ comes from the Latin ‘dissertatio’ meaning ‘discussion or debate’. ‘Thesis’ comes from a Greek/late Latin ‘thesis’ meaning ‘placing, a proposition’. The origins of these words seem to allow for a flexible interchangeability. The fact that ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ traded meanings in America indicate as much too.
It is anyone’s guess why America started referring to ‘Master’s Theses’ and ‘Doctoral Dissertations’. And this after more than a century of ‘Master’s Dissertations’ and ‘Doctoral Theses’.
In post-war America, there was an expansion of liberal arts colleges in America. This was accompanied by a proliferation of higher degrees. The master’s degree quickly became more significant, financially, than the doctoral degree. And it may be that, in this transition, the 'thesis' was transplanted over, from doctoral student to master’s, in an act of linguistic grade inflation.
American universities and colleges wanted their master’s students to feel proud and clever. In engineering this, they handed over the ‘thesis’ term from their more advanced doctoral counterparts.
The confusion that we witness in the Dissertation vs Thesis UK debate today is due to the exporting of these revised terms back from America to the UK. Their effect is amplified because of the increasing globalisation of higher education. Their effect is also amplified by a larger trans-Atlantic cultural homogenisation.
We have, then, considered two forces operating on the language of thesis dissertation. There is this American muddling of the traditional thesis/dissertation hierarchy. And there is a second, similar process at work, in the upgrade of undergraduate 'long essay' to 'dissertation' or 'thesis'. It is no longer practical or possible to draw a hard distinction between a thesis and a dissertation.
Interestingly, the confusion has not only resulted in the necessity of the ‘thesis dissertation’ hybrid term. It has, more sinisterly, afforded opportunities for unscrupulous academics to exaggerate their qualifications.
Recently, a public complaint was made against a British lecturer. This lecturer had listed postgraduate qualifications on his staff profile page. All of them were from prestigious universities.
For many years, these went unchecked and unchallenged. But, recently, one member of the public read the lecturer, bragging on social media that he’d been awarded a First for his research thesis.
The member of the public was sceptical of the truth of this claim. Postgraduate research degrees are not classified like undergraduate ones. They were unable to locate the lecturer’s thesis in centralised research catalogues. The complainant soon discovered the lecturer's postgraduate qualifications were actually undergraduate level. They were continuing education diplomas. These diplomas are a fine achievement for those who work hard to get them. But they are a far cry from the postgraduate qualifications from topflight universities that the academic had suggested.
At the time of writing, the academic’s qualifications were being investigated by his own university. They were also being investigated by the national Office for Students.
You can check people's CV claims by knowing about the different types of ‘thesis dissertations’. You can spot fraudulent behaviour when it comes your way! More usefully, knowing those differences allows you to judge what is expected of you, at whichever level you are studying.
Writing a thesis dissertation at any level can be daunting, particularly if you’ve never attempted one before. If you’re unsure what your thesis dissertation should be, the best thing you can do is to read a few recent examples from your department or speak to your dissertation supervisor. How easy this is to do highlights one major difference between thesis and dissertation. What follows, to conclude, is a list of those major differences.
Undergraduate long essays are sometimes called dissertations or theses. These are internally assessed and not made publicly accessible. You will only be able to read them if you borrow them from former students or ask your lecturer for outstanding examples from previous years.
Master’s dissertations, also internally assessed, are stored either in departmental libraries and/or the university library. These can usually be accessed by physically visiting the library. More conveniently, master’s dissertations can also be requested via the UK’s Interlibrary loan agreement.
PhD theses, once externally examined, are stored both in the library of the host university and the national British Library. Theses are searchable through the British Library's online ETHOS catalogue.
As a rule, the greater the ease of public access, the more significant or important the thesis dissertation is deemed to be. The same is true of the use of external staff. Undergraduate and master’s-level courses are internally marked and externally moderated. Higher profile PhD theses are always externally examined.
Finally, undergraduate degrees are the only ones that receive grades or classifications. Master’s and PhD aren't classified – just a simple question of pass or fail.
In the UK, master’s degrees take one or two years of full-time study. The master’s dissertation is a significant component of that study. This is less so the case in special MRes or ‘master’s by research degrees’, where the dissertation plays a more central role in the course of study.
By contrast, PhDs take a minimum of three years. In practice, the PhD thesis is the sole work of a doctoral student. Any other study requirements, if any, are very limited by comparison.
The prescribed word count for thesis dissertations is indicative of the academic level at which they are pitched. Undergraduate dissertations tend to be no longer than 12,000 words. Master’s dissertations run at closer to 40,000. PhD theses usually clock in at 80,000 to 120,000 words. PhDs in Fine Art with a practice component tend to be shorter as they work alongside an exhibition of artwork.
If you are studying for a PhD, it’s worth noting that academic publishers prefer to publish new academics writing towards that minimum. If publishing is one of your postdoctoral ambitions, sticking to the lower limit could save you years of rewriting!
Any student at any level of study can have an original thought, and it is always hugely satisfying to read when it occurs.
At undergraduate level, originality tends to be defined relatively loosely. A thoughtful synthesis of existing ideas is, in practice, usually assessed as original thinking, even if it isn’t, strictly original.
Original thinking an often be found in a master’s dissertation. But the emphasis continues to be on that synthesis of existing knowledge. Master’s students are expected to know the literature around their chosen subject thoroughly and have done their research. They are expected to demonstrate an expert command of its arguments. This is what they are primarily assessed on.
PhD theses, however, are made or broken by their original contribution to knowledge. Expert understanding of the subject tends to be relegated to an early literature review chapter. Out of review emerges a central, truly original idea, that propels the rest of the thesis.
As we have already seen, undergraduate theses can, in exceptional cases, be publishable. PhD theses, on the other hand, are far more ambitious with regards to publication. Their successful completion marks the first step in professional, academic career.
Also Read: Master’s Dissertation vs Undergraduate Dissertation: What’s the Difference?
We hope this blog post has cleared up any confusion you might have had about the difference between dissertation and thesis. A final note: at every level – undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral – meticulous presentation, correct referencing, appropriate register, robust argumentation, and strong evidence for those arguments are always rewarded.
Furthermore, the higher the level of degree, the more all these things are expected. Choosing an academic editor who knows your subject well is important at undergraduate level. But at master’s and PhD level, it becomes crucial. Those higher degrees are predicated on expert knowledge of the field and original contribution to knowledge.
Whoever you approach as an editor, always ask what direct experience they have that relates to your work. If the experience they state seems cursory or adjunct, be prepared to walk away and find someone else more familiar with your chosen field.
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The aim of the dissertation or thesis is to produce an original piece of research work on a clearly defined topic.
Usually a dissertation is the most substantial piece of independent work in the undergraduate programme, while a thesis is usually associated with master's degrees, although these terms can be interchangeable and may vary between countries and universities.
A dissertation or thesis is likely to be the longest and most difficult piece of work a student has ever completed. It can, however, also be a very rewarding piece of work since, unlike essays and other assignments, the student is able to pick a topic of special interest and work on their own initiative.
Writing a dissertation requires a range of planning and research skills that will be of great value in your future career and within organisations.
The dissertation topic and question should be sufficiently focused that you can collect all the necessary data within a relatively short time-frame, usually about six weeks for undergraduate programmes.
You should also choose a topic that you already know something about so that you already have a frame of reference for your literature search and some understanding and interest in the theory behind your topic.
There are many ways to write a dissertation or thesis.
Most universities and colleges provide very specific guidance to their students about their preferred approach.
This page, and those that follow, are designed to give you some ideas about how you might carry out your literature review , and then write each of the various sections of your dissertation in the absence of, or in addition to, any specific guidance from your university.
However organised you are, writing your dissertation is likely to be one of the most challenging tasks you have ever undertaken.
Take a look at our pages on Organising your Study Time and Organisation Skills , as well as Project Management Skills and Project Planning , to give you some ideas about how to organise your time and energy for the task ahead.
Like an academic paper for journal publication, dissertations generally follow a fairly standard structure. The following pages discuss each of these in turn, and give more detailed advice about how to prepare and write each one:
Particularly for master's programmes, your university may ask for your thesis to be submitted in separate sections, rather than as a single document. One breakdown that is often seen is three-fold:
Introduction and/or Research Proposal , which should set out the research question that you plan to explore and give some ideas about how you might go about it. If you are submitting it as a research proposal, it will be fairly sketchy as you won’t have had a chance to review the literature thoroughly, but it should contain at least some theoretical foundation, and a reasonable idea of why you want to study this issue;
Literature Review and Methodology , which are often combined because what you plan to do should emerge from and complement the previous literature; and
Results and Discussion , which should set out what you actually did, the results you obtained, and discuss these in the context of the literature.
You will probably have an overall word count for the total dissertation or thesis. If you are required to submit in sections, ensure that you have left yourself enough words for the Results and Discussion. It is easy to get carried away with the literature review.
As a general guide, use the marking scheme to show you the approximate split for the word count. For example, if the introduction is worth 20%, and each of the other two submissions 40%, for a total word count of 10,000 words, the introduction should be at most 2,000 words, and each of the other two around 4,000 words.
If you’re submitting your dissertation as a single piece of work, and not in separate submissions, you may find it easier not to write it in order.
It is often easier to start with the literature review and then write the methodology .
The introduction may be the last part you write, or you may wish to rewrite it once you’ve finished to reflect the flow of your arguments as they developed.
One of the best ways to write a dissertation is as you go along, especially the literature review.
As you read each reference, summarise it and group it by themes. Don’t forget to reference it as you go!
You should be used to referencing by the time you write your dissertation but if you need a refresher then see our page: Academic Referencing .
Dissertations and academic articles used always to be written in the third person, and in the passive voice; as an example, you might write ‘ An experiment was carried out to test… ’
However, many journals have now moved away from that convention and request first person and active voice, which would require you to write ‘ I carried out an experiment to test… ’
Check with your university about their requirements before you start to write.
If you cannot find any guidelines, then ask your supervisor and/or the person who will be marking your thesis about their preferences. Make sure that the voice and person are consistent throughout.
Whatever style is preferred, aim to keep your language simple and jargon-free. Use shorter, simpler words and phrases wherever possible. Short sentences are good as they are easier to follow. Any sentence that runs to more than three lines needs to be cut down or split.
Phrases to avoid include:
Due to the fact that… | Because |
In addition | Additionally (or also) |
In order to | To |
In the first place | First |
A considerable number | Many |
Whether or not | Whether |
Remember the Golden Rule
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid
The role of your supervisor is to supervise your work. It is not to do it for you, nor to tell you how to do it.
However, their academic reputation is bound up in the results of the students that they supervise so they have a vested interest in helping you to get the best possible marks. You should therefore not feel shy or embarrassed about asking them for help if you get into difficulties, or if you need some advice.
Academics tend to take a highly personal approach to supervision. Some will be prepared to spend a lot of time with you, talking about what you are planning to do by way of research and your emerging findings. Others will have very little contact with you, apart from being prepared to read a draft of your dissertation.
It’s worth spending a bit of time building up your relationship with your supervisor (have a look at our page on Building Rapport for help). It’s also worth discussing and clarifying with them exactly what they are prepared to do to support you, and in particular practical details such as:
How often are they prepared to meet with you during your research?
How quickly will they respond to emails asking for advice and/or guidance?
How much time do they need to review drafts of work?
How many drafts of your work are they prepared to read? University guidelines usually say ‘a first draft’ but many academics are prepared to read a preliminary draft to check that you are on the right track, and then a more polished version.
Having reviewed a draft, will they send you comments by email, or would they prefer to meet to discuss it?
One final piece of advice about your supervisor: if you don’t get on, then change supervisor. But do so as early as possible. Nobody wants you or your supervisor to struggle with the relationship, but they won’t be very sympathetic if you’re asking for a change a month before your deadline.
If your university has a required format for a dissertation, and particularly if they supply a template, then use it! Start your writing straight into the template, or format your work correctly from the start. There is very little worse than cutting and pasting your work frantically into a template 10 minutes before your submission deadline. Templates are designed to make your life easier, not harder.
You will also need to format the references in the university’s preferred style. It is easier to do this as you go along. If the format is MLA, APA or Chicago, you can use Google Scholar to format it for you: search for the article title, then click on ‘cite’. This will save you typing out all the names, and can also be used, with minor tweaks, for other formats. But beware: it’s not always right! If it looks odd, check the original source.
You’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to proof-read your work, to make sure that you haven’t made any stupid errors, and that it all flows correctly. This is likely to take longer than you think. You’ll also need to do this when you’re fresh, not last thing at night when you’re tired.
If possible, try to find a friend or fellow-student in the same position with whom you can swap dissertations for proof-reading. Fresh eyes are likely to spot errors much more effectively than those who already know what it should say.
The international language of academic publishing is English and many universities require their students to publish their dissertations in English. If your first language is not English, this is going to be a problem because your English will almost certainly not be up to the task. You have two choices about how you approach this:
You find a native English speaker , perhaps a fellow student, who is prepared to read your thesis for you and help you improve the English (preferably for free, or at least for the price of not much more than a meal and a few drinks); or
You pay an editor to do the work for you. This will not be cheap; the going rate for high quality academic language editing is about $7 per 250 words. You can find professional language editors via the websites of publishers of academic journals such as Emerald and Springer.
You will need to ensure that you build in sufficient time to allow someone else to read over your work. Nobody, not even if you are paying them, is going to want to stay up all night to edit your work because you left it too late. Many will also prefer not to work at weekends. Allow at least two weeks for professional language editing.
A Note on Plagiarism
DO NOT PLAGIARISE
If you are found to have plagiarised you will be heavily penalised and will probably lose your degree.
Ways to avoid being caught out inadvertently include:
See our page: Academic Referencing for more information.
This page sets out general advice on issues connected with writing a dissertation, also known as a thesis.
The following pages set out in more detail how to approach each section of your dissertation, including the Literature Review , Methodology , Results and Discussion .
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Continue to: Writing a Research Proposal Writing a Dissertation: The Introduction Writing the Methodology
See also: Research Methods Dissertation Conclusions and Extra Sections Printing and Binding a Thesis: The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide
Dissertations or theses are typically required of graduate students. Undergraduate students completing advanced research projects may also write senior theses or similar types of papers. Once completed, the dissertation or thesis is often submitted (with modifications) as a manuscript for publication in a scholarly journal. Thus, the dissertation or thesis often provides the foundation for a new researcher’s body of published work.
Writers will first want to determine whether the work in their dissertation or thesis merits publication. If it does, we then provide guidance on how to adapt a dissertation or thesis for submission to a journal.
Adapting a dissertation or thesis into a journal article is covered in the seventh edition APA Style Publication Manual in Section 12.1
When deciding whether to publish the work in your dissertation or thesis, first consider whether the findings tell a compelling story or answer important questions. Whereas dissertations and theses may present existing knowledge in conjunction with new work, published research should make a novel contribution to the literature. For example, some of your original research questions might be suitable for publication, and others may have been sufficiently addressed in the literature already. Likewise, some of your results may warrant additional experiments or analyses that could help answer the research questions more fully, and you may want to conduct these analyses before seeking publication.
You may also want to consider such factors as whether the current sample size provides sufficient power to adequately inform the analyses and whether additional analyses might clarify ambiguous findings. Consultation with colleagues can help evaluate the potential of the manuscript for publication as well as the selection of an appropriate journal to which to submit it. For information on selecting and prioritizing a journal (and tips for avoiding predatory or deceptive journals), see Sections 12.2 to 12.4 of the Publication Manual .
Once a decision is made to convert your dissertation or thesis into a manuscript for submission to a journal, you will want to focus attention on adapting it for publication. By attending to brevity and focus, writing style, relevant literature review and data analyses, and appropriate interpretation of the results or findings, you can enhance the fit of your manuscript for journal publication. Editors and reviewers readily recognize an article that has been hastily converted; careful attention when reformatting the dissertation or thesis is likely to increase the manuscript’s potential for serious consideration and eventual publication.
There are several steps writers seeking to prepare their dissertation or thesis for publication can take beforehand:
The original research reported in a dissertation and thesis can then be reformatted for journal submission following one of two general strategies: the multiple-paper strategy or the conversion strategy.
The quickest strategy for converting (or “flipping”) a dissertation or thesis into one or more publishable articles is to use a multiple-paper format when initially writing the dissertation or thesis. This involves structuring the dissertation or thesis used to fulfill the requirements for a degree as a series of shorter papers that are already formatted for journal submission (or close to it). These papers are usually each the length of a journal article, conceptually similar, and come from the same overarching project—but can stand alone as independent research reports. Consult your university’s editorial office to confirm that this is an approved format for your dissertation or thesis and to obtain the specific guidelines.
A second strategy is to reformat and convert a dissertation or thesis into a journal article after completing your dissertation or thesis defense to fit the scope and style of a journal article. This often requires adjustments to the following elements:
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When starting your thesis or dissertation process, one of the first requirements is a research proposal or a prospectus. It describes what or who you want to examine, delving into why, when, where, and how you will do so, stemming from your research question and a relevant topic .
The proposal or prospectus stage is crucial for the development of your research. It helps you choose a type of research to pursue, as well as whether to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
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What should your proposal contain, dissertation question examples, what should your proposal look like, dissertation prospectus examples, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about proposals.
Prior to jumping into the research for your thesis or dissertation, you first need to develop your research proposal and have it approved by your supervisor. It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives .
Depending on your department’s requirements, there may be a defense component involved, where you present your research plan in prospectus format to your committee for their approval.
Your proposal should answer the following questions:
Ultimately, your proposal should persuade your supervisor or committee that your proposed project is worth pursuing.
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Strong research kicks off with a solid research question , and dissertations are no exception to this.
Dissertation research questions should be:
An easy rule of thumb is that your proposal will usually resemble a (much) shorter version of your thesis or dissertation. While of course it won’t include the results section , discussion section , or conclusion , it serves as a “mini” version or roadmap for what you eventually seek to write.
Be sure to include:
The length of your proposal varies quite a bit depending on your discipline and type of work you’re conducting. While a thesis proposal is often only 3-7 pages long, a prospectus for your dissertation is usually much longer, with more detailed analysis. Dissertation proposals can be up to 25-30 pages in length.
Writing a proposal or prospectus can be a challenge, but we’ve compiled some examples for you to get your started.
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question .
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.
The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:
A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.
Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.
Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .
However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:
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Hello Masters and Doctoral Candidates. Congratulations on your near completion of the manuscript and defense for your thesis or dissertation! Now it is time for you to start working with the School of Graduate Studies to submit your manuscript for final approval, copyright, and publication. This is a multi-step process in which you will need to review and submit five forms to the School of Graduate Studies. Those forms, in order, are as follows:
To get started with the process, you will need to send an email to [email protected] . In your initial email, please tell us the names of your Committee Chairperson and the Graduate Coordinator for your program. You will then receive, via email, DocuSign Forms #1 and #2. After you confirm that you have reviewed the first two forms, you will be sent DocuSign Form #3 which provides the School of Graduate Studies with the date that you will defend your work. Upon a successful defense, you will then be sent DocuSign Form #4 to complete and submit. The ETD submission process is concluded when you receive DocuSign Form #5 which will provide you with the instructions on how to upload your publication-ready manuscript. The School of Graduate Studies will then review your manuscript which must be edited, as prescribed, until final approval. No official transcripts can be released until this process is completed .
The entire gradETD process is electronic. Please do not hand-deliver or mail any thesis or dissertation manuscript content to the School of Graduate Studies. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] for assistance.
NOTE : The ETD process for the Fall 2024 semester will begin on Monday, August 26, 2024. At that time, you can begin the ETD process by emailing [email protected] .
To be considered for Fall 2024 graduation, your thesis or dissertation defense date should be scheduled at least two weeks before the submission deadline to the School of Graduate Studies. The recommended defense deadline for the Fall 2024 semester is Friday, October 4, 2024 . This timeframe is imperative for appropriate planning and manuscript review before the School of Graduate Studies approval and eventual graduation. Please note that theses or dissertations that are defended after the recommended defense deadline date may not be reviewed and approved by the School of Graduate Studies in time for Fall 2024 graduation. This will cause your manuscript to be reviewed during the Spring 2025 semester.
The Fall 2024 deadline for submission of theses and dissertations to the School of Graduate Studies is Friday, October 18, 2024, at 3:30 pm EDT . No exceptions!
Thank you and we look forward to reviewing your brilliant work!
The School of Graduate Studies Handbook & Style Guide for Theses and Dissertations -Fifth Edition, 2023- Revised-August 2024
The School of Graduate Studies Handbook & Style Guide for Theses and Dissertations -Fifth Edition, 2023
The School of Graduate Studies Handbook & Style Guide for Dissertations and Theses -Fourth Edition, 2016
List of Common Errors
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Due to COVID-19, defending your graduate thesis or dissertation in person is likely off the table. That doesn’t mean you have to wait to defend. Many schools and programs are allowing remote defenses — meaning you could find yourself defending from your living room! In this presentation, a recent psychology doctoral student that completed a remote defense, a current dean of psychology, and APA’s Office of Graduate and Postgraduate Education and Training, share how to prepare for and complete your thesis or dissertation defense remotely.
This program does not offer CE credit.
Alvin Akibar, PhD
Hideko Sera, PsyD
Garth Fowler, PhD
An associate executive director for education, and the director of the Office for Graduate and Postgraduate Education and Training at APA. He leads the directorate’s efforts to develop resources, guidelines, and policies that promote and enhance disciplinary education and training in psychology at the graduate and postdoctoral level.
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The Penn Libraries has built a new, user-focused library catalog, with a simpler look and easier search features. Explore it at find.library.upenn.edu .
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formatting your thesis.
Please refer to Regulation 7.4.2 for important information on how to format your thesis.
The Library Services guide 'Presenting your thesis' has been written as the standard for all theses presented for research degrees in the University of Birmingham.
It offers guidance on the practicalities of producing your thesis in a format that is acceptable for examination and for deposit in the library. This guide does not deal with the content and academic standard required of a thesis and on these matters you are advised to consult University Regulations, your supervisor and guidance issued by your School.
Please also see the Getting your thesis ready workshop webpage .
On submitting your thesis for examination you are required to complete a declaration form confirming the word length of your thesis. You should therefore be aware of the maximum word length for your thesis. See Regulation 7.4.2 (d).
The stated maximum number of words excludes tables, diagrams (including associated legends), appendices, list of references, footnotes and endnotes, the bibliography and any bound published material. For information on referencing styles see the iCite – referencing at the University of Birmingham webpages.
A thesis that exceeds the maximum number of words will not be accepted for examination unless permission to exceed the stated word count has been granted by the Research Progress & Awards Sub Panel. Permission to exceed the stated word count is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you consider that you will not be able to meet the stated word limited, you are advised to discuss this with your supervisor at an early stage.
acknowledging collaborative work.
If any material is included in your thesis which is a result of collaborative working, you must include details of how much of the work is your own and how much is that of other people. See Regulation 7.4.1 (h).
It is also important to seek the prior agreement of those other people to make your thesis available in the University eTheses Repository.
You may include work that has already been published providing the work is properly integrated, either in the thesis or as an appendix to which reference is made - see Regulation 7.4.1 (g). It must be adequately referenced and you are advised to consult with your supervisor if you are unsure about the inclusion of any previously published work in your thesis.
For additional information please refer to the Copyright for Researchers web page
You may not include material for assessment which has already been submitted for another degree awarded at this or any other University, unless all of the conditions set out in Regulation 7.4.1 (f) are satisfied.
If you are considering including published papers in your thesis, please read the alternative format thesis guide (Word - 22KB).
Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is a serious academic offence. It arises where work submitted is not the student's own and has been taken from another source. The original material is then hidden from the marker, either by not referencing it properly, by paraphrasing it or by not mentioning it at all.
For further information see the University’s Guidance on plagiarism for students .
All theses submitted for examination are checked through plagiarism detection software.
A thesis submitted for examination at the University of Birmingham must be solely the postgraduate researcher’s own work (except where University Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work – see Regulation 7.4.1 . A postgraduate researcher must not employ a ‘ghost writer’ to write parts or all of the thesis, whether in draft or as a final version, on his/her behalf.
Editors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professional, need to be clear about the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of University of Birmingham PGRs theses and dissertations. Supervisors of PGRs also need to be clear about the role of the third party editors as well as their own editorial role.
PGRs may use third party editorial assistance (paid or voluntary) from an outside source. This must be with the knowledge and support of supervisors and the use of third party editorial assistance must be stated in the thesis acknowledgement page.
A ‘third party’ editor cannot be used :
A ‘third party’ editor can be used to offer advice on:
Where a third party editor is used it is the PGR’s responsibility to provide the third party editor with a copy of this statement (Word - 20KB) and ensure they complete the Third Party Editor Declaration Form (Word - 32KB) confirming their compliance with this statement.
When submitting the thesis the PGR must record in the Acknowledgements page the form of contribution the ‘third party’ editor has made, by stating for example, “this thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by ABC Editing Ltd”.
Please also see the Code of Practice on Academic Integrity .
These rights generally belong to the student, but if your work is considered to be commercially significant students may be required to assign their rights to the University.
For further information please see:
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This dissertation template is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your document has a smooth, logical flow. Here’s how it’s structured:
Each section is explained in plain, straightforward language , followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover within each section. We’ve also included practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required in each section.
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Faqs: dissertation template, what format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).
The dissertation template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.
The template follows the standard best-practice structure for formal academic research projects such as dissertations or theses, so it is suitable for the vast majority of degrees, particularly those within the sciences.
Some universities may have some additional requirements, but these are typically minor, with the core structure remaining the same. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.
A research paper follows a similar format, but there are a few differences. You can find our research paper template here .
This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. It may be slight overkill for an undergraduate-level study, but it certainly won’t be missing anything.
This depends entirely on your university’s specific requirements, so it’s best to check with them. As a general ballpark, Masters-level projects are usually 15,000 – 20,000 words in length, while Doctoral-level projects are often in excess of 60,000 words.
If you’re still working on your research proposal, we’ve got a template for that here .
We’ve also got loads of proposal-related guides and videos over on the Grad Coach blog .
We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack how to write a literature review from scratch. You can check out the literature review section of the blog here.
We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative. You can check out the methodology section of the blog here.
Yes, you’re welcome to share this template. If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, all we ask is that you reference this page as your source.
Within the template, you’ll find plain-language explanations of each section, which should give you a fair amount of guidance. However, you’re also welcome to consider our dissertation and thesis coaching services .
If you’re working on a dissertation or thesis, be sure to also check these resources out…
1-On-1 Private Coaching
The Grad Coach Resource Center
The Grad Coach YouTube Channel
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Theses/dissertations from 2003 2003.
Developing Organizational Development: Alienation and Organizing in the Age of Information , Robert D. Kreisher
Characterization Of Large Area Cadmium Telluride Films And Solar Cells Deposited On Moving Substrates By Close Spaced Sublimation , Vishwanath Kumar
Historical Archaeology of the Indian Key (8MO15) Warehouse: An Analysis of Nineteenth-Century Ceramics , Lisa Nicole Lamb
Hazard Vulnerability in Socio-Economic Context: An Example from Ecuador , Lucille Richards Lane
Perception of Leadership Qualities in Higher Education: Impact of Professor Gender, Professor Leader Style, Situation, and Participant Gender , Michela A. LaRocca
Effects of Supplemental Magnesium on Temporary Threshold Shift: Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions , Jenifer Leonard
Mediating The Model: Women's Microenterprise And Microcredit In Tobago, West Indies , Cheryl A. Levine
Evaluation Of A Presentation And Measurement Method For Assessing Activity Preference , Tara L. Lieblein
Learning Average Reward Irreducible Stochastic Games: Analysis and Applications , Jun, Li
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ADOLESCENT SUICIDAL GESTURES , Heidi Jennifer Liss
N-Thiolated β-Lactams: Chemistry and Biology of a Novel Class of Antimicrobial Agents for MRSA , Timothy E. Long
Semiparametric Estimation of Unimodal Distributions , Jason K. Looper
Performance Verification of Personal Aerosol Sampling Devices , Steven T. Luecke
Count or Pointcount: Is Percent Octocoral Cover an Adequate Proxy for Octocoral Abundance? , Matthew J. Lybolt
Silhouette based Gait Recognition: Research Resource and Limits , Laura Helena Malavé
Scavenger: A Junk Mail Classification Program , Rohan V. Malkhare
The Bases Of Opposition To Affirmative Action: An Attitude Change Effort , Meisha-Ann Martin
A Comparison of Meta-Analytic Approaches to the Analysis of Reliability Estimates , Denise Corinne Mason
An Examination of Modulation of Feeding Behavior in the Nurse Shark Ginglymostoma cirratum (Bonaterre 1788) , Michael Matott
Optimizing Long-Term Retention of Abstract Learning , Danielle Mazur
Kinematic Analysis and Evaluation of Wheelchair Mounted Robotic Arms , Edward Jacob McCaffrey
Inhibitory Effects of Food Matrices on Inhibition Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Foodborne Viruses , Kevin Patrick Mcmullen
Analysis of Flow in a Spray Nozzle With Emphasis on Exiting Jet Free Surface , Ryan M. Mead
Energy and Transient Power Minimization During Behavioral Synthesis , Saraju P. Mohanty
A Natural Analogue for Long-Term Passivity , Raymond E. Monson
Crystal Engineering of Binary Compounds Containing Pharmaceutical Molecules , Leslie Ann Morales
Brand Loyalty in the Automotive Community: A Case Study on the Chevrolet Corvette , Michele Ann Motichka
"Intelligent" Design of Molecular Materials: Understanding the Concepts of Design in Supramolecular Synthesis of Network Solids , Brian D. Moulton
Dry Sliding Tribological Characteristics of Hard, Flat Materials with Low Surface Roughness , Subrahmanya Mudhivarthi
The Association of Maternal Pregnancy Complications and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome , Patricia D. Myers
CVD Growth of SiC on Novel Si Substrates , Rachael L. Myers
CHESS: A Tool for CDFG Extraction and High-Level Synthesis of VLSI Systems , Ravi K. Namballa
Design And Characterization Of Multi-Layer Coplanar Waveguid Baluns And Inductors , Khaled Obeidat
A Mathematical Model for Colloidal Aggregation , Colleen S. O'Brien
Comida Sin Frijoles No es Comida : Evaluation of a Type 2 Diabetes Education Program for Latinos , Danielle R. O'Connor
Prepulse Inhibition and the Acoustic Startle Response in Nine Inbred Mouse Strains , Jennifer Robin O'steen
Evaluation of Differences in Depression, Defensiveness, Social Support, and Coping between Acute and Chronic CHD Patients Hospitalized for Myocardial Infarction or Unstable Angina , Ashley Ellen Owen
Copper Gallium Diselenide Solar Cells: Processing, Characterization and Simulation Studies , Pushkaraj Panse
Representation and Interpretation of Manual and Non-Manual Information for Automated American Sign Language Recognition , Ayush S. Parashar
Monaural Speech-in-Noise Thresholds Using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) , Denise Parrish
P-x Measurements For 2-Ethoxyethanol and Four Chlorinated Hydrocarbons at 303.15 K , Salil Milan Pathare
University Copyright Policies for Online Coures: An Evaluative Resource Tool for Unbundling Rights of Use, Control, and Revenue , Tamara A. Patzer
Alexander Pope's Opus Magnum as Palladian Monument , Cassandra C. Pauley
A Reinforcement Learning Approach To Obtain Treatment Strategies In Sequential Medical Decision Problems , Radhika Poolla
Falun Gong in the United States: An Ethnographic Study , Noah Porter
Three Dimensional Finite Element Model for Lesion Correspondence in Breast Imaging , Yan Qiu
ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT AND NEW METHODS FOR INVESTIGATING THE OCCURRENCE OF ENTERIC PATHOGENS IN AMBIENT WATERS AND WATER SOURCES FOR REHYDRATION OF A FLORIDAN WETLAND , Walter Quintero-Betancourt
Implementation of an Acoustic Echo Canceller Using Matlab , Srinivasaprasath Raghavendran
Vector Flow Model in Video Estimation and Effects of Network Congestion in Low Bit-Rate Compression Standards , Balaji Ramadoss
Effect of CdCl 2 Treatment on CdTe and CdS Solar Cell Characteristics after Exposure to Light for 1000 Hours , Ashok Rangaswamy
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What is a dissertation vs. a thesis? In American English, a dissertation is a research paper that's required to earn a doctorate degree, while a thesis is a research paper required to earn a master's degree. Dissertations and theses (the plural of thesis) are often mixed up because they're both lengthy research papers written for higher education, especially as part of a master's or ...
Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications.
A dissertation is typically the capstone project for a doctorate, while a thesis is the capstone project for a master's degree program (or undergraduate program). Candidates will have to defend their dissertation during an oral presentation in front of their committee. Only some master's theses require this.
The main difference between a dissertation and thesis is the scope of the research. A dissertation develops unique and original concepts in a particular field of research, whereas a thesis is usually a culmination of existing research. The main purpose of a writing a dissertation is to add new findings to the existing literature in that field ...
A dissertation is a lengthy piece of written work that includes original research or expanded research on a new or existing topic. As the doctoral student, you get to choose what you want to explore and write about within your field of study. ... In the US, everything that was previously listed is how schools differentiate between a thesis and ...
Lastly, one of the main differences between a dissertation and a thesis is the potential for publication. As the dissertation is more extensive and requires original research contributing to the academic field, theses are less likely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Although a master's thesis is more narrowly focused, it can still ...
A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program. Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you've ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating ...
The main differences in structure between a thesis and a dissertation are in the scope and complexity. Length. The word count requirement for theses and dissertations can vary depending on the institution and program. A thesis is usually 20,000-40,000 words. However, there have been cases of mathematics dissertations that were only a few ...
Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples. Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on July 18, 2023. It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation.One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer's block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.
Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.
The papers-option dissertation or thesis must meet all format and submission requirements, and a singular referencing convention must be used throughout. ... ProQuest provides worldwide distribution of your work from the master copy. You retain control over your dissertation and are free to grant publishing rights as you see fit. The formatting ...
A dissertation (or thesis) is a process. Okay, so now that you understand that a dissertation is a research project (which is testing your ability to undertake quality research), let's go a little deeper into what that means in practical terms. The best way to understand a dissertation is to view it as a process - more specifically a ...
A doctoral thesis vs dissertation comparison shows that a dissertation involves a lot of research, collecting data, and creating new theories. It aims to make a big step forward in the field and is very important for getting a Ph.D. Similarities Between Dissertation and Thesis. Even though they're different, thesis versus dissertation ...
A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have. The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed.
The words ' dissertation ' and 'thesis' both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country: In the UK, you write a dissertation at the end of a bachelor's or master's degree, and you write a thesis to complete a PhD.
However, both dissertations and theses are expected to meet the same standard of originality, approaching a new area of study and contributing significantly to the universal body of knowledge (Athanasou et al., 2012). Originality is a key issue in both dissertation and thesis development and writing (Bailey, 2014; Ferguson, 2009). The ideas, the
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
The primary difference between a dissertation vs thesis is the degree programs that require these projects. Students in a master's degree program will write a thesis, whereas students in a doctoral degree program will complete a dissertation. Another difference between the two projects is that a dissertation usually requires an oral defense ...
Writing a masters dissertation or thesis is a sizable task. It takes a considerable amount of research, studying and writing. Usually, students need to write around 10,000 to 15,000 words. It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at ...
In the UK, the extended piece of work done at the end of a master's degree has traditionally been called a 'dissertation'. This has been the case since the seventeenth century. The long piece of work done as the primary requirement for a PhD has been called a 'thesis' for almost as long.
A dissertation or thesis is likely to be the longest and most difficult piece of work a student has ever completed. It can, however, also be a very rewarding piece of work since, unlike essays and other assignments, the student is able to pick a topic of special interest and work on their own initiative. Writing a dissertation requires a range ...
When deciding whether to publish the work in your dissertation or thesis, first consider whether the findings tell a compelling story or answer important questions. Whereas dissertations and theses may present existing knowledge in conjunction with new work, published research should make a novel contribution to the literature. ...
While a thesis proposal is often only 3-7 pages long, a prospectus for your dissertation is usually much longer, with more detailed analysis. Dissertation proposals can be up to 25-30 pages in length. Note Sometimes, a research schedule or detailed budget may be necessary if you are pursuing funding for your work. Dissertation prospectus examples
The Fall 2024 deadline for submission of theses and dissertations to the School of Graduate Studies is Friday, October 18, ... No exceptions! Thank you and we look forward to reviewing your brilliant work! Helpful Tools. The School of Graduate Studies Handbook & Style Guide for Theses and Dissertations-Fifth Edition, 2023- Revised-August 2024.
Due to COVID-19, defending your graduate thesis or dissertation in person is likely off the table. That doesn't mean you have to wait to defend. Many schools and programs are allowing remote defenses — meaning you could find yourself defending from your living room!
Publish Your Dissertation. Find resources to guide you through the process of revising your dissertation for publication, choosing a publisher, copyright, and more. Many of these topics are also covered in the Libraries' Support for Publishing workshop series. Book a consultation
A thesis submitted for examination at the University of Birmingham must be solely the postgraduate researcher's own work (except where University Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work - see Regulation 7.4.1.A postgraduate researcher must not employ a 'ghost writer' to write parts or all of the thesis, whether in draft or as a final ...
This dissertation template is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your document has a smooth, logical flow. Here's how it's structured: The title page/cover page. Abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
Theses and dissertations completed prior to 2006 may be found in the "Archived Theses" and "Archived Dissertations" and are accessible only to those on a Clemson University IP address or using Clemson's VPN service. Visitors not affiliated with Clemson University may request a copy through their local library's interlibrary loan service.
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations is a collection of completed and approved graduate works. These works are collected through the Office of Graduate Studies submission process and are approved by the Faculty, Student, and University of South Florida. You can search the entire collection below or you may browse by College here.