an Excelsior University site
Parts of a Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is the key to most academic writing.
The purpose of academic writing is to offer your own insights, analyses, and ideas—to show not only that you understand the concepts you’re studying, but also that you have thought about those concepts in your own way, agreed or disagreed, or developed your own unique ideas as a result of your analysis. The thesis statement is the one sentence that encapsulates the result of your thinking, as it offers your main insight or argument in condensed form.
A basic thesis statement has two main parts:
- Topic: What you’re writing about
- Angle: What your main idea is about that topic
Topic: Regular exercise regime
Angle: Leads to multiple benefits Sample Thesis #2 Thesis: Adult college students have different experiences than typical, younger college students.
Topic: Adult college students
Angle: Have different experiences Sample Thesis #3 Thesis: The economics of television have made the viewing experience challenging for many viewers because shows are not offered regularly, similar programming occurs at the same time, and commercials are rampant.
Topic: Television viewing
Write | Read | Educators
Grumble... Applaud... Please give us your feedback!
Check out other great resources:
- Click on the picture above to check out a blog post on generating a thesis statement and working thesis.
- The Writing Process »
- Parts of a Thesis Statement »
Thesis and Dissertation Guide
- « Thesis & Dissertation Resources
- The Graduate School Home
- Introduction
Copyright Page
Dedication, acknowledgements, preface (optional), table of contents.
- List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
List of Abbreviations
List of symbols.
- Non-Traditional Formats
- Font Type and Size
- Spacing and Indentation
- Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
- Formatting Previously Published Work
- Internet Distribution
- Open Access
- Registering Copyright
- Using Copyrighted Materials
- Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials
- Submission Steps
- Submission Checklist
- Sample Pages
I. Order and Components
Please see the sample thesis or dissertation pages throughout and at the end of this document for illustrations. The following order is required for components of your thesis or dissertation:
- Dedication, Acknowledgements, and Preface (each optional)
- Table of Contents, with page numbers
- List of Tables, List of Figures, or List of Illustrations, with titles and page numbers (if applicable)
- List of Abbreviations (if applicable)
- List of Symbols (if applicable)
- Introduction, if any
- Main body, with consistent subheadings as appropriate
- Appendices (if applicable)
- Endnotes (if applicable)
- References (see section on References for options)
Many of the components following the title and copyright pages have required headings and formatting guidelines, which are described in the following sections.
Please consult the Sample Pages to compare your document to the requirements. A Checklist is provided to assist you in ensuring your thesis or dissertation meets all formatting guidelines.
The title page of a thesis or dissertation must include the following information:
- The title of the thesis or dissertation in all capital letters and centered 2″ below the top of the page.
- Your name, centered 1″ below the title. Do not include titles, degrees, or identifiers. The name you use here does not need to exactly match the name on your university records, but we recommend considering how you will want your name to appear in professional publications in the future.
Notes on this statement:
- When indicating your degree in the second bracketed space, use the full degree name (i.e., Doctor of Philosophy, not Ph.D. or PHD; Master of Public Health, not M.P.H. or MPH; Master of Social Work, not M.S.W. or MSW).
- List your department, school, or curriculum rather than your subject area or specialty discipline in the third bracketed space. You may include your subject area or specialty discipline in parentheses (i.e., Department of Romance Languages (French); School of Pharmacy (Molecular Pharmaceutics); School of Education (School Psychology); or similar official area).
- If you wish to include both your department and school names, list the school at the end of the statement (i.e., Department of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine).
- A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Public Policy.
- A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the School of Dentistry (Endodontics).
- A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.
- A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education (Cultural Studies and Literacies).
- The words “Chapel Hill” must be centered 1″ below the statement.
- One single-spaced line below that, center the year in which your committee approves the completed thesis or dissertation. This need not be the year you graduate.
- Approximately 2/3 of the way across the page on the right-hand side of the page, 1″ below the year, include the phrase “Approved by:” (with colon) followed by each faculty member's name on subsequent double-spaced lines. Do not include titles such as Professor, Doctor, Dr., PhD, or any identifiers such as “chair” or “advisor” before or after any names. Line up the first letter of each name on the left under the “A” in the “Approved by:” line. If a name is too long to fit on one line, move this entire section of text slightly to the left so that formatting can be maintained.
- No signatures, signature lines, or page numbers should be included on the title page.
Include a copyright page with the following information single-spaced and centered 2″ above the bottom of the page:
© Year Author's Full Name (as it appears on the title page) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This page immediately follows the title page. It should be numbered with the lower case Roman numeral ii centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
Inclusion of this page offers you, as the author, additional protection against copyright infringement as it eliminates any question of authorship and copyright ownership. You do not need to file for copyright in order to include this statement in your thesis or dissertation. However, filing for copyright can offer other protections.
See Section IV for more information on copyrighting your thesis or dissertation.
Include an abstract page following these guidelines:
- Include the heading “ABSTRACT” in all capital letters, and center it 2″ below the top of the page.
- One double-spaced line below “ABSTRACT”, center your name, followed by a colon and the title of the thesis or dissertation. Use as many lines as necessary. Be sure that your name and the title exactly match the name and title used on the Title page.
- One single-spaced line below the title, center the phrase “(Under the direction of [advisor's name])”. Include the phrase in parentheses. Include the first and last name(s) of your advisor or formal co-advisors. Do not include the name of other committee members. Use the advisor's name only; do not include any professional titles such as PhD, Professor, or Dr. or any identifiers such as “chair” or “advisor”.
- Skip one double-spaced line and begin the abstract. The text of your abstract must be double-spaced and aligned with the document's left margin with the exception of indenting new paragraphs. Do not center or right-justify the abstract.
- Abstracts cannot exceed 150 words for a thesis or 350 words for a dissertation.
- Number the abstract page with the lower case Roman numeral iii (and iv, if more than one page) centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
Please write and proofread your abstract carefully. When possible, avoid including symbols or foreign words in your abstract, as they cannot be indexed or searched. Avoid mathematical formulas, diagrams, and other illustrative materials in the abstract. Offer a brief description of your thesis or dissertation and a concise summary of its conclusions. Be sure to describe the subject and focus of your work with clear details and avoid including lengthy explanations or opinions.
Your title and abstract will be used by search engines to help potential audiences locate your work, so clarity will help to draw the attention of your targeted readers.
You have an option to include a dedication, acknowledgements, or preface. If you choose to include any or all of these elements, give each its own page(s).
A dedication is a message from the author prefixed to a work in tribute to a person, group, or cause. Most dedications are short statements of tribute beginning with “To…” such as “To my family”.
Acknowledgements are the author's statement of gratitude to and recognition of the people and institutions that helped the author's research and writing.
A preface is a statement of the author's reasons for undertaking the work and other personal comments that are not directly germane to the materials presented in other sections of the thesis or dissertation. These reasons tend to be of a personal nature.
Any of the pages must be prepared following these guidelines:
- Do not place a heading on the dedication page.
- The text of short dedications must be centered and begin 2″ from the top of the page.
- Headings are required for the “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” and “PREFACE” pages. Headings must be in all capital letters and centered 2″ below the top of the page.
- The text of the acknowledgements and preface pages must begin one double-spaced line below the heading, be double-spaced, and be aligned with the document's left margin with the exception of indenting new paragraphs.
- Subsequent pages of text return to the 1″ top margin.
- The page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals (starting with the page number after the abstract) centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
Include a table of contents following these guidelines:
- Include the heading “TABLE OF CONTENTS” in all capital letters, and center it 2″ below the top of the page.
- Include one double-spaced line between the heading and the first entry.
- The table of contents should not contain listings for the pages that precede it, but it must list all parts of the thesis or dissertation that follow it.
- If relevant, be sure to list all appendices and a references section in your table of contents. Include page numbers for these items but do not assign separate chapter numbers.
- Entries must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
- Major subheadings within chapters must be included in the table of contents. The subheading(s) should be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
- If an entry takes up more than one line, break up the entry about three-fourths of the way across the page and place the rest of the text on a second line, single-spacing the two lines.
- Include one double-spaced line between each entry.
- Page numbers listed in the table of contents must be located just inside the right page margin with leaders (lines of periods) filling out the space between the end of the entry and the page number. The last digit of each number must line up on the right margin.
- Information included in the table of contents must match the headings, major subheadings, and numbering used in the body of the thesis or dissertation.
- The Table of Contents page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
Lists of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
If applicable, include a list of tables, list of figures, and/or list of illustrations following these guidelines:
- Include the heading(s) in all capital letters, centered 1″ below the top of the page.
- Each entry must include a number, title, and page number.
- Assign each table, figure, or illustration in your thesis or dissertation an Arabic numeral. You may number consecutively throughout the entire work (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.), or you may assign a two-part Arabic numeral with the first number designating the chapter in which it appears, separated by a period, followed by a second number to indicate its consecutive placement in the chapter (e.g., Table 3.2 is the second table in Chapter Three).
- Numerals and titles must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
- Page numbers must be located just inside the right page margin with leaders (lines of periods) filling out the space between the end of the entry and the page number. The last digit of each number must line up on the right margin.
- Numbers, titles, and page numbers must each match the corresponding numbers, titles, and page numbers appearing in the thesis or dissertation.
- All Lists of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
If you use abbreviations extensively in your thesis or dissertation, you must include a list of abbreviations and their corresponding definitions following these guidelines:
- Include the heading “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the page.
- Arrange your abbreviations alphabetically.
- Abbreviations must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
- If an entry takes up more than one line, single-space between the two lines.
- The List of Abbreviations page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.
If you use symbols in your thesis or dissertation, you may combine them with your abbreviations, titling the section “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS”, or you may set up a separate list of symbols and their definitions by following the formatting instructions above for abbreviations. The heading you choose must be in all capital letters and centered 1″ below the top of the page.
Previous: Introduction
Next: Format
- How It Works
Thesis Structure: Writing Guide For Your Success
If you are about to start writing your thesis, then it is extremely important to know as much as possible about the thesis structure. Learning the main thesis chapters should enable you to quickly structure your academic paper. Keep in mind that not structuring the paper correctly usually leads to severe penalties. We know some of you are probably having questions about numbering dissertation chapters. Basically, you just need to give all the major sections consecutive numbers. Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on). Check out the most frequently asked questions and them move on to the 7 parts of the thesis or dissertation structure.
Thesis Structure Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a basic good structure for a thesis? A: The best structure is the one listed below. It contains the 7 important parts any thesis should have.
- What does “the structure of this dissertation is in manuscript style” mean? A: It means that the thesis includes one or more manuscripts that have been written in a way that facilitates publication. The thesis can, in this case, be a collection of papers that have been written or co-authored by the student.
- Which chapters of dissertation are mandatory? A: All the 7 chapters below are necessary, if you want to get a top score on your paper.
- Where can I get a thesis structure template? A: You can quickly get a thesis structure example from one of our seasoned academic writers. Don’t base your thesis on mediocre samples you find online.
- What is the preferred thesis sentence structure? A: There is no set sentence structure that you have to follow. Just make sure your writing is organized in a logical manner and that all complex terms are explained the first time you use them.
Thesis Abstract
The first part of the thesis structure is the abstract. It is basically an overview of the entire paper. There is no set dissertation abstract structure. It is just a summary of your thesis and it should be just 200 to 300 words long.
Thesis Introduction
The introduction is one of the most important dissertation chapters. It should contain all of the following information:
A bit of background about the topic. Some information about the current knowledge. The aim of your research (the gap in knowledge that prompted you to write the thesis).
Remember that the introduction must present the thesis statement. It is very important to learn more about the thesis statement structure. A great thesis statement will pique the interest of the evaluation committee.
Thesis Literature Review
Many students who are looking to learn how to structure a thesis don’t know about the Literature Review section. Why? Because many people prefer to include it into the introduction. However, by separating the literature review from the intro, you can focus more on why your research is important. You can evaluate the most important research on your topic and clearly show the gap in knowledge.
Thesis Methods
In most cases, the Methods section is the easiest part of the structure of a thesis. All you have to do is present the method or methods you chose for the research. Don’t forget to also explain why you chose that specific research method. Your audience needs to understand that the chosen method is the best for the task.
Thesis Results
This is one of the most important chapters of a dissertation. In the Results chapter, you need to present your findings. Remember that written text is not enough. You need figures, stats, graphs, and other forms of data. This section contains all the facts of your research and should be written in an objective, neutral manner. It would be unusual for your to discuss your findings in this section.
Thesis Discussion
The Discussion chapter is very important in the dissertation chapters structure. It is the reason why you didn’t discuss your findings in the Results section. This is the section you can use to talk about your findings and provide your own opinions about the results. Here is what you can do in the discussion section:
Explain to the audience what your results mean for the scientific community. Comment on each of the results and discuss how your findings support your thesis. Explain any unexpected results so the evaluation committee can see that you know what you’re doing. Interpret the results and tie them with other research on the subject. How does your research help the academic community?
Thesis Conclusion
While not the most important chapter, the conclusion is one of the important chapters in a dissertation. It is the part where you can show your readers that you have achieved your research objectives. You can talk a bit about what you’ve learned in the process and even make some suggestions regarding the need for future research. In most cases, students also reiterate the thesis statement at the beginning of the conclusion, followed by a short summary of the paper’s most important chapters.
Still Not Sure How to Structure Thesis?
In case you are still struggling to find the best history dissertation structure, you should get some help as fast as possible. Remember that writing a thesis takes weeks, if not months. Don’t spend too much time trying to find the best structure. Instead, get in touch with a reliable academic company and get some quick assistance. For examples, one of our writers can create a thesis outline for you. You can just follow the outline and everything will be just fine.
Of course, you can also get some help with the thesis formatting. Citations and references can be difficult to master. Each academic writing style (MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.) has its own requirements. The way you format your academic paper is very important. Bolding and italicizing can emphasize certain ideas. A professional editor can help you make the thesis stand out from the rest. After all, a pleasantly-formatted dissertation that impresses the evaluation committee with its structure and quality of content has a very high chance of getting a top score.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment * Error message
Name * Error message
Email * Error message
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.
Ukraine Live Updates
Guide to Writing
What are the parts of a thesis ?
The Parts of a thesis will depend fundamentally on the discipline to which it belongs (biology, literature, languages, engineering, etc.), since each of them suggests different conventions. However, in this section, we will offer a general outline of it.
Click to read How to chose thesis topic?
The content of the thesis consists of the following parts:
- Preliminary body
- Conclusions
Bibliography
- Glossary (Optional)
Parts of a Thesis:
Preliminary body.
It refers to the pages that precede the text of the work, consisting of:
Qualifications
Acknowledgments, table of contents, index of illustrations and tables.
It is the first page of the writing, in this place the topic of research is identified; it contains the logo of the University, the name of the institution that endorses the studies, name of the author, or authors; the title of the thesis, titration protocol / purpose of certification, the name of the teacher or guide of the research, place and date.
a. Logo and Name of the institution
Place name of the university on the right side of the logo; put the name of the institution in center to which the thesis is put into consideration:
The title of the research identifies the type of work that is presented, must faithfully reflect the content of the thesis. It must be clear, concise, and specific, as far as possible, expressly name the main variables or dimensions. The title is written in capital letters so that it is distinguished from the other data on the cover, focusing on the middle higher; to occupy more than one line, leave double space. The title must be continuous, and there should be no cuts, abbreviations, underlines, or quotes. In case of a subtitle, this should further specify the meaning and scope of the study; place it below the title, it is written in lowercase with the exception of the initial letter of the first word and of the proper names.
c. Titling protocol / Titration purpose
It refers to the identification of the type of work presented and mentioned, the degree or title that is intended to be achieved. It is written in the lower middle part, centered and highlighted.
d. Author (s)
Full names and surnames in capital letters of those presenting the work. It is located immediately below the protocol, centered in the middle.
e. Professor or director of research
It refers to the names, complete surnames, and professional title of the professor guide, director or investigator, as the case may be, preceded for the words: “Guide teacher” or the nomination stipulated by each academic unit.
f. Place and date
It refers to the place and date of publication of the thesis. In the first line, you indicate the city and the country, in the second line, the year of publication.
This page is optional, it is located below the cover, includes all the cover data, except the data of the titration protocol. On the right side of the margin, the name of the teacher consigns the signature and / or qualification, expressed in numbers or concepts.
Optional page in which the names of persons are mentioned to whom the author of the thesis wants to devote his/her research, it is recommended to avoid the abuse of appointments, in some cases it is advisable to add a thought or phrase, which should be brief and moderate in adjectives, avoiding diminutives.
Optional page that is headed by the word: Acknowledgments. Authors of the work mention the people and institutions that contributed and supported the completion of the research. The acknowledgments are written formally, not anecdotally.
Refers to the organized list of the parts that make up the thesis in the order in which they appear inside the work. It includes all such elements as the pages of the preliminary body, the titles of the chapters, parts or sections, which should not exceed 9 levels and supplementary materials or reference. The organization of the table of contents should reflect that of the text, even in a spatial sense. It is necessary that the table of contents be written once the work is finished, so that the different chapters and sub-chapters remain with the final page.
This index is optional but it is necessary to list all the illustrations and pictures with the title and respective number, verifying the exact match between the illustration and the corresponding page. The list is located on a new page to continuation of the table of contents.
The summary determines the relevance of the research and allows the reader to decide if the document is of interest or not. It must give a clear objective, brief account and summary of the content of the work without interpretations, value judgments, or criticisms expressed by the author. The constituent elements of a summary are:
- The formulation of the objective of the work.
- The description of the method or procedure.
- The presentation of the results obtained.
A good summary is brief, concise and informative regarding the content of the thesis. Numerical data may be included, as long as it contributes to the understanding of the content of the document. If the Academic Unit estimates it necessary, the extension of summary is one page maximum.
The text corresponds to the introduction of the thesis and the body of the work.
Introduction:
The introduction is the clear, brief and precise presentation of the content of the thesis, should not include results or conclusions. It is the first part of the thesis; therefore, you must take special care in the writing and the orthography.
It is important to consider the following aspects:
- The reasons that motivated the choice of topic.
- The foundations that support it.
- The objectives of the work.
- The hypothesis presented.
- The methodology used.
Body of the work:
It is constituted by the chapters, sub-chapters, parts or sections that make up the content of the thesis, the problem of research, the theoretical framework, the methodology, the results of the research the discussion of the results.
Within the work, the chapter is the part that indicates the general division of the body of work; the subchapter is the breakdown of the different points of each chapter. It is recommended to follow a logical order in the titles of the chapters and in that provide consistency to the different parts of the work and consider the materials that are mentioned in the introduction.
The illustrations and tables allow you to present and interpret the data and results of the thesis. Under the generic term of tables are grouped tables and other forms of presentation of data, whether statistical, mathematical or otherwise, which will be written in vertical columns and horizontal rows, in correlative order.
If the figure is the graphic representation of data and includes graphs, diagrams, maps, drawings, cartograms, flow charts, etc.
The following rules should be considered:
- Put each illustration in a box.
- Write number on the box, in correlative form according to presentation order.
- Mention each illustration with a title, after the numeration.
- Mention the source of the data in the lower margin of each box in which the illustrations and pictures are framed.
Conclusions:
It is an important part of the thesis where the author makes judgments about his hypothesis, refutes or checks based on a synthesis of the results obtained. The conclusions should reflect the scope and limitations of the study, the recommendations that may be useful to the problem of research, as well as the consequences and determinations that may contribute to the development of knowledge.
Some of the aspects that are suggested to incorporate are:
- Results obtained.
- Testing / refutation of the hypothesis.
- General conclusion.
Contribution to the field or discipline:
The conclusions must have a clear, concrete and direct wording; they are not a summary of the research.
This section contains the bibliographical references of the documents and texts used as support in the research. A bibliographic reference is the set of sufficiently detailed elements that allow the identification of the publications or part of a publication, used in the preparation of a scientific work.
a. Bibliographic citations
It refers to the bibliographical citations that come out of the text. They are located in a correlative number, at the bottom of the page or at the end of each chapter; bibliographic citations help to differentiate between the contribution of the researcher and that of other authors who have dealt with the subject.
b. Aspects to consider for ordering the bibliography.
- Authors are capitalized.
- Authors are ordered alphabetically.
- When there are more bibliographical references of the same author, then they will be sort chronologically by year of publication.
- If there are two or more bibliographic references of the same author published in the same year, they are sorted alphabetically by title and differentiated with the letters a, b, c, etc. after the year, example: 1997a., 1997b.
- If the publication does not have a year, write “without year” in the following manner: [s.a.].
- If the year of publication is uncertain, an approximate date is placed between brackets, for example: [199-]
Each component of a bibliographic reference is separated by point and two spaces.
- Line spacing for an appointment is written in a row and each appointment is separated from the one that follows by two lines.
- Once the references have been arranged alphabetically and chronologically, numbered in ascending order. The text allows reference to the works cited, by the number assigned in parentheses to each of them in the bibliography; optionally you can quote author and year.
- Use the standardized form of the title of the publication in the quotation.
Explanatory notes:
The explanatory notes fulfill the function of informing the reader about the way how the issue is being addressed. They can be incorporated at the bottom of the page or at the end of each chapter.
The purpose of the glossary is to try to homogenise and rationalize the specific terminology used in the thesis and that does not correspond to the common language.
Useful Posts For Students
How I Won Eiffel Scholarship to Study For Free
16 Online Degree Programs From Top Universities
Should I Consolidate My Federal Student Loan?
The Best Scholarship to Study Abroad
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Thesis Writing
Thesis Format
Thesis Format - Detailed Guideline and Template
Published on: Apr 23, 2019
Last updated on: Jan 1, 2023
On This Page On This Page
Writing a thesis can be a daunting task as it requires chapters of research work. However, learning from those who have tackled this task can make the process smoother. Moreover, students must also follow strict formatting requirements in thesis writing .
It is always better to consult the supervisor to determine the proper thesis structure format and writing style. Any deviations from the formatting guidelines may lead to the rejection of the thesis proposal.
If you are working on your thesis and need guidance about how to format a thesis. Refer to this guide to get a better idea of a good thesis format.
Thesis Format Definition
A thesis format is a set of rules you should follow to plan, structure, and organize your main ideas. It is essential to give a logical direction to the thesis paper.
Moreover, the structure is the first thing that the supervisors notice while going through your essays, papers, or thesis. Therefore, students must follow a proper format. However, it is a stressful task for those people who are unfamiliar with the right template.
Every institution follows its formatting guidelines for thesis and dissertation. It is beneficial for a student to know them before getting started with the paper. Moreover, they can also consult with the teacher to get a better understanding of the concept.
Remember, a poorly formatted thesis can affect your grades. Therefore, pay close attention to this section while writing your project.
Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job
What is the Proper Thesis Format?
A thesis format usually consists of four major sections.
Section 1 - Preliminary Pages
- Title page (required)
- Dedication (optional)
- Acknowledgment (optional)
- Abstract (required)
- Table of contents (required)
- List of tables (required)
- List of figures (required)
- List of abbreviations (optional)
Section 2 - Text
- Introduction (referred to as Chapter 1)
- Body of Thesis
Section 3 - References/ Bibliography (required)
Section 4 - Appendices (optional)
The sections of the thesis paper format are discussed below in detail.
Preliminary Pages
Preliminary pages are the write-ups that come before the main chapters of your thesis. They are counted in sequence. Moreover, such pages are used to arrange and divide the various sections logically.
The following are the main parts of the preliminary pages.
The title page serves as a basic introduction to your thesis research. It is a meaningful description of your work. Furthermore, a thesis title page format must include the following elements:
- The topic of the thesis
- Student name
- Supervisor name
- Institution
- Date of submission
However, never put a page number on this page.
Check out our compiled list of thesis topics to get amazing ideas for your work.
Dedication is one of the preliminary pages of your thesis. It includes the dedication of your research work to your loved ones or the people that hold it in high regard. It is an optional page but should be numbered with Roman numerals if included.
On the acknowledgment page, the writer appreciates and acknowledges the people who contributed directly or indirectly to the research. These may include the supervisor, advisors, and the parents who supported you to produce successful wor
The abstract is a description of your work. It should briefly state the research methodology, research problem, conclusion, and results. Moreover, an abstract is of 100-150 words that roughly makes 5-10 sentences.
The table of contents contains a list of headings and subheadings of the thesis with the page numbers. This section must be numbered with Roman numerals at the center bottom of each page.
Also, make sure to write the text with double spacing and follow the supervisor’s format.
Tables usually list the tabulated numerical data. Thus, a list of tables is a type of reference tool that includes table titles and numbers. It enables the readers to quickly navigate through the data on a thesis page. Moreover, it is similar to creating a table of contents and also includes page numbers.
Some common types of figures include images, charts, maps, drawings, and graphs. Thus, the list of figures in a thesis must consist of the figure titles and numbers. Furthermore, this section also follows the same format of thesis used in the table of contents.
Remember to use double spacing and Roman numerals for page numbers.
A list of abbreviations includes unfamiliar terms, symbols, acronyms, and their meaning. These can be in different fields and languages like Latin and English abbreviations.
The text contains well-defined parts and chapters discussing the analysis of your thesis. Also, it should start with page 1 in Arabic numerals.
The main chapters included in the text are given below.
It is referred to as the first chapter of a thesis project. A good thesis introduction must state the following aspects.
- The purpose of the study
- The problem being studied
- The background of the research (context and importance)
- Previous work by other scholars
- A methodological approach to carry the research
- Criteria for the success of the research
The important parts of the main body are as follows.
- Theoretical Framework - It discusses the research problem within the framework of a theory. Moreover, it will further develop a theoretical basis for your methodology design.
- Methodological Procedures - List and describe the key methodology and designs used to conduct the thesis work. Similarly, this section can also use visuals to illustrate the testing procedures.
- Findings - The findings usually present the results with the help of tables and graphs. Furthermore, you can also characterize the result patterns by estimating their accuracy.
- Discussion - This section will discuss the results and their significance in detail. You can also compare the results with the relevant theories.
The following are the major elements of a thesis conclusion.
- Summarize the Research - Provide a brief summary of the research approach and the findings. Also, review and relate the results to the problem statement.
- Assess Your Study - This section will assess your work’s success according to the success criteria mentioned in the introduction. Similarly, it will also discuss how well the results matched your expectations.
- State Your Contributions - It will state the contribution of your research to the knowledge in your field. Explain how the study helps solve the problem statement and address the gap in the existing literature.
- Recommendation - Here, discuss how the results have confirmed or challenged an existing theory and recommend future research directions.
References/ Bibliography
This section contains an alphabetical list of all the sources used in the research. Follow the bibliography, footnote, and thesis reference format guidelines specified by the institution.
However, if your referencing section is longer than two pages, classify and divide it into subsections. It should be done according to the type of sources (books, journals, etc.) or time period.
Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!
A writer must provide calculations, procedures, and data in separate and detailed appendices. Moreover, give each appendix a letter (A, B, C), a title, and an introduction paragraph.
Refer to the below-given document to understand the format template of a thesis paper.
Thesis Format Template
Thesis Format Sample
Here are some thesis format examples to get a better understanding.
MLA Thesis Format
APA Thesis Format
Baby Thesis Format
Undergraduate Thesis Format
Masters Thesis Format
PhD Thesis Format
Thesis Format for Computer Science
Thesis Paper Formatting Tips
Here are some expert tips to format your thesis proposal or final thesis draft.
- Use the A4 page size for a thesis paper.
- Times New Roman 12pt and Arial 11pt are the commonly used font style and size.
- There should be 1.5 line spacing for the text and single spacing for the quotations.
- The right/left margin should be set to 1.25 inches, and the top/bottom margin must be set to 1 inch.
- All pages must be numbered in Roman numerals except the title page. It must be placed in the bottom center of each page.
- Use a citation style recommended by your instructor. It may include APA, MLA, and Chicago referencing.
- Italics are used for writing books and journal titles.
- Bold text should be used within the text for headings and subheadings.
- Use short and simple words for the readers to understand easily.
- Capitalize the first letter of the important words in headings and titles.
- Do not change the all-cap style used for acronyms, e.g., AIDS.
Formatting and writing a thesis is a challenging assignment for most people as it requires a lot of time. It can be especially stressful for students who work under a limited time frame. As a result, they end up submitting a low-quality thesis.
Instead of risking your grades, hire an expert writer who is dedicated and experienced in his work. MyPerfectWords.com is a professional essay writing service that focuses on providing high-quality standards.
Our best essay writers guarantee to deliver your writing assignments within the given deadline. Simply contact our customer support team and place your order now.
Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)
Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.
People also read
Thesis Writing - An Ultimate Format Guide & Examples
Thesis Introduction: A Step by Step Guide With Examples
How to Write a Thesis Proposal - Template & Examples
Interesting Thesis Topics & Ideas To Get Started
Share this article
Keep reading
We value your privacy
We use cookies to improve your experience and give you personalized content. Do you agree to our cookie policy?
Website Data Collection
We use data collected by cookies and JavaScript libraries.
Are you sure you want to cancel?
Your preferences have not been saved.
- Punctuation
- Useful links
The components of a doctoral dissertation and their order
By marina pantcheva.
Do acknowledgements follow or precede the table of contents? What comes first – the appendix or the bibliography? And what is the difference between a bibliography and a list of references? In this article, you can read about the main components of a doctoral dissertation and their order.
A doctoral dissertation is a book, and books have a particular structure. Most of us are familiar with the basic book design: we know that the preface comes before the first chapter and the appendices are somewhere towards the end. But the ordering of some book components can be less obvious: Do acknowledgements follow or precede the table of contents? What comes first – the appendix or the bibliography? And what is the difference between a bibliography and a list of references? In this article, you can read about the main components of a doctoral dissertation and their order. Many of these principles apply to master theses and books in general.
A dissertation has three major divisions: the front matter, the body matter, and the back matter. Each of them contains several parts. These parts and their customary ordering are presented below. Click on the link for more information about each particular part.
The front matter
The front matter serves as a guide to the contents and the nature of the book. The pages in the front matter are assigned lowercase roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv …). The front matter includes (in this order):
Half-title page (p. i)
This is the very first page of the book and also the first page that is counted. It carries nothing but the title. No subtitle, no author, no publisher. This is why it is often called “bastard title page”. The back ( verso ) of this page is blank.
Title page (p. iii)
The title page repeats the title. It carries also the subtitle and the full name(s) of the author(s) as they are printed on the cover. In addition, it has the university logo and a text about the academic degree, the place and time for the submission.
Copyright page (p. iv)
The verso (back) of the title page is where you find the copyright notice, the publisher, the ISSN number, etc. This may look like this:
Your university might not have a standard for a copyright page. If this is the case, you could put here the names of your supervisor(s) and evaluation committee members instead.
Dedication (optional)
On the dedication page the author names the person(s) for whom the book is written. It is for the author to decide whether to have a dedication or not. It is not necessary to identify the person(s) to whom the work is dedicated. Examples of a dedication are:
Epigraph (optional)
The epigraph is a short quotation or a poem, which usually serves to link the book to other, usually well-known, published works. The source of the quotation is given on the line following the epigraph and is usually aligned right, often preceded by a dash.
Table of Contents
The table of contents (often titled just Contents ) is the first page on which the page number appears (v, vii or ix – depending on whether there is a dedication/epigraph). The table of contents should contain the title and beginning page number of everything that follows it: acknowledgements, book parts, chapters, sections, list of references, etc. If some chapter titles are too long, consider choosing alternative short titles to be used in the table of contents. Do not include the contents in the table of contents unless you want to make a joke.
List of Illustrations (optional)
The list of illustrations contains all illustrations in the dissertation and the page numbers where they can be found. If there are various kinds of illustrations, the list can be divided into parts, such as Figures, Maps , etc. The titles of the illustrations need not correspond exactly to the captions printed with the illustrations themselves; you can use shortened titles. The list of Illustrations is usually titled simply Illustrations , but appears as List of Illustrations in the table of contents.
List of Tables
A list of tables (usually titled just Tables but entered in the table of contents as List of Tables ) contains all tables and their page numbers. The titles of the tables may be shortened if needed.
The abstract includes a concise description of the thesis – the problems discussed in it and their proposed solution. The abstract must focus on the result of the scientific investigation, rather than giving the background and methodology for the investigation. This is why people read the abstract: to find out what you have discovered . The abstract is a self-contained text and should not contain references. If this is needed, then you can include the whole reference in the abstract.
The abstract is best written towards the end of the dissertation writing process. Plan enough time for writing the abstract – a day or two perhaps; it is generally more difficult to write a short, concise text than a long text.
The abstract will be the most widely read and published part of your thesis: this is what the potential reader will first look at when deciding whether to spend more time on reading the entire dissertation.
Acknowledgement
In the acknowledgement you thank the people who have contributed to your doctoral degree by providing academic supervision, administrative support, food and shelter, friendship, etc.
First and foremost, you should thank your main supervisor, followed by the co-supervisor(s) and the people who have helped you shape your academic profile. It is a good idea to thank the administrative staff at the Faculty, who will have most likely helped you sort out some problems during your postgraduate studies. You can then continue with thanking your close colleagues, friends, spouse, kids, parents, and (optionally) God.
The acknowledgements are the only place in the dissertation where you may reveal personal information about yourself and your life. It is less formal than the rest of the dissertation and can include jokes, sentences in foreign language, etc. Keep in mind though that a lot of people who do not know you personally will read this part, so you should not be too personal and revealing.
It is a good idea to prepare a list of people to include in the acknowledgements before one has started writing them. You can begin with this list months before you submit your dissertation; stick a post-it note on your desk and add the names of people to thank as you remember them.
The acknowledgements of a dissertation are the only part that everyone will read (I believe that by the end of a defense event, everybody in the audience has read the acknowledgements in the dissertation copy before them) . Make time to write it well and include all people you want to thank to.
Be aware that the acknowledgements of your dissertation can form the basis for the selection of your defense committee.
Note on Transliteration
Sometimes, the author may need to add a list of the transliterations used in the book. This is best done in the front matter and can include a table specifying the conversion of each symbol of the source alphabet into a symbol of the target alphabet.
List of abbreviations
The list of abbreviation contains all the abbreviations used in the body text of the dissertation, listed in an alphabetical order. If the list is less than a page, it can be places on the left-hand page next to the first page of text.
Body matter
The body matter contains the main text of the dissertation. It is commonly divided into chapters, which are often (but not necessarily) of approximately the same length. Each chapter title should provide a reasonable clue to the contents of the chapter. Choose short title chapters; in case this is not possible, consider having shorter versions to be used in the Table of Contents and as running heads.
Chapter 1/Introduction
The first chapter in a dissertation is commonly labelled “Introduction” and serves to acquaint the reader with the topic of investigation, its importance for science, and the issues it raises. The Introduction often includes a literature overview, where the author provides short summaries of works relevant for the topic. The goal with this exercise is twofold: to show what is already known about the problem(s) dealt with in the dissertation, and to demonstrate that the doctoral candidate is familiar with the findings in his/her assumed field of expertise.
The middle chapters
The exact structure of the middle chapters may vary, depending on the scientific field. In the exact sciences, one normally uses the IMRAD format ( I ntroduction – M ethods, R esults A nd D iscussion). (The introduction part naturally belongs to the first chapter “Introduction”.) Dissertations in other fields may include one or more chapters on the theory and data.
In some dissertations, the middle chapters are journal articles where the doctoral candidate is a first author. This model has certain disadvantages. Firstly, the dissertation cannot be easily published as a book later on. Secondly, it might be tricky to write a common introduction/conclusion for all the different papers.
Final chapter/Conclusion
The final chapter of a dissertation is almost inevitably called “Conclusion”. It summarizes the conclusions of the scientific investigation, the solutions to the problems stated in the beginning, suggestions for future research, and practical implications of the findings. This chapter should be relatively short and preferably written in a way that it can stand alone. Avoid copy-pasting sentences from the Abstract and the Introduction.
Sections in a chapter
Long chapters can be divided into sections, which can be further divided into subsections and sub-subsections. When a chapter is divided in sections, there should be at least two of them. Just one section in a chapter is illogical and asymmetric — you should not have any sections at all in such case. The same applies to subsections and sub-subsections.
Numbering of sections
Numbering the sections and subsections in a chapter provides an easy way for cross-referencing. The most common numbering system is the multiple numeration system , where the number of each division is preceded by the number(s) of the higher division(s). For instance, the number 3.2 signifies Section 2 in Chapter 3; the number 5.4.2 signifies Subsection 2 in Section 4 in Chapter 5.
Back matter
The contents of the back matter are generally supplementary and often non-essential. The back matter of a dissertation comprises the following parts:
The material found in the appendix is not essential to the dissertation, but can be helpful for the reader who seeks further information. Examples are: source texts, lists, survey questionnaires, and sometimes even charts and tables. The appendix should not be a repository of raw data that the author has not been able to work into the main text.
If there are two or more appendices, they are designated by letters: Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
The notes section must be arranged by chapters, with chapter numbers and even chapter titles serving as section titles.
Bibliography/Reference List
A reference list includes all sources cited in the work. A bibliography contains all sources the author has consulted, including sources that are not cited in the work: these can be background readings, relevant articles, etc.
No matter whether you have a Reference List or a Bibliography, make sure that all works cited in the text are included there. There is nothing worse than searching for a cited article in the back matter and not finding it there.
For more information on citing and referencing consult Harvard & Vancouver referencing style [coming soon].
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Please note: JavaScript is required to post comments.
- Utility Menu
- Questions about Expos?
- Writing Support for Instructors
- Developing A Thesis
Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."
An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)
A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.
Steps in Constructing a Thesis
First, analyze your primary sources. Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)
Once you have a working thesis, write it down. There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.
Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction. A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.
Anticipate the counterarguments. Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)
This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.
Some Caveats and Some Examples
A thesis is never a question. Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.
A thesis is never a list. "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.
A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational. An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.
An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim. "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."
A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible. Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."
Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University
- How to Read an Assignment
- How to Do a Close Reading
- Counterargument
- Topic Sentences and Signposting
- Transitioning: Beware of Velcro
- How to Write a Comparative Analysis
- Ending the Essay: Conclusions
- Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines
Quick Links
- Schedule an Appointment
- Drop-in Hours
- English Grammar and Language Tutor
- Harvard Guide to Using Sources
- Writing Advice: The Harvard Writing Tutor Blog
- Departmental Writing Fellows
- Videos from the 2022 Three Minute Thesis Competition
Follow @HCWritingCenter
We've updated our privacy policy. Click here to review the details. Tap here to review the details.
Activate your 30 day free trial to unlock unlimited reading.
The thesis and its parts
You are reading a preview.
Activate your 30 day free trial to continue reading.
Check these out next
Download to read offline
Recommended
More Related Content
Slideshows for you (20).
Viewers also liked (20)
Similar to The thesis and its parts (20)
More from Draizelle Sexon (20)
Recently uploaded (20)
- 1. THE THESIS
- 2. WHAT IS A THESIS? noun, plural the·ses 1.a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war. 2.a subject for a composition or essay. 3.a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.
- 3. PARTS OF A THESIS
- 4. INITIAL PAGES • Title Page • Approval Sheet • Abstract • Acknowledgment • Dedication • Table of Contents • List of Tables • List of Figures
- 5. TITLE PAGE The following information needs to be on the title page: • The title (and possibly the subtitle) of your thesis • First name and surname of the author(s) • Whether it is a ‘Bachelor’s thesis’ or a ‘Master’s thesis’ • Faculty and department • Place and date of completion
- 6. APPROVAL SHEET • This is to prove that the authors have passed the requirements needed for the thesis. • This is signed by the thesis/FS adviser, panel and the Dean. • This also states the grade obtained by the author/s.
- 7. ABSTRACT • An abstract presents a brief summary of your thesis. • The aim of the abstract is to briefly provide the reader with the most important information from the entire text. • An abstract never contains new information. • This summary is no longer than 2 pages of A4.
- 8. ACKNOWLEDGMENT • This is a page focused on expressing gratitude to organizations, agencies or individuals who, in one way or another, have aided the researchers in finishing the thesis.
- 9. DEDICATION • This is the page for dedicating the thesis to certain people or groups who have inspired the researchers while doing the thesis.
- 10. TABLE OF CONTENTS • The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis. • It is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis down to whichever level you choose.
- 11. LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF FIGURES • Include a list of figures (illustrations) and a list of tables if you have one or more items in these categories. • Use a separate page for each list. • List the number, caption, and page number of every figure and table in the body of the thesis.
- 12. TITLE OF CHAPTERS 1. Problem and Its Background 2. Review of Related Literature and Studies 3. Methodology of the Study 4. Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data 5. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
- 13. CHAPTER I Introduction and Background of the Study
- 14. INTRODUCTION • The first chapter of your thesis is your introduction. • This is where you provide an introduction to the topic of your thesis: you give the context in terms of content of the research project.
- 15. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY • The significance of the study will mainly focus on the question “Who will benefit from the study?”. • This section will state the contribution of your study and the usefulness of your study in the society.
- 16. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM • The problem must be reflected to your title or the readers must know your problem by just simply reading your topic. • The problem must not be answerable by yes or no and must be arranged in the flow of your documentation or study.
- 17. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK • A conceptual framework elaborates the research problem in relation to relevant literature. This section may summarize the major (dependent and independent) variables in your research. The framework may be summarized in a schematic diagram that presents the major variables and their hypothesized relationships. It should also cover the following: • •Existing research and its relevance for your topic • •Key ideas or constructs in your approach • •Identify and discuss the variables related to the problem. • •Conceptualized relationships between variables • Independent variables (presumed cause) • Dependent variables (presumed effect) • Intervening variables (other variables that influence the effect of the independent variable)
- 18. Instructional Materials and Equipment commonly used in Effects of the use of teaching Science instructional Materials and 1Traditional Materials equipment 2Technological Equipment Profile of the respondents 1Age 2Gender 3Civil Status 4Educational Attainment 5Years of Service
- 19. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION • The scope is mainly the coverage of your study and the Delimitation is the limitation of your study or topic.
- 20. DEFINITION OF TERMS • The definition of terms must be arranged in alphabetically. It must be also stated if you used your definition of terms in technically or operationally.
- 21. CHAPTER II Review of Related Literature and Studies
- 22. RELATED LITERATURE • In this part you must get your data and information from any books, magazines, and news papers. You must label your published material with local or foreign. • 1. Must be also organized to cover specific problems. • 2. Must take all the evidences about the problem with the author’s experiences. • 3. As much as possible, get the latest published materials. Avoid old published materials. • 4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it. • 5. On the last part of this part you must have a statement how this old published material helps the researcher in their current study and relate it to your study.
- 23. RELATED STUDIES • In this part you must get your data and information from unpublished material such as previous or old study, research or thesis. In some format, you must label your unpublished material with local or foreign. • 1. This should be organized to cover the specific problems. • 2. You must take note all of the evidences that the previous researcher came up. • 3. The unpublished material should not be older than 5 years if possible. • 4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it. • 5. On the last part of this part you must have a statement how this old unpublished material helps the researcher in their current study and relate it to your study.
- 24. CHAPTER III Methodology of the Study
- 25. RESEARCH DESIGN • The appropriate research design should be specified and described.
- 26. POPULATION AND SAMPLES • Describe the population of interest and the sampling of subjects used in the study.
- 27. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT • Describe the instrument and what it will measure. • State qualifications of informants if used in the study.
- 28. VALIDATION PROCEDURE • Discuss how the validity and the reliability will be established. Specify the level of reliability (probability).
- 29. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE • Describe how instrument will be administered.
- 30. DATA PROCESSING PROCEDURE AND STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA • Describe the processing and treatment of data
- 31. CHAPTER IV Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
- 32. PRESENTATION OF DATA • Present the findings of the study in the order of the specific problem as stated in the statement of the Problem. • Present the data in these forms: – Tabular – Textual – Graphical (optional)
- 33. ANALYSIS OF DATA • Data may be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively depending on the level of measurement and the number of dimensions and variables of the study. • Analyze in depth to give meaning to the data presented in the data presented in the table. Avoid table reading. • State statistical descriptions in declarative sentences, e.g. in the studies involving:
- 34. INTERPRETATION OF DATA • Establish interconnection between and among data • Check for indicators whether hypothesis/es is/are supported or not by findings. • Link the present findings with the previous literature. • Use parallel observations with contemporary events to give credence presented in the introduction.
- 35. CHAPTER V Summary of Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations
- 36. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS • This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to the questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form instead of the enumeration form. • For each of the problems, present: – The salient findings, – The results of the hypothesis tested
- 37. CONCLUSIONS • These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and each of the specific sub-problems. • These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general inferences applicable to a wider and similar population. • Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the findings as all variables can be subsume in one paragraph. • Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).
- 38. RECOMMENDATIONS • They should be based on the findings and conclusion of the study. • Recommendations may be specific or general or both. They may include suggestions for further studies. • They should be in non-technical language. • They should be feasible, workable, flexible, doable, adaptable.
- 39. REFERENCES: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thesis http://www.jpsimbulan.net/thesis-writing- guide/how-to-write-a-thesis/
Share Clipboard
Public clipboards featuring this slide, select another clipboard.
Looks like you’ve clipped this slide to already.
You just clipped your first slide!
Create a clipboard
Get slideshare without ads, special offer to slideshare readers, just for you: free 60-day trial to the world’s largest digital library..
The SlideShare family just got bigger. Enjoy access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from Scribd.
You have now unlocked unlimited access to 20M+ documents!
Unlimited Reading
Learn faster and smarter from top experts
Unlimited Downloading
Download to take your learnings offline and on the go
Instant access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and more.
Read and listen offline with any device.
Free access to premium services like Tuneln, Mubi and more.
Help us keep SlideShare free
It appears that you have an ad-blocker running. By whitelisting SlideShare on your ad-blocker, you are supporting our community of content creators.
We've updated our privacy policy.
We’ve updated our privacy policy so that we are compliant with changing global privacy regulations and to provide you with insight into the limited ways in which we use your data.
You can read the details below. By accepting, you agree to the updated privacy policy.
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
Developing a Thesis
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
This handout covers major topics relating to writing about fiction. This covers prewriting, close reading, thesis development, drafting, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Once you've read the story or novel closely, look back over your notes for patterns of questions or ideas that interest you. Have most of your questions been about the characters, how they develop or change?
For example: If you are reading Conrad's The Secret Agent , do you seem to be most interested in what the author has to say about society? Choose a pattern of ideas and express it in the form of a question and an answer such as the following: Question: What does Conrad seem to be suggesting about early twentieth-century London society in his novel The Secret Agent ? Answer: Conrad suggests that all classes of society are corrupt. Pitfalls: Choosing too many ideas. Choosing an idea without any support.
Once you have some general points to focus on, write your possible ideas and answer the questions that they suggest.
For example: Question: How does Conrad develop the idea that all classes of society are corrupt? Answer: He uses images of beasts and cannibalism whether he's describing socialites, policemen or secret agents.
To write your thesis statement, all you have to do is turn the question and answer around. You've already given the answer, now just put it in a sentence (or a couple of sentences) so that the thesis of your paper is clear.
For example: In his novel, The Secret Agent , Conrad uses beast and cannibal imagery to describe the characters and their relationships to each other. This pattern of images suggests that Conrad saw corruption in every level of early twentieth-century London society.
Now that you're familiar with the story or novel and have developed a thesis statement, you're ready to choose the evidence you'll use to support your thesis. There are a lot of good ways to do this, but all of them depend on a strong thesis for their direction.
For example: Here's a student's thesis about Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent . In his novel, The Secret Agent , Conrad uses beast and cannibal imagery to describe the characters and their relationships to each other. This pattern of images suggests that Conrad saw corruption in every level of early twentieth-century London society. This thesis focuses on the idea of social corruption and the device of imagery. To support this thesis, you would need to find images of beasts and cannibalism within the text.
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
- Knowledge Base
- How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples
How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples
Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 5, 2022.
A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.
Table of contents
Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.
Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.
Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos
Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.
Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.
Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.
Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.
These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.
Text and context
In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.
In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.
The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?
Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.
Claims, supports, and warrants
A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.
A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.
The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.
The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.
For example, look at the following statement:
We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.
Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:
- What is the author’s purpose?
- Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
- What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
- Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
- What kinds of evidence are presented?
By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.
The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .
Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.
The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.
Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.
Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.
King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.
The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.
Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.
It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.
The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.
Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.
The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.
Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.
Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.
In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2022, December 05). How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/rhetorical-analysis/
Is this article helpful?
Jack Caulfield
Other students also liked, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, how to write a literary analysis essay | a step-by-step guide, comparing and contrasting in an essay | tips & examples, what is your plagiarism score.
Project Reporting Instructions
4.2 The Main Part of the Thesis — Various Approaches
The actual text (main part) of a bachelor’s or master’s thesis contains an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Depending on the nature of the author’s work—whether it represents a research-type report , a development project, or a qualitative analysis—the structure of the text of the thesis may be adapted accordingly. A research-type report can represent, e.g. survey, interview, market, or operational research. Throughout these instructions, the word research is used to describe both research and development work.
A qualitative analysis can lend itself well to the structure of a report. The writing can commence directly with empirical observations, then move on to discuss the originally identified problem and the effects of the empirical observations on it, the interpretation of findings, as well as some commentary on their more general significance. Finally, a theoretical hypothesis is deduced from the generalised findings. At the end of the report, the solution to the problem serves as an added bonus. (See Alasuutari 1999, 246–249.)
Quantitative research methods are used to study specific theories. Often qualitative and quantitative research methods are used in tandem in order to confirm findings and increase their reliability. (Kananen 2008, 10–11.) Quantitative research reports follow an extremely clear IMRD (introduction, methods, results and discussion) structure.
A development project is a project of practical nature , for example the organisation of an event, an artistic performance, a business plan, or the design and production of a product. A development project is typically divided into two parts:
- the product or event to be developed, and
- a descriptive report of the process. (See, e.g. Hakala 2004, 28–29.)
In development project work, including work of the artistic performance variety, the output of the project may be realised in the form of, e.g. a video production, a new tool, or some other similar practical implementation. The process of realising the project’s output is presented in writing and reported in accordance with how the development project, event, or other output is designed, developed, and evaluated (see Figure 2 as an example). The theoretical foundation, which serves as the starting point for the project, is also presented in the report. The logic of the research report is, incidentally, suitable in many cases for the reporting of practical work.
The sample table of contents shown in Figure 2 can also serve as an example of a synchronic reporting method . A synchronic reporting method is one in which the description of the research implementation in the report, the knowledge base, and the findings and conclusions are interrelated and cannot be considered as separate entities. Very rarely does the writing of a thesis follow a linear sequence of steps; it rather tends to progress through simultaneous work on different parts of the report. In this manner, the main chapters can be determined, for example, based on their degree of importance relative to the work as a whole.
- +44 20 8144 7946
- +1 (253) 235 4136
Custom Writing
Custom essays, order essay services, essay writing help online, write my essay, essay writers for hire, academic essay writing, best essay writing services, essay writing services uk, english essay writing services, other essay services, how to place an order:.
- Select your academic level and the number of pages and pick a desired deadline
- Then press “Order Now”
- Add your instructions
- Choose writer’s category
- Make a payment
- Get your paper before the deadline
Assignment services
Online assignment writing service, assignment help, coursework paper writing, assignment writing services, buy assignment online, coursework writing service, research paper services, research proposal writing service, term papers writing services, research paper help, pay for research papers, academic research paper service, research papers writing services, buy a research paper, college papers for sale, annotated bibliography help, thesis services, thesis report writing services, thesis editing services, thesis writing services, phd services, phd writing services, phd proposal writing service, buy phd thesis, phd research and literature review, phd thesis editing, dissertation services, dissertation writing services, buy dissertation online, custom dissertation writing help service, dissertation proposal services, write my dissertation, dissertation editing services, dissertation literature review writing, dissertation consultation services, dissertation survey help, mba dissertation writing services, mba essay writing, mba dissertation editing, mba assignment help, mba thesis writing help, mba personal statement writing, law services, law dissertation writing services, law coursework writing services, bvc/bptc writing service – bvc/bptc opinion & drafting writing, law essay writing services, law assignment writing services, law report writing service, all subjects, university application help, college admission writing service, cover letter writing, college application help service, personal statement writing help service, resume writing help, bursary and scholarships application help, ucas application help, buy essay papers canada, buy essay papers uae, buy essay papers saudi arabia, buy essay papers new zealand, buy essay papers usa, buy essay papers uk, buy essay papers qatar, buy essay papers australia, buy essay papers ireland.
- Sample Essays
- Our Guarantee
Free Writing Tools
It’s so easy to contact us.
Just send us an email, give us a phone call or you can visit our professional and friendly UK team for an excellent level of service delivery. An easier way is just to drop us a message on our Live ChatBox on the bottom right of the page
- 24/7 Live Support
If you have any questions and want to find more about our services, kindly check our information
What are the Basic Four Parts of a Thesis Statement?
- peachyessay
- May 17, 2021
- Blogs , General
Writing a good thesis statement requires thorough research and time. This one sentence can make or break your writing project. There are four parts to a thesis statement, which you should include in your paper.
The purpose of academic writing is to demonstrate the quality of your analysis, insight, and ideas. It shows that you know the concepts and that you have studied them. As an outcome of your evaluation, you can think about the concepts in your way, accept and oppose, or develop your particular ideas. Your thesis statement is the single sentence that describes what you believe since it presents your main arguments and insights clearly.
What is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a short statement, usually a sentence that explains or highlights the main point of an essay, research paper, etc., and is often supported by examples and facts.
Typically the thesis statement is presented in the first paragraph of your dissertation. The thesis contains the core idea of your paper and controls and organizes all the other parts.
Types of Thesis Statements
There are two types of thesis statements. One is argumentative, the other explanatory.
Argumentative thesis
An argumentative thesis is typically made up of one or two sentences. It states the writer’s stance and position. It should present the idea on which the essay is based.
Here’s an example to help you understand the argumentative thesis:-
BBC News is the best news channel on TV.
There are no debatable points in this sentence, so it is not an argumentative thesis statement.
It should be forbidden for TV channels to manipulate the news in any manner.
It is a specific thesis statement because the author is giving his opinion on a certain point. He believes the channel must report the news in its original way.
Explanatory Thesis
The purpose of an explanatory thesis is to search for and describe the characteristics of a particular subject. You can examine this subject for a long time, so the thesis announcement has to express this.
We can understand the explanatory thesis better with an example:-
There is a continuous decline in GDP.
This is not an appropriate explanatory thesis statement as it just states the fact without providing any reasons as to why it occurred.
The high cost of housing, insufficient housing support, and the desire to live in nuclear families are the main causes of homelessness.
The writer details and explains the reasons behind the problem well to make it an explanatory thesis statement.
The Main Four Parts of a Thesis Statement
There are four parts to a bachelor’s or master’s thesis (main part).
Accordingly, the way the study’s text is written can be modified based on the nature of the author’s work, whether it is a research-type article, a construction project, or a qualitative review.
- Introduction
The introduction familiarizes the audience with the subject of the thesis and piques their interest in it. This statement explains the context, intellectual basis, explanation, and inspiration for selecting a subject, discusses the literature on the subject, identifies the area of study, identifies the assignor, and outlines the purpose of the assignment. A description of the topic, its relevance in professional life, and its significance for the author can be found here.
- Basis of theory
Master’s or bachelor’s thesis theoretical frameworks define the goal of the degree project, along with an overview of the development and research activities involved. The theoretical basis should be in theory.
In the absence of a theoretical basis, the subject’s history should be discovered and a theory formulated. Its subject matter and nature will depend upon the method used and to what extent the phenomenon was examined.
After the author’s study, the theoretical basis is derived from data and then synthesized. He draws upon prior research, his professional experience, literature, and intuition. There is the possibility to present observations from the past combined with a description of the reliability, overall significance, and connections between previous work and current work. The data collected is presented objectively by dealing with comparisons and the results.
In the theoretical part of the study, essential notions are specified, while others are defined in the context in which they appear.
- Implementation of research
The author’s steps in implementing their research involve some arguments and must be described correctly. Implementation reporting gives a clear explanation of the research process. It also shows how the author works to attain the target. The audience may evaluate the research validity based on the writer’s implementation of the research.
An objective report displays the intent of the thesis, the methods of data collection, the author’s method of conducting the research, the material used, and how it was used. Besides describing the target audience for the study, it evaluates the legitimacy of the results with justifications.
From the four parts of a thesis statement, the most crucial one is its presentation of the research findings. Findings and results may not look the same, but both provide solutions to the research question.
The results of a research project can be judged in several ways depending on the problem addressed. A thesis statement’s structure, coupled with the research’s nature, determines how the results will emerge. Whenever the results are presented, one should always explain the goals of the thesis.
- Discussions
In the discussion, the outcomes and background information from the introduction are merged with the new results explained in the theoretical section, which makes the main conclusions more prominent.
Discussions provide a deeper insight into the writing area, as enhanced after the information gathered while putting together the master’s thesis. The writer’s findings should be compared with those mentioned earlier. Their arguments ought to be analyzed concerning their differences and similarities.
These findings give greater clarity to how the master’s or bachelor’s thesis has changed or enhanced knowledge in the field. Furthermore, the success of a thesis depends on the study and the practical application of its ideas.
What are the Most Common Mistakes of a Thesis Statement?
After you know the basics of thesis statement writing, there are certain errors that you should avoid. Identifying these errors and learning how to avoid them will help you to write a strong thesis statement .
Here are the thesis statement’s common mistakes.
The unclear statement
Your audience needs to comprehend your objective immediately. If it seems unclear or vague, you’ll lose them from the outset. Stay focused and use straightforward language to declare your main idea.
The complicated statement
A wordy statement and too long will frustrate readers and weaken the points you are trying to make.
The too basic statement
As you get older, you should prepare your work with more maturity. A solid thesis statement must include the main points. While being very straightforward in younger writing may be ok, older students must be more specific and refined.
The real purpose of the statement must be clear
Your audience must consider the topic in various ways. Does it provide useful data, help? Is it worthwhile to study? If not, then it is better to pick another topic that might be more captivating.
The statement includes bad use of words
There is no point in abbreviating, using slang, or using poor spellings to address a straightforward assertion of the thesis. To address, use technical terms.
The argument lacks reference to the rest of the writing
Even if you have a good thesis point, if the rest of the paper strays from your main claim, then it won’t matter. It would help if you always link your thoughts to the statement of your thesis. The paper must be cohesive and stays on track with its original theme.
What are the Four Qualities of a Good Thesis Statement?
Your essay must contain a central idea. This idea must come from a chosen topic or result from a question your teacher recently asked. If you discuss a topic in detail or answer a yes or no question, that is not enough. The main idea has to be formed when you form an opinion, and this idea is the one upon which your thesis is constructed.
Your thesis is your interpretation of a question or subject, not the topic itself. If your professor assigns you any topic at all, you must ask yourself what you intend to say about it. By answering this question, you will develop a thesis that is clear, convincing, and persuasive .
The thesis is usually one sentence long and appears at the end of your introduction. It mentions one to three key points of your piece—points that can be demonstrated in the body of your paper. It presents your plan for the essay and helps you get organized. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.
A strong thesis statement has the following qualities.
- Specificity : As you may recall, thesis statements begin when you choose a general topic and then narrow it down until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic. Still, a proper thesis statement would focus on the specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.
- Precision : For a strong thesis statement to be precise and stay focused on the topic, it must make an exact claim about it. For example, your thesis statement should state that limited options exist only for uninsured individuals. There is more to discuss these limited effects, such as who they affect and how they arise.
- Ability to be argued : The thesis statement should present a clear argument. A statement of fact may not be considered arguable. Recheck your thesis statement to make sure your statement is supported by evidence.
- Ability to be demonstrated : If your thesis declares something, you need to indicate the reasons and examples for your assertion. You can either rely on personal observations or seek outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is correct. The best arguments are based on examples and details.
- Forcefulness : A powerful thesis statement lets readers know that your argument is backed by facts. The tone of the statement is assertive and takes a position that others might disagree with.
- Confidence : Your thesis statement should not only use force but confidence as well. The reader’s sense of your confidence is undermined when you use phrases such as I say or feel, which implies that you are the only one who feels this way. It is important to take an authoritative position to persuade your readers to accept it and make their minds open to what you say.
Topic Sentence vs Thesis Statement
Thesis statement.
The thesis statement represents the basic idea that the writer wishes to present, the opinion that they want to express, and the major point that they wish to make about the topic. It provides the idea for the whole article and gives it a sense of direction. A thesis statement must convince the reader that the statement is indeed valid.
Writing an effective thesis sentence involves narrowing and focusing the topic. Your thesis’ scope will depend on the length, purpose, audience, occasion, and level of expertise.
All theses will (a) state the subject explicitly so that it can be divided into parts; (b) state an opinion on the subject; and (c) indicate, either implicitly or explicitly, the order in which each point can be developed.
It is a word, phrase, or clause that creates the writer’s attitude, stance, or point of view about a subject; it elucidates the angle from which the writer seeks to approach the subject.
The thesis is always a single declarative statement:
Topic Sentence
The topic sentence serves as an analog to the thesis; that is, it serves to give unity to the paragraph as the thesis does to the essay, chapter, or book. The topic sentence does this by specifically developing the major argument of the thesis. The topic sentence, like the thesis, is essential to the essay’s structure. Topic sentences should be included in every paragraph.
It contains the dominant idea of the paragraph.
In a normal fashion, it appears as the first sentence in every paragraph.
In the subject sentence, the main idea describes the sentence in a descriptor or judgmental way or provides an argument by issuing a judgment.
The topic sentence is also particular, just like the thesis. In contrast to a prediction or question, it is a single declarative statement.
Tips on How to Write a Thesis Statement
- Keep it short and punchy : Write your one-sentence summary in a concise manner that creates interest in the paper while using specific language instead of vague words or figures to get your point across. Therefore, use the phrase ‘shows a 37% improvement’ instead of ‘make it better.
- Be easily understood : Often, a layperson, or a person who has little knowledge of the subject matter, will have no difficulty understanding the thesis statement and the author’s position on the issue. When crafting the sentence, avoid using technical jargon or abbreviations. A good thesis statement can be understood by a friend who knows nothing about the topic.
- Simple but not simplistic : Making your thesis statement a general definition devalues your thesis and makes your readers ask, ‘why bother?’ For example, ‘we must stop climate change’ might cause them to criticize your thesis. But rewording it to ‘4 million people will suffer famine if climate change isn’t addressed in the next three years’ clearly illustrates the complexities of your subject matter.
- There can be only one : While doing research, it is straightforward to become distracted by the many ideas that arise naturally. It is a common mistake to allow these distractions to prevent you from staying focused on the main point and argument the paper is trying to make. This holds for the statement of the thesis as well. Be sure to keep the statement focused on the main point and not include too many supporting arguments.
Useful Links:
Essay services, assignment services, mba services, by subjects, give your grades a boost, top academic writers ready, to help with your research proposal, connect with us.
Just ask our team to "write my essay" and then sit back and relax. We'll get it done.
Safe & Trusted
Your Peachy Essay purchase is secure and we're rated 4.5/5
All work is written to order. No plagiarism, guaranteed!
We're here to answer any questions you have about our services
Quick Links
Peachy Essay provides model essays for tutoring and learning purposes only. At the end of the day, it’s the students responsibility to do their own research and work. And therefore, submit their own work. We are a strong believer in academic integrity and have a “zero tolerance policy” on plagiarism. Therefore, all our works will be submitted with a FREE Turnitin plagiarism report.
© 2007 — 2022 Peachy Essay. All Rights Reserved.
Research and Writing Guides
Writing a paper? Don't get lost.
How to structure a thesis
Starting a thesis can be daunting. There are so many questions in the beginning: How do you actually start your thesis? How do you structure it? What information should the individual chapters contain? Each educational program has different demands on your thesis structure, which is why asking directly for the requirements of your program should be a first step. However, there is not much flexibility when it comes to structuring your thesis in general. The generic structure of your thesis looks like this:
- 1. Abstract
The abstract is the overview of your thesis and generally very short. It is recommended to write it last, when everything else is done.
- 2. Introduction
The introduction chapter is there to give an overview of your thesis' basics or main points. It should answer the following questions:
- Why is the topic being studied?
- How is the topic being studied?
- What is being studied?
In answering the first question "why", you should know what your personal interest in this topic is and if and why it is relevant in general. Why does it matter in real life? You can also give background information here. By answering these questions, you can ground your whole paper from the onset and the readers will not have to answer these questions themselves. In answering the "how", you should briefly explain how you are going to reach your research goal. Some prefer to answer that question in the methods chapter, but you can give a quick overview here. And finally, you should explain "what" you are studying. You could put your research question in this part. It is recommended to rewrite the introduction one last time when the writing is done to make sure it connects with your conclusion. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our thesis introduction guide .
- 3. Literature review
Literature review is often part of the introduction, but it can be a separate section. It is an evaluation of previous research on the topic showing that there are gaps that your research will attempt to fill. A few tips for your literature review:
- Use a wide array of sources
- Show both sides of the coin
- Make sure to cover the classics in your field
- Present everything in a clear and structured manner
The methodology chapter outlines which methods you choose to gather data, how the data is analyzed and justifies why you chose that methodology. It shows how your choice of design and research methods is suited to answering your research question. Make sure to also explain what the pitfalls of your approach are and how you have tried to mitigate them. Discussing yourself where your study might come short can give you more credibility as it shows the reader that you are aware of the limitations of your study.
The results chapter outlines what you found out in relation to your research questions or hypotheses. It generally contains the facts of your research and does not include a lot of analysis, because that happens mostly in the discussion chapter. Whats helps making your results chapter better is to clearly visualize your results, using tables and graphs, especially when summarizing, and to be consistent in your way of reporting. This means sticking to one format to help the reader evaluate and compare the data.
- 6. Discussion
The discussion chapter includes your own analysis and interpretation of the data you gathered, comments on your results and explains what they mean. This is your opportunity to show that you have understood your findings and their significance. Point out the limitations of your study, provide explanations for unexpected results, and note any questions that remain unanswered.
- 7. Conclusion
This is probably your most important chapter. This is where you highlight that your research objectives have been achieved, and how you have contributed to all parties involved with your research. In this chapter you should also point out the limitations of your study, because showing awareness of your limitation gives a better grounding on your thesis. You can talk about your personal learnings here and also make suggestions for future research.
Remember to check if you have really answered all your research questions and hypotheses in this chapter in a short and clear manner. Your thesis should be tied up nicely in the conclusions chapter and show clearly what you did, what results you got and what your learnings were. Learn more about how to write a good conclusion in our thesis conclusion guide .
- Frequently Asked Questions about structuring a thesis
The basic elements of a thesis are: Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
It's recommended to start a thesis by writing the literature review first. This way you learn more about the sources, before jumping to the discussion or any other element.
It's recommended to write the abstract of a thesis last, once everything else is done. This way you will be able to provide a complete overview of your work.
Usually, the discussion is the longest part of a thesis. In this part you are supposed to point out the limitations of your study, provide explanations for unexpected results, and note any questions that remain unanswered.
The order of the basic elements of a thesis are: 1. Abstract, 2. Introduction, 3. Literature Review, 4. Methods, 5. Results, 6. Discussion, and 7. Conclusion.
- Related Articles
- definitions
How To Write 3 Types Of Thesis Statements
A thesis statement is “a short summary of the main idea, purpose, or argument of an essay that usually appears in the first paragraph.” It’s generally only one or two sentences in length.
A strong thesis statement is the backbone of a well-organized paper, and helps you decide what information is most important to include and how it should be presented.
What is a good thesis statement?
This thesis statement, for example, could open a paper on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s importance as a civil rights leader: “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the American civil rights movement. His moving speeches and nonviolent protests helped unite a nation divided by race.”
This example lays out the writer’s basic argument (King was an important leader of the American civil rights movement), offers two areas of evidence (his speeches and nonviolent protests), and explains why the argument matters (united a divided nation).
A good thesis statement delivers a clear message about the scope of the topic and the writer’s approach to the subject. In contrast, poor thesis statements fail to take a position, are based solely on personal opinion, or state an obvious truth. For example, “Democracy is a form of government,” is a weak thesis statement because it’s too general, doesn’t adopt a stance, and states a well-known fact that doesn’t need further explanation.
What are the different types of thesis statements?
Thesis statements can be explanatory , argumentative , or analytical . The type of paper determines the form of the thesis statement.
1. Explanatory thesis statement
An explanatory thesis statement is based solely on factual information. It doesn’t contain personal opinions or make claims that are unsupported by evidence. Instead, it tells the reader precisely what the topic will be and touches on the major points that will be explored in the essay. An explanatory thesis statement is sometimes also called an expository thesis statement .
For example: The core components of a healthy lifestyle include a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.
2. Argumentative thesis statement
In an argumentative essay, the writer takes a stance on a debatable topic. This stance, and the claims to back it up, is the argument . Unlike an explanatory thesis statement, an argumentative thesis statement allows the writer to take a position about a subject (e.g., the deeper meaning of a literary text, the best policy towards a social problem) and to convince readers of their stance. The body of the argumentative essay uses examples and other evidence to support the writer’s opinion.
For example: Shakespeares’s Taming of the Shrew uses humor, disguise, and social roles to criticize the lack of power women had in Elizabethan England.
3. Analytical thesis statement
An analytical thesis statement analyzes, or breaks down, an issue or idea into its different parts. Then, it evaluates the topic and clearly presents the order of the analysis to the reader.
For example: The school’s policy to start its school day an hour later revealed three related benefits: students were more alert and attentive in class, had a more positive about school, and performed better in their coursework.
How to write a thesis statement
Writing a thesis statement requires time and careful thought. The thesis statement should flow naturally from research and set out the writer’s discoveries. When composing a thesis statement, make sure it focuses on one main idea that can be reasonably covered within your desired page length. Try not to write about the entire history of America, for example, in a three-page paper.
Although deciding upon a thesis statement can be challenging and time-consuming, a strong thesis statement can make the paper both easier to write and more enjoyable to read. Don’t worry: we’re not going to leave you hanging! We’ve got a whole article to help you write an effective thesis statement here .
Ways To Say
Synonym of the day
Mar 12, 2023
Make Your Essay Structure Rock-Solid with These Tips
So you’ve been assigned an essay. Or, probably more realistically, two, three, or four essays . . . and they’re all due the same week.
We’ve all been there: overwhelmed, staring down that blank screen, and not sure which essay to start with or how to get it started.
In high school and college, it’s not enough to just write strong essays. One of the most important skills to develop is writing strong essays efficiently . And the foundation of that skill is knowing how to structure an essay. With a template for the basic essay structure in hand, you can focus on what really matters when you’re writing essays: your arguments and the evidence you’re using to support them. Take a look at the basic essay structure below and see how the parts of an essay work together to present a coherent, well-reasoned position, no matter what topic you’re writing about.
Make your essays shine. Polish your writing with Grammarly Write with Grammarly
Basic essay structure: the 3 main parts of an essay
Almost every single essay that’s ever been written follows the same basic structure:
Introduction
Body paragraphs.
This structure has stood the test of time for one simple reason: It works. It clearly presents the writer’s position, supports that position with relevant examples, and neatly ties their supporting arguments together in a way that makes their position evident.
It all starts here. This is where you introduce the topic you’re discussing in your essay and briefly summarize the points you’ll make in the paragraphs that follow.
This is also where you state your thesis. Your thesis is the most important part of your essay because it’s the point you’re making . It needs to take a clear stance and shouldn’t include hedging language that undermines that stance like “seems to” or “possibly could.”
Here are a few examples of thesis statements:
- In the final scene of The Awakening , Edna Pontellier’s decision demonstrates that it was impossible for her to have the lifestyle she truly wanted in the society in which she lived.
- Due to its volatility and lack of government regulation, Bitcoin cannot become a viable currency for everyday purchases.
- While the habitability of Mars has not yet been proven, evidence suggests that it was once possible due to bacteria samples found on the Red Planet.
An easy way to write your thesis statement is to think of it as a summary of your essay. Your thesis makes and supports your essay’s point in one concise sentence.
When you proofread your finished essay, make sure your thesis is clearly stated in your introduction paragraph. If it’s not clear, go back and write a definitive thesis statement.
>>Read More: How to Write a Persuasive Essay
Your essay’s body paragraphs are where you support your thesis statement with facts and evidence. Each body paragraph should focus on one supporting argument for your thesis by discussing related data, content, or events.
If you’re not sure whether you should include a specific point or detail in your body paragraphs, refer back to your thesis statement. If the detail supports your thesis, it should be in your essay. If it doesn’t, leave it out. Your thesis statement is the core of your basic essay structure, so everything else in the essay needs to relate to it in some way.
In your essay’s conclusion paragraph , you summarize the points you made and bring your argument to its logical conclusion. Because your reader is now familiar with your thesis, the summary in your conclusion paragraph can be more direct and conclusive than the one in your intro paragraph.
>>Read More: 7 Writing Tips from Professors to Help you Crush your First Essays
How many paragraphs are in an essay?
There’s no hard-and-fast requirement for college essays. In high school, you were probably taught to write five-paragraph essays. This is a solid essay structure to work with, but in college, you generally have more flexibility with assignment lengths and formats.
Now, consider five the minimum—not the standard—number of paragraphs you should include in your essays.
Essay structure examples
There are a few different ways to present information in an essay. Often, your assignment will tell you what kind of essay to write, such as a chronological, compare and contrast, or problems-methods-solution essay. If you’re not sure which is best for your assignment, ask your instructor.
Chronological
A chronological essay guides the reader through a series of events. This essay structure is ideal if you’re writing about:
- A current or historical event
- A book or article you read for class
- A process or procedure
With this kind of essay, you first introduce your topic and summarize the series of events in your introduction paragraph. Then, each body paragraph takes the reader through a key stage in that series, which might be a decisive battle in history, a pivotal scene in a novel, or a critical stage in a judicial process. In your conclusion, you present the end result of the series you discussed, underscoring your thesis with this result.
Compare and contrast
A compare-and-contrast essay has a structure that discusses multiple subjects, like several novels, concepts, or essays you’ve been assigned to read.
There are a few different ways to structure a compare-and-contrast essay. The most obvious is to spend one paragraph discussing the similarities between the topics you’re covering (comparing), then one paragraph detailing their differences (contrasting), followed by a paragraph that explores whether they’re more alike or more different from each other.
Another method is to only compare, where each of your body paragraphs discusses a similarity between the topics at hand. Or you can go the only-contrast route, where your body paragraphs explore the differences. Whichever you decide on, make sure each paragraph is focused on one topic sentence . Every new comparison or contrast should occupy its own paragraph.
Problems-methods-solution
As its name implies, this kind of essay structure presents the writer’s position in three segments:
- Ways to resolve the problem
- The solution achieved by using these strategies to resolve the problem
This kind of essay works great if you’re discussing methods for resolving a problem, like knowing how to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources when you’re doing research for assignments. It can also work when you’re tasked with explaining why certain solutions haven’t worked to fix the problems they were created for.
With this kind of essay, begin by introducing the problem at hand. In the subsequent body paragraphs, cover possible methods for resolving the problem, discussing how each is suited to fixing the problem, and potential challenges that can arise with each. You can certainly state which you think is the best choice—that could even be your thesis statement. In your conclusion paragraph, summarize the problem again and the desired resolution, endorsing your method of choice (if you have one).
In this kind of essay, you can also include a call to action in your final paragraph. A call to action is a direct order for the reader to take a specific action, like “call your congressperson today and tell them to vote no” or “visit grammarly.com today to add Grammarly browser extension for free.”
>>Read More: How to Write Better Essays: 5 Concepts you Must Master
With the basic essay structure down, you can get to writing
For a lot of students, getting started is the hardest part of writing an essay. Knowing how to structure an essay can get you past this seemingly insurmountable first step because it gives you a clear skeleton upon which to flesh out your thoughts. With that step conquered, you’re on your way to crushing your assignment.
- Jump to menu
- Student Home
- Accept your offer
- How to enrol
- Student ID card
- Set up your IT
- Orientation Week
- Fees & payment
- Academic calendar
- Special consideration
- Transcripts
- The Nucleus: Student Hub
- Referencing
- Essay writing
- Learning abroad & exchange
- Professional development & UNSW Advantage
- Employability
- Financial assistance
- International students
- Equitable learning
- Postgraduate research
- Health Service
- Events & activities
- Emergencies
- Volunteering
- Clubs and societies
- Accommodation
- Health services
- Sport and gym
- Arc student organisation
- Security on campus
- Maps of campus
- Microsoft Office 365
- Careers portal
- Change your password
How to Write a Thesis Introduction
What types of information should you include in your introduction .
In the introduction of your thesis, you’ll be trying to do three main things, which are called Moves :
- Move 1 establish your territory (say what the topic is about)
- Move 2 establish a niche (show why there needs to be further research on your topic)
- Move 3 introduce the current research (make hypotheses; state the research questions)
Each Move has a number of stages. Depending on what you need to say in your introduction, you might use one or more stages. Table 1 provides you with a list of the most commonly occurring stages of introductions in Honours theses (colour-coded to show the Moves ). You will also find examples of Introductions, divided into stages with sample sentence extracts. Once you’ve looked at Examples 1 and 2, try the exercise that follows.
Most thesis introductions include SOME (but not all) of the stages listed below. There are variations between different Schools and between different theses, depending on the purpose of the thesis.
Stages in a thesis introduction
- state the general topic and give some background
- provide a review of the literature related to the topic
- define the terms and scope of the topic
- outline the current situation
- evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap
- identify the importance of the proposed research
- state the research problem/ questions
- state the research aims and/or research objectives
- state the hypotheses
- outline the order of information in the thesis
- outline the methodology
Example 1: Evaluation of Boron Solid Source Diffusion for High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells (School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering)
Example 2: Methods for Measuring Hepatitis C Viral Complexity (School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences)
Note: this introduction includes the literature review.
Now that you have read example 1 and 2, what are the differences?
Example 3: The IMO Severe-Weather Criterion Applied to High-Speed Monohulls (School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering)
Example 4: The Steiner Tree Problem (School of Computer Science and Engineering)
Introduction exercise
Example 5.1 (extract 1): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)
Example 5.2 (extract 2): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)
Example 5.3
Example 5.4 (extract 4): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)
Example 5.5 (extract 5): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)
Example 5.6 (extract 6): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)
Well, firstly, there are many choices that you can make. You will notice that there are variations not only between the different Schools in your faculty, but also between individual theses, depending on the type of information that is being communicated. However, there are a few elements that a good Introduction should include, at the very minimum:
- Either Statement of general topic Or Background information about the topic;
- Either Identification of disadvantages of current situation Or Identification of the gap in current research;
- Identification of importance of proposed research
- Either Statement of aims Or Statement of objectives
- An Outline of the order of information in the thesis
Engineering & science
- Report writing
- Technical writing
- Writing lab reports
- Introductions
- Literature review
- Writing up results
- Discussions
- Conclusions
- Writing tools
- Case study report in (engineering)
- ^ More support
Study Hacks Workshops | All the hacks you need! 13 Feb – 13 Apr 2023
How To Structure Your Literature Review
3 options to help structure your chapter.
By: Amy Rommelspacher (PhD) | Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | November 2020
Writing the literature review chapter can seem pretty daunting when you’re piecing together your dissertation or thesis. As we’ve discussed before , a good literature review needs to achieve a few very important objectives – it should:
- Demonstrate your knowledge of the research topic
- Identify the gaps in the literature and show how your research links to these
- Provide the foundation for your conceptual framework (if you have one)
- Inform your own methodology and research design
To achieve this, your literature review needs a well-thought-out structure . Get the structure of your literature review chapter wrong and you’ll struggle to achieve these objectives. Don’t worry though – in this post, we’ll look at how to structure your literature review for maximum impact (and marks!).
But wait – is this the right time?
Deciding on the structure of your literature review should come towards the end of the literature review process – after you have collected and digested the literature, but before you start writing the chapter.
In other words, you need to first develop a rich understanding of the literature before you even attempt to map out a structure. There’s no use trying to develop a structure before you’ve fully wrapped your head around the existing research.
Equally importantly, you need to have a structure in place before you start writing , or your literature review will most likely end up a rambling, disjointed mess.
Importantly, don’t feel that once you’ve defined a structure you can’t iterate on it. It’s perfectly natural to adjust as you engage in the writing process. As we’ve discussed before , writing is a way of developing your thinking, so it’s quite common for your thinking to change – and therefore, for your chapter structure to change – as you write.
Need a helping hand?
Like any other chapter in your thesis or dissertation, your literature review needs to have a clear, logical structure. At a minimum, it should have three essential components – an introduction , a body and a conclusion .
Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
1: The Introduction Section
Just like any good introduction, the introduction section of your literature review should introduce the purpose and layout (organisation) of the chapter. In other words, your introduction needs to give the reader a taste of what’s to come, and how you’re going to lay that out. Essentially, you should provide the reader with a high-level roadmap of your chapter to give them a taste of the journey that lies ahead.
Here’s an example of the layout visualised in a literature review introduction:
Your introduction should also outline your topic (including any tricky terminology or jargon) and provide an explanation of the scope of your literature review – in other words, what you will and won’t be covering (the delimitations ). This helps ringfence your review and achieve a clear focus . The clearer and narrower your focus, the deeper you can dive into the topic (which is typically where the magic lies).
Depending on the nature of your project, you could also present your stance or point of view at this stage. In other words, after grappling with the literature you’ll have an opinion about what the trends and concerns are in the field as well as what’s lacking. The introduction section can then present these ideas so that it is clear to examiners that you’re aware of how your research connects with existing knowledge .
2: The Body Section
The body of your literature review is the centre of your work. This is where you’ll present, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the existing research. In other words, this is where you’re going to earn (or lose) the most marks. Therefore, it’s important to carefully think about how you will organise your discussion to present it in a clear way.
The body of your literature review should do just as the description of this chapter suggests. It should “review” the literature – in other words, identify, analyse, and synthesise it. So, when thinking about structuring your literature review, you need to think about which structural approach will provide the best “review” for your specific type of research and objectives (we’ll get to this shortly).
There are (broadly speaking) three options for organising your literature review.
Option 1: Chronological (according to date)
Organising the literature chronologically is one of the simplest ways to structure your literature review. You start with what was published first and work your way through the literature until you reach the work published most recently. Pretty straightforward.
The benefit of this option is that it makes it easy to discuss the developments and debates in the field as they emerged over time. Organising your literature chronologically also allows you to highlight how specific articles or pieces of work might have changed the course of the field – in other words, which research has had the most impact . Therefore, this approach is very useful when your research is aimed at understanding how the topic has unfolded over time and is often used by scholars in the field of history. That said, this approach can be utilised by anyone that wants to explore change over time .
For example , if a student of politics is investigating how the understanding of democracy has evolved over time, they could use the chronological approach to provide a narrative that demonstrates how this understanding has changed through the ages.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you structure your literature review chronologically.
- What is the earliest literature published relating to this topic?
- How has the field changed over time? Why?
- What are the most recent discoveries/theories?
In some ways, chronology plays a part whichever way you decide to structure your literature review, because you will always, to a certain extent, be analysing how the literature has developed. However, with the chronological approach, the emphasis is very firmly on how the discussion has evolved over time , as opposed to how all the literature links together (which we’ll discuss next ).
Option 2: Thematic (grouped by theme)
The thematic approach to structuring a literature review means organising your literature by theme or category – for example, by independent variables (i.e. factors that have an impact on a specific outcome).
As you’ve been collecting and synthesising literature, you’ll likely have started seeing some themes or patterns emerging. You can then use these themes or patterns as a structure for your body discussion. The thematic approach is the most common approach and is useful for structuring literature reviews in most fields.
For example, if you were researching which factors contributed towards people trusting an organisation, you might find themes such as consumers’ perceptions of an organisation’s competence, benevolence and integrity. Structuring your literature review thematically would mean structuring your literature review’s body section to discuss each of these themes, one section at a time.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when structuring your literature review by themes:
- Are there any patterns that have come to light in the literature?
- What are the central themes and categories used by the researchers?
- Do I have enough evidence of these themes?
Option 3: Methodological
The methodological option is a way of structuring your literature review by the research methodologies used . In other words, organising your discussion based on the angle from which each piece of research was approached – for example, qualitative , quantitative or mixed methodologies.
Structuring your literature review by methodology can be useful if you are drawing research from a variety of disciplines and are critiquing different methodologies. The point of this approach is to question how existing research has been conducted, as opposed to what the conclusions and/or findings the research were.
For example, a sociologist might centre their research around critiquing specific fieldwork practices. Their literature review will then be a summary of the fieldwork methodologies used by different studies.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself when structuring your literature review according to methodology:
- Which methodologies have been utilised in this field?
- Which methodology is the most popular (and why)?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies?
- How can the existing methodologies inform my own methodology?
3: The Conclusion Section
Once you’ve completed the body section of your literature review using one of the structural approaches we discussed above, you’ll need to “wrap up” your literature review and pull all the pieces together to set the direction for the rest of your dissertation or thesis.
The conclusion is where you’ll present the key findings of your literature review. In this section, you should emphasise the research that is especially important to your research questions and highlight the gaps that exist in the literature. Based on this, you need to make it clear what you will add to the literature – in other words, justify your own research by showing how it will help fill one or more of the gaps you just identified.
Last but not least, if it’s your intention to develop a theoretical framework for your dissertation or thesis, the conclusion section is a good place to present this.
Let’s Recap
In this article, we’ve discussed how to structure your literature review for maximum impact. Here’s a quick recap of what you need to keep in mind when deciding on your literature review structure:
- Just like other chapters, your literature review needs a clear introduction , body and conclusion .
- The introduction section should provide an overview of what you will discuss in your literature review.
- The body section of your literature review can be organised by chronology , theme or methodology . The right structural approach depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your research.
- The conclusion section should draw together the key findings of your literature review and link them to your research questions.
If you’re ready to get started, be sure to download our free literature review template to fast-track your chapter outline.
Psst… there’s more (for free)
This post is part of our research writing mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project.
You Might Also Like:
22 Comments
Great work. This is exactly what I was looking for and helps a lot together with your previous post on literature review. One last thing is missing: a link to a great literature chapter of an journal article (maybe with comments of the different sections in this review chapter). Do you know any great literature review chapters?
I agree with you Marin… A great piece
I thank you immensely for this wonderful guide
It is indeed thought and supportive work for the futurist researcher and students
Very educative and good time to get guide. Thank you
Great work, very insightful. Thank you.
Thank you very much, very helpful
This is very educative and precise . Thank you very much for dropping this kind of write up .
Pheeww, so damn helpful, thank you for this informative piece.
I’m doing a research project topic ; stool analysis for parasitic worm (enteric) worm, how do I structure it, thanks.
comprehensive explanation. Help us by pasting the URL of some good “literature review” for better understanding.
great piece. thanks for the awesome explanation. it is really worth sharing. I have a little question, if anyone can help me out, which of the options in the body of literature can be best fit if you are writing an architectural thesis that deals with design?
I am doing a research on nanofluids how can l structure it?
Beautifully clear.nThank you!
Lucid! Thankyou!
Brilliant work, well understood, many thanks
I like how this was so clear with simple language 😊😊 thank you so much 😊 for these information 😊
Insightful. I was struggling to come up with a sensible literature review but this has been really helpful. Thank you!
You have given thought-provoking information about the review of the literature.
Thank you. It has made my own research better and to impart your work to students I teach
I learnt a lot from this teaching. It’s a great piece.
I am doing research on EFL teacher motivation for his/her job. How Can I structure it? Is there any detailed template, additional to this?
Submit a Comment Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
- Print Friendly
Thesis Sentences
Parts of a thesis sentence.
A thesis sentence has to contain two parts:
- Topic – what the essay is about.
- Angle – your idea about the topic. This second part, your idea/insight/claim/argument about a topic, is the important characteristic in creating a thesis sentence for a college essay. The angle makes a promise to your reader about your insight into, claim, or logical argument about the topic. Your angle in your thesis sentence indicates and controls what the rest of the essay will be about.
Note above that I’ve called the angle a number of different things: idea, insight, claim, argument. Even though you may have slightly different angles when you’re writing for different purposes, all of these variations of the angle have one really important thing in common: they all offer your own viewpoint on your topic. Your own viewpoint, backed up by examples and evidence, is the important thing in a college essay.
One mistake that a lot of beginning college writers make is to focus on the topic as opposed to the angle in a thesis sentence. Beginning writers often think it’s enough to describe a management theory or a historical event or a psychological philosophy to show knowledge gained. However, if a writing assignment is to write an essay or “paper,” the likely expectation is that you’ll offer your own argument or angle to show how you’ve evaluated and applied knowledge gained, e.g., Although management theory Y supports the worker’s own initiative much more fully than management theory X, contingency theory is most often applied in the contemporary workplace, because of a number of characteristics of 21st century businesses.
Note that the sample thesis you just read has a third part, what’s often called a “because clause,” or some indication of reasons why you are making the claim you’re making in the angle. You may decide to use a “because clause” in certain cases and not in others; decide if your thesis would be clearer to both you as a writer and to your reading audience with the inclusion of these additional reasons in your thesis.
As you start to develop a working thesis sentence for an essay, take time to review and analyze that working thesis to make sure that all of the parts are feasible:
- Is there an actual thesis sentence with a topic and an angle? Relying only on an essay topic, or relying only on an essay title, is not enough.
- Does the angle offer a debatable insight (again, not just a topic and not just a statement of fact)?
- Is the angle supportable with examples and evidence?
- Is the angle appropriate for the scope of the essay (e.g., angle is not too broad or too narrow)?
- If there are reasons included in a “because clause,” are those reasons clear, direct, and related to the claim in the angle?
The following video is lengthy, but contains some useful information about writing the different parts of a thesis.
- Parts of a Thesis Sentence. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Provided by : Empire State College, SUNY OER Services. Project : College Writing. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
- video Academic Writing Tutorial: Writing Effective Thesis Statements. Authored by : David Wright. Provided by : [email protected] CTL, Furman University, Ultimate YouTube Resource. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIaUowHUNsg&t=19s . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
Welcome to 2023!
We are very excited to see new and familiar faces back on campus.
Research Writing ~ How to Write a Research Paper
- Choosing A Topic
- Critical Thinking
- Domain Names
- Starting Your Research
- Writing Tips
- Parts of the Paper
- Edit & Rewrite
Papers should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Your introductory paragraph should grab the reader's attention, state your main idea and how you will support it. The body of the paper should expand on what you have stated in the introduction. Finally, the conclusion restates the paper's thesis and should explain what you have learned, giving a wrap up of your main ideas.
1. The Title The title should be specific and indicate the theme of the research and what ideas it addresses. Use keywords that help explain your paper's topic to the reader. Try to avoid abbreviations and jargon. Think about keywords that people would use to search for your paper and include them in your title.
2. The Abstract The abstract is used by readers to get a quick overview of your paper. Typically, they are about 200 words in length (120 words minimum to 250 words maximum). The abstract should introduce the topic and thesis, and should provide a general statement about what you have found in your research. The abstract allows you to mention each major aspect of you topic and helps readers decide whether they want to read the rest of the paper. Because it is a summary of the entire research paper, it is often written last.
3. The Introduction The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and explain the focus of the research. You will introduce your overview of the topic, your main points of information, and why this subject is important. You can introduce the current understanding and background information about the topic. Toward the end of the introduction, you add your thesis statement, and explain how you will provide information to support your research questions. This provides the purpose, focus, and structure for the rest of the paper.
4. Thesis Statement Most papers will have a thesis statement or main idea and supporting facts/ideas/arguments. State your main idea (something of interest or something to be proven or argued for or against) as your thesis statement, and then provide supporting facts and arguments. A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that asserts the position a paper will be taking. It also points toward the paper's development. This statement should be both specific and arguable. Generally, the thesis statement will be placed at the end of the first paragraph of your paper. The remainder of your paper will support this thesis.
Students often learn to write a thesis as a first step in the writing process, but often, after research, a writers viewpoint may change. Therefore a thesis statement may be one of the final steps in writing.
Examples of thesis statements from Purdue OWL. . .
5. The Literature Review The purpose of the literature review is to describe past important research and how it specifically relates to the research thesis. It should be a synthesis of the previous literature and the new idea being researched. The review should examine the major theories related to the topic to date and their contributors. It should include all relevant findings from credible sources, such as academic books and peer-reviewed journal articles. You will want to:
- Explain how the literature helps the researcher understand the topic.
- Try to show connections and any disparities between the literature.
- Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
- Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
More about writing a literature review. . . from The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill More about summarizing. . . from the Center for Writing Studies at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
6. The Discussion The purpose of the discussion is to interpret and describe what you have learned from your research. Make the reader understand why your topic is important. The discussion should always demonstrate what you have learned from your readings (and viewings) and how that learning has made the topic evolve, especially from the short description of main points in the introduction. Explain any new understanding or insights you have had after reading your articles and/or books. Paragraphs should use transitioning sentences to develop how one paragraph idea leads to the next. The discussion will always connect to the introduction, your thesis statement, and the literature you reviewed, but it does not simply repeat or rearrange the introduction. You want to:
- Demonstrate critical thinking, not just reporting back facts that you gathered.
- If possible, tell how the topic has evolved over the past and give it's implications for the future.
- Fully explain your main ideas with supporting information.
- Explain why your thesis is correct giving arguments to counter points.
7. The Conclusion A concluding paragraph is a brief summary of your main ideas and restates the paper's main thesis, giving the reader the sense that the stated goal of the paper has been accomplished. What have you learned by doing this research that you didn't know before? What conclusions have you drawn? You may also want to suggest further areas of study, improvement of research possibilities, etc. to demonstrate your critical thinking regarding your research.
- << Previous: Writing Tips
- Next: Edit & Rewrite >>
- Last Updated: Oct 18, 2022 3:18 PM
- URL: https://library.hccc.edu/research_paper
Gabert Library
NHC Library
- Database A-Z
- Research Guides
- Citation Help
- Ask a Librarian
- Library Instruction
- Academic Liaisons
- Library Staff Login
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Placement of the thesis statement Step 1: Start with a question Step 2: Write your initial answer Step 3: Develop your answer Step 4: Refine your thesis statement Types of thesis statements Frequently asked questions about thesis statements What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay.
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement. 1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing: An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.; An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.; An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies ...
The thesis statement is the one sentence that encapsulates the result of your thinking, as it offers your main insight or argument in condensed form. A basic thesis statement has two main parts: Topic: What you're writing about Angle: What your main idea is about that topic Sample Thesis #1 Sample Thesis #2 Sample Thesis #3 << Previous Next >>
The core chapters (the "meat" of the dissertation) Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Literature review Chapter 3: Methodology Chapter 4: Results Chapter 5: Discussion Chapter 6: Conclusion Reference list Appendix As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure.
The following order is required for components of your thesis or dissertation: Title Page Copyright Page Abstract Dedication, Acknowledgements, and Preface (each optional) Table of Contents, with page numbers List of Tables, List of Figures, or List of Illustrations, with titles and page numbers (if applicable) List of Abbreviations (if applicable)
The first part of the thesis structure is the abstract. It is basically an overview of the entire paper. There is no set dissertation abstract structure. It is just a summary of your thesis and it should be just 200 to 300 words long. Thesis Introduction The introduction is one of the most important dissertation chapters.
The content of the thesis consists of the following parts: Preliminary body Text Conclusions Bibliography Glossary (Optional) Parts of a Thesis: Preliminary Body It refers to the pages that precede the text of the work, consisting of: Cover Qualifications Dedication Acknowledgments Table of contents Index of illustrations and tables Summary Cover
PARTS OF A THESIS RESEARCH 1. THE PRELIMINARIES. Title Page The following information needs to be on the title page:. The title (and possibly the sub title) of the research paper; First name and surname of the author/ authors
A thesis format usually consists of four major sections. Section 1 - Preliminary Pages Title page (required) Dedication (optional) Acknowledgment (optional) Abstract (required) Table of contents (required) List of tables (required) List of figures (required) List of abbreviations (optional) Section 2 - Text Introduction (referred to as Chapter 1)
A dissertation has three major divisions: the front matter, the body matter, and the back matter. Each of them contains several parts. These parts and their customary ordering are presented below. Click on the link for more information about each particular part. The front matter
A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay. ... (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a ...
The thesis and its parts Sep. 18, 2012 • 691 likes • 680,630 views Download Now Download to read offline Education Technology Draizelle Sexon Follow Teacher at DepEd-Manggahan High School Advertisement Advertisement Recommended Writing the Background of Your Study Philip Adu, PhD 105.4k views • 7 slides Related Literature and Related Studies
Here's a student's thesis about Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent. In his novel, The Secret Agent, Conrad uses beast and cannibal imagery to describe the characters and their relationships to each other. This pattern of images suggests that Conrad saw corruption in every level of early twentieth-century London society.
A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience. A rhetorical analysis is structured similarly to other essays: an introduction presenting the thesis, a body analyzing ...
The actual text (main part) of a bachelor's or master's thesis contains an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Depending on the nature of the author's work—whether it represents a research-type report, a development project, or a qualitative analysis—the structure of the text of the thesis may be adapted accordingly.A research-type report can represent, e.g. survey, interview ...
The thesis contains the core idea of your paper and controls and organizes all the other parts. Types of Thesis Statements There are two types of thesis statements. One is argumentative, the other explanatory. Argumentative thesis An argumentative thesis is typically made up of one or two sentences. It states the writer's stance and position.
The generic structure of your thesis looks like this: 1. Abstract The abstract is the overview of your thesis and generally very short. It is recommended to write it last, when everything else is done. 2. Introduction The introduction chapter is there to give an overview of your thesis' basics or main points.
Thesis statements can be explanatory, argumentative, or analytical. The type of paper determines the form of the thesis statement. 1. Explanatory thesis statement An explanatory thesis statement is based solely on factual information. It doesn't contain personal opinions or make claims that are unsupported by evidence.
Basic essay structure: the 3 main parts of an essay Almost every single essay that's ever been written follows the same basic structure: Introduction Body paragraphs Conclusion This structure has stood the test of time for one simple reason: It works.
Stages in a thesis introduction. state the general topic and give some background. provide a review of the literature related to the topic. define the terms and scope of the topic. outline the current situation. evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap. identify the importance of the proposed research.
Like any other chapter in your thesis or dissertation, your literature review needs to have a clear, logical structure. At a minimum, it should have three essential components - an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Let's take a closer look at each of these. 1: The Introduction Section
A thesis sentence has to contain two parts: Topic - what the essay is about. Angle - your idea about the topic. This second part, your idea/insight/claim/argument about a topic, is the important characteristic in creating a thesis sentence for a college essay.
A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that asserts the position a paper will be taking. It also points toward the paper's development. This statement should be both specific and arguable. Generally, the thesis statement will be placed at the end of the first paragraph of your paper. The remainder of your paper will support this thesis.