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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
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How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 14, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
- Start with a question
- Write your initial answer
- Develop your answer
- Refine your thesis statement
Table of contents
What is a thesis statement, 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.
A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.
The best thesis statements are:
- Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
- Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
- Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.
The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.
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You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?
For example, you might ask:
After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .
Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.
In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.
The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.
In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.
The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.
A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:
- Why you hold this position
- What they’ll learn from your essay
- The key points of your argument or narrative
The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.
These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.
Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:
- In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
- In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :
- Ask a question about your topic .
- Write your initial answer.
- Develop your answer by including reasons.
- Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.
The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .
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The Three-Part Thesis
- A set-up that draws attention to your analytical focus, or the context for your analysis.
- An intervention, in which you draw attention to the way or ways in which the text warrants closer inspection (in the intervention you may want to provide some or all of the evidence topics you will use in the rest of your paper).
- An argument, in which you state clearly why the evidence you will focus on reflects a significant claim you wish to make about the text (and, if you have not already done so, the argumentative statement should make note of the evidence topics you will use in the rest of your paper).
Building a Better Thesis Statement by Neta Gordon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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- Essay Structure
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- How To Write A Perfect 3-Point Thesis Statement With Samples And Tips
How to Write a Perfect 3-Point Thesis Statement With Samples and Tips
A 3-point thesis statement is a coherent statement that integrates the three essential components of a standard thesis statement, which include a topic, an assertion, and reasons justifying the claim. Basically, the topic should narrowly define the subject. In this case, defending the claim requires writers to highlight a number of reasons. It is possible through the application of conjunctions. While formulating a working 3-point thesis statement, it is crucial to ensure that this sentence is question-focused, debatable, precise, and concise. Using non-technical language, concrete, and transpicuous words can help to improve its clarity. To make it stand out, a perfect 3-point thesis statement should be an original, specific, justifiable, and socially relevant idea derived from facts.
Description of a 3-Point Thesis Statement
A thesis statement, usually placed in the introduction paragraph, is a single statement (or two) that acts as the core of an essay. Besides, this sentence acts as a guide to readers on what essays entail, including the arrangement of ideas adopted. In this case, a strong thesis statement should precisely define the essay topic by considering a definition of the main claim, have an applicable case, and cover motivations to back up the case. Therefore, in order to answer what is a 3-point thesis statement, this sentence consolidates the three key segments, which include a subject, an assertion, and pertinent reasons to support the main claim.

Formulating a 3-Point Thesis Statement
Topic selection.
Generally, the question prompt in schools, colleges, and universities states the essay topic, and, at times, the writer is required to present a single sentence. Also, it is prudent to brainstorm on a few topics before selecting a particular theme. Basically, each argument made in an academic paper requires feasible proof. Rather than writing “democracy,” it would be wise to write “the American democracy.” Thus, the topic selected ought to be a narrow description of the essay subject.
Making an Assertion
The process of developing a strong claim begins by identifying the relationship between your idea and available information. For instance, integrating ideas, the subject, and known facts will help in formulating a viable argument. Rather than developing a personal claim, writers should make an argument that is socially relevant and easily contestable. In this case, each piece of evidence stated will aid in developing a topic sentence in the body of an academic essay. Moreover, the reasons highlighted in the paper and the order of ideas adopted in segments determine the number and arrangement of the body paragraphs.
Support Inclusion
The last part of a 3-point thesis statement involves providing reasons to back up your opinion. In particular, the application of conjunctions, such as “because,” “as,” “due,” “although,” and “since,” helps in integrating a claim and justification. Then, highlighting shreds of evidence can be helpful, especially in determining the extent to which writers will expound their claims. In this case, this attitude determines the length of a final paper. However, the process of developing a 3-point thesis statement ought to remain adaptable until authors complete writing papers. Basically, writers may discover vital information, such as new evidence that needs relevant to the essay topic. Hence, after completing the paper, it is necessary to go through the essay and identify the information that needs to be included or eliminated from a 3-point thesis statement.
A Working 3-Point Thesis Statement
Usually, the question prompt guides writers during the formulation of a 3-point thesis statement by presenting the topic. For instance, a relevant 3-point thesis statement must be present at the beginning of the paper, usually in the first paragraph. In this case, formulating a debatable and question-focused argument, followed by supporting statements or phrases, is the first step towards having 3-point thesis statement examples. However, this sentence should be precise and concise. In turn, specificity can be achieved by revising an argument several times. Also, students can select the most specific idea from a few formulated arguments to answer the same question. Hence, before presenting the essay, writers should answer the following questions:
- Does the thesis statement at the beginning of my essay have the three key elements?
- Is it question-focused?
- Is it precise and concise?
How Clear Is a 3-Point Thesis Statement?
A vague thesis statement is incomprehensible to readers rendering the essay unclear. Being part of a final paper, writers must follow all the instructions regarding academic writing . In this case, writing a strong 3-point thesis statement requires writers to adopt a non-technical language and eliminate vague and abstract words. The only secret to ensuring clarity of a 3-point statement is by revising it as many times as possible. Accordingly, writers should not assume that readers understand technical language unless the question prompt instructs otherwise.
Making a Thesis Statement Outstanding
A well-formulated 3-point thesis statement shows the writer’s ability to comprehend and analyze the topic successfully. Rather than simply stating a general fact and providing common reasons, writers ought to show their position by coming up with an informed argument justifiable upon reviewing the available information. In this case, the clarity of a statement is one way of making it non-biased if you want to know how do you write a 3-point thesis statement. By taking a specific approach, writers eliminate the need to announce the subject, which needs to weaken it. Secondly, writers should make a reasonable premise that neither under simplify nor overcomplicate the argument. Furthermore, it is advisable to make ideas rather than adopt formula statements or general ideas. Therefore, a good 3-point thesis statement is an original, specific, justifiable, and socially relevant idea derived from facts.
A Perfect Example of a Three-Point Thesis Statement
Sample Thesis: People cannot achieve the American Dream due to the continual racial discrimination, corrupt justice system, and ineffective education policies across many states.
Step 1 – Topic: “The American Dream.”
Comment: It is a socially relevant topic.
Step 2 – Assertion : “People cannot achieve.”
Comment: The writer’s position is that the American Dream is unrealizable, a claim that will act as the essay basis.
Step 3 – Support With Three Points :
- Continual racial discrimination.
- Corrupt justice system.
- Ineffective education policies across many states.
Comment: There are three reasons justifying the writer’s claim.
This is a perfect example of a thesis statement incorporating the three key elements. Basically, every American citizen yearns for an ideal America where equality of opportunity is available for all people. Hence, the “American dream” is a feasible topic. While some individuals may oppose this statement by highlighting the reasons why it is possible to have a perfect America, this essay will focus on the impossibility by having three body paragraphs based on the three reasons.

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Organizing and Formatting Your Thesis and Dissertation

Learn about overall organization of your thesis or dissertation. Then, find details for formatting your preliminaries, text, and supplementaries.
Overall Oraganization
A typical thesis consists of three main parts – preliminaries, text, and supplementaries. Each part is to be organized as explained below and in the order indicated below:
1. Preliminaries:
- Title page (required)
- Copyright page (required)
- Abstract (required) only one abstract allowed
- Acknowledgments (optional) located in the Preliminary Section only
- Preface (optional)
- Autobiography (optional)
- Dedication (optional)
- Table of Contents (required)
- List of Tables (optional)
- List of Figures (optional)
- List of Plates (optional)
- List of Symbols (optional)
- List of Keywords (optional)
- Other Preliminaries (optional) such as Definition of Terms
3. Supplementaries:
- References or bibliography (optional)
- Appendices (optional)
- Glossary (optional)
- List of Abbreviations (optional)

Preliminaries
These are the general requirements for all preliminary pages.
- Preliminary pages are numbered with lower case Roman numerals.
- Page numbers are ½” from the bottom of the page and centered.
- The copyright page is included in the manuscript immediately after the title page and is not assigned a page number nor counted.
- The abstract page is numbered with the Roman numeral “ii”.
- The remaining preliminary pages are arranged as listed under “Organizing and Formatting the Thesis/Dissertation” and numbered consecutively.
- Headings for all preliminary pages must be centered in all capital letters 1” from the top of the page.
- Do not bold the headings of the preliminary pages.

A sample Thesis title page pdf is available here , and a sample of a Dissertation title page pdf is available here.
Refer to the sample page as you read through the format requirements for the title page.
- Do not use bold.
- Center all text except the advisor and committee information.
The heading “ Thesis ” or “ Dissertation ” is in all capital letters, centered one inch from the top of the page.
- Your title must be in all capital letters, double spaced and centered.
- Your title on the title page must match the title on your GS30 – Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form
Submitted by block
Divide this section exactly as shown on the sample page. One blank line must separate each line of text.
- Submitted by
- School of Advanced Materials Discovery
- School of Biomedical Engineering
- Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Molecular Biology
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology
If your department name begins with “School of”, list as:
- School of Education
- School of Music, Theatre and Dance
- School of Social Work
If you have questions about the correct name of your department or degree, consult your department. Areas of Study or specializations within a program are not listed on the Title Page.
Degree and Graduating Term block
- In partial fulfillment of the requirements
- For the Degree of
- Colorado State University
- Fort Collins, Colorado (do not abbreviate Colorado)
Committee block
- Master’s students will use the heading Master’s Committee:
- Doctoral students will use the heading Doctoral Committee:
- The Master’s Committee and Doctoral Committee headings begin at the left margin.
- One blank line separates the committee heading and the advisor section.
- One blank line separates the advisor and committee section.
- Advisor and committee member names are indented approximately half an inch from the left margin.
- Titles before or after the names of your advisor and your members are not permitted (Examples – Dr., Professor, Ph.D.).
Copyright Page
- A sample copyright page pdf is available here.
- A copyright page is required.
- A copyright page is included in the manuscript immediately after the title page.
- This page is not assigned a number nor counted.
- Center text vertically and horizontally.
- A sample abstract page pdf is available here – refer to the sample page as you read through the format requirements for the abstract.
- Only one abstract is permitted.
- The heading “ Abstract ” is in all capital letters, centered one inch from the top of the page.
- Three blank lines (single-spaced) must be between the “ Abstract ” heading and your title.
- Your title must be in all capital letters and centered.
- The title must match the title on your Title Page and the GS30 – Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form
- Three blank lines (single-spaced) must be between the title and your text.
- The text of your abstract must be double-spaced.
- The first page of the abstract is numbered with a small Roman numeral ii.
Table of Contents
- A sample Table of Contents page pdf is available.
- The heading “ Table of Contents ” is in all capital letters centered one inch from the top of the page.
- Three blank lines (single-spaced) follow the heading.
- List all parts of the document (except the title page) and the page numbers on which each part begins.
- The titles of all parts are worded exactly as they appear in the document.
- Titles and headings and the page numbers on which they begin are separated by a row of dot leaders.
- Major headings are aligned flush with the left margin.
- Page numbers are aligned flush with the right margin.
The text of a thesis features an introduction and several chapters, sections and subsections. Text may also include parenthetical references, footnotes, or references to the bibliography or endnotes.

- The entire document is 8.5” x 11” (letter) size.
- Pages may be in landscape position for figures and tables that do not fit in “portrait” position.
- Choose one type style (font) and font size and use it throughout the text of your thesis. Examples: Times New Roman and Arial.
- Font sizes should be between 10 point and 12 point.
- Font color must be black.
- Hyperlinked text must be in blue. If you hyperlink more than one line of text, such as the entire table of contents, leave the text black.
- Margins are one inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
- Always continue the text to the bottom margin except at the end of a chapter.

- Please see preliminary page requirements .
- Body and references are numbered with Arabic numerals beginning with the first page of text (numbered 1).
- Page numbers must be centered ½” from the bottom of the page.

Major Headings
- A sample page pdf for major headings and subheadings is available here.
- Use consistent style for major headings.
- Three blank lines (single-spaced) need to be between the major heading and your text.
- Each chapter is started on a new page.
- The References or Bibliography heading is a major heading and the formatting needs to match chapter headings.
Subheadings
- A sample page pdf for major headings and subheadings is available here .
- Style for subheadings is optional but the style should be consistent throughout.
- Subheadings within a chapter (or section) do not begin on a new page unless the preceding page is filled. Continue the text to the bottom of the page unless at the end of a chapter.
- Subheadings at the bottom of a page require two lines of text following the heading and at least two lines of text on the next page.
Running Head
Do not insert a running head.
When dividing paragraphs, at least two lines of text should appear at the bottom of the page and at least two lines of text on the next page.
Hyphenation
The last word on a page may not be divided. No more than three lines in succession may end with hyphens. Divide words as indicated in a standard dictionary.
- The text of the thesis is double-spaced.
- Bibliography or list of reference entries and data within large tables may be single-spaced. Footnotes should be single spaced.
- Footnotes and bibliography or list of reference entries are separated by double-spacing.
- Quoted material of more than three lines is indented and single-spaced. Quoted material that is three lines or fewer may be single-spaced for emphasis.
Poems should be double-spaced with triple-spacing between stanzas. Stanzas may be centered if lines are short.
- Consult a style manual approved by your department for samples of footnotes.
- Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis.
- Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page on which the reference is made.
- Footnotes are single-spaced.
- Consult a style manual approved by your department for samples of endnotes.
- Endnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis.
- Endnotes may be placed at the end of each chapter or following the last page of text.
- The form for an endnote is the same as a footnote. Type the heading “endnote”.
Tables and Figures
- Tables and figures should follow immediately after first mentioned in the text or on the next page.
- If they are placed on the next page, continue the text to the bottom of the preceding page.
- Do not wrap text around tables or figures. Text can go above and/or below.
- If more clarity is provided by placing tables and figures at the end of chapters or at the end of the text, this format is also acceptable.
- Tables and Figures are placed before references.
- Any diagram, drawing, graph, chart, map, photograph, or other type of illustration is presented in the thesis as a figure.
- All tables and figures must conform to margin requirements.
- Images can be resized to fit within margins
- Table captions go above tables.
- Figure captions go below figures.
- Captions must be single spaced.
Landscape Tables and Figures
- Large tables or figures can be placed on the page landscape or broadside orientation.
- Landscape tables and figures should face the right margin (unbound side).
- The top margin must be the same as on a regular page.
- Page numbers for landscape or broadside tables or figures are placed on the 11” side.
Supplementaries
These are the general requirements for all supplementary pages.
- Supplementary pages are arranged as listed under “Organizing and Formatting the Thesis/Dissertation” and numbered consecutively.
- Headings for all supplementary pages are major headings and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.

References or Bibliography
- The References or Bibliography heading is always a major heading and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.
- References or Bibliography are ordered after each chapter, or at the end of the text.
- References or Bibliography must start on a new page from the chapter text.
- References are aligned flush with the left margin.
- The style for references should follow the format appropriate for the field of study.
- The style used must be consistent throughout the thesis.
- Appendices are optional and used for supplementary material.
- The Appendices heading is a major heading and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.
- As an option the appendix may be introduced with a cover page bearing only the title centered vertically and horizontally on the page. The content of the appendix then begins on the second page with the standard one inch top margin.
- Quality and format should be consistent with requirements for other parts of the thesis including margins.
- Page numbers used in the appendix must continue from the main text.
A Foreign Language Thesis
Occasionally, theses are written in languages other than English. In such cases, an English translation of the title and abstract must be included in the document.
- Submit one title page in the non-English language (no page number printed).
- Submit one title page in English (no page number printed).
- Submit one abstract in the non-English language (page number is ii).
- Submit one abstract in English (page number is numbered consecutively from previous page – example: if the last page of the abstract in the foreign language is page ii the first page of the abstract in English is numbered page iii).
Multipart Thesis
In some departments, a student may do research on two or more generally related areas which would be difficult to combine into a single well-organized thesis. The solution is the multi-part thesis.
- Each part is considered a separate unit, with its own chapters, bibliography or list of references, and appendix (optional); or it may have a combined bibliography or list of references and appendix.
- A single abstract is required.
- The pages of a multi-part thesis are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis, not through each part (therefore, the first page of Part II is not page 1).
- The chapter numbering begins with Chapter 1 for each part, or the chapters may be numbered consecutively.
- Pagination is consecutive throughout all parts, including numbered separation sheets between parts.
- Each part may be preceded by a separation sheet listing the appropriate number and title.

How to Write a Three Point Thesis Statement

What Is a Thesis Statement?
How to develop three points for a thesis statement, what are characteristics of a strong thesis statement.
Some aspects of writing are more challenging than others. Most high school and college students tasked with writing a thesis statement understand that it generally falls into the more challenging camp. Whether you are a skilled writer who approaches writing assignments with enthusiasm or a struggling writer who dreads them, knowing how to craft a quality thesis statement is the key to writing an effective essay or research paper.
A thesis statement is the core of an essay. It is usually one sentence, which is often placed at the end of the introduction, and lets the reader know what the essay will be about. A proper thesis will present your argument in an intriguing and confident manner.
If done properly, your thesis statement should read much like an outline in sentence form. To do this, it might preview multiple aspects of the argument that will be in your body paragraphs. Essays that are missing a thesis statement or have one that is inadequate will be harder for the writer to write and more challenging for the reader to follow and understand.
A standard thesis statement has three main components: a narrowly defined topic, a claim and reasons that support the claim. If you want a strong thesis statement, you need to make sure that all three of these points are included in it.
First, identify your topic and narrow it down as much as possible. Clothing, for example, is too broad of a topic for a thesis statement. You could narrow it down to uniforms, but that is still too vague to truly know what type of uniforms the essay will explore. School uniforms is an example of a narrowly defined topic for a thesis statement.
Next, make a specific claim about the topic. Your claim is basically an assertion or opinion about the topic, but it needs to be debatable rather than obvious and socially relevant rather than personal. I like school uniforms because they make me feel proud of my school, for example, is not debatable and is only relevant to you. School uniforms should be required is a better claim because it is debatable and socially relevant.
Finally, include reasons that will support the claim you made, which are basically the “because” part of your thesis statement. Most essays require at least three reasons to properly support a claim. The reasons should be specifically mentioned without going into further detail at the moment. The details and examples belong in your body paragraphs, not your thesis statement.
To figure out which reasons to include, identify the three main points you would like to make about your claim. These three main points essentially outline how the rest of your essay will be organized. The first reason will be the sole focus of your first body paragraph where you will use evidence and examples to support that reason. The second reason will be the sole focus of your second body paragraph, and the third reason will be the focus of your third body paragraph.
So, an example three-point thesis statement (if you were making an argument about school uniforms) would be: School uniforms should be required because they make school safer, promote school spirit and save parents money.
A strong thesis statement is one that includes all three essential components of a narrowly defined topic, debatable and socially relevant claim and reasons to support the claim. To develop a strong thesis statement, consider what you want your readers to know and why it is important.
“Zoos are bad” is an example of an incomplete and inadequate thesis statement because the claim is not very debatable and does not include any supporting reasons. It is not developed and presents no arguments.
A stronger thesis statement would be more like: “Zoos should be banned because they are unethical, they change natural animal behavior, and they pose unnecessary risks to the animals in their care.” This thesis statement includes all of the necessary components and tells the reader exactly what points will be explored and supported in the essay.
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Kristina Barroso earned a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University and works full-time as a classroom teacher in a public school. She teaches middle school English to a wide range of students from struggling readers to advanced and gifted populations. In her spare time, she loves writing articles about education for TheClassroom.com, WorkingMother and other education sites.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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.
The Three-Part Thesis. A sophisticated thesis statement need not be one sentence that seeks to sum up an entire argument. Rather, you should try to include three separate parts to your “statement” in order to highlight with precision the focus of your analysis and to provide a logical road-map to the rest of your essay.
Formulating a 3-Point Thesis Statement Topic Selection. Generally, the question prompt in schools, colleges, and universities states the essay topic, and, at... Making an Assertion. The process of developing a strong claim begins by identifying the relationship between your idea... Support ...
A typical thesis consists of three main parts – preliminaries, text, and supplementaries. Each part is to be organized as explained below and in the order indicated below: 1. Preliminaries: Title page (required) Copyright page (required) Abstract (required) only one abstract allowed.
A standard thesis statement has three main components: a narrowly defined topic, a claim and reasons that support the claim. If you want a strong thesis statement, you need to make sure that all three of these points are included in it. Step 1 First, identify your topic and narrow it down as much as possible.
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.
What are the parts of a thesis ? Parts of a Thesis:. Preliminary Body. It is the first page of the writing, in this place the topic of research is identified; it contains... Text:. The text corresponds to the introduction of the thesis and the body of the work. The introduction is the clear,... ...