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- What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & ExamplesPublished on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master’s program or a capstone to a bachelor’s degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation , it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely . Thesis templateYou can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started. Download Word template Download Google Docs template Instantly correct all language mistakes in your textUpload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes Table of contentsThesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses. You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things. - A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
- A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
- In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
- In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as: - Your discipline
- Your theoretical approach
Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis. In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section , results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix . Thesis examplesWe’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started. - Example thesis #1: “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
- Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.
The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including: - Your full title
- Your full name
- Your department
- Your institution and degree program
- Your submission date.
Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure. Read more about title pages The acknowledgements section is usually optional. Its main point is to allow you to thank everyone who helped you in your thesis journey, such as supervisors, friends, or family. You can also choose to write a preface , but it’s typically one or the other, not both. Read more about acknowledgements Read more about prefaces Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading servicesDiscover proofreading & editing An abstract is a short summary of your thesis. Usually a maximum of 300 words long, it’s should include brief descriptions of your research objectives , methods, results, and conclusions. Though it may seem short, it introduces your work to your audience, serving as a first impression of your thesis. Read more about abstracts A table of contents lists all of your sections, plus their corresponding page numbers and subheadings if you have them. This helps your reader seamlessly navigate your document. Your table of contents should include all the major parts of your thesis. In particular, don’t forget the the appendices. If you used heading styles, it’s easy to generate an automatic table Microsoft Word. Read more about tables of contents While not mandatory, if you used a lot of tables and/or figures, it’s nice to include a list of them to help guide your reader. It’s also easy to generate one of these in Word: just use the “Insert Caption” feature. Read more about lists of figures and tables If you have used a lot of industry- or field-specific abbreviations in your thesis, you should include them in an alphabetized list of abbreviations . This way, your readers can easily look up any meanings they aren’t familiar with. Read more about lists of abbreviations Relatedly, if you find yourself using a lot of very specialized or field-specific terms that may not be familiar to your reader, consider including a glossary . Alphabetize the terms you want to include with a brief definition. Read more about glossaries An introduction sets up the topic, purpose, and relevance of your thesis, as well as expectations for your reader. This should: - Ground your research topic , sharing any background information your reader may need
- Define the scope of your work
- Introduce any existing research on your topic, situating your work within a broader problem or debate
- State your research question(s)
- Outline (briefly) how the remainder of your work will proceed
In other words, your introduction should clearly and concisely show your reader the “what, why, and how” of your research. Read more about introductions A literature review helps you gain a robust understanding of any extant academic work on your topic, encompassing: - Selecting relevant sources
- Determining the credibility of your sources
- Critically evaluating each of your sources
- Drawing connections between sources, including any themes, patterns, conflicts, or gaps
A literature review is not merely a summary of existing work. Rather, your literature review should ultimately lead to a clear justification for your own research, perhaps via: - Addressing a gap in the literature
- Building on existing knowledge to draw new conclusions
- Exploring a new theoretical or methodological approach
- Introducing a new solution to an unresolved problem
- Definitively advocating for one side of a theoretical debate
Read more about literature reviews Theoretical frameworkYour literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on. Read more about theoretical frameworks Your methodology chapter shows your reader how you conducted your research. It should be written clearly and methodically, easily allowing your reader to critically assess the credibility of your argument. Furthermore, your methods section should convince your reader that your method was the best way to answer your research question. A methodology section should generally include: - Your overall approach ( quantitative vs. qualitative )
- Your research methods (e.g., a longitudinal study )
- Your data collection methods (e.g., interviews or a controlled experiment
- Any tools or materials you used (e.g., computer software)
- The data analysis methods you chose (e.g., statistical analysis , discourse analysis )
- A strong, but not defensive justification of your methods
Read more about methodology sections Your results section should highlight what your methodology discovered. These two sections work in tandem, but shouldn’t repeat each other. While your results section can include hypotheses or themes, don’t include any speculation or new arguments here. Your results section should: - State each (relevant) result with any (relevant) descriptive statistics (e.g., mean , standard deviation ) and inferential statistics (e.g., test statistics , p values )
- Explain how each result relates to the research question
- Determine whether the hypothesis was supported
Additional data (like raw numbers or interview transcripts ) can be included as an appendix . You can include tables and figures, but only if they help the reader better understand your results. Read more about results sections Your discussion section is where you can interpret your results in detail. Did they meet your expectations? How well do they fit within the framework that you built? You can refer back to any relevant source material to situate your results within your field, but leave most of that analysis in your literature review. For any unexpected results, offer explanations or alternative interpretations of your data. Read more about discussion sections Your thesis conclusion should concisely answer your main research question. It should leave your reader with an ultra-clear understanding of your central argument, and emphasize what your research specifically has contributed to your field. Why does your research matter? What recommendations for future research do you have? Lastly, wrap up your work with any concluding remarks. Read more about conclusions In order to avoid plagiarism , don’t forget to include a full reference list at the end of your thesis, citing the sources that you used. Choose one citation style and follow it consistently throughout your thesis, taking note of the formatting requirements of each style. Which style you choose is often set by your department or your field, but common styles include MLA , Chicago , and APA. Create APA citations Create MLA citations In order to stay clear and concise, your thesis should include the most essential information needed to answer your research question. However, chances are you have many contributing documents, like interview transcripts or survey questions . These can be added as appendices , to save space in the main body. Read more about appendices Once you’re done writing, the next part of your editing process begins. Leave plenty of time for proofreading and editing prior to submission. Nothing looks worse than grammar mistakes or sloppy spelling errors! Consider using a professional thesis editing service or grammar checker to make sure your final project is perfect. Once you’ve submitted your final product, it’s common practice to have a thesis defense, an oral component of your finished work. This is scheduled by your advisor or committee, and usually entails a presentation and Q&A session. After your defense , your committee will meet to determine if you deserve any departmental honors or accolades. However, keep in mind that defenses are usually just a formality. If there are any serious issues with your work, these should be resolved with your advisor way before a defense. If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools! Research bias - Survivorship bias
- Self-serving bias
- Availability heuristic
- Halo effect
- Hindsight bias
- Deep learning
- Generative AI
- Machine learning
- Reinforcement learning
- Supervised vs. unsupervised learning
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The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count. If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations . If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader. When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation . A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake. Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as: - Your anticipated title
- Your abstract
- Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)
A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree. Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you: - Plan to attend graduate school soon
- Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
- Are considering a career in research
- Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience
Cite this Scribbr articleIf 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. George, T. (2024, April 16). What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/thesis/ Is this article helpful?Tegan GeorgeOther students also liked, dissertation & thesis outline | example & free templates, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, 10 research question examples to guide your research project, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..". I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes” |
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Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement for Middle School Students. Start Simple: Especially for younger middle school students, starting with a simple and straightforward topic can make the process less intimidating. Use Templates: Offering a template can be beneficial. For instance: " [Topic] is essential because of [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and ...
The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Thesis Statement
Sixth-grade language arts teach students the basics of writing an essay thesis on the level of a report or ... > CLASS ; COLLEGE ; TESTS ; VOCAB ; LIFE ; TECH ; How to Write a 6th Grade Thesis Statement. JOHNNY KILHEFNER CLASS.
Tips for Teaching How to Write a Thesis Statement #3: Give Students A Framework. If your students are struggling with writing strong thesis statements, give them a framework. I know as teachers, it can get really boring to read "W is true because X, Y, Z.". But the structure does work, and it's a great place for struggling writers to start.
Create a thesis statement and include relevant facts, details, reasons, and examples that support the thesis. 0601.3.5 Links verified on 6/1/2014. Compose a Thesis Statement - Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement.
A thesis statement is an assertion about a topic and your reasons to support it, not just a topic or announcement. Announcement: The thesis of this paper is the problem with year round schooling. Reasons: (1) it would create stress for the students, (2) it would cause negative feelings towards school, and (3) there would be limited vacation ...
Thesis Statement | Definition, Types & Purpose - Lesson
Debrief this process with the class and provide feedback. Model Step 8. As a whole class, practice Step 8. Have individual students choose a new, previously studied topic and create a new thesis statement using Steps 1-8. Give specific feedback to individuals and share examples with the whole class. 4.
Forming a Thesis Statement. The whole purpose of writing is to transfer an idea from your head into someone else's. If you can state your idea in a single, clear sentence, your reader can easily grasp it. Use this simple formula to craft an effective thesis statement (for an essay) or topic sentence (for a paragraph).
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Activities to Teach How to Write a Thesis Statement in High School. 1. Differentiate Between Strong and Weak Thesis Statements. Writing a thesis statement might be a new skill for your students. Thesis statements are often taught as a topic sentence or the "whole essay boiled down into one sentence.".
A thesis statement, often simply referred to as a thesis, is the guiding statement in an essay.Typically one sentence long in most essays, the thesis is the most important part of an essay because ...
In this video you learn what's a thesis statement. Stay tuned for more!⭐️Subscribe, comment, like, share, hit that bell, and ENJOY⭐️⭐️App: Notability⭐️⭐️Pric...
What is a thesis statement? o. It is the main idea of an essay. It is the controlling idea for an informational. essay or the claim (point you want to. argue) in an argumentative essay. A thesis statement is usually one sentence. in the introductory paragraph of an essay.
How to Write a Thesis Statement Worksheet Activity
Essays in 6th Grade: A Basic Format that Elevates the ...
Common Core Standards. Teaching thesis statements satisfies the following common core standards and establishes the basis for teaching all the common core standards in writing for all grade levels. W.9-10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
me. citizens when th. Statement (Lesson 21 - Practice Worksheet B) irections: Read each outline for a composition. Then write an appropriate thesis state. ent on the lines for the composition described.1. a composition that discusses th. responsibilities involved in carin. for a pet.Topic: What pet ownership inv.
Writing a Thesis Statement - Free Lesson Plan
She's doing research for her Ph.D. thesis in political science. synonyms: dissertation, treatise similar words: article, composition, discourse, essay, exposition, monograph, paper: definition 3: the opening of a dialectical argument or process, followed by antithesis and resolved in synthesis.
Explanatory (Expository) Thesis Statement. - explains or acquaints your reader with something (your topic). Tells your reader what it is you will explain and what aspects or parts of the topic will be considered. EX: " Chinese labor played an important role in western railroad expansion.". Analytical Thesis Statement.
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples