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  • What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.

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 template

You 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

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Table of contents

Thesis 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 examples

We’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

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 framework

Your 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

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  • Self-serving bias
  • Availability heuristic
  • Halo effect
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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

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How to write a masters dissertation or thesis: top tips.

How to write a masters dissertation

It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at undergraduate level. Though, don’t feel put off by the idea. You’ll have plenty of time to complete it, and plenty of support from your supervisor and peers.

One of the main challenges that students face is putting their ideas and findings into words. Writing is a skill in itself, but with the right advice, you’ll find it much easier to get into the flow of writing your masters thesis or dissertation.

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to write a dissertation or thesis for your masters degree, with top tips to consider at each stage in the process.

1. Understand your dissertation (or thesis) topic

There are slight differences between theses and dissertations , although both require a high standard of writing skill and knowledge in your topic. They are also formatted very similarly.

At first, writing a masters thesis can feel like running a 100m race – the course feels very quick and like there is not as much time for thinking! However, you’ll usually have a summer semester dedicated to completing your dissertation – giving plenty of time and space to write a strong academic piece.

By comparison, writing a PhD thesis can feel like running a marathon, working on the same topic for 3-4 years can be laborious. But in many ways, the approach to both of these tasks is quite similar.

Before writing your masters dissertation, get to know your research topic inside out. Not only will understanding your topic help you conduct better research, it will also help you write better dissertation content.

Also consider the main purpose of your dissertation. You are writing to put forward a theory or unique research angle – so make your purpose clear in your writing.

Top writing tip: when researching your topic, look out for specific terms and writing patterns used by other academics. It is likely that there will be a lot of jargon and important themes across research papers in your chosen dissertation topic. 

2. Structure your dissertation or thesis

Writing a thesis is a unique experience and there is no general consensus on what the best way to structure it is. 

As a postgraduate student , you’ll probably decide what kind of structure suits your research project best after consultation with your supervisor. You’ll also have a chance to look at previous masters students’ theses in your university library.

To some extent, all postgraduate dissertations are unique. Though they almost always consist of chapters. The number of chapters you cover will vary depending on the research. 

A masters dissertation or thesis organised into chapters would typically look like this: 

Write down your structure and use these as headings that you’ll write for later on.

Top writing tip : ease each chapter together with a paragraph that links the end of a chapter to the start of a new chapter. For example, you could say something along the lines of “in the next section, these findings are evaluated in more detail”. This makes it easier for the reader to understand each chapter and helps your writing flow better.

3. Write up your literature review

One of the best places to start when writing your masters dissertation is with the literature review. This involves researching and evaluating existing academic literature in order to identify any gaps for your own research.

Many students prefer to write the literature review chapter first, as this is where several of the underpinning theories and concepts exist. This section helps set the stage for the rest of your dissertation, and will help inform the writing of your other dissertation chapters.

What to include in your literature review

The literature review chapter is more than just a summary of existing research, it is an evaluation of how this research has informed your own unique research.

Demonstrate how the different pieces of research fit together. Are there overlapping theories? Are there disagreements between researchers?

Highlight the gap in the research. This is key, as a dissertation is mostly about developing your own unique research. Is there an unexplored avenue of research? Has existing research failed to disprove a particular theory?

Back up your methodology. Demonstrate why your methodology is appropriate by discussing where it has been used successfully in other research.

4. Write up your research

Your research is the heart and soul of your dissertation. Conducting your actual research is a whole other topic in itself, but it’s important to consider that your research design will heavily influence the way you write your final dissertation.

For instance, a more theoretical-based research topic might encompass more writing from a philosophical perspective. Qualitative data might require a lot more evaluation and discussion than quantitative research. 

Methodology chapter

The methodology chapter is all about how you carried out your research and which specific techniques you used to gather data. You should write about broader methodological approaches (e.g. qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods), and then go into more detail about your chosen data collection strategy. 

Data collection strategies include things like interviews, questionnaires, surveys, content analyses, discourse analyses and many more.

Data analysis and findings chapters

The data analysis or findings chapter should cover what you actually discovered during your research project. It should be detailed, specific and objective (don’t worry, you’ll have time for evaluation later on in your dissertation)

Write up your findings in a way that is easy to understand. For example, if you have a lot of numerical data, this could be easier to digest in tables.

This will make it easier for you to dive into some deeper analysis in later chapters. Remember, the reader will refer back to your data analysis section to cross-reference your later evaluations against your actual findings – so presenting your data in a simple manner is beneficial.

Think about how you can segment your data into categories. For instance, it can be useful to segment interview transcripts by interviewee. 

Top writing tip : write up notes on how you might phrase a certain part of the research. This will help bring the best out of your writing. There is nothing worse than when you think of the perfect way to phrase something and then you completely forget it.

5. Discuss and evaluate

Once you’ve presented your findings, it’s time to evaluate and discuss them.

It might feel difficult to differentiate between your findings and discussion sections, because you are essentially talking about the same data. The easiest way to remember the difference is that your findings simply present the data, whereas your discussion tells the story of this data.

Your evaluation breaks the story down, explaining the key findings, what went well and what didn’t go so well.

In your discussion chapter, you’ll have chance to expand on the results from your findings section. For example, explain what certain numbers mean and draw relationships between different pieces of data.

Top writing tip: don’t be afraid to point out the shortcomings of your research. You will receive higher marks for writing objectively. For example, if you didn’t receive as many interview responses as expected, evaluate how this has impacted your research and findings. Don’t let your ego get in the way!

6. Write your introduction

Your introduction sets the scene for the rest of your masters dissertation. You might be wondering why writing an introduction isn't at the start of our step-by-step list, and that’s because many students write this chapter last.

Here’s what your introduction chapter should cover:

Problem statement

Research question

Significance of your research

This tells the reader what you’ll be researching as well as its importance. You’ll have a good idea of what to include here from your original dissertation proposal , though it’s fairly common for research to change once it gets started.

Writing or at least revisiting this section last can be really helpful, since you’ll have a more well-rounded view of what your research actually covers once it has been completed and written up.

How to write a masters dissertation

Masters dissertation writing tips

When to start writing your thesis or dissertation.

When you should start writing your masters thesis or dissertation depends on the scope of the research project and the duration of your course. In some cases, your research project may be relatively short and you may not be able to write much of your thesis before completing the project. 

But regardless of the nature of your research project and of the scope of your course, you should start writing your thesis or at least some of its sections as early as possible, and there are a number of good reasons for this:

Academic writing is about practice, not talent. The first steps of writing your dissertation will help you get into the swing of your project. Write early to help you prepare in good time.

Write things as you do them. This is a good way to keep your dissertation full of fresh ideas and ensure that you don’t forget valuable information.

The first draft is never perfect. Give yourself time to edit and improve your dissertation. It’s likely that you’ll need to make at least one or two more drafts before your final submission.

Writing early on will help you stay motivated when writing all subsequent drafts.

Thinking and writing are very connected. As you write, new ideas and concepts will come to mind. So writing early on is a great way to generate new ideas.

How to improve your writing skills

The best way of improving your dissertation or thesis writing skills is to:

 Finish the first draft of your masters thesis as early as possible and send it to your supervisor for revision. Your supervisor will correct your draft and point out any writing errors. This process will be repeated a few times which will help you recognise and correct writing mistakes yourself as time progresses.

If you are not a native English speaker, it may be useful to ask your English friends to read a part of your thesis and warn you about any recurring writing mistakes. Read our section on English language support for more advice. 

Most universities have writing centres that offer writing courses and other kinds of support for postgraduate students. Attending these courses may help you improve your writing and meet other postgraduate students with whom you will be able to discuss what constitutes a well-written thesis.

Read academic articles and search for writing resources on the internet. This will help you adopt an academic writing style, which will eventually become effortless with practice.

Keep track of your bibliography 

When studying for your masters dissertation, you will need to develop an efficient way of organising your bibliography – this will prevent you from getting lost in large piles of data that you’ll need to write your dissertation. 

The easiest way to keep the track of all the articles you have read for your research is to create a database where you can summarise each article/chapter into a few most important bullet points to help you remember their content. 

Another useful tool for doing this effectively is to learn how to use specific reference management software (RMS) such as EndNote. RMS is relatively simple to use and saves a lot of time when it comes to organising your bibliography. This may come in very handy, especially if your reference section is suspiciously missing two hours before you need to submit your dissertation! 

Avoid accidental plagiarism

Plagiarism may cost you your postgraduate degree and it is important that you consciously avoid it when writing your thesis or dissertation. 

Occasionally, postgraduate students commit plagiarism unintentionally. This can happen when sections are copy and pasted from journal articles they are citing instead of simply rephrasing them. Whenever you are presenting information from another academic source, make sure you reference the source and avoid writing the statement exactly as it is written in the original paper.

What kind of format should your thesis have?

How to write a masters dissertation

Read your university’s guidelines before you actually start writing your thesis so you don’t have to waste time changing the format further down the line. However in general, most universities will require you to use 1.5-2 line spacing, font size 12 for text, and to print your thesis on A4 paper. These formatting guidelines may not necessarily result in the most aesthetically appealing thesis, however beauty is not always practical, and a nice looking thesis can be a more tiring reading experience for your postgrad examiner .

When should I submit my thesis?

The length of time it takes to complete your MSc or MA thesis will vary from student to student. This is because people work at different speeds, projects vary in difficulty, and some projects encounter more problems than others. 

Obviously, you should submit your MSc thesis or MA thesis when it is finished! Every university will say in its regulations that it is the student who must decide when it is ready to submit. 

However, your supervisor will advise you whether your work is ready and you should take their advice on this. If your supervisor says that your work is not ready, then it is probably unwise to submit it. Usually your supervisor will read your final thesis or dissertation draft and will let you know what’s required before submitting your final draft.

Set yourself a target for completion. This will help you stay on track and avoid falling behind. You may also only have funding for the year, so it is important to ensure you submit your dissertation before the deadline – and also ensure you don’t miss out on your graduation ceremony ! 

To set your target date, work backwards from the final completion and submission date, and aim to have your final draft completed at least three months before that final date.

Don’t leave your submission until the last minute – submit your work in good time before the final deadline. Consider what else you’ll have going on around that time. Are you moving back home? Do you have a holiday? Do you have other plans?

If you need to have finished by the end of June to be able to go to a graduation ceremony in July, then you should leave a suitable amount of time for this. You can build this into your dissertation project planning at the start of your research.

It is important to remember that handing in your thesis or dissertation is not the end of your masters program . There will be a period of time of one to three months between the time you submit and your final day. Some courses may even require a viva to discuss your research project, though this is more common at PhD level . 

If you have passed, you will need to make arrangements for the thesis to be properly bound and resubmitted, which will take a week or two. You may also have minor corrections to make to the work, which could take up to a month or so. This means that you need to allow a period of at least three months between submitting your thesis and the time when your program will be completely finished. Of course, it is also possible you may be asked after the viva to do more work on your thesis and resubmit it before the examiners will agree to award the degree – so there may be an even longer time period before you have finished.

How do I submit the MA or MSc dissertation?

Most universities will have a clear procedure for submitting a masters dissertation. Some universities require your ‘intention to submit’. This notifies them that you are ready to submit and allows the university to appoint an external examiner.

This normally has to be completed at least three months before the date on which you think you will be ready to submit.

When your MA or MSc dissertation is ready, you will have to print several copies and have them bound. The number of copies varies between universities, but the university usually requires three – one for each of the examiners and one for your supervisor.

However, you will need one more copy – for yourself! These copies must be softbound, not hardbound. The theses you see on the library shelves will be bound in an impressive hardback cover, but you can only get your work bound like this once you have passed. 

You should submit your dissertation or thesis for examination in soft paper or card covers, and your university will give you detailed guidance on how it should be bound. They will also recommend places where you can get the work done.

The next stage is to hand in your work, in the way and to the place that is indicated in your university’s regulations. All you can do then is sit and wait for the examination – but submitting your thesis is often a time of great relief and celebration!

Some universities only require a digital submission, where you upload your dissertation as a file through their online submission system.

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researching and writing your thesis a guide for postgraduate students

The Quintessence of Basic and Clinical Research and Scientific Publishing pp 769–781 Cite as

Writing a Postgraduate or Doctoral Thesis: A Step-by-Step Approach

  • Usha Y. Nayak 4 ,
  • Praveen Hoogar 5 ,
  • Srinivas Mutalik 4 &
  • N. Udupa 6  
  • First Online: 01 October 2023

499 Accesses

1 Citations

A key characteristic looked after by postgraduate or doctoral students is how they communicate and defend their knowledge. Many candidates believe that there is insufficient instruction on constructing strong arguments. The thesis writing procedure must be meticulously followed to achieve outstanding results. It should be well organized, simple to read, and provide detailed explanations of the core research concepts. Each section in a thesis should be carefully written to make sure that it transitions logically from one to the next in a smooth way and is free of any unclear, cluttered, or redundant elements that make it difficult for the reader to understand what is being tried to convey. In this regard, students must acquire the information and skills to successfully create a strong and effective thesis. A step-by-step description of the thesis/dissertation writing process is provided in this chapter.

  • Dissertation
  • Postgraduate
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Nayak, U.Y., Hoogar, P., Mutalik, S., Udupa, N. (2023). Writing a Postgraduate or Doctoral Thesis: A Step-by-Step Approach. In: Jagadeesh, G., Balakumar, P., Senatore, F. (eds) The Quintessence of Basic and Clinical Research and Scientific Publishing. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1284-1_48

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Naval Postgraduate School

Graduate Writing Center

Thesis writing overview - graduate writing center, thesis writing overview.

  • Advisors and Advising
  • Thesis Proposals: Common Elements
  • Executive Summaries and Abstracts
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A thesis is a complex project: it requires you to identify a significant topic and craft a good research question. You'll connect with an advisor, who will play an important role in how your research is planned and executed. A well-crafted thesis proposal will get you started on your research journey. As you progress, you'll have to make decisions about how to organize your information into chapters, what function each chapter serves, and how each is structured. Your ultimate goal is to edit, refine, and polish your text and citations to a publishable level.

For students writing theses, the  NPS Thesis Processing Office  (TPO) is a critical source of information and support. Before you even begin researching and writing your thesis, it is worthwhile to visit the TPO's website to learn more about the submission process, the thesis template, and iThenticate review.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your thesis, but don't rush to make big decisions. Your understanding of your field and the research within it will become more nuanced after your first quarter. Pay attention to the issues and questions that you find especially thought-provoking in course lectures, discussions, and readings, or those that are particularly relevant for your professional community.

Pick a topic  that interests you and one that is modest in scope. Selecting a manageable, as-yet unaddressed portion of a relevant topic allows you to conduct in-depth research and thinking. You may also wish to review previous theses to get a sense of how others have approached the topic. Often, you may be able to use course assignments to learn more about your topic.

For any well-chosen topic, you’ll be able to identify more than one angle of approach, design of experimentation, or worthy case study for analysis. Understanding that you could tackle a topic in multiple ways can help you make decisions about your research. Pick a line of attack that works best with your available time and resources!

You may wish to view " Selecting a Thesis Topic ," from the NPS  Systems Engineering Department Thesis Research Guide . The advice provided is valuable for students in other departments as well! 

After selecting a topic, you’ll identify and create a relevant research question . You should be able to express your research interest in the form of a question, complete with a question mark!

If you’re 100% certain you know the answer to your question before you begin research, it doesn’t leave much room for discovery. Overcommitting to a hypothesis can also lead to bias and “cherry-picking” as you conduct your research. Create a question that could conceivably lead to surprising results. The value in your work is in the significance of the topic, well-designed research methodology, and rigorous scholarship – not being right about the answer before you start.

Note that many theses discuss opportunities for further research in their final chapter; these discussions are an excellent way to get a sense of other scholars' thoughts about important emerging research questions. Likewise, faculty members are experts in their field and can help you shape your interests into a substantive and viable question.

For a pithy rundown on choosing and working with advisors, watch our  must-see videos  featuring Dr. Zachary Shore—it's the best relationship advice you'll get in grad school! You’ll learn about 1) how to find a thesis advisor, 2) your advisor's role, and 3) your role with your advisor.

Your advisor is your "north star" during the thesis process. The guidance provided by your advising team is the most important input you will receive. Usually you will have a role in selecting your advisor. Some advisors are very involved; some are very “hands off.” Consider what style might work best for you. Though the most important criteria in selecting an advisor is compatible research interests and expertise, you may also want to ask potential advisors how they prefer to work with thesis students. Both students and advisors enjoy working together more when they have well-matched styles and shared expectations.

Advisors can be incredibly valuable sources of guidance, information, and support during the thesis process. Your advisor can help you shape your research question and help you with your research design and methodology. Advisors will often direct you to valuable source material and will help you understand criteria for selecting high-quality sources. Conversations with your advisor about the timeline for researching and writing your thesis can be critically important to finishing comfortably and on time.

When asking your advisor to review chapter drafts, it is often a good idea to provide context about the draft and/or to ask specific questions. Let your advisor know what parts of your draft are more polished and complete, and let them know what you are struggling with. Perhaps your draft is quite rough in grammar and mechanics, but you’re seeking their comments on content and structure; let them know that you intend to refine and correct the language once the ideas are sound. Some advisors still find this very painful, but clear communication can help.

For still more information on working with advisors, see our Advisors and Advising page and Dr. Shore's  Grad School Essentials ,  chapter 5, pp. 99–103.

Researching and writing a thesis might be described, reductively, as: “read a lot of books and write a lot of pages.” In practice, it is a much more complicated endeavor. Having a structured approach to your  note-taking and record-keeping , your time management, and your drafting process will all benefit you enormously.

There are many tools and techniques available for keeping track of your sources and information. Some students value the humble index card or spreadsheet, while others choose  software  designed specifically for writers and researchers. Talk with other students about what they use and like. The coaches at the GWC can also help you think about your needs and talk through how to design an effective note-keeping practice. Visit the library's citation guide to help you determine which citation style you should use and to learn how to use it correctly. Learn the basics, too, of avoiding accidental plagiarism .

Set deadlines and targets for your phases of research and writing. Certain parts of your thesis can be written relatively early, while others must wait until your research is completed. Decide with your advisor when each chapter of the thesis should be completed. Also, consider your sequence for soliciting feedback from advisors, peers, and writing coaches. Scheduling appointments in the GWC to serve as “soft deadlines” for thesis sections is a practice that many students find useful.

Early on in your thesis process, consider  how you will divide your finished product  into chapters, and what the function of each chapter will be within the document. How will you outline the content for each chapter? What will your main sections and subsections be? Having a clear sense of your thesis "skeleton" allows you to divide and conquer, staying focused as you write each piece of the larger whole.

Theses at the Naval Postgraduate School may range in length from roughly 30 to 150 pages, but most fall between 60 and 80 pages. Departments have different expectations for how long your thesis should be. It is always a good idea to review theses from your department from the recent past on  Calhoun , the NPS institutional archive. Your advisor also can help you plan the length of your thesis and chapters.

All students may hire an editor if they choose to. The International Graduate Programs Office (IGPO) supports international students by providing editing services at no charge. The TPO connects international students with this service during the final-quarter thesis process.

While the GWC does not provide editing or proofreading services, working with writing coaches throughout your thesis process may provide sufficient help and guidance, allowing you to avoid the extra expense. If you do decide to hire an editor, be sure to understand the differences between developmental editing, structural editing, copyediting, proofreading, formatting citations, and formatting within the thesis template. This familiarity will enable clearer communication with your editor.

Please note that the GWC coaches and TPO processors are unable to recommend or refer you to private editors. You may wish to ask other students who have used an editor for references. You may also opt to search Craigslist, Yelp, or LinkedIn for editors with experience editing NPS theses.

Books on Thesis Writing (NPS Library)

  • Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: Entering the Conversation , Irene Clark, Prentice Hall.
  • Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation: A Step by Step Guide , Daniel Holtom and Elizabeth Fisher, Imperial College Plus.
  • How to Write a Better Thesis , David Evans, et al., Melbourne University Press.
  • The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books , Eviatar Zerubavel, Harvard University Press.
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Writing Your Thesis

Writing Your Thesis

  • Paul Oliver
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This edition contains:

  • Examples of common mistakes and how you can avoid them
  • Discussions of artefacts such as creative work
  • Research-focused content
  • A section on the relationship with your supervisor
  • Information on online and digital work, so you are up to date with the latest developments in thesis writing.

Student Success  is a series of essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to boosting your employability and managing your wellbeing, the  Student Success  series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university. 

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'Written in an authoritative and accessible style, this is a must-read for anyone planning, researching and writing a doctoral thesis or dissertation. I will certainly be recommending this book to my research students.'

'Paul's book was a lifeline during my doctorate: it is now the first book that I recommend for my research students! His book is easily accessible, full of practical advice, and provides useful study strategies to carefully guide you - this third edition is a valuable asset wherever you are on your doctoral journey.'

A valuable resource for new students and academics alike embarking on their doctorate learning journey. The use of example boxes and summaries throughout aids the overall understanding of the main content.

An essential guide, specifically for first time students embarking on a thesis.

I recommend this book to my third year students as it gives them an idea of structure when they are writing their dissertations. The chapters are concise with relevant easy to follow information. I have also used this book myself as I am studying for a doctorate and used it when teaching on the research module.

An ideal companion to the study skills library

This is a very clear book, invaluable to Doctoral students though less useful perhaps to Masters students.

This is a very useful guiding tool for to help students at both masters and doctoral level. the chapters are well laid out with relevant information and I particularly like the emphasis given to the roles of the supervisor and student.

This is a good book which will assist both Masters and doctoral students in the development of a thesis. There is a clear indication of the different requirements in the two qualifications. The presentation is very logical and would be helpful to all students putting together a thesis

A very useful, helpful text that gives someone confidence and support for submission.

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The Literature Review: A Guide for Postgraduate Students

This guide provides postgraduate students with an overview of the literature review required for most research degrees. It will advise you on the common types of literature reviews across disciplines and will outline how the purpose and structure of each may differ slightly. Various approaches to effective content organisation and writing style are offered, along with some common strategies for effective writing and avoiding some common mistakes. This guide focuses mainly on the required elements of a standalone literature review, but the suggestions and advice apply to literature reviews incorporated into other chapters.

Please see the companion article ‘ The Literature Review: A Guide for Undergraduate Students ’ for an introduction to the basic elements of a literature review. This article focuses on aspects that are particular to postgraduate literature reviews, containing detailed advice and effective strategies for writing a successful literature review. It will address the following topics:

  • The purpose of a literature review
  • The structure of your literature review
  • Strategies for writing an effective literature review
  • Mistakes to avoid

The Purpose of a Literature Review

After developing your research proposal and writing a research statement, your literature review is one of the most important early tasks you will undertake for your postgraduate research degree. Many faculties and departments require postgraduate research students to write an initial literature review as part of their research proposal, which forms part of the candidature confirmation process that occurs six months into the research degree for full-time students (12 months for part-time students).

For example, a postgraduate student in history would normally write a 10,000-word research proposal—including a literature review—in the first six months of their PhD. This would be assessed in order to confirm the ongoing candidature of the student.

The literature review is your opportunity you show your supervisor (and ultimately, your examiners) that you understand the most important debates in your field, can identify the texts and authors most relevant to your particular topic, and can examine and evaluate these debates and texts both critically and in depth. You will be expected to provide a comprehensive, detailed and relevant range of scholarly works in your literature review.

In general, a literature review has a specific and directed purpose: to focus the reader’s attention on the significance and necessity of your research. By identifying a ‘gap’ in the current scholarship, you convince your readers that your own research is vital.

As the author, you will achieve these objectives by displaying your in-depth knowledge and understanding of the relevant scholarship in your field, situating your own research within this wider body of work , while critically analysing the scholarship and highlighting your own arguments in relation to that scholarship.

A well-focused, well-developed and well-researched literature review operates as a linchpin for your thesis, provides the background to your research and demonstrates your proficiency in some requisite academic skills.

The Structure of Your Literature Review

Postgraduate degrees can be made up of a long thesis (Master’s and PhD by research) or a shorter thesis and coursework (Master’s by coursework; although some Australian universities now require PhD students to undertake coursework in the first year of their degree). Some disciplines involve creative work (such as a novel or artwork) and an exegesis (such as a creative writing research or fine arts degree). Others can comprise a series of published works in the form of a ‘thesis by publication’ (most common in the science and medical fields).

The structure of a literature review will thus vary according to the discipline and the type of thesis. Some of the most common discipline-based variations are outlined in the following paragraphs.

Humanities and Social Science Degrees

Many humanities and social science theses will include a standalone literature review chapter after the introduction and before any methodology (or theoretical approaches) chapters. In these theses, the literature review might make up around 15 to 30 per cent of the total thesis length, reflecting its purpose as a supporting chapter.

Here, the literature review chapter will have an introduction, an appropriate number of discussion paragraphs and a conclusion. As with a research essay, the introduction operates as a ‘road map’ to the chapter. The introduction should outline and clarify the argument you are making in your thesis (Australian National University 2017), as readers will then have a context for the discussion and critical analysis paragraphs that follow.

The main discussion section can be divided further with subheadings, and the material organised in several possible ways: chronologically, thematically or from the better- to the lesser-known issues and arguments. The conclusion should provide a summary of the chapter overall, and should re-state your thesis statement, linking this to the gap you have identified in the literature that confirms the necessity of your research.

For some humanities’ disciplines, such as literature or history (Premaratne 2013, 236–54), where primary sources are central, the literature review may be conducted chapter-by-chapter, with each chapter focusing on one theme and set of scholarly secondary sources relevant to the primary source material.

Science and Mathematics Degrees

For some science or mathematics research degrees, the literature review may be part of the introduction. The relevant literature here may be limited in number and scope, and if the research project is experiment-based, rather than theoretically based, a lengthy critical analysis of past research may be unnecessary (beyond establishing its weaknesses or failings and thus the necessity for the current research). The literature review section will normally appear after the paragraphs that outline the study’s research question, main findings and theoretical framework. Other science-based degrees may follow the standalone literature review chapter more common in the social sciences.

Strategies for Writing an Effective Literature Review

A research thesis—whether for a Master’s degree or Doctor of Philosophy—is a long project, and the literature review, usually written early on, will most likely be reviewed and refined over the life of the thesis. This section will detail some useful strategies to ensure you write a successful literature review that meets the expectations of your supervisor and examiners.

Using a Mind Map

Before planning or writing, it can be beneficial to undertake a brainstorm exercise to initiate ideas, especially in relation to the organisation of your literature review. A mind map is a very effective technique that can get your ideas flowing prior to a more formal planning process.

A mind map is best created in landscape orientation. Begin by writing a very brief version of your research topic in the middle of the page and then expanding this with themes and sub-themes, identified by keywords or phrases and linked by associations or oppositions. The University of Adelaide provides an excellent introduction to mind mapping.

Planning is as essential at the chapter level as it is for your thesis overall. If you have begun work on your literature review with a mind map or similar process, you can use the themes or organisational categories that emerged to begin organising your content. Plan your literature review as if it were a research essay with an introduction, main body and conclusion.

Create a detailed outline for each main paragraph or section and list the works you will discuss and analyse, along with keywords to identify important themes, arguments and relevant data. By creating a ‘planning document’ in this way, you can keep track of your ideas and refine the plan as you go.

Maintaining a Current Reference List or Annotated Bibliography

It is vital that you maintain detailed and up-to-date records of all scholarly works that you read in relation to your thesis. You will need to ensure that you remain aware of current and developing research, theoretical debates and data as your degree progresses; and review and update the literature review as you work through your own research and writing.

To do this most effectively and efficiently, you will need to record precisely the bibliographic details of each source you use. Decide on the referencing style you will be using at an early stage (this is often dictated by your department or discipline, or suggested by your supervisor). If you begin to construct your reference list as you write your thesis, ensure that you follow any formatting and stylistic requirements for your chosen referencing style from the start (nothing is more onerous than undertaking this task as you are finishing your research degree).

Insert references (also known as ‘citations’) into the text or footnote section as you write your literature review, and be aware of all instances where you need to use a reference . The literature review chapter or section may appear to be overwhelmed with references, but this is just a reflection of the source-based content and purpose.

The Drawbacks of Referencing Software

We don’t recommend the use of referencing software to help you with your references because using this software almost always leads to errors and inconsistencies. They simply can’t be trusted to produce references that will be complete and accurate, properly following your particular referencing style to the letter.

Further, relying on software to create your references for you usually means that you won’t learn how to reference correctly yourself, which is an absolutely vital skill, especially if you are hoping to continue in academia.

Writing Style

Similar to structural matters, your writing style will depend to some extent on your discipline and the expectations and advice of your supervisors. Humanities- and creative arts–based disciplines may be more open to a wider variety of authorial voices. Even if this is so, it remains preferable to establish an academic voice that is credible, engaging and clear.

Simple stylistic strategies such as using the active—instead of the passive—voice, providing variety in sentence structure and length and preferring (where appropriate) simple language over convoluted or overly obscure words can help to ensure your academic writing is both formal and highly readable.

Reviewing, Rewriting and Editing

Although an initial draft is essential (and in some departments it is a formal requirement) to establish the ground for your own research and its place within the wider body of scholarship, the literature review will evolve, develop and be modified as you continue to research, write, review and rewrite your thesis. It is likely that your literature review will not be completed until you have almost finished the thesis itself, and a final assessment and edit of this section is essential to ensure you have included the most important scholarship that is relevant and necessary to your research.

It has happened to many students that a crucial piece of literature is published just as they are about to finalise their thesis, and they must revise their literature review in light of it. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided, lest your examiners think that you are not aware of this key piece of scholarship. You need to ensure your final literature review reflects how your research now fits into the new landscape in your field after any recent developments.

Mistakes to Avoid

Some common mistakes can result in an ineffective literature review that could then flow on to the rest of your thesis. These mistakes include:

  • Trying to read and include everything you find on your topic. The literature review should be selective as well as comprehensive, examining only those sources relevant to your research topic.
  • Listing the scholarship as if you are writing an annotated bibliography or a series of summaries. Your discussion of the literature should be synthesised and holistic, and should have a logical progression that is appropriate to the organisation of your content.
  • Failing to integrate your examination of the literature with your own thesis topic. You need to develop your discussion of each piece of scholarship in relation to other pieces of research, contextualising your analyses and conclusions in relation to your thesis statement or research topic and focusing on how your own research relates to, complements and extends the existing scholarship.

Writing the literature review is often the first task of your research degree. It is a focused reading and research activity that situates your own research in the wider scholarship, establishing yourself as an active member of the academic community through dialogue and debate. By reading, analysing and synthesising the existing scholarship on your topic, you gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding, ensuring a solid basis for your own arguments and contributions. If you need advice on referencing , academic writing , time management or other aspects of your degree, you may find Capstone Editing’s other resources and blog articles useful.

Australian National University. 2017. ‘Literature Reviews’. Last accessed 28 March. http://www.anu.edu.au/students/learning-development/research-writing/literature-reviews.

Premaratne, Dhilara Darshana. 2013. ‘Discipline Based Variations in the Literature Review in the PhD Thesis: A Perspective from the Discipline of History’. Education and Research Perspectives 40: 236–54.

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Academic Skills Support for Postgraduate Research Students

This page outlines the academic skills support available for postgraduate research students.

Academic skills workshops

Academic Skills at UNSW offers academic skills workshops that focus on, or explore, different tasks. Many are designed for postgraduate students, such as Writing a thesis proposal, Writing a literature review and Giving your first Conference paper. Workshop programs run throughout Terms 1, 2 and 3. Please see the  Workshop page for details.

Workshops can also be organised on request. Any group of five or more research students who would like a specific workshop or thesis writing program can contact Dominic Fitzsimmons ( [email protected] )  to discuss this.

Individual consultations

Make an appointment with an  Academic Learning Facilitator  for an individual consultation to discuss aspects of your writing.

Academic skills resources and links

Here you will find links to useful resources for Postgraduate research students.

UNSW academic skills guides

Information for current UNSW Research Students

UNSW Library services for students

Academic writing resources  - Useful links to other academic writing resources.

Writing your Thesis Proposal - A guide from Academic Skills at UNSW for students who are enrolled in a postgraduate research degree and who have been asked to submit a thesis proposal.

Getting Started on Your Literature Review - A short guide from Academic Skills at UNSW with a few suggestions to get you started.

How to write a PhD Thesis - Notes on preparing and writing thesis at UNSW from Associate Professor Joe Wolfe in the UNSW School of Physics.

From Finish to Start: Writing your thesis with the end in view (PDF) - Notes from Prof. Sue Starfield's presentation at the Thesis Submission Seminar 2006. For further details, visit the  Graduate Research School website .

Other thesis writing resources

Thesis writing sites.

Graduate Research and Writing - An excellent guide to producing a thesis from Monash University.

Writing Dissertations: A Guide for Graduates - From the Royal Literary Fund, UK. This site offers writing skills advice for dissertation writers and thesis writers.

Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation - by S. Joseph Levine, PhD., Michigan State University in East Lansing. A useful site with good links.

Re-envisioning the PhD   - from the University of Washington Graduate School. A great portal site with some good advice included.

The nuts and bolts of producing a thesis

Techniques for Managing Theses Using Microsoft Word - very helpful guide from the University of Waterloo.

EndNote and Zotero  - Bibliographic software that allows you to store, organise and manage your references to create in-text citations and bibliographies in the referencing style that you require.

Conference and research presentations resources

Ten tips for presenting a conference paper - Advice from a guide prepared by two academics will help you to impress a conference audience.

Conference papers - a guide from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Some very useful books on thesis writing and doing a research degree:

Bailey, S. (2006).  Academic Writing: A handbook for international students . Abingdon: Routledge.

Becker, H. (2007, 2nd edition).  Writing for social scientists: How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article . University of Chicago Press.

Betts, K. & Seitz, A. (1994).  Writing essays and research reports in the social sciences . Melbourne: Nelson.

Boddington, P. & Clanchy, J. (1999).  Reading for study and research . Australia: Longman.

Booth, W.C., Colomb. G.G. & Williams, J.M. (1995)  The craft of research . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Craswell, G. (2005).  Writing for Academic Success: A Postgraduate Guide . London: Sage.

While aimed at academic writing in general, this book has sections on thesis writing that covers a lot of key areas. There are also chapters on managing academic writing, the mechanics of academic writing, writing a literature review and other academic texts sch as journal articles and books.

Cryer, P. (1996).  The research student's guide to success . Open University press, Buckingham.

Dunleavy, P. (2003).  Authoring a PhD thesis: how to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral dissertation . Palgrave Study Guides

Patrick Dunleavy shares his accumulated wisdom as an experienced doctoral supervisor and academic writer in the social sciences. Focussing on the links between writing and thinking, his book takes students through the process of planning, drafting, writing, revising and shaping the thesis in an engaging, insightful and sometimes amusing way.

Elphinstone, L. & Schweitzer, R. (1998).  How to get a research degree: A survival guide.  St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

This small but comprehensive volume should be required reading for all commencing postgraduate research students and their supervisors. It is one of the best there is.

Ely, M., Vinz, R., Downing, M & Anzul, M. (1997).  On writing qualitative research . London: The Falmer Press.

Evans, D & Gruba, P. (2002).  How to write a better thesis . Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.

A highly-recommended, easily accessible and comprehensive guide that focuses on writing the various sections of the thesis based on the writers’ extensive experience of supervising and supporting students in Australia.

Evans, D., Gruba, P. & Zobel, J. (2011).  How to write a better thesis . Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.

Feak, C. & Swales, J. M. (2009).  Telling a research story: Writing a literature review . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Feak, C. & Swales, J. M. (2011).  Creating contexts: Writing introductions across genres . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Hart, C. (1998).  Doing a literature review. Releasing the social science research imagination . London: Sage.

A key text that all students in the social sciences should be familiar with before starting their literature review.

Hart, C. (2005).  Doing your Masters Dissertation . London: Sage.

A thorough and comprehensive handbook aimed at supporting students doing a master’s dissertation in the social sciences. It has sections on formulating a topic and finding a format, on research design and methodology, on ethics and a final section on writing.

Holliday, A. (2002).  Doing and writing qualitative research . London: Sage.

Although not specifically aimed at doctoral or masters students, this book is one of the few that helps qualitative researchers understand that the writing process is an integral part of doing qualitative research and becoming a qualitative researcher. It considers the particular challenges confronting qualitative writers as they attempt to ‘find their voice’.

Huff, A. H. (1999).  Writing for scholarly publication . Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Kearns, H & Gardiner, M. (2008).  The seven secrets of highly successful research students. The PhD experience: What they didn’t tell you at induction. Time for research: Time management for PhD students. Defeating self sabotage: Getting your PhD finished.  (4 booklets)

Lewins, F. (1993).  Writing a thesis: A guide to its nature and organization . Canberra: Bibliotech, ANUTECH.

Manalo, E. & Trafford, J. (2004).  Thinking to Thesis: A Guide to Graduate Success at all Levels . Auckland: Pearson.

This book covers many key issues for research students such as time and self-management and making the most of available resources. There is also a very useful chapter on writing a high-quality thesis.

Madsen, D. (1992).  Successful dissertations and theses: A guide to graduate student research from proposal to completion . San Fancisco: Jossey-Bass.

Murray, R. (2002).  How to write a thesis . Open University Press.

One of the few books that actually takes student writers through the process of writing a thesis at the various stages of the PhD. It cannot be recommended too highly. It is a book to be dipped into again and again depending on the particular problem encountered and will prove an invaluable source of inspiration and encouragement

Paltridge, B. & Starfield, S. (2007).  Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language.  London: Routledge.

Phillips, E., Pugh, D. (2004).  How to get a PhD: A handbook for students and their supervisors . Fourth edition. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Now in its fourth edition, this ‘classic’ covers issues such as the PhD process, the nature of the PhD, and what students expect from their supervisors, university and departmental responsibilities.

Punch, K.F. (2000).  Developing effective research proposals , London: Sage.

Ridley, D. (2008).  The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students . London: Sage.

Rugg, G. & Petre, M. (2004).  The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research . Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Well, they’ve now been written down and are worth reading!

Rudestam, K. E. & Newton, R. R. (2001).  Surviving your dissertation . Newbury Park: Sage.

Sides, C.H. (1999).  How to write and present technical information  (3rd ed.) Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.

Swales, J. & Feak, C. (2004).  Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential tasks and skills . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, J. & Feak, C. (2000)  English in today's research world: A writing guide . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, J. M. & Feak, C. (2009)  Abstracts and the writing of abstracts . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Thody, A. (2006).  Writing and presenting research . London: Sage.

The Sociology Writing Group. (1998).  A guide to writing sociology papers . New York: St Martin's Press.

Wallace, M. & Wray, A. (2006).  Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates , London: Sage.

Zerubavel, E. (1999).  The Clockwork Muse . Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Advice and humour

Introduction to postgraduate study - From Massey University in NZ, this site discusses planning and writing and producing theses and conference papers.

The Thesis Whisperer - A blog dedicated to helping research students everywhere. It is edited by Dr Inger Mewburn of RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia and has contributors from around the world.

How To Write A Dissertation or Bedtime Reading For People Who Do Not Have Time To Sleep - Purdue University

Piled Higher and Deeper: Life (or the lack thereof) in Academia - A comic strip by Jorge Cham

Faculty-based Courses on Thesis Writing and Research Management

Credit bearing courses supported by Academic Skills

Engineering

All PHD and Masters by Research UNSW Engineering students in their second semester will automatically be enrolled in  GSOE9400: Engineering Postgraduate Research Essentials . This course is managed and coordinated by the  Graduate School of Engineering.  

Masters by coursework UNSW Engineering students can choose to enrol in  GSOE960: Academic Discourse in Engineering . Contact the  Graduate School of Engineering   for more information and to enrol in this course.

Postgrad Research

  • Academic skills support
  • Thesis proposals
  • Literature review

Study Hacks Workshops | All the hacks you need! 7 Feb – 10 Apr 2024

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Constructing Your Thesis

Ryan, Anne and Walsh, Tony (2006) Constructing Your Thesis. In: Researching and Writing your Thesis: a guide for postgraduate students. MACE Maynooth Adult and Community Education, pp. 28-44.

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This chapter explores a number of questions most commonly asked by students as they embark on writing a thesis: •What is a thesis? •How is a thesis structured? •How do I select a thesis topic? •How do I formulate a research question or hypothesis? •How can I be sure I take an objective angle in writing my thesis? •How do I start my thesis? •What is theory? •What can I expect from my supervisor? •What will I learn from writing a thesis?

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  1. Writing your thesis

    researching and writing your thesis a guide for postgraduate students

  2. How to choose a thesis topic that will make you stand out

    researching and writing your thesis a guide for postgraduate students

  3. Tips to Follow When Writing a PhD Thesis

    researching and writing your thesis a guide for postgraduate students

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  5. A Practical Guide to Dissertation and Thesis Writing

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  6. (PDF) Thesis or dissertation: Essentiality for a postgraduate Medical

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VIDEO

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  3. Thesis Writing Clinic S5B

  4. Mastering Research: Choosing a Winning Dissertation or Thesis Topic

  5. How to Start your Writing

  6. Why it's essential to know yourself as a thesis writer

COMMENTS

  1. Researching and writing your thesis : a guide for postgraduate students

    Researching and writing your thesis : a guide for postgraduate students ... Researching and writing your thesis : a guide for postgraduate students by Antonesa, Mary. Publication date 2006 Topics Dissertations, Academic -- Handbooks, manuals, etc, Rhetoric, Dissertations, Academic

  2. Researching and Writing Your Thesis: A Guide for Postgraduate Students

    Get Textbooks on Google Play. Rent and save from the world's largest eBookstore. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone.

  3. How to Write a Thesis: A Guide for Master's Students

    Tip #2: Begin Work on the Thesis Statement and Break Up the Thesis into Manageable Sections. After selecting an appropriate topic and developing a central research question for the thesis statement, it is then necessary to apply the research and writing skills you have learned throughout your degree program.

  4. What Is a Thesis?

    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.

  5. PDF Writing a Scientific-Style Thesis

    and writing up a significant body of research. Therefore, you will need to develop the necessary writing skills to communicate your research at the appropriate level to experts in your chosen field of study. 2.1 Graduate research and academic writing As a research student, you have a very important position within the university community.

  6. MURAL

    Researching and Writing your Thesis: a guide for postgraduate students: Publisher: MACE: Maynooth Adult and Community Education: Refereed: Yes: URI: Publisher; Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

  7. How to Write a Dissertation or Masters Thesis

    Writing a masters dissertation or thesis is a sizable task. It takes a considerable amount of research, studying and writing. Usually, students need to write around 10,000 to 15,000 words. It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at ...

  8. Writing a Postgraduate or Doctoral Thesis: A Step-by-Step Approach

    The foundation of the entire postgraduate or doctoral research program is disciplinary knowledge. At most universities, one of the main requirements is that the research introduces or expands a novelty that contributes to the advancement of the subject [].Even though the writing is a clear component of higher-level coursework and is frequently acknowledged as a source of significant concern ...

  9. PDF Guide to Research for Postgraduate Theses, Dissertations and Projects

    As a general guide, a research project should be undertaken by students enrolled for postgraduate certificates or diplomas and should be characterised by the following: It should demonstrate a basic understanding of the research process. The student should demonstrate ability to systematically sustain a research argument.

  10. How to do a postgraduate research project and write a minor thesis

    Ask your supervisor about writing up your thesis for submission to a journal. Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Professor Mike English (Kenya Medical Research Institute), Eleanor Neal, Dr Jocelyn Chan, Dr Hamish Graham (University of Melbourne) and Dr Bob Phillips for very helpful comments, and to the postgraduate students for ...

  11. PDF Chapter 2 ConstRUCtInG YoUR tHesIs

    l What will I learn from writing a thesis? What Is A Thesis? A thesis is the written account of your systematic exploration of a particular topic or subject area. Research is essentially the term that encapsulates this process of exploration. Postgraduate students, particularly those who have been out of education for some time,

  12. Thesis Writing Overview

    For students writing theses, the NPS Thesis Processing Office (TPO) is a critical source of information and support. Before you even begin researching and writing your thesis, it is worthwhile to visit the TPO's website to learn more about the submission process, the thesis template, and iThenticate review. Choosing a thesis topic.

  13. Writing Your Thesis

    Fully up-to-date with current HEFCE/other EU requirements, the book sets out a template for you to follow, including planning and preparation, theoretical perspectives, publishing preliminary findings, and preparing for the viva. Information on online and digital work, so you are up to date with the latest developments in thesis writing.

  14. The Literature Review: A Guide for Postgraduate Students

    For example, a postgraduate student in history would normally write a 10,000-word research proposal—including a literature review—in the first six months of their PhD. This would be assessed in order to confirm the ongoing candidature of the student. The literature review is your opportunity you show your supervisor (and ultimately, your ...

  15. Researching, Writing, and Publishing: Academic Writing

    Researching and Writing your Dissertation is an essential guide for students undertaking research projects as part of a postgraduate qualification in business or management. Seven accessible chapters guide the reader through the process from choosing a topic, to gathering and analysing data, and finally writing and presenting the results.

  16. Guide for Postgraduate Student Research and Publications: A Step-by

    Guide for Postgraduate Student Research and Publications: A Step-by-Step Approach. January 2022. Joshua Chukwuere. Precious Chibuike Chukwuere. Academic research writing (manuscript writing ...

  17. Writing your thesis.

    Walsh, Tony and Ryan, Anne (2015) Writing your thesis. In: Writing your thesis: a guide for postgraduate students. Mace Press. ISBN 978-0-9568411-3-1

  18. Writing your thesis

    Writing a thesis can appear very daunting particularly if you've been away from formal learning for many years. This book is specifically designed for students returning to learning at postgraduate level in the arts and social sciences. It demystifies thesis construction and explains how to research and write a thesis. Your Price: €25.00.

  19. Academic Skills Support for Postgraduate Research Students

    Academic skills workshops. Academic Skills at UNSW offers academic skills workshops that focus on, or explore, different tasks. Many are designed for postgraduate students, such as Writing a thesis proposal, Writing a literature review and Giving your first Conference paper. Workshop programs run throughout Terms 1, 2 and 3.

  20. Constructing Your Thesis

    Thesis writing; Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Adult and Community Education: Item ID: 976: Depositing User: Prof. Anne Ryan: Date Deposited: 13 May 2008: Journal or Publication Title: Researching and Writing your Thesis: a guide for post graduate students: Publisher: MACE Maynooth Adult and Community Education: Refereed: Yes: URI ...

  21. (PDF) Postgraduate student research writing guide: Approach to an

    Reddy CD (2016). Postgraduate student research writing gu ide: Approach to an inference and thesis chapter outline. Unp ublished postgraduate student research writing guide. University of ...

  22. [PDF] Post-Positivist Approaches to Research

    Philosophy provides principles that can act as a guide when procedural advice does not address a particular issue. You might like to read this chapter at the start of your thesis process, But it is likely that you will dip into it from time to time, as certain questions arise out of the process of researching and writing the thesis.