The Whole Truth about the Thesis and Its Writing

The thesis is a type of paper with high complexity and quality of research, usually prepared by the person who runs the undergraduate program in order to get an academic degree or professional qualification. In most cases, the thesis is a final project in which the candidate presents the results of his or her long-term research and offers his or her solution to the particular scientific problem.

Thesis VS Dissertation

Nowadays we can meet the use of both variants and it would be wrong to say that one of them is inappropriate. Both of them exist in the academic sphere, and sometimes they are even used interchangeably. The point is that in different countries and in different higher education institutions these two concepts have different meanings.

In particular, in the USA the term “thesis” is used with a Master’s degree when the term “dissertation” is applied to a Doctoral degree. The common thing is that the former, as well as the latter, is a crucial project for getting the degree. On the other hand, there are some differences in the length and the depth of knowledge. The typical thesis for a Master’s degree is about 100 pages, while the dissertation may be doubled or tripled. Writing the thesis you use the research of other scholars and present your own analysis, thus you show your ability of analytical and critical thinking. Working on the dissertation means being able to suggest and justify your own original hypothesis.

Create Your Thesis Step by Step

The writing process runs smoother if you know exactly what to do and in what direction to move.  Theses in different spheres have their peculiarities but at the same time, their structure but the general scheme of their writing is universal.

1. Set time limits for each stage of work. Information search, providing the research, writing, and proofreading of the text, correction – all these stages requires a pretty long period of time. You need to determine the timeframes, because without any time management you may get lost.
2. Write down everything and create the outline. It’s almost impossible to keep all the details in your mind, that’s why you should make notes. Besides, it helps to visualize and structure the materials you deal with. The thesis is a pretty long paper, for that reason, you need a detailed plan that describes what information you present in the introduction, what ideas and concepts are demonstrated in the main body, and in what manner you sum up.
3. Strictly follow the structure. This point covers not only the general structure such as introduction or conclusion but also more specific points. Title page, abstract, table of content, lists of figures and tables, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, references, appendices, acknowledgments, and recommendations are compulsory parts of any dissertation. Their order may slightly change but all of them must take place.
4. Meet the requirements of academic style. Ask yourself who is your reading audience, and the answer is obvious – the academic community. It’s hard to imagine that someone else except professors and advisors from the university may read the text of your dissertation. Keep in mind this fact and use an appropriate style and a formal language.
5. Carefully check the final version of the paper. If it seems that everything is fine with your paper, leave it for a while, and then re-read it again with a fresh eye. The best possible option is to consult an editor who will correct your spelling and grammar and indicate any drawbacks in the general flow of the text if it’s necessary.