What is a thesis or dissertation outline?

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.)

Frequently asked questions: Dissertation

How long is a dissertation?: Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words

A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words

A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.
What is a dissertation prospectus?: A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives, ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.
Who typically writes a thesis?: 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
What should I include in a thesis or dissertation conclusion?: The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

A restatement of your research question

A summary of your key arguments and/or results

A short discussion of the implications of your research
How long is a thesis or dissertation conclusion?: The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.
What doesn’t go in a dissertation conclusion?: For a stronger dissertation conclusion, avoid including:

Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the discussion section and results section

Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion …”)

Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g., “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.
Can I present new arguments in the conclusion of my dissertation?: While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion, especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section.) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
Is a theoretical framework part of a literature review?: A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a literature review chapter, but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation. As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.
What is the difference between a literature review and a theoretical framework?: A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation.
What is the difference between a conceptual framework and a theoretical framework?: While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.
How should you refer to chapters in your thesis or dissertation?: 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.
How do I cite an image on my title page?: In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “Note.” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution. Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure, since it doesn’t appear in your main text.
Are citations necessary in a glossary?: Definitional terms often fall into the category of common knowledge, meaning that they don’t necessarily have to be cited. This guidance can apply to your thesis or dissertation glossary as well.

However, if you’d prefer to cite your sources, you can follow guidance for citing dictionary entries in MLA or APA style for your glossary.
What’s the difference between a glossary and an index?: A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, an index is a list of the contents of your work organized by page number.
Where does your dissertation title page go?: The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.
What should your dissertation title page include?: The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.
Is a glossary mandatory?: Glossaries are not mandatory, but if you use a lot of technical or field-specific terms, it may improve readability to add one to your thesis or dissertation. Your educational institution may also require them, so be sure to check their specific guidelines.
What is the definition of a glossary?: A glossary or “glossary of terms” is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. Your glossary only needs to include terms that your reader may not be familiar with, and is intended to enhance their understanding of your work.
What is the difference between a glossary and a dictionary?: A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, dictionaries are more general collections of words.
What is the difference between an acronym and abbreviation?: An abbreviation is a shortened version of an existing word, such as Dr. for Doctor. In contrast, an acronym uses the first letter of each word to create a wholly new word, such as UNESCO (an acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
Do you always have to write out abbreviations?: As a rule of thumb, write the explanation in full the first time you use an acronym or abbreviation. You can then proceed with the shortened version. However, if the abbreviation is very common (like PC, USA, or DNA), then you can use the abbreviated version from the get-go.

Be sure to add each abbreviation in your list of abbreviations!
Is a list of abbreviations mandatory in my thesis or dissertation?: 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.
What is a list of abbreviations?: A list of abbreviations is a list of all the abbreviations that you used in your thesis or dissertation. It should appear at the beginning of your document, with items in alphabetical order, just after your table of contents.
Where does your list of figures and tables go?: Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.
Is a list of figures and tables mandatory?: Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables.

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.
What is a list of figures and tables?: A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.
Where do you place your table of contents?: The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction.
Can I thank God in my acknowledgements?: You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements, but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.
What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated bibliography?: A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations, theses, and research papers. Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts, with an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.

An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper.
What’s the difference between the discussion and the conclusion?: In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.
What goes in the discussion chapter of a dissertation?: In the discussion, you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results, explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:

Your interpretations: what do the results tell us?

The implications: why do the results matter?

The limitations: what can’t the results tell us?
What’s the difference between results and discussion?: The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research, results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research, it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.
What tense should I write my results in?: Results are usually written in the past tense, because they are describing the outcome of completed actions.
What goes in the results chapter of a dissertation?: The results chapter of a thesis or dissertation presents your research results concisely and objectively.

In quantitative research, for each question or hypothesis, state:

The type of analysis used

Relevant results in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics

Whether or not the alternative hypothesis was supported

In qualitative research, for each question or theme, describe:

Recurring patterns

Significant or representative individual responses

Relevant quotations from the data

Don’t interpret or speculate in the results chapter.
How do I create a table of contents?: To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

Apply heading styles throughout the document.

In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group.

Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.

Select which levels of headings you would like to include in the table of contents.

Click OK.

Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.
What should be included in a dissertation table of contents?: All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents. That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.

The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list.

Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.
Where does the abstract go in a thesis or dissertation?: The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation, after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents.
How long is a dissertation abstract?: An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.
How long should the acknowledgements be?: In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.
Where do the acknowledgements go in a thesis or dissertation?: The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis, directly after the title page and before the abstract.
Do I have to thank my supervisor?: Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation.

Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.
Whom should I thank in the acknowledgements?: In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.

Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.

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