How to Structure a Bachelor’s or Master’s Thesis
Earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree typically requires you to complete writing a thesis. A thesis is a scholarly document that tests a graduate student’s knowledge and understanding of a specific topic in their field of study. It is a crucial accomplishment, one that sets the foundation for your future especially if you choose to be a scientific researcher.
This blog explains the general structure of a thesis and how students should prepare themselves to successfully write a bachelor’s or master’s thesis.
Difference between a Bachelor’s and Master’s Thesis
How to Write a Thesis: Final Tips for Students
Difference between a Bachelor’s and Master’s Thesis
Before we close, let us understand the difference between a bachelor’s and master’s thesis.
- A bachelor’s thesis is meant to test your knowledge of a topic without diving too deep into the analysis. Most universities expect a bachelor’s student to apply existing knowledge to a research question or a well-defined research problem, covering a broad scope of study. Typically, a bachelor’s thesis could range from 40 to 60 pages, and students are assessed based on their research capability and critical thinking.
- A master’s thesis is considerably more rigorous. Here, in addition to demonstrating your critical thinking skills and understanding of the research topic, you need to perform advanced research in your chosen field of study. The expectation is that your master’s thesis should contribute new insights into the existing field of knowledge after identifying the research gaps and critiquing current methods. The length of a master’s thesis could go up to 100 pages depending on the field, complexity of the topic, and university guidelines.
There is also a PhD thesis or a dissertation—the naming convention varies in Europe and the US1—which further tests a student’s knowledge and preparedness for a career in academic research. Regardless of the level of degree, note that the university’s guidelines and requirements take priority when you write a thesis.
Structure of a Thesis
A thesis has several parts, and here are the key elements that a thesis typically contains: Title page, Acknowledgements, Summary/Abstract, Table of Contents, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion/Conclusions, Reference list, and Appendix.
Title page
The first page of a thesis is the title page. It generally includes the following information:
- The university logo or letterhead
- The title of the thesis
- Name of the author
- Name of the supervisor or advisor
- Date of submission
Some universities may require you to include a sub-title or a running title, which is a shorter version of the main title of the thesis.
Acknowledgements (optional)
This section is not mandatory but can be included if you wish to acknowledge any support you received during the preparation of your thesis. For instance, if the data for your research was obtained from an agency, you can thank them under this section. Some students also like to thank their family and/or friends for offering support through the duration of working on their thesis. You may even acknowledge the support provided by your advisor and thank them for their guidance.
Summary/Abstract
Next comes the thesis abstract. This section gives a snapshot of the topic of your thesis, covering the essential aspects of the research problem, the methods used for the analysis, key findings, and the main conclusions. The summary can be about 300 words in length, written in a slightly informal language that can be easily grasped by the thesis evaluation committee in a single read. Although the evaluators are often experts in the field, avoid using excessive technical jargon.
Table of Contents
Before beginning the main part of the thesis, include a table of contents (TOC) page to help readers navigate the document easily. List the names of the chapters and sub-chapters along with their corresponding starting page numbers. Also include a list of figures and tables with page numbers.
Tip: The page numbers are likely to update as you write your thesis. Be sure to check the final TOC page for accurate indication of page numbers.
Introduction
The first chapter is the Introduction to your topic of study. The purpose is to set background context to your readers regarding the choice of topic and why it is significant, preferably backed by evidence. How do you structure the Introduction? Well, think of an inverted funnel. Start broad with a general context setting and narrow down the scope to pinpoint the main topic.
This section can be divided into sub-chapters like
1.1 Setting the background context
1.2 Describing the research question and its significance
1.3 High level explanation of the key findings and your contributions to existing knowledge based on their interpretation
You can also include a sentence outlining the structure of the thesis to indicate what is covered in each chapter.
Literature Review
This chapter presents a detailed review of existing works that have explored the topic previously. Utilize this section to not just mention the studies but also to highlight what you have understood from them. You may highlight the methods and approaches used, the findings reported, and critique the literature to then indicate logically what your choice of methodology is to address the research problem.
Methods
This chapter can be titled in different ways (e.g., Materials and Methods or Methodologies). However, the contents remain the same—focusing on explaining how your research was conducted. Write in detail the steps taken to prove your research hypothesis. The aim is to provide as much information as possible so that your study can be replicated if needed.
Divide this chapter into relevant sub-chapters.
3.1 What equipment were used (include the make and model of instruments)
3.2 Details of sample populations (if relevant)
3.3 How the methods/approaches were implemented
These are only a few examples; depending on the type of study (qualitative or quantitative) you may have to include more details.
Results
The Results section is a key chapter in a thesis. After informing the readers of why and how the research was conducted, educate them about the “what.” What did you discover through your analysis and how do the finings validate your hypothesis? This chapter primarily focuses on presenting the data objectively. So, include tables, figures, graphs, and other relevant illustrations that best convey your data.
Tip: Do not interpret or explain your findings here. That belongs in the next chapter!
Discussion/Conclusions
The Discussion section, sometimes combined with the Conclusions section, should end your thesis by highlighting what your findings imply. You have the data in place, but what exactly do they mean? Decode the findings and relate them to the hypothesis such that the explanation links back to the research question mentioned in the Introduction section.
Be prepared to acknowledge the study limitations, if any. Clarifying what your research was NOT able to achieve lets the readers know that you are aware of what requires further analysis, thereby helping you set the foundation for potential future lines of investigation.
Reference List
Finally, list the references that are cited in your thesis. Be sure to include only those references and not the ones that were referred during the work but not cited in the main sections. Using reference management software or tools like R Discovery can help curate an accurate reference list.
Appendix (optional)
Any additional information that may be of value but was not suitable to be included in the main part of the thesis can be provided as an appendix (or appendices). Some advisors may have the opinion that anything that is not deemed important to be included in the body of the thesis does not deserve to be shared. Others could consider such data useful, as providing extensive tables, graphical representations, or mathematical proofs could help interested readers understand your research topic better.
Take note of your university’s guidelines and advisor’s opinions before deciding to attach your thesis with appendices.
How to Write a Thesis: Final Tips for Students
1. Organize well. Set a predetermined schedule to work on your thesis. Juggling between your classes, course work, lab work, researching for your thesis, and writing your thesis can be exhausting if not planned well. Figure out what works best for you in your schedule so that you do not feel overwhelmed by the tasks.
2. Start writing early. Writing a thesis could take several weeks or months! Work steadily in regular intervals instead of overdoing it in one go. For instance, spend 1 to 2 hours writing your thesis every day rather than writing straight for 8 hours on a single day in a week.
3. Be prepared for obstacles. Considering that thesis writing happens over an extended period, you are bound to hit snags in the process. Feeling stuck? Try simplifying your research problem or framing the hypothesis differently. Consider using alternative approaches to address the problem. Meet your advisor regularly and do implement any useful guidance shared by them.
4. Stay motivated. Most students remain enthusiastic in the beginning of thesis writing and it slowly wanes over time. This is normal. But it is important that you find the motivation to keep going. For instance, you can choose to spend one hour at the library (or any quite place) every day to get some focused writing done. Taking a break from thesis writing for a while is alright. Focus on completing some other tasks and get back to writing when you feel ready. However, avoid procrastinating it indefinitely! Seek guidance not just from your advisors but even student counsellors if you find that helpful.
Some professional assistance could also go a long way. Check out Editage’s Thesis Editing Services and let experts refine your work!
Reference
1. Dissertation vs thesis: Know the difference https://www.editage.us/blog/dissertation-vs-thesis-know-the-difference/
