dissertation bedeutung

Dissertation

Ohne eine Dissertation ist ein Doktortitel nicht möglich! Was genau eine Dissertation ist und wie sie aufgebaut ist, erfährst du hier im Beitrag!

Was ist eine Dissertation?

Monografische und kumulative dissertation, thema und betreuer bei deiner dissertation, die erstellung eines exposés, dissertation schreiben, abschluss der dissertation, vereinbarkeit mit den lebensumständen, dissertation — häufigste fragen, dissertation zitieren.

Eine Dissertation ist eine Doktorarbeit . Sie ist ein zentraler Bestandteil des Doktorstudiums bzw. der Promotion und bildet somit die Grundlage für den Erhalt eines Doktortitels . In so einer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit sammelst du neue Erkenntnisse zu einem Thema und trägst so zur Wissenschaft bei.

Die Voraussetzungen für eine Promotion variieren je nach Universität und der jeweiligen Promotionsordnung . Generell brauchst du jedoch:

• Einen Hochschulabschluss : Master oder gleichwertiger Abschluss
• Kenntnisse im jeweiligen Fachgebiet , um eigenständig forschen zu können
• Je nach Promotionsordnung weitere Kriterien wie z. B. bestimmte Sprachkenntnisse

Hauptsächlich unterscheidest du zwei Formen der Dissertation : die monografische und kumulative Dissertation . Die Unterschiede erklären wir dir jetzt. 

Was du bei der Wahl zwischen einer monografischen oder kumulativen Dissertation beachten musst, hängt von der jeweiligen Universität und Fachbereich ab. Hier sind jedoch einige typische Merkmale :

Monografische Dissertation

• Hier verfasst du eine große Arbeit zu einem Thema
• Meistens 100-300 Seiten lang
• Vor allem bei sozialen oder geisteswissenschaftlichen Fächern

Kumulative Dissertation

• Hier schreibst du mehrere Artikel zu einem Thema, welche du dann bei Fachzeitschriften einreichst
• Ungefähr 3-7 Artikel mit je 10 bis 30 Seiten
• Meist bei technischen oder naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern

In der ersten Phase der Dissertation wählst du ein Thema aus, das bisher noch nicht erforscht wurde. Dabei muss das Thema nicht vollständig neu sein.

Wichtig ist jedoch, dass die Dissertation eine Lücke in der bestehenden Forschungsliteratur füllt. Das bedeutet, dass das Thema entweder eine neue Perspektive auf bereits vorhandene Forschung bietet oder sich mit einem unerforschten Forschungsgebiet beschäftigt.

Tipp: Wähle ein Thema, das dich wirklich interessiert und antreibt . Dadurch fällt es dir leichter, dich intensiv damit zu beschäftigen und die Herausforderungen beim Schreiben der Dissertation zu bewältigen.

Betreut wird deine Dissertation von einem Doktorvater oder einer Doktormutter , die du nach deinem  Forschungsgebiet wählst. Das kann zum Beispiel einer der Professoren aus deinem Masterstudium sein.

In einer Betreuungsvereinbarung legt ihr fest, wie die Betreuung ablaufen wird. Zum Beispiel, wie oft du Feedback zu deiner Arbeit erhalten wirst.

Bevor du deine Dissertation schreiben kannst, musst du ein Exposé abgeben. Das ist eine Art Plan oder Vorschau , die du vor dem eigentlichen Schreiben der Dissertation erstellst.

Mithilfe des Exposés stellst du möglichen Betreuenden oder Geldgebern dein Thema vor. Anschließend entscheiden sie, ob sie dich unterstützen möchten und ob dein Forschungsvorhaben für ihre Interessen und Ziele passend ist.

Ein Exposé enthält unter anderem:

• Forschungsthema
• Forschungsfrage
• Zielsetzung : Welche Erkenntnisse möchtest du gewinnen?
• Forschungsdesign : Mit welchen Methoden untersuchst du die Forschungsfrage? Z. B. mit Interviews, Umfragen oder Experimenten
• Relevante Theorien

Wenn alle Vorbereitungen getroffen sind, kannst du nun mit dem eigentlichen Schreiben der Dissertation beginnen.

Für die Seitenzahl der Dissertation gibt es keine festen Regeln . Oftmals wird ein Richtwert von etwa 100 bis 300 Seiten empfohlen. Die Empfehlung variiert je nach Fachbereich , Forschungsfrage und der jeweiligen Universität .

In den Geisteswissenschaften umfasst sie typischerweise 200 bis 400 Seiten , während sie in den Naturwissenschaften oft etwa 50 bis 150 Seiten beträgt.

Übrigens: Eine hohe Seitenzahl bedeutet nicht automatisch, dass die Arbeit gut ist. Entscheidend ist die Qualität und Nachvollziehbarkeit deiner Argumentation. 

Nachdem du deine Dissertation fertig geschrieben hast, lässt du sie von einem Experten nach möglichen Fehlern überprüfen. Das kann dann zum Beispiel dein Doktorvater sein, aber auch andere Professoren oder akademische Betreuer an der Hochschule. 

Sie untersuchen deine Arbeit dann beispielsweise nach Plagiaten . Also ob du versehentlich Teile deiner Arbeit von anderen übernommen hast, ohne dass du sie korrekt zitiert hast.

Nun kannst du deine ausgedruckte Dissertation einreichen . In der Regel bewerten dann dein Doktorvater und ein weiterer Gutachter deine Arbeit. 

Im nächsten Schritt präsentierst du deine Dissertation vor einer Prüfungskommission . In einer Art mündlichen Prüfung hältst du einen Vortrag über deine Arbeit und beantwortest Fragen der Prüfer . Der Vorgang wird auch als Disputation bezeichnet. Im Anschluss bekommst du eine Bewertung über deine Doktorarbeit.

Zuletzt musst du deine Doktorarbeit bei einem Verlag einreichen . Das ist wichtig, um anschließend den Doktortitel erhalten zu können.

Vor der Promotion solltest du dir Gedanken darüber machen, wie du die Arbeit mit deinem Leben vereinbaren kannst:

• Finanzierung — Arbeiten neben der Promotion kann eine große Herausforderung sein. Überlege dir, wie du dich in der Zeit finanzieren willst und ob Stipendien oder Forschungsdarlehen eine Option für dich sind.  
• Beziehungen zu Freunden und Familie — Die Dissertation beansprucht viel Zeit. Bedenke, wie du währenddessen deine Beziehungen zu Freunden und Familie organisieren kannst.  
• Freizeitgestaltung — Das Gleiche gilt auch für deine Freizeit. Plane Aktivitäten ein, um dich zu entspannen und Stress abzubauen .  
• Arbeitsplatz — Mache dir Gedanken darüber, wo du deine Dissertation schreiben wirst. Coworking-Spaces wie Bibliotheken helfen dir, dich auf deine Arbeit zu konzentrieren und Arbeitszeit und Freizeit klar zu trennen .
• Was bedeutet Dissertation? Eine Dissertation oder Doktorarbeit ist eine wissenschaftliche Arbeit, in der neue Erkenntnisse zu einem Thema gesammelt werden. Sie ist wichtig für das Doktoratsstudium und ermöglicht den Erwerb des Doktortitels. Ursprünglich leitet sich der Begriff Dissertation vom lateinischen Begriff „dissertatio“ ab, was „Erörterung“ bedeutet.  
• Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Dissertation und Doktorarbeit? Eine Dissertation ist eine Doktorarbeit. Das Wort Dissertation stammt vom lateinischen Wort „dissertatio“ ab, was „Erörterung“ bedeutet.   
• Wie viele Seiten hat eine Dissertation? Die Seitenzahl einer Dissertation variiert stark nach Fachgebiet. In den Geisteswissenschaften umfasst sie typischerweise 200-400 Seiten, während sie in den Naturwissenschaften oft nur etwa 50-150 Seiten beträgt. 

Perfekt! Jetzt weißt du, wie eine Dissertation abläuft. Aber darf eine Dissertation auch zitiert werden? Das zeigen wir dir im nächsten Video .

Beliebte Inhalte aus dem Bereich Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten

• Hausarbeit Thema finden Dauer: 04:07
• Deckblatt Hausarbeit Dauer: 04:22
• Gliederung Hausarbeit Dauer: 05:03

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dissertation

Definition of dissertation

Examples of dissertation in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissertation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1651, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near dissertation

dissertative

Cite this Entry

“Dissertation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissertation. Accessed 25 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of dissertation, more from merriam-webster on dissertation.

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Was ist eine Dissertation? Definition und Beispiel

Was versteht man unter einer dissertation.

Aktualisiert am 26.07.2023

Wer den höchstmöglichen akademischen Grad erreichen möchte, kommt an einer Dissertation im Rahmen eines Promotionsverfahrens nicht vorbei. Ohne diese schriftliche Forschungsarbeit ist der Doktorgrad nämlich nicht möglich!

Allgemeine Definition der Dissertation

Die Dissertation – umgangssprachlich auch Doktorarbeit genannt – ist eine wissenschaftliche Abhandlung, mit der Doktoranden nachweisen müssen, dass sie über sämtliche fachliche Kenntnisse für die selbstständige Forschung verfügen. Das Thema einer Dissertation kann theoretisch, empirisch oder angewandt erforscht werden, wobei die Vorgehensweise methodisch einwandfrei sein muss.

Am Ende sollte ein essentieller Beitrag zur Forschung oder Grundlagenforschung in der gewählten Fachdisziplin entstehen. Neben neuen Erkenntnissen zum untersuchten Gegenstand, muss eine Dissertation unter Berücksichtigung der gesamten relevanten Fachliteratur in den wissenschaftlichen Kontext eingebettet werden.

Im Gegensatz zu einer Bachelor- oder Masterarbeit (mehr dazu in dem Artikel zum Thema  Thesis ) gibt es für eine Dissertation keinen festgelegten Umfang oder zeitlichen Rahmen. Häufig haben Dissertationen einen Seitenumfang zwischen 100 und 250 Seiten – das ist aber keine Regel!

Unser Tipp:

In unserem Leitfaden zum Verfassen einer Bachelorarbeit haben wir für dich zusammengefasst, welche Vorgehensweise beim Schreiben einer Abschlussarbeit sich am meisten lohnt. Außerdem gehen wir in unserem ausführlichen Beitrag zum empirischen Forschungsprozess unmittelbar auf die Planung deiner empirischen Arbeit im Rahmen einer Bachelor- oder Masterthesis ein.

Empirische Forschung in Abschlussarbeiten Schritt für Schritt verstehen?

Bei empirioWissen haben wir alle Informationen zu den Themen "Online-Umfrage", "Empirische Forschung" und "Empirische Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten" zusammengefasst.

Tipp: In unserem Ratgeber lernst du in 9 Artikeln Schritt für Schritt, wie man eine empirische Abschlussarbeit schreibt - von der Themenfindung bis zur Dokumentation in der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit. 

> Jetzt ersten Artikel starten  

Online-Umfrage für Bachelorarbeit oder Masterarbeit kostenlos erstellen?

Mit empirio kannst du einfach, schnell und kostenlos eine eigene Online-Umfrage für die akademische Forschung erstellen. Wir bieten alle Funktionen, die du für eine wissenschaftliche Umfrage benötigst.

Besonderes Highlight: In der zusätzlichen Community kannst du passende Teilnehmer für deine Umfrage finden. 

> Mehr erfahren  

Folgende Themen könnten dich ebenfalls interessieren:

• Kapitel: Qualitative und quantitative Forschungsmethoden: Unterschiede und Beispiele
• Kapitel: Empirische Forschung in Abschlussarbeiten: Ablauf, Tipps und Beispiel
• Startseite empirioWissen: Finde das passende Kapitel für deine Frage

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Dis­ser­ta­ti­on , die

Rechtschreibung.

für die Erlangung des Doktorgrades angefertigte wissenschaftliche Arbeit; Doktorarbeit

• seine Dissertation schreiben
• sie sitzt an ihrer Dissertation

Synonyme zu Dissertation

• Doktorarbeit , Doktorschrift

lateinisch dissertatio = Erörterung

die Dissertation; Genitiv: der Dissertation, Plural: die Dissertationen

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Alles Wissenswerte zur Dissertation und Doktorarbeit

Als wissenschaftliche Arbeit ist sie die Grundlage für einen Doktoratsabschluss.

Man unterscheidet 2 Formen von Dissertation:

• Die ursprüngliche und häufigste Form ist die Monographie . Du schreibst zu einem Thema eine Arbeit.
• Bei der kumulativen Dissertation schreibst du zu einem Thema mehrere wissenschaftliche Artikel und reichst diese bei Fachzeitschriften mit Peer-Review Verfahren ein.

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Inhaltsverzeichnis

Ziele der dissertation, die dissertation als teil der promotion, betreuung durch doktorvater oder doktormutter, das exposé für die dissertation, dissertation schreiben, abschluss der dissertation, häufig gestellte fragen.

Eine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit zu schreiben, hat mehrere Ziele:

• Du forschst im Rahmen deiner Dissertation an einem Thema und erzielst dadurch neue Forschungserkenntnisse.
• Die Fertigstellung der Dissertation führt zusammen mit dem Doktoratsstudium zum höchsten akademischen Grad, dem Doktor oder der Doktorin bzw. dem PhD .
• Eine Dissertation ist wichtig, wenn du in der Wissenschaft Karriere machen möchtest.

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Unter Promotion versteht man die Verleihung des akademischen Grades eines Doktors oder einer Doktorin nach Abschluss eines Doktoratsstudiums.

Man spricht von Promotion aber auch im Zusammenhang mit dem gesamten Doktoratsstudium.

Die Inhalte des Doktoratsstudiums werden im Rahmen einer Promotionsordnung festgelegt. Diese unterscheidet sich je nach Universität und Studienrichtung.

Man unterscheidet 2 Formen von Promotion:

• Bei der Individualpromotion wählst du dein Thema und die Betreuung für die Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit selbst aus. Je nach Promotionsordnung können zusätzliche Lehrveranstaltungen oder Seminare für Doktoratsstudierende vorgeschrieben sein.
• Ein strukturiertes Promotionsprogramm folgt einem fixen Studienplan mit vorgeschriebenen Lehrveranstaltungen und Seminaren. Du wirst von einem Team eng betreut und das Thema deiner Dissertation sollte zum Programm des Promotionsstudiums passen.

Die Betreuung deiner Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit übernimmt ein Doktorvater oder eine Doktormutter , die du nach deinem Themengebiet selbst wählst.

Mit deinem Doktorvater bzw. deiner Doktormutter besprichst du die Aspekte der Betreuung, die in Form einer Betreuungsvereinbarung festgelegt werden.

Ihr einigt euch auch, wie oft dein Doktorvater Teile der Dissertation lesen und dir Feedback darauf geben wird.

Das Exposé dient als Grundlage deiner Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit und unterstützt dich zusätzlich bei der Suche nach einer Betreuung .

In manchen Studien ist ein Exposé und die Bekanntgabe des Doktorvaters notwendig, um mit dem Doktoratsstudium beginnen zu können.

Ein Exposé für die Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit beinhaltet:

• Eine vorläufige Gliederung
• Die Ziele der Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit
• Eventuelle Vorarbeiten
• Erste theoretische Grundlagen
• Das Forschungsdesign
• Einen Zeit- und Arbeitsplan (vor allem wichtig für eine eventuelle Finanzierung der Dissertation)

Dein Exposé ist fertig, die Betreuung vereinbart und du hast offiziell das Doktoratsstudium begonnen: Jetzt ist es Zeit, die Dissertation zu schreiben.

Je nach Studienfach kann eine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit einen Umfang von 50 bis 400 Seiten haben. Da die Dissertation zu neuen Forschungserkenntnissen führen sollte, musst du im Rahmen deines Themas selbst Forschungen durchführen.

Bei der Dissertation solltest du stets den Überblick behalten. Es ist daher wichtig, sich am Zeitplan und an der Struktur der Dissertation zu orientieren.

Sind alle Teile der Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit geschrieben und vom Doktorvater gelesen, kommst du in die letzte Phase: die Abschlussphase der Dissertation.

Hier geht es darum, die Dissertation ein letztes Mal zu überarbeiten, sie lektorieren zu lassen und auf mögliche Plagiate zu prüfen .

Nach der Einreichung, der Disputation und der Veröffentlichung der Dissertation hast du das Doktoratsstudium abgeschlossen und wirst dafür mit dem Doktortitel belohnt.

• Dissertation einreichen

Je nach den Vorgaben des Instituts druckst du deine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit mehrfach aus und reichst diese bei deinem Lehrstuhl ein.

Daraufhin wird sie meistens von deinem Doktorvater und einem zweiten Gutachter bewertet.

Die Disputation der Dissertation

Während einer Disputation , vergleichbar mit der Verteidigung vorheriger Abschlussarbeiten , besprichst du deine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit vor einer Prüfungskommission, die aus den Gutachtern deiner Dissertation besteht.

In den meisten Fällen hältst du zuerst einen Vortrag über deine Dissertation und wirst im Anschluss darüber befragt.

Je nach Promotionsordnung deiner Studienrichtung musst du während der Disputation mit einer zusätzlichen Prüfung über das gesamte Studiengebiet oder Teile davon rechnen.

Nach der Disputation besprechen die Gutachter deine Note , die du meistens direkt danach erfährst.

Dissertation veröffentlichen

Es ist notwendig, die Dissertation zu veröffentlichen , um den Doktortitel zu erhalten.

Der Umfang einer Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit hängt stark von dem Fach ab, in dem du diese schreibst.

In geisteswissenschaftlichen Fächern liegt die Seitenanzahl bei 200–400 Seiten, während in naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern häufig nur ca. 50–150 Seiten geschrieben werden. Naturwissenschaftliche Dissertationen sind dafür häufig mit mehr Forschungsaufwand verbunden.

Du solltest verschiedene Schritte befolgen, um deine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit zu schreiben. 

• Exposé verfassen
• Doktorvater oder Doktormutter finden 
• Schreibprozess durchführen 
• Überarbeitungsphase inkl. Lektorat 

Nachdem du deine Dissertation eingereicht hast, folgt die Disputation, d. h. die Verteidigung deiner Dissertation. Um deinen Doktortitel zu erhalten, ist es außerdem notwendig, deine Dissertation zu veröffentlichen. 

Das Exposé dient als Grundlage deiner Dissertation oder Doktorarbeit . Es hilft dir, den Themenbereich deiner Doktorarbeit einzugrenzen.

Folgende Elemente beinhaltet ein Exposé:

• Einen Zeit- und Arbeitsplan

Eine Dissertation bzw. Doktorarbeit ist ein Teil deiner Promotion. Das Schreiben einer Dissertation ist zwingend erforderlich, wenn du promovieren möchtest. Unter Promotion versteht man die Verleihung des akademischen Grades des Doktors bzw. der Doktorin.

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• Der Weg zum Doktor führt über die Promotion
• Das Exposé für die Dissertation mit Beispielen
• Doktorvater und Doktormutter deiner Dissertation

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• Alle Definitionen rund um die Dissertation einfach erklärt
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• Die Dissertation veröffentlichen: So geht’s
• Die kumulative Dissertation - Aufbau & Beispiel
• Open Access zur kostenlosen Bereitstellung wissenschaftlicher Literatur
• Tipps zu Herausforderungen beim Schreiben der Dissertation
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• Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | 5 Essential Questions to Get Started

Published on 26 March 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 5 May 2022.

A dissertation is a large research project undertaken at the end of a degree. It involves in-depth consideration of a problem or question chosen by the student. It is usually the largest (and final) piece of written work produced during a degree.

The length and structure of a dissertation vary widely depending on the level and field of study. However, there are some key questions that can help you understand the requirements and get started on your dissertation project.

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Table of contents

When and why do you have to write a dissertation, who will supervise your dissertation, what type of research will you do, how should your dissertation be structured, what formatting and referencing rules do you have to follow, frequently asked questions about dissertations.

A dissertation, sometimes called a thesis, comes at the end of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. It is a larger project than the other essays you’ve written, requiring a higher word count and a greater depth of research.

You’ll generally work on your dissertation during the final year of your degree, over a longer period than you would take for a standard essay . For example, the dissertation might be your main focus for the last six months of your degree.

Why is the dissertation important?

The dissertation is a test of your capacity for independent research. You are given a lot of autonomy in writing your dissertation: you come up with your own ideas, conduct your own research, and write and structure the text by yourself.

This means that it is an important preparation for your future, whether you continue in academia or not: it teaches you to manage your own time, generate original ideas, and work independently.

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During the planning and writing of your dissertation, you’ll work with a supervisor from your department. The supervisor’s job is to give you feedback and advice throughout the process.

The dissertation supervisor is often assigned by the department, but you might be allowed to indicate preferences or approach potential supervisors. If so, try to pick someone who is familiar with your chosen topic, whom you get along with on a personal level, and whose feedback you’ve found useful in the past.

How will your supervisor help you?

Your supervisor is there to guide you through the dissertation project, but you’re still working independently. They can give feedback on your ideas, but not come up with ideas for you.

You may need to take the initiative to request an initial meeting with your supervisor. Then you can plan out your future meetings and set reasonable deadlines for things like completion of data collection, a structure outline, a first chapter, a first draft, and so on.

Make sure to prepare in advance for your meetings. Formulate your ideas as fully as you can, and determine where exactly you’re having difficulties so you can ask your supervisor for specific advice.

Your approach to your dissertation will vary depending on your field of study. The first thing to consider is whether you will do empirical research , which involves collecting original data, or non-empirical research , which involves analysing sources.

Empirical dissertations (sciences)

An empirical dissertation focuses on collecting and analysing original data. You’ll usually write this type of dissertation if you are studying a subject in the sciences or social sciences.

• What are airline workers’ attitudes towards the challenges posed for their industry by climate change?
• How effective is cognitive behavioural therapy in treating depression in young adults?
• What are the short-term health effects of switching from smoking cigarettes to e-cigarettes?

There are many different empirical research methods you can use to answer these questions – for example, experiments , observations, surveys , and interviews.

When doing empirical research, you need to consider things like the variables you will investigate, the reliability and validity of your measurements, and your sampling method . The aim is to produce robust, reproducible scientific knowledge.

Non-empirical dissertations (arts and humanities)

A non-empirical dissertation works with existing research or other texts, presenting original analysis, critique and argumentation, but no original data. This approach is typical of arts and humanities subjects.

• What attitudes did commentators in the British press take towards the French Revolution in 1789–1792?
• How do the themes of gender and inheritance intersect in Shakespeare’s Macbeth ?
• How did Plato’s Republic and Thomas More’s Utopia influence nineteenth century utopian socialist thought?

The first steps in this type of dissertation are to decide on your topic and begin collecting your primary and secondary sources .

Primary sources are the direct objects of your research. They give you first-hand evidence about your subject. Examples of primary sources include novels, artworks and historical documents.

Secondary sources provide information that informs your analysis. They describe, interpret, or evaluate information from primary sources. For example, you might consider previous analyses of the novel or author you are working on, or theoretical texts that you plan to apply to your primary sources.

Dissertations are divided into chapters and sections. Empirical dissertations usually follow a standard structure, while non-empirical dissertations are more flexible.

Structure of an empirical dissertation

Empirical dissertations generally include these chapters:

• Introduction : An explanation of your topic and the research question(s) you want to answer.
• Literature review : A survey and evaluation of previous research on your topic.
• Methodology : An explanation of how you collected and analysed your data.
• Results : A brief description of what you found.
• Discussion : Interpretation of what these results reveal.
• Conclusion : Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your findings contribute to knowledge in your field.

Sometimes the order or naming of chapters might be slightly different, but all of the above information must be included in order to produce thorough, valid scientific research.

Other dissertation structures

If your dissertation doesn’t involve data collection, your structure is more flexible. You can think of it like an extended essay – the text should be logically organised in a way that serves your argument:

• Introduction: An explanation of your topic and the question(s) you want to answer.
• Main body: The development of your analysis, usually divided into 2–4 chapters.
• Conclusion: Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your analysis contributes to knowledge in your field.

The chapters of the main body can be organised around different themes, time periods, or texts. Below you can see some example structures for dissertations in different subjects.

• Political philosophy

This example, on the topic of the British press’s coverage of the French Revolution, shows how you might structure each chapter around a specific theme.

This example, on the topic of Plato’s and More’s influences on utopian socialist thought, shows a different approach to dividing the chapters by theme.

This example, a master’s dissertation on the topic of how writers respond to persecution, shows how you can also use section headings within each chapter. Each of the three chapters deals with a specific text, while the sections are organised thematically.

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Like other academic texts, it’s important that your dissertation follows the formatting guidelines set out by your university. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

Formatting guidelines concern things like:

• line spacing
• page numbers
• punctuation
• title pages
• presentation of tables and figures

If you’re unsure about the formatting requirements, check with your supervisor or department. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

How will you reference your sources?

Referencing means properly listing the sources you cite and refer to in your dissertation, so that the reader can find them. This avoids plagiarism by acknowledging where you’ve used the work of others.

Keep track of everything you read as you prepare your dissertation. The key information to note down for a reference is:

• The publication date
• Page numbers for the parts you refer to (especially when using direct quotes)

Different referencing styles each have their own specific rules for how to reference. The most commonly used styles in UK universities are listed below.

You can use the free APA Reference Generator to automatically create and store your references.

APA Reference Generator

The words ‘ dissertation ’ and ‘thesis’ both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country:

• In the UK, you write a dissertation at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a thesis to complete a PhD.
• In the US, it’s the other way around: you may write a thesis at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a dissertation to complete a PhD.

The main difference is in terms of scale – a dissertation is usually much longer than the other essays you complete during your degree.

Another key difference is that you are given much more independence when working on a dissertation. You choose your own dissertation topic , and you have to conduct the research and write the dissertation yourself (with some assistance from your supervisor).

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.

At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the dissertation is usually the main focus of your final year. You might work on it (alongside other classes) for the entirety of the final year, or for the last six months. This includes formulating an idea, doing the research, and writing up.

A PhD thesis takes a longer time, as the thesis is the main focus of the degree. A PhD thesis might be being formulated and worked on for the whole four years of the degree program. The writing process alone can take around 18 months.

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dissertation

[ dis-er- tey -sh uh n ]

• a written essay, treatise, or thesis, especially one written by a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
• any formal discourse in speech or writing.

/ ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃən /

• a written thesis, often based on original research, usually required for a higher degree
• a formal discourse

Discover More

Derived forms.

• ˌdisserˈtational , adjective
• ˌdisserˈtationist , noun

Other Words From

• disser·tation·al adjective
• disser·tation·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dissertation 1

Example Sentences

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My PhD dissertation was a highly theoretical model representing computer systems that were framed as a mathematical model, and if they were interconnected in such a way that these interconnected computers would communicate like cells in the body.

A terrific cultural studies dissertation awaits on how the fortunes of the Cheneys provide a mirror on a changing America.

Today, he visits online forums and bombards them with dissertation-length comments.

In her dissertation, McFate had asked whether ‘good anthropology’ might lead to ‘better killing.’

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No single dissertation will alter the status quo on its own.

I've never had time to write home about it, for I felt that it required a dissertation in itself to do it justice.

Dr. Pitcairn, published at Leyden his dissertation on the circulation of the blood through the veins.

Start not, reader, I am not going to trouble you with a poetical dissertation; no, no!

Dissertation sur les Assassins, Académie des Inscriptions, tom.

This dissertation, which is illustrated by several plates, will repay for the time spent in reading it.

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What is a Dissertation? Everything You Need to Know 

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Your dissertation, the final piece of the puzzle that stands between you and the completion of your doctoral degree . Okay, so that’s not the actual definition of the word “dissertation,” but when you’re writing one, that can feel true at times! Keep reading to learn the academic definition and take a more in depth look at what a dissertation is and how to navigate writing one. So, let’s go!  

Related : Top fully funded PhD programs

Dissertation vs. thesis  

While dissertation and thesis are sometimes used interchangeably, they actually refer to two different pieces of writing. A thesis is traditionally completed at the end of a masters program . It is based on pre-existing research and showcases your ability to understand the information you have been learning about in your program.   

A dissertation is much longer than a thesis and is completed at the end of a PhD or doctorate program . It is the last thing you need to complete in order to earn your doctorate in your chosen field. It will be about a topic of your choosing that is within your field of study. Instead of using all pre-existing information though, you will conduct a portion of your own research and propose new ideas.

See also : Top scholarships for graduate students   

What do you write about when completing a dissertation?

What you write about will depend on what field of study you are in. A dissertation is designed to be your own. Meaning that what you write about should be a new idea, a new topic, or question that is still unanswered in your field. Something that you will need to collect new data on, potentially interview people for and explore what information is already available.  

Generally, an idea will need to be approved or at least discussed with whoever is overseeing your dissertation before you begin writing. It’s important to put time and effort into choosing a topic that you will be able to find either existing research for and add to, or a topic that you will be able to establish your own methods of data collection for. Again, the goal of your dissertation is to add to your field.   

How long does a dissertation need to be?  

Your dissertation length will vary, but you can generally count on it to be around 2-3 times the length of your thesis. A standard thesis is roughly 80 to 100 pages. So, on the short end you’re looking at a 200 pages dissertation, while the longer end can reach as high as 400 pages.  

How long does it take to write?  

The page count for a dissertation is enough to scare even the best writers away, but take a breath and rest easy knowing that this is not something you complete in just one semester or even two. On the short end you will have a year to write your dissertation, while the longer end can offer as much as two years to complete your dissertation. During this time, you will work with an advisor who can watch over you and help you along the way.  

The parts of a dissertation   

A dissertation is not just one long paper you must write. Thankfully, it is broken down into manageable pieces that you complete over time.  

Choosing a topic  

The first thing you will do is come up with your topic. Again, your topic will need to be approved by whoever is overseeing your dissertation. If they think that it may not be a strong topic, they will let you know. Even if a topic is approved though, you’ll need to do research around that topic first to make sure that it has not already been covered, or if it has that you take into consideration what has been done and add to the topic in a new way.  

Research  

Research can mean looking at what already exists, as well as conducting your own research to add to a proposed idea of yours. Your research can take many different forms depending on what field you are in. Research can be costly at times, so be sure to check out what funding opportunities are available for doctoral research. There are even post PhD research grants you should be familiar with if you intend to continue researching.  

Chapter break down  

A dissertation generally consists of five chapters. We’ve written them out below with a brief description of each and what they include.   

Introduction – Just as you would expect, this is where you will introduce your topic and what you plan to discuss  

Literature review – This section will address the research you have found that has already been done, or found has not been done, that pertains to your topic  

Methodology – How you go about collecting information for your dissertation, whether it be conducting your own research or delving deep into what has already been done, will be discussed in the methodology section 

Results – Your results will analyze the information you gathered  in regard to your topic 

Discussion – Finally, your discussion section will assess the meaning of your results and it is also where you will add your own ideas, rooted in research, about what those results mean in a broader context in regard to your field 

There will be more parts of your dissertation that are not included in the chapters, but the bulk of your dissertation will be made up by these five chapters. Things like title pages, references, appendices, and table of contents will also be included.  

Defending your dissertation  

Believe it or not, it’s not enough just to write your dissertation–you also have to defend your dissertation. This is another reason why taking a thorough amount of time to choose your topic is so important. You’ll likely need to propose your initial dissertation idea, but that will be much simpler and shorter. Your final defense will be much lengthier and in depth.  

During your defense, you will present your dissertation to a committee. It’s likely that you’ll be at least somewhat familiar with those on the committee; they are not just randomly picked. They will ask you questions about your research, and you will need to respond to each question. A defense generally takes around two hours. The point of a defense is not to have people try to undermine your work, but for you to exemplify your expertise in your field.  

Failing your dissertation  

Nobody wants to think about failing, but unfortunately, you can fail your dissertation. However, let’s talk about a few things before we just leave it at that. First, if you are afraid of failing your dissertation, this is something that you should speak to your advisor about. They can help you determine if there should be legitimate concerns or if you are getting in your own head.  

Second, even if you do fail your dissertation, you are usually allowed to resubmit one time. This of course is not ideal, but it does give you a little room to breathe. Your goal is to do great from the start, but remember this is not an easy task. You’ll likely have plenty of bumps along the way! 

Again, if you have concerns about failing, address them sooner rather than later and seek help. There are bound to be plenty of people and services around you, as well as additional services that you can pay for which will help review your materials and guide you along.

Key Takeaways

• Dissertations are completed as the last step of your PhD or doctorate degree 
• Your dissertation will be related to a topic or question in your field of study that you choose 
• Dissertations take anywhere from one to two years to complete and can be upwards of three hundred pages long 
• Your dissertation is designed to showcase your expertise in your field and your addition of new ideas to the field about a particular question or area 

Frequently asked questions about dissertations  

Do all doctorates require a dissertation, how difficult is a dissertation, who reads your dissertation, scholarships360 recommended.

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How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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Definition of dissertation noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• dissertation
• He wrote his Master's dissertation on rats.
• Students can either do a dissertation or take part in a practical project.
• hall of residence
• Candidates are required to present a dissertation of between 8 000 and 12 000 words.
• She is writing her dissertation on the history of the Knights Templar.
• dissertation on

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Meaning of dissertation in English

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• boilerplate
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• essay question
• peer review

dissertation | Intermediate English

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Dissertation vs Thesis: The Differences that Matter

Updated: January 24, 2023

Published: April 26, 2020

As a graduate student, you will have many different types of challenging coursework and assignments. However, the biggest project that you’ll work on when earning your master’s or doctoral degree will be your thesis or dissertation . The differences between a dissertation vs thesis are plenty. That’s because each of these pieces of writing happen at different times in one’s educational journey.

Let’s break down what a dissertation and thesis are so that you have a strong handle on what’s expected. For both a thesis and a dissertation, there is an obvious fluency and understanding of the subject one studies.

Let’s take a look at their similarities and differences.

Photo by  Glenn Carstens-Peters  on  Unsplash

What is a dissertation.

When you enter a doctoral program to earn a PhD, you will learn a lot about how to conduct your own research. At the culmination of your degree program, you’ll produce a dissertation.

A dissertation is a lengthy piece of written work that includes original research or expanded research on a new or existing topic. As the doctoral student, you get to choose what you want to explore and write about within your field of study.

What is a Thesis?

A thesis is also a scholarly piece of writing, but it is for those who are graduating from a master’s program. A thesis allows students to showcase their knowledge and expertise within the subject matter they have been studying.

Main Differences Between a Thesis vs. Dissertation

The biggest difference between a thesis and a dissertation is that a thesis is based on existing research.

On the other hand, a dissertation will more than likely require the doctoral student to conduct their own research and then perform analysis. The other big difference is that a thesis is for master’s students and the dissertation is for PhD students.

Structural Differences Between a Thesis and a Dissertation

Structurally, the two pieces of written analysis have many differences.

• A thesis is at least 100 pages in length
• A dissertation is 2-3x that in length
• A thesis expands upon and analyzes existing research
• A dissertation’s content is mostly attributed to the student as the author

Research Content and Oral Presentation

Once completed, some programs require students to orally present their thesis and dissertation to a panel of faculty members.

Typically, a dissertation oral presentation can take several hours. On the other hand, a thesis only takes about an hour to present and answer questions.

Let’s look at how the two scholarly works are similar and different:

Similarities:

• Each is considered a final project and required to graduate
• Both require immense understanding of the material
• Written skills are key to complete both
• Neither can be plagiarized
• Both are used to defend an argument
• Both require analytical skills
• You will have to draft, rewrite, and edit both pieces of writing
• For both, it is useful to have another person look over before submission
• Both papers are given deadlines

Differences:

• A dissertation is longer than a thesis
• A dissertation requires new research
• A dissertation requires a hypothesis that is then proven
• A thesis chooses a stance on an existing idea and defends it with analysis
• A dissertation has a longer oral presentation component

The Differences in Context: Location Matters

The united states.

In the US, everything that was previously listed is how schools differentiate between a thesis and a dissertation. A thesis is performed by master’s students, and a dissertation is written by PhD candidates.

In Europe, the distinction between a thesis and dissertation becomes a little more cloudy. That’s because PhD programs may require a doctoral thesis to graduate. Then, as a part of a broader post-graduate research project, students may complete a dissertation.

Photo by  Russ Ward  on  Unsplash

The purpose behind written research.

Each piece of writing is an opportunity for a student to demonstrate his or her ability to think critically, express their opinions in writing, and present their findings in front of their department.

Graduate degrees take a lot of time, energy, and hard work to complete. When it comes to writing such lengthy and informative pieces, there is a lot of time management that is involved. The purpose of both a thesis and a dissertation are written proof that you understand and have mastered the subject matter of your degree.

Degree Types

A doctoral degree, or PhD, is the highest degree that one can earn. In most cases, students follow the following path to achieve this level of education: Earn a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s, and then a PhD. While not every job title requires this deep educational knowledge, the salaries that come along with each level of higher education increase accordingly.

Earning Your Degree

Whether you are currently a prospective student considering earning your higher education degree or a student enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program, you know the benefits of education.

However, for some, earning a traditional degree on-campus doesn’t make sense. This could be because of the financial challenges, familial obligations, accessibility, or any other number of reasons.

For students who are seeking their higher education degrees but need a flexible, affordable, and quality alternative to traditional college, take a look at the programs that the University of the People has to offer.

University of the People is an entirely online, US accredited and tuition-free institution dedicated to higher education. You can earn your Master’s in Business Administration or your Master’s in Education . Not to mention, there are a handful of associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs to choose from as well.

If you want to learn more, get in touch with us !

The Bottom Line

Regardless of where and when you earn your master’s or doctoral degree, you will likely have to complete a thesis or dissertation. The main difference between a thesis and dissertation is the level at which you complete them. A thesis is for a master’s degree, and a dissertation is for a doctoral degree.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the prospect of having to research and write so much. Your educational journey has prepared you with the right time management skills and writing skills to make this feat achievable!

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