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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 31 May. 2024.

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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

Thirteen years ago, while working on her PHD dissertation in Madagascar’s Masoala Peninsula, Borgerson encountered a problem.

At Harvard, he received a PhD in government and wrote his dissertation under Henry Kissinger, who became a lifelong friend.

I planned to go back to physics after a couple of years and then return to wrap up my dissertation.

My buba’s lived experience helped shape me into the girl who wrote her college dissertation on the gender pay gap, arguing for equal parental leave for dads and moms, almost 20 years before any major employer implemented any such thing.

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.’

Heritage has distanced itself from Richwine and his dissertation.

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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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

Want to learn more?

Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

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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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Definition of 'dissertation'

• dissertation

dissertation in British English

Dissertation in american english, examples of 'dissertation' in a sentence dissertation, cobuild collocations dissertation, trends of dissertation.

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In other languages dissertation

• American English : dissertation / dɪsərˈteɪʃən /
• Brazilian Portuguese : dissertação
• Chinese : 论文 学位
• European Spanish : tesina
• French : mémoire
• German : Dissertation
• Italian : tesi
• Japanese : 学位論文
• Korean : 논문 학위
• European Portuguese : dissertação
• Latin American Spanish : tesina

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Definition of terms for every dissertation.

If you don’t know it already, you will very soon–the Definition of Terms section in the introductory chapter of your dissertation, that is. As your chair, peers, or friendly dissertation consultants have probably shared with you, this section serves to introduce your readers to key terminology that you’ll use throughout your dissertation or thesis writing in discussing your study’s specific contribution to your academic discipline.

You’ve also probably come across a few Definition of Terms sections in your own research (and especially in preparing for the literature review ) and found that they can include everything from specific populations, to key variables (for studies undertaking statistical analysis) or concepts (for qualitative research and analysis), to specific legislation or medical procedures–and beyond.

The best way to think about what to include in your study’s Definition of Terms section is by thinking of it almost as a short glossary or checklist of what your readers absolutely need to know to orient themselves to the specific ideas and language of your topic and field of research. By way of illustration, and since examples in context are often the best form of dissertation assistance, we thought we’d offer up our own Definition of Terms–basically, a short (or not-so-short) list of the main terms and concepts our dissertation consulting clients encounter, and often for the first time, during the research process.

For this and many other terms on the list, alignment has a specific meaning within the context of academic research and, especially, dissertation and thesis writing . However! Alignment, in its perhaps most common real-word usage–wheel alignment for automobiles–actually serves as a helpful analogy here. When your wheel alignment is off, your car might pull off to one side, shake, and often your steering wheel won’t actually correspond to how straight your car drives on the road. To fix wheel alignment, you don’t adjust the wheels themselves, but rather the suspension, the system that connects the wheels to the car.

Similarly, with dissertation research, alignment refers to how well you’ve clearly connected the foundational elements of your study. Does your purpose statement, in fact, address the specific issue identified in your problem statement–or does it pull away from the problem to focus on something perhaps only tangentially related? Does your methodology correspond to the problem as you’ve described it? If you’re planning on a quantitative study with statistical analysis , for example, do your variables tie back to the problem and purpose, as well?

The vast majority of doctoral candidates who reach out to us for dissertation consulting often need support with exactly this issue in their studies, and we’ve found that if you think about the dissertation as a system that needs to properly connect all of its key parts, then it often becomes easier to look at the foundations of your study with a fresh perspective.

Research problem

If there’s a word you’re likely to get sick of hearing first from your chair, committee, and yes, even your dissertation coach, we’re betting that word is problem, in all its variations–research problem, problem statement, general and/or local problem, business problem… You get the idea. That being said, as with the rest of the terms on this list, while problem gets used and abused during the dissertation process, it’s because it’s a very important (you might say the most important) element of your overall study.

The research problem is the specific issue in your field that you plan to explore or examine in your dissertation or thesis writing. It’s a “problem” in the sense that you’ve identified an unanswered question (or series of questions!) and other scholars have pointed out that the lack of research on this topic needs to be addressed.

As this might indicate, you can’t figure out your research problem, of course, until you determine the gap in the research that your study will address! So while you might find, first, that there’s a gap in the research on successful strategies for food delivery apps, you might then decide to further focus this gap to look at specific strategies or barriers for success for areas with more urban or suburban sprawl (after confirming this is part of the existing gap). Finding that initial gap is key–so that you can narrow it down to the specific problem that you can address.

Hook and anchor

While this phrase is most directly relevant for DBA candidates studying at Walden University (one of our primary universities for dissertation assistance), the concept of “hook and anchor” is one that offers some important insight when it comes to breaking down your problem statement into a clear and compelling justification for your topic. In fact, those of you with some background in business or management, regardless of your current doctoral program or research focus, may already be familiar with the idea of a “hook” and an “anchor” in a professional setting.

The purpose of a hook and anchor in your problem statement is to establish the larger significance of your proposed research (sometimes also called the general problem or the global problem) before outlining the specific aspect of this issue that you’ll focus on for your dissertation research. The hook, specifically, should introduce the issue and include support from very recent scholarship, to clearly indicate that this issue is current and unaddressed–in other words, it should “hook” your reader and get their attention! At Walden, the hook is specifically talked about in terms of a “WOW statement” , a well-known sales term for getting to the point fast (and making sure your point’s a good one).

Once you’ve established your hook, the purpose of the anchor, then (also well-named) is to ground this initial statement in concrete evidence (if you’re thinking “statistics,” here, you’re right!). It’s important to understand this difference between the hook and anchor, and we can absolutely help you review your progress so far if you’re currently seeking preliminary dissertation help as you finalize your topic and problem statement.

If approached properly, the hook and anchor help you to establish, immediately and clearly, the importance of continued research in your field. However, if you’ve found an appropriate research gap (see above), then this broader introduction is far too much to tackle for one dissertation–so the hook and anchor also set the stage for a more focused discussion of the specific research problem you’ll address through your original quantitative and/or qualitative research .

Social change

Again, this term is particularly critical for doctoral candidates attending Walden University [https://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change], but even if you’re attending another online or brick and mortar university for your doctoral studies, the concept of social change is useful when you’re thinking and writing about the overall significance of your proposed dissertation research. This is especially true since, more and more, academic research is evaluated on the merits of its contribution to society at large.

Put simply, “social change refers to the transformation of culture, behavior, social institutions, and social structure over time” . In the context of dissertation or thesis writing, then, understanding your study’s contribution to social change involves asking yourself, “why does this matter?” The next step is looking to the literature in your field to see why the research gap you plan to address is an important one in a broader societal context (as we discussed above, just because there’s a gap in the research, doesn’t mean that gap needs to be filled).

Don’t be daunted by this idea if your study focuses on a very specialized (or not traditionally “academic”) topic! After all, even food can be a tool for social change, according to “social gastronomist” David Hertz (and we’d love to help you with your dissertation as you determine your study’s contribution):

We can use food to create a more inclusive society. Food touches on every aspect of human life: the environment, agriculture, our economy, health, even our social lives. Social gastronomy “uses food to turn social inequalities — such as hunger, poor nutrition, unemployment, inequality — into dignity, opportunities and well-being,” says Hertz.

Anthropomorphism

Even seasoned academic writers often find themselves taken to task for anthropomorphism, so if you’re finding comments pointing this out as an issue to address in your dissertation editing , you’re in good company! And as with many of the terms on this list, it’s important to keep in mind the dissertation as your specific context for anthropomorphism. After all, in other contexts, this concept–the tendency of humans to attribute human qualities to animals or inanimate objects–is actually helping us learn exciting new things about the world around us.

Take Inky the Octopus , for example, whose escape from a New Zealand aquarium into the Pacific Ocean highlighted the ways in which animals’ complex intelligence and abilities are often minimized in order to emphasize their difference from people. Viewing animal and human intelligence on a continuum could, in fact, ultimately allow us to understand more about both.

However, in the context of editing your dissertation, anthropomorphism is a bit more cut-and-dry. In less formal (or more literary speech), you can easily find instances in which speakers refer to the ways in which a study “suggests” or “claims” or even “finds” some important knowledge that you, as a researcher, are excited to incorporate into your own discussion. However, technically, research itself cannot suggest or claim anything–those are human qualities.

That being said, if you’re desperate to change up your sentences (so it’s not just X and Y found that Z, over and over), you can (following APA editing guidelines for anthropomorphism) write that studies “show” or “indicate.” But that’s it! So use sparingly.

Reliability

For those who are considering developing their own quantitative instrument, however, there are a number of options for determining that an instrument accomplishes the purpose of your study (pilot testing, again, is critical here). These range from evaluating the content development of the instrument (using experts to develop survey questions, for example) to a cross-comparison with existing instruments that should provide similar results. Again–additional literature searches, outreach to experts, and statistical analysis are often required here, so especially for those already planning to employ statistical> [link to quant methods page] or other dissertation assistance for your study, try to find an existing instrument first! (And if you still have questions or need further statistics consulting, [link url="contact.shtml"]we’re happy to help )!

Belmont Report

You’re bound to come across the Belmont Report at some stage in your doctoral journey–for most doctoral candidates, this report becomes important while drafting the methodology chapter and preparing for Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval . Published in 1979, the Belmont Report is an exhaustive discussion of ethical guidelines to follow when conducting research using human subjects. Most relevant to doctoral researchers are the report’s guidelines for assessing and minimizing risk to participants, identifying and recruiting research participants, and ensuring informed consent.

While the necessary steps to ensure adherence to the guidelines and principles of the Belmont Report can often feel like just another task to complete before beginning the most exciting part of your study–the actual research!–it’s very important to ensure that you clearly and carefully plan your process for selecting participants, recruitment, and informed consent. In fact, as many doctoral candidates who reach out for help with their dissertations while completing their IRB applications find, there is a direct benefit for you (beyond ensuring the safe and voluntary participation of your study subjects). The better you plan your recruitment and data collection process, the easier it will be to carry out when the time comes!

Luckily, you can access the entire Belmont Report in its entirety online, so this information is readily available to you as you finalize your research design and begin to think about carrying out your proposed quantitative or qualitative research and analysis. And if you’re wondering at all where to begin, be sure to check out our data collection checklist or contact us for more information about our specialized approach to this phase of dissertation assistance!

Peer-reviewed articles

For many novice researchers, the literature review is often the most daunting part of the dissertation or thesis writing process. In fact, it’s one of the main areas that doctoral candidates reach out to us about when they ask about dissertation consulting or dissertation coach services. Over the past 12 years, we’ve found that the primary stumbling block for many graduate-level researchers is finding appropriately scholarly (i.e., peer-reviewed) research to include in the literature review. (We’ve actually devoted a separate blog post to this topic – so if this is an issue for you, and you’re currently considering dissertation assistance, definitely check that out.)

What does “peer reviewed” mean in this context? Luckily, there’s nothing complex about the name. Peer-reviewed research is research that, once completed, is then subjected to an extensive critique by scholars in the field. Journals that follow a peer review process are generally viewed as more credible and trustworthy, because the methods and findings of the researchers they publish have held up under scrutiny by established experts in the field. Perhaps you’ve already begun thinking about how to turn your completed dissertation research into a published article in your “dream journal”–it’s an exciting next step once you’ve completed your doctoral degree, and one we can assist with as a next or final step for many of our dissertation consulting clients.

In terms of determining whether a journal article is peer-reviewed , most major databases (like ProQuest) offer you the option of searching only for this type of publication. Of course the next step is to ensure that the article (not an opinion piece or letter to the editor) is in fact peer-reviewed, and a quick way to verify this is to check out the journal’s homepage. If the editors submit their articles to peer review, they won’t be shy about letting you know!

Of course, once you’ve mastered the search process to include only peer-reviewed and scholarly sources, you then need to refine your newly honed skills further–to ensure that you’re reviewing and including only the most recent, relevant sources (to support the need for your study right now, today). This can definitely be tricky, particularly if you’re further along in drafting your literature review, but we can absolutely help you with your dissertation so that you keep moving forward!

Did we miss anything? Let us know the essential terminology you’ve learned during your dissertation or thesis writing process in comments!

• California Polytechnic State University. (2017). Find peer-reviewed articles. Retrieved from https://lib.calpoly.edu/support/how-to/find-articles
• D’Arcy, Patrick. (2018, July 12). How food–yes, food–can be a tool for social change. TED Talks: IDEAS.TED.COM. Retrieved from https://ideas.ted.com/how-food-yes-food-can-be-a-tool-for-social-change/
• Kaufmann Entrepreneurs. (2016, July 28). Powerful presentations: Crafting your WOW statement. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneurship.org/videos/powerful-presentations/crafting-your-wow-statement
• Lazzaroni, M., Peretto, P., Rinaldi, P., & Catelani, M. (2011). The Concept of “Statistical” Reliability. In Reliability Engineering (chapter 2). Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-20983-3_2
• National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Phelan, C., & Wren, J. (2006). Exploring reliability in academic assessment. Retrieved from https://chfasoa.uni.edu/reliabilityandvalidity.htm
• Riederer, R. (2016, April 26). Inky the Octopus and the upsides of anthropomorphism. The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/inky-the-octopus-and-the-upsides-of-anthropomorphism
• University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. (2010). Understanding social change. In Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World (chapter 20.1). Retrieved from http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/20-1-understanding-social-change/
• Walden University. (2018). Social change. Retrieved from https://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change

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How to Write a Definition Essay

Last Updated: January 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 453,172 times.

A definition essay requires you to write your own definition of a word. The definition must be thorough and well supported by research and evidence. You may have to write a definition essay for a class or try it as a writing challenge to help improve your English skills. Start by selecting and defining the word. Then, create a draft that presents a detailed definition using references and sources. Polish the essay when you are done so it flows well and does not contain any grammatical errors.

Selecting the Word

• You can also pick a concept like “Success,” “Friendship,” or “Faith.”
• Concepts like “Pain,” “Loss,” or “Death” are also good options.

• You can try taking a concrete object and using a similar word to make it more open-ended. For example, the word “house” is concrete and obvious. But the word “home” is more open-ended and allows you to create your own definition of the word.

• For example, you may choose a word like “success” because you are familiar with the word and feel you may have a lot to say about what it means to be successful or to feel success in your life.

• For example, you may choose a word like “pain” because you feel there are a variety of meanings for the word based on who you talk to and how they experience “pain” in their lives.

Defining the Word

• For example, if you look up the word “justice” in the dictionary, you may get this definition: “noun, the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.”
• You can then determine that “justice” is a noun and can be compared to other terms like “righteousness” and “moral rightness.”

• For example, you may look up the word “justice” in an online encyclopedia that focuses on philosophy or law. You may then find information on Western theories of justice and how it became an important concept in Western history and the legal system.

• Look on academic search engines like Google Scholar, JSTOR, and ProQuest for scholarly articles.
• You can also look for educational videos that have been made about the word on YouTube and other video websites.

• “What comes to mind when you think of the word?”
• “How do you feel about the word on a personal level?”
• “How do you interact or deal with the word?”
• “What does the word mean to you?”
• Take notes or record the interviews so you can use them as sources in your essay.

• For example, you may write: “Justice, a quality or trait where you act in a morally right way.” Or you may write: “Justice, a concept in the legal system where the fair or equitable thing is done, as in ‘justice has been served.’”
• It's important to have tact and tread carefully here. It's important to preface your own definition of the word, making it clear that's a personal opinion. Make sure not to create the misconception that your own definition is the accepted or official one.
• At the end of the day, your objective should be to write the actual definition, and not an opinion essay.

Creating an Essay Draft

• Your thesis statement should appear in the introduction and conclusion section of your essay.

• For example, you may write, “According to the Oxford Dictionary, justice is a noun, and it means: the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.”

• For example, you may have a thesis statement like, “According to my research and my personal experiences, justice is a quality or trait where you act in a morally correct way.”

• For example, you may write, “Justice comes from the Latin jus , which means right or law. It is a commonly used concept in politics, in the legal system, and in philosophy.”

• For example, you may discuss how justice works as a noun or an idea in politics, the legal system, and in philosophy. You may also discuss what the “quality of being just” means in our society.

• For example, you may talk about how justice is similar and also not quite the same as words like “righteousness” and “equitableness.”
• You can also discuss words that mean the opposite of the term you are defining. For example, you may contrast the word “justice” with the word “injustice” or “inequality.”

• For example, you may write, “On a personal level, I view justice as an essential concept” or “Based on my own experiences, I think justice is blind and often does not serve those who need it the most.”
• You can also include personal experiences of the word based on interviews you conducted with others.

• Make sure you follow your instructor’s preferred citation style, such as MLA , APA , or Chicago Style .

• Look at the first sentence in each section of the paragraph to help you gather your main points.
• Include a last sentence that has a strong image or that describes a key phrase in your essay.

Polishing the Essay

• You should also check for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in the essay.

• Be open to constructive criticism from others and take their feedback to heart. It will only make your essay better.

• If there is a word count or a page count for the definition essay, make sure you meet it.
• Include a reference page at the end of the essay and a cover page at the beginning of the essay, if required.

Expert Q&A

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing essays, check out our in-depth interview with Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. .

• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/definition-essay/
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/10-6-definition/
• ↑ https://quillbot.com/courses/introduction-to-college-level-academic-writing/chapter/how-to-write-a-definition-essay/
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/definition-essay-examples-and-topic-ideas.html
• ↑ https://owlcation.com/humanities/How-to-Write-a-Definition-Essay-from-Multiple-Sources
• ↑ https://academichelp.net/academic-assignments/essay/write-definition-essay.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/definitions.html
• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/definition-essay/definition-essay-techniques/
• ↑ https://quillbot.com/courses/rhetorical-methods-based-essay-writing/chapter/how-to-write-a-definition-essay/
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/using-evidence.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html

About This Article

To write a definition essay, choose a word that describes a concept or idea. Look up the dictionary definition, the origin of the word, and any scholarly essays or articles that discuss the word in detail, then use this information to create your own definition. When you write your paper, introduce the term and the standard dictionary definition of the word, followed by a thesis stating your own definition. Use the body of the paper to include historical information and explain what the word means to you, then conclude by restating your thesis. For tips on picking your word, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Boston Red Sox | The Devers Dictionary: Red Sox teammates,…

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Boston Red Sox | The Devers Dictionary: Red Sox teammates, coaches describe star

‘he’s the man’.

He was describing Rafael Devers, who’d just become the first player in Red Sox history to homer in six consecutive games , during their three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays last week in Florida.

Freak is certainly one word for the 27-year-old slugger, who, since the start of 2019, leads all Major Leaguers in extra-base hits and is only two away from tying Jim Rice’s franchise record for the most extra-baggers by a Red Sox player before they turn 28 years old. (Devers’ birthday isn’t until Oct. 24.) During this homer streak, he’s overtaken Nomar Garciaparra for No. 12 on the club’s all-time home run list; he’s 12 round-trippers away from passing Jason Varitek.

So, Houck thinks Devers is a freak (in the best way). How would other members of the Red Sox describe him? The Herald asked several of them for the first word that comes to mind when they think of their superstar:

Andrew Bailey, pitching coach: “Comedy. I just, the personality he brings on a daily basis, nothing stresses him out. Kind of carefree, but competitive. He’s just funny, I just laugh. Everything he does is just funny to me.”

Brennan Bernardino, relief pitcher: “Caballo. Horse. In Spanish, calling somebody a horse is calling him just a dude, like he’s the man.”

Triston Casas, infielder: “Man, the best word that comes to mind, I don’t know if it’s the first one, is ‘Leader.’

“I try to be like him in a lot of ways, and hitting is like, one of the least of them. I love the way that he goes about his business and the way that he carries himself, the way that he handles all the adversity that he faces, is very admirable. I love the way that he goes about everything, and just to see him break that record was awesome. I was rooting for him the entire time. There was a lot of anticipation, and every day it built up. It was a big deal for me, to see him do that; I’m a big fan of his, of course, and getting to play beside him has been awesome.”

Garrett Cooper, infielder: “I would say ‘Freak,’ too. You don’t see too many guys with that kind of power and that kind of handy tools. You see a lot of young guys that have super tools, and Raffy’s got every tool in the book. That’s what you want in a cornerstone player. Just God-given ability. But if I can’t choose the same word (as Houck), the X-Factor?”

Alex Cora, manager: “Gifted. Let’s put it that way, gifted… Shoot, the way he’s hitting the ball, everybody talks about pull-side homers, like everybody wants, every organization wants guys to pull the ball in the air. That’s how the best offenses are working. But he’s not doing that. It’s straight-center, left-field. Just gifted.

“And he’s still young, he’s still learning. I still remember in ‘18, just a kid. Actually in ‘17, we saw him (in the ALDS), the inside-the-park homer, he crushed that ball. And we (the Astros) were trying so hard to get his attention and he just smiled.

“It’s a joy to manage him, because of all the emotions, and talking to himself. Even yesterday, he made an out and he was talking to himself there in Spanglish. It wasn’t only Spanish, it was Spanglish. It’s fun.”

Pete Fatse, hitting coach: “Outlier, man. He does things a lot of people can’t do, right? And a lot of people can try to emulate, but he has the ability to do a lot of things people cannot do. Outlier.”

Liam Hendriks, relief pitcher: “Unknown. From a pitcher’s point of view. He doesn’t have a normal scouting report, it all changes between games, between pitches, between at-bats. Not very often do you see a guy that can handle everything the way he does, in different spots, different locations, balls and bad pitches, good pitches, it’s really hard to pin down. The people that consistently are like, fastball guys or outside guys or inside guys, they’re easier to pitch to because you can go to the same spots every time and they’re not going to make the adjustment. He looks like he doesn’t make adjustments, but makes really apt adjustments.

(Before signing with the Red Sox during spring training, Hendriks had faced Devers six times. “He’s 0-for-6,” Hendriks said proudly.)

Zack Kelly, relief pitcher: “(Houck) used freak? Damn. There’s too many. Um, I’m just gonna say nasty, because that’ll cover it.”

Chris Martin, relief pitcher: “Raffy, hmm. Incredible. He’s just a fun player to watch. He goes up there every at-bat, you feel like something big can happen. Close game and Raffy comes up, there’s a good chance I’m gonna start warming up. That’s just the way it is with him. You always feel like he can hit a homer, do some damage. I’ve never been able to strike him out, it’s always a battle.”

Tyler O’Neill, outfielder: “It’s a tough one. Just a hitter. Just a pure hitter. It’s fun watching that guy, watching him work, watching him compete.”

Rob Refsnyder, outfielder: “Child? Yeah, freak. I don’t know. I mean, what’s another word for freak? He’s incredible. He hits balls that are below the strike zone for home runs. People don’t do that. It’s unbelievable. Incredible. That’s more than one word, but yeah.”

Greg Weissert, relief pitcher: “Hilarious. That’s my word for him. Every interaction I have with Raffy, he’s always smiles, and he’s always saying something hilarious, in English or Spanish.”

Jason Varitek, catching coach: “The Baby. He’s been up here since he was what, 19, 20 years old? He’s always ‘The Baby’ to me.”

(Upon hearing that Devers is 11 home runs away from tying him at No. 11 on the Red Sox home run list, Varitek laughed. “I have a feeling that’s not gonna be a feat he’s gonna have a hard time beating,” the longtime captain said. “Lot better hitter than I was. A guy like Raffy, he’ll beat that before the age I was when I got to the big leagues.”)

Postscript: When told that his “Freak” comment had inspired this piece, Houck said, “God touched Rafael Devers to do one thing, and that’s hit a baseball better than anyone else on this planet.”

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