executive summary of phd thesis

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An executive summary is a thorough overview of a research report or other type of document that synthesizes key points for its readers, saving them time and preparing them to understand the study's overall content. It is a separate, stand-alone document of sufficient detail and clarity to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the main research study. An executive summary can be anywhere from 1-10 pages long depending on the length of the report, or it can be the summary of more than one document [e.g., papers submitted for a group project].

Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80 Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.

Importance of a Good Executive Summary

Although an executive summary is similar to an abstract in that they both summarize the contents of a research study, there are several key differences. With research abstracts, the author's recommendations are rarely included, or if they are, they are implicit rather than explicit. Recommendations are generally not stated in academic abstracts because scholars operate in a discursive environment, where debates, discussions, and dialogs are meant to precede the implementation of any new research findings. The conceptual nature of much academic writing also means that recommendations arising from the findings are distributed widely and not easily or usefully encapsulated. Executive summaries are used mainly when a research study has been developed for an organizational partner, funding entity, or other external group that participated in the research . In such cases, the research report and executive summary are often written for policy makers outside of academe, while abstracts are written for the academic community. Professors, therefore, assign the writing of executive summaries so students can practice synthesizing and writing about the contents of comprehensive research studies for external stakeholder groups.

When preparing to write, keep in mind that:

• An executive summary is not an abstract.
• An executive summary is not an introduction.
• An executive summary is not a preface.
• An executive summary is not a random collection of highlights.

Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary that Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter (July 2003): 2-4; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; Murphy, Herta A., Herbert W. Hildebrandt, and Jane P. Thomas. Effective Business Communications . New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997; Vassallo, Philip. "Executive Summaries: Where Less Really is More." ETC.: A Review of General Semantics 60 (Spring 2003): 83-90 .

Structure and Writing Style

Writing an Executive Summary

Read the Entire Document This may go without saying, but it is critically important that you read the entire research study thoroughly from start to finish before you begin to write the executive summary. Take notes as you go along, highlighting important statements of fact, key findings, and recommended courses of action. This will better prepare you for how to organize and summarize the study. Remember this is not a brief abstract of 300 words or less but, essentially, a mini-paper of your paper, with a focus on recommendations.

Isolate the Major Points Within the Original Document Choose which parts of the document are the most important to those who will read it. These points must be included within the executive summary in order to provide a thorough and complete explanation of what the document is trying to convey.

Separate the Main Sections Closely examine each section of the original document and discern the main differences in each. After you have a firm understanding about what each section offers in respect to the other sections, write a few sentences for each section describing the main ideas. Although the format may vary, the main sections of an executive summary likely will include the following:

• An opening statement, with brief background information,
• The purpose of research study,
• Method of data gathering and analysis,
• Overview of findings, and,
• A description of each recommendation, accompanied by a justification. Note that the recommendations are sometimes quoted verbatim from the research study.

Combine the Information Use the information gathered to combine them into an executive summary that is no longer than 10% of the original document. Be concise! The purpose is to provide a brief explanation of the entire document with a focus on the recommendations that have emerged from your research. How you word this will likely differ depending on your audience and what they care about most. If necessary, selectively incorporate bullet points for emphasis and brevity. Re-read your Executive Summary After you've completed your executive summary, let it sit for a while before coming back to re-read it. Check to make sure that the summary will make sense as a separate document from the full research study. By taking some time before re-reading it, you allow yourself to see the summary with fresh, unbiased eyes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Length of the Executive Summary As a general rule, the correct length of an executive summary is that it meets the criteria of no more pages than 10% of the number of pages in the original document, with an upper limit of no more than ten pages [i.e., ten pages for a 100 page document]. This requirement keeps the document short enough to be read by your audience, but long enough to allow it to be a complete, stand-alone synopsis. Cutting and Pasting With the exception of specific recommendations made in the study, do not simply cut and paste whole sections of the original document into the executive summary. You should paraphrase information from the longer document. Avoid taking up space with excessive subtitles and lists, unless they are absolutely necessary for the reader to have a complete understanding of the original document. Consider the Audience Although unlikely to be required by your professor, there is the possibility that more than one executive summary will have to be written for a given document [e.g., one for policy-makers, one for private industry, one for philanthropists]. This may only necessitate the rewriting of the introduction and conclusion, but it could require rewriting the entire summary in order to fit the needs of the reader. If necessary, be sure to consider the types of audiences who may benefit from your study and make adjustments accordingly. Clarity in Writing One of the biggest mistakes you can make is related to the clarity of your executive summary. Always note that your audience [or audiences] are likely seeing your research study for the first time. The best way to avoid a disorganized or cluttered executive summary is to write it after the study is completed. Always follow the same strategies for proofreading that you would for any research paper. Use Strong and Positive Language Don’t weaken your executive summary with passive, imprecise language. The executive summary is a stand-alone document intended to convince the reader to make a decision concerning whether to implement the recommendations you make. Once convinced, it is assumed that the full document will provide the details needed to implement the recommendations. Although you should resist the temptation to pad your summary with pleas or biased statements, do pay particular attention to ensuring that a sense of urgency is created in the implications, recommendations, and conclusions presented in the executive summary. Be sure to target readers who are likely to implement the recommendations.

Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80; Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Executive Summaries. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary That Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter , 2003; Executive Summary. University Writing Center. Texas A&M University;  Green, Duncan. Writing an Executive Summary.   Oxfam’s Research Guidelines series ; Guidelines for Writing an Executive Summary. Astia.org; Markowitz, Eric. How to Write an Executive Summary. Inc. Magazine, September, 15, 2010; Kawaski, Guy. The Art of the Executive Summary. "How to Change the World" blog; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; The Report Abstract and Executive Summary. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Executive Summaries. Effective Writing Center. University of Maryland; Kolin, Philip. Successful Writing at Work . 10th edition. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013), p. 435-437; Moral, Mary. "Writing Recommendations and Executive Summaries." Keeping Good Companies 64 (June 2012): 274-278; Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.

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Executive summaries and abstracts - graduate writing center.

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Executive Summaries and Abstracts

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Executive summaries and abstracts both capture the essence of a project in a shorter form, but with differing levels of detail: an abstract is a highly condensed overview of the document, while an executive summary is a standalone version of the thesis in miniature.

See our handout on " What Goes in a Thesis Abstract? An Executive Summary? " for an overview of standard content and length—then, for more information and examples, read on!

For a more detailed explanation of abstracts, check out our infographics, tailored to your discipline:

• Defense management
• Social sciences

An abstract is a brief encapsulation of a document. Abstracts are quite limited in length (often about 200 words) and thus must be very concise, clear statements that convey a few key ideas:

• The topic and significance of the research
• The research question driving the inquiry
• The methods used to answer the question
• The findings and implications of the research

Understanding how an abstract is structured can also help you as a researcher. When conducting research , get in the habit of reading abstracts carefully to determine which documents closely fit your research needs.

Not all documents require an abstract, and most of your class papers won't. However, all NPS theses must have an abstract, and abstracts are often required for conference papers and articles submitted for publication .

Executive Summaries

Executive summaries are longer than abstracts, often running 2–5 pages. They summarize a larger document's purpose, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations such that someone who reads  only the summary can glean a solid understanding of the research as a whole. Unlike abstracts, executive summaries can include citations and references .

Not all theses require an executive summary, so check with your advisor or department for guidance. The links below contain further information on the differences between abstracts and executive summaries.

In order to make your research easier to find by other researchers, it is a good idea to think about what searchable keywords are associated with your project. Make sure to include them in your abstract and executive summary!

Executive Summaries and Abstracts Links

• " What Goes in a Thesis Abstract? An Executive Summary? , " GWC and TPO
• " Abstracts ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• " How to Write an Abstract ," Phil Koopman, Carnegie Mellon University
• " Executive Summaries ," Colorado State University
• Layering Reports: The Executive Summary 1 " (6:35), Zachery Koppleman, Purdue OWL
• Layering Reports: The Executive Summary A Closer Look Part 1 " (5:53), Zachery Koppleman, Purdue OWL
• Chapter from a book: " Technical Reports, Executive Summaries, and Abstracts , " Robert Shenk, The Naval Institute Guide to Naval Writing

Writing Topics A–Z

This index makes findings topics easy and links to the most relevant page for each item. Please email us at [email protected] if we're missing something!

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J   K   L    M    N    O    P    Q   R    S    T    U    V    W   X  Y   Z

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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A Dissertation Executive Summary: What It Is and How to Make It

Do you hear about a dissertation executive summary for the first time? Do you have to make one but have no clue what it is about? Then let us explain you something about executive summaries for dissertations.

Probably, you will be surprised, but a dissertation executive summary means the same as dissertation abstracts. And a dissertation abstract is just a brief summary of your project.

No matter how this part of a dissertation is called, we are going to provide you with necessary details so that you could complete it successfully.

The gist of a dissertation executive summary

You have two important missions when making a dissertation executive summary:

• Briefly describe your project and its most important points;
• Attract the reader and make him/her read your dissertation.

How long should a dissertation executive summary be?

It should be very brief and specific. As a rule, executive summaries do not exceed a 250-300 word limit.

When a dissertation executive summary should be written?

Better make it after the rest of your project is finished. Thus, you can be sure that none of the significant points will be missed in your dissertation executive summary.

What particular points should be included into a dissertation executive summary?

Make sure you include the following important points into your summary:

• an introduction of your area of study and your topic;
• a statement of the main argument of your project;
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Translation and Trust - PhD Thesis Executive Summary

Main findings and policy recommendations from a case study of how translation was experienced by foreign nationals resident in Japan for the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Related Papers

Patrick Cadwell

The Great East Japan Earthquake directly affected at least one-million foreign nationals, including official residents of Japan, humanitarian responders, and US military. This paper outlines the ways in which translation and interpreting helped some of these people to access information in the crisis. The work is based on face-to-face, semi-structured interviews of foreign nationals who experienced the 2011 earthquake. It focuses on the varied ways in which translation and interpreting mitigated linguistic and cultural barriers for these interviewees. Findings indicate that, while machine-based translation solutions showed some promise, it was direct, human mediation, especially community and broadcast interpreting, that was vital in this crisis. Data presented here should help to inform policy on disaster preparedness and response in Japan. Furthermore, findings should be of interest to those developing multilingual and multicultural disaster communication tools and protocols.

Oussama Chetioui

Journal of War & Culture Studies

Wine Tesseur

Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the European Association for Machine Translation

Alessandra Rossetti

We conducted a survey to understand the impact of machine translation and post-editing awareness on comprehension of and trust in messages disseminated to prepare the public for a weather-related crisis, i.e. flooding. The translation direction was English-Italian. Sixty-one participants (all native Italian speakers with different English proficiency levels) answered our survey. Each participant read and evaluated between three and six crisis messages using ratings and open-ended questions on comprehensibility and trust. The messages were in English and Italian. All the Italian messages had been machine translated and post-edited. Nevertheless, participants were told that only half had been post-edited, so that we could test the impact of post-editing awareness. We could not draw firm conclusions when comparing the scores for trust and comprehensibility assigned to the three types of messages (English, post-edits, and purported raw outputs). However, when scores were triangulated with open-ended answers, stronger patterns were observed, such as the impact of fluency of the translations on their comprehensibility and trustworthiness. We found correlations between comprehensibility and trustworthiness, and identified other factors influencing these aspects , such as the clarity and soundness of the messages. We conclude by outlining implications for crisis preparedness, limitations, and areas for future research.

Szymon Parzniewski

Study presented at the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Cancun, Mexico on 22-26 May. It is part of the Migrants In Countries In Crisis (MICIC) Initiative (International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Council of Europe).

Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism

Atsushi Takeda

This article explores how Japanese migrants responded to the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 by analysing personal weblogs published by Japanese migrants across the globe. The analysis of their blog posts demonstrates the collective response of Japanese overseas citizens to a crisis in their homeland. Their narratives reveal their emotional reactions, such as frustration, heartache, and guilt, and delineate how this catastrophe affected their sense of national identity and solidarity. As well as shedding light on these responses, the data further serve to crystallize the way in which Japanese migrants’ transnationalism intensifies following homeland disasters.

This contribution aims to shed further light on the role of languages and translation in danger zones through an interview with Ellie Kemp, the Head of Crisis Response at Translators without Borders (TWB), a non-profit organisation that provides language assistance in disaster settings. In the humanitarian sector, TWB is well-known for its work in amongst others the West Africa Ebola crisis, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, and the recent cyclone responses in Mozambique. Next to providing translations, the organisation trains local translators and interpreters, researches the language needs of crisis-affected people, and raises awareness of language barriers in crisis contexts. TWB is thus active in a number of danger zones that have not been explored fully in other contributions to this special issue, such as health emergencies. This contribution firstly introduces TWB and its activities in more detail, and then shares TWB's responses to a number of questions related to the role of languages and translation in danger zones.

Michał Borodo

Environmental Hazards

The purpose of this study is to examine the social impact of natural hazards in Japanese society. Using the Japanese General Social Survey, this study examines how citizens’ previous experiences and perceived risks of disasters are associated with their levels of four different forms of trust: in-group, out-group, generalized, and political trust. Furthermore, as the survey was conducted a year after the devastating Triple Disaster in 2011, the study examines the residents of the Tohoku region, who were the primary victims of the Triple Disaster. The results of this study suggest that the disaster experience is positively associated with trust: Japanese citizens with disaster experience had higher levels of in-group and out-group trust than those without disaster experience, and Tohoku residents showed higher levels of out-group, generalized, and political trust than the residents of other regions. Contrarily, citizens’ perceived risks of disaster showed negative relationships with trust: the Japanese citizens who perceived higher risks of disasters had lower levels of out-group, generalized, and political trust. However, the negative effects of the perceived risks of disasters significantly reduced among Tohoku residents.

Current Trends in Translation Teaching and Learning E

Jurgita Motiejūnienė

The translation market as well as many other businesses and activities have been affected by the lockdown of economies in the whole world since the beginning of 2019. Under the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, translator’s career has undergone some major and minor transformations. Some recent research papers have focused on crisis-related situations and emphasised the fact that translators need to be ready to ensure an effective communication between all stakeholders in disaster settings (Rodriguez Vazquez & Silvia Torres del Rey, 2020). Therefore, the methods and approaches in translation training have to be re- examined in order to provide language support in crises (Federici & O’Brien, 2019). This research was designed to examine and depict the effects of the global pandemic and the lockdown on the translator’s profession and translator training in graduate and postgraduate education. The paper analyses the insights and attitudes expressed in surveys by different players in the Lith...

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Thesis Executive Summary Template

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Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

Thesis Summary: A Detailed Academic Writing Guide

A thesis summary is a highly condensed version of the longer paper. It highlights the main points that have been covered in the paper while concisely describing the content of the thesis. In most cases, the summary of a thesis and the abstract serve the same purpose. They provide an overview of all the major points of a thesis. Thus, a reader can quickly see the main content of your thesis when they read the summary. This enables them to determine whether they are interested in your work or not.

What is Included in a Thesis Summary?

When asked to summarize something, you’re simply required to condense the text to the main points. As such, a good summary of thesis research should include important elements only. It should capture the main idea in the paper and the supporting points that may be interwoven with content that is of lesser importance.

Many learners confuse a thesis statement summary with an analysis. An analysis is a discussion of the techniques, ideas, and meaning in the text. On the other hand, a summary does not entail responding or critiquing the ideas in the text. Analyzing a paper entails summarizing its content to establish the ideas that you will be analyzing. A summary does not substitute for analysis.

Here are some of the things that a Ph.D. or master thesis summary should include: A title that is similar to that of your thesis The main purpose of your thesis The main topic of your thesis The research methods used to gather the information The sub-sections of your thesis Recommendations, results, and conclusions

Essentially, a summary should present the points of the author in a straightforward structure. Therefore, read the thesis carefully to determine the major and minor components or points of the argument and summarize them in an organized manner.

A point that the author makes at the beginning and another one at the end should concisely be included in a summary of thesis to convey the main argument of the author. Thus, you should read, understand, and reconstruct the thesis into a more concise, shorter form.

How to Write an Executive Summary for Thesis

Perhaps, you have written a short thesis that is not longer than ten pages. In that case, follow these steps to write a summary thesis:

• Summarize every paragraph in one sentence
• Summarize the entire text in a single sentence
• Write a single paragraph that starts with a sentence that summarizes the entire text followed by a paragraph of summary sentences
• Rewrite and rearrange your paragraph to ensure that it’s concise and clear.
• Eliminate relatively minor and repetitive points and include transitions.

Make sure that the final summary is complete, coherent, and unified.

How to Write Summary of Ph.D. Thesis and Longer Texts

A longer text like a Ph.D. requires time to summarize. That’s because you have to read and understand the document before you summarize it. Here’s how to write a summary thesis for longer papers.

• Outline the thesis by breaking it down into different major sections. To do this, group the paragraphs that focus on a similar topic and then list down the supporting points for different sections.
• Write a sentence or two that summarizes every section.
• Create a single sentence that summarizes the entire text. Look for the topic sentence in the thesis to guide you.
• Write one paragraph or several to start the overall summary sentence. Follow it with sentences that summarize different sections.
• Rearrange and rewrite the paragraphs to make the text concise and clear while eliminating repetitious and relatively minor points. Also, include transitions in your summary.

The final summary should include the main supporting points of every idea. Make the final version coherent, unified, and complete.

When is the Summary of Findings in Thesis Necessary?

The summary and conclusion thesis serves the purpose of providing an overview of the paper. As such, students are required to write a summary in many instances. In some cases, an educator can assign learners to write a page or two after reading a paper or article. They can also be asked to come up with a summary of their text as part of their critique or response after reading a paper.

Students can also write article summaries as a part of their planning or note-taking process when writing a research paper. These summaries or their parts can be included in the final papers. When writing a research paper, an author can depend on the summary as their reference to source materials. A summary enables a writer to condense broad information so that they can explain and present the relevance of the sources that deal with a similar subject.

A paper can also be summarized in the introduction to present a precise and concise overview of the main ideas to be discussed in the rest of the text. The length of a summary should depend on the complexity and length of the paper. Additionally, the purpose of a summary should determine whether it will be a few sentences, a shorter paragraph, or even several paragraphs. You can even come across a thesis summary sample that looks like an entire paper.

Qualities of a Good Summary Thesis Sample

When learning how to write summary and conclusion in thesis, many students use samples as their guides. But, how do you know that you’re using a good thesis summary example? Here are the qualities to look for:

• Comprehensiveness : A good summary should be comprehensive. All important points should be isolated from the original passage and noted down in a brief list. These are the ideas that should form the summary because they are indispensable to the development of the thesis.
• Conciseness : An ideal summary should be free of repetitions. Do not repeat the same points even if they have been restated in the main document. The summary should be shorter while providing a brief overview of the paper. Therefore, avoid repetition of the main point and supporting ideas.
• Coherence : A good summary makes sense. It’s not a piece that looks like it’s been taken from the main document. It should also not sound like a collection of disjointed sentences from the main document that is being summarized.
• Independence : When writing a summary, your work is not to imitate the main text’s author. Instead, you are expected to showcase your style and voice in the summary. Thus, you should not just quote the main text’s author. Instead, express how you understand the document in your words. A summary should be based on your understanding and interpretation of the main ideas or points of the writer. Nevertheless, a good summary does not create distortion or misrepresentation through the introduction of criticisms or comments.

It’s also crucial to note that a good summary thesis example uses a structure that features an introduction, the body, and a conclusion. It presents the goal or purpose, results, and conclusion or recommendations. What’s more, it features logical connections of the included information without adding new information.

To write a great summary, work on this part after completing your thesis. Make sure that you’re guided by the main points of your thesis. What’s more, use a good executive summary for thesis sample to guide you. The length of your summary should depend on its purpose and the length of the main document. Once you have written the summary, read it carefully, and eliminate all errors when proofreading and editing it. Alternatively, ask our thesis editors to proofread the summary for you.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A PHD THESIS WITH A CDIO THEME

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In December 2017, the author defended the doctoral thesis titled “Exploring the dual nature of engineering education: Opportunities and challenges in integrating the academic and professional aspects in the curriculum”. In this paper, the thesis is summarised with the interests of the CDIO community in mind, providing guidance for those who might want to read selected parts. In the title, the term dual nature suggests that engineering education is both academic, emphasising theory in a range of subjects, and professional, preparing students for engineering practice. Ideally, these aspects are also in a meaningful relationship in the curriculum. However, this duality is also a source of tensions. This is the theme, explored in the context of engineering education development, in particular the CDIO approach. First, micro-cases on programme and course level illustrate how the dual nature ideal is pursued in the integrated curriculum. This is followed by two critical accounts, which suggest widening the perspective from curriculum development per se, to the organisational conditions. The first is a historical excursion, comparing the views of Carl Richard Söderberg (1895-1979) with CDIO, showing significant similarities in ideals, arguments, and strategies. The second is an effort to make sense of experiences of unsustainable change, resulting in a model, called “organisational gravity”, used to explain the stability of programmes. As an implication, two change strategies are suggested, with different availability, risks, resource demands, and sustainability of results. Finally, the tensions between the academic and professional aspects are located in the university organisation. Refuting a rationalist view, the institutional logics perspective is used to analyse the tensions within engineering education. It is suggested that the logics of the academic profession dominates over the logics of the engineering profession, hence favouring “teaching theory” over “teaching professionals”. The integrated curriculum strategy depends on educators’ ability to unite theoretical and professional aspects in courses, and on the collegial capacity for coordination. 

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Defining customer needs; considering technology, enterprise strategy, and regulations; developing concepts, techniques and business plans.

Creating the design; the plans, drawings, and algorithms that describe what will be implemented.

The transformation of the design into the product, including manufacturing, coding, testing and validation.

Using the implemented product to deliver the intended value, including maintaining, evolving and retiring the system.

Bruno Eggert defended his PhD thesis

Doctoral candidate Bruno Guilherme Fischer Eggert at the department of chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, defended his thesis   “Composition tuning microstructure and magnetic properties of High Entropy Alloys and MnNiSi-based compounds” for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor 27th of February 2024.

Trial lecture

February 27, 10:15 AM, Auditorium 2, Chemistry building

Trial lecture title:

“Magnetic exchange interactions: origin and types including direct exchange, super exchange, super-super exchange and RKKY”

Kreeringssammendrag/Conferral summary 

Forskning på magnetisk kjøling som et alternativ til tradisjonelle kjølemetoder møter utfordringer når det gjelder masseproduksjon av nåværende magnetokaloriske materialer. Denne studien fokuserer på å finjustere de magnetiske egenskapene til høyentropilegeringer og MnNiSi-baserte forbindelser, med mål om å forbedre deres egnethet for effektiv magnetisk kjøling.

Main research findings

Magnetic refrigeration is being explored as a promising alternative to current cooling methods, but existing magnetocaloric materials face challenges for mass production. This thesis investigates two types of materials: high entropy alloys (HEAs) and MnNiSi-based compounds. By changing their compositions, it is possible to tailor their magnetic properties for efficient room temperature refrigeration. By a combination of microscopy techniques, powder diffraction (X-rays and neutrons), caloric and magnetic measurements, a thorough evaluation of the compounds and the magnetic transitions was performed.

The studied V 1-x FeCoNiAl 1+x  and V 1-x FeCoNiCu 1+x  HEAs were ferromagnetic, but had less effective magnetocaloric properties compared to other materials. In contrast, MnNiSi-based compounds exhibited abrupt magnetic transitions due to a structural change. Compositions such as Mn 1-x Ni 1-x Fe 2x Si 0.95 Al 0.05  with x between 0.31 and 0.32 showed better magnetocaloric performance than the HEAs. Despite internal disorder affecting their magnetocaloric effect in HEAs and MnNiSi compounds, post-synthesis processing was found to improve the MnNiSi-based materials even more, offering a pathway towards competitive MnNiSi-based magnetocaloric materials using abundant elements (Mn, Ni, Si, Fe, and Al).

Candidate contact information

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruno-eggert/

Email: [email protected]

Tel. +47 407 23 949

Adjudication committee

Dr. Jia Yan Law, Ph.D. University of Seville, Spain

Associate Professor Diana Lucia Quintero Castro University of Stavanger, Norway

Associate Professor Björn Martin Valldor Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Norway

Supervisors

Adjunct Professor Bjørn Christian Hauback Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Norway

Professor Helmer Fjellvåg Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Norway

Scientist Christoph Markus Frommen IFE, Norway

Chair of defence

Professor Stian Svelle Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo

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Sanford Celebrates the Class of 2024

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Our newest graduates join more than 9,500 Duke Sanford alumni worldwide.

for undergraduates, public policy is a liberal arts major. Students to read critically, think analytically, and write concisely.

This celebration concided with Duke University's centennial celebration .

Families joined us from around the world.

Duke Sanford is one of the nation's premier schools of public policy, recognized both nationally and abroad for teaching, policy engagement and research.

The Sanford School of Public Policy graduation ceremonies on May 10 recognized more than 300 graduates from six academic programs this spring:

• Executive Master of National Security Policy (MNSP);
• International Master of Environmental Policy (IMEP);
• Master of International Development Policy (MIDP);
• Master of Public Policy (MPP);
• Public Policy doctoral program (PhD); and
• Public Policy undergraduate major (PPS).

Graduate Degree Ceremony Overview

Both the graduate (9AM) and undergraduate (1PM) ceremonies were introduced by Sanford Dean Judith Kelley. She began her remarks by connecting the graduating students to an ancient story of the “red thread” told through ancient Greek mythology, relating it to the thread of community that will always guide Sanford graduates back to their common roots.

As new members of the 9,500-plus Sanford alumni population that spans over 100 countries, Kelley reminded graduates of the lifetime of aspirations and expectations that await Sanford students.

Her address was punctuated by the inclusion of an actual red ribbon in each student program, a reminder not only of the Greek reference but also of her own Danish heritage, “The story of Theseus and Adriadne’s thread was part of the inspiration for what has become a concept in Scandinavian countries, including Denmark, my home country. “Den røde tråd.” The red thread,” said Kelley.

Watch her address.

Distinguished Alumni Speaker Ryan Smith, MPP’14

The Distinguished Alumni Speaker was Ryan Smith, MPP’14. Currently serving as the Innovation Team Project Manager for the City of Durham, Smith delivered a poignant speech to the graduating class of 2024, reflecting on his journey and sharing insights gleaned from his experiences. Smith, who leads a rapidly growing department, expressed his deep honor in addressing the class and welcomed them as fellow alumni. He compared the graduates to his own team and welcomed them as alums. "I’m so glad you’re a part of our team. And I’m excited for what we can accomplish with the addition of your heart, talents, and experience that we could not have otherwise,” said Smith.

Reflecting on his own journey, Smith shared instances where he found purpose and joy in serving his community. He recounted initiatives such as the development of a legal services program, collaboration with formerly incarcerated individuals, and leading a branch of public safety focused on compassionate responses to behavioral health crises. Through these experiences, Smith emphasized the fulfillment derived from making a positive impact on society.

Smith acknowledged the inevitability of facing difficult days and encouraged the graduates to embrace them. He shared two guiding principles for navigating challenging times: drawing near to those impacted by their work and taking action despite limitations. "When you are working on really challenging issues, you have to make sure you’re taking time to draw close and center those most impacted and marginalized,” Smith expressed.

Drawing from his work with the Durham Community Safety Department, Smith emphasized the importance of empathizing with marginalized communities and centering their experiences in policymaking. He shared the story of Martin, a homeless individual struggling with mental illness, to illustrate the significance of understanding individual needs and addressing systemic barriers.

Smith emphasized the role of leadership in mobilizing collective efforts to address societal challenges. He recounted how his team collaborated with various stakeholders to establish emergency shelters for the homeless during cold weather, demonstrating the power of unified action in effecting change. "Leadership is about the ability to bring people together around a common challenge and finding a way forward, drawing upon the group’s collective power, resources, and talent."

Finally, Smith encouraged the graduates to celebrate small victories and to remain connected to their support networks. He emphasized the importance of cherishing every step forward and expressed optimism for the graduates' future endeavors.

"Don’t take the small wins for granted. Celebrate every step you can along the way."

Read more about Ryan Smith.  | Watch his address

2024 Richard Stubbing Award: Professor Mallory SoRelle

Mallory SoRelle with Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Manoj Mohanan.

Professor Mallory SoRelle won the 2024 Stubbing Award for teaching and mentoring graduate students. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the school's graduate programs and commitment to the personal and professional development of their students.  

Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Manoj Mohanan announced the award during the 2024 Graduate Commencement ceremony, congratulating SoRelle for her extraordinary care for students and the greater Sanford community.

This award, established in honor of the late Richard Stubbing (a celebrated Sanford professor), is nominated by graduate students. SoRelle received numerous nominations, one of which included this summary of SoRelle's excellence in teaching.

“Professor Mallory SoRelle is deeply committed to teaching at all levels. This semester, she created a new undergraduate course on policy feedback with a hands-on survey lab component. She also teaches a core course for PhD first-year students, laying the foundation for a successful PhD journey. For me personally, she has been invaluable in terms of my professional and personal development. I would not be finishing my PhD this year with a tenure-track position without her.”

Read more about SoRelle and the Stubbing Award.  | Watch her receive the award

3 PhDs awarded

Public Policy: Xinyue "Alison" Pei | Essays on Labor Market Dynamics and Innovation. Advisor: Prof Matthew S. Johnson. Posing with: Prof Kate Bundorf.

Environmental Policy: Maya Chandrasekaran| Energy Access, Time Use, and Women’s Empowerment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Advisor: Prof Marc Jeuland. Posing with Prof Subhrendu Pattanayak.

Environmental Policy: Zhenxuan Wang | The Economics of Energy Infrastructure and Climate Change. Advisor: Prof Robyn Meeks. Posing with: Robyn Meeks and Prof Billy Pizer.

Undergraduate Degree Ceremony Overview

Undergraduate speaker: laya sathyan.

Undergraduate speaker Laya Sathyan emphasized potential for positive change.

Laya Sathyan delivered Sanford’s 2024 student address. As a graduating student focused on Public Policy and Global Health, she began by expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to address her fellow graduates, faculty, and guests, reflecting on her journey since arriving at Duke in 2020. "If you're like me, you graduated high school by reaching for your diploma out of your car window, like picking up a hashbrown at the McDonalds drive-through,” said Sathyan, eliciting laughter from her classmates.

From there, Sathyan acknowledged the transformative power of her education at Duke and Sanford, emphasizing the importance of embracing change. She highlighted the impact of the pandemic on their academic journey and personal growth, noting the resilience required to navigate through unfamiliar circumstances. She compared her personal change to the potential for change in all people. "Sanford has changed all of us, in our maturity, capabilities, and understandings of the world,” she pointed out. "I hope we can all run towards [change] rather than away."

To illustrate this, Sathyan shared a powerful anecdote about Durham racial justice advocate Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis, the former leader of the Durham Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating the transformative potential of forgiveness in overcoming deep-seated differences. She emphasized the importance of forgiveness as a catalyst for progress and unity in a divided world.

"Society has become more divisive and fragmented than ever before. We are encouraged to hate and to hate blindly with no compassion for those on the other side. As Sanford graduates, we have the power to either further this divide or bridge it."

In her closing remarks, Sathyan urged her fellow graduates to honor their education and continue the legacy of Sanford by advocating for positive change. She emphasized the importance of forgiveness, self-reflection, and the belief in the capacity for personal and societal transformation. "In a world that is marked by division, to love and forgive is a radical act,” said Sathyan.

She finished again encouraging the audience to embrace change. “I ask my classmates, the class of 2024, for one thing. Do not leave Sanford behind. This graduation marks our transformation from students into policymakers, advocates, and leaders. As you move forward into the next stage of your lives, I ask you to honor the gift that was our education here, and to carry Sanford, and everything this school stands for into the future. I ask you to remember the importance of forgiveness, to others and to yourself. And I ask you to remember that everyone has the capacity to change.”

Read more about Laya Sathyan.  | Watch her address

Fleishman Award Winner (Highest Grade Point Average)

Katie Heath, Hannah Galdes, Grace Endrud and Anisha Reddy posing with Sanford's founding director Joel Fleishman for which the award is named.

Best Honors Thesis: Christina Wang

Christina Wang is Sanford’s 2024 Best Thesis winner with an Honors Thesis titled "What Do Americans Think Democracy Means?” which includes research that reflects her dedication to understanding democratic principles and amplifying the voices of the American people. Read more about Christina and her research.

Featured Video

2024 Terry Sanford Leadership Award Winner: Grace Endrud

Grace is one of two 2024 Terry Sanford Leadership Award winners, a prestigious award for public policy undergraduates at Duke. She says when she first came to Duke, she didn’t see herself as a leader, instead she focused on her work in the classroom. But when she applied for Duke’s Nakayama Public Service Scholars program, something clicked.

2024 Terry Sanford Leadership Award Winner: Chloe Nguyen

Chloe Nguyen is one of two winners of the 2024 Terry Sanford Leadership Award. Chloe is passionate about understanding the psychological drivers of intergroup conflict like political polarization and developing interventions to address them. 

More awards

• Charles B. Rangel Fellowship : Manon Fuchs
• Critical Language Scholarship : Manon Fuchs, Charles Hester and Samyuktha Sreeram
• Schwarzman Scholarship: Sejal Mayer-Patel
• Gaither Junior Fellowship: Kristin Zhu
• Fulbright Scholarship: Andrew Greene

Watch Fleishman and Terry Sanford Leadership Award Winners on stage.

Tifft Teaching Award: Lisa Gennetian

Named after the esteemed Susan Tifft, the Eugene C. Patterson Professor of the Practice of Communications and Journalism, this award celebrates educators who excel in guiding and nurturing undergraduate students.

Students nominated Lisa Gennetian for the 2024 award, and the praise for her instruction was glowing. Gennetian is Pritzker Professor of Early Learning Policy Studies at Sanford and is an applied economist who studies how poverty and policy interventions to alleviate it affect children’s development, education, and other outcomes.

Gennetian teaches the core microeconomics course for Sanford undergraduates. The many students who nominated her for this award praised her ability to make economics less daunting by engaging the class with accessible real-world examples, including from her own research.

The nominations called her a “phenomenal” and “passionate” teacher who cares deeply about her students, always wanting them to see how economic principles matter to understanding and addressing the policy problems they care about. Students appreciated her flexibility, accessibility, and sense of humor, as well as the welcoming and lively environment she created in the classroom.

Read more about Lisa Gennetian and the Tifft Teaching Award.  | Watch her receive the award

More Graduation Stories

We have profiled a wide variety of Duke Sanford School of Public Policy graduates. 

Matt LoJacono

Matt LoJacono is Sanford's Senior Public Relations Manager. With a focus on media relations, Matt oversees and nurtures connections between the institution and various outlets, ensuring effective communication about faculty, staff, and students. He is also responsible for crafting engaging news stories and in-depth articles that highlight the events and achievements within Sanford. As such, when the need arises, Matt is in charge of updating printed materials including the faculty guide throughout the year.

Matt holds a BA in Public Relations from George Mason University and an MS in Communication from North Carolina State University. He is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, further expanding his and Sanford's network. Outside of work, Matt enjoys going to baseball games and is an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox.

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