what is dissertation and thesis

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Dissertation vs Thesis: Your 2024 Guide

If you’ve been thinking about going to graduate school, you may be familiar with the application requirements, rigorous academic schedule, and thesis or dissertation you’ll be expected to complete. So, what exactly is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation? While there are similarities, there’s a clear difference between the two. In our guide, we compare dissertation vs thesis. Discover more about both – and what you can expect during your graduate program. Let’s get started!

• Table of Contents

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis is an academic paper or project that’s completed towards the end of a master’s degree program . It is typically completed as the capstone project , meaning it’s the final project required for a student to graduate.

Students need to select a narrow, specific topic within – or relating to – their field of study. Once they’ve selected a topic, students must conduct an in-depth review of existing research on their chosen subjects. The next step is to formulate an academic argument, an assertion they’ll need to support or prove with said research.

Therefore, a thesis is akin to an in-depth research paper. It’s comprised of research that essentially proves what a student has learned during their program.

What Is a Typical Thesis Structure?

A thesis generally follows a rigid structure that’s decided by the program, department, or university. Here is an example of a thesis structure:

• The Title Page
• Summary of Thesis Abstract
• Table of Maps and Figures
• The Thesis Body (Sometimes divided into chapters)
• The Results or Conclusion

Who Needs to Complete a Thesis?

Most master’s degree programs require students to complete a thesis. While some undergraduate programs may also require a thesis, these are generally shorter and narrower in scope.

Some programs will also require a master’s student to defend their thesis in front of a panel or committee.

What Is a Dissertation?

What is “the PhD paper” called? Some people refer to it as a PhD thesis, but it’s most commonly known as a dissertation in the US. Dissertations are the capstone project required at the tail end of a PhD program . It is almost always required, except for a select few one-year PhD programs .

Much like a thesis, dissertations are also academic papers that aim to prove a student’s expertise – while adding to the current body of knowledge – in their field. Thus, a student must look at existing research and conduct their own research .

Basically, it’s the magnum opus of a doctoral journey in the United States. A dissertation isn’t just a long research paper; it’s a beast of a project. It demands extensive research, originality, and the ability to make a meaningful contribution to your chosen field. Think of it as a research odyssey guided by a seasoned mentor. Once you’ve conquered this scholarly quest and defended your findings, you’ll proudly emerge with your hard-earned doctoral degree, a testament to your dedication and scholarly prowess.

A dissertation typically comes after a PhD student completes their required courses and passes their qualifying exams. In some programs, the dissertation process is embedded into the coursework. In such cases, students receive a jump start on their work, allowing them to potentially finish their program earlier.

What Does a Dissertation Do?

PhD candidates must present a new theory or hypothesis. Alternatively, they must present their research to question (or disprove) the existing accepted theory on their chosen subject. Students may choose to tackle their topic from a new angle or take their research in a different direction.

Most programs will require students to defend their dissertations. During the defense, candidates must be able to justify the methodology of their research and the results and interpretation of their findings. Defenses are typically oral presentations in front of a dissertation committee , where the students are asked questions or presented with challenges.

Although the defense may seem daunting, PhD students work closely with their advisors to prepare for their dissertations. Students receive feedback and advice to guide their dissertations in their chosen direction.

What Is the Typical Dissertation Structure? 

Dissertations follow a rigid structure typically set by the program, department, or university. Here is an example format:

• The Acknowledgments Page
• The Abstract
• Introduction
• The Literature Review & Theoretical Framework
• The Methodology
• Findings/Results
• Discussions of the Findings, including analysis, interpretation, and applications
• The Conclusion
• List of References
• Any Appendices

What Is a Doctoral Thesis?

A doctoral thesis is a substantial piece of scholarly work that marks the pinnacle of a doctoral degree program, such as a PhD. Think of it as the academic grand finale. Its primary mission? To showcase the candidate’s mastery in their chosen field and their knack for delving deep into research.

In a nutshell, a doctoral thesis is a mammoth project that calls for originality. You’ve got to dig, investigate, gather data, crunch numbers, and present real data-supported findings. All this hard work usually happens under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable mentor. Once you’ve conquered this scholarly mountain and defended your thesis successfully, you’ll be proudly awarded your well-deserved doctoral degree. It’s the hallmark of your expertise and contribution to your field.

And how does a doctoral thesis differ from a dissertation? That’s mainly a geographic explanation. While they’re largely similar in scope and purpose, when comparing a doctoral thesis vs. a dissertation:

• A dissertation is the PhD capstone requirement in the US .
• A doctoral thesis is the PhD capstone requirement in Europe .

Related Reading: The Easiest PhDs

Dissertation vs. Thesis: The Similarities

In the master’s thesis vs dissertation discussion, there are plenty of similarities. Both are lengthy academic papers that require intense research and original writing. They’re also capstone projects which are completed at the tail end of their respective programs.

Students must work closely with their respective committees (e.g., faculty members, advisors, professionals) who provide feedback and guidance on their research, writing, and academic arguments. Both thesis and dissertation committees have a committee chair with whom the students work closely.

In some ways, the requirements for theses and dissertations are quite similar. They require a skillful defense of a student’s academic arguments. What’s more, both papers require critical thinking and good analytical reasoning, as well as in-depth expertise in the chosen field of study.

Students must also invest a significant amount of time into both projects while also being able to accept and action feedback on their work.

Dissertation vs. Thesis: The Differences

What are the differences between a PhD dissertation vs. thesis? The first and most distinct difference is the degree program requiring a PhD dissertation or thesis. A dissertation is typically the capstone project for a doctorate, while a thesis is the capstone project for a master’s degree program (or undergraduate program).

Candidates will have to defend their dissertation during an oral presentation in front of their committee. Only some master’s theses require this.

During a thesis, students typically conduct research by reviewing existing literature and knowledge on their chosen subject. During a dissertation, students must do their own research and prove their theory, concept, or hypothesis. They should also expect to develop a unique concept and defend it based on the practical and theoretical results achieved from their rigorous research.

Theses are also typically shorter (around 40 to 80 pages). Dissertations, however, are much longer (between 100 and 300 pages). Of course, the actual length of the paper may depend on the topic, program, department, or university.

Related Reading : PhD Candidate vs Student: What’s the Difference? 

Dissertations and Theses: US vs. Europe

Whether you’re in the US or Europe, dissertations and theses are similar. However, European requirements and conventions differ slightly:

Doctoral Thesis

To ensure your PhD graduation, a dissertation is generally required. Doctoral theses in Europe are much like a PhD dissertation in the US : You must complete your own research and add to the existing body of knowledge in your field.

Master’s Dissertation

It may seem odd to require a dissertation for master’s degree programs, but in Europe, this is exactly what you’ll need. A master’s dissertation is a broader post-graduate program research project , though it’s most typically required for master’s programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few of the most common questions we hear about the meaning of thesis vs. dissertation.

Is a Thesis and a Dissertation the Same?

Yes and no. In some ways, a dissertation and a thesis are the same. For example, both require original writing, critical skills, analytical thinking, plenty of research, and lots of academic effort. However, a thesis is more commonly reserved for master’s – and some undergraduate – programs. Dissertations are generally required by PhD programs in the United States.

Additionally, a thesis typically calls for heavy research and compilation of existing knowledge and literature on a subject. A dissertation requires candidates to conduct their own research to prove their own theory, concept, or hypothesis – adding to the existing body of knowledge in their chosen field of study.

How Long Is a Thesis vs. a Dissertation?

One of the primary differences between thesis and dissertation papers is their length. While a thesis might be anywhere from 40 to 80 pages long, a dissertation can easily run from 100 to 300. It’s important to note that these numbers depend on the specific program and university.

Does a PhD Require a Thesis or a Dissertation?

It all depends on where you are! While a US-based PhD requires you to complete a dissertation, a thesis (or “doctoral thesis”) is more commonly required for PhD candidates in Europe. In the US, a thesis is more commonly reserved for master’s degree programs and occasionally undergraduate programs. In Europe, a “master’s dissertation” is typically required for the completion of a master’s degree.

So, there you have it: an in-depth comparison of the dissertation vs. thesis academic requirements. Now that you know the primary similarities and differences between the two, it might become easier to decide your academic path. Just remember, you may be able to find a master’s program without a thesis or a doctorate without a dissertation requirement if you prefer. Good luck!

Are you ready to jump into your doctorate? Find out if you need a master’s degree to get a PhD .

Chriselle Sy

Chriselle has been a passionate professional content writer for over 10 years. She writes educational content for The Grad Cafe, Productivity Spot, The College Monk, and other digital publications.  When she isn't busy writing, she spends her time streaming video games and learning new skills.

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Dissertation vs Thesis: The Differences that Matter

Updated: January 24, 2023

Published: April 26, 2020

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

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

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

Photo by  Glenn Carstens-Peters  on  Unsplash

What is a dissertation.

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

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

What is a Thesis?

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

Main Differences Between a Thesis vs. Dissertation

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

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

Structural Differences Between a Thesis and a Dissertation

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

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

Research Content and Oral Presentation

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

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

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

Similarities:

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

Differences:

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

The Differences in Context: Location Matters

The united states.

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

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

Photo by  Russ Ward  on  Unsplash

The purpose behind written research.

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

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

Degree Types

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

Earning Your Degree

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

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

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

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

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

The Bottom Line

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

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

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• Dissertation

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

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

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

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

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Table of contents

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

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

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

Why is the dissertation important?

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

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

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

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

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

How will your supervisor help you?

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

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

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

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

Empirical dissertations (sciences)

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

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

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

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

Non-empirical dissertations (arts and humanities)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Structure of an empirical dissertation

Empirical dissertations generally include these chapters:

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

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

Other dissertation structures

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

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

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

• Political philosophy

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

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

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

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

Formatting guidelines concern things like:

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

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

How will you reference your sources?

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

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

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

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

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

APA Reference Generator

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

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

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

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

Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

• An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words
• A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words
• A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.

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

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

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What is the Difference Between a Dissertation and a Thesis?

Find your perfect postgrad program search our database of 30,000 courses.

And to make it even more confusing, some institutions or departments will even use the terms differently!

But what are we all really talking about when we refer to a dissertation or a thesis? And does the term you use actually impact on what you actually end up writing?

This article covers the main differences between a dissertation and thesis, and how the terms may differ depending on the course, university and location.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a piece of academic writing centred around original research. In their dissertations, students review existing research but also build on this with unique hypotheses and approaches.

A dissertation can be used to disprove a previous theory or take existing theories and research in a new direction. It is a large research project that is usually completed at the end of the academic year.

Usually, a dissertation starts with a dissertation proposal , which is approved by a study supervisor. The student then completes the research and writes up the methodology , findings, evaluations and conclusions from the research.

Dissertations can be undertaken by both undergraduate and postgraduate students. At undergraduate level the word count is around 5,000 to 8,000 and at postgraduate level it is usually 10,000 to 15,000.

What is a thesis?

A thesis is an academic paper covering an in-depth review of existing research in a particular discipline. It will involve an academic argument, although it doesn’t usually require original research from the student. The existing research is used to support and evaluate the proposed argument.

A thesis is not usually required at undergraduate level and is more common at postgraduate level.

This large piece of written-up research is usually completed at the end of a masters degree. Some masters courses require a thesis to graduate.

Differences between a dissertation vs thesis

The main purpose of a writing a dissertation is to add new findings to the existing literature in that field with original research. Whereas theses tend to evaluate existing findings, as their purpose is to demonstrate knowledge and skills within the course’s subject matter.

In terms of how long it takes to complete a thesis or dissertation project, a thesis is typically shorter than a dissertation since there are fewer original research aspects involved. This means that it will probably take less time. However, this can differ depending on the university and the course.

Dissertations sometimes require an oral presentation, known as a viva , where findings are showcased to academics who ask questions about the research. Theses usually do not require this.

The root of the words 

The word ‘dissertation’ originates from the Latin word ‘dissertare’, meaning to continue to discuss and the Latin word ‘disserere’ which means to examine and discuss .

The word ‘thesis’ originally comes from the Greek word ‘tithenai’, which means to place or position. This later evolved into the Latin ‘thesis’, which had two meanings: an abstract question and to put something forward .

Similarities between a dissertation vs thesis

Although there are some key differences between a dissertation and a thesis, there are also similarities.

• Both are generally long pieces of academic writing, much longer than a typical essay.
• Both explore a topic in depth, whether you are conducting totally unique research or structuring an argument based on existing research.
• Both are considered a final project and usually required to graduate from a degree, masters or PhD. Students can graduate without a thesis or dissertation if they choose to complete a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate instead.
• Excellent academic writing skills are highly important for both types of research project.

Is a dissertation harder than a thesis?

Though, the difficulty of a thesis or dissertation depends on your personal skill set. For instance, students that learn better by developing their own research ideas may find a dissertation easier than a thesis.

Difficulty can also depend on the level of the course. For instance, a thesis completed at doctorate level is likely to require more advanced knowledge than a thesis at undergraduate level.

The difficulty of either type of research project can also vary depending on the subject matter and the resources available to you.

Both dissertations and theses can be challenging, but don’t be put off by the thought of having to produce a larger body of work. Your supervisor will be there to support you.

Definitions depend on where you are

The terms ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ are sometimes used interchangeably, and the meanings can differ depending on the country and university.

There are plenty of differences between the variant forms of English, such as British English and American English. Around the world, different English-speaking countries use the words ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ differently. 

Generally, nations with British-based academic systems of university education use dissertation to refer to the body of work at the end of an undergraduate or masters level degree . British-based institutions generally use thesis to refer to the body of work produced at the end of a PhD . 

In countries and institutions that are based on the American system of education, the words tend to be used in reverse. However, institutions and even different departments in the same university can use the words differently. 

If you're in doubt, then stick with the way the university and department you're currently attending use the terms. 

Definitions can depend on the subject

In the UK, the terms ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ are generally applied equally across institutions and subjects. 

However, in the US the meanings can differ between different subject areas. The term ‘thesis’ can be used to describe a piece of original research in US academia, whereas original research is usually referred to as a dissertation in the UK. 

If you’re studying in the US , you may complete a thesis at masters level in another subject area that involves wide-ranging reading and understanding rather than original research and still call it a thesis.

With so much interchangeability between the two terms, it’s understandable that there is often confusion in the debate between a dissertation vs thesis, as there is no clear answer. 

Always read specific course details to understand exactly what’s involved in the research project that you are required to produce.

Examples from US and UK universities

Georgetown University in the US refers to a dissertation and a thesis as both adding to your 'field of knowledge' . The University of Edinburgh recommends that you refer to your individual course handbook for guides to dissertations, so each department will have their own guidelines to using the word dissertation and thesis. At University College London they refer to a thesis as the piece of work at the end of an EngD, MPhil, MD(Res) or PhD, which are all research degrees. 

In conclusion

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter which word you use as both refer to a serious and lengthy piece of work where you can show what you have researched and understood as part of your postgraduate studies.

As long as you are referring to the piece of work that you are compiling in the same way as those in your department then you will avoid confusion.

It is important to check whether the research piece involves original research or expects you to build upon existing research.

Writing a dissertation or a thesis requires a substantial amount of planning and work and you don't want to let yourself down at the last hurdle with poor presentation of your work, so always keep an eye on your course or department guidelines.

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Thesis vs. Dissertation: What’s the difference?

Thesis and dissertation are extensive research papers that differ in terms of their requirements, length, and purpose, with the former being associated with a master's degree and the latter with a doctoral degree, but are often used interchangeably.

Updated on September 15, 2023

A thesis and a dissertation are both extensive research papers, and both require literature searches and novel findings, but the two differ in various ways. Their definitions also differ across regions. Typically, in North America, a thesis is required for the completion of a master’s degree, while a dissertation is required for the completion of a doctoral degree. The former is long, while the latter is longer and more intensive.

Despite these differences, the two terms are often used interchangeably, especially among those who haven’t completed one or the other. Here, we’ll compare the components, length, and purpose of these two academic documents to clearly understand the differences between these important papers in the life of a graduate student.

What’s a thesis?

The term “thesis” explained here is generally consistent with how the word is used in North America to describe this substantive research paper.

A thesis is an extended argument (PDF). It is a research-based document that displays the student’s/author’s knowledge and understanding of a specific subject within their field of study. It generally presents findings on a particular topic. 

See this and this (PDFs) for examples. These superb master’s theses from Canada will give you an idea of the size and format of these papers.

Who would write a thesis?

You generally write a thesis if you’re undertaking a research-oriented master's degree program (as opposed to a practical program, which may require a capstone, internship, exam, etc.). 

The thesis is the essential part of a program’s research component, demonstrating the student's ability to critically analyze the literature and complete independent research. The process of writing a thesis involves exploring a specific research question, conducting a comprehensive literature review, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting findings in a structured and cohesive way.

A thesis' specific requirements and expectations differ depending on the academic institution, department, and program.

Components of a thesis

A thesis is typically presented in chapters. How many chapters will vary, but a common structure is:

• Introduction: Presents the research topic, purpose, and objectives, setting the context for the work.
• Literature review: Comprehensive survey of existing scholarly material related to the research topic, highlighting key theories and findings.
• Methodology: Describes the methods, procedures, and tools used in doing the research.
• Research: The actual performing of the study, collecting, and analyzing data relevant to the research question.
• Findings and conclusions: Gives the results obtained and explains their significance in relation to the research question.
• Limitations and future research: Outlines the study’s shortcomings and suggests potential areas for future investigation.

Within that structure, and in addition to those parts, a thesis may also include: 

• Cover page: Contains the thesis title, author's name, institution, department, date, and other relevant information
• Abstract : A brief summary of the thesis, highlighting the research objectives, methods, key findings, and conclusions.
• Certificates of own work
• Certificate of readiness to be included in the library
• Certificate that the research has not been presented to another university
• Acknowledgments
• Table of contents: List of the main sections, subsections, and corresponding page numbers.
• Index of figures and tables
• References: A comprehensive list of all the sources cited in the thesis, following a specific citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).
• Appendices (optional): Additional materials include:
• Abbreviations and/or acronyms used
• Questionnaire or interview schedule/s (if used)
• Data acquired in the form of transcripts or numeric tables
• Research protocol
• Ethics protocol

What’s a dissertation?

This is also viewed from a North American perspective, where a dissertation is usually the main research work toward completing a research-based doctoral program.

A dissertation is a comprehensive and in-depth research project completed as part of the requirements for a doctoral degree. It’s a substantial piece of original work that contributes new knowledge to a specific field of study.  Naturally, when it’s completed as the major requirement for earning a PhD, it’s longer, more detailed, and the expectations are higher.

Dissertations themselves can add to the literature in the field. For this reason, some students choose to publish them and have them indexed. The research and the data acquired while working on a dissertation can potentially lead to more publications and help define the researcher’s growing area of expertise.

See this and this (PDFs)  top-ranking dissertation on ProQuest for good examples.

Who would write a dissertation?

Completion and defense of a dissertation is a standard requirement for doctoral students to earn a PhD or another doctorate such as an EdD or DM. But some specialized degrees, such as a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology), JD (Juris Doctor) or DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) may have practice-based requirements in place of a research project, as these courses of study are geared more toward practical application.

Components of a dissertation

A dissertation’s components are generally the same as those of a thesis. You can look at the list above for a thesis to see what typically goes into a dissertation. But, if compared with a master’s thesis, most aspects are longer and more rigorous.

The word count requirements for theses can vary significantly, but doctoral dissertations often range 40,000–80,000 words or, per Harvard , 100–300 pages.

Differences between a thesis and a dissertation

As already touched on, the key differences are in where the two documents are used, length, and rigor. There are also regional differences.

A thesis typically demonstrates a master’s degree program student's grasp and presentation of a specific subject in their field of study. It normally involves a literature review, data analysis, and original research, but it is usually shorter and less comprehensive than a dissertation. The standards for rigor and novelty may also be lower.

A dissertation requires more extensive research, original contributions to the field, and a deeper exploration of the research topic. A dissertation is typically the output associated with a doctoral degree program.

The main differences in structure between a thesis and a dissertation are in the scope and complexity.

The word count requirement for theses and dissertations can vary depending on the institution and program.

A thesis is usually 20,000–40,000 words. However, there have been cases of mathematics dissertations that were only a few pages long!

Doctoral dissertations may range 60,000 to upward of 100,000 words, and exceed 100 pages. Many universities, however, seek around 80,000 words.

Oversight and process

A thesis may simply be submitted to the student's instructor, though rigorous thesis programs require a committee and defense. A dissertation will nearly always require the student to choose a chair, a committee, and then go through a more rigorous defense and revision (if necessary).

• Committee: Master's thesis committees usually have fewer members (typically 2–3) than doctoral dissertation committees (often 4–5, or even more).
• Guidance: Master's students often receive more detailed direction from advisers than doctoral students, who are expected to work more independently.
• Review: Dissertation reviews are typically more rigorous, often involving external reviewers, while thesis reviews are usually internal.
• Defense: A dissertation defense is generally more intense and formal, as it often involves a presentation to the wider academic community, while a thesis defense might be more confined and informal.
• Revision: The revision process for a doctoral dissertation is typically more extensive, given the larger scope of the project and higher stakes involved, compared with those for a master's thesis.

Regional differences

The terms' use varies among (and even within) countries. Here are some general regional differences:

In the United Kingdom, a thesis is commonly associated with both master's and doctoral degree programs. For example, the University College London  refers to a thesis for EngD, MPhil, MD(Res), and PhD degrees. At the University of Nottingham , a dissertation is written for a research master’s degree.

In Australia and New Zealand , “thesis” is generally used to refer to a substantial research project completed for a higher degree, though not limited to a master’s (you’ll find ample references to a “PhD thesis”).

In Latin American countries,  the thesis is commonly used to refer to both master's and doctoral research projects.

Closing thoughts

Both theses and dissertations are necessary documents for students in graduate programs. Despite the differences in expectations, and even in definitions of these papers, the student-author must do a diligent and rigorous job to earn their degree.

Here are a few helpful resources if you want to get into greater detail:

• Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step-By-Step Guide
• 100 PhD rules of the game to successfully complete a doctoral dissertation (PDF)
• Theses and Dissertations: A Guide to Writing in Social and Physical Sciences

Perfect the English on your thesis or dissertation

Whether you’re submitting a thesis or a dissertation, if it’s in English, it should:

• Have no grammatical or spelling mistakes
• Use field-appropriate language
• Concisely and clearly communicate your research.

That’s what AJE expert editors will do for you. Within days, you can receive an expert English edit of your work. The editor will be familiar with your field of study and will comprehensively improve both the language quality and the delivery of your message. Look into AJE English Editing .

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What’s the Difference Between a Dissertation vs. Thesis?

If you plan to pursue an advanced degree, you may be wondering about the differences between dissertation vs. thesis projects.

Most candidates in master’s or PhD programs are required to complete a final project in the form of a thesis or dissertation before graduating.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Because both a master’s thesis and a doctoral dissertation consist of in-depth research, analysis, and writing, some people use the terms interchangeably. They are separate assignments, though, that are completed at different stages in a student’s academic journey.

What’s the Difference Between a Dissertation vs. Thesis?

Students enrolled in masters degree programs typically write a thesis, whereas doctoral students complete a dissertation.

Although these projects are both research-based and are usually required for graduation, they have different lengths, requirements, and timeframes. Knowing how to distinguish between them is vital for anyone hoping to attend graduate school.

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis is a scholarly paper that many students write before completing their master’s programs. Most graduate schools require students to submit a thesis that reflects the breadth and depth of their knowledge of the field and demonstrates their advanced research skills.

To create a thesis, students begin by selecting a topic of interest and conducting extensive research in that area. That information serves as the basis for a lengthy paper that describes the student’s position on the subject and presents evidence proving their assertion. Although it’s not common, some undergraduate schools also require students to write a short thesis.

What Is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a doctoral-level project that is a standard feature of PhD programs. When completing a dissertation, a student will conduct original or expanded research that can contribute to their field and solidify their status as a scholar.

So, what’s a dissertation and how long does it take to write one? Dissertations are often hundreds of pages in length and are completed over several years. They reflect that a student not only understands the current state of the field but also has a unique approach to the subject matter. After writing a dissertation, a student must defend it to a committee and faculty chair, who determine whether it is acceptable.

A number of universities now offer doctorate programs without dissertations but have a capstone project for completion. Common programs are DBA degrees or doctoral programs in education with no dissertation online or on campus.

Differences Between a Dissertation vs. Thesis

A dissertation and thesis are distinct in important ways, including:

• Academic level . A thesis is generally the final project required for a master’s degree. Students complete a dissertation during their doctoral programs.
• Research requirements . Writing a thesis involves reviewing and compiling information from reputable sources. To complete a dissertation, students must also present new information based on original research.
• Length . The difference in the length of a PhD dissertation vs. masters thesis is noteworthy. A thesis is typically between 50 and 100 pages in length and is written during the final year of a master’s degree program. A dissertation is generally 100 to 400 pages long and may involve several years of work.
• Completion process . Students submit their thesis projects to a group of two or more faculty mentors. Dissertation projects culminate with an oral defense, where the student answers questions from a committee of various faculty members.

The difference between dissertation and thesis projects depends on where you’re studying. For instance, in the United Kingdom, master’s students complete a dissertation, and PhD students write a doctoral thesis.

Similarities Between a Thesis vs. Dissertation

Much like the similarity between a dissertation vs. capstone , a thesis is usually accomplished as a partial requirement for an academic degree. A thesis and a dissertation usually share these common features:

• Purpose . Thesis and dissertation projects are designed to indicate whether a student is ready to graduate.
• Required skills . To successfully write a dissertation or thesis, students often have strong writing, analytical, research, and editing skills.
• Process . To complete either project, students select a focused research area, review existing sources, and write a long paper summarizing their findings and analysis.
• Expectations . Students cannot commit plagiarism or act unethically.
• Benefits . Completing a thesis or dissertation helps students gain a more thorough understanding of their field, narrow down their career goals, and demonstrate their achievements.

If you intend to complete a doctoral dissertation, you may have the opportunity to expand on the research from your master’s thesis or select a new area of interest.

Theses and Dissertations

There may be a difference between a thesis and a dissertation in terms of when students complete them, how long they are, and what type of research they involve, but they are both beneficial academically and professionally.

These projects provide students with an opportunity to gain expertise in their fields and prepare for their careers. Graduates also sometimes publish their work as journal articles or books. Having a record of publications may strengthen your candidacy for future positions. Writing a dissertation or thesis is challenging, but it can be a valuable experience.

You can take the next step in your educational journey today by researching accredited master’s and PhD programs.

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="what is dissertation and thesis"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Guide to writing your thesis/dissertation, definition of dissertation and thesis.

The dissertation or thesis is a scholarly treatise that substantiates a specific point of view as a result of original research that is conducted by students during their graduate study. At Cornell, the thesis is a requirement for the receipt of the M.A. and M.S. degrees and some professional master’s degrees. The dissertation is a requirement of the Ph.D. degree.

Formatting Requirement and Standards

The Graduate School sets the minimum format for your thesis or dissertation, while you, your special committee, and your advisor/chair decide upon the content and length. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanical issues are your sole responsibility. Generally, the thesis and dissertation should conform to the standards of leading academic journals in your field. The Graduate School does not monitor the thesis or dissertation for mechanics, content, or style.

“Papers Option” Dissertation or Thesis

A “papers option” is available only to students in certain fields, which are listed on the Fields Permitting the Use of Papers Option page , or by approved petition. If you choose the papers option, your dissertation or thesis is organized as a series of relatively independent chapters or papers that you have submitted or will be submitting to journals in the field. You must be the only author or the first author of the papers to be used in the dissertation. The papers-option dissertation or thesis must meet all format and submission requirements, and a singular referencing convention must be used throughout.

ProQuest Electronic Submissions

The dissertation and thesis become permanent records of your original research, and in the case of doctoral research, the Graduate School requires publication of the dissertation and abstract in its original form. All Cornell master’s theses and doctoral dissertations require an electronic submission through ProQuest, which fills orders for paper or digital copies of the thesis and dissertation and makes a digital version available online via their subscription database, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses . For master’s theses, only the abstract is available. ProQuest provides worldwide distribution of your work from the master copy. You retain control over your dissertation and are free to grant publishing rights as you see fit. The formatting requirements contained in this guide meet all ProQuest specifications.

Copies of Dissertation and Thesis

Copies of Ph.D. dissertations and master’s theses are also uploaded in PDF format to the Cornell Library Repository, eCommons . A print copy of each master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation is submitted to Cornell University Library by ProQuest.

Thesis Vs. Dissertation — Know the difference and similarities!

The academic world is filled with many different types of writing assignments, each with its own unique set of requirements and expectations. One common source of confusion for students is the distinction between a thesis and a dissertation. Both are long-form academic works, but there are several key differences between the two that are important to understand.

In Shakespeare’s day, a candidate for a master’s degree would write a thesis, an original paper in which he maintained a certain proposition. Whereas, completion of a doctoral program required submission and defense of a dissertation. He would read his thesis to his committee, after which he sat in silence while two faculty members gave point-by-point refutations of everything the candidate said.

The focus here was on the student’s ideas and his ability to arrange and express them clearly. If a student wished to advance further in academia he could pursue a dissertation. This was more of a  literature review . He would read widely in a particular area and write up his findings, discussing the various authorities and their opinions. The point was to demonstrate that he was well-versed in the literature of the field. While the confusion between the two terms is understandable, we shall tackle the dissertation vs. thesis topic in this article and provide unambiguous insights on it.

Table of Contents

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis is a critically written scholarly piece of research work. Typically, it is submitted by students graduating from a master’s program. The purpose of a thesis is to allow students to showcase their knowledge and expertise within the subject matter they have been studying as part of the program.

What Is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a comparatively lengthier piece of scholarly writing that accounts for your research work throughout the doctoral program. A researcher earns the Ph.D. after submitting and defending his/her dissertation. It includes all information about the original research or expanded research on a new or existing topic conducted by the Ph.D. candidate.

Dissertation vs. Thesis: Differences

• The primary difference between a thesis and a dissertation is the time when they are completed. As mentioned earlier, a thesis is presented at the culmination of a master’s program, whereas, a dissertation is presented to earn a Ph.D.
• A thesis is a compilation of research ensuring that the researcher is well-informed and has knowledge about the research topic learned in the study program. On the other hand, a dissertation provides an opportunity for the researcher to contribute new theories and information to the existing literature in the research field.
• A thesis is a presentation of learned and existing information, while the purpose of a dissertation is to develop a unique concept and defend it based on theoretical and practical results.
• A master’s thesis is approximately 100 pages in length. However, a Ph.D. dissertation should be much longer than a thesis and must include background and research information. A dissertation must include your research proposal, grant proposal, literature review , ideation of research topic, and every other minute detail about your research. Ideally, a dissertation inclusive of all details mentioned above should be three times the length of a master’s thesis.

Dissertation vs. Thesis: Similarities

• Both a thesis and a dissertation are considered final projects and are required to graduate from respective programs.
• The thesis and dissertation both require a deep and accurate understanding of the research problem.
• Both forms of scholarly written pieces must address specific research questions.
• Academic writing skills are imperative for a thesis as well as a dissertation.
• Ethical practices must be followed while collating and documenting research data.
• Plagiarism is not accepted in either.
• Both require analytical skills to support the findings.
• It is essential that both undergo intense dissertation/ thesis editing  and  critical proofreading  before final submission.

Dissertation vs. Thesis: Europe

In Europe, the original distinction between a thesis and a dissertation has been largely retained. A doctoral thesis is a focused piece of original research that is performed to obtain a Ph.D. A dissertation is part of a broader post-graduate research project.

However, the thesis has evolved since original research nowadays requires plenty of background research . So, a thesis will contain extensive citations and references to earlier work, although the focus remains on the original work that comes out of it.

Dissertation vs. Thesis: USA

In the United States, the definition of a thesis is almost the opposite of that in Europe. Because a thesis is shorter than a dissertation it gradually came to mean a preliminary degree on the way to a doctorate. A thesis is now performed to earn a Master’s degree. In scientific fields, a master’s candidate takes advanced coursework and gains hands-on experience in a research project but does not direct the project to the same extent that he would in a doctoral program. In a master’s project, the student’s ideas are welcomed and expected but the focus is on obtaining technical expertise, not doing original research. Engineering students commonly obtain Master’s degrees and seldom go on to get PhDs. In other fields such as Chemistry, the opposite is true, with a Master’s degree no longer being required as the first step for a doctorate. Almost everyone I know who received a Master’s degree in Chemistry got one because they dropped out of graduate school and wrote their truncated research as a Master’s project.

In a Nutshell

Needless to say, the dissertation vs. thesis facts are real. Therefore, using one term instead of another is not acceptable as an academic. One must remember the purpose of each and use them accordingly. However, one is not undermined by the other. Whether you are writing a thesis or a dissertation, both must be done with the same seriousness. Both require critical technical and soft skills. Improving your time management and academic writing skills plays a major role in acing both forms of scholarly writing.

How do you decipher dissertation vs. thesis? Should the interchanged usage of these terms be acceptable? How is your approach to writing a thesis different from that of a dissertation? What are the other differences associated with the thesis and dissertation? Let us know in the comments section below!

Frequently Asked Questions

"Dissertation" and "thesis" are used interchangeably but differ in: Academic Level: Thesis for master's, dissertation for doctoral degrees (US). Scope and Depth: Thesis shorter, demonstrates mastery; dissertation extensive, original research. Originality: Thesis may involve original analysis; dissertation presents significant new insights. Time and Effort: Dissertations require more resources and time than theses.

The length of a dissertation varies depending on factors like academic discipline, research topic, institution, and country. Generally, dissertations are longer than theses, ranging from 10,000 to over 100,000 words. However, word count alone does not reflect the quality or depth of the research. Guidelines from the academic institution should be consulted for specific requirements.

The length of a thesis varies depending on factors like academic discipline, research topic, institution, and country. Generally, the word count ranges from around 10,000 to 50,000 words. Specific guidelines from the academic institution should be consulted for precise requirements.

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Dissertation vs Thesis vs Capstone Project What’s the difference?

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

At Grad Coach, we receive questions about dissertation and thesis writing on a daily basis – everything from how to find a good research topic to which research methods to use  and how to analyse the data.

One of the most common questions we receive is “what’s the difference between a dissertation and thesis?” . If you look around online, you’ll find a lot of confusing and often contrasting answers. In this post we’ll clear it up, once and for all…

Need a helping hand?

Dissertation vs Thesis: Showdown Time

Before comparing dissertations to theses, it’s useful to first understand what both of these are and what they have in common .

Dissertations and theses are both formal academic research projects . In other words, they’re academic projects that involve you undertaking research in a structured, systematic way. The research process typically involves the following steps :

• Asking a well-articulated and meaningful research question (or questions).
• Assessing what other researchers have said in relation to that question (this is usually called a literature review – you can learn more about that up here).
• Undertaking your own research using a clearly justified methodology – this often involves some sort of fieldwork such as interviews or surveys – and lastly,
• Deriving an answer to your research question based on your analysis.

In other words, theses and dissertations are both formal, structured research projects that involve using a clearly articulated methodology to draw out insights and answers to your research questions . So, in this respect, they are, for the most part, the same thing.

But, how are they different then?

Well, the key difference between a dissertation and a thesis is, for the most part, the level of study – in other words, undergrad, master or PhD. By extension, this also means that the complexity and rigorousness of the research differs between dissertations and theses.

So, which is which?

This is where it gets a bit confusing. The meaning of dissertation or thesis varies depending on the country or region of study. For example, in the UK, a dissertation is generally a research project that’s completed at the end of a Masters-level degree, whereas a thesis is completed for a Doctoral-level degree.

Conversely, the terminology is flipped around in the US (and some other countries). In other words, a thesis is completed for a Masters-level degree, while a dissertation is completed for PhD (or any other doctoral-level degree).

Simply put, a dissertation and a thesis are essentially the same thing, but at different levels of study . The exact terminology varies from country to country, and sometimes it even varies between universities in the same country. Some universities will also refer to this type of project as a capstone project . In addition, some universities will also require an oral exam or viva voce , especially for doctoral-level projects. 

Given that there are more than 25,000 universities scattered across the globe, all of this terminological complexity can cause some confusion. To be safe, make sure that you thoroughly read the brief provided by your university for your dissertation or thesis, and if possible, visit the university library to have a look at past students’ projects . This will help you get a feel for your institution’s norms and spot any nuances in terms of their specific requirements so that you can give them exactly what they want.

Let’s recap

Dissertations and theses are both formal academic research projects . The main difference is the level of study – undergrad, Masters or PhD. Terminology tends to vary from country to country, and even within countries.

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Get in touch with a friendly Grad Coach to discuss how we can help you fast-track your dissertation or thesis today. Book a free, no-obligation consultation here.

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Published by Nicolas at January 17th, 2024 , Revised On January 23, 2024

Dissertation Vs Thesis: How Are They Different

Dissertation vs thesis! What are you writing? 

Table of Contents

Many graduate students from universities in Canada often get confused and mix both terms. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they carry distinct meanings and purposes in academia. Read this blog to fully understand the difference between a thesis and a dissertation. 

What Is A Dissertation

A dissertation is a substantial piece of academic writing typically required to complete a doctoral degree (such as a Ph.D.). It represents an original and significant contribution to the field of study and is usually the culmination of several years of research and study.

What Is A Thesis

A thesis is a scholarly piece of writing, usually at the master’s or undergraduate level, that presents an original research question, methodology, and findings. It represents the culmination of a student’s academic work and demonstrates their ability to contribute to the field of study.

The Evolution Of Dissertation Vs Thesis

The history of the thesis and dissertation dates back several centuries, and the evolution of these academic documents reflects changes in scholarly practices, educational systems, and the expectations of advanced degree programs. 

Medieval Origins

The concept of a scholarly thesis has roots in medieval universities. In the 12th and 13th centuries, institutions like the University of Paris introduced the practice of disputations, where students defended their theses in a public forum. These early theses were often theological or philosophical in nature.

Renaissance And Early Modern Period

During the Renaissance, the practice of defending theses continued to evolve. The 16th and 17th centuries saw an increasing emphasis on empirical observation and scientific inquiry. The thesis became more diverse, covering topics in natural philosophy, mathematics, and other emerging disciplines.

18th And 19th Centuries

The 18th century marked the formalization of the thesis as a requirement for academic degrees. Universities started to mandate the submission of a written document along with the oral defence. This practice became more standardized in the 19th century as universities across Europe and North America adopted similar academic norms.

Evolution Of The Dissertation

The term “dissertation” has its roots in the Latin word “dissertatio,” meaning “discussion.” Dissertations, as we understand them today, emerged in the 19th century, primarily in German universities. Doctoral candidates were required to produce substantial research demonstrating their ability to contribute original knowledge to their field.

20th Century

The 20th century saw a global expansion of higher education and an increase in the number of doctoral programs. The thesis and dissertation became integral components of graduate education worldwide. The structure, format (eg, APA or MLA ), and expectations for these documents varied among disciplines and institutions.

Electronic Theses And Dissertations (ETDs)

With the advent of digital technology in the late 20th century, there was a shift toward electronic submission of theses and dissertations. This made research papers more accessible and facilitated the dissemination of knowledge. Many universities now require the submission of ETDs.

Contemporary Trends In Dissertation Vs Thesis

In the 21st century, the thesis and dissertation continue to evolve. Educational institutions are adapting to new forms of scholarship , interdisciplinary research, and varied modes of dissemination. The focus is often on producing high-quality, original research that contributes significantly to the academic community.

What Is The Difference Between A Dissertation And A Thesis 

Thesis vs dissertation: length and depth.

One of the key differences between a thesis vs dissertation lies in their length and depth of research:

Theses are typically shorter in length, ranging from 50 to 100 pages, depending on the institution and program requirements. The research conducted for a thesis is expected to contribute to the existing literature but may not need to be as exhaustive as that of a dissertation.

Dissertation

Dissertations, being the pinnacle of doctoral research, are substantially longer, often exceeding 100 pages and sometimes reaching several hundred pages. Doctoral candidates are expected to delve deeply into their chosen topic, conducting extensive research and offering a unique contribution to the academic community.

Dissertation Vs Thesis: Scope And Purpose

Another significant distinction between a dissertation vs thesis is the scope and purpose of the research:

The primary goal of a thesis is to demonstrate a student’s understanding of the subject and their ability to conduct independent research within a defined scope. A thesis is often more focused and may be an exploration or analysis of a specific aspect of a broader topic. For example, a finance thesis could be about any topic within the subject. 

Dissertations, being doctoral-level projects, have a broader scope. Doctoral candidates are expected to make an original and substantial contribution to the field, advancing existing knowledge and addressing gaps in the current literature. Dissertations often involve more extensive data collection, analysis, and synthesis of information.

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Dissertation Vs Thesis: The Similarities

While there are distinct differences between a thesis vs dissertation, they also share several similarities, reflecting their common purpose within academic research papers . Here are some key similarities between a dissertation and a thesis.

Research Component

Both dissertations and theses involve original research and scholarly inquiry. Students are expected to engage in a systematic investigation of a chosen topic, demonstrate a deep understanding of existing literature, and contribute new knowledge or insights to their field.

Academic Rigour

Both documents adhere to high standards of academic rigour and integrity. They require meticulous attention to detail, adherence to citation and referencing styles, and a commitment to intellectual honesty.

Formal Structure

Dissertations and theses typically follow a formal structure, including elements such as a thesis statement , an introduction, a literature review, methodology, results, a discussion, and a conclusion. This structured format ensures a comprehensive presentation of the research.

Faculty Guidance

In both cases, students work closely with faculty advisors or mentors throughout the research process. Advisors guide research design, literature review, data analysis, and other aspects of the project.

Oral Defense

A commonality between dissertations and theses is the requirement for an oral defence. In many academic institutions, students must defend their research findings before a committee of faculty members. This defence allows students to articulate their research methods, results, and conclusions, while also responding to questions and critiques.

Degree Requirement

Both a thesis and a dissertation serve as a crucial component for the completion of an academic degree. Thesis is typically associated with master’s programs, while dissertations are a requirement for doctoral degrees. In both cases, successfully completing the research project is essential for obtaining the respective degrees.

Contribution To Knowledge

Whether a thesis or a dissertation, the primary goal is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in a particular field. Both documents aim to advance understanding, address gaps in the literature, and offer meaningful insights that can inform future research.

Literature Review

A comprehensive literature review is a common element in both dissertations and theses. This section provides context for the research by summarizing and critiquing relevant scholarly works, helping establish the rationale and significance of the study.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a dissertation and a thesis.

A thesis is a shorter, master’s-level research document demonstrating mastery of a subject. A dissertation, typically for a doctoral degree, is longer and requires a more extensive, original contribution to the field.

What is the difference between a master thesis and dissertation?

A master’s thesis is a shorter research document showcasing mastery of a specific subject. A dissertation, associated with a doctoral degree, is more extensive, requiring a substantial, original contribution to the field.

Are thesis and dissertation the same thing?

No, a thesis and a dissertation are not the same. A thesis is a research document associated with a master’s degree, demonstrating mastery of a subject. A dissertation is a more extensive research document required for a doctoral degree, emphasizing original contribution to the field.

Where to find thesis and dissertations?

There are several online sources that can help you in finding the perfect thesis and dissertation for your research. ResearchProspect Canada is one of the leading and trustworthy brands, helping students achieve academic excellence.

What is electronic thesis and dissertation?

An Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) is a digital version of a student’s thesis or dissertation. It is submitted and stored electronically, allowing easy access, distribution, and archiving, reflecting the shift towards digital formats in academia.

How to cite theses and dissertation?

To cite theses and dissertations, follow the citation style specified by your academic institution or the preferred style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Include author, title, publication year, institution, and retrieval information for online sources, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

How to cite pro quest dissertation and theses APA?

To cite a ProQuest dissertation or thesis in APA format, use the following template: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Publication No.). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Include the ProQuest publication number for online sources.

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What Is The Difference Between a Thesis And a Dissertation?

Tom Baldwin - Jan 19, 2024

The academic journey is a transformative experience, one that involves skillfully navigating the intricate landscape of thesis and dissertation writing. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the nuanced realm of “What Is The Difference Between a Thesis And a Dissertation,” unraveling not only their variances but also exploring the structural differences and historical evolution that have shaped these academic endeavors.

Table of Contents

Dissertation versus thesis: understanding the variances.

Indeed, the terms “thesis” and “dissertation” may be used interchangeably in casual conversation, but within the academic context, they bear unique connotations and serve different purposes. One fundamental distinction lies in their usage at different academic levels. Typically, a thesis is associated with a master’s degree program, while a dissertation is linked to a doctoral program.

In terms of scope and depth, the differences become more pronounced. A thesis often represents a culmination of a master’s student’s research and demonstrates a mastery of the subject matter

Defining a Thesis

A thesis, being a scholarly document associated with the culmination of a master’s degree, requires students to showcase their ability to synthesize existing knowledge in their chosen field. It represents not only the endpoint of their academic journey at the master’s level but also a significant milestone in their intellectual development.

Deciphering a Dissertation

In contrast, a dissertation is a substantial scholarly endeavor, emblematic of the final leg of a doctoral candidate’s academic pursuit. It involves not only a synthesis of existing knowledge but often requires original research, demanding a substantial contribution to the broader academic discourse within their specialized field.

Variations In Research Approaches

The divergence in academic levels among researchers often aligns with the variations in research approaches employed in thesis and dissertation projects. These research endeavors serve as pivotal components of academic pursuits, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge within specific fields. The diverse academic levels can encompass undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies, each characterized by distinct expectations and requirements.

At the undergraduate level, research projects typically introduce students to fundamental research methodologies, fostering an understanding of the research process.

Master’s Level Research Approach

A Master’s thesis typically centers around a meticulous synthesis of existing knowledge in a particular domain. This approach allows students to demonstrate their comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, providing evidence of their intellectual growth throughout the master’s program.

Doctoral Level Research Approach

Conversely, doctoral dissertations necessitate a more ambitious research approach. Originality is paramount, with candidates expected to contribute novel insights to their field. This involves conducting in-depth research, often resulting in findings that extend beyond what is already documented in the existing body of knowledge.

Distinguishing Structural Variances In Thesis And Dissertation Formats

The structural differences between a thesis and a dissertation extend beyond mere variations in word counts, encompassing distinct components and purposes within the academic landscape. Both a thesis and a dissertation represent scholarly works that contribute to the body of knowledge in a particular field, but they are typically associated with different academic levels.

A thesis is usually associated with a master’s degree and is a culmination of a student’s exploration of a specific research question or topic. It tends to be shorter in length compared to a dissertation and often involves a more focused scope of research

Structural Elements Of a Thesis

A thesis typically encompasses standard sections, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. However, the depth and complexity of each section may be more moderate compared to its doctoral counterpart.

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Structural Complexity In a Dissertation

In doctoral dissertations, the structural complexity is heightened. The literature review demands a more extensive exploration of existing scholarship, the methodology section requires a more intricate design, and the discussion involves a deeper engagement with the implications of the research findings.

Commonalities Between a Dissertation And a Thesis

At the heart of both thesis and dissertations lies a commitment to rigorous research and scholarly inquiry. Whether delving into the realms of science, humanities, or social sciences , scholars undertaking these projects are united by their dedication to exploring, analyzing, and contributing new knowledge to their respective fields. This shared commitment underscores the essential role these academic works play in advancing the frontiers of human understanding

Rigorous Research

Both a thesis and a dissertation demand a rigorous research process. This involves a critical analysis of existing literature, a meticulous design and execution of research methods, and a thorough exploration of findings that contribute meaningfully to the academic community.

Intellectual Prowess

Furthermore, both serve as tangible evidence of a student’s intellectual prowess. Completing either project signifies not only the culmination of academic studies but also the ability to engage with and contribute to the broader discourse within a specific field.

Are Dissertations More Challenging Than Thesis?

The distinction between dissertations and thesis is not universally consistent, as it varies across academic institutions and countries. However, in many educational systems, a thesis typically refers to a shorter research project undertaken at the undergraduate or master’s level, while a dissertation is a more extensive and in-depth research endeavor undertaken at the doctoral level. The complexity and challenges associated with writing a dissertation often stem from its comprehensive nature and the higher expectations placed on doctoral candidates.

Dissertations typically require an original contribution to the field of study, demanding an exhaustive review of existing literature, a well-defined research question, rigorous methodology, and substantial data analysis.

Challenges In Dissertation Writing

Doctoral dissertations necessitate a more extensive literature review, a more intricate research methodology, and a more substantial contribution to the existing body of knowledge. The challenge lies not only in the depth of the research but also in the expectation of originality and the ability to make a meaningful impact on the academic field.

Mastering The Challenges Of a Thesis

While a master’s thesis presents its own set of challenges, such as synthesizing existing knowledge and presenting a cohesive argument, it may not demand the same level of original research and depth as a doctoral dissertation.

Evolution of Thesis And Dissertations: A Concise Historical Overview

The historical evolution of the thesis and dissertation format offers a fascinating journey through the development of scholarly communication and academic rigor. In tracing their origins, one discovers that the concept of a formal written document to convey advanced research findings has ancient roots. Early universities in medieval Europe required students to defend their thesis as part of the educational process. These early thesis were often brief and focused on theological or philosophical topics.

Historical Roots Of Thesis

The concept of a thesis dates back to medieval universities, where it represented the final project for a master’s degree. It served as a demonstration of a student’s mastery of the subject matter before attaining the status of a master.

The Emergence Of Doctoral Dissertations

Doctoral dissertations gained prominence in the late 19th century, marking a paradigm shift towards original research as a requirement for the attainment of doctoral degrees. This evolution reflects the increasing emphasis on contributing new knowledge to academia at the highest educational levels.

Which Path Should You Choose: Thesis Or Dissertation?

The decision to pursue a thesis or a dissertation depends on one’s academic and career aspirations. Both a thesis and a dissertation are rigorous research projects that demonstrate a student’s ability to engage in independent scholarly work. However, there are key distinctions between the two, and the choice often aligns with the level of education and the specific requirements of the academic program.

At the undergraduate level, students may be required to complete a thesis as a culmination of their academic studies.

Master’s Degree Aspirations

If the goal is to complete a master’s degree, opting for a thesis is the conventional path. This allows students to engage in comprehensive research within the scope of existing knowledge, demonstrating their ability to synthesize information.

Doctoral Ambitions

For those with aspirations of attaining a doctoral degree, the dissertation becomes the cornerstone of their academic journey. It is a testament to their capacity for original research, contributing valuable insights that extend the boundaries of current knowledge in their chosen field.

1. How long is a dissertation compared to a thesis?

Both dissertations and thesis are substantial academic documents, but their length can vary. In general, a dissertation is typically longer than a thesis. While the exact length can depend on academic institutions and specific requirements, a thesis is usually shorter, ranging from 60 to 100 pages, whereas a dissertation can be longer, often exceeding 100 pages.

2. Is a dissertation and thesis the same?

No, a dissertation and a thesis are not the same, though the terms are often used interchangeably. The main difference lies in their purpose and the academic level at which they are completed. A thesis is typically associated with a master’s degree program, while a dissertation is usually part of a doctoral (Ph.D.) program.

3. What is the difference between a thesis paper and a dissertation?

The key distinction between a thesis paper and a dissertation lies in their scope and depth. A thesis is a research project undertaken during a master’s program, demonstrating a student’s mastery of a subject. On the other hand, a dissertation is a more extensive and original piece of research conducted at the doctoral level, contributing new knowledge to the academic field.

4. What should be the length of a dissertation?

The length of a dissertation varies, but it is generally a more extensive document compared to a thesis. A typical dissertation can range from 150 to 300 pages, encompassing a comprehensive literature review, methodology, data analysis, findings, and conclusions. However, the specific length requirements may vary across academic institutions and disciplines.

In conclusion, the distinctions between thesis and dissertation lengths go beyond mere quantitative measures. They embody the culmination of a student’s academic journey at different levels, reflecting not only the expectations of their respective academic programs but also the depth of research and scholarly contributions required.

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Dissertation vs Thesis

• Updated on  
• Apr 21, 2023

Many students get confused between a Dissertation and a Thesis. A thesis is an academic essay or a research paper that is written as a part of a higher degree. The aim of a thesis is to prove your opinion through a statement. It has a specific length limit and takes less time to complete. It is extremely important for a student to complete and submit their thesis on time to obtain a Master’s Degree. On the other hand, a dissertation is an academic piece of writing based on one’s independent research. It is meant to be submitted as a part of one’s PhD , Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. It can take several months or even years to complete a dissertation. It prepares students to develop problem-solving, project management and numerical skills.  Read the whole blog to understand the difference between a thesis and a dissertation, its structure, types of dissertations, thesis and dissertation in India , US , EU and more.

Also Read: What is Research Proposal?

This Blog Includes:

Difference between a dissertation and a thesis, major difference between a dissertation and a thesis, structure of a dissertation, structure of a thesis, similarities between a dissertation and a thesis.

The main difference is the purpose of the submission. A Dissertation is meant to be submitted with the aim of projecting the student’s skills and experience throughout the course of their doctoral program. While a Thesis is meant to be submitted to complete one’s master’s degree. 

• A Dissertation consumes more time to complete while a thesis can be completed in even 2 weeks as it comes with a specific length.
• A dissertation is completely based on original research; there is no place for secondary research sources.
• A thesis includes primary and secondary sources; there is no need to analyze a particular field of study.
• A thesis requires argumentation to prove a particular point while a dissertation needs a lot of background research. A thesis includes a viewpoint of the findings while a dissertation requires students to extrapolate their findings. 
• A thesis is more of an academic research paper while a dissertation is a lot lengthier than a thesis and is required to be submitted in the form of a book.

The primary distinction between a thesis and a dissertation is that a thesis is based on previously conducted research.

A dissertation, on the other hand, will almost certainly require the doctorate student to conduct their own research and analysis. Another significant distinction is that a thesis is for master’s students and a dissertation is for PhD students.

Structure of Dissertation vs Thesis

The structural difference between the two lies in the length of the document. A dissertation is a lot lengthier than a thesis which is meant to be at least 100 pages long. The outline of both a dissertation and a thesis is quite similar. Below mentioned are the structures:

The structure must include the 5 chapters of a dissertation that are mentioned below:

• Chapter I: Introduction
• Chapter II: Review of Literature
• Chapter III:  Research Methodology 
• Chapter IV:  Result Presentation
• Chapter V: Summary, Implications and Conclusions

Here is the typical outline of a Thesis for your reference:

• Introduction
• Problem Statement
• Purpose/Aim/ResearchQuestions
• Review of Literature
• Methodology
• Significance/Implications (Results of the Discussion)
• Overview of Chapter (Conclusion)
• Recommendation
• A dissertation and a thesis are extremely important to get the respective degree.
• The aim of both a dissertation and a thesis is to test a student’s research abilities.
• An obvious similarity between the two is the structure/outline that is followed by both.
• Another similarity is the Guidance, teachers and supervisors are assigned to personally guide the students by helping them through the course of the research.
• Plagiarism is meant to be followed strictly while writing a thesis and a dissertation 

Some people use the word dissertation as a synonym for a thesis which is not correct. The purpose of a dissertation and a thesis is what makes it complex to understand the difference between the two. This blog has covered almost everything you needed to know about the difference between the two. However, both of them have a lot of similarities but are done for obtaining different degrees. While writing any of them, remember that it is only adding to your skills. The aim is to improve your academic and research skills.

Dissertation vs Thesis in Different Countries

Those who are pursuing a PhD are required to submit a thesis while the ones pursuing an MPhil must submit a dissertation.

A thesis must be submitted to complete a PhD Degree while a dissertation is supposed to be part of a research project.

The purpose of submitting a dissertation and a thesis is completely different. A dissertation is an independent research project to obtain a Doctoral Degree in the US, while a thesis is a shorter research project that is required to obtain a Master’s Degree.

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A master’s dissertation is generally between 15,000 and 20,000 words.

The top PhD subjects include physical therapy, education, administration, chemistry, political science and technology.

Yes, you can complete a PhD Degree in 2 years.

Because it is based on original research, a doctoral dissertation has greater breadth, depth, and intention than a master’s thesis. A master’s thesis is typically 100 pages long, and a doctorate dissertation can be 400-500 pages long.

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How to tackle the PhD dissertation

Finding time to write can be a challenge for graduate students who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. Mabel Ho provides some tips to make the process less daunting

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Writing helps you share your work with the wider community. Your scholarship is important and you are making a valuable contribution to the field. While it might be intimidating to face a blank screen, remember, your first draft is not your final draft! The difficult part is getting something on the page to begin with. 

As the adage goes, a good dissertation is a done dissertation, and the goal is for you to find balance in your writing and establish the steps you can take to make the process smoother. Here are some practical strategies for tackling the PhD dissertation.

Write daily

This is a time to have honest conversations with yourself about your writing and work habits. Do you tackle the most challenging work in the morning? Or do you usually start with emails? Knowing your work routine will help you set parameters for the writing process, which includes various elements, from brainstorming ideas to setting outlines and editing. Once you are aware of your energy and focus levels, you’ll be ready to dedicate those times to writing.

While it might be tempting to block a substantial chunk of time to write and assume anything shorter is not useful, that is not the case. Writing daily, whether it’s a paragraph or several pages, keeps you in conversation with your writing practice. If you schedule two hours to write, remember to take a break during that time and reset. You can try:

• The Pomodoro Technique: a time management technique that breaks down your work into intervals
• Taking breaks: go outside for a walk or have a snack so you can come back to your writing rejuvenated
• Focus apps: it is easy to get distracted by devices and lose direction. Here are some app suggestions: Focus Bear (no free version); Forest (free version available); Cold Turkey website blocker (free version available) and Serene (no free version). 

This is a valuable opportunity to hone your time management and task prioritisation skills. Find out what works for you and put systems in place to support your practice. 

• Resources on academic writing for higher education professionals
• Stretch your work further by ‘triple writing’
• What is your academic writing temperament?

Create a community

While writing can be an isolating endeavour, there are ways to start forming a community (in-person or virtual) to help you set goals and stay accountable. There might be someone in your cohort who is also at the writing stage with whom you can set up a weekly check-in. Alternatively, explore your university’s resources and centres because there may be units and departments on campus that offer helpful opportunities, such as a writing week or retreat. Taking advantage of these opportunities helps combat isolation, foster accountability and grow networks. They can even lead to collaborations further down the line.

• Check in with your advisers and mentors. Reach out to your networks to find out about other people’s writing processes and additional resources.
• Don’t be afraid to share your work. Writing requires constant revisions and edits and finding people who you trust with feedback will help you grow as a writer. Plus, you can also read their work and help them with their editing process.
• Your community does not have to be just about writing!  If you enjoy going on hikes or trying new coffee shops, make that part of your weekly habit.  Sharing your work in different environments will help clarify your thoughts and ideas.

Address the why

The PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward. One idea is to start writing your “acknowledgements” section. Here are questions to get you started:

• Do you want to dedicate your work to someone? 
• What ideas sparked your interest in this journey? 
• Who cheered you on? 

This practice can help build momentum, as well as serve as a good reminder to carve out time to spend with your community. 

You got this!

Writing is a process. Give yourself grace, as you might not feel motivated all the time. Be consistent in your approach and reward yourself along the way. There is no single strategy when it comes to writing or maintaining motivation, so experiment and find out what works for you. 

Suggested readings

• Thriving as a Graduate Writer by Rachel Cayley (2023)
• Destination Dissertation by Sonja K. Foss and William Waters (2015)
• The PhD Writing Handbook by Desmond Thomas (2016).

Mabel Ho is director of professional development and student engagement at Dalhousie University.

If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,  sign up for the Campus newsletter .

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UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collection https://hdl.handle.net/2152/11

This collection contains University of Texas at Austin electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The collection includes ETDs primarily from 2001 to the present. Some pre-2001 theses and dissertations have been digitized and added to this collection, but those are uncommon. The library catalog is the most comprehensive list of UT Austin theses and dissertations.

Since 2010, the Office of Graduate Studies at UT Austin has required all theses and dissertations to be made publicly available in Texas ScholarWorks; however, authors are able to request an embargo of up to seven years. Embargoed ETDs will not show up in this collection. Most of the ETDs in this collection are freely accessible to all users, but some pre-2010 works require a current UT EID at point of use. Please see the FAQs for more information. If you have a question about the availability of a specific ETD, please contact [email protected].

Some items in this collection may contain offensive images or text. The University of Texas Libraries is committed to maintaining an accurate and authentic scholarly and historic record. An authentic record is essential for understanding our past and informing the present. In order to preserve the authenticity of the historical record we will not honor requests to redact content, correct errors, or otherwise remove content, except in cases where there are legal concerns (e.g. potential copyright infringement, inclusion of HIPAA/FERPA protected information or Social Security Numbers) or evidence of a clear and imminent threat to personal safety or well-being.

This policy is in keeping with the  American Library Association code of ethics  to resist efforts to censor library resources, and the  Society of American Archivists code of ethics  that states "archivists may not willfully alter, manipulate, or destroy data or records to conceal facts or distort evidence." Please see UT Libraries'  Statement on Harmful Language and Content  for more information.

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• No Thumbnail Available Item A tale of two realities: gendered workspace at home during the pandemic in Taipei ( 2023-12 ) Tsai, Chyi-Rong ; Williams, Christine L., 1959- ; Glass, Jennifer Show more Remote work has been viewed as facilitating work-family balance and promoting gender equality. While work-family scholars provide evidence to show that women still carry more responsibility at home compared to their husbands, this study adds to the debate from the spatial aspect of remote work by asking whether there is a gendered pattern of space allocation and use when couples work from home together. This study examines how heterosexual couples in Taiwan use space when both are working from home. I interviewed 29 people in 19 households how they arranged working space at home, and how these spatial arrangements influenced their working experiences and career development. I found that space is gendered: men tend to work in a preferable space at home compared to their partners. However, a preferable space is not always an independent physical space, such as a room. Interviews reveal that women are more interrupted regardless of the physical setting of the space. Their experiences reveal that women’s family roles, such as mother, daughter, and wife, are prioritized at home, resulting in constant interruptions. On the contrary, men’s roles as a worker are protected when they worked from home. Gender transcends and transforms the physical space to reproduce gender inequality at work for people who work from home, suggesting the need to reconsider treating remote work as a pro-work-family policy. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item Development of an NMR force microscopy probe for thin film studies ( 2023-08 ) Paster, Jeremy W. ; Markert, John T. Show more Presented here are efforts to reconfigure a nuclear magnetic resonance force microscopy (NMRFM) probe to explore thin-film samples. The motivation for this experiment, which would enlist the non-invasive and subsurface capabilities of NMRFM, was to study the conducting interface between LaAIO₃ and SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO), materials which are insulating in bulk. We propose NMRFM as a tool to detect whether there is diffusion across the interface which could explain the conducting region. We adopted the Interrupted OScillating Cyclic Adiabatic Reversal (iOSCAR) protocol to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. This thesis provides background information on nuclear magnetic resonance, NMRFM, and LAO/STO before detailing key probe transformations towards thin-film exploration with iOSCAR. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item In and beyond the gate of pesantren: Islamic feminism and female ulama contributions to Islamic discourse in Indonesia ( 2023-08 ) Azizah, Dewi Rosfalianti ; Sowards, Stacey K. ; Ganesh, Shiv Show more This project investigates the competing narratives within the discourses of Islam in Indonesia, notably in the study of gender and women's positions within Islam, by using one pesantren based in Yogyakarta as a case study to better understand such larger discourses. By implementing Saba Mahmood’s concept of religious sociability, and pesantren values in Islamic teachings, I conduct a rhetorical analysis of pesantren communities and Islamic feminist organizations to shed light on existing narratives and how they influence larger aspects of Indonesian Islamic society. I argue that religious sociability practiced by female ulama in pesantren enables the intimate space that allows Islamic feminism to thrive, both within the constrained space of male-dominated fields and the larger society as a part of Islamic discourse. I also argue that Islamic feminist organizations and figures existing within and complying with pesantren values help build the narrative of moderate Islam and dismantle patriarchal interpretations of Islamic teachings. This thesis is divided into four chapters: First, I provide the contextual background of the interrelated and sometimes contesting narratives within the Islamic discourse in Indonesia. Then, I explore the concept of Islamic education, pesantren, and how religion has become a site of knowledge production to produce discursive realities. Second, I will explain the history of women’s organizations in Indonesia, and how Muslim women organizations in Indonesia have long paved the opportunities for the construction of Islamic feminism. Third, I will engage with Saba Mahmood’s concept of religious sociability to analyze a speech of a female ulama in Pesantren Krapyak Ali Maksum, Yogyakarta to find out how the rhetorical style of familiarity and sensibility are expressed in her persona, and how the figures of Ibu Nyai become rhetorical agents that inspires students. Lastly, I will discuss the social and digital activism of Islamic feminist organizations such as Mubadalah Indonesia and the Congress of Indonesian Female Ulama (Kongres Ulama Perempuan Indonesia/KUPI) as the contributions of Islamic feminism and pesantren values in shaping Islamic discourse in Indonesia. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item Optimized protocol for antibody yeast display ( 2023-12 ) Pareek, Sumit ; Maynard, Jennifer Anne, 1974- Show more Yeast display is an established technology used to discover proteins that have increased binding affinities to their targets. There are many steps within the process that affect the final binding affinity between proteins. The Maynard Lab regularly utilizes display technologies to discover antibodies that bind strongly to targets of interest prior to antibody engineering, in vitro testing, and in vivo studies. For the purpose of efficiency and standardization, the goal of this work is to develop a protocol associated with yeast display for discovery of potent antibodies. In this work, the variable domain is expressed on the surface of yeast cells, in which each cell has a unique heavy chain genotype and matching phenotype based on error-prone mutagenesis. After artificially producing millions of yeast cells with different heavy chain regions, the cells are sorted based on their affinity towards a receptor. DNA sequences that encode for successful binders are used to recombinantly clone, express, and characterize antibodies as leading candidates with increased binding affinity to targets. This revised protocol is lab-specific, wherein details about execution of experiments are contextual to the work done in the Maynard Lab. Every bullet-point and step in this report is a lesson learned from significant testing and troubleshooting. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item The effect of a health-system real-time prescription benefit tool on primary medication adherence: an interrupted time series study ( 2023-12 ) Reynolds, Timothy George ; Rascati, Karen L. ; Park, Chanhyun Show more Background: Real-time prescription benefit (RTPB) tools are intended to provide accurate outpatient medication cost information to providers at the point of prescribing. This may allow for meaningful affordability discussions between providers and patients. While becoming more widespread, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of this functionality on clinical and economic outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the effect of an integrated RTPB module on primary medication adherence and medication costs. Methods: This single-site, uncontrolled, interrupted time series analysis utilized case-level retrospective medication order and dispensing data from a large integrated delivery network (IDN) in Texas (2018-2022). Eligible outpatient medication orders (for branded diabetes medications, respiratory maintenance inhalers, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] medications) electronically prescribed for dispensing at the health system pharmacy network were examined for sales within 30 days of the order date (primary medication adherence). Segmented generalized linear regression models were used to model the association between RTPB functionality on instantaneous and durable changes in primary medication adherence rates and secondary medication cost outcomes. Results: A total of 54,328 medication orders met all study criteria (pre-intervention, N=27,425; post-intervention, N=26,903). In the post-intervention period, 67.3% of orders triggered an RTPB alert; however, only 0.5% of these were proactively initiated by the prescriber. Overall, the RTPB module was associated with an instantaneous decrease (23.6%; 95% CI; 14.7-31.6%) in odds and a monthly decrease (3.0%; 95% CI; 2.3-3.7%) in odds of 30-day primary medication adherence. This was consistent in analyses of respiratory inhaler and ADHD subsets. There was no association between RTPB functionality and out-of-pocket costs, except for an instantaneous decrease (25.0%; 95% CI; 5.4-40.4%) in the inhaler subset. Lastly, the RTPB module was associated with an instantaneous increase (7.2%; 95% CI; 3.0-11.7%) and a monthly increase (1.2%; 95% CI; 0.8-1.6%) in total medication costs, but medication subset analyses were conflicting. Conclusion: While evidence of a benefit from RTPB functionality was mixed, there was evidence of time-varying confounding that was not accounted for due to lack of a control group. Notably, while response rates of the RTPB module were high, there is minimal use of the more proactive component of the tool. Show more

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Home > ETDS > ETD

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

All doctoral dissertations authored by Washington University doctoral degree candidates are directly submitted to the UMI Dissertation Services , a division of the ProQuest Company. (For more information on submitting your dissertation through ProQuest, please see the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences' web pages on the Submission of the Dissertation .)

Beginning in 2009 (for degrees awarded in August, 2009) all theses and dissertations completed at Washington University were required to be submitted in electronic form. Print submissions are no longer accepted. Dissertations are submitted directly in electronic form to UMI / Proquest Dissertation Services. Master’s theses are locally submitted in electronic form directly into the Washington University Open Scholarship Repository. Please contact your academic department document for information on the preparation and formatting requirements of the thesis itself. D.Sc. and Masters Thesis Format Guidelines . See the Theses & Dissertations (ETDs) for more information on submission and access options and links to details for PhD Candidates and Master’s Candidates.

Theses/Dissertations from 1991 1991

The Early Career of Thomas Moran, 1853-1870 , Anne Roberts Morand

Theses/Dissertations from 1990 1990

The Paleodemography of the Read Shell Midden, 15BT10 , Nicholas Paul Herrmann

Theses/Dissertations from 1989 1989

The Effect of Parental Symptoms, Parental Relationships, and Parenting Practices of the Intergenerational Transmission of Alcoholism and Depression , Sandra Johnson Holmes

Theses/Dissertations from 1988 1988

Caregiver Strain: A Structural Equation Model , Christopher Philip Rice

Theses/Dissertations from 1987 1987

Tyrosine Sulfation in A431 Cells , Naili Liu

A Quantifiable Model for Local Bond Stress-Slip Relationship under Generalized Excitations , Sakul Pochanart

The Rite of Spring: A Rhythmic Perspective , Kathy Maria White

Theses/Dissertations from 1986 1986

A Descriptive Analysis of Selected Choral Works of Lena Johnson McLin , Donna Marie McNeil Cox

Burmese Philosophy as Reflected in Caturangabala's Lokaniti , Khin Win Kyi

Kinship, Dominance, and Social Organization in a Semi-Free Ranging Group of Ringtailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) , Linda Linda Taylor

The Prohibition of Successive Prosecutions and Multiple Punishments for the Same Offense : in Search of Standards. Volume 1. , George Conner Thomas III

The Prohibition of Successive Prosecutions and Multiple Punishments for the Same Offense : in Search of Standards. Volume 2. , George Conner Thomas III

Theses/Dissertations from 1984 1984

The Auchinleck Manuscript: Contexts, Texts and Audience , Jean Harpham Burrows

Geology, Petrology, and Tectonic Setting of the Mafic Rocks of the 1480 MA Old Granite-Rhyolite Terrane of Missouri, USA , Paul Joseph Sylvester

Theses/Dissertations from 1982 1982

Hardy and Lipschitz Spaces on Unit Spheres , Leonardo Colzani

Theses/Dissertations from 1981 1981

Implications of Life History Changes for Genetic Polymorphisms , Scott Matthew Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 1980 1980

Pruitt-Igoe Site: Development Plan , Somesh R. Debnath and Satish M. Dohe

The Pomerium of Marchettus of Padua: A Translation and Critical Commentary , Ralph Clifford Renner

Theses/Dissertations from 1978 1978

Artistic Uses of Supernaturalism in the Fiction of Brown, Irving, and Hawthorne , Agnes Mavis Bonney

Theses/Dissertations from 1977 1977

Society, Consciousness, and Planning , Thomas Allen Dutton

Theses/Dissertations from 1976 1976

The Marian Paintings of Jan Van Eyck , Carol Jean Purtle

Alienation in the Novels of Ana Maria Matute , James Townsend Shelby

Theses/Dissertations from 1973 1973

Francis Poulenc's Songs for Voice and Piano , Vivian Lee Poates Wood

Theses/Dissertations from 1972 1972

A Stylistic Analysis of the Piano Sonatas of Johann Gottfried Eckard , Susanne Elisabeth Bell

Theses/Dissertations from 1970 1970

The Historical Progression from the Picaresque Novel to the Bildungsroman as Shown in El Busco´n, Gil Blas, Tom Jones and Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre , Evelyn Neufeld

Theses/Dissertations from 1969 1969

Prognostic Validation of Several Measures for Indices of Cognitive Functioning in Educable Mentally Retarded Pupils , Richard Harris Freer

An Experimental Study of Achievement Motivation Training as a Function of the Moral Maturity of Trainees , Kelvin Richard Ryals

Theses/Dissertations from 1967 1967

An Analysis of Cognitive and Psychological Differentiation in Perceptual and Impression Formation Tasks , Paul F. Kleine

Theses/Dissertations from 1966 1966

Cattle Ranching as a Cultural Ecology Problem in San Miguel County, New Mexico , Thomas J. Maloney

Theses/Dissertations from 1965 1965

The Community Development Corporation as a Response to Poverty , Harry Edward Berndt

Theses/Dissertations from 1963 1963

An Analysis of Contemporary Efforts to Explicate Community Organization Practice and a Proposal to Utilize Intervention in Process as a Conceptual Framework for Such Practice , Charles William Laughton

Theses/Dissertations from 1962 1962

A Study of Indices of Competence Used by Supervisors to Evaluate Case-Worker Performance , Geraldine Louise Conner

Social Casework and Pastoral Counseling: A Study of Perceived Similarities and Differences of the Goals and Methods of Two Helping Professions , Charles Yecheskel Hartman

Teachers' Judgments of Children's Functioning, By Sex and Social Class of Child, in Classrooms of Different Social Class and Racial Composition , Virginia Holmes Turner

Theses/Dissertations from 1958 1958

Origin and Early History of the United Hebrew Congregation of St. Louis, 1841-1859, The First Jewish Congregation in St. Louis , Donald Irving Makovsky

History of Alton, Illinois, 1840-1848 , Dora Brown Tickner

Theses/Dissertations from 1952 1952

Geographic Factors in the Education of Negroes in Six Selected Areas of Missouri , Alice McGee Smart

Theses/Dissertations from 1951 1951

Un Analisis del Guzman de Alfarache de Mateo Aleman , Michael Roberts Ramon

Theses/Dissertations from 1950 1950

A History of the Missouri Training School for Boys, Boonville, 1917 to 1944 , Jack Reichenstein

Theses/Dissertations from 1949 1949

Strike of Coal Miners at Pana, Illinois 1898-1899 , Eleanor Anna Burhorn

Theses/Dissertations from 1947 1947

The Sequent Occupance of Mill Creek Valley , Virginia Anne Henry

Theses/Dissertations from 1946 1946

Missouri State Industrial Home for Negro Girls, Tipton, Missouri, 1909-1944 , Nancy Ellen Cole

Theses/Dissertations from 1944 1944

Medical Care Among Mexican Families in the Guadalupe Neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri , Carmen Rivera de Alverado

Torsional Deflection of Miter-Type Lock Gates and Design of the Diagonals , Edwin Gustav Hoffman

Theses/Dissertations from 1942 1942

Piero di Cosimo and His Place in Florentine Painting of the Late Fifteenth Century , Margaret Felice Stampfle

Theses/Dissertations from 1935 1935

Lead Mining in Missouri 1700-1811 , Welton Lyle Willms

Page 97 of 97

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Finding the Golden Mean: An Efficient Model for Improving Discovery and Access for Legacy Theses and Dissertations in a Medical Library’s Institutional Repository

Embargo lift date, committee members, degree year, journal title, journal issn, volume title.

Developing an efficient and cost-effective method for providing access to legacy print theses and dissertations is a challenge faced by many libraries that serve medical schools and other academic health science programs. The significant staff time and financial cost associated with systematically digitizing and providing complete online access to print theses and dissertations can be problematic given the potentially limited return on that investment as reflected in patron use statistics and other metrics. This presentation will describe how a medical school library improved the discoverability and accessibility of its legacy print theses and dissertations by implementing a cost-effective, selective digitization workflow that leveraged existing metadata and limited staff time. This workflow involved extracting and transforming existing metadata from the library catalog, selectively digitizing excerpts (title page, abstract, table of contents, and committee information) of all the theses and dissertations, and utilizing batch upload capabilities to add new descriptive records to the library’s institutional repository. In addition to improving the discoverability of these important scholarly resources, the medical library intends to implement a “scan-on-demand” service model in which patrons who are interested in obtaining the full text of a thesis or dissertation can do so by contacting the library directly. To date, the library has added descriptive records for more than 500 theses/dissertations to its institutional repository and has seen a tremendous return on its modest investment in the form of thousands of new page views and downloads within a few months.

Description

Item.page.description.tableofcontents, item.page.relation.haspart, series/report, sponsorship.

Alternative Title

Conference dates, conference host, conference location, conference name, conference panel, conference secretariat location, permanent link, full text available at, this item is under embargo {{howlong}}, collections.

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Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Legacy ETD collection includes all theses or dissertations submitted to ProQuest electronically between 2008 and 2022.

These ETDs are still available and searchable within PQDT Global , and UAlbany authors still retain copyright of their ETD, allowing them to publish their own work at any time with any publisher.

By making this work openly available in Scholars Archive and sharing this scholarship with the global community free of charge, UAlbany’s valuable scholarship enjoys a broader reach and deeper impact and better embodies the spirit of the Graduate School and UAlbany’s mission to provide “the leaders, the knowledge, and the innovations to create a better world.”

Note: Retrospective ETDs are provided for research and educational purposes only and are under copyright by the author or the author’s heirs.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us .

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The simulated sensitivity of the North American monsoon at convection-permitting scales , Brendan Wallace

Dynamic instance-wise decision-making for machine learning , Yasitha Warahena Liyanage

The Long Island Opt-Out Movement and local politics in four school districts , Raymond James Webb

AB42 alters glutamatergic transmission in the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus , Patrick Harry Wehrle

The dark figure of wrongful convictions : how intake decisions impact exonerations , Jennifer Weintraub

Understanding sense of belonging of students of color attending a liberal arts college , Jessica Wenger

Women's work history and mental well-being : evidence from the Indonesian family life survey , Nurul Widyaningrum

Relationships of teacher perceptions and racially diverse third grade student achievement : an analysis of ECLS-K:2011 data University at Albany , Lynnette Renee Williams

New York city micronet : comprehensive site metadata and classifications and characteristics of the urban heat island , Ashley Williamson

Computational methods for propagation of optical fields with the angle-impact Wigner function , Jeremy Wittkopp

Spatio-temporal analyses of the relationships between stop, question and frisk and crime in New York City , Haemi Won

Examining the relationship between admission requirements and program outcome variables in a special education teacher preparation program , Emily Woofenden

Adolescent maltreatment, substance use, and self-efficacy : a test of General Strain Theory among a sample of clinical youth , Sonya Worthington

Sampling distribution of non-overlap indices using bootstrapping procedure : a monte carlo simulation study and empirical demonstration , Xinyun Xu

Stability and differential privacy of stochastic gradient methods , Zhenhuan Yang

Probing the stability and solution processability of metal chalcogenide semiconducting materials , Mengwen Yan

High-capacity and interpretable temporal point process models for user activity sequence modeling , Mengfan Yao

"We are the stories" : narrative competence and cognitive mapping as a culturally sustaining pedagogy in the education of emergent bilinguals , Sepideh Yasrebi

Applications of search and matching to international trade and unemployment insurance , Kai You

Innovation capacity in local government organizations : a comparative case study of three innovation labs in the U.S , Qianli Yuan

Contrapuntal readings of the exilic consciousness : reading Yehuda Amichai and Mahmoud Darwish together , Sarah Brooks Zahed

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Novel functional proteomics techniques for multiplex and single cell cytokines detection , Mohammed Abdullah

Statistical and variational modeling and analysis of passive integrated photonic devices , Norbert Dinyi Agbodo

Black bisexual women's experiences of growth following gendered racism and biphobia , Alexandra Agiliga

Development of bioaffinity based assays for forensic applications , Juliana Maria Agudelo Cano

Graduate students' intrinsic motivation in fully online courses , Ahmed Alahmari

Long noncoding RNA AK001796 as a mediator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in metastatic breast cancer , Sumayya Adib Alchalabi

Arabic-speaking students' responses to children's literature about the Middle East , Amal Aldaej

Evaluating the impact of tobacco retailer density on smoking among patients with serious mental illness and diabetes in New York State , Amani Alharthy

Graduate students' understanding, perception, and preference of time management in online learning , Majed Ali

Isolating oral bacterial species from a single donor through a multi-step detection method , Khalid Al-Lakhen

Flexible lives on engineering's 'Bleeding edge' : gender, migration and belonging in the semiconductor industry , Sarah E. Appelhans

Mass spectral and chemometric analysis for the detection and identification of forensically relevant materials , Meghan Grace Appley

Change and continuity in biology , Gunnar O'Neill Babcock

The time course and interaction of emoji and text processing during natural reading : evidence from eye movements , Eliza Barach

Utilizing raman spectroscopy to determine the time since deposition of heated bloodstains , Alexis Pearl Barber

Supporting highly mobile literacy learners : examining how an elementary school provided support to mobile students in an urban school district , Rebecca L. Benjamin

Factors influencing psychotherapy completion in children exposed to adverse childhood experiences , Cheryl Kayleen Best

An examination of the Arctic environment and Arctic cyclones during periods of low and high forecast skill of the synoptic-scale flow , Kevin Biernat

Role of RNA helicases in the drosophila germline , Patrick Blatt

Feasibility of acceptance-based health coaching targeting food cravings in pregnancy , Lauren Blau

A cross cultural comparison of Asian college students' well-being : exploring the impact of cultural factors in a social cognitive framework , Jennifer Joy Bordon

Belonging and bias : how diatonicity and response bias affect pitch memory in a probe tone task , Jeff Bostwick

Novel sensing concept for organophosphate monitoring , Cheyenne Bowman

Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances : analysis, environmental distribution, and bioconcentration , Richard Anthony Brase

Using machine learning to predict super-utilizers of healthcare services , Kevin Paul Buchan Jr.

Disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline : implementing alternative education programs to reduce student disciplinary issues , Michael M. Burns

The sensitivity of convection to boundary layer parameterization in hurricanes Harvey and Irma 2017 , Dylan Card

The foundations of inference and its application to fundamental physics , Nicholas Matthew Carrara

Crime and safety in United States schools : selected findings regarding the relationship of interventions on the rate of student removal from the educational setting for disciplinary reasons , Heather Chadwell Dennis

Modulation of Rho termination : expectation vs reality , Kavya Sri Sai Chegireddy

Navigating racial discrimination as transnational actors : racial experiences of Asian international students in the U.S. under the Covid-19 pandemic , Chen Chen

Higher education under market forces how the "transnational shadow education" industry emerged and persisted to help Taiwanese students to study in the U.S , Kenneth Han Chen

The acquisition of variation in future time expression by high school student learners of Spanish in Upstate New York , Erika E. Clarkin

The effect of mindfulness on autonomic nervous system coordination in individuals with interparental conflict exposure , Rachel Clegg

Critical media literacy in social studies : a case study , Lauren Collet-Gildard

Sex differences in context fear neural circuitry and behavior across development , Lorianna Marie Colon

Black women social workers : a qualitative exploration of stress and coping , Collina D. Cooke

Exploring the roles of school business officials through the lens of financial transparency reporting requirements in New York State , Colette Crawfordmack

Tapestry and tomb, choreography and clot : metaphors for mobilities and moorings in geographical literature , Zachary Robert Cudney

Intrabodies reveal critical steps involved in ricin's interactions with the ribosome , Timothy Francis Czajka

Substance abuse policies, prescribing behaviors, and health outcomes , Huy Do Dang

What drives collective informal learning : the influence of team learning orientation, process efficacy, and metacognition , Gabrielle Danna

Uncle Tom's women : slavery and Black female sexuality , Natalia Davila

Examining the benefits of a sustained balance and fall prevention programming for independent older adults living in a community setting , Noah Davis

Courtland Street, Lake George : a bioarchaeological study of the skeletal foot morphology of early Revolutionary War soldiers , Alexandra Grace Decarlo

Inverse problems for topological summaries in topological data analysis , Jordan Desha

The materiality of metaphor in Mayan hieroglyphic texts : metaphor in changing political climates , Rebecca Ann Dinkel

Properties of curriculum-based measurement for mathematics : an investigation of the average growth, variability, and precision of three forms , Arianna Doss

Social identities at work : how do multiple social identities influence organizational attraction? , Aileen Dowden

Emotion regulation and executive functioning : a comparison of collegiate taekwondo athletes, other athletes, and non-athletes , Rae Danett Drach

Aerosol and terrain effects on winter cloud and precipitation over New York State , Yuyi Du

Addressing the development of reading comprehension in students with ASD : a meta-analysis , Halley Eacker

Molecular simulation of RNA conformational dynamics : an example of Micro-RNA targeting messenger RNA : Mir-34a-MSIRT1 , Parisa Ebrahimi

Cuerpos femeninos en concursos de mujeres o 'reinados' en Colombia, 1991-2018 , Ernesto L. Ebratt

19th century exam, 21st century policing : an examination of the New York State Civil Service and police officer recruitment: , Amani Edwards

Diagnosing high sinuosity regimes associated with anomalous Greenland ice-melt events using self-organizing maps , Mansour El Riachy

Kinetic characterization of two C-family polymerases from the gram-positive bacterium staphylococcus aureus , Sean P. Fagan

Seasonal differences in the impacts of IPO and AMO on temperature and precipitation over South America , Thomas Favata

The contributions of dynamical and diabatic processes preceding and accompanying major Greenland ice-melt events , Scott Feldman

A comparison of implicit and explicit error detection and their effects on purchase intention and judgments of quality , Rachel Fernandes

Developing and testing a single-case experimental design tool : improving the way researchers choose and justify quantification techniques , Joelle Fingerhut

Intergenerational risk of maternal childhood maltreatment on infant health concerns in low-income Mexican American mother-child dyads , Amanda Flagg

An exploration of undergraduates' intercultural development : a case study of an internship abroad program , Jennifer Fong

Against empathy bias : the moral value of equitable empathy , Zoe Fowler

Exploring environmental and methodological sensitivities of forecasted and observed surface winds and gusts using underutilized datasets , Alex Roslyn Gallagher

Epitranscriptomic writer regulation of gene expression in Escherichia coli , William Eugene Gasperi

Identifying the microphysical sensitivities of mesoscale and synoptic precipitation using an ensemble framework , Lauriana Gaudet

Applications of mass spectrometry to forensic entomology : calliphoridae species determination, monitoring of decomposition volatiles, and discovery of chemical cues , Justine Elizabeth Giffen-Lemieux

Mining subgroups from temporal data : from the parts to the whole , Alexander Gorovits

Mechanical analysis of a heterogeneously integrated silicon photonic interposer , Erica Charlene Graham

The case of environmental education of children , Mary Greagan

A project to dye for : differentiation of dyed and non-dyed human hairs Using ATR FT-IR spectroscopy , Joseph John Greco

The circulatory process and user-data , Matthew Greene

Are there individual differences in the foreign language effect? , Rita Gross

Dominican Spanish in New York : language attitudes and variation of final /ɾ/ and /l/ , Gabriel Valentín Guadalupe

Simulation analysis of the snowball chamber , Thomas Guile

Student teachers' TPACK development and technology integration in the shared collective lesson planning , Chen Guo

The role of school and district leaders in discipline systems in positive outlier high schools , Catherine E. Guthrie

Page 3 of 31

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Chicago teen earns doctorate at 17 years old from Arizona State

Dorothy Jean Tillman II spoke at her commencement this month at Arizona State University. She successfully defended her dissertation to earn a doctorate in integrated behavioral health last December.

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