graduation thesis undergraduate

Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers

The Harvard University Archives ’ collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University’s history.

Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research institution as well as the development of numerous academic fields. They are also an important source of biographical information, offering insight into the academic careers of the authors.

Spanning from the ‘theses and quaestiones’ of the 17th and 18th centuries to the current yearly output of student research, they include both the first Harvard Ph.D. dissertation (by William Byerly, Ph.D . 1873) and the dissertation of the first woman to earn a doctorate from Harvard ( Lorna Myrtle Hodgkinson , Ed.D. 1922).

Other highlights include:

• The collection of Mathematical theses, 1782-1839
• The 1895 Ph.D. dissertation of W.E.B. Du Bois, The suppression of the African slave trade in the United States, 1638-1871
• Ph.D. dissertations of astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (Ph.D. 1925) and physicist John Hasbrouck Van Vleck (Ph.D. 1922)
• Undergraduate honors theses of novelist John Updike (A.B. 1954), filmmaker Terrence Malick (A.B. 1966),  and U.S. poet laureate Tracy Smith (A.B. 1994)
• Undergraduate prize papers and dissertations of philosophers Ralph Waldo Emerson (A.B. 1821), George Santayana (Ph.D. 1889), and W.V. Quine (Ph.D. 1932)
• Undergraduate honors theses of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (A.B. 1940) and Chief Justice John Roberts (A.B. 1976)

What does a prize-winning thesis look like?

If you're a Harvard undergraduate writing your own thesis, it can be helpful to review recent prize-winning theses. The Harvard University Archives has made available for digital lending all of the Thomas Hoopes Prize winners from the 2019-2021 academic years.

Accessing These Materials

How to access materials at the Harvard University Archives

How to find and request dissertations, in person or virtually

How to find and request undergraduate honors theses

How to find and request Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize papers

How to find and request Bowdoin Prize papers

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Related Collections

Harvard faculty personal and professional archives, harvard student life collections: arts, sports, politics and social life, access materials at the harvard university archives.

Theses from Previous Years

We have collected some theses from previous years to help guide you. Please use them as examples of how to structure your own thesis. 

Theory  .

Theory Thesis 1  

Theory Thesis 2  

Theory Thesis 3  

Theory Thesis 4  

Theory Thesis 5  

Comparative   

Comparative Thesis 1  

Comparative Thesis 2  

Comparative Thesis 3  

Comparative Thesis 4  

Comparative Thesis 5  

Comparative Thesis 7  

Comparative Thesis 8  

American  

American Thesis 1  

American Thesis 2  

American Thesis 3  

American Thesis 4  

American Thesis 5  

American Thesis 6  

American Thesis 7  

American Thesis 8  

International Relations  

IR Thesis 1  

IR Thesis 2  

IR Thesis 3  

IR Thesis 4  

IR Thesis 5  

IR Thesis 6  

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Undergraduate Thesis Examples

This page contains examples of Undergraduate Theses from students who have graduated with research distinction in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

All undergraduate theses completed at The Ohio State University are stored at the  Knowledge Bank at OSU Libraries  and can be accessed via their  Search Interface .

2021 Graduates

Abigail aronica.

Building a New Galactic Synthesis Model to Aid in the Detection of Exoplanets Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Devin Bennett

Comparison of the Chemical Evolution of Simulated Milky-Way Type Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

Collin Christy

Classifying Stellar Variability in the V and g bands with the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae Thesis Advisor: Dr. Krzysztof Stanek, Department of Astronomy

Evan Fitzmaurice

Migration and Stability of Multi-Planet Circumbinary Systems Project Advisor: Dr. David Martin, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Jessica Kulp

Recreating the "Origins of the Elements" Planetarium Show and Curriculum Module Project Advisor: Dr. Wayne Schlingman, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

Analyzing Unusual Stars in Kepler Project Advisor: Dr. Mathieu Vrard, Center for Cosmology and Astro Particle Physics Thesis Advisor: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault, Department of Astronomy

Maria Pudoka

Inspecting Stellar Angular Momentum Evolution and Ages using High-Resolution Spectroscopy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Michael Rothman

Biosignature Detection in Exoplanetary Atmospheres Using Monte Carlo Simulations Thesis Advisor: Dr. Anil Pradhan and Dr. Sultana Nahar, Department of Astronomy

Robert Von Holle

Active Galactic Nuclei and the Correlated Properties of Neighboring Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

2020 Graduates

Serena cronin.

The Local Environments of Low-Redshift Supernovae Project Advisor Dr. Dyas Utomo, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Adam Leroy, Department of Astronomy

Dhvanil Desai

Galaxy Alignment with Surrounding Large-Scale Structure Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Conor Hayes

Spectroscopic Confirmation of Four Ultra Diffuse Galaxy Candidates Project Advisor: Dr. Johnny Greco, Center for Cosmology and Astro Particle Physics Thesis Advisor: Dr. Paul Martini, Department of Astronomy

Jared Kolecki

Measuring Elemental Abundances in Metal-Poor Stars Thesis Advisors: Dr. Ji Wang and Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

Sophie Lebowitz

The Dragonfly Galaxy III. An Imposter Radio Galaxy in the High Redshift Universe   Project Advisor: Dr. Bjorn Emonts, The National Radio Astronomy Observatory Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Jeniveve Pearson

An Analysis of the Historically Observed Period Change of UV Piscium, RT Andromedae, and XY Ursae Majoris Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo Approach Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Gabriela Torrini

Studying angularly extended gamma-ray sources with VERITAS Project Advisor: David Kieda, University of Utah Thesis Advisor: Dr. Laura Lopez, Department of Astronomy

Jack Warfield

An Intermediate-Age α-Rich Galactic Population Beyond the Solar Neighborhood Thesis Advisors: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault and Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

2019 Graduates

Dominic flournoy.

Intrinsic Shape Alignment of Early versus Late Type Galaxies Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Ness Mayker

HI Balmer Jump Temperatures for Extragalactic HII Regions in the CHAOS Galaxies Project Advisor: Dr. Danielle Berg, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

2018 Graduates

Macy huston.

Making Microlensing Predictions With a New Population Synthesis Galactic Model Project Advisor: Dr. Matthew Penny, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Michael Macuga

The Fraction of Active Galactic Nuclei in the USS 1558-003 Protocluster at z = 2.53 Thesis Advisor: Dr. Paul Martini, Department of Astronomy

2012-2017 Graduates

Lawrence capuder.

Contribution of Solar Mass Loss to the Solution the Faint Young Sun Paradox for Physically Motivated Mass Loss Prescriptions Thesis Advisors: Dr. Marc Pinsonneault & Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

James Derrick

The Green Valley: Separating Galaxy Populations in Color-Magnitude Space Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Andrew Gallagher

Searching for Dark Galaxies Via Their Distorted Companions in the SDSS Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Ryden, Department of Astronomy

Zachary Hartman

Looking for the dM in sdB+dM Systems Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Denise Hung

Metallicities and Temperatures for Two Metal-Rich and Two Metal-Poor Galaxies Project Advisor: Dr. Kevin Croxall, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Richard Pogge, Department of Astronomy

Circumbinary Planets via Microlensing Thesis Advisor: Dr. Scott Gaudi, Department of Astronomy

Mallory Molina

Inter-Percentile Velocity Width: An Alternative Parametrization of the Velocity Field of the Broad-Line Region Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bradley Peterson, Department of Astronomy

Elizabeth Otto

Chemical Abundances of CH Stars in Omega Centauri Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson

Rachel Patton (Cannata)

Exploring Sources of Contamination in Kepler Surveys for Stellar Rotation Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Joseph Shulze

Characterization of LP133-373: A Double-line, Eclipsing dMe Binary Thesis Advisor: Dr. Donald Terndrup, Department of Astronomy

Andrew Taylor

A Possible Evolutionary Channel for the Recently Discovered Class of Millisecond Pulsars in Long, Eccentric Orbits Thesis Advisor: Dr. Todd Thompson, Department of Astronomy

Erika Wagoner

Testing Stellar Models for M Dwarfs Project Advisor: Dr. Sarah Schmidt, Department of Astronomy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Department of Astronomy

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Research thesis and research distinction.

An undergraduate thesis is an official, academically-integrated undergraduate research project with a formal written outcome. Completing a thesis is permanently recognized on a student's diploma as graduation with "Research Distinction" or with "Honors Research Distinction."

The requirements for graduating with research distinction vary by college, but generally include submitting an application to complete a thesis at least a semester prior to graduation, enrolling in thesis course credit hours, submitting a written thesis manuscript and completing an oral examination or defense to a faculty panel. Students should discuss their interest in completing a research distinction project with their research advisor and academic advisor as early as possible.

Theses are permanently stored in the University Library's Knowledge Bank ; so, they are also considered to be a published material.

Research Thesis and Distinction by College/Program

Please contact your academic advisor if you are interested in completing a research thesis or distinction program.

• Graduation and Research Distinction Guidelines
• Research Distinction (Honors and Non-Honors)

Students should contact their academic advisor for information on graduating with Research Distinction or Honors Research Distinction.

• Undergraduate Research & Distinction
• Undergraduate Research Advising Packet
• Honors and Research Distinction (including Non-Honors)
• Guidelines for Research Distinction
• Research Distinction
• Honors Distinction and Thesis
• Undergraduate Research, Independent Study, and Honors Program
• Research Pathways
• Research Distinction Guidelines
• Honors Research and Thesis Requirements

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Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Examples of honors theses written by economics undergraduate students.

Posted with permission of the author. © 2019-2022 by the individual author. All rights reserved.

• "The Causal Effect of ACA Subsidies on Insurance Coverage Status Among California Adults"  - William Vereyken
• "Economic Impacts of Immigration Detention Centers Built Between 1990-2016 on U.S. Commuting Zones"  - Ekaterina Yudina

Spring/Summer 2022

• "The Impact of Indiv. Mandate on High-Income, Non-elderly Indiv. Health Insurance Coverage Rates and Racial/Ethnic Disparities"  - YeJin Ahn
• "An Economic Analysis of the 1997 Amhara Land Redistribution in Ethiopia"  - Ezana Anley
• "Affirmative Action's Effect on Educational and Wage Outcomes for Underrepresented Minorities"  - Vishnu G. Arul
• "Are the Effects of Racism Really That Black and White? A Study on the Effect Racism Has on the Productivity of Black   Footballers in the Premier League"  - Advik Banerjee
• "An Empirical Analysis of Industrial Concentration and Prices: Can We Blame Inflation on Corporate Greed?"  - Anton Bobrov
• "Tax Revenue Cyclicality and Income Inequality: Evidence from U.S. Counties From 1989 to 2019"  - Yiyang Chen
• "The Impact of Economic Opportunities on African American Migration Patterns in Oakland"  - Fernando Cheung
• "Impact of Tech Companies on Wages in the Local Economy"  - Niki Collette
• "Warm Welcome: Evidence for Weather-based Projection Bias in College Choice"  - Maria Cullen
• "Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Bilateral Trade with China"  - Pedro de Marcos
• "Renaissance of the Black Homeowner: Impact Evaluation of Michigan's Renaissance Zones"  - Rupsha Debnath
• "Lockdown Blues: The Effect of Social Norms on the Psychological Cost of Unemployment During the COVID-19 Pandemic"  - Dylan Hallahan
• "How Education Affects Health Outcomes Across Genders"  - Jessica Li
• "Is Increasing Diversity Inclusion Effective in Improving Companies' Performance in the Financial Services Industry?"  - Miranda Li
• "The Future Financial Status of the Social Security Program"  - Chloe Manouchehri
• "Does Recreational Marijuana Legalization Affect Hard-Drug Use? - Evidence from Cocaine Prevalence and Treatment Admissions"  - Arthur Weiss
• "Relationship Between Economic Status and Money Spent on Private Education Leading to Economic Inequality in South Korea"  - Jiho Lee
• "The Impact of Migrant Remittances on Rural Labor Supply: Evidence from Nepal"  - Amanda Wong
• "Confirmation Bias: The Role of Messages and Messengers"  - Hongyu (Randol) Yao

Spring 2021

• "Gender Equality and Economic Growth: Solving the Asian Puzzle"  - Zoya Ali
• "Women in STEM: Moving Up or Falling Off the Academic Career Ladder?"  - Sophia J. Bai
• "Time Dependence in Okun's Law at the State Level" - Sarah Baig
• "Labor Regulation and the Impact on Firm Behavior in India" - Vatsal Bajaj
• "Gender Representation in Academia: Evidence from the Italian Education System Reform" - Oyundari Batbayar
• "Money & Marriage on the Elementary Mind: A High-Level Analysis of Inequitable Child Development in LA County" - Matthew J. Chang
• "Unanticipated Unemployment Rate News on the Stock Market" - David Chi
• "Should Physicians Be More Collaborative? Determining the Relationship Between Patient Participation and Treatment Plan Confidence Across a Spectrum of Illness Severity in the State of California" - Saif Chowdhury
• "Modeling Optimal Investment and Greenhouse Gas Abatement in the Presence of Technology Spillovers" - Sabrina Chui
• "Understanding the Influence of Marginal Income Tax Rates on Retirement Investment Habits"  - Daniel Cohen
• "Infrastructure in India's Internal War: A District-Level Analysis of the Naxalite-Maoist Conflict" - Krunal Desai
• "Do Eucalyptus Trees Increase Wildfires?"  - Lila Englander
• "Understanding the Labor Outcomes of Hurricane Sandy" - Kevin Fang
• "Does TikTok Show Viewers the Content Relevant to them?" - Ekaterina Fedorova
• "The Impact of the Affordable Care Act Dependent Care Provision on Long-term Young Adult Labor Market Choices" - Anne Fogarty
• "Orchestra Sex Disparity: Experimental Evidence from Audience Members" - Richard Gong
• "The Big Three Medical Price Indexes: A Comparative Review and Analysis"  - Robert Hovakimyan
• "Effect of Value-Added-Services on Customer Reviews in a Platform Marketplace" - Shankar Krishnan
• "COVID19 Recession: Gender Layoff Gap Explodes" - Ember Lin-Sperry
• "The Gender Wage Gap in China: Learning from Recent Longitudinal Data" - Donghe Lyu
• "Local Graduation Policies as a Tool for Increasing College Eligibility: Evidence from Los Angeles" - Dan L. Ma
• "Trust in Government and Lockdown Compliance in Sub-Saharan Africa" - Charles McMurry
• "I Do (or Don't): The Impact of Same-Sex Marriage Laws on International Tourism" - Oliver McNeil
• "International Shipping Consequences of a Navigable Arctic" - Jack Melin
• "Investigating Dollar Invoicing Trends Using United Kingdom Export Data" - Aneesh Nathani
• "Micro-Level Impact of Initial Public Offerings on Bay Area Housing Inflation" - Mina Nezam-Mafi
• "Explaining EU's Oil Dependency Through the Response of the Portuguese Sector Indexes to Brent Oil Prices Fluctuations" - Pedro S. Nunes
• "Dynamic Incentives and Effort Provision in Professional Tennis Tournaments" - Ruiwen Pan
• "Examining the Effects of Minimum Wage Laws on Part-Time Employment" - Odysseus Pyrinis
• "The Great Indian Identity Crisis? Exclusions & Intersectionality in the Indian Aadhaar System" - Aditi Ramakrishnan
• "The 'Clutch Gene' Myth: An Analysis of Late-Game Shooting Performance in the NBA"  - Can Sarioz
• "Estimating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Jobs Within the Healthcare Industry" - Sidharth Satya
• "Factors Influencing Telehealth Utilization: Evidence from California" - Emily Schultz
• "Cash and Conflict: Evidence from the Indian Banknote Demonetization" - Nachiket Shah
• "Determinants of the Number of Anti-Government Demonstrations: Evidence from OECD Countries" - Nina Singiri
• "Hygiene Heroes: A Process Evaluation of Promoting Hygiene Practices in Tamil Nadu Schools" - Malika Sugathapala
• "Exploring the Labour Patterns of Women and Mothers Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of School Closures and a New Kind of Recession"  - Renee Isabel Utter
• "How Have Socioeconomic Achievement Determinants Changed in the Past Decade for First-Generation Chinese Immigrants in the U.S." - Haolin Wang
• "The Impact of Quarantining on School Enrollment: Evidence from the Ebola Epidemic in Sierra Leone" - David Willigrod
• "Weeding out Needy Households and Welcoming the Better Off? Impacts of Transactional Barriers on SNAP Participation Rates" - Kevin Woo
• "Are Soccer Teams Being Inefficient? An Analysis of Sunk Cost Fallacy and Recency Bias Using Transfer Fee" - Junru Lyu
• "The Effects of Access to Family Planning Facilities on Female Labor Market Outcomes"  - Marcus Sander
• "Macroeconomic Volatility at the Zero Lower Bound: Evidence from the OECD" - Anthony Swaminathan
• "How are Society's Conditions and Demographics Related to the Popularity of Chief Executive Carrie Lam  and the Hong Kong Government"  - Peter To

Spring/Summer 2020

• "Parental Involvement: The Differential Impacts of Consent and Notice Requirements for Minors' Abortions" - Angela Ames
• "Examining Local Price Levels and Income Distribution Over Time" - Josh Archer
• "Estimating the Effect of Grandparent Death on Fertility" - Jason Chen
• "Democracy in the Face of COVID-19: Have Less Democratic Countries Been More Effective at Preventing the Spread of This Pandemic ?" - Yi Chen
• "Understanding the Effects of Conditional Cash Transfers on Indigenous People in Mexico" - Arushi Desai
• "Microfinance and Payday Lending: Are they Solving a Problem or Creating One?" - Sophia Faulkner
• "The Risk-Taking Channel of Monetary Policy and Foreign Banks" - Noah Forougi
• "Ride of Die? Metropolitan Bikeshare Systems and Pollution" - Sean Furuta
• "Internet's Important Involvement in Information Industry Integration in Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana (and others): How the emerging internet affected the economic geography of the information industry" - Keming (Alex) Gao
• "The Relationship between Economic Crises and Long-Run Wealth Inequality" - Renuka Garg
• "Voter Bias in the Associated Press College Football Poll : Reconducting a 2009 study with new data in a $1 Billion-dollar industry that has seen significant changes in the past decade"  - Brent Hensley
• "Monopsony Exploitation in Major League Baseball: Using Wins Above Replacement to Estimate Marginal Revenue Product" - Jacob C. Hyman
• "The Relationship Between Currency Substitution and Exchange Rate Volatility" - Jewon Ju
• "Efficiency, Bias, and Decisions: Observations from a Sports Betting Exchange" - Alexander Kan
• "The Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Substance Use Disorder Treatment Utilization: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act" - Christy Kang
• "Analyzing the Relationship between Personal Income Tax Progressivity and Income Inequality" - Gevorg Khandamiryan
• "The Effects of Occupancy Taxes on the Short-Term Rental Market: Evidence from Boston" - Alan Liang
• "Corporate Types and Bank Lending in Contractionary Era: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies" - Zishen Liu
• "Financial Constraints on Student Learning: An Analysis of How Financial Stress Influences Cognitive Function in Children" - Simone Matecna
• "The Effect of Workplace Inspections on Employment and Sales - A Regression Discontinuity Analysis" - Jeseo Park
• "Lending Sociodynamics, Economic Instability, and the U.S. Farm Credit Crisis" - Erfan Samaei
• "The Effect of Intangible Assets on Value Added: Evidence from microdata across small and large firms in Europe" - Tamara Sequeira
• "Price Efficiency Differences Between Public and Private Utilities: An Empirical Analysis of US Electric Utilities" - Yechan Shin
• "Effect of Campus Shootings on Academic Achievement: Examination of 2014 Isla Vista Killings" - Min Joo (Julie) Song
• "First-Degree Price Discrimination: Evidence from Informal Markets in India" - Rishab Srivastava
• "Who Benefits From Gentrification? A Case Study of Oregon Public High Schools" - Namrata Subramanian
• "Estimating the Economic Impacts of Wealth Taxation in France" - Jeffrey Suzuki
• "Transit-Oriented Development or Transit-Oriented Displacement? Evaluating the Sorting Effect of Public Transportation in Los Angeles County" - Yeeling Tse
• "How State Abortion Policy Restrictiveness is Associated with Unintended Pregnancy Outcomes in the United States from 2014-2018" - Ruhee Wadhwania
• "Global Food Security and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation"  - Aidan Wang
• "The Relationship Between Pharmaceutical R&D Spending and NME Development" - Taylor Wang
• "The Role of Individual Risk Attitude in Occupational Inheritance" - Yi Wang
• "Labor Market Segmentation: Evidence from U.S. Janitorial Jobs Advertised in English and Spanish" - Zijun Xu
• "Bias on the Brain: How Patient Gender Influences Use of Emergency Room Diagnostic Imaging" - Abigail Zhong
• "Age Effects, Irrationality and Excessive Risk-Taking in Supposedly Expert Agents" - William Aldred
• "Pricing Disparities for Minority Communities in Chicago: Rideshares and Taxis" - Matthew Cleveland
• "Where My Negros At? Evaluating the Effects of Banning Affirmative Action on Black College Enrollment" - Ellie Koepplinger
• "Race and Recession: How Minorities May Affect Downturns" - Alexander Szarka
• "Understanding the Effects of Canadian International Food Aid on Production and Trade" - Patrick D. Tagari
• "Urban Property Rights and Labor Supply in Peru: Heterogeneity Analysis by Gender and Educational Attainment" - Juan Sebastián Rozo Vásquez
• "Effect of High-Speed Rail on City Tourism Revenue in China: A Perspective on Spatial Connectivity" - Lingyun Xiao

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Guidelines for writing a senior thesis.

Except as noted below, each thesis should be about 20-25 pages in length (12 pt font, double-spaced except for abstract which may be single-spaced) and written in the style of an article to be published in a journal in the area of the research. Students should, of course, consult with their research directors about the structure of their theses; however, a suggested outline which may be used as a default follows. [Comments in brackets apply to research publications in primary literature and are generally based on material in  The ACS Style Guide .]

Title; names of student and research director; date.

[The title should be brief, grammatically correct, and accurate enough to stand alone. The purposes of the title are to attract the potential audience and to aid retrieval and indexing services. The latter is facilitated by using several keywords in the title. In a journal publication, the title is followed by the names of the authors, the address of the institution where the work was conducted, and the date on which the paper was received by the journal editor. The names of the authors are each listed in the order: first, middle initial, and surname; and include all who made substantial contributions to the research. An asterisk is placed on the name of the author to whom correspondence should be addressed.]

One-half to one page (single-spaced); a succinct summary of objectives, methods, results and conclusions.

[The purposes of the abstract are (1) to allow the reader to determine the nature and information given in the paper and (2) to allow editors to pinpoint key features for use in indexing and retrieval. State briefly the problem or purpose of the research if it is not adequately conveyed by the title. Indicate theoretical or experimental plan used, accurately summarize the principal findings, and point out major conclusions.]

Statement of objectives and significance and a review of pertinent literature, carefully cited. This section should generally be more detailed than allowed for a journal article.

[The introduction should contain a clear statement of the problem and why you are studying it. Outline what has been done before by citing truly pertinent literature. Indicate the significance, scope and limits of your work. In journals, this section is frequently not labelled.]

Methods used; instrumental, synthetic and analytical, as well as computational. Also, description of equipment built, compounds synthesized, computer programs written, etc.

[This section should include sufficient detail about the materials and methods that you used so that experienced workers could repeat your work and obtain comparable results.]

The data, complete and detailed, with sufficient description to be understood — but without interpretation.

[Summarize the data collected and the statistical treatment of them. Use equations, figures, and tables where necessary for clarity and conciseness.]

The interpretation, analysis and explanation of the results, both positive and negative; what does it all mean?

[In journal publications, the Results section is sometimes combined with the Discussion section of the paper.]

Final wrap-up statement.

[Have you resolved the original problem? If not, what exactly have you contributed? Conclusions must be based on evidence presented in the paper. Suggest further study or applications, if appropriate. This section may be omitted and its contents presented in the Discussion section.]

[The last paragraph of a journal article frequently contains acknowledgements of people, places, financing, etc.]

In the style indicated by your research director. If your research director does not indicate a specific style, use the following.  Book references.  Author or editor (last name followed by initials),book title in italics or underlined, publisher, city of publication, year of publication, page number(s). Dodd, J.S., Ed.; The ACS Style Guide, American Chemical Society:Washington, DC, 1986, pp 108-111.  Journal references.  Author (last name, followed by initials), abbreviated journal title in italics or underlined, year of publication (boldface), volume number in italics or underlined, and initial page of cited article (the complete span is better). Fletcher, T.R.; Rosenfeld, R.N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1985, 107, 2203-2212.

Any extensive tabulations of raw data, additional spectra not needed for illustration of the main text or listings of computer programs written or modified. That is, if there is just too much data to include in the Results Section or if much of the raw data have been abstracted and/or tabulated, these abstracts and/or tables may go in the Results Section along with only representative spectra (or chromatograms, etc.), and the bulk raw data put in Appendices. NEW: An  appendix on safety  should be added to the thesis.

• All pages should be numbered consecutively.
• Each table should be on a separate sheet, be consecutively numbered, and have a caption at the top. Columns must be labeled and all labels should be explained in the caption or in footnotes.
• Each figure should be carefully drawn on a separate sheet, consecutively numbered and accompanied by a legend. The legend should normally appear below the figure but may be placed on a separate sheet, if necessary. Figures should be carefully prepared using a drawing program such as ChemDraw or ISIS. Graphs are treated as figures, i.e., they should not be labeled as "Graph 1," "Graph 2," etc. Each axis of a graph must be clearly labeled as to the variable represented and its value along the axis. Each curve on a graph should be clearly identified. Raw data displayed in graphs may also appear in separate tables. All symbols and conventions, such as broken lines or dotted lines, should be explained in the legend.
• Insofar as is practical, mathematical equations, Greek letters, special mathematical symbols, and chemical reaction schemes should be typed in the text.
• Reprints or preprints of any publications that have already arisen from the research being reported may be appended.
• Further details may be obtained from  The ACS Style Guide .
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Dissertation/Thesis Template

The fastest (and smartest) way to craft a winning dissertation that showcases your study and earns you marks. 

Available in Google Doc, Word & PDF format 4.9 star rating, 5000 + downloads

Step-by-step instructions

Tried & tested academic format

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Pro tips, tricks and resources

What’s Covered In The Template?

This dissertation template is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your document has a smooth, logical flow. Here’s how it’s structured:

• The title page/cover page
• Abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
• Table of contents
• List of figures /list of tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Research findings /results 
• Chapter 5: Discussion /analysis of findings
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

Each section is explained in plain, straightforward language , followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover within each section. We’ve also included practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required in each section.

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FAQs: Dissertation & Thesis Template

Faqs: dissertation template, what format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).

The dissertation template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

What types of dissertations/theses can this template be used for?

The template follows the standard best-practice structure for formal academic research projects such as dissertations or theses, so it is suitable for the vast majority of degrees, particularly those within the sciences.

Some universities may have some additional requirements, but these are typically minor, with the core structure remaining the same. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.

Will this work for a research paper?

A research paper follows a similar format, but there are a few differences. You can find our research paper template here .

Is this template for an undergrad, Masters or PhD-level thesis?

This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. It may be slight overkill for an undergraduate-level study, but it certainly won’t be missing anything.

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

This depends entirely on your university’s specific requirements, so it’s best to check with them. As a general ballpark, Masters-level projects are usually 15,000 – 20,000 words in length, while Doctoral-level projects are often in excess of 60,000 words.

What about the research proposal?

If you’re still working on your research proposal, we’ve got a template for that here .

We’ve also got loads of proposal-related guides and videos over on the Grad Coach blog .

How do I write a literature review?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack how to write a literature review from scratch. You can check out the literature review section of the blog here.

How do I create a research methodology?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative. You can check out the methodology section of the blog here.

Can I share this dissertation template with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template. If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, all we ask is that you reference this page as your source.

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

Within the template, you’ll find plain-language explanations of each section, which should give you a fair amount of guidance. However, you’re also welcome to consider our dissertation and thesis coaching services .

Additional Resources

If you’re working on a dissertation or thesis, be sure to also check these resources out…

1-On-1 Private Coaching

The Grad Coach Resource Center

The Grad Coach YouTube Channel

The Grad Coach Podcast

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Undergraduate Thesis Leading to Graduation with Honors Research Distinction

There are three options for honors students in the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC) interested in pursuing graduation with honors research distinction or with honors distinction :

• The graduation honor with honors research distinction in [the major field] recognizes those students who demonstrate excellence in the study of a discipline both through major course work and by completing an independent research project culminating in an undergraduate thesis.
• Students majoring in mathematics may choose the graduate-level course work option to graduate with honors distinction in Mathematics .
• The graduation honor with honors research distinction recognizes those students who complete and successfully defend an undergraduate thesis in a discipline other than the major.

Students majoring in the arts may pursue a creative project or thesis that leads to graduation with distinction .

For information about the thesis option for students not in an honors program, please see the Research Thesis web site .

To graduate with honors research distinction , you must satisfy the following requirements:

• Identify an Ohio State faculty member to serve as your project advisor. The project advisor will provide guidance to you throughout the research process.
• Submit the Thesis Application to the ASC Honors Office by the deadline noted below.
• Students must register for at least 4 credit hours of thesis research from the College of the Arts and Sciences, using course number 4999H. (Note: Psychology requires enrollment in a 4999H course sequence.) These 4 credit hours may be divided and taken over the course of multiple semesters. 
• Successfully defend the thesis during an oral examination.
• Meet any department-specific requirements, which may include honors course work and/or a minimum grade point average within the field of distinction.
• Graduate with a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average on at least 60 graded Ohio State semester credit hours. 
• In order to graduate with honors research distinction , you must be enrolled in the ASC Honors Program , which requires completion of the honors course work requirement (fulfilled by completion of an approved Honors Curriculum ).

*** Thesis Option for students not in the ASC Honors Program ***

If you are planning to graduate with honors research distinction , you should submit the Thesis Application to the ASC Honors Office upon enrolling in 4999H research credit and no later than the following deadlines:

• Students defending  Autumn 2024 : Applications were due to  Rebecca Sallade  by Friday,  January 26, 2024
• Students defending Spring 2025: Applications are due to Rebecca Sallade by Friday, September 6, 2024
• Students defending Autumn 2025: Applications are due to Rebecca Sallade by Friday, January 31, 2025

Questions about the application may be directed to Rebecca Sallade, the Undergraduate Research, Honors Thesis, and Honors Project Coordinator.

• If you are working toward a thesis, it is your responsibility to register for 4999H . In some cases (e.g., in the Department of Psychology), the 4999H research hours are actual courses in a sequence and will require prior planning to make sure you are able to register in a timely fashion.
• The number of research credit hours you take in a given semester will depend on the amount of time you plan to spend on your research during that term. You should plan to discuss this with your thesis project advisor.  Keep in mind that you will need to take at least 4 credit hours of 4999H to meet the requirements for a thesis.
• Your thesis project advisor will need to provide written permission for you to register for 4999H. Permission to enroll in 4999H can be documented on a Course Enrollment Permission form [pdf] . You should submit the signed form to the Arts and Sciences Honors Office no later than the second Friday of the semester to have the hours added to your schedule.  (Late registration for research hours will result in a $100 Late Course Add Fee and may only be added by petition.)
• Students must register for at least 4 credit hours of thesis research from the College of the Arts and Sciences, using course number 4999H. (Note: Psychology requires enrollment in a 4999H course sequence.) These 4 credit hours may be divided and taken over the course of multiple semesters.

Students who have submitted a Thesis Application for approval will be contacted by the ASC Honors Office with oral examination instructions early in the semester in which they plan to defend the thesis (usually around the third or fourth week of the semester).

Abstracts and copies of past undergraduate theses completed for graduation with research distinction are available for examination online through the Ohio State Libraries' Knowledge Bank and in the Mortar Board Room (room 202) of the Thompson Library . They are valuable not only as examples of research undertaken in various disciplines but also as sources of information.

• ASC Honors General Research Information
• Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry
• ASC Undergraduate Research Scholarship
• Denman Undergraduate Research Forum

As soon as you know you intend on completing a thesis project, it is advised to get the application started. For a complete application you will need to have your OSU Faculty member chosen as well as a general project idea. Minor tweaks to the application can be made (or cancelled) later if needed.

If you are still deciding between general research and a thesis and/or are deciding between a few different project ideas, it is okay to hold off on the application.

The deadline to submit a thesis application is in the first few weeks of the semester prior to your defense and/or graduation. Keep an eye on your ASC Honors newsletter or contact the Honors Thesis Coordinator at [email protected] for specific dates.

Please don't forget to include a project description with your application- this is commonly forgotten!

Your project description should include a general overview of your study idea, how you plan on analyzing your data , and how your findings will contribute to the field at large . We are also looking for confirmation that all (or the vast majority) of your project is done individually.

It is advised that you show your project description to your PI/Project Advisors/Co-Signers when asking them to sign your application.

The project description can be sent via attached Word document or within the body of the email used to submit your application.

It is strongly recommended that you have an approved thesis application on file prior to enrolling in 4999H hours. However, there may be some situations in which this is not feasible (or would result in a rushed application). If you choose to enroll in 4999H hours prior to having an approved thesis application, please remain in close contact with our Honors Thesis Coordinator (Rebecca Sallade.3) to make sure that your faculty advisor and project idea are appropriate.

If you started at OSU prior to AU22, then you must have an approved Honors Application on file prior to submitting a thesis application.

If you started at OSU during AU22 or later, then you must be up-to-date with your Honors Project Benchmark submissions.

For questions about thesis application "pre-reqs", please visit our Membership page.

Your thesis does not have to correspond with your major nor do you have to take your 4999H hours within your major department. As long as your project is interesting and relevant to you, then go forth!

Keep in mind however that your 4999H hours MUST be taken within the College of Arts & Sciences. If you need help finding an appropriate department to house your 4999H hours, please talk to your Primary Project Advisor and/or our Honors Thesis Coordinator, Rebecca Sallade.3.

Although you are free to work with faculty outside of ASC , your 4999H hours MUST be taken within the College of Arts & Sciences. If you need help finding an appropriate department to house your 4999H hours, please talk to your Primary Project Advisor and/or our Honors Thesis Coordinator, Rebecca Sallade.3.

If you are working with a lab/faculty outside of ASC or maybe adjacent to OSU (COM faculty, Nationwide Children's, etc.), contact our Honors Thesis Coordinator, Rebecca Sallade.3, or your ASC Honors Advisor to see if a 4999H section under your PI is already set up.

If you are working with a lab/faculty member with no OSU affiliation , you will be required to find an OSU faculty member willing to advise you on your project.

There is no correct/standard length of time since each thesis project is different. Most students spend 1-2 years on a thesis, but this can depend on a variety of factors.

View an UNOFFICIAL general thesis project timeline here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18QGlaINwvZnbT8SwHz7WeYJvdJTcZBJS/view?usp=sharing

If your thesis is completed within your major field, your diploma will read with honors research distinction in [your major field].

If your thesis is completed OUTSIDE of your major field, your diploma will read with honors research distinction.

There are some nuances/exceptions to this depending on the combination of your major department, faculty advisor, etc. Please contact our Honors Thesis Coordinator, Rebecca Sallade.3 if you have questions about what your diploma will say.

While the vast majority of thesis candidates have lab experience, ASC Honors has had students start their own projects completely from scratch with no research experience, that have demonstrated great success.

In a general, here are the main differences between pursuing standard research and pursuing a thesis project:

• Individuality from Lab:  General research usually involves contributing to someone else’s lab and hypothesis (like your PI, a PhD student, etc.), whereas a thesis is pursuing your own project/hypothesis. You can absolutely start a thesis from scratch/not affiliated with your current lab. I would say most students start out in a lab and then their project develops from there- usually as a spin-off of their PI’s work, taking the same data and analyzing it in a new way, expanding their study, having a question on a participant survey that is just for your own research, etc.
• Credit Hours:  With research academic credit is optional (4998H), but with a thesis it is required (4999H).
• Scientific Process:  Standard research can involve a variety of pieces (like literature review, data collection/analysis, maybe contributing to a manuscript, working with participants, etc.) although not all of this is required. In a thesis you are participating in the entire scientific process (lit review, study design, data collection, analysis, your own manuscript writing, and then presenting those findings via oral defense before you graduate).
• Diploma Distinction:  Successfully defending your thesis will result in with honors research distinction  or with honors research distinction in [insert your major here]  being printed on your dipoma, whereas standard research is not noted on your diploma.

Please note that BOTH experiences are valuable in their own way , so there is no right/wrong path to take.

Please reach out to our Honors Thesis Coordinator, Rebecca Sallade (.3) and she would be happy to help!

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How important is an (Honors) undergraduate thesis to graduate school admissions?

I'm an undergraduate Honors student in a STEM major, and in the upcoming years I will have the option to complete an Honors thesis in my field, either as a research/data analysis or a literature review sort of thing. Because of other circumstances I can graduate "with Honors" with or without it, so it would purely be adding to my major, not so much my overall graduation status.

Either way I will have some volunteer experience in labs in my field, and a decent GPA, etc. Would an undergraduate thesis in my field greatly help my graduate program applications? Does it matter if the thesis is based on original research or literature review?

• graduate-admissions
• undergraduate
• research-undergraduate

• It might also help you to get some scholarships or to get contacts if you work a topic that is priority on your university as you'll most likely have a director on your thesis. It also depends, what kind of graduate program are you thinking to apply on? –  Omar A. N. Íñiguez Commented Sep 11, 2017 at 6:56
• Hi Omar, thanks for your comment. To answer your question I'm thinking about applying to Masters (and eventually PhD) Neuroscience programs, preferably in Europe. Does that make a difference? –  ArtemisPondering Commented Sep 12, 2017 at 4:17
• 1 I think it makes a big difference, specially because there's a lot of weight on research in Europe, specially in that field, this is your chance to shape your career towards it. It will help you to get scholarships, and more benefits, as you'll be able to back up that you're able to work in an independent project of a considerable size. –  Omar A. N. Íñiguez Commented Sep 13, 2017 at 6:15

3 Answers 3

The part of an undergraduate thesis that helps you with graduate admissions is that it is a form of research experience . It's not so much the finished product, the thesis, but the process of getting there and putting the work in. Even if it isn't complete before your applications are due, just that you are working towards a thesis is useful if it will get you into a lab and learn among other people doing research.

In my personal opinion, a literature review isn't nearly as useful for building the skills that make you a good grad school applicant, it's a lot more like the rest of the (upper-level) coursework you do as an undergraduate.

There are, of course, individual factors that will heavily influence this answer, but in general, as someone who both did this, and now as someone admitting students, I'd say the answer is yes . My thoughts on the subject:

• A research thesis would be vastly more useful than a review thesis, as a large bulk of graduate admissions is based on trying to estimate your potential as a researcher .
• While you do have some research experience, in my mind one of the nice parts of a thesis is that rather than just volunteering in a lab, you are in some ways taking charge of a coherent project you can talk about as a project.
• A thesis lends itself well to papers or presentations, either internally or externally (my undergrad thesis resulted in two papers and two conference presentations) which are extremely helpful.

An honors thesis will probably not make much of a difference for your admissions case unless it is completed in time to show up on your transcript. If you're doing it only in your last semester, then it wouldn't show up if you apply in the fall semester of your senior year.

• Hi, thanks for your answer! I will have opportunity to schedule things so that I'd finish my thesis in my penultimate semester if that helps, thank you for pointing that out. –  ArtemisPondering Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 22:30
• 3 I disagree. A research project should be a key point of your personal statement. –  Jessica B Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 8:11
• The OP has already stated that she's engaging in research. The question is whether or not registering for an Honors thesis will help. –  aeismail Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 14:58
• @aeismail As I note in my answer, "some volunteer experience in labs in my field" and taking control of a distinct segment of a project in thesis form can be very different things. –  Fomite Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 16:20

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Honors thesis & graduation with distinction, eligibility and application process.

To be eligible to apply to the Honors Thesis Track, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a 3.5 GPA for core course work in the Global Culture and Theory major. Applicants should ideally have completed two or more classes with faculty holding appointments in the Program in Literature. In order to assess the applicant's readiness for the work, it is also strongly recommended that the applicant have completed at least one seminar course with and have written at least one term paper for his/her/their Prospective Thesis Advisor. This advisor must hold an appointment in the Program in Literature.

Students apply via an application form (updated annually by the department) and a one-page written proposal with a one-page bibliography submitted to the Prospective Thesis Advisor no later than the Monday after Spring Recess of their junior year. The Spring 2025 deadline is  March 25, 2025 . The application form will be emailed to the Global Culture and Theory Major listserv.

Following the Prospective Thesis Advisor's review, the complete application is advanced for a committee's review and assessment. The decision to extend or decline admission to LIT 495 Honors Thesis I is made by the committee before fall term registration begins.

Expected Product

A 60-page thesis is required by the deadline stated on the annual application form. The page count may include its bibliography.

Evaluative Body

A committee comprised of the thesis advisor, the DUS, and a third reader chosen from among the members of the Literature faculty and affiliated faculty.

Evaluation Procedure

The student’s committee evaluates the thesis. In addition, the student meets with the committee for a one-hour defense.

Levels of Distinction

Three levels: Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction. To graduate with distinction, the student must receive an honors thesis grade of B+ or above.

Special Courses, Other Activities Required, Comments

Candidate must take the two-semester honors seminar sequence 495 and 496 with their thesis advisor.

• Fall course - LIT 495 Honors Thesis I
• Spring course - LIT 496 Honors Thesis II
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The Strategy of Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Graduation Design (Thesis)

• Conference paper
• First Online: 01 January 2013
• Cite this conference paper

• Lei Liu 2 &
• Chao Zhang 3  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering ((LNEE,volume 163))

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Graduation design (thesis) is not only the important part of undergraduate training program, but the last and longest practice link in schools. And the graduation design (thesis) is not only the comprehensive testing for students’ knowledge, ability and quality, but an important means of evaluating teaching quality. But in recent years, with the number expansion of undergraduates, the quality decline of graduation design (thesis) is an undoubting fact. In this paper, aimed at the actual situation of the quality decline of graduation design (thesis), such measures to improve the design quality of graduation design (thesis) as improving students’ understanding, creating good atmosphere of graduation design (thesis), establishing system, enhancing process management, strengthening the construction of guidance teams, increasing the guidance ability of guidance teachers and strengthening the career guidance have been put forward.

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Wei QY (2007) The existing problems of undergraduate graduation design (thesis) and countermeasures. High Educ Forum 6:93–95

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Liu BL, Liu ZJ (2007) The reason and countermeasure of the quality decline of undergraduates’ graduation design (thesis). Chin High Educ Res 7:89–90

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Liu, L., Zhang, C. (2014). The Strategy of Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Graduation Design (Thesis). In: Zhong, S. (eds) Proceedings of the 2012 International Conference on Cybernetics and Informatics. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 163. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3872-4_24

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How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow

Published on November 11, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023.

Choosing your dissertation topic is the first step in making sure your research goes as smoothly as possible. When choosing a topic, it’s important to consider:

• Your institution and department’s requirements
• Your areas of knowledge and interest
• The scientific, social, or practical relevance
• The availability of data and resources
• The timeframe of your dissertation
• The relevance of your topic

You can follow these steps to begin narrowing down your ideas.

Table of contents

Step 1: check the requirements, step 2: choose a broad field of research, step 3: look for books and articles, step 4: find a niche, step 5: consider the type of research, step 6: determine the relevance, step 7: make sure it’s plausible, step 8: get your topic approved, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about dissertation topics.

The very first step is to check your program’s requirements. This determines the scope of what it is possible for you to research.

• Is there a minimum and maximum word count?
• When is the deadline?
• Should the research have an academic or a professional orientation?
• Are there any methodological conditions? Do you have to conduct fieldwork, or use specific types of sources?

Some programs have stricter requirements than others. You might be given nothing more than a word count and a deadline, or you might have a restricted list of topics and approaches to choose from. If in doubt about what is expected of you, always ask your supervisor or department coordinator.

Start by thinking about your areas of interest within the subject you’re studying. Examples of broad ideas include:

• Twentieth-century literature
• Economic history
• Health policy

To get a more specific sense of the current state of research on your potential topic, skim through a few recent issues of the top journals in your field. Be sure to check out their most-cited articles in particular. For inspiration, you can also search Google Scholar , subject-specific databases , and your university library’s resources.

As you read, note down any specific ideas that interest you and make a shortlist of possible topics. If you’ve written other papers, such as a 3rd-year paper or a conference paper, consider how those topics can be broadened into a dissertation.

After doing some initial reading, it’s time to start narrowing down options for your potential topic. This can be a gradual process, and should get more and more specific as you go. For example, from the ideas above, you might narrow it down like this:

• Twentieth-century literature   Twentieth-century Irish literature   Post-war Irish poetry
• Economic history   European economic history   German labor union history
• Health policy   Reproductive health policy   Reproductive rights in South America

All of these topics are still broad enough that you’ll find a huge amount of books and articles about them. Try to find a specific niche where you can make your mark, such as: something not many people have researched yet, a question that’s still being debated, or a very current practical issue.

At this stage, make sure you have a few backup ideas — there’s still time to change your focus. If your topic doesn’t make it through the next few steps, you can try a different one. Later, you will narrow your focus down even more in your problem statement and research questions .

There are many different types of research , so at this stage, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what kind of approach you’ll take to your topic. Will you mainly focus on:

• Collecting original data (e.g., experimental or field research)?
• Analyzing existing data (e.g., national statistics, public records, or archives)?
• Interpreting cultural objects (e.g., novels, films, or paintings)?
• Comparing scholarly approaches (e.g., theories, methods, or interpretations)?

Many dissertations will combine more than one of these. Sometimes the type of research is obvious: if your topic is post-war Irish poetry, you will probably mainly be interpreting poems. But in other cases, there are several possible approaches. If your topic is reproductive rights in South America, you could analyze public policy documents and media coverage, or you could gather original data through interviews and surveys .

You don’t have to finalize your research design and methods yet, but the type of research will influence which aspects of the topic it’s possible to address, so it’s wise to consider this as you narrow down your ideas.

It’s important that your topic is interesting to you, but you’ll also have to make sure it’s academically, socially or practically relevant to your field.

• Academic relevance means that the research can fill a gap in knowledge or contribute to a scholarly debate in your field.
• Social relevance means that the research can advance our understanding of society and inform social change.
• Practical relevance means that the research can be applied to solve concrete problems or improve real-life processes.

The easiest way to make sure your research is relevant is to choose a topic that is clearly connected to current issues or debates, either in society at large or in your academic discipline. The relevance must be clearly stated when you define your research problem .

Before you make a final decision on your topic, consider again the length of your dissertation, the timeframe in which you have to complete it, and the practicalities of conducting the research.

Will you have enough time to read all the most important academic literature on this topic? If there’s too much information to tackle, consider narrowing your focus even more.

Will you be able to find enough sources or gather enough data to fulfil the requirements of the dissertation? If you think you might struggle to find information, consider broadening or shifting your focus.

Do you have to go to a specific location to gather data on the topic? Make sure that you have enough funding and practical access.

Last but not least, will the topic hold your interest for the length of the research process? To stay motivated, it’s important to choose something you’re enthusiastic about!

Most programmes will require you to submit a brief description of your topic, called a research prospectus or proposal .

Remember, if you discover that your topic is not as strong as you thought it was, it’s usually acceptable to change your mind and switch focus early in the dissertation process. Just make sure you have enough time to start on a new topic, and always check with your supervisor or department.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

• Researchability
• Feasibility and specificity
• Relevance and originality

All research questions should be:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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