As a PhD student, you will reach a point during your research where you start putting all your material together. You will then be working towards a complete file that’s ready for layout. An exciting phase! And also a fun one: the end of your PhD is getting closer and closer! In this blog, we explain how a thesis is usually put together.
Are you looking for a designer and/or printer for your thesis?
Then ask Ipskamp for a quotation.
What is a thesis?
A thesis – also called a dissertation or a PhD thesis – is an original academic paper. It is written by a PhD student and required in order to earn a PhD. Apart from this original paper, a thesis might also be a compilation of previous academic publications by the PhD student.
How is a thesis structured?
A thesis is usually composed of the following sections:
Preface: in this, you briefly introduce the topic; however, you don’t go into further detail. You say what your research is about, why you have chosen it, and something about your individual experience. The preface should get the reader excited, curious and eager to read on.
Introduction: while the preface is more personal, the introduction simply describes the topic. What’s your research about? You take the reader by the hand, so to speak.
The introduction covers the problem statement, and the sub-questions that have been drawn up are also discussed. You also explain in which chapter you will be answering which sub-question. N.B.: you don’t share any results in the introduction.
Summary: not all readers will read your thesis from A to Z. That’s why it’s important to include a summary in your thesis, both in English and in Dutch.
Chapters: you outline all aspects of your research in the chapters themselves. You answer the sub-questions and finally the main question. There are no rules for the number of chapters. However, it is important that they form a whole and that they can also be made sense of as separate units.
Bibliography: here, you list all the documents you have consulted. The bibliography should be accurate and structured in accordance with a consistent reference style.
Personal acknowledgements: here, you express your gratitude to those who have been indispensable to your research. Be mindful that this is one of the most read parts of a thesis. Above all, be factual and not (too) personal.
Biography of the PhD student: an overview of your background and work experience.
Some PhD candidates wonder whether they’ve included enough tables, images and figures in their thesis. There are no set guidelines for this. As a PhD student, the fact that you’re involved in a unique research project means the way you draft it will also be distinctive. Still want to get an impression of how others do it? Then browse through previously published theses.
In which language do you write a thesis?
Today, most theses are written in English. After all, this facilitates international exchange. If the research topic is of a linguistic or historical nature, the language sometimes adapts to the subject. Example: if the PhD student is conducting research into Italian literature, they might opt to write their thesis in Italian.
Are you looking for a designer and/or printer for your thesis?
Then ask Ipskamp for a quotation.