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Research Writing and Thesis Requirements

PGR degrees are examined primarily on the basis of a piece of research presented in the form of a thesis submitted within the prescribed period of study. You will be examined about your thesis at the end of your programme. The production of that thesis is, therefore, your main task. In order to undertake this work you will need a well-focused research topic, a knowledge of the existing secondary literature on the subject, a well thought out methodology for tackling the research, access to the necessary primary sources required and the ability to produce a well-structured argument in lucid and well-presented prose. Many ancillary skills may be required to do this: knowledge of languages, palaeography, information technology, the latest theoretical and methodological approaches in your discipline, interview techniques and questionnaires to name but a few.

Successful research students understand the task in hand, plan their work carefully, acquire the training and skills required, and take a systematic approach to research and writing, always keeping their deadline for submission clearly in view. They are helped in this task by supervisors, with whom they work closely. A thesis needs to conform to accepted academic conventions, to avoid plagiarism and to follow the ethical guidelines laid down for research.

Students must work within strict deadlines laid down for completion, which vary according to the type of degree being taken and the registration status of each student. The progress of each student is monitored by the PGR Support team, which decides on any changes to a student’s status.

Requirements of a Research Thesis

You need to know what you have to achieve in your research in order to obtain your degree. A thesis must conform to standards laid down by the University and to follow proper academic conventions. The PhD demands a higher standard than the MPhil.

TQA Manual, Chapter 11 – Presentation of theses/dissertations for degrees in the Faculty of Research .
MPhil regulations
PhD regulations

Presentation of Thesis

The TQA Manual, Chapter 11 - Presentation of theses/dissertations for degrees in the Faculty of Graduate Research: statement of procedures details the format and presentation of the thesis must be closely followed. These provide information on all aspects of the overall layout of a thesis, including word length (up to 100,000 for a PhD and 60,000 for an MPhil), division into chapters, the scholarly apparatus. As of March 2020, you are no longer required to print and bind a hard copy of your thesis for submission, as we now follow an electronic thesis submission procedure. If your examiner requests a hard bound copy, our PGR Administration team will arrange for a copy to be printed and sent to your examiner. If you would like a hard copy of the thesis to refer to in your viva, it is your responsibility to arrange for your copy to be printed.

If you would like to see an example of a successful thesis please ask your supervisor to show you one.

In addition to the general formatting rules, research and writing in the Business School normally follow particular conventions and in part your thesis will be judged upon its adherence to them.

Alternative Form of Submission

Changes to the guidance on the presentation of theses have been made resulting in a re-definition of what we mean by the term ‘thesis’ which reflects the wide variety of ways in which research is carried out and assessed. This allows, for example, for the production of a thesis in an alternative format, which may include either:

a) The presentation of part or all of the thesis in an alternative format e.g. it may be a multimedia document (e.g. an element or the thesis in its entirety, which is presented in a format appropriate perhaps for presentation at a conference; OR

b) A constructed text such as a piece of art, or a record of professional practice in the form of a series of case-studies, which must be accompanied by a commentary.

You must seek advice from your supervisor and PGR Support Team as early as possible into your degree if you wish to consider the use of an alternative thesis format.

Business School Discipline Thesis Norms

Different disciplines within the Business School may expect “norms” in the way that research degrees are presented. Whilst for many Business and Management Schools these norms are unspoken rules, we have defined the most common ways that theses may be presented. Over the last few years, we have found that the 3 study thesis is becomiong more popular across all disciplines, although this is the primary thesis style in Economics and Finance.

It is important to note that the structure of the thesis depends very much on the project itself and is to be agreed by the student and supervisor prior to upgrade, and preferably within the first few weeks of planning the research.

If you are unsure which format your thesis will take, you should discuss with your supervisory team in the first instance. They can share examples of other thesis in your subject area.

Research Misconduct

The University expects its staff and students to maintain the highest standards for the conduct of research. As such the University has procedures in place that govern academic/research conduct for graduate research students. ‘ Research Misconduct – Procedure for Graduate Research Students suspected of Research Misconduct ’ is specific to graduate research students, and defines research conduct in the context of the range of activities undertaken by those doing research.

You are expected to review this procedure and ensure that you understand your responsibilities under this Procedure, and that you understand the definitions of misconduct. You should also be aware that any work submitted to a member of your supervision team either in full, in part, or as a draft will fall under the provisions of this Procedure, as will any work handed to a member of staff.

If you are in any doubt as to what constitutes Research Misconduct and how to avoid it please talk to your supervisors or your Discipline DPGR.

Research Data Management and Open Access

There are a number of benefits to making your research and thesis available via Open Access:

Increases citations and the visibility of your research
Helps to build your research career
Increases chances of further funding opportunities and collaborations
Meets the transparency/openness agenda

The key points of the University’s Open Access Research and Research Data Management Policy for PGR Students are as follows:

A copy of your final thesis/dissertation will need to be submitted to the institutional repository , Open Research Exeter (ORE) , prior to the award of your degree.

Research Papers

PGR students should make the published peer-reviewed research papers and conference proceedings they produce whilst affiliated with the University available on Open Access according to funder requirements and as soon as publisher restrictions will allow.
PGR research papers should be made available on Open Access, by depositing a copy of the paper in Open Research Exeter (ORE) .
Published research papers should include a short statement describing how and on what terms any supporting research data may be accessed.

Resear ch Data

PGR students should always comply with funder policy and University policy on research data management.
Responsibility for ongoing, day-to-day management of their research data lies with PGR students. Where the PGR is part of a project, data management policy will be set and monitored by the Principal Investigator (PI) and the PGR will be expected to comply with project guidelines.
The lead PGR Supervisor is responsible for advising the PGR student on good practice in research data management.
PGR students and their supervisors should discuss and review research data management issues annually, addressing issues of the capture, management, integrity, confidentiality, security, selection, preservation and disposal, commercialisation, costs, sharing and publication of research data and the production of descriptive metadata to aid discovery and re-use when relevant.
A checklist to support PGRs and their supervisors in the annual research data review is available.
At the end of the degree, PGR students should register selected research data in Open Research Exeter (ORE) . Information about the data should be included as a statement in the thesis record using the Description field. When legally, commercially and ethically appropriate, this selected research data should also be made available on Open Access in an appropriate repository.
unprotected intellectual property which you, your sponsor or any other 3rd party has the intention to use
sensitive information that may need to be withheld from public view
commercially sensitive material that may belong to your project sponsor
Please contact [email protected] if you require any further advice.
It is not School policy that students must provide the School with a copy of the final version of the thesis. However, it would be courteous of students to offer their supervisors a personal copy of the final thesis

Research Data Management Guidance

In order to save time and effort later on in your degree, before you start collecting or creating research data or materials research students should consider the following:

Further Information

The following links provide further help and guidance on Open Access and research data management:

Research Data Management Survival Guide for New PhD Students .
Open Access guide for PGRs
Research data management
Further help and advice is available via [email protected] or [email protected] .

There are also training sessions on Open Access and Research Data Management as part of the Researcher Development.

Back to PGR Student Handbook index

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Presentation of Thesis/Dissertation

At the outset of a student's registration it is important they know what format their thesis/dissertation should take and, on submission, how it should be bound in accordance with our Statement of Procedures:

Presentation of Theses/Dissertations for the Degrees of MPhil/PhD/EdD/DEdPsy/DClinPsy/MbyRes: Statement of Procedures

Please read the document carefully as it sets out the format that should be used for the content including the sequencing of the contents, page numbering, margins, etc. As a supervisor you should be able to advise on the correct format to be used for your Bibliography and references which may or may not be prescribed by the College.

Once an award is recommended by the board of examiners students must submit a copy of the thesis/dissertation to Open Research Exeter (ORE) before the degree can be formally approved.

ORE is the University's on-line collection for all research carried out at Exeter. Depositing the thesis in the collection will ensure that it is made publicly visible and provide greater accessibility to the research.

Please read the E-thesis FAQs and E-thesis Guide on the ORE website. Access can be restricted in order to publish research and an embargo can be placed on the thesis/dissertation to restrict it from public access for up to 18 months.

Once the work is deposited to ORE it will checked by an ORE administrator to ensure that all of the information is correct before it is added to the archive. Notification of any changes that need to be made and confirmation of successful submissions are sent by email to the student so they must check messages regularly.

If a student registered for their degree before October 2008 and prefer not to submit electronically they may choose to submit one hardbound copy of the thesis/dissertation to our office. Please contact the Postgraduate Administration Office for guidance on the correct presentation of a final thesis.

Dissertation Writing Clinic

This session is open to all Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) students.

Your dissertation may be the biggest piece of writing that you do for your degree. This session is designed to support you in that ‘final push’ of writing.

The Dissertation Writing Clinic is a supportive space where you can dedicate some focused time to your writing, with an Academic Skills Adviser present to answer questions and offer support and guidance.

What kind of support can I expect?

Advice on your sources and literature review
Check that your style is appropriate, your structure is logical, and your writing is coherent
Guidance on referencing, including paraphrasing, summarising and referencing style format
Advice on editing and proofreading, including ways to ‘cut down’ your word count
Advice about time management

This session is taking place in person and online .

To attend in person, come to Digital Humanities Seminar Room 1, Queen’s Building (Streatham Campus).

To attend online, join via the Microsoft Teams meeting link below.

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Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting

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Research proposal

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What is a research proposal?

For comprehensive advice please download our How to write a research proposal guide.

What is a research proposal

Your research proposal needs to outline the nature of your proposed research project and give some indication of how you will conduct your research. It is an integral part of the postgraduate research application process, so it is certainly worth investing time and energy into it.

Your research proposal should leave a positive first impression upon the reader about your ‘fitness’ to study a PhD. It is your project, so it is important to demonstrate leadership in this first stage of the application process. An ideal proposal should leave the reader feeling in no doubt that you have done some preliminary research about your subject and that you are knowledgeable and ready to tackle the challenges of a PhD. Give your proposal your utmost attention and time, but also be realistic ‐ you are not expected to know everything at this stage. Your proposal can also be flexible. It is not a contract. Always ask someone else to read your proposal before you submit it, and to offer you some critical but supportive feedback. Remember that a research proposal is about what you want to study; it immediately reflects your initial understanding of, and commitment to, PhD study. A research proposal can and should make a positive and powerful first impression about your potential to become a good researcher. Importantly, the main purpose is to enable the university to assess whether you are a good ‘match’ for our supervisors and our areas of research expertise. Therefore, in a good research proposal you will need to demonstrate two main things:

that you are capable of independent critical thinking and analysis
that you are capable of communicating your ideas clearly

Applying for a PhD is like applying for a job, you are not applying for a taught programme. When you start a PhD you will become a valued researcher in an academic department. Through your research proposal your colleagues want to know whether they can work with you, and whether your ideas are focussed, interesting and realistic. Try and impress them! Your proposal should be indicative and it should outline your areas of interest and your general insight into the research topic. You are not expected to be an expert and to be familiar with all the specific details of your subject. However, you are expected to have a good level of knowledge about the subject and where you might make a valuable contribution to research. The perfect research proposal should leave the reader interested, excited and wanting to find out more about your ideas, and about you!

Preparing a research proposal

Before you write a research proposal, the first step should be to provide a 500-word outline of your proposed research project. You should then forward this to any academic you feel would best suit your proposed project – you can find contact details for staff on the individual subject websites. If you receive a positive response, you can then plan to submit a formal application in the form of a research proposal.

Your proposal must specify the area of your proposed research and should cover relevance, theoretical perspectives, research methodology, and sources of data. Your proposal is your calling card. It is your chance to sell yourself and your research to prospective supervisors. Competition for places is fierce, and many students apply to us with excellent Bachelors and Masters degrees from around the world. Your proposal is your way of setting yourself apart from the crowd. So, you should work hard to submit the best possible application.

Putting together your document

There is no set formula for your research proposal in terms of length or what you include in it. It is quality, not quantity, that counts to demonstrate that you have a clear and concise way of thinking. Your proposal should explain your project, establish its importance, and set out how you are going to complete it in the time allowed.

PhD-level study, quite literally, encompasses an almost infinite variety of topics and projects. It is for this reason that prescribing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ method for research proposal writing is a difficult task, but the strongest proposals are likely to contain many of the following:

Background – You should establish the context to, and rationale for, your research based on a reading of the relevant academic and/or practitioner literature. Where possible, cite relevant authors and studies, and explain how this research builds on your previous academic work or professional experience. You should discuss the intellectual importance of your work, its contribution to your subject area, and its originality, which, in time, form three of the four main criteria for assessing your PhD.

Aims and objectives – Set out the central aims and research questions that guide your research. What hypothesis or argument are you trying to explore and what questions are you trying to answer? Set out your terms of reference clearly and precisely. These may cover what you intend to achieve by the research in general and, more specifically, how the research fits the background and the outcomes from the project.

Methods and techniques – Explain how your approach to collecting and analysing information will help you satisfy your aims and objectives. Potential data collection methods and possible analytical techniques give a sense of the direction of the research. Explain the choices behind case study organisations or locations, as well as sampling strategies or particular computer-based techniques.

Rationale - contextualise your questions/aims in a broader field of study, identifying the main literature that you are addressing. You need to explain why your research questions/hypotheses are important and topical.

Project management – You don’t need to produce a detailed time plan because research projects evolve. However, it is extremely useful to explain in general terms what you are proposing to do, and when, in order to get a sense of the scale of the task. This is especially important if you are proposing to undertake case study work or fieldwork.

Ethics – Almost inevitably your research will raise some ethical issues and you should aspire to conduct your research with the highest ethical standards.

Health and safety – All types of research have implications for health and safety, albeit some types of work are more risky than others. Where appropriate your proposal should seek to identify any issues and explain how you may address them.

References – Please enter a reference list using Harvard Notation. It is useful for potential supervisors to better understand the breadth and depth of your reading to date.

Appendices – These are a useful way of including additional supporting material while keeping the main body of the proposal succinct.

Timeline – You don’t need to produce a detailed time plan, but it is helpful to provide a summary of what you are planning to do and when. You will be expected to submit your thesis within three years (six years for part-time students) so it is important you have a feasible timeline. This section is especially important if you are proposing to undertake case study work or fieldwork. Bibliography – a short bibliography of relevant works in your research area.

Guidelines and advice

How long should a good research proposal be?

A good research proposal is as long as it takes, but a guide would be 1,500-2,500 words. Remember that it is meant to be an accurate overview, not a thesis, so you need to provide enough detail for the reader to understand it. A paragraph would not be enough and 5,000 words likely too much.

The '3Cs' rule

When you have written your research proposal, ask a friend to read it critically and provide you with feedback. Also, ask yourself whether it follows the '3Cs' rule:

Clear - is what you have written intelligible and clearly articulated? Does it make sense, or is it vague and confusing? Does your proposal leave the reader with a clear sense of the purpose and direction of your research project?
Concise - have you written your proposal in a succinct and focused way?
Coherent - does your proposal link together well so that it tells the reader a short story about what you want to do, why you want to do it and how you will do it?

If you can answer all of these questions with confidence, you have probably put together a good proposal.

Dissemination

Depending on your project and the wider field it is a part of, you may want to include a paragraph on how you would go about spreading the ideas discussed in your research to the academic community, and in some cases the organisation arranging your funding. This could be anything, from traditional sources such as publications and seminars, to more contemporary methods such as blogs, vlogs and exhibitions.

To protect yourself from accusations of plagiarism please make sure that all your references are present, correct and up-to-date at the time of submission. In order to ensure you have correctly referenced, it is sensible to include publications in your bibliography that influenced your thoughts and arguments in any way, even if they are not quoted from directly. If you have used quotations from other academics, please check you have used quotation marks and a citation.

6 steps to a successful research proposal

A good research proposal should not be complicated. However, it can be challenging to write and it is important to get right. A PhD is challenging, so it is good training working on your research proposal. Although there is no exact prescribed format for a general research proposal (across all subjects), a research proposal should generally include six main sections, as detailed below:

1: A clear working title for your research project

What will you call your project?
What key words would describe your proposal?

2: A clear statement about what you want to work on and why it is important, interesting, relevant and realistic

What are your main research objectives? These could be articulated as hypotheses, propositions, research questions, or problems to solve
What difference do you think your research will make?
Why does this research excite you?
What research ‘gaps’ will you be filling by undertaking your project?
How might your research ‘add value’ to the subject?
Is your research achievable in the time allocated? (e.g. 3 years full‐time)

3: Some background knowledge and context of the area in which you wish to work, including key literature, key people, key research findings

How does your work link to the work of others in the same field or related fields?
Would your work support or contest the work of others?
How does your work relate to the expertise within the department you are applying to?

4: Some consideration of the methods/approach you might use

How will you conduct your research?
Will you use existing theories, new methods/approaches or develop new methods/approaches?
How might you design your project to get the best results/findings?

5: Some indication of the strategy and timetable for your research project and any research challenges you may face

What would be the main stages of your project?
What would you be expecting to do in each year of your PhD?
What challenges might you encounter and how might your overcome these?

6: A list of the key references which support your research proposal

References should be listed in the appropriate convention for your subject area (e.g. Harvard). Such references should be used throughout your research proposal to demonstrate that you have read and understood the work of others
Other relevant material that you are aware of, but not actually used in writing your proposal, can also be added as a bibliography

All of the above six sections are important but section 2 is particularly important because in any research project, establishing your main purpose represents the whole basis for completing the research programme. Therefore, the value of your proposed research is assessed in relation to your research aims and objectives.

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Geography: Library Dissertation Research: Welcome

Introducing Dissertation Research
Identify: Key Research Concepts
Identify: Information Types
Find: Where to Search
Find: How to search
Using Library Search
Using Research Databases
Using Research Resources
Evaluate your search results
Reference your research resources This link opens in a new window
Getting Help

Picture of Books above title for guide: Effective Library Research for Dissertations & Research Papers

How to use this online guide

This guide introduces the skills and techniques you can use for effective library research for your dissertations and research projects.

Work through each section using the menu tabs above, or the Next button at the bottom of the page.

There will be activities for you to complete as you go so that you can learn by doing and self test your learning.

This guide aims to ...

Build your confidence in planning and conducting your research to support your dissertation
Highlight the library help and support available to you as you conduct your research

You can download and use a dissertation workbook to make notes as you progress through the tutorial. By the end you'll have a plan you can use to help you complete your library research for your dissertation, project or research proposal.

Dissertation workbook
Next: Introducing Dissertation Research >>
Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 2:58 PM
URL: https://libguides.exeter.ac.uk/geographydissertation

How Long Is a PhD Thesis?
Doing a PhD

It’s no secret that one of the most challenging aspects of a PhD degree is the volume of work that goes into writing your thesis . So this raises the question, exactly how long is a thesis?

Unfortunately, there’s no one size fits all answer to this question. However, from the analysis of over 100 PhD theses, the average thesis length is between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A further analysis of 1000 PhD thesis shows the average number of pages to be 204 . In reality, the actual word count for each PhD thesis will depend on the specific subject and the university it is being hosted by. This is because universities set their own word length requirements, with most found to be opting for around 100,000.

To find out more about how these word limits differ between universities, how the average word count from STEM thesis differ from non-STEM thesis and a more detailed breakdown from the analysis of over 1000 PhDs, carry on reading the below.

Word Count Differences Between Universities

For any PhD student writing a thesis, they will find that their document will be subject to a word limit set by their university. In nearly all cases, the limit only concerns the maximum number of words and doesn’t place any restrictions on the minimum word limit. The reason for this is that the student will be expected to write their thesis with the aim of clearly explaining their research, and so it is up to the student to determine what he deems appropriate.

Saying this, it is well accepted amongst PhD students and supervisors that the absence of a lower limit doesn’t suggest that a thesis can be ‘light’. Your thesis will focus on several years worth of original research and explore new ideas, theories or concepts. Besides this, your thesis will need to cover a wide range of topics such as your literature review, research methodology, results and conclusion. Therefore, your examiners will expect the length of your thesis to be proportional to convey all this information to a sufficient level.

Selecting a handful of universities at random, they state the following thesis word limits on their website:

University of Edinburgh: 100,000
University of Exeter: 100,000
University of Leister: 80,000
University of Bath: 80,000
University of Warwick: 70,000

The above universities set upper word limits that apply across the board, however, some universities, such as the University of Birmingham and the University of Sheffield, set different word limits for different departments. For example, the University of Sheffield adopts these limits:

Arts & Humanities: 75,000
Medicine, Dentistry & Health: 75,000
Science: 80,000
Social Sciences: 75,000-100,000

Although there’s a range of limit, it’s safe to say that the majority fall within the 80,000 to 100,000 bracket.

Word Count Based on Data from past Theses

A poll of 149 postdocs.

In mid-2019, Dr Eva Lantsoght, a published author, academic blogger and Structural Engineering Professor, conducted a poll which asked postgraduate doctoral students to share the length of their final thesis. 149 PostDoc students responded to the survey, with the majority reporting a length falling within the ‘80,000 – 120,000 words’ bracket as seen below.

DiscoverPhDs_How-long-is-a-PhD-Thesis_Poll

Analysis of 1000 PhD Theses

Over a three-year time period, Dr Ian Brailsford, a then Postgraduate Learning Adviser at the University of Auckland, analysed 1000 doctoral thesis submitted to his university’s library. The PhD theses which formed the basis of his analysis were produced between 2008 to 2017 and showed:

Average number of pages = 204
Median number of pages = 198
Average number of chapters = 7.6

We should note that the above metrics only cover the content falling within the main body of the thesis. This includes the introduction, literature review, methods section, results chapter, discussions and conclusions. All other sections, such as the title page, abstract, table of contents, acknowledgements, bibliography and appendices were omitted from the count.

Although it’s impossible to draw the exact word count from the number of pages alone, by using the universities recommended format of 12pt Times New Roman and 1.5 lines spacing, and assuming 10% of the main body are figures and footnotes, this equates to an average main body of 52,000 words.

STEM vs Non-STEM

As part of Dr Ian Brailsford’s analysis, he also compared the length of STEM doctorate theses to non-STEM theses. He found that STEM theses tended to be shorter. In fact, he found STEM theses to have a medium page length of 159 whilst non-STEM theses had a medium of around 223 pages. This is a 40% increase in average length!

Can You Exceed the Word Count?

Whilst most universities will allow you to go over the word count if you need to, it comes with the caveat that you must have a very strong reason for needing to do so. Besides this, your supervisor will also need to support your request. This is to acknowledge that they have reviewed your situation and agree that exceeding the word limit will be absolutely necessary to avoid detriment unnecessary detriment to your work.

This means that whilst it is possible to submit a thesis over 100,000 words or more, it’s unlikely that your research project will need to.

How Does This Compare to a Masters Dissertation?

The average Masters dissertation length is approximately 20,000 words whilst a thesis is 4 to 5 times this length at approximately 80,000 – 100,000.

The key reason for this difference is because of the level of knowledge they convey. A Master’s dissertation focuses on concluding from existing knowledge whilst a PhD thesis focuses on drawing a conclusion from new knowledge. As a result, the thesis is significantly longer as the new knowledge needs to be well documented so it can be verified, disseminated and used to shape future research.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

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Psychology at the University of Exeter has over 170 academic staff and over 100 postgraduate students. Our staff are recognised internationally for their academic excellence, high-quality research and applied output. Enhancing their teaching through their active research enabling their expertise to feed directly into our research-led programmes.

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Our MPhil/PhD students are actively involved in work at the cutting edge of research activities within Psychology at the University of Exeter. Ranked in the top 100 in the world for Psychology (QS World University Rankings 2023) and 11th in the UK for internationally excellent research in Psychology (REF 2021), Psychology offers an ideal environment in which to undertake an MPhil/PhD.

Our research focuses on understanding: brain and behaviour change across the lifespan; social determinants of health and well-being; treatment innovation in mental health and addiction. Our research students will not only be supported by the Doctoral College which offers institution-wide support, training, and administration for all of our postgraduate and early career researchers, they will also be supported by our academics who are recognised internationally for their academic excellence, high quality research and applied output.

We place a strong emphasis on your personal and professional development, as well as academic performance, and are committed to providing a friendly and stimulating intellectual environment. We also provide postgraduate training and continuing professional development (CPD) courses for Clinical Psychology professionals on the same site as our PhDs and Masters degrees. Acceptance of an application for the MPhil/PhD programme is contingent on the availability of appropriate supervision. Hence potential applicants MUST contact one or more potential supervisors prior to applying, and develop preliminary ideas on an agreed research topic with them.

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Clinical Education Development and Research (CEDAR)

CEDAR is an Applied Psychological Practice Centre of Excellence. We are one of the UK's largest providers of training in evidence-based psychological practice and therapies, working in the NHS and private practice.

Visit the CEDAR website to find out more

Professional Doctorates in Clinical Psychology

Our Professional Doctorate programmes are different from conventional PhDs, which essentially offer training in academic research skills. Our programmes all include taught academic and clinical research modules as well as applied psychological practice (DClinPsy and DPPClinPrac) and leadership (DClinPsy and DClinRes). All programmes include a major research project dissertation.

Students on these programmes are typically experienced clinical practitioners in Psychology (DClinPsy), Psychotherapy (DClinPrac and DClinPrac(Res)) or Allied Health Professionals (DClinRes) who want to enhance their theoretical knowledge, clinical skills and research experience.

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Detailed information for current students can be found on the Current students webpages. Module descriptors and programme specifications can be found on the Study Information webpages.

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We are committed to enabling all students to communicate their views and to receiving suggestions to influence changes to our policies and procedures.

Psychology has an undergraduate and postgraduate Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC), which gives you the opportunity to voice your opinions about studying with us and to comment on a wide range of issues and possible developments.

How does the SSLC work?

The SSLC is presided over by a Subject Officer (a student elected by the Students’ Guild) and composed of elected student representatives from each year and programme and appropriate staff representatives. Training for Subject Officers is provided by either the Students’ Guild or FXU depending on whether you are based in Cornwall or Exeter. A standard agenda is provided by the Taught Faculty, and minute-taking is provided by the discipline Administrator.

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Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee

Candidates should write as concisely as is possible, with clear and adequate exposition. Each Degree Committee has prescribed the limits of length and stylistic requirements as given below. On submission of the thesis you must include a statement of length confirming that it does not exceed the word limit for your Degree Committee.

These limits and requirements are strictly observed by the Postgraduate Committee and the Degree Committees and, unless approval to exceed the prescribed limit has been obtained beforehand (see: Extending the Word Limit below), a thesis that exceeds the limit may not be examined until its length complies with the prescribed limit.

Extending the Word Limit

Thesis word limits are set by Degree Committees. If candidates need to increase their word limits they will need to apply for permission.

Information on how to apply (via self-service account) is available on the ‘ Applying for a change in your student status’ page. If following your viva, you are required to make corrections to your thesis which will mean you need to increase your word-limit, you need to apply for permission in the same way.

Requirements of the Degree Committees

Archaeology and anthropology, architecture and history of art, asian and middle eastern studies, business and management, clinical medicine and clinical veterinary medicine, computer laboratory, earth sciences and geography, scott polar institute, engineering, history and philosophy of science, land economy, mathematics, modern and medieval languages and linguistics, physics and chemistry, politics and international studies, archaeology and social anthropology.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words (approx. 350 pages) for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. These limits include all text, figures, tables and photographs, but exclude the bibliography, cited references and appendices. More detailed specifications should be obtained from the Division concerned. Permission to exceed these limits will be granted only after a special application to the Degree Committee. The application must explain in detail the reasons why an extension is being sought and the nature of the additional material, and must be supported by a reasoned case from the supervisor containing a recommendation that a candidate should be allowed to exceed the word limit by a specified number of words. Such permission will be granted only under exceptional circumstances. If candidates need to apply for permission to exceed the word limit, they should do so in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, by application made to the Graduate Committee.

Biological Anthropology:

Students may choose between two alternative thesis formats for their work:

either in the form of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices; or

in the form of a collection of at least three research articles for the PhD degree and two research articles for the MSc or MLitt degree, formatted as an integrated piece of research, with a table of contents, one or more chapters that outline the scope and provide an in-depth review of the subject of study, a concluding chapter discussing the findings and contribution to the field, and a consolidated bibliography. The articles may be in preparation, submitted for publication or already published, and the combined work should not exceed 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The word limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions, and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices containing supplementary information associated with the articles. More information on the inclusion of material published, in press or in preparation in a PhD thesis may be found in the Department’s PhD submission guidelines.

Architecture:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. Footnotes, references and text within tables are to be counted within the word-limit, but captions, appendices and bibliographies are excluded. Appendices should be confined to such items as catalogues, original texts, translations of texts, transcriptions of interview, or tables.

History of Art:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree. To include: footnotes, table of contents and list of illustrations, but excluding acknowledgements and the bibliography. Appendices (of no determined word length) may be permitted subject to the approval of the candidate's Supervisor (in consultation with the Degree Committee); for example, where a catalogue of works or the transcription of extensive primary source material is germane to the work. Permission to include such appendices must be requested from the candidate's Supervisor well in advance of the submission of the final thesis. NB: Permission for extensions to the word limit for most other purposes is likely to be refused.

The thesis is for the PhD degree not to exceed 80,000 words exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography. For the MLitt degree not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

The thesis for the PhD is not to exceed 60,000 words in length (80,000 by special permission), exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

The thesis for the MPhil in Biological Science is not to exceed 20,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

For the PhD Degree the thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices. It is normally expected to exceed 40,000 words unless prior permission is obtained from the Degree Committee. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size. The Degree Committee do not consider applications to extend this word limit.

For the Doctor of Business (BusD) the thesis will be approximately 200 pages (a maximum length of 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices).

For the MSc Degree the thesis is not to exceed 40,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words including footnotes, references, and appendices but excluding bibliography; a page of statistics shall be regarded as the equivalent of 150 words. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed 60,000 words (or 80,000 by special permission of the Degree Committee), and for the MSc degree, not to exceed 40,000 words. These limits exclude figures, photographs, tables, appendices and bibliography. Lines to be double or one-and-a-half spaced; pages to be double or single sided.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes and equations, but excluding appendices, bibliography, photographs and diagrams. Any thesis which without prior permission of the Degree Committee exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and the MLitt degree, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliography. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit for the inclusion of an appendix of a substantial quantity of text which is necessary for the understanding of the thesis (e.g. texts in translation, transcription of extensive primary source material). Permission must be sought at least three months before submission of the thesis and be supported by a letter from the supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, including the summary/abstract. The table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, appendices, bibliography and acknowledgements to not count towards the word limit. Footnotes are not included in the word limit where they are a necessary part of the referencing system used.

Earth Sciences:

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 275 numbered pages of which not more than 225 pages are text, appendices, illustrations and bibliography. A page of text is A4 one-and-a-half-spaced normal size type. The additional 50 pages may comprise tables of data and/or computer programmes reduced in size.

If a candidate's work falls within the social sciences, candidates are expected to observe the limit described in the Department of Geography above; if, however, a candidate's work falls within the natural sciences, a candidate should observe the limit described in the Department of Earth Sciences.

Applications for the limit of length of the thesis to be exceeded must be early — certainly no later than the time when the application for the appointment of examiners and the approval of the title of the thesis is made. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit of length will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes, bibliography and appendices. The Degree Committee points out that some of the best thesis extend to only half this length. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and EdD degrees and 60,000 words for the MSc and MLitt degrees, in all cases excluding appendices, footnotes, reference list or bibliography. Only in the most exceptional circumstances will permission be given to exceed the stated limits. In such cases, you must make an application to the Degree Committee as early as possible -and no later than three months before it is proposed to submit the thesis, having regard to the dates of the Degree Committee meetings. Your application should (a) explain in detail the reasons why you are seeking the extension and (b) be accompanied by a full supporting statement from your supervisor showing that the extension is absolutely necessary in the interests of the total presentation of the subject.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 65,000 words, including appendices, footnotes, tables and equations not to contain more than 150 figures, but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must submit with their thesis a statement signed by the candidate themself giving the length of the thesis and the number of figures. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words or go below 60,000 words for the PhD degree and not to exceed 60,000 words or go below 45,000 words for the MLitt degree, both including all notes and appendices but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must add to the preface of the thesis the following signed statement: 'The thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding the bibliography.'

In exceptional cases (when, for example, a candidate's thesis largely consists of an edition of a text) the Degree Committee may grant permission to exceed these limits but in such instances (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be supported by a letter from a candidate's supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement of the Degree Committee for the Faculty of English that thesis must conform to either the MHRA Style Book or the MLA Handbook for the Writers of Research papers, available from major bookshops. There is one proviso, however, to the use of these manuals: the Faculty does not normally recommend that students use the author/date form of citation and recommends that footnotes rather than endnotes be used. Bibliographies and references in thesis presented by candidates in ASNaC should conform with either of the above or to the practice specified in Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England.

Thesis presented by candidates in the Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics must follow as closely as possible the printed style of the journal Applied Linguistics and referencing and spelling conventions should be consistent.

A signed declaration of the style-sheet used (and the edition, if relevant) must be made in the preliminary pages of the thesis.

PhD theses MUST NOT exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length.

A minimum word length exists for PhD theses: 70,000 words (50,000 for MLitt theses)

The word limit includes appendices and the contents page but excludes the abstract, acknowledgments, footnotes, references, notes on transliteration, bibliography, abbreviations and glossary. The Contents Page should be included in the word limit. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Maps, illustrations and other pictorial images count as 0 words. Graphs, if they are the only representation of the data being presented, are to be counted as 150 words. However, if graphs are used as an illustration of statistical data that is also presented elsewhere within the thesis (as a table for instance), then the graphs count as 0 words.

Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Applications for permission are made via CamSIS self-service pages. Applications must be made at least four months before the thesis is bound. Exceptions are granted when a compelling intellectual case is made.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, in all cases including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography. Permission to submit a thesis falling outside these limits, or to submit an appendix which does not count towards the word limit, must be obtained in advance from the Degree Committee.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, both including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliographies. One A4 page consisting largely of statistics, symbols or figures shall be regarded as the equivalent of 250 words. A candidate must add to the preface of their thesis the following signed statement: 'This thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices.'

For the PhD degree the thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography) but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

Criminology:

For the PhD degree submission of a thesis between 55,000 and 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography) but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

There is no standard format for the thesis in Mathematics. Candidates should discuss the format appropriate to their topic with their supervisor.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, including footnotes and appendices but excluding the abstract, any acknowledgements, contents page(s), abbreviations, notes on transliteration, figures, tables and bibliography. Brief labels accompanying illustrations, figures and tables are also excluded from the word count. The Degree Committee point out that some very successful doctoral theses have been submitted which extend to no more than three-quarters of the maximum permitted length.

In linguistics, where examples are cited in a language other than Modern English, only the examples themselves will be taken into account for the purposes of the word limit. Any English translations and associated linguistic glosses will be excluded from the word count.

In theses written under the aegis of any of the language sections, all sources in the language(s) of the primary area(s) of research of the thesis will normally be in the original language. An English translation should be provided only where reading the original language is likely to fall outside the expertise of the examiners. Where such an English translation is given it will not be included in the word count. In fields where the normal practice is to quote in English in the main text, candidates should follow that practice. If the original text needs to be supplied, it should be placed in a footnote. These fields include, but are not limited to, general linguistics and film and screen studies.

Since appendices are included in the word limit, in some fields it may be necessary to apply to exceed the limit in order to include primary data or other materials which should be available to the examiners. Only under the most exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed the limit in other cases. In all cases (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the prescribed maximum length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be accompanied by a full supporting statement from the candidate's supervisor showing that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement within all language sections of MMLL, and also for Film, that dissertations must conform with the advice concerning abbreviations, quotations, footnotes, references etc published in the Style Book of the Modern Humanities Research Association (Notes for Authors and Editors). For linguistics, dissertations must conform with one of the widely accepted style formats in their field of research, for example the style format of the Journal of Linguistics (Linguistic Association of Great Britain), or of Language Linguistic Society of America) or the APA format (American Psychology Association). If in doubt, linguistics students should discuss this with their supervisor and the PhD Coordinator.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, both excluding notes, appendices, and bibliographies, musical transcriptions and examples, unless a candidate make a special case for greater length to the satisfaction of the Degree Committee. Candidates whose work is practice-based may include as part of the doctoral submission either a portfolio of substantial musical compositions, or one or more recordings of their own musical performance(s).

PhD (MLitt) theses in Philosophy must not be more than 80,000 (60,000) words, including appendices and footnotes but excluding bibliography.

Institute of Astronomy, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Department of Physics:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, footnotes and appendices, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography and acknowledgements.

Department of Chemistry:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, and footnotes, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography, appendices and acknowledgements. Appendices are relevant to the material contained within the thesis but do not form part of the connected argument. Specifically, they may include derivations, code and spectra, as well as experimental information (compound name, structure, method of formation and data) for non-key molecules made during the PhD studies.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted prior to and including October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted after October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, including footnotes. The word limit includes appendices but excludes the bibliography. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Only applicable to students registered for the degree prior to 1 August 2012; all other students should consult the guidance of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions made before 30 November 2013

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions from 30 November 2013

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. Applications should be made in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, made to the Graduate Committee. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be over 60,000 words. This word limit includes footnotes and endnotes, but excludes appendices and reference list / bibliography. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 150 words for each page, or part of a page, that they occupy. Other media may form part of the thesis by prior arrangement with the Degree Committee. Students may apply to the Degree Committee for permission to exceed the word limit, but such applications are granted only rarely. Candidates must submit, with the thesis, a signed statement attesting to the length of the thesis.

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COMMENTS

Calculating your word count
7.11 Calculating Your Word Count. You are responsible for including an accurate word-count on the cover sheet for each piece of work you submit. Failure to be honest in this respect will itself be penalized under the University's cheating and plagiarism regulations. The word count specified for assessments will include footnotes, quotations ...
Submission of Thesis/Dissertation
All PGR theses/dissertations are submitted electronically as a PDF file. Please refer to the Doctoral College's PGR Student Handbook for full guidance on how to submit your thesis for examination. Policy & documents. Submission Form. If your Board of Examiners has already been appointed your thesis will be sent to them immediately upon submission.
Research Writing and Thesis Requirements
The TQA Manual, Chapter 11 - Presentation of theses/dissertations for degrees in the Faculty of Graduate Research: statement of procedures details the format and presentation of the thesis must be closely followed. These provide information on all aspects of the overall layout of a thesis, including word length (up to 100,000 for a PhD and 60,000 for an MPhil), division into chapters, the ...
Research, Writing and Thesis Requirements
The University's general regulations concerning the format and presentation of the thesis must be closely followed. These provide information on all aspects of the overall layout of a thesis, including word length (up to 100,000 for a PhD, 60,000 for an MPhil and 40,000 for an MA by Research), division into chapters, the scholarly apparatus, how it should be bound and the number of copies ...
Presentation of Thesis/Dissertation
When you submit your thesis/dissertation for examination please remember to include a correctly worded title page as the first page of your thesis and sign each copy before submission. Alternative Form of Submission. Changes to the guidance on the presentation of theses have been made resulting in a re-definition of what we mean by the term ...
11
a dissertation for the degrees of MPhil by Publication shall not normally exceed 60,000 words, and shall include a 6,000 word integrative chapter. a thesis for the degree of DBA shall not normally exceed 60,000 words. a dissertation for the degree of EdD shall not normally exceed 50,000 words. a thesis for the degree of DClin Res shall not ...
Upgrade to PhD
The regulations governing the presentation of theses/dissertations specify that footnotes are not included in the word count for theses. These regulations also apply for the upgrade word count. However, if the Harvard referencing style is used, in-text citations (as per Harvard) would be included in the upgrade word count.
Dissertation
The undergraduate dissertation is normally a 30-credit, final stage, level 3 module, which may be compulsory for some degree programmes. The subject of your dissertation will be agreed in advance and you will work under the direction of a nominated supervisor. Postgraduate dissertations are usually worth 60 credits. The completed dissertation ...
Thesis format
E-thesis. Once an award is recommended by the board of examiners students must submit a copy of the thesis/dissertation to Open Research Exeter (ORE) before the degree can be formally approved. ORE is the University's on-line collection for all research carried out at Exeter. Depositing the thesis in the collection will ensure that it is made ...
Upgrade to PhD
Outline of key events: A 9-month upgrade requiring a 3000-5000 word report outlining the thesis title, background, aims, provisional chapter outlines (including methods and analysis strategy for each) and expected timeline followed by a viva voce with an academic panel. Successful completion of the process within 12 months.
Going over the word limit
To ensure equity between all the students doing that particular assessment. If you are found to have exceeded the specified word limit for an assessment, your work will be subject to a penalty: Up to 10% over length - No deduction off final mark. Between 10% and 20% over length - Deduction of 5 marks off final mark. 20% or more over length ...
General Third-Year Dissertation (HIH3005)
ILO: Module-specific skills. 1. Develop and complete an independent research project. 2. Identify, locate and interpret appropriate primary sources. 3. Identify, locate and critically assess secondary literature. 4. Evaluate the reasons for changes in historiography.
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Finding University of Exeter Doctoral theses. You can access theses produced by University of Exeter students. Access routes depend upon whether the item is a print copy (deposited before 2010) or a digital copy (deposited after 2010). Please note: The library and ORE holds doctoral/PHD theses only. We do not hold Masters or undergraduate ...
Dissertation Writing Clinic
Advice on editing and proofreading, including ways to 'cut down' your word count; Advice about time management . This session is taking place in person and online. To attend in person, come to Digital Humanities Seminar Room 1, Queen's Building (Streatham Campus). To attend online, join via the Microsoft Teams meeting link below.
Research proposal
A good research proposal is as long as it takes, but a guide would be 1,500-2,500 words. Remember that it is meant to be an accurate overview, not a thesis, so you need to provide enough detail for the reader to understand it. A paragraph would not be enough and 5,000 words likely too much.
Geography: Library Dissertation Research: Welcome
How to use this online guide. This guide introduces the skills and techniques you can use for effective library research for your dissertations and research projects. Work through each section using the menu tabs above, or the Next button at the bottom of the page. There will be activities for you to complete as you go so that you can learn by ...
How Long Is a PhD Thesis?
Unfortunately, there's no one size fits all answer to this question. However, from the analysis of over 100 PhD theses, the average thesis length is between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A further analysis of 1000 PhD thesis shows the average number of pages to be 204. In reality, the actual word count for each PhD thesis will depend on the ...
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Psychology at the University of Exeter has over 170 academic staff and over 100 postgraduate students. Our staff are recognised internationally for their academic excellence, high-quality research and applied output. Enhancing their teaching through their active research enabling their expertise to feed directly into our research-led programmes.
Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee
Maps, illustrations and other pictorial images count as 0 words. Graphs, if they are the only representation of the data being presented, are to be counted as 150 words. However, if graphs are used as an illustration of statistical data that is also presented elsewhere within the thesis (as a table for instance), then the graphs count as 0 words.
Researching and Writing a Masters Dissertation
It can be helpful to think of your Masters dissertation as a series of closely interlinked essays, rather than one overwhelming paper. The size of this section will depend on the overall word count for your dissertation. However, to give you a rough idea for a 15,000-word dissertation, the discussion part will generally be about 12,000 words long.
Word Count for Dissertation?
19. I think partly it depends what the method/topic is, which is why some unis don't give a minimum word count for FYPs/dissertations (e.g. if your method is very complex it will require a much higher word count than a very simple method). I've just handed in my Final Year Project which had a max. word count of 6,000, and mine is 4,900.

Research Writing and Thesis Requirements

Alternative Form of Submission

Research Papers

Research Data Management Guidance

Further Information

Presentation of Thesis/Dissertation

Dissertation Writing Clinic

What kind of support can I expect?

Event Organizer

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Research proposal

Putting together your document

How long should a good research proposal be?

The '3Cs' rule

Dissemination

1: A clear working title for your research project

2: A clear statement about what you want to work on and why it is important, interesting, relevant and realistic

3: Some background knowledge and context of the area in which you wish to work, including key literature, key people, key research findings

4: Some consideration of the methods/approach you might use

5: Some indication of the strategy and timetable for your research project and any research challenges you may face

6: A list of the key references which support your research proposal

Geography: Library Dissertation Research: Welcome

Word Count Differences Between Universities

Word Count Based on Data from past Theses

Analysis of 1000 PhD Theses

STEM vs Non-STEM

Can You Exceed the Word Count?

How Does This Compare to a Masters Dissertation?

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Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee

Extending the Word Limit

Requirements of the Degree Committees

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