tips to writing a thesis

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

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Tips on writing a thesis statement: composing compelling thesis statements.

College-level courses demand a solid grasp of writing concepts, and some students arrive at Intro to Composition unprepared to write a high-quality essay. Teachers tend to give a bit more slack at the high school level, but college professors are often much more exacting. That’s why excellent writing skills are crucial to the majority of college courses — even outside the English department. 

One of the most important elements to master is the thesis statement. A strong thesis statement is at the root of all writing, from op-eds to research papers. It’s an essential element of any persuasive piece; something we look for without even thinking about it. A convincing, attention-grabbing thesis statement keeps the reader engaged — and lets them know where the piece is headed. 

Having a few tips and tricks in your toolbox can help you to make a convincing academic argument every time.

What is a Thesis Statement?

First, the basics. A thesis statement is a sentence or two that states the main idea of a writing assignment. It also helps to control the ideas presented within the paper. However, it is not merely a topic. It often reflects a claim or judgment that a writer has made about a reading or personal experience. For instance: Tocqueville believed that the domestic role most women held in America was the role that gave them the most power, an idea that many would hotly dispute today. 

Every assignment has a question or prompt. It’s important that your thesis statement answers the question. For the above thesis statement, the question being answered might be something like this: Why was Tocqueville wrong about women? If your thesis statement doesn’t answer a question, you’ll need to rework your statement.

Where Will I Use Thesis Statements?

Writing an exceptional thesis statement is a skill you’ll need both now and in the future, so you’ll want to be confident in your ability to create a great one. Whether in academic, professional, or personal writing, a strong thesis statement enhances the clarity, effectiveness, and impact of the overall message. Here are some real-world examples that demonstrate the importance of composing an outstanding thesis statement:

• Academic writing. The success of academic research papers depends on an exceptional thesis statement. Along with establishing the focus of the paper, it also provides you with direction in terms of research. The thesis sets a clear intention for your essay, helping the reader understand the argument you’re presenting and why the evidence and analysis support it.
• Persuasive writing. Persuasive writing depends on an excellent thesis statement that clearly defines the author’s position. Your goal is to persuade the audience to agree with your thesis. Setting an explicit stance also provides you with a foundation on which to build convincing arguments with relevant evidence.
• Professional writing. In the business and marketing world, a sound thesis statement is required to communicate a project’s purpose. Thesis statements not only outline a project’s unique goals but can also guide the marketing team in creating targeted promotional strategies.

Where Do Thesis Statements Go? 

A good practice is to put the thesis statement at the end of your introduction so you can use it to lead into the body of your paper. This allows you, as the writer, to lead up to the thesis statement instead of diving directly into the topic. Placing your thesis here also sets you up for a brief mention of the evidence you have to support your thesis, allowing readers a preview of what’s to come.

A good introduction conceptualizes and anticipates the thesis statement, so ending your intro with your thesis makes the most sense. If you place the thesis statement at the beginning, your reader may forget or be confused about the main idea by the time they reach the end of the introduction. 

What Makes a Strong Thesis Statement?

A quality thesis statement is designed to both inform and compel. Your thesis acts as an introduction to the argument you’ll be making in your paper, and it also acts as the “hook”. Your thesis should be clear and concise, and you should be ready with enough evidence to support your argument. 

There are several qualities that make for a powerful thesis statement, and drafting a great one means considering all of them: 

A strong thesis makes a clear argument .

A thesis statement is not intended to be a statement of fact, nor should it be an opinion statement. Making an observation is not sufficient — you should provide the reader with a clear argument that cohesively summarizes the intention of your paper.

Originality is important when possible, but stick with your own convictions. Taking your paper in an already agreed-upon direction doesn’t necessarily make for compelling reading. Writing a thesis statement that presents a unique argument opens up the opportunity to discuss an issue in a new way and helps readers to get a new perspective on the topic in question. Again, don’t force it. You’ll have a harder time trying to support an argument you don’t believe yourself.

A strong thesis statement gives direction .

If you lack a specific direction for your paper, you’ll likely find it difficult to make a solid argument for anything. Your thesis statement should state precisely what your paper will be about, as a statement that’s overly general or makes more than one main point can confuse your audience. 

A specific thesis statement also helps you focus your argument — you should be able to discuss your thesis thoroughly in the allotted word count. A thesis that’s too broad won’t allow you to make a strong case for anything.

A strong thesis statement provides proof.

Since thesis statements present an argument, they require support. All paragraphs of the essay should explain, support, or argue with your thesis. You should support your thesis statement with detailed evidence that will interest your readers and motivate them to continue reading the paper.

Sometimes it is useful to mention your supporting points in your thesis. An example of this could be: John Updike's Trust Me is a valuable novel for a college syllabus because it allows the reader to become familiar with his writing and provides themes that are easily connected to other works. In the body of your paper, you could write a paragraph or two about each supporting idea. If you write a thesis statement like this, it will often help you to keep control of your ideas.

A strong thesis statement prompts discussion .

Your thesis statement should stimulate the reader to continue reading your paper. Many writers choose to illustrate that the chosen topic is controversial in one way or another, which is an effective way to pull in readers who might agree with you and those who don’t! 

The ultimate point of a thesis statement is to spark interest in your argument. This is your chance to grab (and keep) your reader’s attention, and hopefully, inspire them to continue learning about the topic.

Testing Your Thesis Statement

Because your thesis statement is vital to the quality of your paper, you need to ensure that your thesis statement posits a cohesive argument. Once you’ve come up with a working thesis statement, ask yourself these questions to further refine your statement: 

• Is it interesting ? If your thesis is dull, consider clarifying your argument or revising it to make a connection to a relatable issue. Again, your thesis statement should draw the reader into the paper.
• Is it specific enough ? If your thesis statement is too broad, you won’t be able to make a persuasive argument. If your thesis contains words like “positive” or “effective”, narrow it down. Tell the reader why something is “positive”. What in particular makes something “effective”?
• Does it answer the question ? Review the prompt or question once you’ve written your working thesis and be sure that your thesis statement directly addresses the given question.
• Does my paper successfully support my thesis statement ? If you find that your thesis statement and the body of your paper don’t mesh well, you’re going to have to change one of them. But don’t worry too much if this is the case — writing is intended to be revised and reworked.
• Does my thesis statement present the reader with a new perspective? Is it a fresh take on an old idea? Will my reader learn something from my paper? If your thesis statement has already been widely discussed, consider if there’s a fresh angle to take before settling.
• Finally, am I happy with my thesis ? If not, you may have difficulty writing your paper. Composing an essay about an argument you don’t believe in can be more difficult than taking a stand for something you believe in.

Quick Tips for Writing Thesis Statements

If you’re struggling to come up with a thesis statement, here are a few tips you can use to help:

• Know the topic. The topic should be something you know or can learn about. It is difficult to write a thesis statement, let alone a paper, on a topic that you know nothing about. Reflecting on personal experience and/or researching your thesis topic thoroughly will help you present more convincing information about your statement.
• Brainstorm. If you are having trouble beginning your paper or writing your thesis, take a piece of paper and write down everything that comes to mind about your topic. Did you discover any new ideas or connections? Can you separate any of the things you jotted down into categories? Do you notice any themes? Think about using ideas generated during this process to shape your thesis statement and your paper.
• Phrase the topic as a question. If your topic is presented as a statement, rephrasing it as a question can make it easier to develop a thesis statement.
• Limit your topic. Based on what you know and the required length of your final paper, limit your topic to a specific area. A broad scope will generally require a longer paper, while a narrow scope can be sufficiently proven by a shorter paper.

Writing Thesis Statements: Final Thoughts

The ability to compose a strong thesis statement is a skill you’ll use over and over again during your college days and beyond. Compelling persuasive writing is important, whether you’re writing an academic essay or putting together a professional pitch. 

If your thesis statement-writing skills aren’t already strong, be sure to practice before diving into college-level courses that will test your skills. If you’re currently looking into colleges, Gustavus Adolphus offers you the opportunity to refine your writing skills in our English courses and degree program . Explore Gustavus Adolphus’ undergraduate majors here .

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write a Good Thesis

Last Updated: March 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bryce Warwick, JD and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman . Bryce Warwick is currently the President of Warwick Strategies, an organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area offering premium, personalized private tutoring for the GMAT, LSAT and GRE. Bryce has a JD from the George Washington University Law School. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 104,411 times.

Do you have a big term paper or essay on your academic horizons? Before diving into your assignment, you’ll need a thesis: a clear, sentence-long explanation at the end of your first/introductory paragraph that defines what your paper will be analyzing, explaining, or arguing. [1] X Research source A good thesis is easy to write if you know what to include—that’s why we’re here to walk you through everything you need to know. Read on for plenty of tips, explanations, and examples to help take your thesis-writing game to the next level.

How do you write a strong thesis statement?

• Argumentative prompt example: Technology helps students succeed in school. The prompt wants you to state whether you agree or disagree with this stance, and why.
• Analytical prompt example: Do video games influence the thoughts and actions of teenagers? The prompt wants you to research both sides of this controversial topic and come up with an analysis.
• Expository prompt example: Why is a calorie deficit diet plan effective for weight loss? The prompt wants you to go into detail on a specific topic.

• The prompt “Genetically-modified foods provide an essential service to society” could be changed to “Do genetically-modified foods provide an essential service to society?”
• The prompt “Many people are divided over the advantages and disadvantages of wearing masks” could be adjusted to “What are the pros and cons of wearing masks?”

• Example: GMOs provide a high volume of delicious, long-lasting food, making them an essential service to society.
• Example: Although politicians debate the practicality of masks in a post-pandemic society, evidence suggests that regular masking helps prevent the transmission of harmful illnesses.
• Remember—your thesis is a work in progress! You’re welcome to tweak, adjust, and completely change your thesis so it accurately represents your research.
• If your professor or teacher assigns an essay or paper with a pre-assigned topic, you might not have to do as much research.

What makes a thesis statement good or effective?

• Bad thesis: Pollution is harmful.
• Better thesis: Pollution risks harming millions of people through the spread of toxins in the air and waterways.

• Bad thesis: Pineapple is a pizza topping.
• Better thesis: Pineapple’s sweet flavor profile makes it an unsavory choice as a pizza topping.

• Bad thesis: Drunk driving is bad.
• Better thesis: Alcohol impairs a person’s mental functions, making it difficult and dangerous for them to drive a vehicle.

• Bad thesis: Twitter is good and bad.
• Better thesis: Twitter offers greater visibility to important issues at the risk of imparting a heavy bias.

• Bad thesis: The rise of technology has pros and cons.
• Better thesis: The rise of technology improves digital literacy, but limits opportunities for in-person interactions.

• Bad thesis: The 1970s served as a turning point for women’s rights, LGBT rights, and environmental awareness.
• Better thesis: The 1970s launched a new era for women’s rights that has continued on into the 21st century.

Examples of Thesis Statements

• Eliminate passive verbs like “is” or “was”—they don’t paint a very clear picture for your reader.

• A list format works well for expository thesis statements! List out the different topics you’ll be discussing, and then dedicate different sections of your paper to each point.

Expert Q&A

• Ask your professor or teacher for a second opinion once you’ve drafted your thesis. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/thesis_or_purpose/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/writing-a-thesis
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://www.norwellschools.org/cms/lib02/MA01001453/Centricity/Domain/206/Thesis%20Statement.pdf
• ↑ https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/argumentation
• ↑ https://www.u.arizona.edu/~sung/pdf/thesis.pdf

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How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

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

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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• Writing Tips

How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper

4-minute read

• 26th July 2023

A strong thesis statement is the foundation of a successful research paper . The thesis gives focus to your ideas, engages readers, and sets the tone for the rest of the paper. You’ve spent substantial time and effort to craft a well-written and effective study , so you want your thesis statement to accurately reflect the impact of your work.

However, writing a thesis is often easier said than done. So if you’ve already got the arguments, the data, and the conclusions, keep scrolling for our straightforward guide on how to write a thesis statement for a research paper.

What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is a clear and succinct assertion that presents the main argument or central idea of a research paper or other academic work. You usually find the thesis, which serves as a road map for the entire piece of writing, at the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis also highlights the importance and relevance of the research topic , explaining why it’s worth studying and what impact it may have.

A good thesis statement also invites critical discussion and debate. Although your statement should provide a compelling argument , it should also inspire readers to engage with your ideas and potentially challenge or explore alternative viewpoints.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should outline the scope and boundaries of the paper and indicate what aspects of the topic you’ll cover. But now that you know what a good thesis statement entails, where should you start? Check out our series of steps below for help on writing an impactful thesis statement that accurately summarizes your research and arguments.

Understand the Purpose of Your Research

Before you can write a thesis statement, you need to understand the purpose and scope of your research. Pinpoint the specific topic or issue you’ll be exploring and the main objective of your paper. You should also familiarize yourself with the existing literature and research related to your topic because these will help you refine your focus and identify gaps in the existing knowledge that your research can address.

Consider the Impact of Your Research

Your thesis statement should answer the question, What is the relevance? – meaning it should tell the reader what the practical implications of your research are, why the research is significant, and what it adds to the broader academic landscape.

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Make a Concise Claim or Argument

Your statement should be clear, specific, and concise, conveying the main point of your research in one or two sentences. It should present a claim or argument that you’ll go on to support and defend in your paper, so avoid purely factual or self-evident statements. Be precise in your wording and tailor your thesis statement to the scope of your research – don’t introduce a new or unrelated topic that you don’t expressly address in your paper. The thesis statement is meant to indicate what the reader can expect to find in your paper, and you must support the thesis with evidence throughout.

Revise and Refine the Statement

Crafting a strong thesis statement may require multiple attempts, so take the time to revise and edit it until you’re satisfied that it meets your requirements.

Example Thesis Statement

Below is an example of a strong thesis statement that clearly emphasizes the main points of a research topic:

In this example, the thesis statement clearly identifies the main topic (technology’s impact on education) and presents a strong argument about technology’s positive effects. The thesis conveys the essential message of the research concisely in one sentence, leaving no doubt about the position of the author and what they’ll address in the paper.

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Reference management. Clean and simple.

Writing your thesis

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A good conclusion is crucial to the success of your thesis or dissertation. Read our 5 tips for an outstanding thesis conclusion.

How long are thesis statements? [with examples]

Not sure how long a thesis statement should be? This guide on thesis statement lengths will prepare you to write a solid thesis statement of an acceptable length.

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The time has come for you to choose a thesis topic? Don't get lost. With the help of our guide you will find a topic for your thesis in the blink of an eye.

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What is a thesis defense and how do you prepare for it the best way? This guide discusses what a thesis defense is and offers 6 tips for how to prepare.

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Explore 7 tips for how to proofread a thesis. Follow this guide to submit your thesis with confidence.

How to structure a thesis

You may have many questions when you start your thesis. How do you structure it? What information should the individual chapters contain? Here's an overview of thesis structure and how to actually start your thesis.

How to write a good thesis introduction

Getting started with your thesis can feel intimidating. There is no single way to write an introduction that will always work for every topic, but this guide helps you cover all the important points.

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7 tips for efficient thesis writing

Writing your thesis isn’t always a walk in the park, so here are some tips to help you out.

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It’s no secret that writing your master’s or doctoral thesis is no easy task. Writer’s block and procrastination haunt many graduate students. Nonetheless, Geneviève Belleville, psychology professor at Université Laval, has a few tricks that can help make things easier. Back in 2014, she compiled her advice into a book: Assieds-toi et écris ta thèse! Trucs pratiques et motivationnels (Sit Down and Write Your Thesis: Some Practical and Motivational Tips).

At the most recent Journées de la relève en recherche held by Acfas, the association of French-speaking researchers, Dr. Belleville gave a presentation on seven keys to writing a thesis efficiently and (almost) worry-free.

1. Set specific times for writing

To start off, Dr. Belleville advises that you set aside short periods of time each day to write. She encourages you to regularly re-evaluate how long these blocks of time last. Why choose shorter writing periods over longer ones? To prevent procrastination and to reduce the eventual pressure to write. While it is important to write each day, she also recommends taking complete breaks from it. “The kind of person who succeeds in graduate studies is someone who also manages to do other things in life,” she says. “It’s a bit of a paradox, but [people who are successful] are invested in their studies but are also able to do other things, for example, on evenings or weekends.”

2. Set goals

Dr. Belleville says there are different types of goals that apply to writing a thesis: long-term, specific and weekly goals, as well as time-bound or project-driven goals. “You can’t expect a master’s degree or a PhD to be easy — you have to set goals and define motivations,” she explains. She suggests taking inspiration from the concept of SMART objectives to help with this stage. This method prescribes setting objectives that are s pecific, m easurable, a chievable, r ealistic, and t ime-bound. For example, don’t take on a literature review when you have 35 minutes left at the end of a long workday!

3. Distinguish the different writing stages

There are three main stages to a thesis: planning, writing and editing. A well-thought-out plan makes it easier to start writing while reducing stress and hesitation. When it comes to writing, she recommends tackling this task without overthinking it. Writing ideas quickly without thinking about every word choice accelerates the process and prevents you from getting bogged down in one spot for too long. The editing stage is where it’s important to carefully consider the relevance of each sentence, spend more time on your structure and argumentation, correct typos and refine your style. Dr. Belleville reminds us that “We’re writing for others — not ourselves.”

4. Inspiration is a rationalization

Dr. Belleville adds that waiting for inspiration to start writing is just an excuse to procrastinate. “Writing doesn’t need inspiration, it needs structure,” she says. She believes that the best ways to get motivated are to write each day, for example, or to keep a notebook of ideas, vary your tasks, or talk about the subject with the people around you.

5. Avoid procrastination

“Scientific writing is one of the jobs most likely to be put off to the next day,” she explains. One of the reasons this happens in thesis writing is the anxiety it causes. The last stage of a PhD is also the most important, as it determines whether or not you earn your degree. More often than not, procrastination only causes more anxiety. Dr. Belleville has advice for fighting this tendency to postpone work. First, she emphasizes the importance of planning short, daily writing periods. You also need to create a pleasant, functional space that’s conducive to writing. Lastly, you need to remember that everyone procrastinates from time to time, so there’s no need to get hung up on it when you do!

6. Resist perfectionism!

Dr. Belleville argues that perfectionism and productivity are not the same thing. She says that while it’s a good thing to have high standards, having unrealistic ones is just shooting yourself in the foot. “Perfectionists are often unproductive because they are paralysed by their perfectionism.” She sees perfectionism as kind of cult “where the ideals we aim to achieve are attractive but unrealistic.” Perfection can come with certain nuances. Wanting to perform and excel is not the same issue as taking on too much, and both have very different outcomes.

7. Stay connected and talk about it with others

She concluded her presentation by stating “you have to make sure not to get lost in the thesis writing process.” Shutting yourself in, away from everyone else, is far from a good idea, and you shouldn’t hesitate to discuss any problems that come up. It’s important to remember that this kind of project will always come with setbacks.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

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What Is a Thesis Statement?

Best way to write a thesis statement, tips for writing a thesis statement, what makes a thesis statement strong, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement.

Think about the last time you made an argument in favor of or against something/someone. Think about your stance and how you delivered your message to your audience. Were your points valid? Did they make sense? Did you get your message across concisely and thoroughly? Now, did you realize that your argument ended with a thesis statement? Yep, it's true, and it can be that simple for your academic essays, as well.

Today's topic is all about the thesis statement: the different types of thesis statements, what makes a thesis statement good, what to include in a thesis statement, and how a thesis statement can be used in the future . I'll also give you some tips on how to write a thesis statement, as well as how to prepare a thesis statement, so if you have papers coming due, mid-terms or simply want to know how to write a good thesis statement, look no further. I got you!

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Before we get started, I think it's important to go over what exactly a thesis statement is , so we don't get it confused with anything else.

A thesis statement is a summary of the main point, central idea, or claim of an essay, research paper, or any other piece of academic writing . It usually appears at the end of the introduction and prepares the reader on what to expect in the rest of your paper.

When I was in school, I remember struggling when it came to sorting out my thoughts and putting my ideas, thesis statement and supporting evidence down on paper. If you're someone who deals the same obstacles, one thing that worked for me was thinking of it like a real-life argument. Ask yourself what the main point you're trying to make is and boom. You got yourself a compelling thesis statement.

Types of thesis statements

However, things can get tricky if you don't know what kind of thesis statement you're writing. There are several types of thesis statements that can be used depending on the purpose and structure of your paper. Let's talk about them:

• Analytical thesis statement : This type of thesis breaks down an issue or idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• Expository thesis statement : This type of thesis explains something to the audience, presenting information in a clear and concise manner.
• Argumentative thesis statement : This type of thesis makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence and reasoning.
• Narrative thesis statement : This type of thesis tells a story or recounts an event, providing a narrative structure to the academic work.

So, before you start your paper, I suggest carefully going over your essay guidelines to figure out what kind of thesis statement you're aiming to write . Whether it be for expository and argumentative essays or persuasive essays, if your thesis statement adheres to the rules of the essay, you'll be good to go.

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What to Include in a Thesis Statement

Now, I don't want to give the impression that writing a solid thesis statement is all you need to be compelling in your argument because it's not. There are several components you should include in your thesis statement to really make it stand out to your audience. These components are (but are not limited to):

1. Knowing the main topic/subject of your paper . Clearly state what the paper is about to provide context for the reader.

2. Having a specific claim or argument . Make a clear and concise statement that outlines your main point or position on the topic.

3. Showcasing the scope of your paper : Provide a preview of the main points or arguments that will be discussed in the paper to give the reader an idea of what to expect.

4. The significance of your argument : Explain why your claim is important/relevant to the topic being discussed.

While these are a few key elements you should have in your thesis statement, they're also not the end-all-be-all. You want to make sure that your main point is strong and backed with supporting evidence and clear opinions on the topic at hand, as well.

Like most things, writing a thesis statement takes the right amount of concentration and dedication . This means zero distractions and 100% focus. I know—zero distractions can be difficult, but it’s completely doable! All you need is a fresh piece of paper, a pen, and discipline. Here, let’s go over some of the best ways to write a thesis statement.

First, you’re going to want to get rid of any distractions . Yes, that means your cellphone (don’t hate me!). Along with your cellphone, you want to make sure you remove any other devices like TVs, radios, etc. from your vicinity to remain focused. This can also mean people and places, as well. Make sure you set yourself up in a quiet, no-traffic area to make sure there is nothing and no one around that can deter you from the task at hand.

You also want to make sure you prioritize your time and block out a piece of your day to get this done. By setting aside time for your academic essays, you are setting yourself up for success . And if you don’t have a lot of time to spare, that’s totally okay.

You have to figure out what works best with your schedule, so even if it’s 30 minutes to write down your topic sentence, central ideas, or even a working final thesis statement, that helps! Anything counts. You just want to make sure you don’t waste the time you have.

And don’t neglect yourself from breaks . I know that being in a role can be exhilarating—your brain is working, your thoughts are flowing, and work is getting done, but you don’t want to burn yourself out too fast.

Make sure you take 5-to-10-minute breaks every 30 minutes to an hour to keep your momentum. Just don’t get lost in the break! Train yourself to have enough discipline to give yourself some grace but still be able to pick up right where you left off.

Preparing Your Thesis Statement

There’s something about hearing the words ‘thesis statement’ that immediately overwhelms you, but it doesn’t have to. If you have a plan, coming up with a solid thesis statement can be as easy as 1, 2, 3 . That’s why preparing your thesis statement can help you effectively convey the main point or argument of your work. Here are some steps to help you prepare a strong thesis statement:

• Understand the assignment : It sounds silly to say, but you want to make sure you fully understand the requirements and expectations of your assignment before working your thesis statement. If you need to, ask questions to clarify any confusion you may have.
• Choose a topic : Writing can be boring for some, so you want to choose a topic that interests you and is relevant to the assignment. Consider the scope of the topic and how you can narrow it down to your specific focus of interest.
• Conduct research : It’s important to gather any relevant information and evidence there is to support your thesis statement, even if you aren’t working on a research paper. It can be tedious, but trust me, it will help you develop a strong argument.
• Brainstorm ideas : Take the time to brainstorm different angles or perspectives on your topic. I’m a huge believer in details, so think of any background context or supporting evidence for your topic. Consider different approaches to your argument that you can use in your thesis statement, as well.
• Draft your thesis statement : Based on your research and brainstorming, draft a preliminary thesis statement that clearly states the main point or argument of your paper.
• Revise and refine : Review your thesis statement and revise it as many times as necessary. Step away from your work and revisit it if you need to. This will help you make sure it is specific, arguable, clear, and focused.
• Seek feedback : Consider sharing your thesis statement with peers, instructors, or writing tutors to get feedback and suggestions for improvement. Constructive feedback always helps

I know these are just tips I like to follow, but they are meant to set you up for success, as well. By taking them into consideration, you can effectively prepare a strong and well-crafted thesis statement for your academic work.

While there is no one way of knowing how to write a thesis statement, there are some rules you can follow to make it easier on yourself. To write a good, working thesis statement, follow these steps :

• Identify the topic : First thing, determine the topic/subject of your paper. (I found this is best done in the form of an outline)
• Narrow down the focus : Narrow down your topic to a specific aspect or angle that you want to explore in your paper.
• Make a claim : Form a clear and concise statement that presents your main argument or position on the topic.
• Provide reasons : Include reasons or evidence that support your claim and give context to your argument.
• Revise and refine : Again, edit, edit, edit. Review your thesis statement multiple times if necessary to ensure it is clear and focused. Revise as needed to strengthen your statement and deepen your argument.
• Place the thesis statement : Typically, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction paragraph to guide the reader on what to expect in the rest of the paper.

I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I can assure you that these are the key elements you need for a strong thesis . Follow me, and I’ll lead you to more academic success.

Everyone has their own way of doing things, especially when it comes to learning, and if I want anything, it's to help set you up with the clearest, most organized way to write a thesis statement. Here are some tips I like to follow when writing a thesis statement . I hope they work for you, too.

• Be specific : Your thesis statement should clearly state the main point or argument of your paper in a concise and specific manner.
• Create an Outline :
• Have an argument : Your thesis statement should present a claim that can be debated or challenged by others. Avoid stating facts or obvious statements.
• Be clear : Your thesis statement should provide a clear direction for the reader and what they should expect to be in the rest of the paper.
• Stay focused : Your thesis statement should address a single main idea or topic. Avoid including multiple ideas in one thesis statement.

Feel free to add or put your own twist on tips for thesis statements . It's important that you create or find your own way of doing these things so they can help you in the future.

A strong thesis statement possesses many factors. It isn't summed up in a single sentence or general statement. The tone you set in your first paragraph is the tone for the entirety of your paper. For instance, specificity. Being clear and precise makes the main point or argument of the paper that much more impactful . It also provides clarity on the subject, which makes it easy to understand and provides a clear direction for the reader.

Your argument is also key . It presents a straightforward claim that can be debated or challenged by others. A good argument can help compare and contrast ideas and which only strengthens your thesis. Your argument should also be relevant and directly relate to the topic of the paper and guide the reader on what to expect, as well as focused and supported by evidence, reasoning, or analysis throughout the paper.

But most importantly, your thesis should be original . Having a unique main idea presents interesting, out-of-the-box perspectives on the topic, which can leave a lasting impression as an academic. This will keep your reader engaged and interested in your work.

Using Thesis Statements in the Future

There is no way of telling when you'll be using thesis statements in your future, especially once you graduate from school, but I promise you you will, without realizing it, for instance, in a regular discussion with a friend, family member, colleague, or peer.

We don't notice how the conversations and discussions we have with others are just essays in verbal form . They, too, include main ideas, specific details, and an argument, all leading up to a thesis statement.

Aside from essays, thesis statements can be found in presentations and reports in professional settings, as well. When giving presentations or reviewing reports, a thesis statement will help structure your content and communicate your main message effectively to your audience. It will articulate the main findings or recommendations of your work.

Example Thesis Statements

It's only fair that I leave examples of thesis statements for you to review and gain ideas from. They can also be used as blueprints for any future essays you have.

Example 1: "Studying abroad is one of the most valuable experiences one can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own."

Example 2 : "Learning how to manage money at a young age can not only set you up for financial success, it can also help you build a life of financial freedom for your future."

Example 3 : "The quality of TV series today has grown so much over the last few years and sometimes matches the one of a full-length film, even though the two forms have some dramatic differences."

Be sure to do more research on thesis statement examples in order to sharpen your skills , as well as thought processes for upcoming essays or presentations you may have in the future. You have all the tools for success. Now it's time to put them to use!

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What makes a thesis statement good?

A good thesis statement is made up of different elements, like identifying a topic, making an argument, and supporting your claims with specific examples and evidence. Make sure you don't derail from your topic, and remember to stay focused on the argument at hand.

What is something to keep in mind when writing a thesis statement?

When writing a thesis statement, keep in mind that you will need 100% of your focus in order to form a solid thesis statement. Disconnect yourself from social media, electronics, and any other devices you may have that keep you distracted. Find yourself a quiet place you can work from and watch how the ideas pour out of you like water!

When will you use thesis statements?

You may stop writing essays once you graduate from college, but that doesn't mean forming a quality thesis statement is going to leave you. Though I can't say when and where, I can guarantee you will use thesis statements in your everyday life, like when you are having a discussion with others, presenting a professional report at work, or simply engaging in debates with others. The writing stops, but knowing how to make a good argument stays with you for life.

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HOW TO WRITE A THESIS: Steps by step guide

Introduction

In the academic world, one of the hallmark rites signifying mastery of a course or academic area is the writing of a thesis . Essentially a thesis is a typewritten work, usually 50 to 350 pages in length depending on institutions, discipline, and educational level which is often aimed at addressing a particular problem in a given field.

While a thesis is inadequate to address all the problems in a given field, it is succinct enough to address a specialized aspect of the problem by taking a stance or making a claim on what the resolution of the problem should be. Writing a thesis can be a very daunting task because most times it is the first complex research undertaking for the student. The lack of research and writing skills to write a thesis coupled with fear and a limited time frame are factors that makes the writing of a thesis daunting. However, commitment to excellence on the part of the student combined with some of the techniques and methods that will be discussed below gives a fair chance that the student will be able to deliver an excellent thesis regardless of the subject area, the depth of the research specialization and the daunting amount of materials that must be comprehended(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

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What is a thesis?

A thesis is a statement, theory, argument, proposal or proposition, which is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. It explains the stand someone takes on an issue and how the person intends to justify the stand. It is always better to pick a topic that will be able to render professional help, a topic that you will be happy to talk about with anybody, a topic you have personal interest and passion for, because when writing a thesis gets frustrating personal interest, happiness and passion coupled with the professional help it will be easier to write a great thesis (see you through the thesis). One has to source for a lot of information concerning the topic one is writing a thesis on in order to know the important question, because for you to take a good stand on an issue you have to study the evidence first.

Qualities of a good thesis

A good thesis has the following qualities

• A good thesis must solve an existing problem in the society, organisation, government among others.
• A good thesis should be contestable, it should propose a point that is arguable which people can agree with or disagree.
• It is specific, clear and focused.
•   A good thesis does not use general terms and abstractions.  
• The claims of a good thesis should be definable and arguable.
• It anticipates the counter-argument s
• It does not use unclear language
• It avoids the first person. (“In my opinion”)
• A strong thesis should be able to take a stand and not just taking a stand but should be able to justify the stand that is taken, so that the reader will be tempted to ask questions like how or why.
• The thesis should be arguable, contestable, focused, specific, and clear. Make your thesis clear, strong and easy to find.
• The conclusion of a thesis should be based on evidence.

Steps in writing a Thesis

• First, think about good topics and theories that you can write before writing the thesis, then pick a topic. The topic or thesis statement is derived from a review of existing literature in the area of study that the researcher wants to explore. This route is taken when the unknowns in an area of study are not yet defined. Some areas of study have existing problems yearning to be solved and the drafting of the thesis topic or statement revolves around a selection of one of these problems.
• Once you have a good thesis, put it down and draw an outline . The outline is like a map of the whole thesis and it covers more commonly the introduction, literature review, discussion of methodology, discussion of results and the thesis’ conclusions and recommendations. The outline might differ from one institution to another but the one described in the preceding sentence is what is more commonly obtainable. It is imperative at this point to note that the outline drew still requires other mini- outlines for each of the sections mentioned. The outlines and mini- outlines provide a graphical over- view of the whole project and can also be used in allocating the word- count for each section and sub- section based on the overall word- count requirement of the thesis(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).
• Literature search. Remember to draw a good outline you need to do literature search to familiarize yourself with the concepts and the works of others. Similarly, to achieve this, you need to read as much material that contains necessary information as you can. There will always be a counter argument for everything so anticipate it because it will help shape your thesis. Read everything you can–academic research, trade literature, and information in the popular press and on the Internet(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).
• After getting all the information you need, the knowledge you gathered should help in suggesting the aim of your thesis.

Remember; a thesis is not supposed to be a question or a list, thesis should specific and as clear as possible. The claims of a thesis should be definable and also arguable.

• Then collecting and analyzing data, after data analysis, the result of the analysis should be written and discussed, followed by summary, conclusion, recommendations, list of references and the appendices
• The last step is editing of the thesis and proper spell checking.

Structure of a Thesis

A conventional thesis has five chapters – chapter 1-5 which will be discussed in detail below. However, it is important to state that a thesis is not limited to any chapter or section as the case may be. In fact, a thesis can be five, six, seven or even eight chapters.  What determines the number of chapters in a thesis includes institution rules/ guideline, researcher choice, supervisor choice, programme or educational level. In fact, most PhD thesis are usually more than 5 chapters(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

Preliminaries Pages: The preliminaries are the cover page, the title page, the table of contents page, and the abstract.

The introduction: The introduction is the first section and it provides as the name implies an introduction to the thesis. The introduction contains such aspects as the background to the study which provides information on the topic in the context of what is happening in the world as related to the topic. It also discusses the relevance of the topic to society, policies formulated success and failure. The introduction also contains the statement of the problem which is essentially a succinct description of the problem that the thesis want to solve and what the trend will be if the problem is not solved. The concluding part of the statement of problem ends with an outline of the research questions. These are the questions which when answered helps in achieving the aim of the thesis. The third section is the outline of research objectives. Conventionally research objectives re a conversion the research questions into an active statement form. Other parts of the introduction are a discussion of hypotheses (if any), the significance of the study, delimitations, proposed methodology and a discussion of the structure of the study(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

The main body includes the following; the literature review, methodology, research results and discussion of the result, the summary, conclusion and recommendations, the list of references and the appendices.

The literature review : The literature review is often the most voluminous aspects of a thesis because it reviews past empirical and theoretical literature about the problem being studied. This section starts by discussing the concepts relevant to the problem as indicated in the topic, the relationship between the concepts and what discoveries have being made on topic based on the choice of methodologies. The validity of the studies reviewed are questioned and findings are compared in order to get a comprehensive picture of the problem. The literature review also discusses the theories and theoretical frameworks that are relevant to the problem, the gaps that are evident in literature and how the thesis being written helps in resolving some of the gaps.

The major importance of Literature review is that it specifies the gap in the existing knowledge (gap in literature). The source of the literature that is being reviewed should be specified. For instance; ‘It has been argued that if the rural youth are to be aware of their community development role they need to be educated’ Effiong, (1992). The author’s name can be at the beginning, end or in between the literature. The literature should be discussed and not just stated (RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

The methodology: The third section is a discussion of the research methodology adopted in the thesis and touches on aspects such as the research design, the area, population and sample that will be considered for the study as well as the sampling procedure. These aspects are discussed in terms of choice, method and rationale. This section also covers the sub- section of data collection, data analysis and measures of ensuring validity of study. It is the chapter 3. This chapter explains the method used in data collection and data analysis. It explains the methodology adopted and why it is the best method to be used, it also explains every step of data collection and analysis. The data used could be primary data or secondary data. While analysing the data, proper statistical tool should be used in order to fit the stated objectives of the thesis. The statistical tool could be; the spearman rank order correlation, chi square, analysis of variance (ANOVA) etc (RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

The findings and discussion of result : The next section is a discussion of findings based on the data collection instrumentation used and the objectives or hypotheses of study if any. It is the chapter 4. It is research results. This is the part that describes the research. It shows the result gotten from data that is collected and analysed. It discusses the result and how it relates to your profession.

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation: This is normally the chapter 5. The last section discusses the summary of the study and the conclusions arrived at based on the findings discussed in the previous section. This section also presents any policy recommendations that the researcher wants to propose (RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

References: It cite all ideas, concepts, text, data that are not your own. It is acceptable to put the initials of the individual authors behind their last names. The way single author is referenced is different from the way more than one author is referenced (RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).

The appendices; it includes all data in the appendix. Reference data or materials that is not easily available. It includes tables and calculations, List of equipment used for an experiment or details of complicated procedures. If a large number of references are consulted but all are not cited, it may also be included in the appendix. The appendices also contain supportive or complementary information like the questionnaire, the interview schedule, tables and charts while the references section contain an ordered list of all literature, academic and contemporary cited in the thesis. Different schools have their own preferred referencing styles(RE: write a thesis or writing a thesis).   

Follow the following steps to achieve successful thesis writing

Start writing early. Do not delay writing until you have finished your project or research. Write complete and concise “Technical Reports” as and when you finish each nugget of work. This way, you will remember everything you did and document it accurately, when the work is still fresh in your mind. This is especially so if your work involves programming.

Spot errors early. A well-written “Technical Report” will force you to think about what you have done, before you move on to something else. If anything is amiss, you will detect it at once and can easily correct it, rather than have to re-visit the work later, when you may be pressured for time and have lost touch with it.

Write your thesis from the inside out. Begin with the chapters on your own experimental work. You will develop confidence in writing them because you know your own work better than anyone else. Once you have overcome the initial inertia, move on to the other chapters.

End with a bang, not a whimper. First things first, and save the best for last. First and last impressions persist. Arrange your chapters so that your first and last experimental chapters are sound and solid.

Write the Introduction after writing the Conclusions. The examiner will read the Introduction first, and then the Conclusions, to see if the promises made in the former are indeed fulfilled in the latter. Ensure that your introduction and Conclusions match.

“No man is an Island”. The critical review of the literature places your work in context. Usually, one third of the PhD thesis is about others’ work; two thirds, what you have done yourself. After a thorough and critical literature review, the PhD candidate must be able to identify the major researchers in the field and make a sound proposal for doctoral research. Estimate the time to write your thesis and then multiply it by three to get the correct estimate. Writing at one stretch is very demanding and it is all too easy to underestimate the time required for it; inflating your first estimate by a factor of three is more realistic.

Punctuating your thesis

Punctuation Good punctuation makes reading easy. The simplest way to find out where to punctuate is to read aloud what you have written. Each time you pause, you should add a punctuation symbol. There are four major pause symbols, arranged below in ascending order of “degree of pause”:

• Comma. Use the comma to indicate a short pause or to separate items in a list. A pair of commas may delimit the beginning and end of a subordinate clause or phrase. Sometimes, this is also done with a pair of “em dashes” which are printed like this:
• Semi-colon. The semi-colon signifies a longer pause than the comma. It separates segments of a sentence that are “further apart” in position, or meaning, but which are nevertheless related. If the ideas were “closer together”, a comma would have been used. It is also used to separate two clauses that may stand on their own but which are too closely related for a colon or full stop to intervene between them.
• Colon. The colon is used before one or more examples of a concept, and whenever items are to be listed in a visually separate fashion. The sentence that introduced the itemized list you are now reading ended in a colon. It may also be used to separate two fairly—but not totally—independent clauses in a sentence.
• Full stop or period. The full stop ends a sentence. If the sentence embodies a question or an exclamation, then, of course, it is ended with a question mark or exclamation mark, respectively. The full stop is also used to terminate abbreviations like etc., (for et cetera), e.g., (for exempli gratia), et al., (for et alia) etc., but not with abbreviations for SI units. The readability of your writing will improve greatly if you take the trouble to learn the basic rules of punctuation given above.

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9 Tips on Writing a Dissertation

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Writing a dissertation is a mandated part of any course you do for any degree, including bachelor's, master's and PhD. Creating the perfect dissertation and contributing to the field of research through your thesis is a long, meticulous process. And mind you, this process can get stressful and overwhelming without proper planning. Dissertation writing can become a pain if you need help staying motivated.

To help you create the most effective strategy and use your time well, we will offer you ten tried and tested tips on writing a dissertation. These tips will help you stay motivated and complete the work more efficiently and smoothly. We would suggest you take notes effectively before writing a dissertation.

1. Start early

The biggest mistake you can make while writing a dissertation is miscalculating the time it will take. You might feel like you finish it quickly whenever you want, but writing an insightful, accurately researched dissertation takes time. So, to ensure you have enough time to work on it, it is wise to start your dissertation early. Typically you will be required to do the following while writing a thesis: 

• Writing work
• Extensive research
• Data collection
• Data analysis and much more

To make sure the thesis is up to the mark, you must give yourself enough time to do all of it. Procrastination in this can add to the stress at the last minute and force you to compromise the quality of your data and content. 

2. Understand the requirements

Every institution has its own set of requirements and guidelines regarding dissertations. The requirements can vary significantly from one academic institution to another. So, before you start working on your dissertation, it is important that you fully understand what is required of you. The basic requirements of writing your thesis can include: 

• A clear research question or Hypothesis
• Comprehensive literature reviews 
• A pre-decided methodology 
• Evidence-based analysis of the collected data
• Logical structuring of the thesis

By understanding these requirements, you can ensure you are structuring your thesis correctly. This small step can save you hours of rework and stress that comes from it. You can also borrow samples of dissertations from your institution's library to understand the structuring better and ensure your thesis meets all the requirements.

3. Develop a clear outline.

Outlines are the skeleton of long-form content. A clear outline can make the writing process smoother and more objective. Starting your thesis randomly can look tempting, but by doing so, you might feel completely overwhelmed and lost in the middle of it. With an outline, you might understand what direction you are going towards and what point you are trying to justify. 

So, start with a clear, concise outline while writing a dissertation. This will help you ensure you write what's necessary, make quantifiable progress and avoid accidentally writing what doesn't count. 

4. Use the right tools

Writing a dissertation doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself. With the advancement of technology, there are now many tools that can help you while writing a dissertation. There are numerous tools that can help you perfect the very basics of your thesis including: 

• Quillbot - Paraphrase
• Grammarly and Hemingway Editor - Check grammar
• Microsoft OneNote and Evernote - Organise your documents
• MS word or Google Docs - Generate tables of contents
• Zotero and Adobe Acrobat Pro - Accurately index your pages, and much more! 

These tools can help you save energy on tedious tasks and redirect it towards improving the quality of your work. Find out what tools you can use and learn how to use them before you start writing a dissertation so you can make the most of them. 

5. Plan your time 

It is great if you are starting early while writing a dissertation. But now, you must utilise the time most effectively to ensure you complete your dissertation. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses realistically can help you manage your time better and in a way that fits you. Divide your dissertation-writing period into smaller segments according to the steps you must follow. Set manageable deadlines and focus on completing one target at a time to avoid getting overwhelmed since it can lead to procrastination. 

On the other days, there will be days when you will not feel inspired to write or need a break from everything, and that is okay. So be kind to yourself and include some pauses in your plan!  

6. Write regularly

To effectively write a dissertation for college , it's essential to establish both a consistent writing routine and a willingness to work through multiple drafts. Writing regularly ensures:

• Steady progress
• Quality maintenance 
• Allocating specific time slots
• Adhering to a stable schedule 
• Fostering discipline
• Minimizing procrastination

Embracing the iterative process of drafting allows you to generate ideas without fixating on perfection initially. By focusing on getting your thoughts down and then revising and refining through multiple drafts, you can ultimately produce a meticulously crafted dissertation that addresses any weaknesses or errors in your research.

7. Seek feedback

Working in complete isolation can pave the way for a biased research paper since it's only human to give in to your biases. To avoid such happenings and get fresh perspectives regularly, you must seek feedback from your supervisor, mentor, and peers. You can arrange with your supervisor to send them your work after finishing each chapter. They can then review it and give you feedback on what needs improvement. You can also assemble a support group for writing a dissertation with your peers where everyone gives each other feedback and hypes each other up when there is a lack of motivation. 

8. Revise and proofread meticulously

While writing a dissertation, making sure the final product is free of mistakes, errors, and loopholes is essential. So, naturally, your dissertation will take plenty of revision and proofreading before you can submit it. If you skip this step, it is obvious that your thesis will have a lot of errors that will eventually make it look unprofessional and thus unreliable. Strategise your revision and proofreading plan. Go through your content after the completion of every chapter. For proofreading, you can also take the help of your peers, a professional or even a friend who has some experience in proofreading already. This can help you find your mistakes and resolve them faster. 

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9. Take care of your mental health 

Don't forget to take care of your mental health while working on your dissertation. Writing a dissertation can be stressful. But that doesn't mean you let it consume you and hyper-focus on it so much that you forget basic tasks like eating and sleeping. Take breaks while you work, feed yourself nourishing meals, take walks and make sure to talk to your loved ones once in a while.

Achieving perfection while writing a dissertation can be very tempting for university students. However, it is important to remember that no dissertation is perfect. Your dissertation is supposed to have limitations. However, to have a great thesis, you can ensure your paper is structured, accurate, and well-researched, which can be achieved only with a well-planned strategy. And while doing so, make sure you also take care of your and maybe benefit from essential services for students to make your other tasks in life easier! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to write a dissertation, who writes a dissertation, can you use quillbot for paraphrasing in your dissertation, how long does it take to write a dissertation, why is writing a dissertation hard.

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Application/Finding a master thesis

As in most study programs, you can choose to write your thesis at the university or externally in a company. For this reason, it was clear to me at an early stage that I wanted to write my Master’s thesis externally in order to gain further important practical experience. The contact to the former SOLVAY (SOLVAY has outsourced its Specialty Polymer Business Unit and founded its own company, which is now called SYENSQO) was made via the IKV Recruiting Speed Dating. There I was able to get to know my current supervisor in a brief in

© Cihan Koyuncu Bologna

terview and discuss my ideas about an external master’s thesis. It was no problem to get a confirmation, as both sides were interested in carrying out a Master’s thesis. As the Bollate site has never had a Master’s student outside of Italy before, in addition to the selection of the topic, a number of things had to be clarified with regard to insurance, contract, payment and other regulations. These points were resolved within almost a year via several meetings with various departments of the company or the university, so that I was able to start in Italy on time on 01.10.2023. For a good planning of a stay abroad, 9-12 months should be taken into account. If you are going to work abroad, you should find out about tax matters in advance. In the case of Italy, a Codice Viscale is required, which you can apply for at any Italian embassy in Germany.

Accommondation & Living expenses

Since I needed a furnished apartment, I used AirBnB to ask the various apartment providers for a long-term contract. This allowed me to reduce the price a little, as I was able to save on Airbnb’s fees and they were able to accommodate me in terms of price due to the 6-month stay. As Italians rarely speak English, there were considerable communication problems with some of the locals. For this reason, communication often took place via Deepl in order to at least get the message across. Financing an apartment in Milan would not have been possible despite the salary and the Erasmus money. That’s why I first lived in Limbiate and later in Magenta. This saved me the high rents in Milan. Nevertheless, I had to spend more on gas and have to travel 30-60 minutes to get to work, depending on the traffic. The remaining costs were comparatively slightly lower than in Germany. Despite this, I was able to travel a lot and generally had a very good time in Italy. Many museums and attractions are free for young adults under 25. Restaurants are comparatively cheaper as German restaurants and the quality of the food is significantly better. I was able to save some money, because the meals at work were free for me.

Everyday life/the internship

I had a 40-hour contract and therefore spent 9 hours a day in Bollate including a break. In the morning I left the house at 8:30 a.m. and was there at around 9:15 a.m. Because the working hours were flexible, I was able to come and go whenever I wanted. The most important thing was that I fulfill my tasks with high quality and at the same time deliver them on time. Due to the early work traffic, I deliberately drove to work later and was therefore able to reduce travel times. Whenever my supervisor worked from home, I was also allowed to work from home. At Syensqo, in addition to my master’s thesis, I took part in regular work operations and was therefore able to help out with some projects on the side. I was able to get to know many colleagues from the site, exchange ideas and work together. Among other things, we had contact with colleagues in Lyon, France and Alpharetta, USA. The lunch break enabled me to get to know my colleagues better.

© Cihan Koyuncu Lake Como

Here in Italy great value is placed on food culture. In the canteen there is a first (primi) and second (secondi) course in addition to salad and dessert every day. After every lunch break we sat down together for an espresso. Afterwards you were fit enough to devote yourself to work again.

The master’s thesis was about the comparison of high-performance tribological plastic compounds with and without PTFE. I examined the tribological parameters (COF, wear, PV limit) of various compounds and compared them with each other. This made it possible to determine the effect of graphite and other tribological additives on the tribological properties. In addition, two different methods for determining the tribological properties were compared.

After work there wasn’t much time left for other activities. I often did sports or studied for upcoming exams in the evenings. I was also allowed to fly back to Germany for the exams and work from my home office for several weeks. I was also able to get to know SYENSQO’s German location in Duesseldorf. What pleasantly surprised me was that even in Germany the colleagues were international. My colleagues were therefore predominantly Italian, but there were also some French, Austrian, Irish, Turkish and German colleagues. The working language was English, which is why my English improved significantly over these six months. But I also had the opportunity to learn some Italian.

It was particularly exciting to find out about everyday matters in Italy, all of which are different in Germany. Shopping, paying tolls or even washing the car was a bit of a challenge at first, but we were quickly able to figure it out with the help of the internet and by asking the locals. Even though many Italians were either unwilling to speak English or simply couldn’t speak it, a lot was communicated via gestures and facial expressions and, if necessary, communicated directly in Italian using Google Translate.

© Cihan Koyuncu Florence

Free time/tips

During the six months I was there, I wanted to see as much of Italy as possible. That’s why I spent most of my free time at the weekend travelling around the cities. The cultural sights and churches in particular are a definite must-see. The train connections in Italy are very good, much more punctual than in Germany and comparatively cheaper. I often slept in cheap hostels so that I could finance this amount of travelling. You can be lucky, but you can also be unlucky, which is why it’s well worth doing your research beforehand. Most sights in Italy are free for EU citizens under 25. Student discounts are rare, but in the cases where they were offered, I often didn’t have to show anything. Tickets for attractions could often be booked online in advance, which saved precious waiting time. However, you often had to pay by credit card. Here is a list of the cities I visited and my most important tips for a stay there.

Despite the fact that it is a world metropolis, Milan is actually the city that is least worth seeing in my opinion. This is not because the city itself is not beautiful, but rather because I liked all the other cities much better. The main sights in Milan are the cathedral and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II, both of which are located directly on the cathedral square. You can visit the cathedral and even go up to the roof of the cathedral. Milan’s Arc de Triomphe and the neighbouring park are also very beautiful. If you walk through the park, you quickly come to a former castle, which you can also visit. There are many culinary options in Milan. Above all, a visit to China Town is worthwhile, especially in the evening. You can also visit the Cimitero Monumentale (Milan’s old cemetery) with its incredibly beautiful sculptures and tombs. Important Milanese personalities are also buried there, so it’s worth checking out who is buried there first. You can also visit the original “Last Supper” by Da Vinci in Milan. However, getting tickets for this was much more complicated than usual, which is why I unfortunately missed it.

If you live near Como, I think it’s worth making several trips to Como and especially to enjoy the beautiful view.

© Cihan Koyuncu Syensqo

Como is located on Lake Como and from there you can visit the numerous small villages on the lake. It is probably one of the most beautiful places in Italy, especially in summer. In Como, you can also book tickets for a boat tour that will take you to the villages on the lake.

Bergamo is one of the smaller cities in the Milan metropolitan region. Bergamo’s old town is situated on a hill, so you can either climb up the numerous steps or take the mountain railway (€1.70 each way). A beautiful old town centre awaits you at the top. The two churches on the market square are particularly worth a visit. I can particularly recommend foccacia at Il Fornaio and the original and first straciatella ice cream at La Marianna. A short day trip is enough to fully explore Bergamo.

Verona also has a beautiful old town centre. I was only able to stay there for a few hours on the way back from Venice. I can only encourage everyone to visit this city. Verona is also the city of Romeo and Juliet.

I don’t think I need to say much about Venice. Beautiful city with numerous canals, but unfortunately with a lot of tourists. Even if you just stroll through the streets of Venice, you can see a lot of beautiful things there. The big sights are definitely the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. The Venice Opera is definitely worth seeing.

Very few people have an eye on the city on the Po. Still a very beautiful city that is definitely worth a day trip. The Musei Reali contains some really beautiful art and should definitely be visited. There is also a very nice car museum in Turin for all car enthusiasts. But definitely don’t miss the opportunity to take a walk along the Po.

© Cihan Koyuncu Vatican

The largest connected old town in the world can be found in Genoa. I was rather suspicious when I looked at the pictures on the Internet, but I was even more enthusiastic about this city once I was there. Therefore a must for everyone who wants to see a very extravagant, very wealthy city in Italy with a French flair.

The city of the Medici, an absolute must-see for anyone who has been to Italy. The Galleria dell’Academica and the Uffizi are a must-visit, especially for art enthusiasts. There you can see, among other things, the impressive original David sculpture. The magnificent Duomo in Florence is beautiful from the outside. But save yourself the waiting time and don’t go in, as it’s even bareer inside. For everyone who likes to learn about the history of Italy and Florence. Most and important Medicis, Donatello and 1-2 popes are buried in the Medici Chapel. You can get a good view of the city from one of Florence’s gardens, but you have to pay an entrance fee. Instead you can go to Piazzale Michelangelo and watch the sunset from there. You can get a good view of the city from one of Florence’s gardens, but you have to pay an entrance fee. Instead you can go to Piazzale Michelangelo and watch the sunset from there.

You should generally plan 3-4 days for Rome because you can see so much. Therefore, you should plan well in advance. The only tip I would like to give about Rome. Be sure to book tickets for the Vatican Museum in advance (1-2 weeks in advance). Otherwise you have to wait in line for up to 3 hours. But it was still worth it because you can see, among other things, the Sistine Chapel and with it the famous chapel painting by Michelangelo (The Creation of Adam).

So as became clear, spending time on weekends, holidays and good planning meant I was able to travel a lot. Even though this meant foregoing most of the other luxuries, I think I made the most of my time in Italy.

I am very satisfied and grateful for the opportunity to have been abroad. This would not have been possible without the support of Erasmus+. Not only was I able to gain important experience but I was also able to grow as a person. Living abroad is an experience that I would recommend to everyone and that will definitely provide personal growth. From today’s perspective I might approach certain points differently, but overall I’m very happy with how these six months went. The six months at SYENSQO also showed me what the working world looks like in other countries and how it can differ from that in Germany. Important experiences that I will carry with me in my life regarding international understanding. I can only recommend that everyone take a stay abroad as part of their studies. Above all, I can recommend everyone to visit this beautiful country, absorb the culture and experience all the beautiful things that I could only touch on here as part of the report.

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