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

bachelor thesis plan

How to Write a Bachelor’s Thesis: A Step-by-Step Guide

Mimir Mentor graduated illustration

The bachelor’s degree is an important milestone in your academic life, and creating a successful bachelor’s thesis is an essential part of this process.

Although it can be a challenge, with a structured approach and a clear timetable, a well-researched, informed, and organized bachelor’s thesis can be created.

In this article, we explain how to write a bachelor’s thesis.

11 Facts About Bachelor’s Theses

  • The average length of a bachelor’s thesis is about 30-60 pages.
  • Most bachelor’s theses are written in the field of economics.
  • The average processing time for a bachelor’s thesis is 3-6 months.
  • Typically, bachelor’s theses are supervised by a professor or lecturer.
  • Most bachelor’s theses are still written and submitted on paper.
  • A bachelor’s thesis is always written within the framework of a study program and is an important part of the degree completion.
  • The topic selection for a bachelor’s thesis is usually free, as long as it falls within the field of study.
  • Adherence to citation rules and source references is an important part of a bachelor’s thesis.
  • Submission of a bachelor’s thesis is usually combined with an oral examination.
  • The bachelor’s thesis is the first longer scientific work that a student writes during their studies and therefore represents an important hurdle.
  • In 2021, approximately 260,000 students achieved their bachelor’s degree.

Scientific Formulations in Minutes Seconds

11 Tips for Academic Writing (Bachelor’s Theses)

  • Start your bachelor’s thesis early to have enough time for research, writing, and revision.
  • Choose an interesting and relevant topic that fits well with your field of study.
  • Create a detailed work plan to keep track of your steps and deadlines.
  • Use trustworthy and current sources to underpin your work.
  • Write clearly and precisely, avoid using unnecessarily complicated sentences.
  • Use a consistent citation style and pay attention to the correct source citation.
  • Logically structure your bachelor’s thesis and ensure that the common thread is recognizable.
  • Revise and polish your work multiple times to ensure that it is free from spelling and grammar errors.
  • Have your work read by others and seek feedback to recognize areas for improvement.
  • Consider publishing your bachelor’s thesis to make it accessible to others and to present your work.
  • Have your text scientifically rephrased by Mimir. Sample input : Potatoes are healthy… ➔ Result : Potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals and can contribute to a balanced diet.

The Process of Writing a Bachelor’s Thesis: Step by Step Guide

The writing process of a bachelor’s thesis is a challenge for many students. In this section, we give an overview of the most important steps and tips to successfully master the process.

  • Determine the topic of the bachelor’s thesis and discuss it with the supervisor.
  • Conduct comprehensive research and collect relevant sources.
  • Create an outline and divide the topic into individual sections.
  • Write the main part of the paper by processing and summarizing the insights gained from the research.
  • Compose the concluding part, summarizing the main findings of the work and outlining possible further steps or implications.
  • Proofread the work and check for formal requirements.
  • Submit and defend the bachelor’s thesis.

Choosing a Topic: How to Find the Perfect Topic for Your Bachelor’s Thesis

The first step in creating a bachelor’s thesis is selecting the topic. It’s important that your topic is specific and answers a clear research question. If your topic is too general, it will be harder to achieve meaningful results.

Why is the topic important?

An interesting and relevant topic not only captivates your readers but also gives you the motivation to successfully complete the work.

The topic of your bachelor’s thesis is crucial for the success of your work.

A difficult or boring topic, on the other hand, can lead to you finding the writing process frustrating and ultimately not successfully completing the work. Therefore, it’s important to think carefully about which topic you choose for your bachelor’s thesis.

If you have difficulty finding a topic, you can turn to your supervisors and present your ideas to them.

Research & Study: The Right Way to the Perfect Bachelor’s Thesis

Once the topic is set, it’s time to collect the necessary information. This can be done by searching through libraries and databases, reading specialist literature, and interviewing experts. It’s important to carefully organize and document the collected information so that it’s easily accessible when writing the work.

It’s also important that your sources are current, as research and opinions in your subject area are constantly changing.

Possible Sources

  • Academic Publications
  • Professional Journals
  • Reputable Websites (you should consult your supervisor beforehand)

Structure: Setup and Organization of the Bachelor Thesis

It is important to have a clear structure for your bachelor thesis. This should include an introduction, a main part, and a conclusion. Within the main part, you can divide your arguments into different sections. This helps you to structure your thought process and ensure a smooth and logical flow.

Introduction

  • Summary of the research thesis
  • Definition of the main terms
  • Explanation of the research question and area of interest
  • Conduct literature research
  • Develop arguments and hypotheses
  • Draw conclusions and results
  • Cite sources
  • Summary of the results
  • Comparison of hypotheses and results
  • Explanation of the implications of the results
  • Recommendations for further research

Writing: Tips and Tricks for the Writing Process

After you have completed your research and established your structure, it is time to write.

It is important that you write your work in simple, academic German/English.

Avoid using too many technical terms and ensure that each sentence conveys a clear thought.

Compose a clear introduction that explains your topic and presents your argumentation. In the main part of your work, you should provide your arguments and examples to prove your thesis. Make sure that your arguments are logical and understandable.

  • Write a simple and clear introduction
  • Compose the main part of your work
  • Ensure that each sentence conveys a clear thought
  • Provide your arguments and examples to prove your thesis
  • Ensure logical and understandable argumentation
  • Avoid too many technical terms
  • Avoid vague formulations
  • Avoid subjective opinions

Tip: Let Mimir formulate your bullet point ( Example input : Running is great ➔ Result (1/3) : Running is a healthy and effective form of physical activity that can contribute to improving cardiovascular fitness, mobility, and mental health.)

Formatting: How to Properly Format Your Bachelor Thesis

It is important that you adhere to your university’s guidelines when formatting your bachelor thesis. Check the requirements for margins, line spacing, font size, and font type prescribed by your university.

It is also important to format your work consistently to achieve a professional look.

  • Adhere to your university’s guidelines
  • Check margins, line spacing, font size, and font type
  • Consistently format your work
  • Create a professional layout

Citing and Referencing: Rules for Citing and Referencing in the Bachelor Thesis

When referring to the ideas of other authors in your work, it is important to cite and reference them correctly. There are various citation styles you can use, but most universities use the Harvard or APA style.

Make sure to properly cite and reference all sources you refer to, to avoid plagiarism.

  • Use the Harvard or APA style
  • Cite and reference all sources you refer to
  • Avoid plagiarism

Proofreading: Error Sources and Tips for a Flawless Bachelor Thesis

After you have written your bachelor thesis, it is important to thoroughly review it. Check the content for correct grammar, spelling, and structure. Also ensure that your arguments are clear and logical and that your statements are supported by your research.

It is important to proofread and edit your work several times. Make sure to correct all spelling and grammar errors so that your work looks professional.

  • Read your work aloud to detect errors in grammar, sentence structure, and pronunciation.
  • Use a dictionary or an online proofreading program to find errors in spelling and punctuation.
  • Have someone else read your work and ask for feedback to gain additional perspectives and suggestions for improvement.
  • Carefully review and revise your work to improve its quality and content. This can be done by adding examples, removing unnecessary information, or refining arguments.

Tip: Have your text checked by Mimir (Unscientific words, gender conformity, and more…)

Submission: How to Safely Submit and Defend Your Bachelor Thesis

Writing a bachelor thesis can be a challenging task, but if you follow the steps mentioned above, you will complete your work in a professional manner.

Don’t forget to adhere to the guidelines of your university.

Once you have reviewed and revised your bachelor’s thesis, it’s time to submit it. Make sure your work meets the requirements of your examiner and contains the correct information. If possible, have a friend or family member review it before you submit it.

Earning a bachelor’s degree is a great achievement, and creating a successful bachelor’s thesis is an essential part of this process. Remember, choosing a topic, conducting research, and writing a bachelor’s thesis can be a laborious process. However, if you have a clear schedule and follow the steps mentioned above, you can create a well-researched, informed, and organized bachelor’s thesis.

And last but not least: Congratulations!

Two Practical Examples of the Process

To better understand the steps and tips mentioned above, here are two examples from different academic areas:

  • A psychology student writes a bachelor’s thesis on the effects of social media on the mental health of adolescents. She chooses this topic because it combines her personal interest and her expertise in psychology. She gathers information by reading textbooks and conducting interviews with adolescents and experts. She creates an outline consisting of an introduction, three main chapters, and a conclusion, and writes her paper accordingly. She makes sure to use quotes and references and to adhere to the APA formatting requirements. Finally, she carefully corrects her work and has it read by her teacher and a fellow student for improvement suggestions.
  • A computer science student writes a bachelor’s thesis on the development of a new algorithm for machine learning. He chooses this topic because it reflects his expertise in computer science and his curiosity about new technologies. He gathers information by reading academic articles and communicating with other experts in his field. He creates an outline consisting of an introduction, three main chapters, a section on results, and a conclusion, and writes his paper accordingly. He makes sure to use citations and references and to adhere to the IEEE formatting requirements. Finally, he carefully corrects his work and has it read by his supervisor and a reviewer from a professional journal for improvement suggestions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start writing a bachelor’s thesis.

Before you start writing your bachelor’s thesis, you should first plan the topic and structure of the paper. This also includes researching relevant sources and creating an outline. Once you have an overview of the structure of the paper, you can start writing.

How quickly can you write a bachelor’s thesis?

The duration of writing a bachelor’s thesis can vary greatly and depends on various factors, such as the complexity of the topic, the size of the paper, and the time spent on research. However, you should generally plan several weeks or even months for the actual writing of a bachelor’s thesis.

How do you properly write a bachelor’s thesis?

1. Start by selecting an interesting and relevant topic for your bachelor’s thesis. 2. Create a clear and detailed research plan that outlines the goals, methods, and timeline for your work. 3. Gather comprehensive and reliable sources to support your arguments and substantiate your theses. 4. Compose a clear and structured introduction that highlights the topic and significance of your work. 5. Develop your arguments in the main chapters of your bachelor’s thesis and use examples and evidence to support your statements. 6. Conclude your findings and conclusion in a conclusive and detailed section that summarizes the significance and implications of your work. 7. Thoroughly correct and revise your bachelor’s thesis to ensure it is logical, coherent, and error-free.

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What’s Included: The Dissertation Template

If you’re preparing to write your dissertation, thesis or research project, our free dissertation template is the perfect starting point. In the template, we cover every section step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples .

The template’s structure is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects such as dissertations and theses. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your dissertation or thesis will have a smooth, logical flow from chapter to chapter.

The dissertation template covers the following core sections:

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

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

The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.

FAQs: Dissertation Template

What format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).

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

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

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

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

Will this work for a research paper?

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

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

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

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

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

What about the research proposal?

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

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

How do I write a literature review?

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

How do I create a research methodology?

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

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

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

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

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

Free Webinar: Literature Review 101

How to write a thesis proposal

I. Framework II. Structure of a thesis proposal III. Order in which to write the proposal IV. Tips V. Resources

I. Framework

  • An environmental issue is identified.
  • Other people's work on the topic is collected and evaluated.
  • Data necessary to solving the problem are either collected by the student, or obtained independently.
  • Data are analyzed using techniques appropriate to the data set.
  • Results of the analysis are reported and are interpreted in light of the initial environmental issue.
  • the thesis topic addresses a significant environmental problem;
  • an organized plan is in place for collecting or obtaining data to help solve the problem;
  • methods of data analysis have been identified and are appropriate to the data set.

II. Structure of a thesis proposal

  • Table of contents
  • Introduction
  • Thesis statement
  • Approach/methods
  • Preliminary results and discussion
  • Work plan including time table
  • Implications of research
  • List of references
  • contains short, descriptive title of the proposed thesis project  (should be fairly self-explanatory)
  • and author, institution, department, resreach mentor, mentor's institution, and date of delivery
  • the abstract is a brief summary of your thesis proposal
  • its length should not exceed ~200 words
  • present a brief introduction to the issue
  • make the key statement of your thesis
  • give a summary of how you want to address the issue
  • include a possible implication of your work, if successfully completed
  • list all headings and subheadings with page numbers
  • indent subheadings
  • this section sets the context for your proposed project and must capture the reader's interest
  • explain the background of your study starting from a broad picture narrowing in on your research question
  • review what is known about your research topic as far as it is relevant to your thesis
  • cite relevant references
  • the introduction should be at a level that makes it easy to understand for readers with a general science background, for example your classmates
  • in a couple of sentences, state your thesis
  • this statement can take the form of a hypothesis, research question, project statement, or goal statement
  • the thesis statement should capture the essence of your intended project and also help to put boundaries around it
  • this section contains an overall description of your approach,  materials, and procedures
  • what methods will be used?
  • how will data be collected and analyzed?
  • what materials will be used?
  • include calculations, technique, procedure, equipment, and calibration graphs
  • detail limitations, assumptions, and range of validity
  • citations should be limited to data sources and more complete descriptions of procedures
  • do not include results and discussion of results here
  • present any results you already have obtained
  • discuss how they fit in the framework of your thesis
  • describe in detail what you plan to do until completion of your senior thesis project
  • list the stages of your project in a table format
  • indicate deadlines you have set for completing each stage of the project, including any work you have already completed
  • discuss any particular challenges that need to be overcome
  • what new knowledge will the proposed project produce that we do not already know?
  • why is it worth knowing, what are the major implications?
  • cite all ideas, concepts, text, data that are not your own
  • if you make a statement, back it up with your own data or a reference
  • all references cited in the text must be listed
  • cite single-author references by the surname of the author (followed by date of the publication in parenthesis)
  • ... according to Hays (1994)
  • ... population growth is one of the greatest environmental concerns facing future generations (Hays, 1994).
  • cite double-author references by the surnames of both authors (followed by date of the publication in parenthesis)
  • e.g. Simpson and Hays (1994)
  • cite more than double-author references by the surname of the first author followed by et al. and then the date of the publication
  • e.g. Pfirman, Simpson and Hays would be:
  • Pfirman et al. (1994)
  • cite newspaper articles using the newspaper name and date, e.g.
  • ....this problem was also recently discussed in the press (New York Times, 1/15/00)
  • do not use footnotes
  • list all references cited in the text in alphabetical order using the following format for different types of material:
  • Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the egg capsules of the whelk. Nature , 210, 436-437.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) Commonly asked questions about ozone. http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.
  • Pfirman, S.L., M. Stute, H.J. Simpson, and J. Hays (1996) Undergraduate research at Barnard and Columbia, Journal of Research , 11, 213-214.
  • Pechenik, J.A. (1987) A short guide to writing about biology. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 194pp.
  • Pitelka, D.R., and F.M. Child (1964) Review of ciliary structure and function. In: Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa , Vol. 3 (S.H. Hutner, editor), Academic Press, New York, 131-198.
  • Sambrotto, R. (1997) lecture notes, Environmental Data Analysis, Barnard College, Oct 2, 1997.
  • Stute, M., J.F. Clark, P. Schlosser, W.S. Broecker, and G. Bonani (1995) A high altitude continental paleotemperature record derived from noble gases dissolved in groundwater from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Quat. Res. , 43, 209-220.
  • New York Times (1/15/00) PCBs in the Hudson still an issue, A2.
  • it is acceptable to put the initials of the individual authors behind their last names, e.g. Pfirman, S.L., Stute, M., Simpson, H.J., and Hays, J (1996) Undergraduate research at ......

III. Order in which to write the proposal

  • Make an outline of your thesis proposal  before you start writing
  • Prepare figures and tables
  • Figure captions
  • Discussion of your data
  • Inferences from your data
  • Bibliography
  • "Pictures say more than a thousand words!" Figures serve to illustrate important aspects  of the background material, sample data, and analysis techniques.
  • A well chosen and well labeled figure can reduce text length, and improve proposal clarity.  Proposals often contain figures from other articles.  These can be appropriate, but you should consider modifying them if the modifications will improve your point.
  • The whole process of making a drawing is important for two reasons.  First, it clarifies your thinking.  If you don’t understand the process, you can’t draw it. Second, good drawings are very valuable.  Other scientists will understand your paper better if you can make a drawing of your ideas.  A co-author of mine has advised me: make figures that other people will want to steal.  They will cite your paper because they want to use your figure in their paper.
  • Make cartoons using a scientific drawing program.  Depending upon the subject of your paper, a cartoon might incorporate the following:
  • a picture of the scientific equipment that you are using and an explanation of how it works;
  • a drawing of a cycle showing steps, feedback loops, and bifurcations: this can include chemical or mathematical equations;
  • a flow chart showing the steps in a process and the possible causes and consequences.
  • Incorporate graphs in the text or on separated sheets inserted in the thesis proposal
  • Modern computer technology such as scanners and drafting programs are available in the department to help you create or modify pictures.

Grammar/spelling

  • Poor grammar and spelling distract from the content of the proposal.  The reader focuses on the grammar and spelling problems and misses keys points made in the text.  Modern word processing programs have grammar and spell checkers.  Use them.
  • Read your proposal aloud - then  have a friend read it aloud. If your sentences seem too long, make two or three sentences instead of one.  Try to write the same way that you speak when you are explaining a concept. Most people speak more clearly than they write.
  • You should have read your proposal over at least 5 times before handing it in
  • Simple wording is generally better
  • If you get comments from others that seem completely irrelevant to you, your paper is not written clearly enough never use a complex word if a simpler word will do

V. Resources/Acknowlegements

The senior seminar website has a very detailed document on " How to write a thesis " which you might want to look at. Most of the tips given there are relevant for your thesis proposal as well. Recommended books on scientific writing Some of the material on this page was adapted from: http://www.geo.utep.edu/Grad_Info/prop_guide.html http://www.hartwick.edu/anthropology/proposal.htm http://csdl.ics.hawaii.edu/FAQ/FAQ/thesis-proposal.html http://www.butler.edu/honors/PropsTheses.html

  [email protected]

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How to Structure a Thesis: A Complete Guide

Writing a thesis can be an overwhelming task for many college and graduate students. Managing all the elements associated with a thesis while ensuring that the quality is not compromised can be challenging. However, what is even more strenuous is deciding on a thesis's layout. "How to structure a thesis" is a question that several final-year students struggle to answer. And understandably so, as all colleges and universities have their guidelines for drafting a thesis. However, there is an immutable structure that's common for every thesis. In this brief guide, we will take a look at this structure and analyze each of its components.

bachelor thesis plan

This guide discusses how to structure a thesis effectively. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.  

A thesis or dissertation is a long academic document that a master's or doctoral candidate writes to obtain a relevant academic degree. Hence, writing a quality thesis is crucial for college and university students. A good thesis demonstrates a student's academic prowess in their field of study as well as helps hone their analytical and research skills. Writing a thesis can be an overwhelming task for many college and graduate students. Managing all the elements associated with a thesis while ensuring that the quality is not compromised can be challenging. However, what is even more strenuous is deciding on a thesis's layout.

"How to structure a thesis" is a question that several final-year students struggle to answer. And understandably so, as all colleges and universities have their guidelines for drafting a thesis. However, there is an immutable structure that's common for every thesis. In this brief guide, we will take a look at this structure and analyze each of its components. If you are also struggling to initiate the writing process for your thesis, follow this guide and get over your writer’s block.

How to Structure a Thesis: Examining the Constituents of a Thesis Structure

Here we have a list of all major sections that a thesis structure generally comprises. The entire thesis structure is segregated into 3 sections, with each section comprising its relevant subsections to facilitate greater legibility.

Front/Preliminary Matter of a Thesis Structure

1. abstract.

An abstract is a concise summary of an entire thesis and consists of the condensation of your entire thesis. A good abstract  is precise, concise (usually not more than 250 words) and emphasizes the importance of the document. When writing an abstract, make sure you explicitly mention the crux of your thesis. Also, avoid reiterating what you have mentioned in the title of your document.

Body of a Thesis Structure

2. introduction/preface.

The introduction chapter of your thesis outlines its core arguments, hypotheses, and results. It is longer than the abstract and contains adequate background information on your topic of interest. Furthermore, it establishes the relevance of your thesis by highlighting its contribution to the knowledge base of its topic. Writing a gripping introduction helps the readers understand the context of your thesis. According to USNSW Sydney, the introduction of a thesis should have the following stages:

State the general topic and give some background

Provide a review of the literature related to the thesis subject

Define the terms and scope of the thesis topic

Outline the existing situation

Evaluate the current situation and identify the gap in the literature

Identify the importance of the proposed research

State the main research questions

State the purpose of the study and/or research objectives

State the study hypotheses

Outline the order of information in the thesis

Outline the methodology.

3. Literature review

The literature review chapter sets the premise of your thesis. It examines and evaluates the research works that’s been conducted so far on your thesis topic and passively highlights the contributions of your thesis.

A literature review is a survey of academic sources on a specific subject, providing an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to discuss relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research. Writing a literature review contains finding relevant publications, critically analyzing the sources, and explaining your findings in the literature. A well-written literature review doesn’t only summarize sources, it also aims to analyze, synthesize, and critically evaluate to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the topic.

To write an impeccable literature review, consult a plethora of sources and mention the canon related to your thesis topic. Also, put forward your review in a logical, chronological, and structured manner to better outline the knowledge gaps in your field of study and how your thesis will fill them.

How structure a thesis

The following simple and straightforward tips can act as the exhaustive rubric and offer meaningful insight to prospective authors on how to formulate a flawless literature review:

Step 1. Probe similar works for a well-structured literature review

Step 2. Analyze, not just synthesize: Authors should provide a detailed critique of the subject

Step 3. Organize your literature review systematically

Step 4. Establish the purview: Authors should specify the scope of the literature review

Step 5. Abstain from plagiarism

Step 6 . Be mindful of the language

4. Methodology

As the name suggests, the methodology section of a thesis consists of all methods and procedures you have used in your thesis. A well-written methodology accentuates the plausibility of your research methods. In addition, it enables your readers to understand why you chose specific methods and how they are justified for your research.

To garner more credibility, you can include the pitfalls and difficulties associated with your choice of research methods. The methodology section is an unavoidable part of a thesis or a research paper. Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire thesis.

Follow the steps below to write a perfect methodology for a thesis: 

a. Give an outline of the research design

b. Don’t forget to define the philosophy behind the research

c. Mention the research approach

d. Introduce the research methods

e. Note the following points to highlight in the methodology. No matter what methodology you have chosen, you have to focus on the following points:

Explain sampling strategy.

Clearly state the procedure of the research paper.

Mention how you collect the data. (Data collection)

Explain how data are analyzed for your research. (Data analysis). Suppose you have written in qualitative strategy like thematic analysis, mention the researcher you have followed.

Mention the validity of the data and result.

Discuss all ethical aspects of your research paper.

f. Avail professional proofreading and editing services

g. Most important tips to compose an impactful methodology for a dissertation

Don’t drift from your objective and the purpose of your dissertation.

Explore scholarly research papers and their methodology sections to have a better idea.

Plan a proper writing structure.

Understand your audience and target group.

Don’t make mistakes in citing relevant sources. You may use  APA  and  MLA citation

Refer to all the hurdles you have experienced while writing your dissertation.

Make sure to rectify grammatical and punctuation errors.

Ensure that the section is readable and doesn’t consist of long and complex sentences. Long sentences can hamper the tone of the methodology.

This section comprises the outcomes of your research work. It includes all the observations you made and the answers to all your hypotheses in the thesis. When writing the “results” chapter, include only factual data and format it to be distinguishable. Use tables, graphs, subheadings, and generic comments for the results. The aim is to enable your readers to discern the result of your research.

6. Discussion

The discussion chapter of your thesis should begin with a brief summarization of the outcome of your research work. It should explain how your results address your hypotheses and highlight any repetitions in your observations. You can also add comments on how you want the readers to interpret your results and about your agreements and disagreements with the available research work in your field. 

Writing a flawless thesis requires much more than only subject matter expertise. It requires expertise, experience, and in-depth thinking, along with sharp intelligence. Though most students add a discussion chapter in their thesis or dissertation, many of them end up messing up the essay or missing out on the central issues.

A discussion chapter in a thesis is a place where you have the chance to delving into the analysis, importance, and relevance of your research. This section focuses on explaining and analyzing what you have researched, presenting how it is associated with the existing literature. It is also a place for argument supporting your entire discussion.

We often find that people seek thesis writing help from experienced editing and proofreading services to prepare a flawless discussion chapter. However, the following helpful tips can help you design a perfect master's or Ph.D.. thesis with an excellent discussion chapter: 

Understand the objective of your thesis

Determine a clear structure

Usage of grammar and tense

Refer to hypotheses and literature review

Evaluate your results and compare them with existing studies

Understand the limitation of your research

Don’t be afraid to be unique

Don’t forget to avail a professional thesis editing and proofreading service 

Click here to review the details of the aforementioned tips. 

The following 5 questions might be helpful to write a sound discussion section: 

How well do you understand the objective of your study? 

What message is conveyed by your results? 

How do your findings compare to findings in literature? 

Why should your findings matter? 

In what light should your findings be viewed?

7. Conclusion

The final section of your document consists of a precise answer to your hypothesis. In addition, the “conclusion” chapter of your thesis should stress the achievement of the aims of your thesis. You should also include certain limitations of your research to convey the fact that there is still scope for further research in your field. 

The end matter of a thesis structure

The components of this section include an acknowledgment, a bibliography, and (occasionally) an appendix. 

Parting words

The first step to writing a thesis is to chalk out its layout. Doing so not only helps you deal with the writing process one step at a time but also enables you to better attend to each component of a thesis structure.

Also, before you follow this thesis structure, make sure to check with your university for “how to structure a thesis” guidelines. If the guidelines offered by your institution deviate slightly from what’s mentioned in this guide, then make sure to prioritize the former.

If you need us to make your thesis shine, contact us unhesitatingly!

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How structure a thesis

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How structure a thesis

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bachelor thesis plan

Imagine a text written without the periods, commas, and colons. It would certainly be difficult to read. In academic writing, an author may be easily misunderstood when ambiguous sentences are used. Inasmuch as the essence of punctuation marks in writing, especially academic essays, cannot be overemphasized, the appropriate use of these punctuation marks is even more critical.

bachelor thesis plan

Whenever you use words, facts, ideas, or explanations from other works, those sources must be cited. Academic referencing is required when you have copied texts from an essay, an article, a book, or other sources verbatim, which is called quotation. You also need referencing when you use an idea or a fact from another work even if you haven’t used their exact expression.

bachelor thesis plan

What is most critical is that your thesis statement should reflect the primary points of your paper or essay. Its most frequent place is at the end of the introduction section. Based on the essay you are penning, your thesis may look different. Nevertheless, the essential idea must be in your thesis statement so that people can comprehend your fundamental idea. What is left in your essay should relate to the main idea.

Bachelor's thesis

Objectives of a bachelor’s thesis and the supervisor’s responsibilities at the different stages of the thesis process.

With a bachelor’s thesis, students demonstrate their ability to apply their acquired knowledge and skills, engage in scientific or artistic thinking and activities and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in their mother tongue. Students typically attend a bachelor's thesis seminar while working on their bachelor’s thesis.

Students write their bachelor’s thesis under the supervision of a member of teaching and research staff who holds at least a master’s degree and is familiar with the topic and field of the thesis and the relevant assessment criteria. The supervisor is expected to offer advice on the academic content of the work and the research process and support the student throughout the project.   

The stages of a bachelor’s thesis process are outlined below: 

The supervisor and student must discuss the student's goals and expectations for the thesis and the relevant assessment criteria. The role of a supervisor is to guide and support the student in the process of engaging in scientific inquiry and the development of scientific thinking. Students are entitled to a reasonable level of supervision. Supervisors and students should be familiar with their respective roles and responsibilities in the thesis process.

Academic guidance and counselling

The supervisor is a person who is a member of the University’s teaching and research staff, holds at least a master’s degree and is familiar with the field and topic of the thesis as well as the assessment criteria of theses. The supervisor’s task is to support the preparation of your thesis in terms of content and research process at the different stages of working on the thesis. In the seminar, you are assigned a thesis supervisor based on your topic.

Discuss with your supervisor the goals and assessment criteria of the thesis as well as your goals relative to the assessment criteria. As the supervisory process starts, you draw up a supervisory plan detailing the aims, schedule and language of the thesis. A common understanding of the scientific requirements of the thesis and of good scientific practice is also formed. The timing of supervision and the stages of the thesis process are also agreed upon.

Your own work and mastering the scientific thinking and practices supported by the supervision is at the core of the supervision process of a Bachelor’s thesis. You are entitled to a reasonable amount of supervision. A sensible number of supervisors is determined in accordance with the faculty’s guidelines and the work plans of the teaching staff.

Other help and support during the writing of a thesis

You are not alone with your thesis. Support is available, for example, on information searching and data management as well as writing and making progress . Support is offered by the University’s joint counselling services, Language Centre and Library and Data Service.

Thesis as work done in pairs or groups

Make an agreement with your supervisor if you want to do the thesis work in a pair or a group. If the thesis is undertaken in a pair or a group, each student must be able to demonstrate his/her own share of the work because the thesis is fundamentally about practising independent scientific work. The thesis is assessed for each student individually.

Language of the thesis

The language of the Bachelor’s thesis is either Finnish, the language defined in the curriculum or the main language used in the studies. The responsible supervisor decides on the use of other languages. 

A student studying in an English-language degree programme may write his/her thesis in Finnish. However, if the student wants his/her academic record to show that he/she has earned the degree in English, an English-language thesis may be required. 

Students must demonstrate language and communication skills in their field in connection to their thesis. The demonstration of language skills in relation to the thesis is described in more detail in the section on the maturity test.

Thesis seminar

The thesis seminar focuses on the scientific requirements and good scientific practices of the thesis, academic writing and language and communication skills, information seeking, and scientific debate through peer learning. The seminar, together with other supervision, supports the student’s independent work on the thesis. The aim should be to complete the thesis during the seminar. 

Adherence to good scientific practice

Learning outcomes related to good scientific practice are included in all theses and the seminars cover the topic. Review the guidelines for sound scientific practice and, if necessary, seek guidance from your supervisor. As part of supervising the writing process, the supervisor should ensure that you are familiar with good scientific practice and able to act accordingly.

Also remember the accessibility of the thesis.

The originality check of a thesis

During the writing process, you may use the originality check tool that is found on your supervisor’s Turnitin section on Moodle. It will give you a comparative report on your text that helps you to evaluate the appropriateness of your citation practices. You can always ask your thesis supervisor for advice on interpreting the comparison report.

The student and the thesis supervisor agree about the point when the thesis is ready for the official originality check and the subsequent assessment proper. You enter the text of your completed thesis in the originality checking software and the supervisor reviews the originality report. After the supervisor has checked the originality report, you may submit the thesis for the actual assessment process.

From 1 August 2019, the electronic originality check is done to all theses and dissertations at Tampere University.

Commissioned theses

The thesis can be done as a commissioned study for a principal that can be a company or another party. The thesis is a piece of scientific work that is evaluated according to academic criteria. Thus, the principal must also be aware of the academic nature of the work and the publicity of the completed thesis. The student, the supervisor and the principal agree on the topic, schedule and objectives of the thesis. The responsible supervisor at the University is in charge of the scientific supervision of the thesis. The principal may appoint a contact person to deal with matters related to the thesis. The principal may also participate in the supervision of the thesis. The student agrees in writing with the principal on any fee paid to the student. 

As a basis for such discussions, a guideline has been drawn up that applies to Master’s theses but which can also be applied to Bachelor’s theses.

Copyright of the thesis

Copyright issues are also related to the publicity of the thesis. The student is responsible for the contents of the thesis and ascertaining his/her rights to it. The author of a published thesis must have full copyright to the thesis, including any pictorial, table or other material included in it, or have the right to publish such material online. 

Further information on copyright is available on the Library’s Open Access guide and on the following website:  

  • ImagOA : Open science and use of images: a guide on the Aalto University website  

Publicity and confidentiality of the thesis

Under law, a thesis is a public document (1999/621). A thesis becomes public as soon as it has been approved. Confidential information cannot be included in a thesis. Publishing the thesis or its parts elsewhere – for example as articles – does not change the publicity requirement.  

If confidential information is processed in relation to the thesis, its use should be prearranged with the supervisor and the possible principal. The actual thesis should be written in a manner that allows the publication of all parts. The possible confidential information should be incorporated in the appendices or background data that are not published. Such separate data is not archived at the University.

Submitting the thesis for assessment

Make an agreement with your supervisor on submitting the thesis for assessment. By submitting your Bachelor’s thesis for assessment, you also confirm that the originality check has also been completed. You also decide what kind of a publication permission you give for your thesis.

Submit the thesis for evaluation via the Library’s publishing archive Trepo . Use your tuni basic user account to login via Haka login. After the Library’s inspection (within 3 working days), the publication archive sends a message to both the student and the faculty saying that the thesis has been submitted. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the supervisor that he/she has submitted the thesis for evaluation. The supervisor gets the thesis from the publication archive. Please note that you must be registered as present in order to submit a thesis on Trepo.

If there is any suspicion of fraud in a thesis that has been submitted for examination, the matter is dealt with in line with the University’s protocol on suspected fraud. 

Maturity test

Visit the maturity test section for further information.

Assessment and grading of the thesis

The examiner of the thesis has 21 days to assess your thesis after you have submitted it for assessment (i.e. when you have sent the link from the Library to the examiner) or 28 days if you are taking the maturity test in connection with the examination of your thesis.  The results on theses submitted for examination during the period from 1 June to 31 August may take longer to be published. For justified reasons, the Dean may make an exception to the deadline. Students are informed about such exceptions in advance.   

The Faculty Council decides on the assessment criteria of theses. Bachelor’s theses are assessed with the grading scale of 0 – 5. In addition, the examiner issues a written statement. The grades are 1 (sufficient), 2 (satisfactory), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). 

A student cannot submit a new thesis to replace an already approved one.    

Rectification requests

See more information on the Appeals against grades page.

Electronic archiving and publishing of the thesis

All Bachelor’s theses are electronically archived and stored for ten years. Tampere University’s Library is in charge of archiving theses and dissertations on the university’s publication database. 

All theses and dissertations are public and stored on the university’s publication database Trepo. According to the University’s strategic alignment on open science, all theses and dissertations are openly published unless the publisher’s conditions prevent it. All theses may be read with the computers in the Library and online if the student has granted permission to publish on the internet.

After approval, all theses are stored in the comparison database of the originality checking software. 

Open How do I write an abstract about my thesis?

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Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) constitute the Tampere Universities community. Our areas of priority in research and education are technology, health and society. Tampere University: +358 (0)294 5211 Tampere University of Applied Sciences : +358 (0)294 5222

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Humak's Thesis Manual, Bachelor's degree

  • What is a Humak thesis?
  • Introductory note
  • Topic selection and commissioning of final projects
  • Topic proposal and cooperation agreement of the final project/thesis

Thesis plan

  • Thesis seminar and pre-evaluation
  • Thesis ethical instructions
  • Forms needed for thesis work
  • Knowledge base
  • Utilizing the methods of development work
  • Writing a thesis
  • Overcoming writing problems
  • Structure of the thesis
  • Thesis and AI
  • Evaluation criteria
  • Maturity test
  • Rectification of evaluation
  • Thesis layout

The thesis plan is made for three actors: the author, the commissioner of the project, and the educational institution. The plan will help to outline the project as a whole and to encourage the student to reflect upon the most important issues involved. The commissioner can, in turn, ensure that the parties have understood each other and that the objectives of the project meet the subscriber’s expectations. The plan ensures that the project fulfils the criteria set by the educational institution for the topic and method of implementation of the thesis. The date on which the plan shall be completed is defined in the cooperation agreement of the final project/thesis.  

The thesis plan also includes a data management plan, outlining how you will collect and preserve your data, how you will handle it ethically, and how you will ultimately either dispose of it or deposit it in a permanent archive. Permanent archiving of the data is rare in the context of theses; it is more common for the data to be destroyed after the thesis evaluation. However, proper procedures for the final handling of the data must be ensured. Write the data management plan according to the  Template for Data Management Plan  and attach it as an appendix to your thesis plan.

The thesis plan should be written keeping in mind the following four key areas

Needs 

Objectives , measures , results and products. .

Start by defining the development need by answering the questions: Why should the commissioner’s operations have to be developed and why is this final project or thesis important? Justifying the reasons for the development need almost always requires an in-depth familiarization with the conceptual knowledge, i.e. theory, as well as the knowledge base, of the topic. A good understanding of the needs for change in the professional sector and of the current discussions within the field will make the student’s presentation of the development need convincing.  

When the development need has been properly defined, determining the objectives of the thesis is fairly straightforward. The objectives should be written in such a way that when realized, they resolve the previously defined development needs. The objectives should be sufficiently concrete to enable the reader to understand what this exact thesis or final project is aiming at. For example, the definitions, such as the objective is to develop the operations are too vague. 

The indicated measures will explain what is actually done in the final project and describe the kind of development process that is to be carried out within the final project. It is important to choose purposeful measures for the development need, so the information gained is best suited for development work. The measures taken should be planned out ahead of time in detail. Choosing the right measures and actions isn’t only related to the gathering of information. It’s important to plan how the results of the work will be implemented as part of the commissioner’s operations. 

The measures may be research methods, such as interviews, surveys and observations, but often enough the measures used in final projects and theses at universities of applied sciences are also functional and operational. There are various things in development projects which cannot be discovered just by conducting surveys and interviews, rather new approaches or methods must be tested or piloted in practice. The plan should indicate the subject of experimentation, how the experimentation is carried out in practice, and how data will be collected and evaluated with regard to the experiment. In data collection, there is almost always a need for participant observation and often also for interviews with the participants. When writing down the measures, the student should also reflect on how the developed activity or new knowledge is to be put into practice and established as part of the commissioner’s operations. Measures should be planned in as much detail as possible already in the planning phase.  

The description of the product or the development task means the product the commissioner or the entire professional sector gains after the final project and thesis have been completed. It may not be possible to describe the content of the output in the planning phase, but it should be possible to outline the outputs in the first place. If the output is a new mode of operation, a guide, a set of instructions, etc., the way the product is to be put into practice for the subscriber should also be described. The possibility to test the output or product in practice often yields the best results: how does the new guide, product or service, for instance, actually work? If, however, the product is of a more abstract nature, such as new research information, you should ensure that the new information, too, can be used to influence the development of operations. For example, the new information can be used to organise a brainstorming meeting at the premises of the subscriber. The main thing is that the new information will not be forgotten as just one more file gathering dust in the depths of the Theseus online library. 

The plan, based on the four key focus areas, is complemented with a schedule and a preliminary table of contents. The key concepts, as well as relevant sources, should also be outlined. In group projects, the distribution of work between the authors should also be indicated. A descriptive title is also an important part of the plan. A good plan is about 5 to 8 pages long. 

However, the plan for any development project is never carved in stone: development work is typically characterised by the change and refinement of the plan as the work progresses. The changed plan does not have to be rewritten and reapproved again, but any major changes must be agreed upon with the supervising teacher and the commissioner. If the topic of the thesis changes completely, the planning process must be started afresh and a new plan prepared. 

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How do I write a good bachelor thesis quickly?

The official variant of the bachelor’s thesis: It is an examination in the form of a text on a specific topic. You are to collect and evaluate previous knowledge on the topic then gain new insight using so-called scientific techniques and methods.

The bachelor’s thesis is the final project of the Bachelor's program. You should prove that you can work and write scientifically. It’s a unique work because both the topic and the grade are written DIRECTLY and in the wording on the certificate. Thus, the bachelor’s thesis is the ONLY independent achievement of your entire studies that can be recognized by outsiders.

A top grade looks fantastic on the certificate!

That was the official description of the thesis...

The truth about the bachelor’s thesis (unofficial version):

  • The bachelor’s thesis is a tough nut to crack.
  • It is the ultimate barrier between you and your dream job or dream master’s degree.
  • The work shows you mercilessly what you can and cannot do.
  • You're alone with it.
  • No one understands you or your problems.
  • You feel more overwhelmed than you’ve ever been before in your entire life.
  • You read so many good articles that you feel very small and incompetent.
  • In addition, there is also the feeling of deteriorating good sentences from other texts. This feels completely meaningless.
  • Friends are constantly advising you not to worry so much and just write something down.
  • You are struggling with motivation, suffering from procrastination, receiving hardly any feedback and wishing this was all over as soon as possible.

In the end you are not even proud of your bachelor’s thesis. You can't rid yourself of the feeling that you have simply copied everything and hardly created anything by yourself. The many obviously copied passages in textbooks of other authors can puzzle you as well. Their apparent inability (or laziness?) makes you doubt the whole project even more. You lost your faith in the honesty of science long ago...

But there are ways and means not only to get through the project, but to complete your bachelor’s thesis fast and efficiently so you receive top marks!

What is the best approach to the bachelor’s thesis?

As a rule, 8-12 weeks are allowed for the bachelor’s thesis. However, an extension is usually necessary. In the end there is almost always stress, night shifts and dissatisfaction with the result of days and nights worked.

But you can plan your bachelor’s thesis like a project by dividing the work into 7 milestones and 30 sprints. The most important stages of the bachelor’s thesis are:

Milestone 1: The topic and suitable sources have been found.

Milestone 2: The outline and a proposal or introduction is written

Milestone 3: The theory chapter is finished.

Milestone 4: The chapter on the state of research is complete.

Milestone 5: The analysis and the results chapter are finished.

Milestone 6: The entire text is finished.

Milestone 7: The work is printed and submitted.

The grade of the thesis depends on:

  • The quality of the content,
  • Outline of the work,
  • Formalities and language.
  • The requirements are clear. Think carefully about what you need to do to receive the highest mark.

What are the hardest problems when it comes to writing the bachelor’s thesis:

  • Finding the topic at the beginning,
  • Finding enough suitable sources,
  • Quoting sources correctly,
  • Obtaining a functioning outline,
  • Creating a real personal contribution instead of just writing it off,
  • Formulating and writing scientifically,
  • Resisting the temptation of copy&paste of sources from the Internet,
  • Having a storyline in the text,
  • Producing a text free of errors,
  • and all within a tight schedule…

In addition, there are about 30 to 40 other challenges such as formatting, preparing presentations, citing obscure sources, setting up consultations, gathering data, finding survey participants, and so on and so forth. The right methods and Aristolo's thesis guide will help you overcome all of these problems.

Methods play an important role in the bachelor’s thesis.

Methods are all kinds of approaches, concepts, tools or aids with which knowledge can be gained. Most of the methods are not trained at the university. But now you need them. The following methods are important:

  • Methods for researching books and articles,
  • Evaluation of sources,
  • Formalizing and modeling,
  • Questioning techniques for interviews and surveys,
  • Evaluation of interviews,
  • Data analysis,
  • Writing techniques.

There are endless explanations for these methods on the Internet, but they require some time to get used to them.

What role do supervisors play in the bachelor’s thesis and what do they expect?

Supervisors are available for consultations. They accept your topic or help individually with the topic search. They often also evaluate your work. But in most cases, the supervisor is an assistant and the professor ultimately evaluates the bachelor’s thesis.

Supervisors expect two things above all: disciplined adherence to the rules of academic research and writing in addition to the student’s personal intellectual achievement. What they do not like are certain sayings.

The tiresome topic of Internet sources

Hardly anything is as frowned upon in a bachelor’s thesis as internet sources: Why is that? Because copy and paste has made it easy to build a text from bits and pieces from the Internet.

But there are very different types of Internet sources, and they're not all bad. Some can be used appropriately, which will allow you to make faster progress. In particular, Wikipedia offers many advantages for the thesis.

What aids will help me with the bachelor’s thesis?

There are numerous aids, helpers and assistance programs. But some of these sources are no helpful at all because they are frauds such as ghostwriting. By the way, it is not the ghostwriter who is the cheater, but the one who submits a foreign text as his or her own text. That's why ghostwriters have no inhibitions about actively advertising...

Beware of plagiarism!

The biggest risk of a bachelor’s thesis is plagiarism, copying without sufficient indication of the source or even completely without indication of the source. This violation will be severely punished. One should be happy if he/she is allowed to write the work again, if at all. However, the worst case is that you can't receive your degree...

The issue of plagiarism is widely discussed. However, hardly anyone knows how to spot plagiarism, how it can be recognized and how to avoid plagiarism in your own text. Unfortunately, anti-counterfeiting techniques are not on the curriculum...

I don't feel like it anymore...

Of course motivation is extremely important to the progression of your bachelor’s thesis. To be motivated, you need to create small successes in the bachelor’s thesis again and again. Complete work packages along the master plan and you'll feel better. That's how you will have "intermediate wins". Such easily measurable successes inspire the bachelor’s thesis:

  • Written pages,
  • Read pages,
  • Procured sources,
  • Topic is registered,
  • Outline is ready,
  • Outline is adopted,
  • Introduction is written,
  • Chapters are written,
  • Dates with experts are agreed upon,
  • Data is collected,
  • Personal contribution is written,
  • Conclusion is written and much more.

Unfortunately, motivation always goes down the drain when you need it most... This is when the work packages from the master plan help!

So, to sum up:

You need a plan, the right methods, motivation, tips and techniques against problems, tools against the time wasters and one goal: to do the work quickly and well. Aristolo's thesis guide will help you finish your bachelor’s thesis in 31 days and receive a top grade. Good luck writing your text!

Silvio and the Aristolo Team

PS: Check out the Thesis-ABC and the Thesis Guide for writing a bachelor thesis in 31 days.

Thesis-Banner-English-1

  • Switch language, Suomi fi
  • Current language, English en

Welcome to complete your thesis!

This website contains both basic information about the thesis and more detailed instructions on how to carry out the actual thesis project. In section 4 you will find the steps related to the progress of the thesis. Proceed in numerical order (4.1, 4.2 …). The final stages of the thesis are described in sections 5-7.

At the top of the page, you can find the main headings, and below them, the instruction pages that open from the drop-down menu. On the right-hand side, you can find a more static table of contents for the site, from which you can click a heading to navigate to the desired instruction page.

In addition to the instructions, the related forms, documents and links to other instructions and tips have been collected at the bottom of each page.

You are welcome to give feedback and development ideas on the Thesis Guide website and the thesis project by using the feedback form found at the bottom of the page. Any errors detected on the website will be corrected as soon as possible. The development proposals and feedback will be discussed on the Jamk Thesis Forum.

Please note that any questions related to the thesis guidance and content should always be addressed to your principal thesis tutor.

Thesis Tutor

The instruction page of the thesis tutor can be found in the Elmo staff intranet.

  • Feedback form (Webropol)
  • Degree Regulations (For Students pages)
  • Bachelor’s Thesis, Planning, 3 cr – ZZ00BL91 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Bachelor’s Thesis, Thesis Writing, 2 cr – ZZ00BL97 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Bachelor’s Thesis, Implementation, 6 cr – ZZ00BL92 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Bachelor’s Thesis, Reporting and Assessment, 4 cr – ZZ00BL93 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Maturity Test, Bachelor’s Degree, 0 cr – ZZOA0220 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Master’s Thesis, Planning, 7 cr – YZ00BL94 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Master’s Thesis, Research Writing, 3 cr – YZ00BL98 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Master’s Thesis, Implementation, 10 cr – YZ00BL95 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Master’s Thesis, Reporting, 10 cr – YZ00BL96 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Maturity Test, Master’s Degree, 0 cr – YZ00BB05 (Curriculum, Peppi)
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis (the Jamk process manual)
  • Thesis pages on Intra (Elmo intra)

Haaga-Helia frontpage

Thesis, Bachelor's degree

Kuvituskuva: opiskelija Porvoon kampuksen kirjastossa

Lead paragraph

Thesis is an independent study project that forms part of your studies and is a proof of your skills. The aim of the thesis is to develop your ability to apply the skills, knowledge and critical thinking acquired in education and training in practice.

The thesis is usually written in the context of the specialisation studies. The scope of the thesis is 15 credits or 400 hours, and the duration is typically 1 to 2 periods. During the assessment phase of the thesis, you will take a maturity test. The thesis is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5. Once approved, the thesis is published in Theseus.

The type of thesis can be product-based, research-based, portfolio or diary-based.

The thesis often is commissioned by an external party, which can be a company, public corporation, association, university of applied sciences or other educational institution.

Degrees offer pre-thesis courses, so check the structure and offerings of your degree. To start the thesis process, register to Wihi .

You can find more information in points 1 to 7 below. Please read them carefully before you start your thesis.

1. Choosing the topic and process of approving a bachelor's thesis

The topic of the thesis is typically chosen from the student's area of professional expertise. The topic should be of interest to you and serve the development needs of working life. Setting objectives and defining the thesis's scope are important steps in the process, and thesis advisors are there to support you. When choosing your topic, you should remember that thesis reports are public documents.

Finding a topic for you the thesis

Be proactive and alert to identify areas for improvement in your workplace or internship. Gather ideas by looking at existing theses on Theseus or HHthesis. See if you can find topics that interest you in Haaga-Helia's RDI projects . Follow the assignments posted on JobTeaser .

Commissioning agreement

The thesis can be commissioned by a company, public corporation, association, university of applied sciences or other educational institution. In this case, the thesis project will be the subject of a written commissioning agreement.

Fill in the form and collect the necessary signatures. Haaga-Helia advisors do not sign any separate non-disclosure agreements drawn up by the commissioning party. In higher education institutions, confidential theses are not allowed, but they may contain confidential background material that is only known to the advisors/assessors. Background material will not be evaluated.

Haaga-Helia does not archive commissioning agreements.

Research authorization

If Haaga-Helia is the subject of the thesis or the research is conducted for Haaga-Helia students, staff or alumni, the research must be approved in accordance with the attached research authorization guidelines.

The research authorization application will be sent to Specialist Pekka Lahti: [email protected]

Alumni can be targeted for theses and research when Haaga-Helia is the commissioner and the aim is to develop Haaga-Helia's activities. The application for a research permit should be sent to the Alumni Relations Specialist at [email protected] .  

Process of approving a bachelor's thesis

The approval of a bachelor's thesis is managed by the degree program's thesis coordinator in UAS degrees.

Students apply for approval to the degree program's thesis coordinator with an informal application. The application should include the previous thesis or its Theseus link, an evaluation form, and a transcript of records or a link to the student's page on Opintopolku (the national student information portal).

Criteria for approval of a bachelor's thesis

Previous Thesis

  • The thesis has been completed within the last ten years.
  • It is a bachelor's or master's thesis in a University of Applied Sciences (UAS or MUAS), or a university's bachelor's dissertation, pro gradu thesis, licentiate thesis, or doctoral dissertation. For UAS degrees, a written work at least at the bachelor's level can be accepted for approval.
  • The topic is relevant or suitable for the degree for which the approval is being sought. The thesis can be completed in the same or a different field of study.
  • In English-language programs, only an English-language thesis can be approved.

If approval is based on a bachelor's thesis, the work is archived in Haaga-Helia's archiving system. Other approved theses are not archived at Haaga-Helia since the work can be found in the original institution.

In the case of approval, the maturity test is not retaken if it has been successfully completed in a previous degree.

The grade for an approved thesis is given on a scale of 1-5 or H (Approved) according to the original scale.

2. Enrolment to the thesis process

Enrolment to the thesis process takes place in Wihi , where the thesis project progresses from registration to evaluation and publication of the report. Please register for the process according to the degree-specific instructions (further down this page), which will tell you when you will receive the name of your advisor.

Once you start the process under the guidance of a designated advisor, agree a binding timetable and stick to it. You will receive guidance and feedback from your advisor throughout the process. Save the files created during the thesis project and the interim versions of the report in Wihi. All written communication between the student and the advisor is handled through Wihi.

Wihi instructions are in the program itself, on the right-hand side of the menu, behind the question mark button.

3. Thesis preparation, reporting guidelines and tools for thesis

When starting the thesis process, you will be assigned an advisor. The thesis process starts with a plan, which is approved by your advisor. Your advisor will then give you advice on the process and feedback on your work. Agree a binding timetable with your advisor and stick to it. Use the thesis reporting guidelines from the start. Instructions for any thesis seminar will be provided by degree.

Templates for thesis plans

  • Research-based/Product-based Thesis Plan (docx)
  • Diary Thesis Plan (docx)
  • Portfolio Thesis Plan (docx)

Reporting guidelines

  • Guidelines for long reports and theses (pdf)
  • Word template for writing a report (dotx file)
  • Guidelines for the diary-based thesis (pdf)
  • Word template for guidelines for the diary-based thesis (dotx)
  • Guidelines for the product-based thesis (pdf)
  • Guidelines for the research-based thesis (pdf)
  • Confidentiality of Business and Trade Secrets in the Thesis (pdf)
  • Guidelines for the portfolio thesis (pdf)

See also the LibGuides guidelines maintained by the library.

Tools for thesis

Dictation machine.

A dictation machine for recording interviews etc. can be borrowed from the library.  You can check the loan status in HH Finna .

SPSS software

Haaga-Helia students can install IBM SPSS Statistics on their own computer free of charge.  

Webropol allows you to implement web-based surveys. Please note that for HAKA login, the username and password are the same as the Haaga-Helia domain name and password.   If you have any questions, please contact Webropol administrators:

  • International Business Degree: Jutta Heikkilä
  • Sports Instructor Degree, Vierumäki: to be announced later
  • Hospitality Degree: Saija Laitinen

4. Ouriginal plagiarism check, ethical principles and handling of suspected deceit

All Haaga-Helia theses are checked using the Ouriginal application. The software can be used to determine whether plagiarism is possible in theses or other learning assignments. The Ouriginal check is done in Wihi . Submit your work to the Ouriginal plagiarism check when your advisor has given you permission to do so.

Ouriginal compares the content of the document against three different types of sources: the open internet, material from publishers (e.g. certain e-books and e-journals) and student-produced material previously stored in the Ouriginal database. The comparison will result in an analysis report that will highlight the similarities found. On the basis of this report, the advisor will conclude whether plagiarism is present in the work.

The advisor will accept the Ouriginal report at Wihi if there is no evidence of plagiarism in the report and the work can proceed to assessment. If there is a suspicion of plagiarism, a preliminary investigation is initiated, including consultation with the student.

The document will be stored in Ouriginal's database, so that any potential plagiarism of your work will be revealed in the future. If you do not want your work to be the source material for plagiarism comparisons by other Ouriginal users, click on the link at the end of the confirmation message: "Follow this link if you wish to prohibit the use of your document as described above."

Ethical principles

See the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene's guidelines for students and advisors.

Deceit and how to deal with it

Haaga-Helia's examination regulations define deceit and how to deal with it. The Act on Universities of Applied Sciences defines the sanctions for violations.

Suspicion of deceit is reported in the Finnish or English electronic form. Suspicions of plagiarism in connection with theses are dealt with by Haaga-Helia's Thesis Ethics Committee.

Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK) defines plagiarism in the RCR guidelines (Responsible Conduct of Research) defines misconduct as follows:

  • Fraudulent activities include unauthorized quotation, i.e. plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and misappropriation.
  • Unauthorized quotation or plagiarism is the representation of another's text or part of it as one's own
  • Fabrication is presenting invented findings and results
  • Falsification of findings is the deliberate manipulation of original findings to distort results or omit essential results or data
  • Misappropriation is the impersonation of the original findings, idea or plan.

5. Thesis assessment

After the advisor has approved the Ouriginal analysis, save the evaluation version of the thesis in Wihi. Once approved, the thesis is assessed on a scale of 1-5 usually by two assessors (according to the Degree Regulations) using an assessment criteria framework. This procedure is designed to ensure the objectivity of the assessment. Revised unweighted thesis assessment criteria are applied to all the theses. All theses are assessed following this criteria. Once the thesis has been approved, the grade cannot be increased (Degree Regulations). The assessment report is a public document which can be consulted by anyone in the HH library.

Feedback from the commissioning party

Ask for feedback on your thesis using the feedback form  (docx). The commissioning party sends the feedback form as an email attachment to the advisor. The thesis assessors will use the feedback to assess the thesis.

Rectifying procedure

If you feel that the evaluation criteria have been incorrectly applied in the assessment of your thesis, you have the possibility to request a third assessor. In this procedure, a third assessor will re-evaluate your thesis. You will then still have the opportunity to request a correction from the examination board, which will not re-evaluate your thesis, but will examine whether the assessment process and criteria have been followed.

6. Maturity test

The student writes a maturity test in their field for their thesis. Starting from September 1, 2023, an abstract written for the thesis will serve as the maturity test.

The maturity test has two main purposes: through it, the student demonstrates their command of the field of their thesis, and an approved maturity test is an indication of proficiency in the Finnish or Swedish language as required by the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel Public Bodies.

The thesis advisor can require that the maturity test be written under supervision if, for a justified reason, they consider that the competence required for the aforementioned main purposes would not otherwise be sufficiently demonstrated.

What is meant by language of school education?

You will complete the maturity test in your language of school education. This refers to the Finnish or Swedish language for which you received an approved mother tongue grade on your Finnish comprehensive school or upper secondary school certificate. If you have passed the matriculation examination in a language other than the aforementioned school education language (Finnish or Swedish), you are considered to have received your school education in Finnish or Swedish as well, if your matriculation examination includes a passing grade in the Finnish or Swedish language mother tongue exam or if you have achieved at least the grade magna cum laude approbatur in the Finnish as a Second Language or Swedish as a Second Language examination.

The language of the maturity test is determined according to the student's language of school education:

What if you write your thesis in a language other than your own school education language? 

The abstract of the thesis to be published is always written in the same language as the thesis itself. If your school education language is Finnish or Swedish and you write the thesis in a language other than your own school education language, you must also submit a separate abstract written in your own school education language to your thesis advisor.

Writing and Evaluation of the Abstract-Form Maturity Test

  • Familiarize yourself with the instructions for writing the abstract. They can be found in the document " Reporting Instructions for Long Reports and Theses " (pdf).
  • The abstract can be finalized only towards the end of the writing process, as it also includes results and conclusions. The thesis advisor may require changes to the abstract before its approval. Therefore, it is recommended to have the abstract reviewed by the thesis advisor before the assessment version of the work is uploaded in Wihi.
  • The text of the abstract must not be generated using artificial intelligence (language models).
  • If the thesis is done as a joint work, each student writes their own abstract, and the thesis advisor selects which one will be published as part of the thesis report.
  • The thesis advisor marks the maturity test as approved in the thesis evaluation form. If necessary, another evaluator may participate in the assessment.

7. Publishing a thesis

Students publish their thesis in accessible pdf/a format to online library Theseus, which is the open collection of the national universities of applied sciences. If the commissioning party does not want the thesis to be published in the open collection, the thesis is stored in the restricted collection of Theseus. The thesis is always a public document, so anyone has the right to request to read it.

In the open collection of Theseus, the thesis can be read online in its entirety. A thesis stored in the restricted collection can be read on the Haaga-Helia intranet, in the same way as a thesis stored in HHthesis. The thesis metadata and abstract are openly available in both Theseus collections. As the thesis is public, please ensure that the thesis, its abstract or other metadata do not contain any information that is subject to trade secret, privacy or other confidentiality protection.

NOTE! If the thesis commissioning agreement has been drawn up before 1.1.2022 and the commissioning organisation has prohibited saving the thesis in the open collection of Theseus, the student must make sure the commissioning organisation allows the thesis to be saved in the restricted collection of Theseus instead of HHthesis. Unlike in HHthesis, the metadata and summary of theses stored in Theseus restricted collection are openly available online. In case of doubt, you should contact the library   [email protected] .

When your thesis and maturity test have been evaluated, publish your thesis in Theseus. After publishing, save your thesis link in Wihi. Here's an example of link format: urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023060117028. Please note that the publication link is activated only when the library staff has approved the thesis and published it in Theseus. This can take 1-2 work days. When your thesis advisor has accepted the link, the evaluation is saved to the student register.

  • Theseus submission guide
  • Theseus submission page
  • Search Theseus publications

For more information on Theseus collections, please contact Haaga-Helia library or send email ( [email protected] ).

Note! If your thesis has not been published in Theseus after a couple of days, please check the email you have provided when submitting your thesis. You may have received a notice of a failed submission. Please note that the confirmation message for an approved upload always comes to your Haaga-Helia email address, regardless of the address you provided during the upload.

If you have problems with publishing your thesis, you can contact Haaga-Helia library ( [email protected] ). If you need personal guidance with the publishing, library's specialists would be happy to help you also in a Teams meeting. Please tell in your message, if you wish to get guidance via Teams.

Open UAS students can't submit their thesis to Theseus. They can contact library staff, who will take care of the submission:  [email protected]

Your feedback on the thesis process

Feedback on the thesis process is included in the AVOP feedback at the end of the studies.

Thesis templates and guidelines:

Degree-specific guidelines, other important links.

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  • Wissensdatenbank
  • Bachelorarbeit
  • Der Zeitplan für deine Bachelorarbeit in 4 Phasen mit Excel Vorlage

Der Zeitplan für deine Bachelorarbeit in 4 Phasen + Excel Vorlage

Veröffentlicht am 1. August 2016 von Franziska Pfeiffer . Aktualisiert am 20. Oktober 2020.

Eine gute Planung ist die halbe Miete. Ein Zeitplan für die Bachelorarbeit hilft dir, einen Überblick über die verbleibende Zeit bis zur Abgabe zu gewinnen und ermöglicht eine effektive Einteilung der nötigen Arbeit.

Wir bei Scribbr haben eine umfangreiche Wissensdatenbank mit einer Menge hilfreichen Artikeln zu allen Themen rund um die Bachelorarbeit . Anhand dessen haben wir dir alle wichtigen Schritte in einer übersichtlichen Excel-Vorlage eines Zeitplans zusammengefasst.

Dieser beinhaltet 4 Phasen . Du findest zu jeder Phase Links zu passenden Artikeln in unserer Wissensdatenbank und Informationen zu der Zeit, die du dafür einplanen solltest.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Excel vorlage für einen zeitplan der bachelorarbeit, die 4 phasen deines zeitplans, 1. die orientierungs- und planungsphase, 2. die recherche- und materialbeschaffungsphase, 3. die schreibphase, 4. die abschlussphase, tipps und tricks für die erstellung deines zeitplans, häufig gestellte fragen.

Diese Excel Vorlage gibt dir einen Überblick darüber, was alles vor Abgabe deiner Bachelorarbeit zu erledigen ist und wie viel Zeit du dafür jeweils einplanen kannst.

Du kannst oben den zeitlichen Rahmen anpassen und auch selbst bestimmen, wie viel Zeit du dir für jeden Punkt geben möchtest.

zeitplan-bachelorarbeit-vorlage-scribbr

Zeitplan Google Spreadsheet | Zeitplan Bachelorarbeit Excel

Dein Schreibprozess teilt sich in vier Phasen: die Orientierungs- und Planungsphase , die Recherche und Materialbeschaffung , die Schreibphase und die Abschlussphase .

Zu der Orientierungs-und Planungsphase zählen alle Schritte, die du erledigen solltest, bevor du deine Bachelorarbeit anmeldest . Hier geht es vor allem um erste Ideen.

Dazu gehören:

  • dein Thema finden,
  • passende Literatur recherchieren und sichten,
  • Fragestellung bzw. Problemstellung festlegen,
  • vorläufige Gliederung planen,
  • Realisierbarkeit prüfen.

Anhand der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse aus dieser Phase kannst du sogar schon ein erstes Exposé für deinen Betreuer oder deine Betreuerin erstellen.

In dieser Phase geht es um Literaturrecherche und Materialbeschaffung. Auf die Ergebnisse der Orientierungs- und Planungsphase kann nun aufgebaut werden und du kannst mit deiner Forschung beginnen.

  • Intensivere Literatursuche und -analyse,
  • Forschungsdesign bestimmen,
  • Daten sammeln,
  • Datenanalyse und Datenauswertung.

Wenn du beispielsweise Umfragen oder Interviews durchführen möchtest und deine Bachelorarbeit von der Kooperation anderer Personen abhängig ist, ist es besonders wichtig, Termine frühzeitig zu planen und deinen Zeitplan nicht aus den Augen zu verlieren.

Nun kann der Schreibprozess beginnen. Je gründlicher du in den ersten zwei Phasen gearbeitet hast, desto leichter sollte dir das Schreiben von der Hand gehen.

Hier kannst du deine Bachelorarbeit in die einzelnen Kapitel einteilen und dir für jedes Kapitel eine Frist setzen. So wird das Ganze gleich viel machbarer und du stehst nicht vor einem riesigen Berg Arbeit.

Die grobe Gliederung enthält die folgenden Kapitel:

  • Theoretischer Rahmen / Literaturübersicht

Während manche Studenten ihre Abschlussarbeit an einem Stück runterschreiben, teilen sich andere das Schreiben lieber auf einen längeren Zeitraum auf.

Du kennst deinen Arbeitsrhythmus am besten und kannst dir die Zeit für diese Phase entsprechend einteilen. Aber du solltest dir nicht zu viel Zeit dazwischen lassen, denn so wird es immer schwieriger, sich wieder in das Material hineinzufinden.

Der größte Teil ist geschafft – jetzt heißt es erstmal durchatmen! Für diese letzten Schritte solltest du allerdings noch genügend Zeit einplanen:

Bevor du sie in den Druck gibst, solltest du auf jeden Fall deine Bachelorarbeit Korrektur lesen lassen.

Nach wochenlangem Schreiben und ständigem Überarbeiten des Textes sieht man seine eigenen Fehler meist gar nicht mehr. Allerdings wirkt sich die sprachliche Qualität deiner Bachelorarbeit auch auf deine Note aus. Professionelle Korrektoren finden noch bis zu 150 Fehler pro 1.000 Wörter. Ein zweites Paar Augen ist außerdem nie von Nachteil.

Wurde deine Bachelorarbeit Korrektur gelesen und sind alle Anmerkungen in den Text eingearbeitet, solltest du dich mit der Formatierung auseinandersetzen.

Achte hierbei genau auf die Vorgaben deiner Universität. Vergiss nicht, ein ordentliches Deckblatt aufzusetzen, Seitenzahlen einzufügen und die Eidesstattliche Erklärung zu unterschreiben.

Plagiatsprüfung

Ein letzter wichtiger Punkt ist die Prüfung deines Dokuments auf Plagiat . Wenn du dir nicht sicher bist, ob du in deiner Bachelorarbeit richtig zitiert hast, kannst du dein Dokument einer Online-Plagiatsprüfung unterziehen. Dort wird dir direkt angezeigt, welche Stellen du besser nochmal überarbeiten solltest.

Am Anfang mögen dir 3 Monate ab Anmeldung deiner Bachelorarbeit als viel Zeit erscheinen. Das ist es aber nur, wenn man richtig plant.

Gerade wenn du während der Bachelorarbeit noch Kurse besuchst oder vielleicht einen Nebenjob hast, wirst du merken, dass die Zeit schneller vorbeigeht, als du denkst. Hier kann dir ein Zeitplan helfen, die Frist im Auge zu behalten und dir viel Stress in der letzten Minute ersparen.

Die Entscheidung, einen Zeitplan überhaupt zu erstellen, ist bereits ein wichtiger Schritt. Es gibt allerdings noch einige Punkte, die du bei deiner Zeitplanung berücksichtigen solltest:

  • Fange lieber zu früh mit der Planung an – so hast du genug Zeit, dich ausführlich mit allem auseinanderzusetzen.
  • Bleib realistisch – setze dir keine unmöglichen Fristen.
  • Sei ehrlich mit dir selbst – wie viel schaffst du wirklich an einem Tag?
  • Plane lieber zu viel Zeit ein – es fühlt sich immer besser an, dem Zeitplan voraus zu sein.
  • Plane genug Zeit für Freizeit und Spaß ein – du musst auch einfach mal nichts tun dürfen!
  • Plane von dem Datum deiner Abgabe rückwärts – so erhältst du einen guten Überblick.

Aufbau und Gliederung einer Bachelorarbeit

An den meisten Unis hast du nach der Anmeldung bis zu 12 Wochen Zeit, um die Bachelorarbeit zu schreiben.

Um diese Zeit effektiv einzuteilen, ist ein persönlicher Zeitplan essenziell.

Eine Bachelorarbeit hat im Schnitt ca. 10.500 Wörter.

Das kann je nach Uni und den jeweiligen Richtlinien jedoch variieren.

Eine Bachelorarbeit hat im Schnitt ca. 30-40 Seiten.

Diesen Scribbr-Artikel zitieren

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Pfeiffer, F. (2020, 20. Oktober). Der Zeitplan für deine Bachelorarbeit in 4 Phasen + Excel Vorlage. Scribbr. Abgerufen am 29. April 2024, von https://www.scribbr.de/anfang-abschlussarbeit/zeitplan-bachelorarbeit/

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Franziska Pfeiffer

Franziska Pfeiffer

Das hat anderen studierenden noch gefallen, das richtige bachelorarbeit-thema finden: anleitung, so schreibst du das exposé deiner bachelorarbeit - tipps, beispiel + vorlage, deine bachelorarbeit anmelden, aus versehen plagiiert finde kostenlos heraus.

IMAGES

  1. FREE 10+ Bachelor Thesis Proposal Samples in PDF

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VIDEO

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COMMENTS

  1. Developing A Thesis

    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.

  2. How to Write a Dissertation or Thesis Proposal

    When starting your thesis or dissertation process, one of the first requirements is a research proposal or a prospectus. It describes what or who you want to examine, delving into why, when, where, and how you will do so, stemming from your research question and a relevant topic. The proposal or prospectus stage is crucial for the development ...

  3. PDF Project Plan for your Bachelor- or Master-thesis

    This project plan serves the purpose of making sure that you are ready to start working on the thesis. The plan can be developed in several iterations of feedback and discussion. In the end, the plan should be sufficiently detailed that I can be confident that it is feasible as a bachelor's or master's project. 1.

  4. Dissertation & Thesis Outline

    Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on November 21, 2023. A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process.It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to ...

  5. What Is a Thesis?

    Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.

  6. How to Write a Thesis Proposal, Thesis Proposal Outline

    For most grad students, preparing a thesis proposal is the first major step when writing a master's thesis. A strong thesis proposal: Acts as a project roadmap before major work begins. Outlines the research you plan to complete. Provides background, context, and qualifications. Limits and narrows the scope of the project.

  7. PDF How to Write a BA Thesis

    have prepared you to write a BA thesis. You've taken the introductory and intermediate courses in your major, delved into more specialized topics in advanced courses, and written research papers. All of them prepare you to tackle your BA thesis, which many students say is the most rewarding project of their college years.

  8. How to Write a Bachelor's Thesis: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Determine the topic of the bachelor's thesis and discuss it with the supervisor. Conduct comprehensive research and collect relevant sources. Create an outline and divide the topic into individual sections. Write the main part of the paper by processing and summarizing the insights gained from the research.

  9. Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)

    Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.

  10. Free Dissertation & Thesis Template (Word Doc & PDF)

    What's Included: The Dissertation Template. If you're preparing to write your dissertation, thesis or research project, our free dissertation template is the perfect starting point. In the template, we cover every section step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples. The template's structure is based on the tried ...

  11. How to write a thesis proposal

    Abstract. the abstract is a brief summary of your thesis proposal. its length should not exceed ~200 words. present a brief introduction to the issue. make the key statement of your thesis. give a summary of how you want to address the issue. include a possible implication of your work, if successfully completed.

  12. How to Structure a Thesis: A Complete Guide

    Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire thesis. Follow the steps below to write a perfect methodology for a thesis: a. Give an outline of the research design. b. Don't forget to define the philosophy behind the research. c. Mention the research approach. d. Introduce the research methods.

  13. Bachelor's thesis

    The stages of a bachelor's thesis process are outlined below: Responsibilities of students during a BSc thesis process. Responsibilities of supervisors/examiners during a BSc thesis process. 1. consider potential topics in advance (for example, in the spring of their second year with the teacher tutor) 2.

  14. PDF Dissertation Planner: step-by-step

    This planner is designed to help you through all the stages of your dissertation, from starting to think about your question through to final submission. At each stage there are useful prompts to help you plan your work and manage your time. Throughout the planner there are also blank spaces that you can use to plan your dissertation.

  15. How to Write a Research Proposal

    The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor's or master's thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. ... The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have ...

  16. Thesis plan

    The plan ensures that the project fulfils the criteria set by the educational institution for the topic and method of implementation of the thesis. The date on which the plan shall be completed is defined in the cooperation agreement of the final project/thesis.

  17. How to write a bachelor thesis?

    6.3 Draft and planning of assessment. At the end of the writing phase, the student hands in a draft thesis. Together with the supervisor, the students plan the dates for handing in the draft, the turnover time needed for the supervisor to hand in the comments and plans the date for the final assessment.

  18. How do I write a good bachelor thesis quick?

    But you can plan your bachelor's thesis like a project by dividing the work into 7 milestones and 30 sprints. The most important stages of the bachelor's thesis are: Milestone 1: The topic and suitable sources have been found. Milestone 2: The outline and a proposal or introduction is written. Milestone 3: The theory chapter is finished.

  19. PDF Guideline on the Preparation of a Bachelor Thesis

    where both advisors and the student will discuss the current state of the thesis. 1. Meeting Preferably before or at the latest at the beginning of the Bachelor's thesis, both advisors meet with the student. The goals of the Bachelor's thesis will be discussed and detailed. The goals will be categorized according to the categories: - required

  20. Welcome to complete your thesis!

    Welcome to complete your thesis! This website contains both basic information about the thesis and more detailed instructions on how to carry out the actual thesis project. In section 4 you will find the steps related to the progress of the thesis. Proceed in numerical order (4.1, 4.2 …). The final stages of the thesis are described in ...

  21. Thesis, Bachelor's degree

    The thesis is usually written in the context of the specialisation studies. The scope of the thesis is 15 credits or 400 hours, and the duration is typically 1 to 2 periods. During the assessment phase of the thesis, you will take a maturity test. The thesis is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5. Once approved, the thesis is published in Theseus.

  22. Der Zeitplan für deine Bachelorarbeit in 4 Phasen

    Dein Schreibprozess teilt sich in vier Phasen: die Orientierungs- und Planungsphase, die Recherche und Materialbeschaffung, die Schreibphase und die Abschlussphase. 1. Die Orientierungs- und Planungsphase. Zu der Orientierungs-und Planungsphase zählen alle Schritte, die du erledigen solltest, bevor du deine Bachelorarbeit anmeldest.