dissertation outline plan

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 .

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• Writing Tips

How to Create a Dissertation Outline Plan

3-minute read

• 9th August 2020

Before writing up your dissertation or thesis , it’s important to plan everything first. One way of doing this is creating a dissertation plan. This is an outline of what you’re going to say in your work. Herein, we set out the main things that most experimental dissertations will include.

Introduction and Rationale

The introductory section is where you set out the general topic being investigated and the specific focus of your research. This will usually include:

• The issue you intend to address and its significance.
• A succinct statement of your research questions and hypotheses.
• Definitions of key terms .
• Your basic theoretical assumptions.

Overall, the aim is to give your reader the basic information they will need to follow the rest of your dissertation.

Literature Review

The literature review is where you introduce key thinkers, texts and theories. This section should include:

• A concise overview of major issues and controversies in the subject area.
• Some information on the current state of research and the most up-to-date work to demonstrate how your research contributes to knowledge .
• Theorists whose work you are building upon or modifying.
• Studies that challenge your hypotheses or theoretical presuppositions.

This will fully contextualize your work, clarifying its significance.

Methodology

When conducting original research or an experiment, you’ll need to provide detailed descriptions of the techniques used. This includes:

• Your research approach, study design, and why you have chosen them.
• Information about your sampling methods.
• Ethical considerations (e.g., consent when working with human subjects).
• How you have gathered and analyzed your data.
• Potential limitations of the methods you’ve chosen.

Ideally, you will provide enough information here that a reader could duplicate your study if required.

Results and Discussion

When presenting your results and analysis, link it back to your research questions. This section should also:

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• Present and explain data, using charts and graphs where appropriate.
• Address each research question and hypothesis with regard to the data.
• Discuss statistical results in non-statistical terms.

The key here is to explain what your results show in clear, simple terms.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Here you set out your findings in relation to your initial research question. This will include clarifying the significance of your results and recommendations for further research. Try to:

• Briefly summarize your research to help contextualize your conclusions.
• Relate conclusions back to your literature review and research question.
• Make suggestions for other researchers, perhaps identifying something overlooked by your study.

Think of this section as coming full circle. You return to your initial hypotheses, but this time you discuss them in relation to what you’ve learned from your research.

Bibliography and Appendices

The bibliography is where you list all cited sources in your dissertation. The rules for this will depend on the referencing system you’re using, so make sure to check your style guide .

The appendices, meanwhile, are where you include documentation not needed in the main body of your work. This includes consent forms, questionnaires, additional data, etc.

Finally, remember that most research projects evolve over time, so you should be willing to adapt your initial plan. If you think you’re straying too far from it, try talking to your supervisor. For more information about writing a dissertation or thesis, read our full dissertation writing guide . And if you need any assistance checking your dissertation plan, our proofreaders are ready to help .

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Creating a dissertation outline, published by nicholas tippins on may 5, 2020 may 5, 2020.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 05:51 am

When you begin the dissertation process, you’ll need to start outlining what the final dissertation will look like. Usually, this is accomplished as part of the process you undergo with your committee. 

You begin with a Prospectus, which is essentially an overview of what you plan to do. This serves the purpose of a traditional outline: gaining clarity on your area of focus, your research methods, and what you hope to accomplish with the study. If you’re at that stage, take a look at our article on writing a dissertation prospectus .

How to Write a Dissertation Outline

If you’ve moved on to the Proposal stage, you’ll want to start creating a dissertation outline.

Fortunately for you, most of the work is already done for you. Most institutions have very specific requirements about the sections that each chapter of your dissertation should have, as well as the order in which they appear. 

These requirements function as the structure of your dissertation outline. You just have to fill it in with the specifics of your study.

If you haven’t already, make sure to ask for whatever rubric, outline, or list of requirements your committee has for you.

Sample Dissertation Outline

If you’ve looked at your committee’s rubric already and are unclear, or if you’re just looking to see a sample of what a dissertation outline might look like, we’ve included one below, based on official outlines from several universities as well as our own experience editing and coaching .

The structure of your dissertation will change slightly depending on whether it’s qualitative or quantitative. However, these differences aren’t significant in the outlining stage (it will usually just mean different titles for some sub-headings). 

Note that while this is an example of a dissertation outline, your institution may have a slightly different format or requirements. It’s important to look at whatever your committee gives you, as that will provide you the best guidance for how to write your dissertation outline. 

A dissertation title deserves special attention and has special requirements. Make sure that your title is in alignment with the rest of your sections. Essentially, it should be a variation on the phrasing of the problem and purpose statement. 

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

The title should feature the most important conceptual issue(s) being explored (for qualitative) or the key variables and the relationship between them (for quantitative), and the population being studied.

The Abstract is a summary of the study. Many students write their Abstract after they have completed their study and written the five chapters of their dissertation. Your Abstract should include :

• Introduction to the topic
• Problem statement
• Purpose statement
• Key research questions
• Research method and design
• Participants
• Key Results
• Conclusions and recommendations for future research.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 1 is the introduction to the study. Some of the material for Chapter 1 is already present in your Prospectus. It’s also a summary of what you plan to study, why it’s important, and what methods you plan to use.

Introduction to the Chapter: A few paragraphs introducing the study.

Background: Describe your area of study, relevant research, and identify the gap in research that you seek to fill.

Problem Statement: The problem you intend to address with your study. See this article on Alignment .

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the study. See this article on Alignment . 

Research Questions: The questions you seek to answer. Also see this article on Alignment .

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework: This is the lens through which you will be viewing your research. It must be an established theory.

Nature of the Study: A discussion of your method and design and how this will accomplish the purpose of the study.

Definition of Key Terms: Definitions of key terms and concepts, and (for quantitative) your variables. Include citations for your definitions.

Summary of the Chapter: A few paragraphs summarizing the chapter with a transition to Chapter 2.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 2 is when you have the most freedom of organization. Besides the initial sections, the bulk of the chapter’s organization is up to you. This is because you are expected to present a summary of the relevant research in whatever way makes the most sense. 

People most commonly organize their literature review by topic, but some choose to organize it chronologically or by other methods.

Introduction: After re-stating the problem and purpose of your study, provide a very brief overview of the relevant literature.

Documentation of Literature Search Strategy: In this section, you explain the way you went about conducting your literature review . For example, what search terms did you use and which databases did you search? How did you identify relevant literature?

Sub Topic a

Sub Topic b

Continue to create topics and subtopics until you’ve covered all of the literature you wish to discuss.

Summary: A brief summary of the literature. Reiterate the gap in literature that you’re seeking to f ill.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Chapter 3 is where you dive deep into the specifics of how you’ll execute your study.

Introduction: After re-stating the problem and purpose of your study, provide a very brief introduction to the methodology.

Research method and design: Describe your chosen design and why it is the best fit to accomplish the purpose of your study. 

Population: Describe the relevant population, specific characteristics, and the approximate size.

Procedures for recruitment and data collection: Here you describe the specific procedures for recruiting participants and collecting data.

Instruments: Identify your chosen instruments and explain why they are the best fit for your study. Describe who developed it and give scholarly citations for its effectiveness.

Data analysis plan: Here you describe the process for analyzing the data and identify any software you will use to assist you.

Assumptions: List aspects of the study that are believed but that you cannot verify to be true. Only include those that are of critical relevance to the study. 

Scope and Delimitations: Many people mistake this section for “limitations,” (since it sounds similar), but it’s really related to the boundaries you draw about what you will study and what you won’t. This includes aspects of the research problem as well as geographical boundaries or demographic requirements.

Limitations: Describe any weaknesses related to methodology or design as well as any biases that influence the study and how they will be addressed. Describe measures you are taking to reduce the effect of the limitations. (Don’t worry–every study has limitations! It actually reflects positively on you as a scholar to have the awareness necessary to see and articulate these).

Ethical Considerations: Here you discuss how you will comply with relevant ethical standards when conducting your study. This may include things like informed consent, protection of vulnerable populations, data security, etc. Include a note about getting IRB approval.

Summary : A brief summary and transition.

Note: You write the first three chapters BEFORE you conduct your study (this is your Dissertation Proposal). You write the final two chapters AFTER conducting your study, and change the tense in the first three chapters from future to past tense. Together, these five chapters make your completed dissertation.

Chapter 4: Results or Findings

Introduction: A brief introduction to the findings

Setting and Demographics: Report on the setting the study took place in and the demographics of the participants. Highlight any differences from your plan in Chapter 3.

Data Analysis: Describe the data analysis process. 

Results: Report the results of the study. Provide enough information so that the reader can understand and make an independent judgment about your decision. This section is usually fairly long and includes selections of data (numbers, charts, graphs, quotes from participants, etc.).

Summary: Briefly summarize the results and transition to Chapter 5.

Chapter 5: Interpretations, Conclusions, Recommendations

After rigorously citing your sources in the first three chapters, Chapter 5 is your opportunity to present your thoughts on the results of your study. Use this opportunity to its fullest potential! While many students just want to get their dissertation over with, a little extra care with this section can make a huge difference in the quality of your dissertation.

Introduction: Concisely summarize the findings.

Implications: Describe your interpretation of the findings. It’s important to make sure that the conclusions you draw are within the scope of your study. Support all of your conclusions with the research findings. Describe how these results relate to the problem and purpose of your study. Discuss how this study contributes to scholarly knowledge and could create an impact in the world.

Limitations: Describe the limitations of your study.

Recommendations for Future Research: Based on your findings and the limitations of your study, describe your recommendations for future research. This could be somebody’s dissertation in the future!

Nicholas Tippins

Nicholas has been a dissertation editor since 2015. He founded a dissertation editing firm that served clients around the world. Currently, he manages the editing team at Beyond PhD Coaching.

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A Step-by-Step Guide Creating Your Dissertation Outline

Table of contents

• 1 Understanding the Purpose of an Outline
• 2 Preliminary Steps Before Drafting the Outline
• 3.2 Abstract
• 3.3 Introduction
• 3.4 Literature Review
• 3.5 Methodology
• 3.6 Results
• 3.7 Discussion
• 3.8 Conclusion
• 3.9 Bibliography/References
• 4 Example Of A Dissertation Outline
• 5.1 Find a Good Topic
• 5.2 Be Prepared to Adjust Your Outline as Your Research Progresses
• 5.3 Stick to a Consistent Style and Format
• 5.4 Design a Methodology for Gathering Data and Information
• 5.5 Consult Your Supervisor or Colleagues
• 5.6 Depth Over Breadth
• 5.7 Regularly Revisit and Revise the Outline
• 6 Outline – Your Main Dissertation Guideline

All types of academic writing assignments are deservedly considered the most difficult for students to complete. It’s not only required to demonstrate creativity but theoretical knowledge and understanding of the structure and requirements of the work. In these terms, it’s hard to overestimate the importance of a Master’s thesis and a candidate’s dissertation. These projects sum up your entire university education. In this article, we will discuss:

• How to start crafting a comprehensive dissertation outline that serves as the roadmap for your research and writing process
• Explore the ways in which creating a well-structured chapters outline for your dissertation not only simplifies the task of research writing but also accelerates the entire process, ensuring coherence and clarity in your academic work.
• What are the essential elements your dissertation should encompass, spanning from the introduction to the conclusion, ensuring your research work meets all criteria of a scholarly work.

To write a dissertation outline, you need to understand its importance and purpose. Let’s start by identifying the main objectives of the dissertation outline.

Understanding the Purpose of an Outline

Writing a thesis is the final point in your studies. Responsible work requires a responsible approach, especially considering the volume and requirements of the dissertation. By using an outline strategy, you can save time and structure your work more effectively. Among the main advantages of the plan are these:

• A dissertation outline brings order to your thoughts and ideas, helping you avoid repetition.
• An outline will give shape to your ideas and help you organize your thoughts into structured paragraphs.
• Having a plan in front of your eyes, you won’t miss important points.
• The dissertation outline logically arranges the flow and the order of your thoughts, linking them together.

Writing a dissertation plan is a process that requires strategy and theoretical knowledge. By using our professional essay-writing services , you will ensure high-quality results and save your energy. We will be happy to help you complete the thesis chapter outline even in the shortest possible time.

Preliminary Steps Before Drafting the Outline

Now that you already know the purpose of creating an outline for your dissertation, the time has come to begin preparing to write it. Before you make an outline for all dissertation parts, you should pay attention to three preliminary steps:

• Understand the guidelines

Study in detail the requirements and guidelines of your department and university regarding dissertation work. The key to writing a paper worthy of appreciation is understanding the requirements. Considering studying dissertation planning templates for a better idea.

• Study the scientific context

Immerse yourself in the context of your dissertation topic. You must understand the specifics of existing literature on your topic, as well as the prospects for the development of future research.

• Define the main research questions

After studying the available information, clearly outline the scope of your research problem and formulate the main research questions. The structure of a dissertation requires you to limit yourself to a few main areas of research and not to spread yourself across many topics.

Chapters of a Comprehensive Dissertation Outline

The title page is the first element of the dissertation structure. Your task is to give an overview of the topic of your work in a few words. We’ve already covered tips on writing research paper titles to help you out. To come up with a dissertation title yourself, conduct a brainstorming, highlighting the main ideas for the title, and use the most interesting option while avoiding ambiguity.

The abstract is a brief summary of the components of a dissertation. After reading the abstract, the audience should get a comprehensive picture of your work. These, together with the title page and table of contents, form a separate fragment at the beginning of a dissertation. Although the abstract and the table of contents are located at the very commencement, they should be written after completing work on the main text, having made all the conclusions. A proper dissertation abstract includes an introduction, purpose, methods, dissertation proposal, research results, and conclusions. Typically, this piece of text consists of 200-300 words.

Introduction

To create an introduction chapter outline for dissertation, you should base it on four central elements:

• Background information . You should introduce the reader to your topic by describing the background for choosing this particular research topic.
• The scientific importance of your research . After all, the research question should not only be interesting to you but also introduce novelty into the scientific community. State the main reasons for conducting research on the topic of your thesis.
• Define the boundaries of your research design . Indicate within what framework the study of the research question will be carried out and exactly which aspects of the chosen direction were considered in the work.
• Formulate a goal or hypothesis that is revealed through your research .

Literature Review

A literature review chapter is necessary to highlight the under-researched elements of your chosen topic. First of all, you need to monitor existing sources on the topic of your research. Study works related to your field, selecting the most relevant ones. Then, identify gaps in the literature, namely issues that require further discussion. The final step of a literature review is to draw up a theoretical framework for your further research. Determine the main areas in which study and analysis will be carried out. This stage is integral for identifying the research question and most pressing scientific needs.

Methodology

The research methodology of your dissertation is not a dry list of research methods. This integral part of your dissertation structure requires a clear explanation of the strategy you have chosen for data collection and data analysis of the research findings. You need to not only mention the research method used for data collection but also compare the feasibility of your choice.

Start your methodology by indicating whether you used quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods, explaining your choice. Tell who participated in your study and what the prerequisites were. Discuss the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing data for your dissertation paper. Be sure to describe and analyze in your methodology the ethical issues you encountered in your research problem. The general requirements for a dissertation methodology state the scope should be 1,500 to 2,000 words.

After you have completed your research, you will have to present your discoveries. Describe the information obtained during the study. Please note that the research findings or results section of the dissertation only requires a presentation of your own discoveries regarding the topic. The data analysis of other sources has already been discussed in detail in the previous sections of a dissertation. Be concise and logical in listing the main research findings. This section encourages the use of visual material such as tables, graphics, charts, etc.

The discussion is the part of your dissertation that analyzes your findings in relation to the problem statement in the literature review and stated research questions. In this part, you need to logically connect the information you received during the research with your objectives and the main research questions. Explain exactly how the information you received is important for science and future research on the chosen topic. To write a good research paper , it is necessary to provide convincing arguments in favor of the conclusions you draw based on the data obtained.

Also, give an overview of to what extent you were able to disclose the issues identified in the literature review. Moreover, it’s required to discuss what factors limited your progress in studying the dissertation topic. Finally, review your intentions for future research in studying this scientific area. Identify which elements still require additional discussion and why it is important to pay attention to these factors.

The last part of the dissertation or thesis outline is the conclusion. In the final parts of the work, you need to summarize the information you received and the results achieved during the study. Include in the conclusion chapter all important discoveries and conclusions drawn from your research paper. This fragment should be brief and logically correspond to the tasks you set at the beginning of the dissertation. And don’t forget to also state what scientific contribution your study makes and how these discoveries are useful for the scientific community.

Bibliography/References

After your thesis chapters, the dissertation structure requires a bibliography. This is a list of literature sources that were used during the research. There are generally accepted formats that you must strictly adhere to. Study in detail a Ph.D. thesis outline template to know the requirements for the formatting. Every written, printed or electronic literary source must be included in the Bibliography.

Example Of A Dissertation Outline

It is better to see a sample dissertation outline once in practice than to read it in theory a hundred times. We advise you to familiarize yourself with dissertation outline example so that you have a clear understanding of how to write your own. Our professional dissertation writers tried their best to make your work easier and ensure that you have a hassle-free dissertation writing experience. Study the example we have given below and use it as a dissertation plan template for your own PhD thesis outline:

Tips for Crafting Outline Effective and Fast

Find a good topic.

If you choose a relevant topic, it will be easy for you to develop all five chapters of a dissertation later. To create a dissertation outline without any problems, choose a topic that interests you and that is relevant. The dissertation process is very energy-intensive, and it will go unnoticed if you are interested in what you are researching.

Be Prepared to Adjust Your Outline as Your Research Progresses

Your dissertation outline is a guide for further research, but you may need to make adjustments as you go. It is very difficult to accurately predict the direction of writing a dissertation paper , so drawing up an accurate plan is almost impossible. Be flexible and be prepared to make small adjustments to your dissertation writing strategy.

Stick to a Consistent Style and Format

Any scientific work requires adherence to a certain style and dissertation structure. The specificity of the dissertation implies the use of a formal scientific style without colloquial terms. It is also necessary to remember to follow the format for writing a scientific paper. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the requirements for formatting the chapters in a dissertation, research design, font, paragraph indentation, etc.

Design a Methodology for Gathering Data and Information

Based on what the research question requires, select the necessary research methods and draw up a methodology. Analyze the objectives you have set and determine the most appropriate ways to collect information. Perhaps interviews, surveys, or observations are suitable for you; the most important thing is that the methods of collecting information correspond to the assigned tasks.

Consult Your Supervisor or Colleagues

Very often, our research reaches a dead end because we lack a fresh perspective on the topic. If, in the process of writing a thesis outline, you find yourself in a blind corner, seek help from your colleagues or supervisor. Perhaps their perspective on the problems you are studying will shed a ray of light on your impasse. The main thing is to choose qualified assistants who can give practical advice.

Depth Over Breadth

Science loves precision and depth, so it is better to choose a limited number of topics and study them in detail than to be scattered in different directions. In the process of drawing up a dissertation/thesis outline, choose several main areas of study and weed out vague ones.

Regularly Revisit and Revise the Outline

Do not forget that the outline is your main guideline when writing a dissertation. During the research, consult and resort to the help of your plan so as not to stray from the intended way. This strategy will help you avoid missing any important elements of your research paper.

Outline – Your Main Dissertation Guideline

Students often doubt the need to write a dissertation outline, but we are ready to dispel all your doubts. A dissertation outline will not only save you time but will also help organize the flow of your ideas into a structured strategy for action. The dissertation layout will save you time during the writing process by serving as a guide as well. Contact PapersOwl for help in drawing up clear dissertation outline templates and ensuring the highest grade.

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PhD Dissertation Outline: Creating a Roadmap to Success

A good PhD dissertation outline is as important to your dissertation as a map is to get you to your destination. Imagine for instance you’re trying to drive to a specific place to attend a party you’ve been looking forward to. You know the address, but you don’t have a map or a driving app. You get there eventually, but it takes a lot longer that it should have and stresses you so much that you’re in a bad mood when you get there. The party ends up being a bust. 

This is similar to trying to write an academic paper, especially a PhD dissertation, without using an outline. 

Why you need a PhD dissertation outline

When you do your PhD, outlines become the driving app for your academic paper, giving you direction so you know what’s in front of you. This is especially important for a PhD dissertation because of its physical length and the amount of time you will need to live with it. Successful PhD dissertation writing requires a laser focus, and an outline makes a great navigator. 

There are many advantages of creating a PhD dissertation outline 1,2 : 

• Organize your project – Using an PhD dissertation outline will help you organize your thoughts and your work. If you have an idea or find a bit of information to include in a different section, simply write a note in the appropriate place to remind yourself. 
• Stay on task – Like the driving app, a PhD dissertation structure keeps you on the proper road and minimizes distractions. When writing without keeping in mind your PhD dissertation structure, it’s easy to find yourself in the weeds. 
• Increase productivity – A PhD dissertation outline keeps you aware of what you have to do, allows you to set goals, and be more productive. 
• Save time – This is a major advantage in PhD dissertation writing. The faster you can successfully complete your dissertation process, the more money you’ll save, and the sooner you can get on with the rest of your life. 
• Reduce anxiety – The effective use of a good PhD dissertation outline will give you control over this massive project. You’ll be more confident that you can successfully complete your PhD dissertation. 

How to write a PhD dissertation outline

So, now that you’re convinced that you need a PhD dissertation outline, where do you start? A few general steps will get you on the right road 3 : 

• Select an appropriate topic: This one might seem obvious, but it is often a very difficult decision to make. The topic will guide the approach and research methodology. Although the research question will probably be tweaked along the way, not choosing a relevant topic at the start will result in chaos later on. 
• Review other dissertations on your topic: This will give you an idea about what your PhD dissertation structure will look like. 
• Draft a research problem: The research problem is the core of your dissertation and will guide your methodology and thus strongly influence your PhD dissertation structure. 
• Get input from your advisor/supervisor: Seek advice from your supervisor on some PhD thesis outline examples and take advantage of any assistance they provide to help you choose wisely. This will help keep you on the right road

PhD dissertation structure

Doctoral dissertations typically have five standard chapters, although your university might have a specific required structure. Here is a brief description of the typical five-chapter PhD dissertation format 3 . 

Chapter 1: Introduction – This section provides an overview of the dissertation including its topic, purpose, and relevance. Typically, the general subject area is discussed and narrowed down to the research topic. Then, the research questions are posed, and the methodology is presented.  Chapter 2: Literature Review – A comprehensive survey and synthesis of existing studies on the research topic, the literature review demonstrates the research gap and sets the context for the research question. Depending on the topic, theory may also be explored. Existing methodologies used to address this topic are also discussed.  Chapter 3: Methodology – In this section, the methodology and materials used to collect and analyze the research data are presented in enough detail to demonstrate the validity of the method and allow the research to be duplicated by others.  Chapter 4: Results – The research findings are reported in this section and presented in relation to the research question. Relevant visuals such as tables and figures are typically included here to communicate the findings effectively.  C hapter 5: Discussion – In a five-chapter format, this is the final chapter in a PhD dissertation format. In this chapter, the findings are discussed and interpreted in light of the research question. Bits from all the chapters are synthesized to completely address the research question. 

An additional chapter is sometimes added that includes conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions for future research. 

Tips for creating your PhD dissertation outline 3,4

Finally, here are some quick and useful tips for your PhD thesis outline journey. 

• Use the structure to complete the outline – Carefully think about each chapter and write down questions and information you will need. 
• Create your outline early – Keep it up to date through your early research and advisor meetings. 
• Be flexible – Changes will need to be made to your outline as you progress. 
• Be detailed – You never know when a small piece of information you jotted down in your outline will save you time and anxiety. 
• Keep in close contact with your PhD dissertation advisor/supervisor – Make sure to share your outline. You may just save yourself a lot of time and misery if major changes need to be made. 
• Stay calm – Changes will come from different committee members. Remember, they are just trying to strengthen your work. 
• Statistics Solutions. The benefit of outlining. https://www.statisticssolutions.com/the-benefits-of-outlining/ [Accessed 14 July 2022].
• PapersOwl. How To Create An Outline For A Dissertation? https://papersowl.com/blog/outline-for-dissertation [Accessed 14 July 2022].
• Research.com. What Is A University Dissertation: Structure, Challenges & Writing Tips. https://research.com/research/what-is-a-university-dissertation [Accessed 14 July 2022].
• Docformats.com. Dissertation Outline Templates. https://www.docformats.com/dissertation-outline-templates/ [Accessed 14 July 2022].

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How to Write a Dissertation Proposal | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on 14 February 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 11 November 2022.

A dissertation proposal describes the research you want to do: what it’s about, how you’ll conduct it, and why it’s worthwhile. You will probably have to write a proposal before starting your dissertation as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

A dissertation proposal should generally include:

• An introduction to your topic and aims
• A literature review  of the current state of knowledge
• An outline of your proposed methodology
• A discussion of the possible implications of the research
• A bibliography  of relevant sources

Dissertation proposals vary a lot in terms of length and structure, so make sure to follow any guidelines given to you by your institution, and check with your supervisor when you’re unsure.

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Table of contents

Step 1: coming up with an idea, step 2: presenting your idea in the introduction, step 3: exploring related research in the literature review, step 4: describing your methodology, step 5: outlining the potential implications of your research, step 6: creating a reference list or bibliography.

Before writing your proposal, it’s important to come up with a strong idea for your dissertation.

Find an area of your field that interests you and do some preliminary reading in that area. What are the key concerns of other researchers? What do they suggest as areas for further research, and what strikes you personally as an interesting gap in the field?

Once you have an idea, consider how to narrow it down and the best way to frame it. Don’t be too ambitious or too vague – a dissertation topic needs to be specific enough to be feasible. Move from a broad field of interest to a specific niche:

• Russian literature 19th century Russian literature The novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky
• Social media Mental health effects of social media Influence of social media on young adults suffering from anxiety

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Like most academic texts, a dissertation proposal begins with an introduction . This is where you introduce the topic of your research, provide some background, and most importantly, present your aim , objectives and research question(s) .

Try to dive straight into your chosen topic: What’s at stake in your research? Why is it interesting? Don’t spend too long on generalisations or grand statements:

• Social media is the most important technological trend of the 21st century. It has changed the world and influences our lives every day.
• Psychologists generally agree that the ubiquity of social media in the lives of young adults today has a profound impact on their mental health. However, the exact nature of this impact needs further investigation.

Once your area of research is clear, you can present more background and context. What does the reader need to know to understand your proposed questions? What’s the current state of research on this topic, and what will your dissertation contribute to the field?

If you’re including a literature review, you don’t need to go into too much detail at this point, but give the reader a general sense of the debates that you’re intervening in.

This leads you into the most important part of the introduction: your aim, objectives and research question(s) . These should be clearly identifiable and stand out from the text – for example, you could present them using bullet points or bold font.

Make sure that your research questions are specific and workable – something you can reasonably answer within the scope of your dissertation. Avoid being too broad or having too many different questions. Remember that your goal in a dissertation proposal is to convince the reader that your research is valuable and feasible:

• Does social media harm mental health?
• What is the impact of daily social media use on 18– to 25–year–olds suffering from general anxiety disorder?

Now that your topic is clear, it’s time to explore existing research covering similar ideas. This is important because it shows you what is missing from other research in the field and ensures that you’re not asking a question someone else has already answered.

You’ve probably already done some preliminary reading, but now that your topic is more clearly defined, you need to thoroughly analyse and evaluate the most relevant sources in your literature review .

Here you should summarise the findings of other researchers and comment on gaps and problems in their studies. There may be a lot of research to cover, so make effective use of paraphrasing to write concisely:

• Smith and Prakash state that ‘our results indicate a 25% decrease in the incidence of mechanical failure after the new formula was applied’.
• Smith and Prakash’s formula reduced mechanical failures by 25%.

The point is to identify findings and theories that will influence your own research, but also to highlight gaps and limitations in previous research which your dissertation can address:

• Subsequent research has failed to replicate this result, however, suggesting a flaw in Smith and Prakash’s methods. It is likely that the failure resulted from…

Next, you’ll describe your proposed methodology : the specific things you hope to do, the structure of your research and the methods that you will use to gather and analyse data.

You should get quite specific in this section – you need to convince your supervisor that you’ve thought through your approach to the research and can realistically carry it out. This section will look quite different, and vary in length, depending on your field of study.

You may be engaged in more empirical research, focusing on data collection and discovering new information, or more theoretical research, attempting to develop a new conceptual model or add nuance to an existing one.

Dissertation research often involves both, but the content of your methodology section will vary according to how important each approach is to your dissertation.

Empirical research

Empirical research involves collecting new data and analysing it in order to answer your research questions. It can be quantitative (focused on numbers), qualitative (focused on words and meanings), or a combination of both.

With empirical research, it’s important to describe in detail how you plan to collect your data:

• Will you use surveys ? A lab experiment ? Interviews?
• What variables will you measure?
• How will you select a representative sample ?
• If other people will participate in your research, what measures will you take to ensure they are treated ethically?
• What tools (conceptual and physical) will you use, and why?

It’s appropriate to cite other research here. When you need to justify your choice of a particular research method or tool, for example, you can cite a text describing the advantages and appropriate usage of that method.

Don’t overdo this, though; you don’t need to reiterate the whole theoretical literature, just what’s relevant to the choices you have made.

Moreover, your research will necessarily involve analysing the data after you have collected it. Though you don’t know yet what the data will look like, it’s important to know what you’re looking for and indicate what methods (e.g. statistical tests , thematic analysis ) you will use.

Theoretical research

You can also do theoretical research that doesn’t involve original data collection. In this case, your methodology section will focus more on the theory you plan to work with in your dissertation: relevant conceptual models and the approach you intend to take.

For example, a literary analysis dissertation rarely involves collecting new data, but it’s still necessary to explain the theoretical approach that will be taken to the text(s) under discussion, as well as which parts of the text(s) you will focus on:

• This dissertation will utilise Foucault’s theory of panopticism to explore the theme of surveillance in Orwell’s 1984 and Kafka’s The Trial…

Here, you may refer to the same theorists you have already discussed in the literature review. In this case, the emphasis is placed on how you plan to use their contributions in your own research.

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You’ll usually conclude your dissertation proposal with a section discussing what you expect your research to achieve.

You obviously can’t be too sure: you don’t know yet what your results and conclusions will be. Instead, you should describe the projected implications and contribution to knowledge of your dissertation.

First, consider the potential implications of your research. Will you:

• Develop or test a theory?
• Provide new information to governments or businesses?
• Challenge a commonly held belief?
• Suggest an improvement to a specific process?

Describe the intended result of your research and the theoretical or practical impact it will have:

Finally, it’s sensible to conclude by briefly restating the contribution to knowledge you hope to make: the specific question(s) you hope to answer and the gap the answer(s) will fill in existing knowledge:

Like any academic text, it’s important that your dissertation proposal effectively references all the sources you have used. You need to include a properly formatted reference list or bibliography at the end of your proposal.

Different institutions recommend different styles of referencing – commonly used styles include Harvard , Vancouver , APA , or MHRA . If your department does not have specific requirements, choose a style and apply it consistently.

A reference list includes only the sources that you cited in your proposal. A bibliography is slightly different: it can include every source you consulted in preparing the proposal, even if you didn’t mention it in the text. In the case of a dissertation proposal, a bibliography may also list relevant sources that you haven’t yet read, but that you intend to use during the research itself.

Check with your supervisor what type of bibliography or reference list you should include.

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How to Create a Dissertation Timeline (With Examples + Tempate)

When it’s time to start thinking about writing your dissertation, it is vital to put together a dissertation timeline. This will help you map out the months you will be spending on your dissertation, and ensure that you’re staying on track. A specific and detailed dissertation timeline will serve as an outline to guide you, step by step, through what can be a long and challenging process. 

While we often refer to a dissertation in a way that makes it sound like a monolith, in reality, a dissertation consists of many moving parts. A dissertation timeline includes a series of milestones that leads up to the dissertation defense , revisions, and final submission of your dissertation. Constructing an outline of every step in the dissertation process , including rough estimates of how long each will take, will give you a realistic picture of where you are in the process at any given time. 

Before embarking on your dissertation, it is a good idea to meet with your dissertation advisor and sketch out a dissertation timeline that is realistic for the size and scope of your project and includes deadlines. This will provide you with much-needed structure and a sense of what will happen next. To get an idea of what a completed dissertation looks like and the components your program requires, ask to see samples from recent graduates in your department. 

These are a few frequently asked questions about crafting a dissertation timeline: 

• What does a dissertation timeline look like?
• What goes in a dissertation timeline? 
• How structured should a dissertation timeline be?
• What do you do with a dissertation timeline? 

What Does a Dissertation Timeline Look Like? 

One way to think about a dissertation timeline is as a kind of outline. While the outlining process is unique to each writer, there are commonalities shared by all of them. Likewise, when writing a dissertation timeline, you’ll want to include all of the basic elements of your dissertation as well as the amount of time you think you’ll need to execute them. 

The best dissertation timeline format is the one that works for you. Though I’ve reformed somewhat over the years, for a long time I wasn’t a fan of intensely detailed outlines. Many people don’t like outlines. And that’s okay! However, writing a dissertation is not the time to be flying by the seat of your pants. To get started, a simple, linear timeline that projects the amount of time you think you’ll need to write your dissertation will suffice. 

Example Dissertation Timeline

Below, you’ll find an example of a dissertation timeline, which you can view as an image in your browser or download as a spreadsheet. Feel free to use the spreadsheet as a template as you build your own dissertation timeline.

Or download the spreadsheet below:

Inclusion in a Dissertation Timeline

When constructing your dissertation timeline, include every element of the dissertation from the abstract to the conclusion. Keep in mind that you may not be writing your chapters in chronological order. For instance, after completing their first round of research and writing their research question, most graduate students will tackle their literature review next, even though it comes after the abstract and introduction in the final document. 

Depending on the field being studied, most dissertations will also include sections for methodology, results, and discussion. Many programs also require a detailed conclusion that alludes to future research possibilities. Every dissertation also has an extensive list of references (pro tip: write this as you’re writing your dissertation), as well as appendices for charts, graphs, and other ephemera. And don’t forget your acknowledgments! 

Dissertation Timeline Structure

The structure of your dissertation timeline will take shape once you’re engaged in the research process. While a road map may seem like an apt metaphor for a dissertation, once you get started you may notice a lot of starts and stops and circling back. After you’ve begun researching, you may realize that you need to allot more time for digging through the databases, or you may discover that you need to reformulate your research question entirely. 

I’ve seen many of my own graduate students use calendars to great effect, giving themselves hard and fast deadlines to meet. Many students also build out their dissertation timelines as they progress, attaching working drafts of their abstract, introduction, and literature review to their timeline within a giant spreadsheet that links to multiple documents and sources. All of these methods are valid. Devise one that works for you. 

Using a Dissertation Timeline

So once you have a thoughtful, soundly-constructed dissertation timeline, what do you do with it? First, and most importantly, try your best to adhere to it. Check in with your dissertation timeline regularly, and use it to keep yourself on track. Also, make adjustments to it as needed. If you find yourself breezing through your preliminary research but needing a bit more time for your literature review, consult your timeline and adjust accordingly. 

While meeting your deadlines is important, also construct your dissertation timeline with an understanding that many graduate students face delays once they start working on their dissertation. These can include hold-ups at the department or university level in the form of late IRB approval or limited lab space or grant funding that gets cut. Anything can happen, but having a dissertation timeline will help you get back on track as soon as the storm passes. 

In my own experience, I also found my dissertation timeline to be a great document to share and discuss with my dissertation chair and committee. Once I finished my comprehensive exams, I met with members of my dissertation committee and got feedback on my rough dissertation timeline to make sure my goals for submitting my dissertation and graduating were realistic. This also ensured that we were all on the same page. 

When writing a dissertation, timing is everything. Creating a dissertation timeline gives you definitive time limits for research and writing, and it also influences several other major decisions that you’ll need to make. These include preparation to go on the job market, which often coincides with writing your dissertation. There is no doubt that this will be a hectic time in your graduate school career, but having a well-organized dissertation timeline is a good way to keep everything in perspective. 

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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.

Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include  Studies in American Culture ,  Dialogue , and  The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.

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Dissertations 1: getting started: planning.

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• Choosing A Topic and Researching
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Planning Your Time

The dissertation is a large project, so it needs careful planning. To organise your time, you can try the following:  

Break down the dissertation into smaller stages to complete (e.g., literature search, read materials, data collection, write literature review section…). 

Create a schedule. Working backwards from your deadline, decide when you will complete each stage. 

Set aside time to regularly work on the dissertation. 

Consider what times of day you are most alert and what makes a suitable space to study. 

Identify a specific task to work on. 

If overwhelmed, try to identify one task that needs doing rather than focusing on the larger project. 

Leave time to redraft, proof-read, format, and complete the reference list. 

Gantt Charts

As the dissertation project involves certain processes to take place simultaneously, rather than in a sequence, you can use a Gantt chart to organise your time.  

A Gantt chart is a bar chart which shows the schedule for a project. The project is broken down into key tasks/elements to be completed. A start and finish date for each task/element of the project is given. Some tasks are scheduled at the same time or may overlap. Others will start when a task has been completed. 

To produce a Gantt chart, you can use Word, Excel (see example in the attachment) or an online planner.

• Tom's Planner . There's  an example  for you to use to complete your plan. 
• Excel:  example of Gantt Chart in Excel . This is an example of a Gantt chart which can be used to generate a plan of work (timeline) for your dissertation. You can download and edit it as you please. The chart has been created by the University of Leicester. 

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9+ dissertation outline template – doc, pdf.

A dissertation is usually a big fat research report with several different and elaborate chapters. It can be really messy if you do not start your dissertation based on a proper report outline template . An outline will give the needed skeleton for your dissertation so that you can be clear about the proper placement of chapters and the right points to be discussed.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dissertation Outline

What is a dissertation.

A dissertation is a paper that you write after carrying out independent and original research into a topic approved by your tutor. It is the final and most important part of your degree programme.

The usual format consists of five chapters: introduction, literature review, methodology , discussion, and conclusion. You can find plenty of help and explanations in our dissertation writing guides.

How to choose your dissertation topic?

Choosing your dissertation topic is the first part of your dissertation. It needs to be relevant to your degree, it should discuss a specific problem, and it should contribute to the existing literature on the subject.

Selecting something uninteresting could cause you to lose motivation. Also, something too detailed might not capture the interest of readers. It must hold your interest because this will empower your research and keep you motivated throughout. Picking a topics is no small matter. We have dissertation experts who can suggest topics for you.

You need a dissertation proposal

You can’t pick a topic and immediately start writing. You should write a proposal of what you intend to research and submit it to your supervisor for approval first. There should already be sufficient literature on the subject to support your study, and your chosen topic should solve a current problem or cover a gap in the literature. With these things in place, you can create your proposal.

Process of writing a dissertation outline?

When selecting and finalising a topic for your dissertation, ensure there is sufficient existing literature and research to back up your study. Secondly, the topic you choose should solve a current problem or cover an existing literature gap. Finally, the chosen topic should be interesting to keep you motivated throughout the process. Once you’ve finalised your topic, you will have to submit it to your tutor for approval.

Writing your dissertation outline

When your proposal is accepted, you can start writing an outline for your dissertation. It should be thorough and should contain all the essential parts of a dissertation. It can serve as a plan for you to work through, ensuring you miss nothing, and helps readers understand what the study aims to achieve.

What is the structure of a dissertation outline?

A dissertation outline starts with an introduction and then discusses existing literature on the subject. Next is a description of your research methods, followed by the expected outcome, and finally your conclusions. It’s academic work, so you will have to include a references list.

Start on the introduction, remember, this is just the outline; some people recommend writing the actual introduction last. This is where you discuss the background information, your aims, and your research questions. Get a feel for the requirements of sections by looking through the samples we’ve provided.

The second section is the literature review. It’s where you discuss the current relevant models, frameworks, and concepts. Your claims should be supported by prior research, which you should cite accurately. The past studies that you refer to should not be too old, we suggest not more than six years. Older studies are considered outdated.

What is the third section of a dissertation outline?

The third section of a dissertation outline is the research methodology. This is where you explain the research method you intend to employ in your study. It should be clear about what you intend to research and justify your chosen methods. Here you should also specify which research tools and instruments you plan to use. For guidance on creating your dissertation outline, you can inspect our samples.

Your outline should have a comprehensive reference list. Your dissertation will draw on numerous sources, and you should mention every one of them. If you omit one, then whatever it was that you mentioned from that source will not count. There are several formatting styles for reference lists; your university will specify which to use.

Are you having trouble getting your dissertation approved, or do you have problems constructing your outline? Get in touch with us . Our writers can help you with selecting a topic and writing the outline.

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