bachelor thesis degree

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

The Thesis Process

The thesis is an opportunity to work independently on a research project of your own design and contribute to the scholarly literature in your field. You emerge from the thesis process with a solid understanding of how original research is executed and how to best communicate research results. Many students have gone on to publish their research in academic or professional journals.

To ensure affordability, the per-credit tuition rate for the 8-credit thesis is the same as our regular course tuition. There are no additional fees (regular per-credit graduate tuition x 8 credits).

Below are the steps that you need to follow to fulfill the thesis requirement. Please know that through each step, you will receive guidance and mentorship.

1. Determine Your Thesis Topic and Tentative Question

When you have completed between 24 and 32 credits, you work with your assigned research advisor to narrow down your academic interests to a relevant and manageable thesis topic. Log in to MyDCE , then ALB/ALM Community to schedule an appointment with your assigned research advisor via the Degree Candidate Portal.

Thesis Topic Selection

We’ve put together this guide  to help frame your thinking about thesis topic selection.

Every effort is made to support your research interests that are grounded in your ALM course work, but faculty guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revision or a change of thesis topic may be necessary.

• The point about topic selection is particularly pertinent to scientific research that is dependent upon laboratory space, project funding, and access to private databases. It is also critical for our candidates in ALM, liberal arts fields (English, government, history, international relations, psychology, etc.) who are required to have Harvard faculty direct their thesis projects. Review Harvard’s course catalog online ( my.harvard.edu ) to be sure that there are faculty teaching courses related to your thesis topic. If not, you’ll need to choose an alternative topic.
• Your topic choice must be a new area of research for you. Thesis work represents thoughtful engagement in new academic scholarship. You cannot re-purpose prior research. If you want to draw or expand upon your own previous scholarship for a small portion of your thesis, you need to obtain the explicit permission of your research advisor and cite the work in both the proposal and thesis. Violations of this policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

2. Prepare Prework for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) Course or Tutorial

The next step in the process is to prepare and submit Prework in order to gain registration approval for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) tutorial or course. The Prework process ensures that you have done enough prior reading and thinking about your thesis topic to benefit from the CTP.

The CTP provides an essential onramp to the thesis, mapping critical issues of research design, such as scope, relevance to the field, prior scholarly debate, methodology, and perhaps, metrics for evaluating impact as well as bench-marking. The CTP identifies and works through potential hurdles to successful thesis completion, allowing the thesis project to get off to a good start.

In addition to preparing, submitting, and having your Prework approved, to be eligible for the CTP, you need to be in good standing, have completed a minimum of 32 degree-applicable credits, including the statistics/research methods requirement (if pertinent to your field). You also need to have completed Engaging in Scholarly Conversation (if pertinent to your field). If you were admitted after 9/1/2023 Engaging in Scholarly Conversation (A and B) is required, if admitted before 9/1/2023 this series is encouraged.

Advising Note for Biology, Biotechnology, and Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Candidates : Thesis projects in these fields are designed to support ongoing scientific research happening in Harvard University, other academic institutions, or life science industry labs and usually these are done under the direction of a principal investigator (PI). Hence, you need to have a thesis director approved by your research advisor  prior  to submitting CTP prework. Your CTP prework is then framed by the lab’s research. Schedule an appointment with your research advisor a few months in advance of the CTP prework deadlines in order to discuss potential research projects and thesis director assignment.

CTP Prework is sent to our central email box:  [email protected]  between the following firm deadlines:

• April 1 and June 1 for fall CTP
• September 1 and November 1 for spring CTP.  
• August 1 and October 1 for the three-week January session (ALM sustainability candidates only)
• International students who need a student visa to attend Harvard Summer School should submit their prework on January 1, so they can register for the CTP on March 1 and submit timely I-20 paperwork. See international students guidelines for more information.

Your research advisor will provide feedback on your prework submission to gain CTP registration approval.  If your prework is not approved after 3 submissions, your research advisor cannot approve your CTP registration.  If not approved, you’ll need to take additional time for further revisions, and submit new prework during the next CTP prework submission time period for the following term (if your five-year degree completion deadline allows).

3. Register and Successfully Complete the Crafting the Thesis Proposal Tutorial or Course

Once CTP prework is approved, you register for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) course or tutorial as you would any other course. The goal of the CTP is to produce a complete, well-written draft of a proposal containing all of the sections required by your research advisor. Creating an academically strong thesis proposal sets the foundation for a high-quality thesis and helps garner the attention of a well-respected thesis director. The proposal is normally between 15 to 25 pages in length.

The CTP  tutorial  is not a course in the traditional sense. You work independently on your proposal with your research advisor by submitting multiple proposal drafts and scheduling individual appointments. You need to make self-directed progress on the proposal without special prompting from the research advisor. You receive a final grade of SAT or UNSAT (failing grade).

The CTP for sustainability is a three-week course in the traditional sense and you receive a letter grade, and it must be B- or higher to receive degree credit for the course.

You are expected to incorporate all of your research advisor’s feedback and be fully committed to producing an academically strong proposal leading to a thesis worthy of a Harvard degree. If you are unable to take advice from your research advisor, follow directions, or produce an acceptable proposal, you will not pass the CTP.

Successful CTP completion also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

Maximum of two attempts . If you don’t pass that CTP, you’ll have — if your five-year, degree-completion date allows — just one more attempt to complete the CTP before being required to withdraw from the program. If you fail the CTP just once and have no more time to complete the degree, your candidacy will automatically expire. Please note that a WD grade counts as an attempt.

If by not passing the CTP you fall into poor academic standing, you will need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the CTP for your second and final time, only if your five-year, degree-completion date allows. If you have no more time on your five-year clock, you will be required to withdraw.

Human Subjects

If your thesis, regardless of field, will involve the use of human subjects (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations), you will need to have your research vetted by the  Committee on the Use of Human Subjects  (CUHS) of Harvard University. Please review the IRB LIFECYCLE GUIDE located on the CUHS website. Your research advisor will help you prepare a draft copy of the project protocol form that you will need to send to CUHS. The vetting process needs to be started during the CTP tutorial, before a thesis director has been assigned.

4. Thesis Director Assignment and Thesis Registration

We expect you to be registered in thesis soon after CTP completion or within 3 months — no later. You cannot delay. It is critical that once a research project has been approved through the CTP process, the project must commence in a timely fashion to ensure the academic integrity of the thesis process.

Once you (1) successfully complete the CTP and (2) have your proposal officially approved by your research advisor (RA), you move to the thesis director assignment phase. Successful completion of the CTP is not the same as having an officially approved proposal. These are two distinct steps.

If you are a life science student (e.g., biology), your thesis director was identified prior to the CTP, and now you need the thesis director to approve the proposal.

The research advisor places you with a thesis director. Do not approach faculty to ask about directing your thesis.  You may suggest names of any potential thesis directors to your research advisor, who will contact them, if they are eligible/available to direct your thesis, after you have an approved thesis proposal.

When a thesis director has been identified or the thesis proposal has been fully vetted by the preassigned life science thesis director, you will receive a letter of authorization from the Assistant Dean of Academic Programs officially approving your thesis work and providing you with instructions on how to register for the eight-credit Master’s Thesis. The letter will also have a tentative graduation date as well as four mandatory thesis submission dates (see Thesis Timetable below).

Continuous Registration Tip: If you want to maintain continued registration from CTP to thesis, you should meet with your RA prior to prework to settle on a workable topic, submit well-documented prework, work diligently throughout the CTP to produce a high-quality proposal that is ready to be matched with a thesis director as soon as the CTP is complete.

Good academic standing. You must be good academic standing to register for the thesis. If not, you’ll need to complete additional courses to bring your GPA up to the 3.0 minimum prior to registration.

Thesis Timetable

The thesis is a 9 to 12 month project that begins after the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP); when your research advisor has approved your proposal and identified a Thesis Director.

The date for the appointment of your Thesis Director determines the graduation cycle that will be automatically assigned to you:

Once registered in the thesis, we will do a 3-month check-in with you and your thesis director to ensure progress is being made. If your thesis director reports little to no progress, the Dean of Academic Programs reserves the right to issue a thesis not complete (TNC) grade (see Thesis Grading below).

As you can see above, you do not submit your thesis all at once at the end, but in four phases: (1) complete draft to TA, (2) final draft to RA for format review and academic integrity check, (3) format approved draft submitted to TA for grading, and (4) upload your 100% complete graded thesis to ETDs.

Due dates for all phases for your assigned graduation cycle cannot be missed.  You must submit materials by the date indicated by 5 PM EST (even if the date falls on a weekend). If you are late, you will not be able to graduate during your assigned cycle.

If you need additional time to complete your thesis after the date it is due to the Thesis Director (phase 1), you need to formally request an extension (which needs to be approved by your Director) by emailing that petition to:  [email protected] .  The maximum allotted time to write your thesis, including any granted extensions of time is 12 months.

Timing Tip: If you want to graduate in May, you should complete the CTP in the fall term two years prior or, if a sustainability student, in the January session one year prior. For example, to graduate in May 2025:

• Complete the CTP in fall 2023 (or in January 2024, if a sustainability student)
• Be assigned a thesis director (TD) in March/April 2024
• Begin the 9-12 month thesis project with TD
• Submit a complete draft of your thesis to your TD by February 1, 2025
• Follow through with all other submission deadlines (April 1, April 15 and May 1 — see table above)
• Graduate in May 2025

5. Conduct Thesis Research

When registered in the thesis, you work diligently and independently, following the advice of your thesis director, in a consistent, regular manner equivalent to full-time academic work to complete the research by your required timeline.

You are required to produce at least 50 pages of text (not including front matter and appendices). Chapter topics (e.g., introduction, background, methods, findings, conclusion) vary by field.

6. Format Review — Required of all Harvard Graduate Students and Part of Your Graduation Requirements

All ALM thesis projects must written in Microsoft Word and follow a specific Harvard University format. A properly formatted thesis is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without it.

Your research advisor will complete the format review prior to submitting your thesis to your director for final grading according to the Thesis Timetable (see above).

You must use our Microsoft Word ALM Thesis Template or Microsoft ALM Thesis Template Creative Writing (just for creative writing degree candidates). It has all the mandatory thesis formatting built in. Besides saving you a considerable amount of time as you write your thesis, the preprogrammed form ensures that your submitted thesis meets the mandatory style guidelines for margins, font, title page, table of contents, and chapter headings. If you use the template, format review should go smoothly, if not, a delayed graduation is highly likely.

Format review also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred directly to the Administrative Board.

7. Mandatory Thesis Archiving — Required of all Harvard Graduate Students and Part of Your Graduation Requirements

Once your thesis is finalized, meaning that the required grade has been earned and all edits have been completed, you must upload your thesis to Harvard University’s electronic thesis and dissertation submission system (ETDs). Uploading your thesis ETDs is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without completing this step.

The thesis project will be sent to several downstream systems:

• Your work will be preserved using Harvard’s digital repository DASH (Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard).
• Metadata about your work will be sent to HOLLIS (the Harvard Library catalog).
• Your work will be preserved in Harvard Library’s DRS2 (digital preservation repository).

By submitting work through ETDs @ Harvard you will be signing the Harvard Author Agreement. This license does not constrain your rights to publish your work subsequently. You retain all intellectual property rights.

For more information on Harvard’s open access initiatives, we recommend you view the Director of the Office of Scholarly Communication (OSC), Peter Suber’s brief introduction .

Thesis Grading

You need to earn a grade of B- or higher in the thesis. All standard course letter grades are available to your thesis director. If you fail to complete substantial work on the thesis, you will earn a grade of TNC (thesis not complete). If you have already earned two withdrawal grades, the TNC grade will count as a zero in your cumulative GPA.

If you earn a grade below B-, you will need to petition the Administrative Board for permission to attempt the thesis for a second and final time. The petition process is only available if you are in good academic standing and your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time. Your candidacy will automatically expire if you do not successfully complete the thesis by your required deadline.

If approved for a second attempt, you may be required to develop a new proposal on a different topic by re-enrolling in the CTP and being assigned a different thesis director. Tuition for the second attempt is calculated at the current year’s rate.

If by not passing the thesis you fall into poor academic standing, you’ll need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before re-engaging with the thesis process for the second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time.

The Board only reviews cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the thesis.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

BS Thesis Guidelines and Timeline

Bachelor of science in biological sciences.

Bachelor of Science (BS): The BS is designed for students who wish to delve more deeply into the field of their major through additional electives, participation in scientific research, and completion of a BS thesis that summarizes their research. Successful BS students will (1) learn how scientists design and conduct scientific experiments; (2) collect data as part of a research effort; (3) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of that data; (4) interpret the data in the context of a specific scientific discipline; and (5) describe their work in a BS Thesis

Students can earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biological Sciences in any of the tracks by:

(1) completing three upper-level elective courses in Biological Sciences beyond those required for the BA degree, including  BIOS 28900  Undergraduate Bachelor of Science Research (or both quarters of  BIOS 00296  Undergraduate Honors Research if also pursuing Biology Research Honors)

(2) writing a BS thesis under the supervision of an adviser who is a member of the Biological Sciences Division research faculty.

Guidelines and Timeline for the BS in Biological Sciences

If you are participating in the BSCD honors program or a specialization that requires a thesis, you do not need to prepare a separate proposal (or thesis) for the BS degree, but you should submit copies of these materials to the BS program. Honors and specialization students are required to submit the BS Faculty Consent form in Spring of the 3rd year as directed below. You should adhere to the honors or specialization guidelines as you prepare your proposal, select faculty readers, and write your thesis. BS students who are writing a specialization thesis but are not in the BSCD Honors program are required to register for the BS research course (BIOS 28900) as directed below.

Spring of 2nd year

Declare your major as BA or BS in Biological Sciences. Remember that, in addition to the thesis, a BS requires three upper-level BIOS courses (numbered BIOS 21xxxx through 28xxx) beyond the five required for the BA degree. One of these courses must be BIOS 28900 unless you are taking BIOS 00296 for Research Honors.

Autumn of 3rd year

Start looking for a member of the BSD research faculty to serve as your thesis adviser and start developing ideas for your thesis research.

Description of the BS thesis

BS students will write a thesis based on original research. The topic must be a current issue in Biology, including basic science, medicine, and other applied fields, be described in a compelling thesis proposal, and be supported by a willing and appropriate Mentor. In most cases the thesis will present and analyze primary data collected by the student during their time in a mentor's lab. Students may also conduct critical and novel analysis of existing primary data (e.g., a critique of a healthcare policy such as methadone maintenance, a meta-analysis of recent clinical trials of antidepressants, or an argument against punctuated equilibria based on a fossil collection or genomic data). In either case, the work must be hypothesis driven and present evidence that tests the hypothesis. Topics related to global and public health will be accepted only for majors in the global and public health track. Please contact Chris Andrews if you have questions about the appropriateness of your topic. The thesis should follow the format of a published paper in a target journal appropriate for your topic but should include more extensive literature review and context in the introduction and conclusion.  A typical BS thesis is approximately 30 pages of double-spaced text (not including figures, tables and references).

Spring of 3rd year

To declare your interest in pursuing the BS in Biological Sciences, please submit the BS Faculty Consent Form  by 11:59 PM on Friday of finals week. If you have not already done so, please make sure you have officially declared your major as a BS in Biological Sciences so your college adviser can correctly slot courses into your degree program.

All BS students who will not be registered for BIOS 00296 (Undergraduate Honors Research) must register to take the BS research course (BIOS 28900 Undergraduate BS Research) in Autumn of their 4th year. We will add BIOS 00296 students to the BIOS 28900 Canvas site as unregistered students so they will receive announcements and can submit their materials for the BS degree. BS students who are writing a specialization thesis but are not in the BSCD Honors program are required to register for BIOS 28900.

Summer between 3rd and 4th year

BS students will typically conduct the bulk of their thesis research during this summer.

Autumn of 4th year

Unless you are in the BSCD Honors program and registered for BIOS 00296, make sure you are registered for the BS research course (BIOS 28900, Undergraduate BS Research) and have access to the associated Canvas site. BS students who are writing a specialization thesis but are not in the BSCD Honors program are required to register for the BS research course.

Submit a 1-2 page (single-spaced) thesis proposal (approved by your thesis adviser) as an assignment on the BIOS 28900 Canvas site by the end of Week 1.

Minimally, this proposal should include:

• the name, e-mail address, and department of your thesis adviser.
• a working title for your thesis.
• one introductory paragraph giving the background and rationale for your project.
• three to five paragraphs outlining your research question, hypotheses, predictions, and proposed methods.
• a few sentences regarding your proposed research timeline.
• a list of references cited in the proposal.

Winter of 4th year (by end of quarter)

During finals week , submit the names and e-mail addresses of two faculty readers from BSD research departments (other than your thesis adviser) to review your thesis in the spring. You will submit these names as an assignment on the BIOS 28900 Canvas site.

Spring of 4th year

By 11:59 PM on Friday of Week 4

Submit your thesis to your thesis adviser, who must approve it before you send it to readers for review. You do not need to submit this version of the thesis to the BSCD. This checkpoint allows your adviser to confirm that your thesis is in acceptable shape to send to readers.

By 11:59 PM on Friday of Week 5

Submit your thesis, approved by your thesis adviser, to your two faculty readers, along with the faculty review form (make a copy of the review form to share with readers here ). You should request that these readers return their reviews to you by Wednesday of Week 7 so you have time to respond to their feedback by the final deadline at the end of Week 8.

Between Weeks 7 and 8

In collaboration with your thesis adviser, revise your thesis in accordance with the feedback from your faculty reviewers. Both your thesis adviser and your two readers must sign off on the revisions before your final submission.  

By 11:59 PM on Friday of Week 8 

Submit the final version of the approved thesis, with confirmation of approval by your thesis adviser and two additional readers. You may collect signatures on a cover page ( here's the TEMPLATE)  or ask your adviser and readers to provide confirmation of approval by email to: [email protected]. 

What is an Undergraduate Dissertation?

While most discussions of ‘dissertations’ focus on postgraduate study, undergraduate students also frequently complete undergraduate dissertations as one part of their overall degree. This article will provide an overview of the undergraduate dissertation and its standard requirements at UK universities.

What is a Bachelor’s or Undergraduate Dissertation?

An undergraduate dissertation (or Bachelors dissertation) is essentially an extended piece of research and writing on a single subject. It is typically completed in the final year of a degree programme and the topic is chosen based on a student’s own area of interest. It allows the student to explore a narrow topic in greater depth than a traditional module. The student works with a single supervisor chosen from their departmental faculty, and this individual provides guidance and support throughout the course of the research.

How does Undergraduate Dissertation differ from Postgraduate Dissertation?

The bachelor’s dissertation varies significantly from postgraduate dissertations. First, it is considerably shorter in length, averaging only 10,000 – 15,000 words. While this is much shorter than a Masters or PhD dissertation, it is much longer than any other piece of writing required in undergraduate programmes.

Secondly, the undergraduate dissertation is not required to contain the same level of originality as postgraduate work. Students are still expected to complete the work independently and cite all sources, but they do not need to present any new ideas. It is sufficient to conduct thorough, sustained research and present a critical discussion of a relatively narrow research topic. It is not necessary to discuss the philosophical context of the research or to design a distinct methodology. However, it is important to note that the best bachelor’s dissertations demonstrate genuine critical thinking skills and an ability to combine information derived from many different sources.

Finally, the undergraduate dissertation also varies in the type of research conducted, which will be more focused on texts and documents rather than active field research. For the most part students will examine secondary sources or easily accessible primary sources, and they will not be required to pursue obscure or costly data sources. In some disciplines a practical element may be incorporated into the dissertation, but this is usually performed with less independence than would be expected at the postgraduate level.

Undergraduate Dissertation Requirements

• Topic selection : At the end of the penultimate year of study students will be asked to select an area of research for the dissertation. You should be sure to choose a topic that is likely to hold your interest over a long period of time, as it is difficult and dangerous to change your topic once your research period has begun.
• Finding a supervisor : Depending on the university, there may be a formal process in place for allocating supervisors or students may simply approach a member of faculty that they are interested in working with. It can be helpful to meet with potential supervisors before registering an intended research area, as they can help you to refine your proposed topic and give you suggestions for specific research questions. Once the formal dissertation period begins you will meet with your supervisor regularly to discuss your progress and refine your study.
• Early research : Most students begin general reading around their chosen subject area in the summer before the final year. This period is truly key in developing a broad awareness of the subject, and it prepares you for more targeted research once your final year commences.
• Research outline : Once the undergraduate dissertation module begins (usually at the start of year 3) you will be asked to draft a brief dissertation outline of about 2-3 pages in length. This should include a summary of  chapters  and a full bibliography. By now you should have decided upon a narrower aspect of your topic, and this should be formulated into a research title with the help of your supervisor.
• Refined research and writing : At this stage, your research will be much more targeted, in order to pursue your proposed dissertation agenda. You should also begin writing as soon as possible. Most departments require students to submit a substantial piece of writing (3,000-5,000 words) by the end of the first term. Remember that you should submit at least one draft to your supervisor before this deadline, in order to give you time to make necessary revisions.
• Final dissertation : When you’ve completed the writing process you should have roughly three or four chapters, as well as an Introduction and Conclusion. It must all be formatted according to university guidelines, and you must be certain to properly cite all if your sources.
• Binding and submission : Unlike undergraduate essays, the undergraduate dissertation must be professionally bound before being submitted. This is usually done on campus but you need to allow enough time for the process before your submission deadline. The final due date is usually at the end of the second term of the student’s final year.

The marking system for undergraduate dissertations is the same that is used for all other aspects of the undergraduate degree. Students must generally achieve a minimum mark of 40 to pass, but most will aspire to higher marks than this. Marks of 60-69 earn a classification of 2:1 or B; Marks over 70 earn a First classification or A.

The dissertation is marked as a stand-alone module and it is combined with other module marks to determine the overall degree classification. There is no standard rule for UK universities regarding the weight of the dissertation mark when calculating the degree average, so it’s best to check with your university to understand their individual regulations.

For many students, the undergraduate dissertation provides their first taste of prolonged independent research. This can be a daunting experience but it is helpful to remember that your departmental supervisor can be called upon frequently for advice and support. If you work at a consistent and dedicated pace you will have no problem completing the dissertation on time. You will also develop important research skills that can prepare you for postgraduate study.

Bryan Greetham, 2009. How to Write your Undergraduate Dissertation (Palgrave Study Skills). Edition. Palgrave Macmillan.

Manchester Metropolitan University, 2008. Guidance on the Writing of Undergraduate Dissertations. Available: http://www.ioe.mmu.ac.uk/cpd/downloads/UNDERGRAD%20DISSERTATION%20HANDBOOK.pdf. Last accessed 08 Apr 2013.

University of Warwick, 2010. Dissertation Guidelines for Undergraduate Study. Available: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/cll/currentstudents/undergraduatemodules/ce302dissertation/dissertation_guidelines_2010.pdf. Last accessed 08 Apr 2013. Nicholas Walliman, 2004. Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The Essential Guide for Success (SAGE Study Skills Series). 1 Edition. SAGE Publications Ltd.

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• How to Write a Bachelor Thesis - Comprehensive Guide

What Makes a Bachelor Thesis Important?

Bachelor thesis structure and components, how to pick a cool thesis topic, how to write a successful bachelor thesis.

Are you about to write a bachelor thesis? Congratulations - you are on the home straight and need to take the very last but important step to earn a bachelor’s degree. You have successfully handled all academic assignments; however, it doesn’t make bachelor thesis writing any easier. Writing a thesis takes a lot of time and requires real dedication to your theme in full.

Being one of the most important parts of your academic career, this assignment is to highlight your experience and knowledge in the chosen field of study. Therefore, it should be approached properly. Otherwise, you risk crapping all your academic achievements. Do not want this to happen to you? Then you need to plan your efforts properly or use writing thesis service  with professional writers to do the assignment for you. In the latter case, you can be sure that the paper you get is of top quality and meets academic writing standards at 100%.

The purpose of a bachelor’s thesis is to give students an opportunity to independently work on a complex assignment, demonstrate their ability to formulate a thesis topic , select relevant literature, and process the data. However, it is not all you need to do in order to produce a quality project. In order to deliver an all-covering paper, you are to conduct in-depth topic research, data analysis, apply relevant methodologies, make critical assessments, and present answers to questions raised in the problem statement. 

Thus, a bachelor’s thesis is far from being a purely writing assignment. It is more of a research nature and requires critical thinking from a student. Being the final task in your academic career, thesis writing is aimed at:

• Teaching you to give an independent and clear treatment of a certain topic, discipline, or area of study;
• Training you to independently identify and analyze a problem, find solutions, and predict outcomes;
• Sharpening your skill to independently acquire and handle academic knowledge;
• Cultivating your ability to evaluate and account for the key elements in a large literature base.

As you can see, bachelor thesis writing is a complex task that requires a step-by-step approach and proper planning of your actions. So what should you know about this type of writing? What should you take into account when coping with the task? And what makes a thesis good?

Your thesis is probably the longest piece of writing you’ve done so far, and it can be intimidating to know where to start. There is no general rule here. Not all dissertations follow the same thesis structure . Your discipline, topic, and research approach - these are what will determine paper formatting and structure. For example, theses in Humanities are often structured similarly to a long essay - with a central statement and arguments to support it. Paper chapters are organized around different themes or case studies bringing more details to help you with formulating research problem .

The situation is completely different when it comes to empirical research in scientific disciplines. In this case, your dissertation should generally contain the following components:

• Title page;
• Thesis acknowledgment ;
• Abstract in dissertation ;
• Table of contents;
• List of tables / figures;
• List of abbreviations;
• Vocabulary;
• Thesis introduction ;
• Literature review ;
• Dissertation methodology ;
• Discussion in research ;
• Thesis conclusion .

All these are intended to have thesis material structured in a proper way, ease its perception, and prove the relevance of your key research statement. If you are not a skillful scientist or writer and do not know what to start your writing with, then we strongly recommend that you develop a paper outline. Use it as the information backbone for your project, and you will never miss out on a single argument, paragraph, or a critical piece of research data.

Choosing a topic for your thesis can feel like a daunting point, but it can be an exciting thing to do. Picking the right theme for your thesis is a great chance for you to dive deep into a topic of interest to you and to contribute something new to your field. By the way, selecting your topic can ease thesis writing and make it a success with no special effort or labor on your end. So how choosy to be in order to pick a winning topic for your main academic project? Here are some points for your evaluation:

• List your main interests related to your area of study;
• Go through your past successful academic assignments;
• Check gaps in current research related to your field;
• Eliminate reserch topic ideas  that don’t promise avenues for new exploration;
• Do preliminary research to estimate the scope of literature you can use as the source of information.

When picking a topic for your thesis, the main task you have is to make sure that it is acute, scientifically valuable, interesting to you, and provides you research perspectives.

Do not know what topic to go with? Need help with proper topic formulation? Or maybe you need someone to do the proofreading job for you? Let us do the service for you and polish your paper to make your thesis shine.

Thesis writing can be an easy task if you have a clear plan of action. We have done it for you, so you just need to stick to the following steps:

• Research the topic;
• Formulate the key statement based on research findings;
• Build a thesis research design ;
• Group the data around the key subject;
• Develop an outline of your piece;
• Write a paper draft (start your writing attempts with the discussion section of a project);
• Edit a paper (pay attention to key formulations and content of your piece);
• Fix formatting, punctuation, and spelling errors;
• Run a plagiarism check and make sure that all quotes and references are properly cited.

As you follow the above approach, your thesis writing efforts reach your main target and will bring you recognition in your field of study. 

Selecting a good thesis topic might be a real nightmare to many college students since you are expected to write about something new although nobody expects that you make some groundbreaking discovery. If you are stuck with formulating the key theme for your thesis project, we will share with you so...

To successfully come up with your thesis acknowledgement, read this helpful guidance article or contact our pro writers to get dissertation help. How to write an acknowledgement for a thesis? This section should be presented only to express your sincere gratitude to individuals who helped you in you...

When you write a thesis, you should pay exceptional attention to the introduction. The reader will start your thesis from the introduction, and he will make up his view and understanding of the problem, your ideas, professionalism and writing skills based on the introduction. Your introduction is an...

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 .

Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers

The Harvard University Archives ’ collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University’s history.

Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research institution as well as the development of numerous academic fields. They are also an important source of biographical information, offering insight into the academic careers of the authors.

Spanning from the ‘theses and quaestiones’ of the 17th and 18th centuries to the current yearly output of student research, they include both the first Harvard Ph.D. dissertation (by William Byerly, Ph.D . 1873) and the dissertation of the first woman to earn a doctorate from Harvard ( Lorna Myrtle Hodgkinson , Ed.D. 1922).

Other highlights include:

• The collection of Mathematical theses, 1782-1839
• The 1895 Ph.D. dissertation of W.E.B. Du Bois, The suppression of the African slave trade in the United States, 1638-1871
• Ph.D. dissertations of astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (Ph.D. 1925) and physicist John Hasbrouck Van Vleck (Ph.D. 1922)
• Undergraduate honors theses of novelist John Updike (A.B. 1954), filmmaker Terrence Malick (A.B. 1966),  and U.S. poet laureate Tracy Smith (A.B. 1994)
• Undergraduate prize papers and dissertations of philosophers Ralph Waldo Emerson (A.B. 1821), George Santayana (Ph.D. 1889), and W.V. Quine (Ph.D. 1932)
• Undergraduate honors theses of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (A.B. 1940) and Chief Justice John Roberts (A.B. 1976)

What does a prize-winning thesis look like?

If you're a Harvard undergraduate writing your own thesis, it can be helpful to review recent prize-winning theses. The Harvard University Archives has made available for digital lending all of the Thomas Hoopes Prize winners from the 2019-2021 academic years.

Accessing These Materials

How to access materials at the Harvard University Archives

How to find and request dissertations, in person or virtually

How to find and request undergraduate honors theses

How to find and request Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize papers

How to find and request Bowdoin Prize papers

• email: Email
• Phone number 617-495-2461

Related Collections

Harvard faculty personal and professional archives, harvard student life collections: arts, sports, politics and social life, access materials at the harvard university archives.

Bachelor Thesis or Bachelor’s Thesis?

The correct term is bachelor’s thesis because you need to show that the thesis belongs to the bachelor. E.g., “Her bachelor’s thesis was on 18 th -century British poetry.” However, the term bachelor thesis , which is viewed as incorrect by some people, is more common.

The difference between the two terms is that the one with the apostrophe shows that the thesis belongs to the bachelor, which in this form is a noun.

• His bachelor’s thesis was on crime statistics in New York City.

In contrast, in the version without the apostrophe, the word bachelor is an adjective that describes the thesis .

• The college rejected her bachelor thesis for plagiarism.

The term bachelor thesis is unacceptable to many people . However, the word bachelor appears as an adjective in the dictionary. Furthermore, there are plenty of examples of people using the term without an apostrophe.

However, although the term bachelor thesis is common, the correct grammar is bachelor’s thesis , with an apostrophe and no capital letter.

Please keep reading the rest of the article to learn more about the different versions and to find out the rules regarding capitalization.

Bachelor’s Thesis

The term bachelor’s thesis is the correct way to refer to a thesis written by a bachelor.

The apostrophe is necessary to show that the thesis belongs to the bachelor.

• He wrote a bachelor’s thesis on the consistency of different types of concrete.

Furthermore, there is no need to use capital letters for a bachelor’s thesis because neither word is a proper noun.

However, if you are writing the full title of a bachelor’s degree, then you should use a capital letter.

• They awarded him with a Bachelor of Arts In French.

Bachelor Thesis

Although many people feel it is incorrect , people commonly use the term bachelor thesis to refer to a bachelor’s thesis .

In this form, the word bachelor is an adjective rather than a noun. Therefore, it doesn’t need an apostrophe.

• I did not do a bachelor thesis , so I didn’t graduate with honors.
• She is writing her bachelor thesis on the causes of poverty.

Please bear in mind that, although this version is common , if you are writing formally, it is best to stick to the correct grammatical version, which is bachelor’s thesis .

Bachelors Thesis

The term bachelors thesis is an incorrect form of bachelor’s thesis.

In this form, with the “s” at the end, the apostrophe is vital because you need to indicate that the thesis is the bachelors .

For example, it is similar to saying:

• The thesis is Johns.
• It is John’s thesis.

Therefore, you must always put an apostrophe in the word order where the bachelor comes first.

• Correct: John wrote a bachelor’s thesis on economic development in Vietnam.
• Incorrect: John wrote a bachelors thesis on economic development in Vietnam.

Bachelors’ Thesis

The term bachelors’ thesis is not correct because the thesis belongs to the bachelor. Therefore, you should always put the apostrophe before the “s.”

As shown in these examples:

• Correct: Her bachelor’s thesis is on river pollution.
• Incorrect: Her bachelors’ thesis is on river pollution.
• Lady’s or Ladies’ or Ladies?
• Saturdays or Saturday’s?
• Secretary’s or Secretaries’ or Secretaries?
• Nicholas’ or Nicholas’s?

We are a team of dedicated English teachers.

Our mission is to help you create a professional impression toward colleagues, clients, and executives.

© EnglishRecap

Online Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree to Start in Fall

By Kathy Quirk

The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare plans to begin offering an online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice and criminology in the fall semester 2024.

The new option is a response to the need for alternatives for students who are interested in earning or completing the degree in an online format, according to Alyssa Sheeran, assistant professor and graduate program coordinator.

The new program grew out of faculty discussions about changes during and after the pandemic, with many courses successfully moving online, Sheeran said.

“Students have really liked those options, so we are trying to keep up with market demands. We are still going to offer our in-person bachelor’s degree, but we will also have the online option so students can do either.”

Over the past several years, there has been increasing interest in online options, she added. “We moved our master’s degree online and that has been successful. We’ve had good enrollment and good retention. We’re hoping to see something similar with the bachelor’s degree.”

Flexibility for Students

Offering the degree online will provide flexibility for students who have career and family commitments, as well as those who can’t easily travel to campus, she added.

“We’ll be able to reach a larger geographical region so students that may not necessarily live in the area or live outside Wisconsin who are interested in the program will have the ability to complete the degree online from our institution.”

In addition to reaching out to new students the online program should be helpful in retaining or attracting students who want to complete a degree, according to Sheeran.

“It’s an opportunity to reach out to students who have maybe started their degree but weren’t able to finish because of outside circumstances.”

The program is designed to reach out to police officers, for example, whose departments require them to complete a certain number of credits, she added. “They may need to finish those 60 credits that’s required of them. This will give them that option to do so.”

The online courses will be available in asynchronous format or synchronous format. The synchronous format allows students to go online in a classroom setting and interact with instructors and classmates. The asynchronous format gives students more opportunity to work outside of a classroom setting at their own pace.

Some extra financial aid is available for the online bachelor’s degree. The Stan Stojkovic scholarship , established by professor of criminal justice and criminology and former dean of Helen Bader, will be focused on helping those in criminal justice who are completing degrees through the online program.

CU Boulder to offer new bachelor's degree in public health

A pr. 16—The University of Colorado Boulder will offer a bachelor of arts degree in public health beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, following high demand from students.

"Some market research has shown that CU Boulder loses students each year who are interested in studying public health," said Colleen Reid, geography professor and director of the public health certificate program. "When they look at the majors that are offered on our campus, they don't see something in health."

Public health focuses on improving people's health and well-being while preventing health problems before they occur. Students who get a degree in public health can work in a variety of fields including biostatistics, environment and health, nutrition, public health policy and health administration.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the new degree program at its regular meeting on Thursday. The program proposal was presented in a regent committee meeting in March.

"We think this program will grow very quickly," said Irene Blair, College of Arts and Sciences dean of natural sciences.

In 2014, CU Boulder students asked for a public health major and the university created a public health certificate. It's now the largest undergraduate certificate on the Boulder campus. Since 2019, the certificate averages just under 200 students a year who take the certificate in addition to their major.

"Students have been asking for more," Reid said.

Reid said the longer-term goal is to turn the existing certificate into a minor and add more faculty. The university would like to offer different tracks or sub-specialties within public health in the future.

Because there's no school of public health, courses are taught by professors from a variety of disciplines.

"This is a very interdisciplinary degree, it very much furthers the strategic branding of the campus," said Katherine Eggert, vice chancellor for academic planning and assessment.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth in public health and healthcare jobs nationally and in Colorado, Reid said. Students no longer need a graduate degree to work in public health and can increasingly get a job with only a bachelor's degree.

"The COVID-19 pandemic just highlighted more and more need for public health trained individuals," Reid said.

(c)2024 the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on September 7, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 21, 2023.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction on a relevant topic .

Your introduction should include:

• Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
• Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
• The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
• Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
• An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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Table of contents

How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write — in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

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Begin by introducing your dissertation topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualize your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

• Geographical area
• Time period
• Demographics or communities
• Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

• Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Builds on existing research
• Proposes a new understanding of your topic

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Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

• Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
• Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
• Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline  of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Survivorship bias
• Self-serving bias
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Hindsight bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

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The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

• A hook to catch the reader’s interest
• Relevant background on the topic
• Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

• A thesis statement or research question
• Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

• Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
• Your proposed timeline and duration
• Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
• Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

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George, T. & McCombes, S. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction. Scribbr. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/introduction-structure/

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