how many references for bachelor thesis

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How to cite an undergraduate thesis in APA

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To cite an undergraduate thesis in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:

Author(s) of the thesis: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
Year of publication: Give the year in brackets followed by a full stop.
Title of the undergraduate thesis: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
URL: Give the full URL where the document can be retrieved from.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an undergraduate thesis in APA style 6th edition:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the undergraduate thesis (Bachelor's thesis). Retrieved from URL

If the thesis is available from a database, archive or any online platform use the following template:

Author(s) of the thesis: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
Publication number: Give the identification number of the thesis, if available.
Name of the degree awarding institution: Give the name of the institution.
Name of Platform: Give the name of the database, archive or any platform that holds the thesis.
URL: If the thesis was found on a database, omit this element.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an undergraduate thesis in APA style 7th edition:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the undergraduate thesis ( Publication number ) [Bachelor's thesis, Name of the degree awarding institution ]. Name of Platform . URL

If the thesis has not been published or is available from a database use the following template:

Location: Give the location of the institution. If outside the United States also include the country name.

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the undergraduate thesis (Unpublished bachelor's thesis). Name of the degree awarding institution , Location .

If the thesis is not published, use the following template:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the undergraduate thesis [Unpublished bachelor's thesis]. Name of the degree awarding institution .

APA reference list examples

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for an undergraduate thesis citation in action:

A bachelor's thesis from an online platform

Parekh, P., & Pishchenko, V . ( 2013 ). Factors influencing the choice of bank – An international student perspective ( Bachelor's thesis ). Retrieved from https://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:653388/FULLTEXT02.pdf

Parekh, P., & Pishchenko, V . ( 2013 ). Factors influencing the choice of bank – An international student perspective [ Bachelor's thesis , Dalarna University ]. Diva Portal . https://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:653388/FULLTEXT02.pdf

An unpublished undergraduate thesis

Baslow, W . ( 2015 ). The applicability of the qualitative system analysis as decision-making tool in public administration by the example of the municipality Ludwigsburg ( Unpublished undergraduate thesis ). Leuphana University of Lüneburg , Lüneburg, Germany .

Baslow, W . ( 2015 ). The applicability of the qualitative system analysis as decision-making tool in public administration by the example of the municipality Ludwigsburg [ Unpublished undergraduate thesis ]. Leuphana University of Lüneburg .

This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ( 6 th edition).

More useful guides

APA Referencing: Theses
APA 6th referencing style: Theses
APA 6th Edition Citation Style-Dissertation/Thesis

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How Many References Should a Research Paper Have? Study of 96,685 Articles

I analyzed a random sample of 96,685 full-text research papers, uploaded to PubMed Central between the years 2016 and 2021, in order to answer the question:

How many references should you cite when writing a research article?

I used the BioC API to download the data (see the References section below).

Here’s a summary of the key findings

1- The average number of references for a research paper is 45 , with 90% of research papers having between 8 and 102 references. However, this number depends a lot on study design . For instance, a systematic review typically has 49 references while a case report has only 24.

2- As a rule of thumb, consider citing 1 reference for every 95 words (or 4 sentences) .

3- The more research you do will be reflected in the number of references you use in your paper, since high-quality articles usually have 5 more references than the median .

How many references does a typical article have?

The histogram below shows that most research papers have between 25 to 50 references, and only a few exceed 100:

Histogram showing that most articles have between 0 and 100 references and only a few have more than 100 references.

Because the distribution has a right tail, the median number of references becomes a more reliable metric than the mean. Here are a few other numbers that summarize the data:

From this table we can conclude that:

The median research paper has 39 references, and 50% of papers have between 25 and 56 references. An article can have as few as 1 reference as a minimum, and 911 references as a maximum.

Next, let’s see if the number of references depends on the study design.

Should the study design influence the number of references you use?

The table below shows that:

1- Secondary study designs (systematic reviews and meta-analyses) have the highest number of references (median = 49), which is to be expected as these articles review a large body of information.

2- Experimental, quasi-experimental and analytical designs typically have between 35 and 39 references.

3- Descriptive designs (case reports and case series) have the lowest number of references (median ≈ 25), which also makes sense as these describe the clinical story of a single (or a few) patient(s) and generally have a very short literature review section.

How often should you cite in a research paper?

Some journals may specify the maximum number of citations allowed. For instance, Nature allows articles to have at most 30 references in the main text [ Source ]. So make sure to check the authorship guidelines of the journal where you want to submit.

That being said, often is the case where we ask ourselves: am I taking too much information from outside sources? or maybe too few? So I would argue that it would be useful to know, for a given article size, how many references to cite.

If we measure the length of all the articles in our dataset combined and divide it by the total number of references, we get the following numbers:

On average, 1 reference is cited for every 95 words, that is 1 reference for every 4 sentences. In terms of paragraphs, an article has approximately 1.5 references for each paragraph.

Here’s a table that shows the median number of references cited for each word count category:

Does using more references make your article better?

Hypothesis 1: It is well-known that citing more resources is usually associated with more in-depth research, therefore, we would expect high-quality articles to include a higher number of references.

Hypothesis 2: Some experts believe that a good writing habit is to keep the number of references to a minimum (see: Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers by Mimi Zeiger), so according to this hypothesis, high-quality articles should have, on average, fewer references.

Let’s find out what researchers are doing in practice and which hypothesis our data support.

In order to answer the question, I collected the journal impact factor (JIF) for 71,579 articles and divided the dataset into 2 groups:

research papers published in low impact journals (JIF ≤ 3): this subset consisted of 34,758 articles
research papers published in high impact journals (JIF > 3): this subset consisted of 36,821 articles

After controlling for study design, the group with JIF ≤ 3 had a median number of references of 37, while the group with JIF > 3 had a median of 44.

Remember that the median article overall had 39 references (as we saw above), so based on these results, we can conclude that:

High-quality articles, in general, have about 5 more references than the median article. So a comprehensive literature review and a more in-depth discussion section can make the difference between a good and an excellent research article.

Comeau DC, Wei CH, Islamaj Doğan R, and Lu Z. PMC text mining subset in BioC: about 3 million full text articles and growing, Bioinformatics , btz070, 2019.

How Many References in a Research Paper?

Junior researchers frequently wonder how many references should be included in their research papers. The common response? “As many as you need.” What exactly does that mean? While we admit there are very few hard-set rules regarding this issue, in this article, we will try to provide more concrete guidelines that will help you assess whether you have enough references in your paper.

Before we do so, let us briefly explain why references matter and whether the number of references you include can project certain perceptions about the quality of your work. There is such a thing as having too many or too few.

Why are research paper references and citations necessary?

References show that you have carefully reviewed the relevant literature and are now contributing something novel to the academic community. You establish authority and credibility when you can critically assess other literature and distinguish your findings from previous works (if any exist). We emphasize “critically assess” in the last sentence because references are only as good as you apply them to your research. Therefore, the famous adage “quality over quantity” is the key to deciding how many references are sufficient.

Likewise, citing your references within the research paper itself (in the form of academic citations ) is crucial in any academic work that makes assertations based on external studies. Failing to cite your sources can result in plagiarism, which even if accidental can still have some devastating consequences for academic researchers hoping to publish their work or finish graduate school.

Number of Sources Used Can Impact Perceptions of Quality

We would be remiss if we didn’t tell you that being at either extreme (having too few or too many references) can reflect poorly on your intellectual aptitude and your study’s validity. Here’s why:

If you don’t have enough references, particularly on a topic familiar to a wide audience, readers may think that you haven’t done enough research into existing literature. Surely someone else has thought about related topics or used similar techniques. If you’re sloppy in conducting your diligence, readers will wonder whether your paper is worth reading. What’s novel and valuable about your paper? Were you just as sloppy with conducting your study? The answers to these questions need to be evident.
Additionally, readers might be concerned that you may have plagiarized by failing to properly cite information. Unless you’re John Nash, who cited only two texts in his seminal 26-page PhD thesis (one of which was to his prior work), ensure that you’ve properly researched the relevant papers and included appropriate citations! Especially, make sure that you have found, read, and included all the latest publications on your topic before finalizing and submitting your own paper—if the drafting process took some time, new literature might have come out in the meantime, and you don’t want to give the editor the impression that you are not on top of the newest developments.
If you have too many references, readers may wonder if you did any original research at all. Unless you’re writing a literature review, your paper’s primary focus should be on your investigation and findings. Don’t bury your hard work under strings of citations and discussion regarding other works. Show your readers what you’ve discovered and how the new information you present fits into or departs from the academic community’s current understanding of your topic.

Additionally, let us highlight the difference between the number of references versus citations. References are the source materials; therefore, each reference should be listed only once in your references section. Citations are meant to identify the source of the information you use in your paper. You can cite a reference multiple times. Therefore, the number of citations you have is typically larger than the number of references an average paper includes. The opposite situation should never happen!

Key Factors Influencing the Number of References You Use

The following are some of the many factors that may influence the number of references you use:

The number of references required for a paper will depend largely on your work’s purpose . For example, literature and systematic reviews are surveys of existing studies. Therefore, their reference lists will be more exhaustive than those of research papers whose primary focus is the current authors’ findings. Indeed, if you examine many journals’ author guidelines , you’ll note that journals have a higher maximum reference limit for review articles than original research papers.
The length of your reference list will also depend on your research paper’s subject matter . For example, if you are writing about a field that is less studied (such as a subfield of neuroparasitology) you may discover that there aren’t many papers to cite. Similarly, newer fields will have fewer published papers that can be referenced. If you find yourself in this situation, review the references used by relevant current literature and see if you can expand your research, and thus your reference list, with valuable content from there.
Another factor will be your institution or journal’s requirements . If you are preparing a dissertation or thesis, double-check your department’s requirements. While rare, they may have specific limits. More commonly, journals restrict the number of references due to printing constraints.
It may happen that you don’t have access to certain literature that could have served as a reference. In such a situation, you may wish to look for an institution that may be able to provide you access to that literature for the purposes of reviewing the content or contact one of the authors directly and ask for a copy.
Given that more papers are being published than ever before in most fields, it is likely that reference lists will grow longer simply because there are more data and discussions of existing data available to cite . Keep track of changes to the size of reference lists in publications related to your field.
Finally, a paper’s length bears some correlation to the number of references.

So how many references should be included?

Below, we provide tips on how to decide if you have enough resources. We also provide some general reminders on how to effectively use references. After all, references are meant to enhance your paper while still maintaining your research as the focal point.

Use academic journals as a guide

One way to gauge how many references you should have is to survey academic journals for your article type in your field. Review their author guidelines for limits on the number of references for your article type, and make sure your reference list complies with those journal restrictions.
Read recent articles relevant to your topic; check how many references other authors have included in their papers for the same article type as yours, and how frequently those works were cited per page.
Keep in mind that the above methods will give you an estimate of how many references you should include overall but will not tell you how many citations you’ll need per page. The latter is impossible to state simply because certain sections may have no citations at all (the results section , for example).

Statistics regarding the number of references and citations

To give you a general idea, the following are some estimates from a couple of studies that examined the citation characteristics of articles published in various disciplines.

According to Milojević’s study encompassing research in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, robotics, ecology, and economics, the highest and average number of references per article page were as follows:

Ecology: highest, ~58; average reference per page, 6;
Math and robotics: highest, ~28; average reference per page, <1; and
Economics: highest, ~ 32; average reference per page, >1 but <2.

The above findings were based on data compiled from the first 20 years of the author’s research. Since then some fields have increased the number of references. Thus, make sure to examine your target journal’s most recent and relevant publications for a better idea of how many references to include based on the specific type of article you plan to write.

In another study by Falagas et al. (2013), medical journals averaged 29 references for articles that were 7.88 pages long (as printed in journals).

Finally, although the sample size was small (63 journals), Gali Halevi observed the following citation trends of a broader range of disciplines.

The average number of references per article was the highest for the social sciences, physics, and astronomy, and arts & humanities (roughly 54 references per article).
On the other hand, health professions and earth and planetary sciences had the fewest references per article at an average of 8 and 17 references, respectively.
Math and engineering averaged at roughly 29 references per article.
Biochemistry, genetics and molecular and other biological sciences averaged at 51.
Hard and natural sciences more frequently cited recent literature while social sciences and math were likely to include older sources.

Note that the Halevi study is limited in size, fails to factor in article type and does little to account for variances across different fields and journals. For example, it is possible that more review articles could have been reviewed for certain fields than others. With that said, we provide the above information to provide a rough estimate.

At the end of the day, please keep in mind the requirements of your institution or target journal and the general trends for your specific article type (by examining the most recent relevant publications).

For additional information regarding journal restrictions on the number of references, read this article on ways to grow your publication list .

Some Dos and Don’ts for Reference Citation

Don’t repeat references within a reference list.
Don’t repeatedly cite yourself. Make sure to balance your discussion with external literature citations.
Be careful about citing old references. The rule of thumb is to go back at most five to six years. Exceptions to this rule should be reserved for “seminal” works relevant to explaining what prompted your research. Roughly 85% of all cited works should be less than five years old.
Be careful not to cite several references in one place without discussing the relevance of each work to your research. In other words, don’t say, “We referred to previous studies in this field (1-7)” unless you later explain how each of reference #s 1-7 apply to your discussion.
Confirm the quality of the work you cite. Are there any ethical issues regarding the paper that would disqualify it as a good source? Do your references come from reputable sources such as respected journals rather than random blogs and website links? Remember that your analysis is only as good as the verifiable information you use to conduct your research.
One of the main purposes of citing existing literature is to show the “knowledge gap” regarding your topic. Therefore, make sure the works you reference naturally lead readers to wonder about the research question you address in your paper. To explain further, think about your favorite fictional story. A successfully written story only reveals the background information needed for the reader to follow along in the story. You’ll rarely see an author waste time writing about how the main character stubbed his toe one day while going to work unless that event relates to an important aspect of the story. Similarly, the references you cite should support the story building you create in your research paper.
Don’t completely ignore the paper that could disprove your hypothesis. You want to show objectivity and that you took a balanced and unbiased approach to conducting your research. Mention the potentially conflicting evidence and explain why you believe it is flawed or inapplicable to your research.
In qualitative research papers, you may have fewer references.
Anything you cite in your paper should be listed in the references section (or reference list). Anything listed as a reference should have been quoted or paraphrased in the text. If either rule is violated, something is wrong.
Finally, remember that a paper will typically have more citations in the Introduction section and Discussion section than in other parts.

Wordvice Academic Resources

If you need help with paraphrasing text from the sources you cite to avoid plagiarism, with different citation styles , or with finding the perfect journal to submit your paper to, then have a look at our collection of articles on the Wordvice academic resources website . We also recommend our professional English editing and proofreading services , including paper editing and academic editing services to ensure that your writing is free of errors before submitting your manuscript to a journal.

Imperial College London Imperial College London

How many references should I have?

Use as many references as you need You’ll need an appropriate amount for your academic level – this will vary

Reference everything you cite If you use an idea, cite and reference it

Ask your tutor They may have guidance for you on how much reading they expect you to do

Students sometimes worry that there is an optimum number of references that they need to cite.

There’s no right or wrong answer answer as to how many references you need – it depends on how many you’ve cited in your writing!

The most important thing is that you don’t plagiarise. Make sure you include references for everything that you’ve cited in the text, so that it’s clear where your information has come from.

Depending on what you’re writing, you might have only a few. As long as they are appropriate for your level of study, and you have enough evidence to back your arguments, you shouldn’t worry. Lab reports, for example, might have relatively few references because you are writing up work that you have done in the labs.

You can also look at the marking criteria for your assignment as that might indicate on what is or isn’t sufficient. If in doubt, check with whoever set you the work as they might be able to give you a clearer idea.

Remember, you are looking to provide proof that you have done the research. Citations and referencing point your readers to the sources you have used in your research process.

Undergraduate Thesis

Preparing for Thesis
Elements of Thesis

List of References

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How do you cite a youtube video? Books with 3 authors? Articles from an online database? Check out this Reference Examples PDF

Here are some of the guidelines for your reference page. Your references should include ALL resources that your cited in your thesis. In other words, if you used an in-text citation, I should be able to find the source in your list of references.

Your works cited page should be titled References and begin on its own page.
Need more information on where your reference is located in your thesis?
After the first line of each reference all others should be indented a half inch, this is referred to as a "hanging indentation" and you can format it in Microsoft Word if you highlight the citation right click, and choose paragraph.
List your citations in alphabetical order.
List page numbers as ranges, first-last (17-23) rather than refer to all pages read.
For online resources include URLs / DOIs. You do not need to say "retrieved from" or include the date the information was accessed.
Capitalize each word in the titles of your sources except for articles such as the, an, with, etc. Only capitalize those articles that are at the beginning of a title such as The Wizard of OZ.
Use italics for titles of works (e.g. books and films).
List author names Last, First Initial. Middle Initial (should there be one), such as Campbell, L. G.
If you cite more than one work by an author, list them alphabetically by title.
Cite a work with no known author by its title.
Items that are not text (for example YouTube videos and images) need a [media type] after the title. For instance a reference for a photo would have [photograph] after the title.

Reference Format Examples:

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Last Updated: Sep 29, 2021 2:32 PM
URL: https://library.newschoolarch.edu/ugthesis

APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

Basics of APA Formatting
In Text Quick View
Block Quotes
Books & eBooks
Thesis/Dissertation

Standard Format

Formatting rules, various examples.

Audiovisual
Conference Presentations
Social Media
Legal References
Reports and Gray Literature
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Additional Resources
Reference Page

Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Formatting:

Italicize the title
Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title

See Ch. 10 pp. 313-352 of APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules

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Last Updated: Apr 11, 2024 10:25 AM
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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA

How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA

Citing a thesis or dissertation.

Thesis – A document submitted to earn a degree at a university.

Dissertation – A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university.

The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same. However, you should be sure to include the type of degree after the publication year as supplemental information. For instance, state if the source you are citing is an undergraduate thesis or a PhD dissertation.

MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (print)

Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree.

MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (online)

Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree. Website Name , URL.

Wilson, Peggy Lynn. Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County . 2011. University of Maryland, PhD dissertation.

In-text Citation Structure

(Author Last Name page #)

In-text Citation Example

(Wilson 14)

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

Annotated Bibliography
Bibliography
Block Quotes
et al Usage
In-text Citations
Paraphrasing
Page Numbers
Sample Paper
Works Cited
MLA 8 Updates
MLA 9 Updates
View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

Book Chapter
Journal Article
Magazine Article
Newspaper Article
Website (no author)
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How to Write a Bachelor’s Thesis: A Step-by-Step Guide

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

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

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

11 Facts About Bachelor’s Theses

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

Scientific Formulations in Minutes Seconds

11 Tips for Academic Writing (Bachelor’s Theses)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why is the topic important?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Possible Sources

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

Structure: Setup and Organization of the Bachelor Thesis

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

Introduction

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

Writing: Tips and Tricks for the Writing Process

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

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

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

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

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

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

Formatting: How to Properly Format Your Bachelor Thesis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proofreading: Error Sources and Tips for a Flawless Bachelor Thesis

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

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

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

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

Submission: How to Safely Submit and Defend Your Bachelor Thesis

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

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

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

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

And last but not least: Congratulations!

Two Practical Examples of the Process

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start writing a bachelor’s thesis.

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

How quickly can you write a bachelor’s thesis?

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

How do you properly write a bachelor’s thesis?

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

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].

Researching Your Thesis: Managing References For Your Thesis

Introduction
Writing Your Thesis
Finding Sample Theses
Managing References For Your Thesis

Reference Management Tools

Reference Management Tools can help you to easily organise, store and manage your citations. Choose the citation tool most applicable to your needs and easily cite as you write, with add-ons for MS Word and Google Docs. Endnote is the main reference management tool supported by IT Carlow Library, with a licensing agreement in place. However, there are many free open source tools which you may find suitable for your research. Take a look through the citation tools listed below and click on the icons to link out to the portal.

There are two versions of Endnote : Web and Desktop

Subscription Based Reference Tools

Free Open Source Reference Management Tools

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Last Updated: May 30, 2023 11:04 AM
URL: https://libguides.itcarlow.ie/theses

Centria Guide for Thesis and Academic Writing 2022

Thesis contract
Implementation plan
Data management plan
Master´s thesis
Checklist for the thesis supervisor
Research-based thesis
Practice-based thesis
Diary-based thesis
Research-based development project, MASTER
Starting points for writing the theoretical framework
Concept definitions
Introduction
Conclusions and discussion
Text layout
Chapter heading and numbering
Figures, tables and pictures
Reference concerns more than one sentence
Publication has two or more authors
More than one publication by the same author
Reference to a publication by several authors
Publication has no author
Web sources
Direct quotations
Secondary sources
Checking the thesis for plagiarism
Use of pictures
Books (printed books, eBooks, audiobooks)
Report, brochure and blog
Laws and regulations
Standards and patents
Audio and video recordings (videos, TV programmes, podcasts etc.)
E-mails and phone calls
Sheet music
Current Care Guidelines
Social media (Facebook, X)
Company intranet and web pages
Special cases
8 UPLOADING THESIS TO THESEUS
Responsible conduct of research
Ethical review in the human sciences
Ethical recommendations for thesis writing
Research consent
Research permits
Handling personal data
10 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Master's thesis
Internal release
Maturity test in EXAM
Master's degree maturity test
13 LITERATURE

6 REFERENCES

The choice of source materials needs to be carefully considered taking a critical approach. In a thesis the sources should primarily be reliable and recent printed or electronic sources; like books, research reports and articles providing the latest information on one’s own field of study.

Moreover, other theses, patents, standards, product brochures, expert interviews and information given by authorities can be used as sources in a thesis. Sources that are vague and rapidly regenerated, such as opinions presented in online discussion forums or chatrooms, are not to be used. In addition, if one cannot reliably assess the expertise and qualifications of the author, one should not use the source in the thesis. It is advisable to search for information using several different databases or sources of information in order to find the best possible sources on the thesis topic.

In the thesis the sources used are referred to using the Harvard referencing style and its name-year system. Through this referencing system the reader can immediately see whose text is referred to, from what year the text is and the page number of the information. An in-text reference is a short reference to the detailed source information found in the list of references.

Whenever one refers to a text written by someone else, one must include a reference . The in-text reference written in brackets consists of the author’s last name and the year of publication , followed by a comma and the page number or the pages where the information is taken from. If the entire work is referred to, page numbers are not included. All electronic sources do not have page numbers and in that case, page numbers also are not included in the reference.

Usually the source text is paraphrased in the thesis, i.e. the writer of the thesis rewrites the information in his/ her own words and the in-text reference follows immediately. It must be evident for the reader exactly which part of the text is based on a source. The placement of the full stop in the in-text reference indicates which part of the text is based on a source.

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Next: Reference concerns more than one sentence >>
Last Updated: Apr 16, 2024 11:02 AM
URL: https://libguides.centria.fi/centriaguideforthesis

Plagiarism Removal
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How Many References Should A Bachelor Thesis Have?

December 22, 2021

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Every human being is a potential researcher, and this is due primarily to the curiosity that man represents and that allows knowledge to expand significantly day after day. In this sense, leaving the research reflected as a bibliography is extremely fundamental. In this regard, today, we are interested in knowing how many references a bachelor’s thesis has ?

Having adequate bibliographic references allows in many cases to reuse the information, expand it and study it in-depth, without having to carry out the entire research process from the beginning. But how many references should a bachelor thesis have? How to quote correctly?

This is one of the many questions we ask ourselves when classifying bibliographic resources to support a scientific investigation or the theoretical framework that is so extensive . Knowing how many references a bachelor thesis should have will also give the researcher an idea to guide his theoretical perspective to the letter and support his presentations .

THE NUMBER OF REFERENCES IN A BACHELORS THESIS

When in doubt about how many references a bachelors thesis should have, we wanted to bring you the suggestions of some authors who, with an analytical review, have given their opinion on the matter. Experts in research methodology such as Umberto Eco (2013), Chiavenato (2009), and Nilda Chávez (2007) coincide in determining that a bachelor’s thesis must have between 25 to 35 bibliographic references to support the research .

This information is valid to know how many references a bachelor’s thesis must-have . Still, it should not be generalized in terms of other types of research such as theses, projects, or master or doctoral thesis.

Are bibliographic references necessary?

They are not only necessary but fundamental; they must also be present in any investigation occupying the right place. Almost always in theses, sections such as bibliographic review, hypothesis , gratitude, or justification are left for the end. They are not given due importance because they are considered small and of little relevance.

However, it is important to know how many references a bachelor’s thesis should have and the correct way to do this section of bibliographic references . It is not just any list, so we will tell you how it should be structured within a document , also remember that it must be at the end of the project, thesis, research, or book.

It must meet the following characteristics:

Alphabetical order.
Last name and first name of the author, title of the work, year, place, and link of the publication.
1.5 line spacing.
French sangria.
Its inclusion is mandatory in all work that includes verbatim citations.
APA standards govern its writing.

REFERENCES OR BIBLIOGRAPHY?

It is common to doubt these terms that seem to indicate the same thing, but it is not like that. The difference between reference and bibliography is that the reference refers to all the authors or resources that have been cited in research work. In contrast, the bibliography only refers to the authors or resources used but was not cited in the document.

TO CONTINUE CLARIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING

If you are in this preparatory phase of your degree thesis , extra knowledge of the methodological aspects of preparing your thesis will always be of great help. For this reason, we want to help you by putting at your disposal the online courses to prepare theses that we at Plagiarism Experts offer Plagiarism removal service.

You will receive all the necessary advice from the selection of the topic, preparation protocol, to suggestions for its defense. We take care of making this indispensable requirement to obtain your degree easier.

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