Writing Theses & Dissertations

As part of your degree, it is quite likely you will need to submit a thesis or dissertation. In the UK, a thesis is the term used for a piece of writing submitted for an undergraduate degree or a doctorate, and a dissertation is the final piece of writing submitted for a Master’s degree. In the US, the use of the terms is inverted and a dissertation is used for a doctorate and a thesis for a Master’s degree. In any case, whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, it will be an extensive piece of writing to which you will devote a large amount of study.

The way a thesis or dissertation is organised will often vary according to your discipline and you will need to spend some time considering how you will organise the different sections of your thesis or dissertation. Looking at previously submitted pieces of writing in your subject  (as well as the section on Organisation Patterns) can help you with this.