A dissertation is a long research paper that students must write to complete their degree program. It’s a significant part of earning an academic degree, and it shows your ability to conduct in-depth research and contribute new ideas to your field.

Whether or not you get your degree often depends on the quality of your dissertation and how well you present your findings.

Writing a dissertation can be one of the most challenging tasks in your academic journey. It requires a lot of time, focus, and effort. While a dissertation follows many of the same rules as a regular research paper, it has some additional parts that other papers don’t. To help you manage the process and avoid feeling overwhelmed, here’s a basic guide to writing a dissertation that works.

What is a dissertation?

Think of a dissertation as the "final exam" for earning advanced degrees. While the exact process can vary by school and country, students usually work with an adviser to write their dissertation. Afterward, experts in the field review the paper to see if it qualifies for the degree. Many students also present their dissertation in an oral defense, where they discuss their topic and answer questions.

The terms "dissertation" and "thesis" are often used interchangeably, but the meaning can differ depending on the country. In the United States, a dissertation is written for a doctorate degree, while a thesis is for bachelor’s or master’s degrees. In the UK and Ireland, this is reversed: a dissertation is for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and a thesis is for a doctoral degree.

Dissertations can be empirical (quantitative) or nonempirical (qualitative), depending on the field. Empirical dissertations are common in the sciences and involve collecting original data and reviewing research methods. Nonempirical dissertations, often found in fields like humanities, focus on analyzing existing data and offering new insights.

Writing a dissertation is more complex than writing regular research papers. It follows a specific format, with sections like literature reviews, appendices, and methodology. This makes it a highly technical piece of work that requires careful planning and execution.

How long is a dissertation?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “How long is a dissertation?” The length can vary depending on your degree, the field of study, the school, and even the country.

However, here are some general guidelines to give you an idea of what to expect:

• Bachelor’s Dissertation: 10,000–15,000 words (about 35–50 pages)

• Master’s Dissertation: 18,000–22,000 words (around 65–80 pages)

• Doctoral Dissertation: 80,000–100,000 words (roughly 200–300 pages)

As you can see, a doctoral dissertation is quite long—it’s essentially like writing a book. But keep in mind, these numbers are just estimates. The actual length can vary. For example, dissertations in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) tend to be shorter than those in other areas.

Dissertation structure and requirements

Title Page

The main focus of your dissertation title page is, surprise! The title itself. Your dissertation title should clearly describe the topic and connect directly to your research question or thesis statement. Anyone reading the title should be able to quickly understand what your dissertation is about.

When it comes to formatting, it will depend on your school and style guide. Typically, you’ll include the name of your university, your program, and the date. Be sure to check with your adviser for any specific requirements.

Acknowledgments

The acknowledgments section is optional. It’s where you can thank people who helped you during your dissertation process, much like a dedication page. If you include this section, keep it formal and concise.

Abstract

The abstract is a brief summary of your dissertation that comes at the beginning of the paper. It covers all the main points of your research, and it may include a short mention of your research methodology. An abstract is typically one paragraph, around 300 to 500 words.

It’s important to note that the term “abstract” is sometimes used to refer to an executive summary, but they are not exactly the same. An executive summary discusses the conclusions and findings of your research, while the abstract doesn’t go into that detail.

Table of Contents

The table of contents shows all the chapters, headings, and subheadings in your dissertation, along with their corresponding page numbers. It also includes any supplementary sections, such as the bibliography, appendices, and optional sections like a glossary, list of abbreviations, or a list of figures and tables.

List of Figures and Tables

If your dissertation includes a lot of visual data, such as figures or tables, you may want to add a list of figures and tables at the beginning of your paper. This is like a table of contents but specifically for the visual elements in your dissertation, helping readers quickly find images, charts, or other visuals with their page numbers.

List of Abbreviations

If your dissertation uses many abbreviations, it’s a good idea to include an alphabetized key at the start of the paper to explain each one. This is especially helpful if your dissertation uses abbreviations that are specific to your field, as readers outside your area of study might not be familiar with them.

Glossary

A glossary is a section where you define difficult or specialized words used in your dissertation. It acts like a mini-dictionary, helping readers understand terms they might not be familiar with. If your dissertation uses a lot of jargon or specific terms, the glossary is especially helpful for readers who aren't experts in your field.

Introduction

The introduction is the first core chapter of your dissertation and sets the stage for your research. It provides essential background information and introduces your research topic. In this section, you clearly state your thesis statement or research question and give an overview of how your dissertation will address it.

The introduction typically includes a brief summary of each chapter, hints at your methodology and approach, and provides a snapshot of the existing research on your topic. This helps the reader understand the context and shows where your work fits into the broader conversation.

How long should the dissertation introduction be? A general guideline is that it should be about 10% of your total paper length. So, for a dissertation that is 20,000 words long, the introduction would be around 2,000 words. However, this can vary depending on the depth of your topic.

Literature Review

In your dissertation, the literature review is where you discuss and evaluate the key sources related to your research. This section goes beyond simply summarizing what others have said; it requires you to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of these sources and explain how they connect to your work.

A major focus of the literature review is the research gap—areas of the topic that haven’t been fully explored. These gaps represent opportunities for you to contribute new insights or data to the field. Your goal is to clearly explain this gap and show how your dissertation addresses it with new findings or analysis.

Another key part of the literature review is outlining your theoretical framework. This is the set of theories that your research builds on. It’s important to explain the theories and prior research that form the foundation of your work, helping readers understand the established knowledge in your field.

Methodology

The methodology chapter explains how you carried out your research. This is important because it allows the reader to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of your study. You should describe how you gathered data, conducted tests, and analyzed the results. Also, explain why you chose these methods and tools. Be specific about where and when your research took place.

You may also want to mention any challenges you faced in this section. If there were any potential biases in your research, it's important to explain how your methods minimized or avoided them.

Results

The results chapter is the heart of your dissertation. This section presents your findings clearly, showing all the data and original analysis you’ve gathered. You may also include visuals like graphs, charts, or tables to make your results easier to understand.

For empirical dissertations, the results should be organized by each individual data point, with a detailed explanation for each. In nonempirical dissertations, you’ll group your findings by themes, patterns, or trends that emerged during your research.

Remember to tie your results back to your central research question or thesis statement to help the reader see how your findings answer the questions you set out to explore.

Discussion

In the discussion chapter, you interpret and analyze the findings from the results section. Here, you explain what your data means and how it fits within the broader theoretical framework. This is where you can explore the implications of your research and how it may shift understanding in your field.

Feel free to mention any surprises or unexpected results you encountered. It’s important to be transparent in your analysis, as this helps build credibility. You can also share your personal thoughts on the research process here, explaining how the findings came together.

Conclusion

The conclusion chapter wraps up your dissertation. This final section revisits your thesis statement or research question and provides a clear answer based on your findings. Avoid introducing new data in this part, simply reflect on the research and highlight the key points you’ve discussed throughout the dissertation.

Bibliography

The bibliography is where you list all the sources you used in your dissertation, including full citations and publication details. Depending on the citation style, the bibliography may have different names: in APA style, it's called the reference page, and in MLA style, it’s known as the works cited page.

Each citation style has its own format, so make sure to follow the specific rules for APA, MLA, or Chicago style. Refer to our citation guides to ensure your bibliography meets the required standards.

Appendices

The appendices section includes any additional materials that support your dissertation but aren't essential to the main body of your research. This could include things like maps, interview transcripts, or extra explanations that help clarify your findings. Each of these additional pieces is referred to as an appendix, the singular form of appendices.

How to write a dissertation step-by-step

1. Pick the Right Topic

Choosing a topic for your dissertation is crucial, especially when aiming for a doctorate. It's important to select a topic that matters and has enough depth to meet your page requirements.

When deciding on your topic, try to frame it as either a thesis statement or a research question. A thesis statement is a clear, concise sentence that explains the main point of your research, while a research question asks what you aim to answer with your work.

As you review potential topics, look for a research gap—a part of the topic that hasn't been fully explored or lacks enough data. These gaps often make the best dissertation topics, as they offer new opportunities for research.

2. Do Initial Research

Once you've picked a topic, start with preliminary research to get a sense of what has already been done. You don't need to answer your research question fully yet, but you should get familiar with the key information and theories surrounding your topic.

As you explore existing studies, take notes on any important findings or common theories in your field. Make a list of questions that need further answers. This step will also help you begin thinking about how to structure your dissertation, which is useful when you submit your research proposal.

3. Submit a Research Proposal

For advanced dissertations, especially those for doctoral programs, you may be required to submit a research proposal before you begin. This proposal outlines your plans for your dissertation, including how you aim to fill the research gap and the methodology you will use. Your supervisor will review the proposal and either accept or reject it based on its quality.

4. Conduct Primary Research

Once your proposal is accepted, it’s time to start principal research. This step is crucial in writing a dissertation and involves gathering as much information as possible about your topic, especially what has been researched so far.

The goal is to pinpoint exactly where the research gap is so you know what new information or analysis you will provide. During this stage, make sure to review both primary sources (such as firsthand accounts or raw data) and secondary sources (like books or studies that analyze or explain the primary data).

5. Outline Your Dissertation

Creating an outline for your dissertation helps you organize your ideas before you start writing. While it isn't an official part of the dissertation, having an outline is extremely helpful for keeping everything on track. You can easily rearrange topics, points, and evidence to improve the flow of your paper.

Your dissertation outline should include the key chapters: introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. If you plan to use quotes or specific passages, note where to find them in your outline to avoid searching for them later.

6. Write the First Draft

Writing a dissertation can take a long time, days, months, or even years—so prepare for a lengthy process. With a strong outline, writing your first draft becomes easier as you expand on your ideas.

In the body of your dissertation, focus on presenting your research and findings clearly, one point at a time. Let the data and analysis speak for themselves.

Many students find it difficult to write the introduction, as it requires broader thinking and context-setting. Similarly, the conclusion can be challenging since it involves summarizing the research without introducing new data.

7. Consult Your Adviser

Your adviser plays a crucial role in your dissertation journey. They are there to guide you, answer your questions, and provide valuable feedback. As you write your first draft, check in with them regularly for advice and direction.

Once you complete the first draft, ask your adviser to review it. They can identify any issues or suggest areas for improvement. Don’t hesitate to ask for their input—this is an essential part of the process.

8. Gather Feedback

Beyond your adviser, it's important to get feedback from others. If possible, ask someone with experience in your field to review your work. Even if they aren’t an expert in dissertations, anyone familiar with academic writing can offer helpful suggestions. The more feedback you get, the better your dissertation will be.

9. Write the Final Draft

Once you’ve collected all your feedback, it’s time to write the final draft. This is when you’ll make all necessary revisions based on the suggestions you received. Some sections may stay the same, but others may need to be rewritten or expanded. Also, you might have to remove parts that don’t directly support your main topic and add new sections if needed.

10. Edit and Proofread

Before submitting your dissertation, carefully edit and proofread it to ensure it’s free of mistakes. Read through your paper several times, focusing on different aspects each time, grammar, spelling, and overall clarity. You can also use an online spell-checker to catch any spelling errors you might have missed.

11. Defend Your Dissertation

For some degree programs, you will need to present your dissertation to a panel of experts in what's known as a dissertation defense. During this defense, the panel will ask you tough questions about your research, findings, and methodology to ensure your work is thorough and credible.

While a dissertation defense can feel intimidating due to the public speaking and the weight it holds in determining if you earn your degree, it’s a standard part of the process. Stay calm, take a deep breath, and remember that everyone who has completed an advanced degree has faced the same challenge. If all goes well, it will be the last time you need to do this!

Dissertation examples

Dissertations vary greatly depending on the subject, research methods, school, country, and type of degree. While looking at dissertation examples can be helpful, it's important to select one that closely matches the type of dissertation you're working on.

We recommend exploring the NDLTD database, which lets you search through over 6 million dissertations online. You can filter results by keyword, language, year, or topic, making it easier to find examples most relevant to your research.

How to Write a Dissertation: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dissertation?
A dissertation is a detailed research paper required for earning an academic degree. It’s typically written near the end of a student’s program and demonstrates their knowledge while adding original research to their field. The term "dissertation" is often used interchangeably with "thesis," though the terms can have different meanings depending on the degree level and country.

What is the purpose of a dissertation?
The main purpose of a dissertation is twofold:

1. To prove that the student has the necessary knowledge, skills, and expertise to earn their degree and move into more advanced areas.

2. To contribute original research that addresses an existing gap in the field, helping to expand understanding in that area.

What are the key elements of a dissertation?
A dissertation typically includes several core chapters: the introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. In addition to these, there are supplementary sections such as the bibliography, appendices, glossary, and abstract.