A thesis/dissertation is a long, high-level research paper written as the culmination of your academic
course. Most university programs require that graduate and postgraduate students demonstrate their
ability to perform original research at the thesis/dissertation level as a graduation requirement.
Not all theses/dissertations are structured the same way. In this article, we’ll specifically look at how to
structure a thesis/dissertation in the sciences and examine what belongs in each section. Before you
begin writing, it is essential to have a good understanding of how to structure your science
thesis/dissertation and what elements you must include in it.
How are science theses/dissertations structured?
There isn’t a universal format for a science thesis/dissertation. Each university/institution has its own
rules, and these rules can vary further by department and advisor. For this reason, you must start
writing/drafting your thesis/dissertation by checking the rules and requirements of your
university/institution.
Some universities mandate a minimum word count for a thesis/dissertation, while others provide a
maximum. The number of words you are expected to write will also vary depending on the
program/course you are a part of. A Master’s level thesis/dissertation can range, for example, from
15,000 to 45,000 words, while a PhD thesis/dissertation can be around 80,000 words.
While your university/institution may have its own specific requirements or guidelines, this article
provides a general overview of how a typical thesis/dissertation in the sciences should be structured.
For easier understanding, let’s break it up into two parts:
Thesis body
Supplemental information
The thesis body of your thesis/dissertation includes:
Title page
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Table of contents
Introduction/Literature review
Materials/Methodology
Results
Discussion/Conclusion
Figure and tables
List of abbreviations
Glossary
Your thesis will conclude with the supplemental information section, which comprises:
Reference list
Appendices
Your thesis may or may not include each and every one of these sections. Now, let’s examine the parts
of a thesis/dissertation in greater detail.
The parts of a science thesis/dissertation: Getting started
Let’s begin by reviewing the sections of the thesis body, from the title page to the glossary. This part of
your thesis/dissertation should ideally be written last, even though it comes at the beginning. That is
because it is the easiest to put it together once you have written the rest of your thesis/dissertation.
Title page
Your thesis/dissertation should have a clear title that sums up the content. In addition, the title page
should include your name, the degree of your thesis/dissertation, your department, your advisor, and
the month/year of submission. Your university/institution likely has its own format for what should be
included in the title page, so make sure to check the relevant guidelines.
Acknowledgments
This section gives you the opportunity to say thanks to anyone who gave you support while you worked
on your thesis/dissertation. Many people use this section to give credit to their advisor, editor, or even
their parents. If you received any funding for your research or technical assistance, make sure to
mention it here.
Abstract
Your abstract should be a brief summary (generally around 300 words) of your thesis/dissertation. You
can think of your abstract as a distillation of your thesis/dissertation as a whole. You need to summarize
the scope and objectives, methods, and findings in this section.
Table of contents
The table of contents is a directory of the various parts of your thesis/dissertation. It should include the
headings and subheadings of each section along with the page numbers where those sections can be
found.
Figure and tables
Think of this section as the table of contents for figures and tables in your thesis/dissertation. The titles
of each figure/table and the page number where it can be found should be in this list.