Thesis Format

There are different thesis layouts.  The thesis format usually depends on the requirement of the school but in general there are elements that should be included in your thesis.  Some schools provide a general format for the thesis or dissertation.

Below is a sample thesis format

  • Cover Letter.
  •  Title Page. It contains the title of your research or thesis as well as your name, date of submission, etc.
  • Thesis Committee. It is contain the names, title and associations of the committee members including space for the signatures and date.
  • Thesis Examining Committee. It includes the names, titles and association of the Thesis Examining Committee members with space for signature and date.
  • Dedication and Acknowledgment.  It is optional. It can be included if there are someone you wish to dedicate and acknowledge to your work.  You can give thanks to your family and colleagues who support in your research.
  • Abstract.  It summarizes the contents of the thesis.
  • Table of Contents.  It lists all the parts of the thesis.
  • List of Tables. It lists all the tables’ titles in numerical order and their page numbers.
  • List of Figures. It contains all the figures used in your research or thesis in numerical orders with their page numbers.
  • List of Symbols and Abbreviations. It contains such as the alphabetical list of conventional signs and shortened forms of words or phrases.
  • Glossary.  It is optional. It includes foreign words or technical terms used in your thesis followed by their translation or definition alphabetically.

 

Thesis Problem Statement

A good problem statement is answering a question about the issue you would like to research or explore. Your task is to know what question you would like to answer.  It involves a topic selection.

To write a problem statement, it is important to create and set up a thesis statement.  Identifying your thesis statement is one way of creating your problem statement.  Also, as part of problem statement, you must identify several solutions to the problem. These solutions are presented after the problem has been identified.

Once the problem is identified, several solutions are ready to be presented. Make your problem statement more informative by addressing the who, where, when, why and how.  Now you can create the conclusion by restating the problem and main ideas that you are trying to address.

It is necessary to brainstorm to come up with a problem statement so that your topic will become specific. Avoid writing multiple problems or broad topic because it can lead to unsuccessful thesis and vague documents.

Thesis statement should state exactly what your research will be all about to keep your topic manageable. Your thesis statement needs to have a concise conclusion. Also, it is a point of discussion in the entire document.