A Sample Thesis Structure

This was a very simple outline for my graduate thesis structure. Hope you find it useful!

• General Volume And Initial Notes
• Thesis Structure
• Writing & Citiation
• Keywords Related To Thesis Structure

General Volume And Initial Notes

• Listing sections and give usable information each section.

As a rough approximation, using standard formatting guidelines (12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins), 80,000 words in a thesis would likely result in approximately 320 to 350 pages. The page counts are approximate, and actual lengths can vary based on the depth of content and the formatting of thesis. It’s essential to focus on the quality of your research, writing, and analysis rather than strictly adhering to predefined page counts.

It takes APA (6th ed.) as the basis.

Thesis Structure

Preliminary Pages

Cover Page Title Page Master Thesis Approval Form Abstract

Table Of Contents

Chapter 1 : Introduction (%20 - Approx. 64 pages)

1.1 Theoretical Framework 1.2 Statement Of The Problem 1.3 Purpose of The Study 1.5 Hypotheses / Research Questions 1.6 Significance of the Study 1.7 Definitions

Chapter 2 : Literature Review (%20 - Approx. 64 pages)

2.1 Introduction 2.2 Methodology 2.3 Data Synthesis and Analysis 2.4 Interpretation of Findings 2.5 Identification of Gaps and Future Directions 2.6 Conclusions 2.7 References

Chapter 3 : Methodology (%40 - Approx. 126 pages)

3.1 Research Design 3.2 Universe and Participants/Working Group 3.3 Data Collection 3.3.1 Data Collection Instruments 3.3.2 Data Collection Procedures 3.3.3 Data Analysis Procedures 3.3.4 Reliability and Validity 3.4 Limitations

Chapter 4 : Findings (%10 - Approx. 32 pages )

4.1 Review of Related Technologies/Methodologies 4.2 Data Presentation and Visualization 4.3 Comparative Analysis 4.4 Case Studies 4.5 Additional Findings or Sub-Findings 4.6 Discussion of Ethical Considerations

Chapter 5 : Discussions And Conclusions (%10 - 32 pages)

5.1 Discussion of Findings for Research Questions 5.2 Conclusions 5.3 Recommendations

Reference Material

Bibliography

Appendix

Writing

There are various options for writing, especially the use of TEX is very common in academia. Although applications such as Tex, especially Overleaf, make this writing easier, I observed that using Word is more comfortable. After the writing is completed, the pages can be converted back to latex format. I think Latex will be more successful in the end, but using Word while writing makes things easier.

Citiation

Although it is easier to write with Word than Latex, unfortunately Word does not directly accept references in bib format. One solution for this is to store it as bib, upload it one by one or all together to Mendeley, and convert it to XML format that Word accepts. I did this for each section. At the same time, I am making a literature review section where I add all of them.

Important Concepts

• Preliminary Pages : The preliminary pages are the initial components of thesis that provide essential information about the work.
• The Cover Page is the outermost page and typically displays the title of the thesis, the name, university logo, and other relevant details.
• The Title Page follows, containing the title of the thesis, name, university’s name, department, and the submission date.
• The Master Thesis Approval Form is often required and showcases the signatures of your advisor and relevant parties, signifying their approval of your work.
• Table Of Contents : The Table of Contents is a helpful guide for readers, listing the main sections and subsections of your thesis along with their corresponding page numbers. This allows readers to navigate through your thesis with ease.
• Introduction : Introduction chapter serves as the introduction to your research. Here, you introduce your research topic and the specific research problem you aim to address. You explain the significance of your research in the broader context and outline the purpose, scope, and objectives of your study. Additionally, you provide a brief overview of how your thesis is structured to guide readers through the upcoming chapters.
• Literature Review : The literature review chapter delves into the existing body of knowledge relevant to research topic. It involves summarizing and critiquing previous research, identifying gaps in the current understanding, and explaining the research contributes to filling these gaps. Writer establishes the theoretical framework for your study by discussing key concepts, theories, and models that underpin the research.
• Methodology : Methodology outlines the methodology you used to conduct your research. This section explains the research methods employed, such as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, and describes in detail how you collected data. You clarify your sampling methods, the instruments or tools you used, and any limitations or potential sources of bias in your approach.
• Findings : findings of your research. Here, you display the results of your data analysis, often using visual aids like graphs, charts, and tables to illustrate key points. The objective is to provide a clear and concise account of the data you collected, presenting your findings in a way that supports your research objectives.
• Discussions And Conclusions : you interpret and analyze the findings presented in the previous chapter. This is where you connect your results back to your research objectives, discussing the implications of your findings and how they align with the existing literature. Based on your analysis, you draw conclusions and potentially offer recommendations for future research directions or practical applications.
• Reference Material : The Reference Material section is where you list all the sources you cited within your thesis. These sources are formatted according to a specific citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, as required by your institution. This section ensures that readers can trace the origins of the information you’ve included.
• Bibliography : The Bibliography is a list of additional sources you consulted during your research but might not have directly cited in the main body of your thesis. It provides interested readers with additional references for further exploration of the topic.
• Appendix : The Appendix contains supplementary material that supports your thesis but might be too lengthy or detailed to include in the main body. This could encompass raw data, survey instruments, lengthy tables, and other pertinent documents that enhance the comprehensiveness of your research.