How to Write a Perfect Thesis? Master the Techniques in Advance to Complete Your PhD in Time!!!

Prof.(Dr.) D G Mahto, Founder & CEO -
Abstract:
A thesis is a long research paper that you develop over the course of a research degree or academic position. Institutions and funding bodies view the thesis as the main deliverable that an academic produces in return for funding and investment.

The target of a PhD thesis is not only to get an academic degree but to make a very valuable contribution in the determined field of research. Universities take great pride in possessing a PhD thesis that has innovative discoveries and path breaking ideas to resolve issues.
This article addresses the issues of how to write a thesis effectively. 

Keywords:
Thesis, Structure, APA, MIL, PhD, Write, Literature review, Methods, Interpretation, Discussion, Conclusions 

Learning Outcomes 
After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following:
1. What's a thesis Writing?
2. What's the purpose of thesis?
3. What are the stages of the thesis?
4. What are contents required in a thesis in order?
5. How an Introduction stage of the thesis is developed and what contents are included?
6. How a literature review is conducted and written?
7. What methods are applied in developing methods for inclusion in thesis?
8. How results are explained and presented in the thesis?
9. How results are interpreted in discussion section of the thesis?
10. How to emphasize the conclusions?
11. How recommendations and future studies are illustrated in thesis?
12. How References are mentioned in thesis?
13. How Bibliographirs are included in thesis?
14. How Appendicess are included in thesis? 
15. How published articles are showcased in thesis?
16. Conclusions
17. FAQs
References 

1. What's a thesis Writing?
The thesis is one of the most important concepts in college expository writing. A thesis sentence focuses your ideas for the paper; it's your argument or insight or viewpoint crystallized into a single sentence that gives the reader your main idea.

A thesis is a type of research work documented logically and sequentially based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a PhD program or a capstone to a Master's degree. In some universities thesis is also required for completion of the graduation program.

Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topics, crafting a proposal, designing your research, developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions, and writing precisely.

2. What's the purpose of thesis?
The purpose of a thesis statement is to showcase the main idea and or the main argument of an essay. Without it, the reader doesn't have a foundation for understanding the arguments, examples, and information the writer provides throughout the essay.

The purpose of a thesis is to present the main argument or central point of an academic work, such as a research paper, essay, or dissertation. It serves as a clear and concise statement of the writer's position on a particular topic or issue and provides a roadmap for the reader to understand the scope and direction of the work. The purpose of a thesis can vary depending on the type of academic document:

  1. Research Paper or Essay: In a research paper or essay, the thesis statement is typically placed at the end of the introduction. Its purpose is to convey the main point or claim that the writer will support and explore throughout the paper. The thesis guides the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the document, ensuring that all subsequent arguments and evidence contribute to the overall central idea.
  2. Dissertation or Thesis (Graduate Level): In a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, the purpose of the thesis is more extensive. It represents the culmination of the writer's original research and scholarship. The thesis statement outlines the research problem, objectives, methodology, and key findings. It demonstrates the writer's ability to critically analyze the topic, synthesize existing literature, and present new contributions to the field of study.
  3. Persuasive Writing: In persuasive writing, the thesis statement aims to convince the reader of the writer's perspective or opinion on a particular subject. The purpose is to persuade the audience to adopt or consider the writer's viewpoint by presenting logical arguments and supporting evidence.
  4. Analytical Writing: In analytical writing, the thesis statement focuses on providing an interpretation or analysis of a subject or text. The purpose is to present a clear and insightful analysis that guides the reader through the writer's evaluation of the topic's significance, implications, or underlying meanings.
  5. Informative Writing: In informative or expository writing, the thesis statement aims to inform the reader about a particular topic or provide an explanation. The purpose is to present factual information and organize the content in a coherent manner.

Regardless of the type of academic work, the thesis statement should be specific, concise, and arguable. It serves as the backbone of the entire document, and all subsequent content should be relevant and supportive of the thesis. The effectiveness of a thesis lies in its ability to communicate the main idea clearly to the reader and guide the writer's focus throughout the writing process.

3. What are the stages of the thesis?
The Table of contents in various stages of the thesis are as follows (in sequence):
Initial stage / First Stage
Cover Page (Top)
Two blank pages
Cover Page (Inner) / Title Page
Certificate from the Supervisor(s)
Bio of the Researcher 
Acknowledgments
Abstract
Table of Contents / Index
List of Figures
 List of Graphs
 List of Tables
List of Nomenclature (s)

Second Stage
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Literature Review

Third stage
Chapter 3 Research Methodology
Chapter 4 Results & Analyses
Chapter 5 Discussion

Fourth stage 
Chapter 6 Conclusions
Chapter 7 Recommendations & Future Study

Fifth stage 
References
Bibliography
Appendices
Copy of Publications

Sixth stage
Proof Reading, Editing and Publication ( Printing and Binding)

4. What are contents required in a thesis in order?
The Table of contents in various stages of the thesis are as follows (in sequence):

Cover Page (Top)
Two blank pages
Cover Page (Inner) / Title Page
Certificate from the Supervisor(s)
Bio of the Researcher 
Acknowledgments
Abstract
Table of Contents / Index
List of Figures
 List of Graphs
 List of Tables
List of Nomenclature (s)
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Literature Review
Chapter 3 Research Methodology
Chapter 4 Results & Analyses
Chapter 5 Discussion
Chapter 6 Conclusions
Chapter 7 Recommendations & Future Study
References
Bibliography
Appendices
Copy of Publications

5. How an Initial stage and Introduction stage of the thesis is developed and what contents are included?
The initial stages are designed and developed in the following ways.
Cover Page (Top)
The top cover page contains
  1. Dissertation or thesis title.
  2. Your name.
  3. The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper) submitted by 
  4. Under the guidance of
  5. The department and institution.
  6. The degree program (e.g., PhD in Engineering)
  7. The date and year of submission.
Two blank pages

Cover Page (Inner) / Title Page
This page may be a duplicate/ relica of cover page

Certificate from the Supervisor(s) / Guide / HoD / Director/ Vice Chancellor 
( as prescribed by the institute)

Bio of the Researcher 
As prescribed by the institute 

Acknowledgments
Advisor(s) and anyone who helped you: 
  1. technically (including materials, supplies)
  2. intellectually (assistance, advice)
  3. financially (for example, departmental support, travel grants) 
Abstract
  • A good abstract explains in one line why the paper is important. It then goes on to give a summary of your major results, preferably couched in numbers with error limits. The final sentences explain the major implications of your work. A good abstract is concise, readable, and quantitative. 
  • Length should be ~ 1-2 paragraphs, approx. 400 words.
  • Absrtracts generally do not have citations.
  • Information in title should not be repeated. 
  • Be explicit. 
  • Use numbers where appropriate.
  • Answers to these questions should be found in the abstract: 
    1. What did you do? 
    2. Why did you do it? What question were you trying to answer? 
    3. How did you do it? State methods.
    4. What did you learn? State major results. 
    5. Why does it matter? Point out at least one significant implication.
Table of Contents / Index

Table of Contents

  • list all headings and subheadings with page numbers
  • indent subheadings
  • it will look something like this:

Page #
List of Figuresxxx
List of Tables 
Introduction 
     subheads ...?		 
Methods 
     subheads ...?		 
Results 
     subheads ...? 		 
Discussion 
     subheads ...? 		 
Conclusion 
Recommendations 
Acknowledgments 
References 
Appendices 

List of Figures

Index these information in following sequence
Sl No / Description/ Page No

List page numbers of all figures.
Give Figure No like Fig 1.1 in which 1 indicates chapter No and .1 indicates figure no of the chapter
The list should include a title for each figure. 

List of Graphs
Index these information in following sequence
Sl No / Description/ Page No

List graph numbers of all graphs.
Give graphs No like Graph 1.1 in which 1 indicates chapter No and .1 indicates graphs no of the chapter
The list should include a title for each graph. 

List of Tables

List Index these information in following sequence
Sl No / Description/ Page No
List all tables.
Give Table No like Table1.1 in which 1 indicates chapter No and .1 indicates Table no of the chapter
The list should include a title for each table.

List of Nomenclature (s)
List Index these information in following sequence
Sl No / Description/ Page No
List page numbers of all nomenclature.
Give nomenclature No like nomenclature 1.1 in which 1 indicates chapter No and .1 indicates nomenclature no of the chapter

Introduction stage
In the introduction of your thesis, you’ll be trying to do three main things, which are called Moves:
# Move 1 establish your territory (say what the topic is about)
# Move 2 establish a niche (show why there needs to be further research on your topic)
# Move 3 introduce the current research (make hypotheses; state the research questions)
The points should be included in a thesis introduction are:
# state the general topic and give some background
# provide a review of the literature related to the topic
# define the terms and scope of the topic
# outline the current situation
evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap
# identify the importance of the proposed research
# state the research problem/ questions
# state the research aims and/or research objectives
# define the scope and limitations of the thesisl
# state the hypotheses
# outline the order of information in the thesis
outline the methodology

6. How a literature review is conducted and written?

Literature review can be a separate section. It is an evaluation of previous research on your topic, where you show that there is a gap in the knowledge that your research will attempt to fill. The key word here is evaluation of previous works on the topic. 

When doing and writing a literature review, it is good practice to: summarise and analyse previous research and theories; identify areas of controversy and contested claims; highlight any gaps that may exist in research to date.

One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don't need to write much about this, just demonstrate that you are aware of the breadth of your subject.

Before you write a literature review, you need to:

  • Become familiar with the literature
  • Select which sources are relevant to your thesis topic
  • Organize your sources
  • Choose the type of literature review you will write
  • Arrange your notes to reflect the type of literature review

The rules to be followed are: 

  • Rule 1: Define a Topic and Audience.
  • Rule 2: Search and Re-search the Literature.
  • Rule 3: Take Notes While Reading.
  • Rule 4: Choose the Type of Review You Wish to Write.
  • Rule 5: Keep the Review Focused, but Make It of Broad Interest.
  • Rule 6: Be Critical and Consistent.
  • Rule 7: Find a Logical Structure.
Write a Literature Review process to
  • Narrow your topic and select papers accordingly.
  • Search for literature.
  • Read the selected articles thoroughly and evaluate them.
  • Organize the selected papers by looking for patterns and by developing subtopics.
  • Develop a thesis or purpose statement.
  • Write the paper.
  • Review your work.

Citing your sources

Different disciplines have their own guidelines and styles for citations. Check with your instructor or publisher for the preferred style.

Did you know there are several tools you can use to make it easier to track and format your citations? Acquire knowledge.

General citation guides

American Psychological Association (APA) (used in the social sciences)

  • APA citation  
  • OWL APA guide

Chicago Manual of Style (used in history and some social sciences)

  • Chicago Manual 17th Edition 
  • Chicago Manual 16th Edition 

Modern Language Association (MLA) (used in the humanities)

  • MLA Handbook 
  • OWL Manual Guide
7. What methods are applied in developing methods for inclusion in thesis?
Often the easiest part of the thesis to write first. 
The below outlines method you chose and why (your methodology).

Ask yourself and find out the answer of 
what is the method?
when is the method applied?
where is the method applied? , how the method is applied? and why you choose this method? and what you did to get your results.

The most important methods in research are analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparing, specifying and analogy. An individual field of study may use its own (specific) research method. Such a method is referred to as a “specific method”, which suggests that the given method is unique and used only in the given field of study.

A method should include:

  • The types of research you conducted
  • How you collected and analysed your data
  • Any tools or materials you used in the research
  • How you mitigated or avoided research biases
  • Why you chose these methods.
8. How results are explained and presented in the thesis?

Once you have introduced your methodological approach, you should share full details about your data collection methods. 

Quantitative methods

In order to be considered generalizable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.

Clearly and logically explain 

# how you handled your process.

# how you measured your variables. 

# Discuss your sampling Techniques 

# Mention what you have included or excluded with criteria

# Include tools, procedures, and materials you used to gather your data.

 Surveys
Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted.

  • How did you design the questionnaire?
  • What form did your questions take (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale)?
  • Were your surveys conducted in-person or virtually?
  • What sampling techniques did you use to select participants?
  • What was your sample size and response rate?

Experiments
Share full details of the tools, techniques, and procedures you used to conduct your experiment.

  • How did you design the experiment ?
  • How did you recruit participants?
  • How did you manipulate and measure the variables?
  • What tools did you use?

Existing data
Explain how you gathered and selected the material (such as datasets or archival data) that you used in your analysis.

  • Where did you source the material?
  • How was the data originally produced?
  • What criteria did you use to select material (e.g., date range)?

Qualitative methods

In Qualitative methods, methods are often more flexible and subjective. For this reason, it’s crucial to robustly explain the methodology choices you made.

Be sure to discuss the criteria you used to select your data, the context in which your research was conducted, and the role you played in collecting your data (e.g., were you an active participant, or a passive observer?)

Interviews or focus groups
Describe where, when, and how the interviewd were conducted.

  • How did you find and select participants?
  • How many participants took part?
  • What form did the interviews take?
  • How long were the interviews?
  • How were they recorded?

 Participant observation
Describe where, when, and how you conducted the observation.

  • What group or community did you observe? How long did you spend there?
  • How did you gain access to this group? What role did you play in the community?
  • How long did you spend conducting the research? Where was it located?
  • How did you record your data (e.g., audiovisual recordings, note-taking)?

Existing data
Explain how you selected case study materials for your analysis.

  • What type of materials did you analyze?
  • How did you select them?
Mixing of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
In many cases, both types of combination are used in determining research methodology and mining out results.

9. How results are interpreted in discussion section of the thesis?
The thesis discussion section must concisely interpret the results and assign importance to them. This is achieved by: Identifying relationships, patterns, and correlations in the data. Discussing whether the findings support your hypothesis.

The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter. In qualitative research, results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research, it's considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

In brief your results interpretation and presentation should be as follows 
  1. Don't repeat results.
  2. Order simple to complex (building to conclusion); or may state conclusion first.
  3. Conclusion should be consistent with study objectives/research question. 
  4. Emphasize what is new, different, or important about your results.
  5. Consider alternative explanations for the results.
  6. Limit speculation.
The Discussion should also relate your specific results to previous research or theory. You should point out what the limitations were of your study, and note any questions that remain unanswered. 

10. How to emphasize the conclusions?

Very important! This is where you emphasise that your research aims/objectives have been achieved.

You also emphasise the most significant results, note the limitations and make suggestions for further research.

Conclusions can include Future Directions. Check with your supervisor.

11. How recommendations and future studies are illustrated in thesis?

Implications in research inform how the findings, drawn from your results, may be important for and impact policy, practice, theory, and subsequent research. Implications may be theoretical or practical.

  • Practical implications are potential values of the study with practical or real outcomes. 
  • Theoretical implications in research constitute additions to existing theories or establish new theories. . 
  • Include when appropriate (most of the time)
  • Remedial action to solve the problem.
  • Further research to fill in gaps in our understanding. 
  • Directions for future investigations on this or related topics. 
The future recommendations may be derived from the basic information like;
  1. How well have you achieved your original aim and objectives?
  2. What were the limitations of your study?
  3. What would you do differently next time?
  4. Implications for research practice and funding.
  5. Recommendations for further research.
  6. The nature of research differ from place to place, person to person and things to things. This can be highlighted for further investigation 
12. How References are mentioned in thesis?
There are different styles of mentioning references in which APA, MIL, Chicago etc styles are used in academic circles to make a powerful thesis
Here are few tips and tricks on references 
  • cite all ideas, concepts, text, data that are not your own
  • if you make a statement, back it up with your own data or a reference
  • all references cited in the text must be listed
  • cite single-author references by the surname of the author (followed by date of the publication in parenthesis)
    • ... according to Hays (1994)
    • ... population growth is one of the greatest environmental concerns facing future generations (Hays, 1994).
  • cite double-author references by the surnames of both authors (followed by date of the publication in parenthesis)
    • e.g. Simpson and Hays (1994)
  • cite more than double-author references by the surname of the first author followed by et al. and then the date of the publication
    • e.g. Pfirman, Simpson and Hays would be:
    • Pfirman et al. (1994)
  • do not use footnotes
  • list all references cited in the text in alphabetical order using the following format for different types of material:
    • Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the egg capsules of the whelk. Nature, 210, 436-437.
    • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) Commonly asked questions about ozone. http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.
    • Pfirman, S.L., M. Stute, H.J. Simpson, and J. Hays (1996) Undergraduate research at Barnard and Columbia, Journal of Research, 11, 213-214.
    • Pechenik, J.A. (1987) A short guide to writing about biology. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 194pp.
    • Pitelka, D.R., and F.M. Child (1964) Review of ciliary structure and function. In: Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa, Vol. 3 (S.H. Hutner, editor), Academic Press, New York, 131-198.
    • Sambrotto, R. (1997) lecture notes, Environmental Data Analysis, Barnard College, Oct 2, 1997.
    • Stute, M., J.F. Clark, P. Schlosser, W.S. Broecker, and G. Bonani (1995) A high altitude continental paleotemperature record derived from noble gases dissolved in groundwater from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Quat. Res., 43, 209-220.
    • New York Times (1/15/00) PCBs in the Hudson still an issue, A2.
  • it is acceptable to put the initials of the individual authors behind their last names, e.g. Pfirman, S.L., Stute, M., Simpson, H.J., and Hays, J (1996) Undergraduate research at ...... 

Basic format to reference a book

The basics of a Reference List entry for a book:

  • Author or authors. The surname is followed by first initials.
  • Year.
  • Title (in italics).
  • Edition.
  • Publisher.
  • Place of Publication.

Example:

Hasler, E 2018, The built environment, Liverpool University Press, Liverpool.

                                        

Basic format of reference journal articles 

The basics of a Reference List entry for a journal article:

  • Author or authors. The surname is followed by first initials.
  • Year of publication of the article.
  • Article title (in single inverted commas).
  • Journal title (in italics).
  • Volume of journal.
  • Issue number of journal.
  • Page range of article.

Example:
Gray, L 2018, 'Exploring how and why young people use social networking sites', Educational Psychology in Practice, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 175-194. 

 For other formats of referencing newspaper, conference proceedings, internet article etc; visit the following link

https://libraryguides.vu.edu.au/harvard/reference-formats-and-examples

13. How Bibliographirs are included in thesis?
Every thesis in Standard Format must contain a Bibliography which lists all the sources used or consulted in writing the entire thesis and is placed at the very end of the work. The complete citations are arranged alphabetically by last name of the author.

In general, a bibliography should include:
  1. the authors' names.
  2. the titles of the works.
  3. the names of the publishers who published your sources and where they were published.
  4. the dates your sources were published.
  5. the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source volumes)
14. How Appendicess are included in thesis? 
Appendices provide supplementary information to the main thesis and should always appear after the references/bibliography. If you are unsure about whether content should be included in the thesis or in an appendix, consult with your supervisor. The thesis and appendices must be uploaded in a single file.

In Appendices include all your data in the appendix. 

# Reference data/materials not easily available (theses are used as a resource by the department and other students). 

# Tables (where more than 1-2 pages).

# Calculations (where more than 1-2 pages).

# You may include a key article as appendix. 

# If you consulted a large number of references but did not cite all of them, you might want to include a list of additional resource material, etc.

# List of equipment used for an experiment or details of complicated procedures.

Note: Figures and tables, including captions, should be embedded in the text and not in an appendix, unless they are more than 1-2 pages and are not critical to your argument. 

15. How published articles are showcased in thesis?
You can cite your earlier work just like you would any work that is relevant to your research. The work should be listed in the preface of your thesis. My publication is not peer reviewed.

Every agreement is different, so if you want to use your previously published work you should first check the publishing agreement you signed to confirm what rights you still have. Some publishing agreements specifically allow for re-publication in a dissertation.

16. Conclusions
Ensure that the entire work gets investigated well. The research needs to -

Check the entire content for integration
Editing spelling and grammar
Appropriate mode of referencing as per prescribed style
Removal of ambiguity for clear understanding
Maintaining word-count to meet prescribed length
Check the entire document for plagiarism to avoid legal action
Submission for final approval and publication

17. FAQs
Q1. How will my thesis/dissertation be reviewed with iThenticate?
Ans.
When you send your thesis or dissertation to the SGSR for review, we will upload it to iThenticate. 

Q.2.: Why back up of thesis writing are necessary and how it can be done?

Ans.

Please BACK UP your writings and journal/thesis PDFs. I’ve heard a plethora of horror stories from other postgrads losing their data.

So keep your back up here

  1. Google Doc (backup)
  2. Microsoft Word (for writing drafts, mostly written on iCloud)
  3. Obsidian (Available on Mac, iPad and iPhone)
  4. Notion (Available on Mac, iPad and iPhone)
  5. GoodNotes (Available on Mac, iPad and iPhone)
  6. Notability (Available on Mac, iPad and iPhone)

References 

https://www.wordsdoctorate.com/blog-details/how-to-write-a-thesis-for-phd/

Harvard College Writing Center
https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu › ...

The MIT Press Reader
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
How to Write a Thesis, According to Umberto Eco

Cheeky Scientist
https://cheekyscientist.com › insider...Insider's Guide: Writing A Thesis When You're Short On Time

APA quick citation guide (Penn State University)

OWL APA guide (Purdue University)



https://libraryguides.vu.edu.au/harvard/reference-formats-and-examples

https://nurulrasya.com/blog/helpful-websites-and-tools-for-thesis-writing/

https://butte.libguides.com/ResearchPaper/thesis

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-university/university-life/7-steps-to-writing-a-dissertation

https://paperpile.com/g/thesis-structure/




Prof. (Dr.) D. G. Mahto is a multifaceted professional, serving as a Director, Professor, Philanthropist, HEI Builder, prolific writer, international consultant, reviewer, and expert career advisor at "Career Education for Success—Discover, Apply, Succeed!" He has guided countless individuals, products, and brands in discovering their true potential through insightful content, purposeful concepts, and motivational writing. With a deep sense of leadership and a commitment to community upliftment, he inspires others with his success stories and takes on the challenge of driving technological transformation, redefining social impact, and fostering interpersonal relationships for a more meaningful, balanced life. Prof. Mahto is dedicated to bridging the gap between dreams and reality for young people, striving for qualitative change in their lives. To explore his articles, books, and international journal contributions, visit his blogs at Career Education Success Now, Career Edus, and Discover Knowledge Wisely. You can also reach out to him via email.

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