What is a master’s thesis?

A thesis for master’s degree is an original piece of work, or long essay involving personal research written under the direction of a faculty advisor. Read on as we explore and guide you on how to write a master’ thesis.

How long is a master’s thesis?

The length of a thesis varies from project to project. A standard master’s thesis length is between 40 to 80 pages. This includes both texts and figures but excludes the bibliography.

However the length varies depending on the method of analysis and the topic being analyzed.

Do you have to write a thesis for a master’s?

For you to complete a master’s degree, most courses require you to complete and present a thesis or a dissertation for you to be considered for graduation. A thesis for master’s degree is the culmination and gauge to see how a student has progressed through school.

How to write a master’s thesis

For you to write a good thesis, you need to first get your Master’s degree thesis outline. For a good thesis outline you need to review the relevant literature and the research available for your master’s thesis.

A good outline covers all your basis in regards to your thesis question or topic of analysis. When writing a master’s thesis you need the following as a guide for a good thesis.

• Choosing your topic
• Selecting your relevant sources and texts
• Planning an outline (qualitative and quantitative)
• Moving through the writing process
• Finalizing your thesis

For these thesis outlines to work you need some more pointers to help you through your writing process. The following will guide your process from start to finish.

You need:

• To make a schedule
• Write a little bit everyday
• Take occasional breaks
• Write down your introduction
• Incorporate your review of the literature
• Contextualize your work
• Write your thesis
• Write your conclusion

For your thesis to be well balanced, you need proper research and planning ahead. While you also research you need to understand your research question or topic. This helps makes reading easier for you as the topic becomes known to you. Taking good notes helps in the preparation for when you start writing.

Good notes from a good research lead to a great explanation as you present your master’s degree paper. Good research and note taking also helps you with your master’s thesis length. The better you conduct your research, the easier it is for you to write your master’s thesis. This in turn makes it easier for anyone reading it to understand what the topic you are covering.

Final take

For a comprehensive guide on how to write a master’s thesis, the above points will guide you on the best way to go about it. The guidelines will give you the steps to take from the research phase, to the note taking till the final draft.

It also helps you understand the length and all the notes required to help our master’s thesis. It emphasizes on the important points to note and what you need to look out for. The short notes you write down during your research phase helps guide and bring out the message you are trying to bring forward. To either support your thesis question or disprove it.

A good guide will help you cover all aspects of your thesis question even before you get down to writing your paper. This in turn helps you push your point about your thesis question without too much explanation.

This article will highlight various tips for selecting a good thesis topic, helping you overcome various stumbling blocks that complicate the thesis writing process. We will also highlight some thesis title examples to inspire your topic selection. 

How to choose a thesis topic

Selecting the first thesis topic that crosses your eyes is an approach that’s bound to result in multiple struggles in the latter stages of writing your thesis. As such, you should give much consideration to your topic, ensuring unique insight and access to enough materials for your research methodology.

When choosing your thesis topic:

1. Read the thesis prompt

The thesis prompt is a great initial point for your research. Besides highlighting the general idea of the paper, the prompt also highlights the requirements that ought to guide you in editing your paper. 

As such, start your writing process with an analysis of the prompt and indicate the general idea of the topic. note the keyword in the prompt down and use this as the search phrase for your research. 

2. Conduct extensive research

After identifying the general topic, conduct research to identify the extent of research on your topic. Besides allowing you to gauge the ideas that have been subject to multiple studies, helping you select a unique topic.

Also, research exposes you to multiple materials within your subject, widening your perspective toward a topic. This also allows you to identify the gaps in existing literature, helping you collect materials for your literature review. 

3. Check the trending topics

Emerging issues are often a safe choice when you are selecting a topic for your thesis. These topics are often of interest to the discipline and are subject to little or no research. Trending issues are thus a great go-to to avoid unintentional plagiarism and also for a vast range of unique arguments. 

4. Prepare an outline

Before settling for an idea, gauge the feasibility of the topic in each section. This will allow you to approximate the word count and gauge the completeness of your research, helping you to decide when to broaden or narrow your idea. 

Thesis topic ideas to use in your writing

Architecture thesis topics

1. The function of systems made of reinforced concrete and how earthquakes affect those systems
2. Underwater dining establishments around the world for lighting, electricity, and cleanliness
3. The application of biotechnology to the creation of flexible structures in architecture
4. The Egyptian Pyramids’ lighting system 
5. Golden Gate and architectural elements
6. Building a new kind of school that allows for cooperation and creativity 
7. Keeping costs low while producing a work of art in architecture 
8. Why do most third-world nations have subpar house construction? 
9. How the building’s location is important for sustainability 

Criminal justice thesis topics

10. Why crime is mostly linked to illegal immigration 
11. The connection between criminal conduct and gender 
12. The impact of religious convictions when committing crimes 
13. Why drug and alcohol misuse is a major contributing factor to crime 
14. Social media’s involvement in financing and organizing criminal behaviour 
15. Why it’s important to be aware of your neighbours’ activities 
16. Strategies for combating criminal activity at the community level 
17. How a person’s family history can make them more likely to commit crimes 
18. How rallies and protests compare to illegal acts 

History thesis topics

19. At the close of the 19th century, the United States presidential power began to wane. 
20. Effects of the fall of the USSR in terms of global politics 
21. US participation in World War I 
22. Greek sculpture and painting’s growth 
23. The advancement of filmmaking in Europe 
24. The rise and fall of the Aztec civilization 
25. Age of Enlightenment’s emergence 
26. The Silk Road’s emergence and the value it had for ancient civilizations 
27. Major revolutionary war battles 

Philosophy thesis topics

28. How to embrace optimism in a world that is always exposed to bad news 
29. An analysis of the history of human contact 
30. A philosophical analysis of bad deeds and bad people 
31. Consider the relationship between shame and an unethical work of art
32. What’s the reasoning behind nightmares and dream mania? 
33. Reasons why artificial intelligence might not be creative 
34. Is there ever any justification for assisted suicide? 
35. Describe the contributions of a few of the Renaissance’s forefathers
36. Discuss whether people are inherently good or bad

Political science thesis topics

37. United states vs. United Kingdom: foreign policy 
38. The origins of the American revolution 
39. Existentialism in western constitutional law 
40. Criminal law and common morality 
41. Is pardoning of the innocent acceptable? 
42. Reasons for the central African republic’s uprising 
43. Political influencers and their individual goals 
44. Various dispute resolution techniques 
45. Analysis of a mediation case study 

Like a bachelor’s dissertation, thesis and doctoral dissertation are crucial to the successful completion of your degree program. This article will analyze both of these academic papers, helping you differentiate when you are referring to the dissertation or thesis.

What is a thesis?

This is a scholarly piece of work written as part of your master`s program. The thesis is usually completed near the end of a student`s course of study and tests howe well you can apply the concepts you’ve learned to solve problems within your field.

To write this, a student is needed to select a narrow topic of interest in their field of study. The next step is conducting an in-depth review of the existing research and then formulating a solid academic argument to prove your assertion.

So, is a thesis required for a master’s degree? Yes. Besides testing your grasp of a topic, the thesis exposes you to various problems in your field, allowing you a chance to remedy some of the emerging issues within your field. This shows your critical thinking skills and also allows you to showcase your competence in research.

The thesis paper is mainly divided into:

1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Table of content
4. Table of figures
5. Body
6. Conclusion

What is a dissertation?

This is a lengthy piece of work that includes original research or expanded research on a new or existing topic. Its main goal is not only to prove the student`s knowledge but also to add more knowledge to their field.

To earn the Ph.D., you have to submit and defend your dissertation. The students also get a chance to disapprove of a theory that has been presented previously. The process of writing a dissertation is almost similar to that of a thesis since you have to select a topic then conduct a literature review and later work towards finding a new angle towards an existing theory.

A dissertation however needs a defense which can be quite intimidating at times but if you work closely with the appointed committee, then the chances of your dissertation being accepted are relatively high.

The doctoral dissertation comprises sections like:

1. Title page
2. Acknowledgements
3. Abstract
4. Table of contents
5. Introduction
6. Theoretical framework and literature review
7. Methodology
8. Findings
9. Interpretation, analysis, and applications of findings
10. Conclusion
11. Reference list
12. Appendices

Thesis vs dissertation: What is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?

The primary difference between a thesis and a dissertation is when they are done. A thesis is written by students to mark the end of a master`s degree program, whereas a dissertation is written by students as they undertake their doctoral degree program. The two are also quite different because a thesis is based on existing knowledge, while a dissertation is based on research and also requires thorough analysis.

A thesis presents learned and existing knowledge while in a dissertation one has to develop new and unique concepts and defend them both theoretically and practically. In a dissertation, extensive work is required to develop the research but, in a thesis, you don’t need to go through comprehensive and extensive research. For a thesis, the points are highlighted to readers whereas a dissertation requires a hypothesis.

Another distinctive difference is their length. A thesis is short and normally has 40-80 pages as opposed to a dissertation which is way longer having 100-300 pages. A thesis also doesn`t require an oral defense but for the dissertation, once completed and submitted, students are needed to schedule dates so that they can present their work orally.

Final take

It is now clear that a dissertation and a thesis are two very different pieces of work. Hence, one term cannot be used in place of the other. Their academic purposes are also different but that doesn’t undermine either of them. Both of them require a lot of effort and seriousness.

However, you need not be overwhelmed by the thought of writing and researching so much as your educational experience has adequately prepared you.

We shall be discussing what every student will do to arrive at the best topic which they can use to achieve expected results.

Your focus

What you focus on will determine what you are going to get at the end of the day. Number one, the topic of your choice should be one that is within the area of your field of study. Never make the mistake of putting your focus on things that you are interested in but have little or no knowledge about.

The focus should be on things that you know. When this approach is taken, your draft will carry enough weight that will make the impact on your instructors and your tutors as well. When you are a round peg in the round hole of the topic of your choice, you are good to go!

When you have chosen a topic, it will not be easy putting the thoughts together on paper. This is the reason why we are advising that you split the process into three main categories. Let us take a look at the categories below:

Time: This process will take your time. It might take up to three months to get the answer to your request for a review of the paper. Do not expect to get it right the first time. Loads of revisions will be demanded. You have to manage your time well during the dissertation. It is recommended that you start the process on time so as to beat the odds posed by insufficient time.

Research: Be prepared to carry out research that is related to the topic of your choice. This should not pose any problem if you choose a topic that you have a faint idea about. It will help in carrying out more research into the topic. You are going to read a lot to achieve the expected results at the end of the day.

If it seems you are not making remarkable progress; then you can look for help online to help to get everything that is required to achieve the best results on your research topic.

Your Draft: The third and last category is your draft and it is not going to be easy doing this as well. It will take an average of three to four months to get your final draft ready.  You are expected to take your time here. Make sure you are thorough in your approach so as to avoid the embarrassment of having your work rejected by your supervisor.

Final thoughts

All your sources must be cited and the final draft. Bear in mind that your final draft is subject to approval or rejection.

What is a dissertation proposal?

Before I answer this, let’s first look at what a dissertation is. Just like a long easy, a dissertation is an extensive piece of academic research work. The difference between it and an essay is that for a dissertation, you have to come up with a topic, research questions, and even the methodology for the study. A dissertation proposal is, therefore, a form of a summary of your research work. The structure comprises:

• Introduction
• Main body comprising
  Methodology
  Aims and objectives
  Literature review
  Limitations
  Ethical considerations
  Timeframe
• Conclusion

You need to read widely and review the major literature in your research field when writing the proposal. It tells your supervisor that you are prepared for the main work. That notwithstanding, the dissertation proposal has a limited word count, so you should know what to add or ignore.

The relevance of a proposal

The dissertation proposal informs your supervisor about how you will go about the project. The takes the same path as the main project, but with brief information at every chapter. Though it serves as the basics of your work, you can decide to make any changes you want during the dissertation. Throughout the process, you should coordinate with your supervisor to ensure you are on the right path. This saves you from going back and forth and time waste.

The writing process

By now, you’ve chosen your research topic and read all the necessary literature to use in your proposal. Now, you are left with putting the essential points you’ve jotted down together. As listed above, you start with the

Introduction

It is the chapter you introduce your topic and provide a brief background to it. It briefly explores the subject and should include your main thesis, specifying why the research is important.

Main Body

The main body of a dissertation comprises

• The Methodology
  This is where you state the method you would use to collect data and process data for the research. It should clearly state whether you will use the qualitative, quantitative or both methods to achieve your goals.
• Aims and Objectives
  What do you seek to achieve with this research? What issue do you search to address? You need to state this to guide you in the study.
• Literature Review
  The literature review is one of the most critical aspects of your entire dissertation proposal. It is where you review and argue previous literature on the subject. You would have to relate your research to the previous ones and build on it. You can also address the flaws in previous research and how you seek to correct or avoid them.
• Research Limitation
  It would be best to recognize how far you can go with your research and make it known. Will this be a limitation of research materials, limited resources, or your inability to explore specific aspects of the subject? It can also be a limitation caused by word count.
• Ethical Considerations
  This may include the permission to disclose or not the participants you interviewed for the research.
• Timeframe
  In all, how much time would you need to complete your dissertation? Your timeframe can be based on the entire project or chapter by chapter. Be realistic about the timescale to avoid unnecessary pressure.

Conclusion

In the concluding part, you summarize all the vital points you’ve included in the main body and why you believe the research is essential.