A PhD thesis is a huge part of your academic journey. It is the culmination of four or more years of your studies, and it is the basis of your research for the rest of your professional life. Your choice of topic, the way you approach it, and the quality of your work greatly influence your future career opportunities. While a good thesis will certainly get you a lot of attention from prospective employers, it is not an easy task to write one that will stand out above the rest. There are lots of different elements that you need to consider, and if you want to secure your future beyond academia, you need to stand out from the crowd.
Thesis Style And Format
The first thing to consider is the style and format of your thesis. Are you going to use a lot of citations and quotes to support your arguments or are you going to rely on your personal experiences to make your point. The former will make your work more accessible to readers, while the latter will earn you extra points with the jury. Your choice will entirely depend on your intended audience and the nature of your subject.
The Structure Of The Dissertation
The structure of your PhD thesis is also important. There are several different approaches that you can take, so don’t feel bound by a specific format. However, the more common structures for doctoral dissertations are:
- Introduction
- Material
- Methodology
- Results
- Conclusions
Each of these sections should have a clear purpose: