A thesis is a statement or theory that asserts the position a paper will be taking. This statement should both be specific and arguable. It is put forward as a premise to be maintained and proved. The structure of a thesis paper varies depending on the discipline being studied.
While writing your thesis paper it is recommended to start with the experimental chapters. In the process you can gradually progress to the literature review, introduction and conclusions. There are different parts of a thesis paper and in the following article we are going to be exploring the most effective.
Read on to discover elements of a thesis paper and the writing guidelines to a thesis structure.
Introduction
The best thesis introduction needs an attention-grabbing hook that draws in the reader. You need to introduce your topic to the audience through a general statement. It sets the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose and direction. You get to describe the problem statement and the main hypothesis. You mention the research question along with the objectives you aim to accomplish. This is done while stating the main argument with the help of a thesis statement.
Materials and methods
This is the part of the research where you guide your readers on how the research was conducted. You can also provide details of your samples and locations acquired. It is organized to tell a compelling story of your research. It needs to provide a precise description of
- What was used in the experiments?
- How were the experiments conducted?
The other section is how you conduct the research. Here we explore the steps or procedure you followed in order to achieve the research objectives. This includes the experimental design and data analysis. Including all your materials and methods ensures that your research can be repeated by another researcher.
Results
This section should be a concise presentation of your findings, giving only the data and your statistical analysis. It should not include any data interpretation, not mention what the results mean or how they were obtained. It should be as dry as possible.
The use of past tense in a thesis structure is highly advised as you are writing down things already done. Do not comment in favor of or against your research.
Discussion
Repeating of results already presented is not a sure way to continue with the presentation. It separates contents of a thesis by including alternative explanations for the results. It should be simple or complexly ordered building the anticipation for the conclusion.
You should limit speculation, avoid biased language and above all emphasize what is new, different or important about your results. This is important in thesis planning and execution.
Conclusion
The conclusion’s main purpose is to clearly state the answer to the main research question. It should summarize and reflect on the research while making recommendations for future works on the topic.
Conclusions should be concise and engaging. They should leave the reader with a clear understanding of the main discovery or argument advanced by your research.
Final Take
The thesis paper structure advanced here should be enough to teach you how to write a scientific thesis. For proper thesis planning you need all the above-mentioned information and more.
