How to Write a Thesis
How to Write Your Thesis
compiled by Kim Kastens, Stephanie Pfirman, Martin Stute, Bill Hahn, Dallas Abbott, and Chris Scholz
I. Thesis structure
II. Crosscutting Issues
III. Editing Your Thesis
Title Page
What We Are Looking For
Copy Editing
Abstract
Planning Ahead for Your Thesis
Content Editing
Table of Contents
Writing for an Audience
Avoiding Ambiguity
List of Figures
Skimming vs. Reading
Thesis Length
List of Tables
Order of Writing
Writing for an International Audience
Introduction
Figures and Tables
Methods
Tying the Text to the Data
Results
Giving Credit
Discussion
Final Thesis
Conclusions
Resources
Recommendations
Acknowledgments
References
Appendices
I. Thesis structure
Title Page
Title (including subtitle), author, institution, department, date of delivery, research mentor(s) and advisor, their instututions and email adresses
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