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How to write a thesis: a step-by-step guide with tips

Writing a thesis for the first time https://spiniapoland.com/ is a significant milestone in your development from a doctoral student to a professional academic. Your doctoral thesis can become the cornerstone of your future research and demonstrates the breadth and detail of your knowledge about your field. Learning some general guidelines can help you put the process into perspective and craft a compelling research paper. In this article, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to write a thesis and give useful tips for writing a convincing argument.

What is a thesis?

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. As a result, the thesis serves as the main body of work you produce throughout the course of your research, though your other research papers may contribute to it.You may choose to publish your thesis or make it the basis for longer pieces of work later in your career. Institutions generally assign an expert in your field to supervise your writing.

How to write a thesis

The following steps explain how to write a thesis, focusing on the common steps that you're likely to follow regardless of your specialisation:

1. Conduct research

Regardless of your field or statement, it's important to conduct thorough research before committing anything to paper. Writing your thesis may take place after conducting your research, or it may be a gradual process of writing chapters as you research. In-depth research allows you to form your ideas and develop a clear argument while engaging with existing scholarship. After developing your idea, you can move on to writing.

2. Plan your thesis structure

As a starting point, plan your thesis' evidence and argument around your research proposal and findings. Decide how you want to support your argument and separate your evidence into self-contained but linked discussions. It's important to include sections for contextualising the history of scholarship, integrating your ideas into existing theories and addressing counterarguments. Look at key publications in your field to investigate how they typically look and what scholars expect from them.

3. Decide on the format

Set up a working document for your thesis and make some basic decisions about the font, line spacing and referencing format. Making these decisions early can help you get in the right mindset and feel that you're making progress. Theses usually have a title page with the thesis title, your name, your supervisor's name and your institution and department. You can add other relevant details, such as the submission date and your final title, at the end of the process, but creating your title page first can help you make a start and focus on writing.

4. Write your thesis statement

A thesis statement explains the main argument you're presenting based on your research. Depending on the length of your thesis, you may state this at the end of your introduction or in its own dedicated section. Your statement can be explanatory, argumentative or analytical, depending on how much detail you want to go into before presenting your evidence. Make a clear statement that explains your stance on the issue, summarises the point of your research and briefly indicates how your evidence supports it.

5. Write the main body and arguments

As you research and develop your ideas, write the main body of the thesis one section at a time. Trying to write your entire thesis at once is a challenging mental task, so dividing it into more achievable segments makes it more manageable. Making each section a self-contained discussion that contributes to the main statement can also help with reading comprehension. Remember to reiterate your main argument so that your writing is cohesive, but try to avoid unnecessary repetition.

6. Discuss your method and the history of scholarship

A good thesis makes a clear point based on evidence the writer has collected and contextualises it in previous thought. Demonstrate a thorough awareness of existing scholarship and theories in a dedicated section or during other discussions. Criticise key publications where relevant and identify the scholars you disagree with by name. Discuss your methodological approaches in full and clarify how and why your evidence leads you to your main conclusions in relation to previous scholarship.

7. Add figures, contents, lists and indexes

Add any relevant figures, images or supporting material to the thesis with references. A thesis usually has a contents page listing section titles and headings. Go through your thesis and make sure to account for every section. Also, check that you haven't included sections or titles that you later cut from the final piece. Add an index that lists any figures, plates, tables and images in your thesis. It may also be beneficial to include an index of topics, names or key terms for readers to use for reference.

8. Write your introduction and conclusion

The introduction and conclusion to your thesis serve similar purposes in introducing your thoughts and finalising your statements. Try to leave these until the end, since the body of your thesis is likely to change through many drafts throughout the course of writing it. A good introduction attracts the reader's attention, references past research, hints at the importance of your ideas and introduces your main thesis statement. A good conclusion consolidates your ideas, reiterates your thesis statement, examines its implications and encourages a discussion about future research and ideas.

9. Write the references and bibliography

Add your references in whichever format is standard for your field, such as APA, Harvard or MLA. Include each source you refer to in your thesis. You may include a bibliography at the end of your thesis for any research sources you didn't refer to directly. Make sure to double-check that you have referenced each work you included and remove any orphaned footnotes that you deleted in the process of writing.

10. Add the final sections

Add any additional sections, such as an abstract, acknowledgements and appendices. Your acknowledgements thank contributors, supervisors, friends and colleagues who helped you to write the document. An abstract, which is usually fewer than 500 words, provide a summary of your thesis and is common in scientific and arts theses. If there's any material that isn't directly relevant to your main statement but adds valuable context, you can include it in an appendix. There may be a word count allowance for appendices, depending on your field and submission requirements.

11. Proofread and submit your thesis

Once your thesis is complete, read through it and check for any sections or passages you would like to rewrite. It's normal for thesis writers to have several drafts before submitting the final work, so don't be afraid to make changes. Once you're happy with it, proofread it to check for any spelling or grammatical errors. You may want to use grammar software or ask a friend or colleague for help. Check that it's formatted according to the guidelines and submit it for review and final publication.

Tips for writing a convincing thesis

A good thesis usually contributes significantly to the field, engages critically with scholarship and demonstrates a clear personal style and confidence. Here are some common traits among good theses:

• Clearly programmatic: A good thesis contains a clear structure and method so the reader understands how each section contributes to the overall argument. Layout your arguments logically, reference previous scholarship and forecast each segment clearly so that readers can follow.


• Confident stance: Examining bodies values a thesis that engages with ongoing debates and puts forward a confident stance with supporting evidence. Commit to your stance and give compelling reasons for your arguments so that you contribute to ongoing debates.


• Focused argument: Focus your observations and evidence on your main argument and don't include unnecessary background information. Contextualise your points but focus on supporting your main thesis statements.


• Summative conclusion: A good thesis has a conclusion that thoroughly considers the evidence you've put forward and how it interacts with counterarguments. Form a confident and considered conclusion that encourages further questions and study.


• Thought-provoking: Make sure your thesis promotes further questioning and makes your reader think about the topic in detail. Encourage your readers to approach the topic from a different angle and ask questions about why and how your thesis statement makes sense.