Theses and Dissertations: Find Australian theses

  • Find University of Newcastle theses
  • Find Australian theses
  • Find International theses
  • Referencing a thesis
  • Help with thesis writing
  • Submit your Thesis This link opens in a new window

Find Australian theses (electronic)

Search  TROVE  to find links to all theses from Australian Universities.

  • On the Research & Reports page in TROVE enter your keywords, title, author (creator) or subject
  • Then select 'Thesis' in the 'Format' dropdown

TROVE have created a Quick search guide to help you locate theses on their site.

The National Library of Australia  holds a selection of theses presented to Australian universities.  

  • Australian Education Research Theses A comprehensive source of research found in doctoral and masters research theses accepted by all Australian universities in the field of education. It also includes some overseas theses on Australian education topics.
  • ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new window Abstracts and indexes of doctoral dissertations and master's theses in all subjects completed at accredited Australian, North American and selected European colleges and universities from 1743 to the present day.

You can also search for digital theses through an institution's digital repository.

Help and Information

Help and information

  • << Previous: Find University of Newcastle theses
  • Next: Find International theses >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 16, 2024 2:58 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/theses

UNSW Logo

  • Search all things Library

Finding UNSW theses

UNSW PhD or Masters by Research theses can be located via  UNSWorks . For honours theses, contact the UNSW faculty, school or the author directly.

For more information on rights of use and removing material in UNSWorks see  Copyright - UNSWorks .

Finding Australian and international theses

To find Australian theses, search via:

Library collection To find UNSW Library’s collection of Australian and international theses in print, search  Library collection  for a title or keywords. Refine your results by selecting  Refine my results > Resource types > Dissertations  in the column on the left.

Trove - Australian print and digital theses Trove includes theses at all levels, including PhD, masters and honours. To limit your search to Australian theses only, use  Trove - Research & Reports  search. Tick the  Australian content  box. Next to  Format - select  Thesis  from the drop-down list.

To find international theses, search via:

BASE BASE academic search engine provides access to the repositories of 8,000 institutions. 60% of the full-text documents are open access.

CORE CORE aggregates open access research outputs from repositories and journals worldwide.

DART-Europe e-theses portal DART-Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia working to improve global access to European research theses.

EBSCO open dissertations Includes the content from American Doctoral Dissertations in addition to theses and dissertations from around the world. Coverage from 1955.

Open access theses and dissertations OATD provides access to open access graduate theses from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions.

Theses Canada Theses and dissertations in the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) collection.

Non-UNSW theses

To obtain a thesis that is not available via the resources listed above, contact the library of the holding/publishing institution directly. Conditions of access to a thesis are determined by the author and holding library, and is outside the control of UNSW Library.

Depositing your thesis

How to  deposit  your UNSW thesis.

All Australian National University theses are in digital form. You can search for them online through the  theses collection in ANU Open Research , and are also searchable via the  Library Catalogue .

The majority of ANU theses are openly accessible but a small number are restricted due to cultural sensitivities, copyright controls or other restrictions.

Digital theses

Digital theses can be searched online through the  theses collection in ANU Open Research .

The Australian National University Library’s theses collection holds the research output of the University’s academic community over the last 60 years. The first ANU thesis was awarded in 1953.

By digitising its print theses collection, ANU Library delivers the University’s unique and original research in a freely available, open access online collection. Digital delivery expands engagement with the Library’s collections, provides visibility to the university’s scholarship, and supports the careers of its academic community.

Restrictions

The majority of theses are openly accessible; however, some may not be available under open access conditions due to author or copyright restrictions.

If an author wishes to restrict access to their thesis (or part of it), they can elect to do so as part of the online submission process. If after 12 months an extension to that restriction is required, a new application must be completed.

In the case of a Higher Degree by Research thesis, approval is required from the Dean, Higher Degree Research and can be sought by filling out an  Extension of Thesis Restriction of Access Request Form  or emailing  [email protected] . If approved, the Open Research team will be notified and restrict access to the online version of your thesis in line with the decision made.

Read our  Restriction Infosheet  for more information about applying for restrictions on theses.

Hard copy theses

Hard copy theses can be requested  for reading within the Library, but cannot be borrowed.

The majority of theses are available for research or study, however some may not be available due to author or copyright restrictions.

To check whether access restrictions apply to a particular thesis, ask at the  Menzies Library  Information Desk or email the  ANU Library .

Non-ANU readers are advised to check in advance whether they will be granted access to a particular thesis.

Location of hard copy theses

  • ANU Doctoral and Masters’ theses (1953-2018) –  Menzies Library
  • Master of Law and International Law theses (pre-October 1987) –  Law Library
  • ANU Honours theses – held by the  ANU Colleges
  • ANU Law Honours theses (selected) – Law Library or online through  ANU Open Research
  • Non-ANU theses (without access restrictions) are on the open shelves.
  • Hard copy theses requests

Related links

  • Finding theses
  • Ask a librarian
  •   Theses   +61 2 6125 2005   Send email

Australian theses

Profile picture for user CBRYCE

Researchers at universities around Australia produce world-leading research in pursuit of new knowledge and educational qualifications. These theses, long essays or dissertations involving personal research, are shared with Trove by our partner universities. Some of them are in print form only, some are available online in digital format. Here’s how you can search for them in Trove.

Screenshot of Categories drop-down next to the search button

How can I browse recently produced theses?

  • Go to the Trove homepage and type your keyword into the search box
  • Open the Categories drop-down and choose Research and Reports
  • Select the green search button
  • Select the ‘Thesis’ filter on the right-hand side of the screen
  • Change the ‘Sort by’ option to Date (latest first) to view the most recently published theses.

Screenshot of Research and reports results screen with thesis filter chosen

How can I browse recent Australian theses?

Trove has rules under the hood that identify the Australian-ness of a thesis.

  • Go to the Trove homepage 
  • Select Advanced search and choose ‘Research and reports’
  • Type your keyword into the first box
  • Scroll down until you see Australian content and tick that box
  • Change the ‘Sort by’ option to Date (latest first) to view the most recently Australian published theses.

Screenshot of Advanced search drop-down under the search button

How can I do a more advanced, specific search for theses?

The advanced search form provides options to create a more specific search. We’ve introduced you to the Australian content option, but you can also narrow your search with these filters:

  • Place of publication
  • Year of publication
  • Access (freely available, not available online)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language
  • Funder (Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council)

Screenshot of research and reports advanced search

How can I find a particular institution’s theses only?

The Research and Reports advanced search form also contains a field that helps you find theses held at specific organisations. 

  • Scroll down until you see Organisations
  • Select the box and begin to type the name of the university 
  • When the organisation you want turns green select it.
  • Then select the green search button

Screenshot of Organisation selector in advanced search

The Australian National University

Open Research Library Search query Search var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-5266663-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip navigation jQuery(document).ready(function() { jQuery('#gw-nav a[data-mega-menu-trigger], #gw-megas a[data-mega-menu-trigger]').on('click', function () { showMegaMenu($(this).attr('data-mega-menu-trigger')); return false; }); }); Home About Contribute Publishing Policy Copyright Contact Statistics My Open Research close My Open Research

Your list of unfinished submissions or submissions in the workflow.

  • Edit Profile
  • Receive email updates

dissertation research australia

  • Search ANU web, staff & maps
  • Search current site content

Open Access Theses : [15341]

To view all theses in this collection, select one of the 'Browse by' options (Issue Date, Author, Title, Subject, Title or Type (of thesis). You can also enter your keyword/s into the text box above and click on Search.

ANU theses are harvested by the National Library of Australia's Trove service and other search engines, making them fully discoverable online.

Submit your thesis (Approved ANU research theses only)

Please note: The Abstracts displayed in item metadata are in many cases truncated. For the full Abstracts, see the thesis document files.

For all ANU theses, the copyright belongs to the author.

Gray_Thesis_2024.pdf.jpg

Topics in Pintupi-Luritja syntax and semantics

Thinking with oysters in times of uncertainty.

bvt final honours thesis.pdf.jpg

The Norse Awakens: A palaeodemographic study of Viking and Norse homeland and frontier communities during the Viking and following Medieval period in the North Atlantic

Text simplification using natural language processing and machine learning for better language understandability.

Final MAE Thesis - Jill Padrotta 3307865 - 19 February 2024.pdf.jpg

Applied Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases in the Australian Capital Territory

John Moore - PhD Thesis Revised Submission Clean Copy (18FEB2024).pdf.jpg

Petroleum, Politics and the Struggle for the State: The Case of Iraq

emmelinetylerthesiswithappendices.pdf.jpg

First language literacy at a bilingual primary school in remote Northern Territory

Applied epidemiology in country western australia, 2022-2023.

Thesis Revised Clean Final.pdf.jpg

The application of Holo-UNet on Biomedical Imaging

edeprez masters thesis 290623.pdf.jpg

Australian Conservation: Relationships to Land and First Nations Peoples

labors red october.pdf.jpg

Labor’s Red October: A Study of the Adoption of the ALP Socialist Objective

Revised_thesis_Haochen_Zhou.pdf.jpg

An Intergroup Reconceptualisation of Social Norms in Behavioural Change

Not above your gods, six case studies of editing and publishing history from postwar australia.

EFS Revised PhD Submission FINAL 07.02.24.pdf.jpg

Sparking change? Understanding energy use and development in Kenya: A qualitative study

Stuart_REVISED_THESIS_2024.pdf.jpg

Genetic and phenotypic evolution of the critically endangered Lord Howe Island stick insect, Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier, 1855), in captivity

Liu_thesis_2024.pdf.jpg

Retrieving Images through Bi-modal Visual and Language Queries

991027073544707631.pdf.jpg

The concept of strategic colonialism

THESIS COMPILED01022024R1.pdf.jpg

Valorisation of Biomass-Derived Platform Molecules

Skopal_revised thesis.pdf.jpg

Lao and Assam jar sites: A landscape archaeology perspective.

fostering_indigenous_futurity.pdf.jpg

Fostering Indigenous Futurity: Applying insights from examining Australia's education system at the cultural interface

  • 5 Woodley, Peter
  • 3 Briscoe, Gordon
  • 3 Davis, Robert Brent
  • 3 Munro, Alison
  • 3 Wang, Lei
  • 2 Abejo, Socorro D
  • 2 Abraham, Mark James
  • 2 Akhtar, Muhammad Saleem
  • 2 Allen, Matthew G
  • 2 Ameka, Felix Kofi
  • 12035 Thesis (PhD)
  • 1648 Thesis (Masters)
  • 570 Thesis (MPhil)
  • 488 Thesis (Masters sub-thesis)
  • 383 Thesis (Honours)
  • 114 Thesis (Graduate Diploma)
  • 41 Thesis (DPsych(Clinical))
  • 24 Thesis (Bachelors)
  • 21 Thesis (PhD) - Exegesis
  • 8 Thesis (SJD)
  • 1500 2020 - 2024
  • 3783 2010 - 2019
  • 2998 2000 - 2009
  • 2436 1990 - 1999
  • 1944 1980 - 1989
  • 1776 1970 - 1979
  • 809 1960 - 1969
  • 79 1953 - 1959

RSS feed

Topics in Pintupi-Luritja syntax and semantics

Thinking with Oysters in Times of Uncertainty

The Norse Awakens: A palaeodemographic study of Viking and Norse homeland and frontier communities during the Viking and following Medieval period in the North Atlantic

Text Simplification Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning for Better Language Understandability

Applied Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases in the Australian Capital Territory

Updated:   19 May 2020 / Responsible Officer:   University Librarian / Page Contact:   Library Systems & Web Coordinator

  • Contact ANU
  • Freedom of Information

+61 2 6125 5111 The Australian National University, Canberra CRICOS Provider : 00120C ABN : 52 234 063 906

Group of Eight Member

The University of Melbourne

University of Melbourne theses

Australian theses,   international theses, referencing theses, further help, find theses online and in print.

This guide shows you how to find Masters and PhD theses, online and in print, from:

  • The University of Melbourne
  • Other Australian universities
  • Outside Australia

Why use theses?

Theses can be a valuable source of information, especially for topics where there are fewer published works available., the references or works cited in a thesis can also be useful to find further published sources on a topic..

If you are currently writing a thesis (Honours, Masters or PhD) you may want to:

  • check if anyone has recently completed a PhD thesis in your area of research internationally
  • look at PhD theses from your faculty (or supervised by your supervisor) to get an idea of how to format your thesis.

Most recent theses are available through Minerva Access , the University's institutional repository. 

Minerva includes PhD and Masters Research theses, as well as a smaller number of Honours and Masters Coursework theses.

Accessing Full-Text in Minerva Access

Open access theses.

  • Many theses are open access, which means anyone is able to read the full text online, and no subscription or login is required.
  • Use the download link on the left to access a PDF of the thesis.

screenshot of open access thesis with access status and download link highlighted

Restricted access theses

Some theses are currently only available to university of melbourne staff/students.

Use the login link and access with your unimelb username and password

dissertation research australia

Embargoed theses

If a thesis is under full embargo , full-text is not available for internal or external access (including inter-library loan requests). It a thesis is under an external embargo , it can be requested by University staff and students for research purposes via Minerva Access .

You will be able to view an abstract 

Finding theses from your faculty or school in Minerva Access

You can limit your results in minerva access to view only theses from your faculty..

1. Select your faculty from the list of Communities on the Minerva Access homepage. You may need to also choose your school on the next page. 

dissertation research australia

2. Select the option that includes Theses  (rather than Research Publications) 

dissertation research australia

3.To further refine the list (ie. to only PhD theses) scroll down to use the Type menu on the far left menu bar.

dissertation research australia

Finding University of Melbourne print theses

University of Melbourne theses not available online are held in the Cultural Collections Reading Room on level 3 of the Baillieu Library, or in offsite storage. While you cannot physically browse the thesis collection, you can submit a request to view a thesis using the online form .

You can search the Library Catalogue  to find our print collection of University of Melbourne theses

  • To restrict your search to just theses, select University of Melbourne Theses from the drop-down menu to the right of the search bar

dissertation research australia

For more information on requesting to view print theses see the Special Collections website . ( Note : Use the request form for Rare Books)

Australian theses from other universities can be found via Trove .

1. Select Advanced search on the Trove homepage, and choose Research and reports

dissertation research australia

2. Type your search terms into the first box (Keyword search box)

3. Check the box next to Australian content

4. Click the green Search button

dissertation research australia

5. On the results page, select the Show more  option under Format

dissertation research australia

6. Select Thesis  to limit your results to theses

dissertation research australia

7.  To access, check the purple link at the bottom of each record. Theses available online will either:

  • have a link to where they are held

dissertation research australia

  • have an Access conditions apply  link

dissertation research australia

8. Click on the title of the thesis to view the record, and select the  Read  button to access the full text

dissertation research australia

  •  If the thesis is not available online through Trove, please complete a Thesis request form on the  Request Forms page . We will then try to obtain a copy of the thesis for you via inter-library loan. 
  • For more information on using the Advanced Search to create more specific searches, see Trove's Australian theses page. 

These are the top four international theses databases that include full-text:

  • ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global The most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world. Spans 1743 to the present day, offering full text for most dissertations added since 1997.
  • British Library EThOS (Electronic Theses Online Service) Search for UK theses and access or request full text. See FAQs for more information.
  • DART-Europe E-theses Portal Access to digitised theses from European universities.
  • OATD: Open Access Theses and Dissertations Indexes more than 1.5 million theses and dissertations. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from 600+ colleges, universities, and research institutions.

Other useful theses databases ​

  • American Doctoral Dissertations
  • China Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses full-text Database This database is a comprehensive, high quality database of dissertations and theses in China. The dissertations and theses are from hundreds of institutions located across China. Coverage is 1984 onwards and is updated daily. It covers a wide range of subjects such as fundamental sciences, engineering technology, agriculture, medical science, history, philosophy, education, law, economics and more.
  • CNKI China Academic Journals Most comprehensive, full-text database of Chinese journals. To narrow your searching select section (G) Politics/ Military Affairs/ Law to search across the database.
  • KRIS - Kiwi Research Information Service NZ open access research document portal.
  • TEL (thèses-en-ligne) French theses
  • Theses Canada Portal

Need help with referencing theses?

Visit the Re:cite guide to referencing

Contact us , or ask a question on Library chat

Visit us on social media.

Facebook icon

  • Last Updated: Jan 19, 2024 9:43 AM
  • URL: https://unimelb.libguides.com/findingtheses

Graduate Research Hub

  • Preparing my thesis
  • Writing my thesis

Getting started on your thesis

The approach to writing will vary by discipline. The best way to make sure you are doing the right thing is to talk to your supervisors, plan the structure of your thesis and start writing early and regularly.

In creative arts disciplines where your thesis may take the form of creative works and a dissertation, you should also discuss the form and presentation of your thesis with your supervisor, to ensure that it is presented as a cohesive whole. You can refer to the thesis with creative works page for further information on formatting , weighting and the examination process for creative works.

Thesis formats, preface and word limits

The rules governing thesis content, language and word limits are contained in the Graduate Research Training Policy while the formatting and preface requirements for theses, compilations and creative works are provided in the Preparation of Graduate Research Theses Rules . You can also refer to the sample thesis title page .

If your thesis includes some of your publications, or material extracted from some of your publications, format requirements are explained under Including your published material in your thesis .

The University repository, Minerva Access , stores completed theses and is a good resource for viewing how others have presented their work. Just browse by types and choose Masters research thesis, PhD thesis or Doctorate .

You will need to add an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) to your thesis title page. Information on the ORCID and how to apply for one is available from the University Library

If your thesis includes third party copyright material, the Preparation of Graduate Research Theses Rules requires you to include a list of the material and whether or not you have gained permission from the copyright owners to make this material publicly available as part of your thesis. When creating the list, please use the Template for Listing Third Party Copyright Material . For further information on copyright and dealing with the copyright of others, see Copyright & Research .

Check the Handbook entry for your course for specific word limits and, where applicable, for the proportion of the thesis to be presented as a creative work.

The maximum word limit for theses (including footnotes but excluding tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices) are:

  • 50 000 words for Masters theses
  • 100 000 words for a PhD or doctoral thesis.

You should aim to write a thesis shorter than the maximum allowed, for example 40 000 for a Masters thesis or 80 000 words for a PhD. Any thesis that exceeds the maximum limit requires permission to proceed to examination, which must be sought via the Graduate Research Examinations Office prior to submission.

It may have been necessary for you to significantly alter your research plan, due the COVID-19 pandemic or other major disruption. In some cases, this may mean that the thesis you submit is not typical for your discipline. In your thesis, you should discuss any methodological changes you have made and explain how the changes arose because of the disruptions. Theses usually also include discussion of possible future research; you may wish to outline research that could be done once conditions change. Your discussion in the thesis of COVID-19 or other impacts will guide the examiners’ understanding of the reported work and the environment in which it was undertaken.

Acknowledging COVID-19 disruptions in your thesis

This guide discusses how to explain the impact of COVID-19 disruptions in your thesis. You should consult with your supervisors to decide what approach suits your situation best.

What to include or exclude

When you include statements within your PhD, other than in the Acknowledgements, they must be objective and within the scope of matters that examiners consider. You can include statements about the impact of COVID-19 or other significant external disruptions on matters such as the scope of the thesis; experimental design; or access to resources including facilities, collections, cohorts of experimental subjects, fieldwork, laboratories, and performance spaces. Note this list is indicative only. If in doubt, contact your supervisor or advisory committee chair about other relevant inclusions.

It is not appropriate to include emotional statements, how your experience compared to others (examination is not competitive), nor impacts such as the need to work remotely, or personal statements on mental or physical health, family, finances, nor the behaviour or availability of supervisors. Examiners are not asked to consider these matters.

While these factors may have had a profound impact on many candidates during the disruptions, there is no concept of ‘special consideration’ in examination of theses. Challenges to candidature are expected to be managed prior to submission and are not considered by examiners. For example, if access to supervisors was a difficulty, alternative arrangements should have been made. Examiners are not asked to make allowance for such factors.

Major changes to the project

If the disruptions led to significant changes to your project, you could address this in a single location.

For example, you might include a section that addresses the impact that the disruptions had on the entire thesis, or on multiple chapters within the thesis in a systematic and explicit way.

The introduction is where candidates lay out the thesis for examiners and so provides an opportunity to present objective statements regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the thesis. If the disruptions meant that different methodologies were pursued in different parts of the thesis, the introduction is a good place to explain why in a cohesive way.

Alternatively, statements can be added to the preface, to provide context to the work as a whole.

A final conclusions chapter is used to summarise the work and outline future research opportunities. If the disruption prevented you from undertaking particular research activities, you can use this section to highlight these gaps in the study and how they might be addressed.

Carefully explaining how the methodology was shaped by the disruption demonstrates your capacity to think beyond the PhD and to adapt to changing conditions. It can show that you are creative, flexible, and exploratory as a problem-solver.

The skills expected of a strong candidate include an ability to formulate a viable research question and to analyse information critically within and across a changing disciplinary environment.

You have the opportunity to demonstrate these attributes, even if the investigative component of the research was impeded. Remember that the core goal is research training, not the achievement of specific research outcomes.

Impact on specific chapters

If the disruptions impacted just one or two chapters of your thesis, they still need to stand alone as quality research.

One option is to explain the original design and how it was revised, either in the chapter introduction or in the section where it best fits in your narrative. It is important to explain to the examiners why you chose that methodology, particularly if it is unusual for your discipline. For example, the disruption may have affected the number or type of interviews that were conducted or have forced a change from experimental work to computational modelling.

Again, writing a focused discussion of the impact of the disruptions on a specific piece of work is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the qualities and skills that an examiner seeks in a strong candidate.

Impact that was not specific

You may wish to note that your thesis was completed during COVID-19 disruptions, even if there was no specific identifiable impact on the scope of the thesis or the project design. The appropriate location for this note is in the acknowledgements section because it is not examined. Remember that although this is the section where you might offer gratitude for family, friends, supervisors, inspirations, and supports; not every examiner will read the acknowledgements.

Editing my thesis

Your thesis must be your own work, and you must clearly understand your role as well as the roles of your supervisors and others throughout the editorial process.

The  Graduate Research Training Policy limits the editing of theses by others to that permitted in the current Guidelines for Editing Research Theses .

As editorial intervention (other than by your supervisors) should be restricted to copyediting and proofreading, as covered on page two of the Guidelines for Editing Research Theses , it is important that you understand the types of editing as explained on the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) website.

The University does not maintain a list of editors. If you would like help finding a suitable editor, the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) has a register of accredited editors.

If your thesis has had the benefit of editorial advice, in any form, you must provide the name of the editor or company providing the service and a brief description of the service rendered, in terms of the Standards, in the preface of your thesis.

Registering my intention to submit

Prior to submission, or prior to your performance or exhibition of a creative component of your thesis, register your intention to submit by logging into the Thesis Examination System (TES). About 2-months prior to your submission is the ideal time for this. Your estimated submission date, or your thesis submission date, must not exceed your maximum submission date, i.e. your expected thesis submission date as listed on the Graduate Research Details page of my.unimelb .

Registering your intention to submit begins the process of the selection of examiners. You will need to provide a brief (80-word) overview of your research question, methods and results which will be sent to potential examiners. If you are submitting a thesis with creative work, include the weighting of the proportion of the written dissertation and creative component/s. You will also be given the opportunity to name up to two people that you consider to be unsuitable examiners, along with substantiated reasons. You are encouraged to create and enter an ORCID .

Preparing to submit your thesis soon? Download our Thesis Submission Checklist to assist you.

More information

Read the  FAQs on using the Thesis Examination System

You must be admitted to the relevant graduate research degree in order to submit your thesis. If your candidature is suspended, cancelled or terminated and you wish to submit, you must first  apply for reinstatement and readmission . Before applying for readmission you should contact your supervisor or head of department to discuss your thesis. If your supervisor is no longer available please contact  the  graduate research team for your faculty , or the faculty nearest in discipline to your former department.

Resources and workshops to help you write

  • Writing skills
  • Publication, open access and copyright
  • Library skills for researchers
  • Systems and tech tools including - Nvivo, LabArchives, File Management 101, Producing excellent graphs and sessions for a range of reference management software
  • Communication skills and presentation skills workshops including - Oral presentations, Working with people and managing complex relationships and Working with a supervisor
  • Upcoming workshops offered by Research@Library including digital skills webinars.
  • Melbourne talks - a free program for international graduate researchers to the University of Melbourne delivered by the Student Peer Leader Network in partnership with Academic Skills.
  • The University’s Library Guides provide a resource of library research support information on research, reading and writing skills
  • We recommend you watch the series of eight short videos on Getting Started with Library Research
  • The Eastern Resource Centre Library will be regularly updated to include information on when they are hosting structured social writing sessions known as ‘shut up and write’ and library information sessions
  • Connect to the  Thesis Writers’ Community on LMS. Established by Academic Skills, the Community provides information and support through the writing process for graduate researchers
  • You can join GSA’s regular Shut Up & Write sessions and Shut Up & Write-a-Thons
  • Book an adviser for individual appointments to help with your thesis
  • Your graduate school may have writing groups and they may offer 'boot camps' for an intensive writing effort. GSA also runs regular thesis bootcamps .
  • You may also find it helpful to look at theses from past candidates in your field.  You can use the Browse “Communities and Collections” function in the University's institutional publications repository,  Minerva Access to find the “Theses” collection for your faculty or department (use the “+” symbol to expand the list of communities available).  You can also use the search function to find theses with relevant keywords.
  • Annual graduate research competitions organised by the University such as the Three minute thesis (3MT®) competition and  Visualise your thesis competition 

Please note: These programs and workshops are subject to change, based on bookings and demand.

  • Resources for candidates
  • Orientation and induction
  • Mapping my degree
  • Principles for infrastructure support
  • Peer activities
  • Change my commencement date
  • Meeting expectations
  • Working with my supervisors
  • Responsible Research & Research Integrity
  • Guidelines for external supervisors
  • Pre-confirmation
  • Confirmation
  • At risk of unsatisfactory progress
  • Unsatisfactory progress
  • Add or drop coursework subjects
  • Apply for leave
  • Return from leave
  • Apply for Study Away
  • Return from Study Away
  • Change my study rate
  • Check my candidature status
  • Change my current supervisors
  • Request an evidence of enrolment or evidence of qualification statement
  • Change my project details
  • Change department
  • Transfer to another graduate research degree
  • Late submission
  • Withdraw from my research degree
  • Check the status of a request
  • Re-enrolment
  • Advice on requesting changes
  • Extension of candidature
  • Lapse candidature
  • How to cancel a form in my.unimelb
  • Resolving issues
  • Taking leave
  • About Study Away
  • Finishing on time
  • Accepting an offer for a joint PhD online
  • Tenured Study Spaces (TSS) Usage Guidelines
  • Tenured Study Spaces Procedures
  • Research skills
  • Academic writing and communication skills
  • Building professional and academic networks
  • Research internships
  • Commercialising my research
  • Examples of thesis and chapter formats when including publications
  • Thesis with creative works
  • Research Integrity in my Thesis
  • Graduate researchers and digital assistance tools
  • TES Statuses
  • Submitting my thesis
  • Depositing multiple components for your final thesis record
  • The Chancellor's Prize
  • TES Graduate Researcher FAQs
  • TES Examiner FAQs
  • Career planning
  • Publishing my research
  • Getting support
  • Key graduate research contacts
  • Graduate research advice for returning to campus
  • Melbourne Research Experience Survey
  • Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)
  • International Student Barometer (ISB) and Student Barometer (SB)
  • Current Students

UNSW Canberra logo

  • UNSW Canberra
  • Resource Guides
  • How do I Find...
  • Find Theses and Dissertations
  • Introduction

All 'How do I Find...?' Guides

  • Find Case Studies
  • Find Conference Papers
  • Find Country Profiles
  • Find eBooks
  • Find Exam Papers
  • Find Newspapers and Other Media
  • Find Patents
  • Find Standards
  • Find Study Skills Support
  • Find Statistics and Data

Locate Australian, New Zealand and International Theses

  • Australia and New Zealand
  • International

Trove - Australian Theses  

Search the National Library of Australia's discovery service Trove for print and digital theses held in collecting institutions across Australia.

  • Tip: Choose Advanced Search.  Select Research & Reports from the the drop down menu. Enter search terms then refine the results by selecting Thesis under the Format heading.

Union list of higher degree theses in Australian university libraries: cumulative edition to 1965  

Find theses submitted for a higher degree at Australian universities between 1959 and 1978 by searching this text.

  • Tip: The link goes to the catalogue record for the cumulative edition to 1965 but there are also supplements at the same location.

New Zealand Libraries (Te Puna)  

Use this web-based search service to search for theses in New Zealand libraries and/or worldwide.

  • Tip: Select Thesis/Dissertation under the Format filter to narrow your results.

nzresearch.org.nz  

Search open-access research documents produced at universities, polytechnics, and other institutions in New Zealand at this site.

  • Tip: Select Thesis from the Browse by Type menu on the search page.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses - GLOBAL 

Search this comprehensive online collection to find doctoral theses from universities in the UK and Ireland dating back to 1716.

British Library - EThOS Electronic Thesis Online Service  

Search this site for doctoral theses from the United Kingdom, including many with free full text access.

DART - Europe E-theses Portal  

Search this extensive collection to locate research theses from European countries.

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations

Find an extensive list of international sites for locating free, electronic theses and dissertations at this site.

OpenDOAR  

Search and browse this authoritative directory of open-access repositories worldwide.

Theses Canada  

Find theses and dissertations from universities across Canada, covering the 1960s to the present, via this searchable collection.

WorldCat  

Search the world's most comprehensive database of information about library collections by performing a search then selecting  the Thesis/Dissertation option from the format list.

 Sort Link Group  

 Add / Reorder  

Find UNSW theses

UNSW theses can be found using the institutional repository  UNSWorks.

Some Australian and international theses/dissertations can be found using the Academy Library collection .

  • Carry out a search on your topic, author, or thesis title. 
  • Refine your results by selecting the tick box next to Dissertations under the Resource Types heading. 

eBooks on Thesis Writing

dissertation research australia

Need Help? - used on all subject guides - title is hidden via css

Ask Us a Question

Research Consultation

SMS your question to: 61437539020

Call us on: 0434 369 043

See our Citations and Referencing guide.

  • Last Updated: Nov 27, 2023 5:46 PM
  • URL: https://guides.lib.unsw.adfa.edu.au/theses

Library buildings are open for UniSA staff and students via UniSA ID swipe cards.   Please contact us on Ask the Library for any assistance. Find out about other changes to Library services .

  • Find theses
  • Share your thesis
  • Copyright This link opens in a new window

Finding UniSA theses

The Library Collection includes:

  • UniSA theses
  • non-UniSA theses individually purchased
  • theses subscribed to via databases

You can access the Library Collection via the link below:

  • Library Collection

To find UniSA theses:

Screenshot of the UniSA Library collection search bar

Finding external theses

The following databases are useful places to start your search:

To find Australian theses:

  • Trove Trove is an Australian online database aggreggator and service which includes digital images, bibliographic and full-text document such as academic theses

Click on Advanced Search and select  Research & Reports from the drop-down menu

Image example of Advance search bar in Trove; search term:management

  • Refine your results to Format: Thesis (right). You can also select Access: Online (You can also select Free access to view theses without access restrictions)
  • Select the title to open the record
  • Select Read to view  

image example of Free access option

If the item is not freely available, you may be able to request it via the interlibrary loan service  

  • Request an interlibrary loan Request items not held by UniSA Library. This service is available to UniSA staff, Higher Degree by Research students, and other students who are doing research

To find international theses:

Go to ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and do a title or keyword search. For help searching this database watch the below video

  • Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global has the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertation and theses from around the world, spanning from 1743 to the present day
  • Databases containing theses This link contains a list of databases that also contain theses content

Finding external art theses or exegeses

Proquest dissertations and theses global example:.

  • Select Advance Search

Imager of search example in ProQuest: "Fine art"

  • Select Search

Trove search example:

  • Click on  Advanced Search  and select  Research & Reports  from the drop-down menu
  • In the keyword field type: exegesis
  • Limit your results to Format: Thesis (right)

Obtaining a thesis from another library

You may discover a thesis you want to read via a recommendation from your supervisor, a citation in an article or book, or from searching.

If the full text is not available online, you can submit an interlibrary loan via the Resource Sharing Request form.

Add in as much information as possible, under the heading of 'Book'. UniSA Library will then try to obtain either a physical or digital copy for you.

  • Resource Sharing Request form

Research proposals

For examples of research proposals please contact your relevant Academic Unit.

  • << Previous: Home
  • Next: Exemplars >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 9:34 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/theses

Postgraduate research degrees

Our research is driven by the big picture. The University of Sydney is home to leading researchers who are finding solutions to the world's most pressing issues by changing the way they look at them. 

We are home to 90 world‑renowned multidisciplinary research and teaching centres that tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as health, climate change and food security. These centres include the Charles Perkins Centre, the Brain and Mind Centre ,  The University of Sydney Nano Institute , the Sydney Policy Lab , the Sydney Environment Institute , and the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre .

Our interdisciplinary approach means that students are part of a community of scholars that unites experts in fields as diverse as medicine, arts, social sciences, engineering, information technologies and science. 

As a researcher at Sydney, you'll work alongside some of the world's brightest and most accomplished academics. You can access high-calibre facilities and unique international partnerships with top-ranked institutions, including Stanford, UCLA, the University of Edinburgh, Utrecht University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the University of Hong Kong.

Types of research degrees

Master's degree by research.

A master's degree by research at Sydney:

  • is the second-highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework
  • can be a gateway to study at a PhD level
  • is usually one to two years full-time or two to four years part-time*
  • is awarded based on a supervised thesis, which makes a substantial contribution to the knowledge of the subject concerned.

*Part-time is not available to international student visa holders.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD at Sydney:

  • is our premier research award and the highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework
  • comprises of independent research and writing on an approved topic toward a thesis for examination
  • may be undertaken in all faculties and divisions, or across disciplines
  • is usually 3.5 years of full-time or seven years of part-time* study.

If you’re interested in a Joint PhD program, you need to follow the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) application steps 1-3. In addition, your proposed supervisor will need to complete a proposal to negotiate a student agreement form. If accepted, you will also be required to sign an individual student agreement. After your student agreement is finalised, you will then be sent an application form for the Joint PhD program.

Please refer to the University's Dual and Joint Degree Policy for full policy details.

Download our  Joint PhD programs factsheet (pdf, 116KB)  to learn more.

Professional doctorate

A professional doctorate at Sydney:

  • allows candidates to pursue rigorous scholarship alongside advancing their practice in many fields
  • is usually three to four years of full-time or six to eight years of part-time* study.

Internship opportunities

Grow professionally and academically through a paid 3-6 month internship with an industry partner as you complete your degree.

The University of Sydney has partnered with  Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR.Intern)  to provide domestic and international HDR students with internship opportunities  in a range of sectors and disciplines.

A paid internship will allow you to:

  • Develop competencies that will contribute to your research
  • Gain industry experience, develop skills and build networks
  • Enhance your employability
  • Earn additional income

HDR coursework 

HDR coursework is mandatory for some of our research degrees. HDR coursework adds to your researcher toolkit so you can graduate with a robust set of skills, for a career in academia or industry.

Your faculty may elect to define certain units of study as mandatory for a given degree, or define any other studies as required by the progress evaluation panel of the research project. Refer to the relevant course in the  handbook .  

Frequently asked questions

Getting started, do i need prior research experience.

Yes, all HDR courses require prior research experience. This is because HDR courses are largely self-driven, requiring pre-requisite research, time and project management skills.

If I have no prior research experience how can I get started?

If you do not have any previous research experience, there are ways to gain what you need. Both the one-year honours and masters by coursework degrees containing substantial research components are great pathways into research. These courses will allow you to gain the research skills necessary to apply for the PhD.

What is the difference between a Master of Philosophy/Research and a PhD?

The PhD is our premier research award and the highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework. The PhD is usually three years full-time or six years part-time.

The Master of Philosophy/Research is usually one to two years full-time or four years part-time (part-time is available to domestic students only). A PhD thesis is generally around 80,000 words while a master’s thesis is 50,000 words.

How do I find a supervisor?

To browse through the profiles of our researchers and learn about their current and past research, please refer to Find a Researcher . Here, you will also be able to access the publications lists and contact details of our researchers. 

My research idea crosses two disciplines – is this a problem?

No. Interdisciplinary research is highly regarded in the world of academia and working across disciplines can be very beneficial in developing and demonstrating different analytical skills. Working on research from two perspectives can also offer insight that you would not be able to achieve from one discipline perspective.

What are the English language requirements for a PhD?

Please check your  course page  for the requirements of each course. Generally, the English requirements are between 6.0 to 7.0 IELTS overall or equivalent in other accepted English proficiency tests.

How much do HDR courses cost?

There are no course fees for domestic students – fees are covered by the government Research Training Program (RTP) fee offset. However, fees apply to international students. Please refer to the  course page  for fee details.

What scholarships are available?

We have one of the largest research schemes in Australia. Opportunities include the Australian government-funded Research Training Program (RTP) stipend scholarships, and the University of Sydney and faculty-specific awards. Explore your options .

Degree progression

Do i have to undertake hdr coursework.

It depends on your degree. Your faculty may define certain units of study as mandatory for a given degree. Where this is not the case, you may still have the opportunity to complete units of study that you find useful to support your learning and research. 

Can I transfer from the Master of Philosophy into a PhD?

It is possible for students to move to the PhD after the first year of study, if you have made satisfactory progress and if the transfer is approved by your Faculty. It is important to inform your supervisor of your plans early so that you can work on a timeline together to achieve this goal.

Support during your studies

Am i able to work while studying my hdr course full-time.

Yes, you can work during your PhD. How many hours you take on is at your own discretion, and you must ensure that you still allow time for the completion of your research. International HDR students can generally work more hours than coursework students. Please check your individual visa for specific restrictions.

Will the university employ me during my PhD?

There are sometimes opportunities for PhD candidates to engage in paid employment at the University, but this is not guaranteed and is dependent on the Faculty/Department. If opportunities do arise, they may be in the form of teaching, marking, acting as a research assistant, or other roles.

What support services are available to research students?

There is extensive support for research students at Sydney, including 100+ multidisciplinary research and teaching centres.

Other services:

  • Library workshops for research skills
  • Academic Liasion Librarians
  • Research Support Officers
  • Careers Centre
  • Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA)
  • Learning Hub

How to apply

Find a supervisor.

Search by keyword, location, topic or supervisor name

  • 1800 SYD UNI ( 1800 793 864 )
  • or +61 2 8627 1444

Student Centre, Level 3 Jane Foss Russell Building, Darlington Campus

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Prospective students

Facts & figures

Research at Sydney

  • Top 20 Ranked one of the world's top universities*
  • 100% of our research is ranked at world standard and above by the Australian Research Council
  • 100+ multidisciplinary research and teaching centres
  • * QS World University Rankings 2024

Research scholarships

Find the right scholarship for you

How to write a research proposal

A guide to preparing a strong research proposal

6 ways to finance your postgraduate study

Find out how to reduce the cost of your tuition fees

  • Directories

In Australia the thesis is an extended written piece which reports on the results of a three to four year programme of research (in other countries the writing component is called a 'dissertation'). The thesis should incorporate a summary of the research undertaken during the program.

At ANU we do not usually require an oral defence or 'viva'. Your thesis will be sent to at least two examiners for evaluation . For more information about how examiners make a judgement on a thesis, read this paper by Mullins and Kiley called " It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize ".

Types of thesis

There are three common types of thesis documents allowed in the ANU research award rules: a standard thesis of up to 100,000 words in length for a PhD (or 60,000 words for an M.Phil); a thesis by compilation (sometimes called a thesis by publication) and a thesis by creative works.

A thesis by compilation may include works that are solo or joint authored and accepted for publication. The compilation can include works which have been explicitly prepared for publication but not yet accepted, however these should not make up the majority of the text. It is expected that a thesis by compilation has linking text and a foreword to each chapter.

A thesis by creative works can include a multimedia or digital work, a film, an exhibition, a performance, a musical composition, a novel, a play, a series of poems, creative art work or other works as agreed by the candidate and the university. This work can be accompanied by an exegesis (commentary and interpretation of the work) or a dissertation (on a topic related to the work). Any written work accompanying a thesis by creative works must be substantial; between 30,000 and 60,000 words for a PhD and between 15,000 and 30,000 for an M.Phil. The final presentation of the work will be a public presentation; an exhibition, recital, lecture or some other form as agreed with the supervisor and the university.

Preparing the thesis

The Research Training team run a variety of workshops, seminars and courses aimed at helping you prepare your thesis as well as guidance on working with your supervisor to achieve a successful submission.

Writing the thesis

The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offer individual appointments to discuss thesis drafts and other issues such as managing your project. Their site also has a range of resources about writing a thesis to support you during your programme.

Reviewing the thesis

Writing about the impact of covid-19 in your thesis.

COVID-19 has changed the course of many research projects in ways that would not have been predicted at the outset you your PhD program. Research can always take unexpected turns and being able to take advantage of opportunities that arise, and be able to switch directions when necessary are useful skills to demonstrate. It is up to you to decide if you want to write about how your research has changed due to COVID-19. You are encouraged to talk with your supervisory panel to seek advice about what might be appropriate for your thesis.

The types of impact you might like to discuss include

  • changes to research sites or populations due to travel or access restrictions,
  • changes to research scope due to inability to access archival material,
  • changes in access to labs, or experimental equipment,
  • including theoretical instead of experimental content,

There is no right place to mention impacts, it will depend on the type of thesis and the type of research. It will also depend on how large the impact has been. For many the impact can be explained in a few sentences. For some projects a whole section of the thesis may be required. Some suggestions include

  • in the introduction when setting the scene for the research that follows
  • in the methodology section if changes to method was made part way through the research.
  • where discussing limitations of the research
  • where discussing ideas for future research

You should not include statements in your thesis that outline the impact of remote working, your physical or mental health or that of your family. While it is acknowledged that we have all been impacted in some way, these are not appropriate statements in your examined thesis and would not be assessed by an examiner.

Submitting the thesis and the examination process

It's good to know the regulations, processes and requirements around thesis submission and examination. Check out the information on finishing your degree for some inspiration!

ANU Thesis library

A great way to get your head around the expectations of a thesis is to read some! Check out the ANU Digital Thesis Library and find past successful theses in your discipline. 

Advisory information

  • Submitting a thesis
  • Policy: Glossary - student policies and procedures
  • 135 ANU (135 268)

Griffith University

Popular sites

Home > Research study > Choose your research topic

  • Choose your research topic
  • Find a supervisor
  • Scholarship application tips
  • Griffith Graduate Research School

Develop a research proposal

Once you have established that you meet entry requirements for your preferred program, you need to clarify your chosen area of study and identify a research area and/or research question, clarify its importance and prepare a research proposal. Your research question will provide the key research focus for the full duration of your degree so it is important that you consult a wide variety of resources and select a topic you feel highly motivated to investigate. Depending on your area of study and research, you may be starting at the very beginning or you may already have a research topic or area of focus from an already established research team.

How to choose your research topic

Choosing a research topic and writing your research proposal can be difficult when you're faced with a lot of choice. Current Griffith PhD candidates and supervisors give some advice to help you create a winning research proposal.

How to develop a research proposal

Think carefully about your motivation to complete an HDR program—what are you passionate about, what topic or question or problem do you want to tackle? Remember you will be spending a lot of time on this topic so a keen interest is a must.

Find a connection with a Griffith school, department, research centre or institute to find a match for your research area and/or research question. Some research centres and institutes have proposed research projects and hot topics for prospective candidates.

Find out more

Narrow your focus to a single research topic. Once you have connected with your prospective supervisor, it is important that you seek their input and advice on your research proposal. Developing a research proposal is an iterative process, so expect to work on a number of drafts before you finalise your research proposal. You need to allow time to prepare multiple drafts and seek feedback along the way. Your potential supervisor is the best person to contact, so make sure you reach out to find one as soon as possible. Where applicable, this may also be an appropriate time to seek a connection with an industry partner or external organisation who could collaborate on your research. They will also provide input to your research proposal.

Your draft research proposal should include the following:

  • Student name
  • Dissertation/thesis title
  • Summary of project (maximum 100 words)
  • Rationale—brief review of relevant research in the field
  • Statement of the principal focus of intended research
  • Significance of the study
  • Intended methodology and project feasibility
  • (Where applicable) details of an industry partner or external organisation’s involvement in project
  • Anticipated project costs (if required by your enrolling school or research centre)
  • Any requirements for specialist equipment or resources.

Your proposal should be no longer than 2–3 pages.

Professors' advice

What you’re doing is something that nobody else has ever done before, so you’re going to come across problems that nobody has solved before.

Professor Robert Sang

In preparing a research proposal for your application, keep in mind the objective, which is to demonstrate that you have thought about the topic deeply, have some interesting ideas about the topic, and have considered possible methodologies of research and the project’s feasibility. It is advantageous to show why you think that your chosen topic is significant or interesting.

Professor Gerry Docherty

AFS

AFS Programs

Dissertation vs Thesis: A Comprehensive Comparison

Dissertation vs Thesis: A Comprehensive Comparison

When it comes to pursuing higher education, two processes that are often misunderstood are dissertation and thesis. Although these terms are used interchangeably in some fields, it is important to understand the key differences between them. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive comparison of dissertation and thesis, including their definition, required components, submission deadlines, and more.

A dissertation is a unique document that students are required to submit to earn their master’s or doctoral degree. It is a comprehensive and in-depth research study conducted by the student in their chosen field of study. The purpose of a dissertation is to contribute new knowledge or insights to the academic community and demonstrate the student’s ability to independently conduct research and solve complex problems.

On the other hand, a thesis is a research document that is typically required for the completion of a master’s program. It is shorter in length compared to a dissertation and does not require the same level of depth and complexity. However, like a dissertation, a thesis also involves conducting original research and presenting the findings in a well-structured and organized manner.

One major difference between a dissertation and a thesis is the submission deadline. When it comes to a master’s program, the thesis is usually completed within a shorter timeframe compared to a dissertation for a doctoral program. The submission deadlines for a thesis are generally more flexible, allowing students to complete their degree requirements within a specific timeframe.

It is important to note that both dissertation and thesis require careful planning and organization. Students should allocate sufficient time for research, data collection, analysis, and writing. It is also crucial to follow the specific guidelines provided by the educational institution, including the required format (e.g., double-spaced, specific fonts and margins), citation style, and any other specific requirements.

Dissertation vs Thesis Comparison: Essential Differences You Need to Know

What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a research-heavy project that is typically required for completion of a doctoral degree, such as a Ph.D. or an Ed.D. It is the culmination of several years of study and is usually focused on a unique research topic. Dissertations are often longer than theses, ranging from 150 to 400 pages. They are double-spaced, with a standard font such as Times New Roman, and must adhere to specific guidelines set forth by the student’s school. Dissertations involve extensive research, data collection, analysis, and the presentation of findings in a clear and actionable manner.

What is a Thesis?

A thesis, on the other hand, is a research project that is typically required for completion of a master’s degree. It is usually shorter in length compared to a dissertation, ranging from 40 to 100 pages, and may also be double-spaced and written in a standard font. While the thesis shares similarities with a dissertation in terms of research methodology and measures, it is generally considered less research-heavy. Instead, it often focuses on the mastery of a specific topic within a field of study or the application of existing research to a unique problem or question.

Key Differences between Dissertations and Theses

There are several key differences between dissertations and theses, including:

  • Length: Dissertations are typically longer than theses
  • Schools: Dissertations are commonly required for doctoral degrees, while theses are required for master’s degrees
  • Research Focus: Dissertations involve in-depth and original research, while theses often focus on the application or mastery of existing research
  • Deadline: Dissertations usually have longer deadlines compared to theses

Which One Should You Choose?

The decision between a dissertation and a thesis depends on several factors, including the academic degree you are aiming for, your goals within your field of study, and the expectations and guidelines set forth by your school or program. It’s important to carefully consider these factors and seek guidance from an expert in your field before making an informed decision.

Here are some frequently asked questions about dissertations and theses:

  • Can dissertations be published?
  • What is the role of panels in the dissertation process?
  • Are dissertations always research-heavy?

Remember, understanding the differences between dissertations and theses is essential when making decisions about your academic journey. By being knowledgeable about the unique aspects of each type of research project, you can be better equipped to navigate the decision-making process and choose the path that aligns with your goals and interests.

Scope, Structure, and Purpose

A dissertation is typically a document that is submitted within the context of a doctoral program. It is usually a research-heavy and original piece of work that contributes to the existing knowledge in a particular field of study. Dissertations tend to be longer, more comprehensive, and more in-depth than theses.

A thesis, on the other hand, is commonly associated with master’s degrees. It focuses on a specific topic within a particular field of study and is a shorter and less extensive document compared to a dissertation.

The structure of a dissertation and a thesis can vary slightly depending on the specific program or institution, but they generally follow a similar format.

The purpose of both a dissertation and a thesis is to demonstrate the writer’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the existing knowledge in a particular field. However, there are some differences in their purposes.

A dissertation is usually required for the completion of a doctoral degree and serves as the final piece of work that showcases the student’s expertise in their chosen field. It is a formal document that must be defended against a committee of experts in the field.

A thesis, on the other hand, is required for the completion of a master’s degree. It demonstrates the student’s ability to apply research and problem-solving techniques within their field of study. While it is also a formal document, the defense process is generally less intense compared to a dissertation.

It is important to note that in some fields, the term “thesis” is used interchangeably with “dissertation,” and the distinction between the two may not be as significant.

In summary, the main difference between a dissertation and a thesis lies in their scope, length, and purpose. Dissertations are typically research-heavy documents submitted within the context of doctoral programs, while theses are focused on specific topics within master’s programs. Despite these differences, both types of documents aim to demonstrate the writer’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to their field.

Research Methodology and Data Analysis

In both dissertations and theses, the research methodology section provides a detailed account of the methods and procedures used to collect, analyze, and interpret the data. It includes the types of data collected, the research instruments used (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments), and the sampling techniques employed.

An important difference to note is that while a thesis can be completed within a master’s program, a dissertation is typically associated with doctoral programs. However, the methodology requirements may vary between institutions and fields of study.

In general, the research methodology section should answer the following questions:

  • What is the research topic or question?
  • What is the research design or plan?
  • What methods were used to collect the data?
  • What tools or instruments were employed?
  • How was the data analyzed?
  • What were the main findings?

It’s important to keep in mind that the research methodology section should be presented in a clear and organized manner. Use headings and subheadings to break down the content and make it easier for the readers to navigate. This will also help demonstrate your ability to conduct rigorous research and adhere to scholarly standards.

One acceptable way to present the research methodology section is in the form of a table. This can be particularly useful when describing the different components of the methodology or the instruments used. For example:

In terms of data analysis, both dissertations and theses require a rigorous and systematic approach. This involves using statistical or qualitative techniques, depending on the nature of the data and research question. It’s important to provide a clear description of the data analysis methods used, including any software or tools utilized.

Overall, the research methodology and data analysis sections are crucial components of both dissertations and theses. They ensure that your research is conducted in a systematic and valid manner, and that your findings are supported by sound data analysis techniques. Therefore, it’s important to give careful consideration to these aspects of your project and seek the guidance of an expert in your field.

Evaluation and Assessment Criteria

Written components.

Both dissertations and theses require written documents as the basis of evaluation. However, there is a difference in the length and depth of these written components.

A dissertation usually consists of a lengthier and more comprehensive written piece, often with a higher page count. This allows students to thoroughly explore and analyze their research topic, including an in-depth literature review and detailed methodology section. On the other hand, a thesis typically has fewer pages and is more focused on examining a specific topic within a field of study.

Research Approach

The research approach may also differ between dissertations and theses. Dissertations often require the application of more advanced research methods, such as empirical studies or data analysis. Theses, while still requiring research, may focus more on theoretical analysis or literature-based research.

Evaluation by the Academic Committee

Both dissertations and theses are evaluated by an academic committee. However, the criteria used for evaluation may vary. Dissertations are usually assessed based on the originality of the research, methodological rigor, the contribution to the field, and the quality and clarity of the written work. Theses, while also evaluated based on these criteria, may have a slightly different emphasis depending on the program requirements.

Furthermore, dissertations often require an oral defense where students present and discuss their research findings with the academic committee. Theses may still have an oral defense, but it is less common.

Publication and Use of Findings

The publication and use of research findings may also differ between dissertations and theses. Dissertations are often expected to contribute new knowledge to the field and may be published or shared more widely. Theses, while still valuable, are often seen as a stepping stone towards further research or a deeper exploration of a specific topic.

In some cases, the findings from a thesis can be used as a basis for actionable recommendations or decision-making in a specific context or industry.

Supplementary Components

Additional components like abstracts, supplementary materials, and digital resources may be required for both dissertations and theses. These supplementary components provide additional context, references, or data to support the main thesis or dissertation.

Submission and Defense of Final Thesis

When it comes to submitting the final thesis, it is important to be well-informed about the specific requirements of the program or institution. This includes knowing the deadline for submission and any particular formatting or style guidelines that need to be followed. The title of the thesis should be unique and properly written, and it should clearly reflect the topic or research question.

Submission Process

The submission process for the final thesis can vary depending on the program or institution. Some may require hard copies to be submitted, while others may accept electronic submissions. The submission may also include additional documents, such as an abstract or cover letter. It is important to carefully follow the submission guidelines and ensure that all required documents are included.

Defense of the Final Thesis

The defense of the final thesis is an important part of the evaluation process. It usually involves presenting the findings of the research to a panel of experts or faculty members, who will evaluate the thesis and ask questions to assess the student’s understanding and mastery of the topic. The defense may also include an oral presentation or an interview.

During the defense, it is crucial to demonstrate a clear understanding of the research problem and effectively communicate the methods and findings. The defense is an opportunity to showcase the depth of knowledge gained through the research process and to address any potential weaknesses or limitations in the study.

Similarities to a Dissertation

The final thesis shares some similarities with a dissertation. Both are written documents that present the findings of an original research project. They require a thorough understanding of the research topic and an ability to critically analyze relevant literature. Both theses and dissertations require proper citation and referencing of sources, and they should adhere to a specific format and style, such as APA or MLA.

However, there are also some differences between the two. A thesis is typically completed as part of a master’s degree program, while a dissertation is usually required for a doctoral degree. Theses are often shorter in length, with word limits ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 words, whereas dissertations can be much longer. The level of originality and contribution to the field is also typically higher for a dissertation.

What is the difference between a dissertation and a thesis?

A dissertation is a research project that is typically done by graduate students in order to obtain a doctoral degree, while a thesis is a research project that is undertaken by students in undergraduate or postgraduate programs to obtain a master’s degree.

Do both dissertations and theses require original research?

Yes, both dissertations and theses require original research. In both cases, students are expected to conduct their own research and contribute new knowledge to their respective fields.

How long does it take to complete a dissertation?

The length of time it takes to complete a dissertation can vary depending on various factors such as the complexity of the research topic and the availability of resources. On average, it can take anywhere from several months to several years to complete a dissertation.

Are there any similarities between a dissertation and a thesis?

Yes, there are several similarities between a dissertation and a thesis. Both require extensive research, critical analysis, and the use of academic writing skills. Additionally, both dissertations and theses contribute to the existing body of knowledge in their respective fields.

Can a thesis be considered a precursor to a dissertation?

Yes, a thesis can be considered as a precursor to a dissertation. Many graduate students who eventually go on to pursue a doctoral degree often start by completing a master’s thesis, which then serves as a stepping stone towards their future dissertation research.

A dissertation and a thesis are both lengthy research papers that are required to earn a higher degree. The main difference between the two is the context in which they are used. A thesis is typically associated with a master’s degree program, while a dissertation is required for a doctoral degree.

Can the terms “dissertation” and “thesis” be used interchangeably?

No, the terms “dissertation” and “thesis” are not interchangeable. They have different meanings and are used in different academic contexts. While both papers involve extensive research, the specific requirements and expectations for a dissertation and a thesis can differ.

Alex Koliada, PhD

By Alex Koliada, PhD

Alex Koliada, PhD, is a well-known doctor. He is famous for studying aging, genetics, and other medical conditions. He works at the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics. His scientific research has been published in the most reputable international magazines. Alex holds a BA in English and Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California , and a TEFL certification from The Boston Language Institute.

logo

Select Sidearea

 alt=

Call Now! Australia : +91-4448137070

logo

PhD Research Proposal Service

Get research proposal mentoring help for your phd dissertation.

A doctoral dissertation research proposal is the first and important stage of the PhD research, as generating new knowledge is a criterion for the award of a PhD. Besides, it helps to obtain approval to conduct the study or to seek funding. Therefore, the research proposal should be well written and conveys the essential information which will guide the development of the study. Besides, it must make a positive and powerful first impression about your potential to become a good researcher and should enable the university to examine whether you are a good ‘match’ for the mentors or supervisors and their areas of research expertise.

Brainstorm Your dissertation Research proposal with our PhD experts

Writing a research proposal for different kinds of research approaches for each different philosophic demand’s different skills (e.g. qualitative study [naturalists’ paradigm] vs quantitative study [scientific paradigm]). Our experts at PhD Assistance Research Lab has wider experience in developing a research proposal. PhD Experts have formulated more than 25000+ viable dissertation research proposals in wider subject areas with concise, clear and complete, with ideas being logically built upon each other to justify a study.

Starts from

Reason to choose phd assistance.

At PhD Assistance Research Lab, who has the team of qualified research professionals with experience in writing a research proposal. PhD Experts assists come up with a literature review that demonstrates that the research is entirely cognizant of the current empirical and theoretical knowledge pertaining to the proposed problem. Besides, they are skilled experts in statistics where the methods proposed for analysing data are very well described, and the intended statistical analyses that address the dissertation research questions or hypotheses are delineated.

Research is a critical process in the ongoing development as it wanders off in many directions and can end up far removed from the original idea. Especially, research scholars who do not have prior experience in academic research such as working in different industries and corporate will find hard to write a good research proposal. Similarly, research scholars who have vast experience in teaching like professors and lecturers who wanted to pursue their PhD degree may not find sufficient time to collect academic articles from various peer-reviewed journals and read the articles. Therefore, it needs brainstorming sessions from an experienced researcher who demonstrates how decisions at each dissertation stage affect what can be done at the next step. PhD Assistance Research Lab experts focus always remains on findings the answer to the research question.

We assists in PhD dissertation and thesis research proposal Editing and peer-reviewing services across the Subject areas.

Our exclusive Australia PhD writers have a long-standing experience in working with British Universities (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

PhD Thesis Research Proposals guidance across the Subject areas

We protect our research clients with the following guarantees, subject matter experts.

Our PhD experts are chosen from international and Ivy League universities across the globe. Our exclusive Australia PhD writers have a long-standing experience in working with British Universities (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Our PhD Writers has experience in handling research area based on the interest of supervisors and ongoing research of the respective universities (University of Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Brunel University London, the University of the West of Scotland, University of Aberdeen, Aberystwyth University, Queen’s University Belfast)

Our PhD writers and researchers have experience in developing the right proposal for PhD dissertation based on their Specialized discipline and their own interest.

Latest referenced Sources

Your document is completely referenced with the most recent sources from peer-reviewed scholarly articles, textbooks, and follows university / journal guidelines.

Rigorous quality Check

Unlimited revisions.

The unlimited amendment time period for all projects according to the feedback provided by the editors or supervisors.

We ensure to deliver the work on time. For minor changes, our guaranteed delivery is within 24 hours while for major changes is within 48-72 hours.

Match with requirement

our experts are chosen from international and Ivy League universities across the globe.

We provide a detailed plagiarism report , ensuring the document that is produced is not plagiarized.

If you are looking for an excellent piece of research work, then take a look at our sample PhD dissertation proposals </p

Features we offer while ordering a dissertation research proposal service.

What’s required.

You need to share your domain area. E.g. Finance, Human Resource Management.

Area E.g., security regulation

You need to specify the target country where you wanted to solve the problem.

You need to share the target state where the proposed study will be conducted.

You need to share the target population where the proposed study will be conducted.

What’s your experience in the domain and area of interest?

What’s your prof experience in the domain and area of interest?

What’s your plan of data collection? If so any.

What’s Included

Background base for the topics

Base papers for reference

A fully formatted document, including line spacing, font, and heading style as per the author's guidelines.

A list of topics provided from which any topic can be chosen

The gap from a Research area / Industry area perspective

Properly referenced document Your document will be referenced properly with both in-text citation and line references according to the preferred style.

Proofreading Examine your document in terms of language errors.

What’s Not included

Methodology for the chosen topic

Specific Problem Statement from the researcher’s perspective

Data collection feasibility and tools for the data collection

Additional Topics or explanation on the topic.

Research Objective & Research questions

Properly referenced document

Additional Word count

Pricing Plan

Peer reviewing, developmental editing, custom research, delivery plan.

Send you requirement using order Now or Upload your document at [email protected].

Speak to our experts & sales team before confirming the project

Confirm payment and deliverables from our expert

Project Assigned to the expert and you can coordinate directly via our project management software.

Client success stories

"Plagiarism free content "

I was doing research work and i needed a research proposal in a unique manner. Finally, i approached phdassistance and it was impeccable and my research proposal was well proofread and no Plagiarism. And the expert clearly stated the research gap from latest literature. It had excellent critical review. My supervisor appreciated the same.

dissertation research australia

Mary Fernandes, Copenhagen , Denmark, 19HDF033., Pages:3 Research Proposal

"On-time delivery "

For my research proposal work, I chose elite service from phdassistance. For this service, the expert provided clear explanation about proposed coding and future recommendation. It was very excellent. And they delivered my research proposal document on-time with high quality content

Gillbert Willams, Wales, Australia, 19HDP050, Pages:2 Research Proposal

"Quality assurance "

Finding a best research proposal service was hard for me and many of my friends suggested phdassistance to complete my religious research proposal work. Initially I had some fear about the service. But it was a real surprise because my research proposal document was amazing.

Louis Mary Harry, Nebraska, USA, 19HDP007,Pages:2 Research Proposal

"Quality"

I was really worried if it was a scam but the experts involved were very kind and patient with me. Finally got my economics research proposal with critical methodology. My supervisor was appreciating my research proposal. So I am very happy. thank you guys

Alexander Mar, Australia, 19HDP038,Pages:2 Research Proposal

"Supportive Team"

Phdassistance offered me a convincing research proposal where i got with clear objectives and framed hypothesis and I received the content which I expected from you guys - Thankyou expert.

dissertation research australia

Martin Joseph, Germany,19HDP008, Pages:2 Research Proposal

My research proposal requires lot of research from various fields to complete the task as advised by my supervisor and I approached Phdassistance for completing my data mining with human resource management research proposal and they offered me the best support and they provide high quality content without plagiarism.

dissertation research australia

Wang , Wales, UK,19HDF012, Pages:2 Research Proposal

"I received what I want "

The quality of my Phd dissertation research proposal looks excellent. The delivery was exactly what I ordered. I should thank Daniel and he supported at every stage.

Andrew john, San Francisco, USA, 18HDP012, Pages:3 Research Proposal

"Advice and Support from Sales"

My research proposal was proving to be a pain, several writers had turned it down citing complexity. Phdassistance did my DBA proposal without any complaint, and I was just notified after some days that my proposal was ready. Highly recommended.

Isabella, Copenhagen , Denmark, 19HDP033., Pages:3 Research Proposal

"High quality content "

After trying many writing services and freelance writers, I found phdassistance very skeptical. I'm very keen on details and I'm happy to say that phdassistance has proven to be keen as well. Updates have been provided frequently as per requirement and the final submission of my research proposal is very well written. I recommended phdassistance to my friends for research proposal service.

dissertation research australia

John Mathew, Wales, Australia, 19HDP010, Pages:2 Research Proposal

1.What is a research proposal selection service is all about?

Research proposal aimed to present your idea or your questions and expected outcomes with clarity and definition – the what. Another reason is a prospective candidate is required to submit a research proposal as part of an application for admission, and therefore it is certainly worth investing time and energy into it. Since, it outlines your intended research, including your approach and methodology, timeline and feasibility, writing appealing and an excellent proposal is important. it’s mandatory that the researcher needs to finalize the research methodology. At PhDAssistance Research Lab, we offer PhD Research Proposal writing, editing and peer reviewing service according to the University guidelines. A proposal that we deliver will certainly make a positive and powerful first impression about your potential to become a good researcher. We edit and review the proposal for different domains such as education, economics, management, sociology, medicine, healthcare, law, engineering and many more.

2. What you will include in my proposal?

Delivery depends on the order type. However, despite the type of order, we deliver a good research proposal as per the sub-headings required by the university. The proposal structure will capture project title, research supervisor details, proposed mode of research, aims and objectives, background, literature review of research topic including gaps in existing research, expected research contribution, proposed methodology (instrument, sampling and sample size, algorithm, code, flow chart, experiment procedure, procedure, data analysis, ethics etc.), work plan, resources, references and bibliography. The proposal will capture the capable of independent critical thinking and analysis, and at the same time, it will demonstrate that you are capable of communicating your ideas clearly.

3. What are the different plans available under the research proposal?

We have peer-review, editing and custom research plans. For more detailed about research proposal plan selection, please visit https://phdassistance.com/au/dissertation/pre-phd-dissertation-service/research-proposal-service/

4. What Information do I need to provide while placing an order for research proposal and outline?

To choose the PhD research proposal, we need following information such as your degree, (e.g. PhD in Engineering), specialization (Computer Science), University, Country, Your experience, possible areas of your interest, Your supervisor capability and university interest, new methodology that is based on related to your dissertation topic and area of interest.

5. What are the qualifications of the academic writers you employ?

PhD Assistance Research Lab hires only experienced and certified professionals from European and UK base. All of our academic writers hold Master and PhD degree and have at least five years of writing experience. Each academic writer has its specialization; it helps us to allocate the most appropriate writer according to your discipline.

6. What will happen once I order for research proposal?

Upon confirmation of your order, your work will be assigned to Project Associates (PA), who will check the order against the requirement. The order will be subsequently assigned to specific subject experts after signing a non-disclosure agreement. She/he will start working on the project as per the agreed deliverables. The order will be delivered after thorough quality check and assurance by the Quality Assurance Department (QAD) and further meticulously checked for plagiarism. Besides, you will get the QAD and plagiarism report. Please find the sample QAD and Plagiarism Report.

7. If I am not satisfied with the work that you had delivered, will you refund?

We work based on your order and requirement. We promise on following guarantees: (1) On-time delivery of your work (2) Plagiarism free and Original Content (with the acceptability of less than 5-10% plagiarism) (3) Exact match with your requirements (5) Engaging Subject or domain experts for your project. If there is any deviation in the above guarantees, we take 100% responsibility to compensate. However, the quality of work delivered may also get hampered when there is no clear requirement. In that case, you need to take up a fresh order.

8. What service guarantee’s that you provide with the order?

We promise on following guarantees: (1) On-time delivery of your work (2) Plagiarism free and Original Content (with the acceptability of less than 5-10% plagiarism) (3) Exact match with your order requirements (5) Engaging Subject or domain experts for your project. If there is any deviation in the above guarantees, we take 100% responsibility to compensate. https://phdassistance.com/au/our-guarantees/

9. What if my supervisor /professor reject the Scientific Research Topic and Title Selection?

Writing a proposal does not guarantee acceptance onto a PhD Programme. Accepting PhD students onto a research programme depends on many factors, including the nature your proposed research, the quality of your ideas, your ability to commit to an intensive period of research study, the research proposal effectiveness in communicating your ideas, the “match” between the proposed research and the potential supervisor and the capacity of the research department. At PhD Assistance, we have a track record of 95% acceptance rate, and however, the 5% falls under the above factors. If we receive the rework within the stipulated period as specified in the order, we can provide you with unlimited revision support. This means we are ready to modify the topic based on your appointed committee suggestion. However, the requirement must match with the initial requirement and any mismatch with initial requirement and revisions requested will be considered as a new order.

Grad Coach

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

  • Acknowledgements page
  • Abstract (or executive summary)
  • Table of contents , list of figures and tables
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Literature review
  • Chapter 3: Methodology
  • Chapter 4: Results
  • Chapter 5: Discussion
  • Chapter 6: Conclusion
  • Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

  • The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
  • The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
  • The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
  • The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

  • Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
  • Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
  • Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

  • The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
  • The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
  • Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Dissertations stacked up

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

  • Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
  • Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
  • Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
  • Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

  • Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
  • Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
  • Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
  • Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

dissertation research australia

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

  • What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
  • Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
  • What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
  • What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
  • How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
  • How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

  • What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
  • Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
  • How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
  • How does your research contribute something original?
  • How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Dissertation writing

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

  • Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
  • Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Dissertation and thesis prep

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings? In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

  • Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

dissertation research australia

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

You Might Also Like:

Dissertation and thesis defense 101

36 Comments

ARUN kumar SHARMA

many thanks i found it very useful

Derek Jansen

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Sue

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

hayder

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Tim

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Ade Adeniyi

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Aswathi

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Jp Raimundo

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Karmelia Renatee

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

moha

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Krishnan iyer

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Alwyn Malan

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Rose

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

yemi Amos

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

Kgomotso Siwelane

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

dauda sesay

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Patrick Mwathi

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Adao Bundi

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

SAIKUMAR NALUMASU

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

mwepu Ilunga

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Rami

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

Chrisogonas Odhiambo

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

Luke

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Judy

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Christine

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Simon Le

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

Brhane Kidane

It is so necessary or avital course

johnson

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

avc

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

Emmanuel Manjolo

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

Paul I Thoronka

This is so good

Tesfay haftu

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  • What Is A Literature Review (In A Dissertation Or Thesis) - Grad Coach - […] is to write the actual literature review chapter (this is usually the second chapter in a typical dissertation or…

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Print Friendly

IMAGES

  1. Dissertation Writing Help Australia

    dissertation research australia

  2. Dissertation Writing Service by Australian PhD Professors

    dissertation research australia

  3. Australia Dissertation Writing Service

    dissertation research australia

  4. Dissertation Help Service Australia

    dissertation research australia

  5. Online Dissertation Research Assistance Services in Australia

    dissertation research australia

  6. Dissertation/Thesis Template for University of Melbourne Template

    dissertation research australia

VIDEO

  1. Choosing a Research Topic

  2. Introduction to Research

  3. Mastering Research: Choosing a Winning Dissertation or Thesis Topic

  4. Finding HIGH-Impact Research Topics

  5. How to Prepare Certificate of Dissertation Research Work #dissertation#certificate

  6. Dissertation Research

COMMENTS

  1. How do I find Australian theses?

    Enter the terms 'Dissertations Academic'; for example: Dissertations Academic Add the country of publication if known; for example: Dissertations Academic Australia Hit browse. We also hold a number of useful reference books on finding Australian theses, including: Guide to Microform Research Collections in the National Library of Australia . 1992.

  2. Theses and Dissertations: Find Australian theses

    ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Abstracts and indexes of doctoral dissertations and master's theses in all subjects completed at accredited Australian, North American and selected European colleges and universities from 1743 to the present day. You can also search for digital theses through an institution's digital repository.

  3. Theses

    EBSCO open dissertations Includes the content from American Doctoral Dissertations in addition to theses and dissertations from around the world. Coverage from 1955. Open access theses and dissertations OATD provides access to open access graduate theses from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. Theses Canada

  4. Sydney Digital Theses (Open Access)

    This is the digital archive for PhD, professional doctorates and Masters (Research) theses from the University of Sydney Recent Submissions Health taxes: analysis of policy, political, health and economic aspects to strengthening non-communicable disease prevention policy  Mounsey, Sarah Published 2023

  5. Theses

    Digital theses can be searched online through the theses collection in ANU Open Research. The Australian National University Library's theses collection holds the research output of the University's academic community over the last 60 years. The first ANU thesis was awarded in 1953. By digitising its print theses collection, ANU Library ...

  6. Australian theses

    8 May 2020 Researchers at universities around Australia produce world-leading research in pursuit of new knowledge and educational qualifications. These theses, long essays or dissertations involving personal research, are shared with Trove by our partner universities.

  7. Open Research: Open Access Theses

    Sparking change? Understanding energy use and development in Kenya: A qualitative study Genetic and phenotypic evolution of the critically endangered Lord Howe Island stick insect, Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier, 1855), in captivity Retrieving Images through Bi-modal Visual and Language Queries The concept of strategic colonialism

  8. Home

    Australian theses from other universities can be found via Trove. 1. Select Advanced search on the Trove homepage, and choose Research and reports. 2. Type your search terms into the first box (Keyword search box) 3. Check the box next to Australian content. 4. Click the green Search button.

  9. Writing my thesis

    You will need to add an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) to your thesis title page. Information on the ORCID and how to apply for one is available from the University Library

  10. Theses

    Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global - more than 2.7 million entries with over 1.2 million records in full text OATD - Access theses from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. Google Scholar - Search scholarly literature online. Include the keyword 'thesis'.

  11. Resource Guides: Find Theses and Dissertations: Introduction

    Search the National Library of Australia's discovery service Trove for print and digital theses held in collecting institutions across Australia. Tip: Choose Advanced Search. Select Research & Reports from the the drop down menu. Enter search terms then refine the results by selecting Thesis under the Format heading.

  12. Find theses

    Click on Advanced Search and select Research & Reports from the drop-down menu. Enter your search keywords. Select the option Australian content. Select Search. Refine your results to Format: Thesis (right). You can also select Access: Online. (You can also select Free access to view theses without access restrictions)

  13. Postgraduate research degrees

    A PhD thesis is generally around 80,000 words while a master's thesis is 50,000 words. How do I find a supervisor? ... We have one of the largest research schemes in Australia. Opportunities include the Australian government-funded Research Training Program (RTP) stipend scholarships, and the University of Sydney and faculty-specific awards. ...

  14. Theses

    After this time, the thesis will become openly available to view and download. Embargo / Restricted. The full-text of the thesis is under an embargo until a specified date. During this time, no access can be granted to the thesis. Once the embargo has lapsed, the thesis will be available as 'restricted' access for research purposes only.

  15. Theses : The University of Western Australia

    Trove ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) Includes 2.7 million searchable citations to dissertations and theses from around the world. ProQuest Electronic Thesis Online Service (EThOS) A British Library service which makes most British theses freely available as electronic downloads.

  16. Australian Digital Theses » Avondale Theses » Finding Information

    The aim of the Australian Digital Thesis program is to establish a distributed database of digital versions of theses produced by the postgraduate research students at Australian universities. The theses will be available worldwide via the web to provide access to, and promote Australian research to, the international community.

  17. The thesis

    In Australia the thesis is an extended written piece which reports on the results of a three to four year programme of research (in other countries the writing component is called a 'dissertation'). The thesis should incorporate a summary of the research undertaken during the program. At ANU we do not usually require an oral defence or 'viva'.

  18. Choose your research topic

    3. Narrow your focus to a single research topic. Once you have connected with your prospective supervisor, it is important that you seek their input and advice on your research proposal. Developing a research proposal is an iterative process, so expect to work on a number of drafts before you finalise your research proposal.

  19. Your guide to a Master of Research in Australia

    The M.Res. degree structure involves a large dissertation based on independent research or a practice-led research project. The Master of Research is similar to a Master of Philosophy, but unlike the M.Phil. degree, which is entirely research-focused, the M.Res. degree also includes taught classes on research techniques and scientific principles.

  20. PhD Study in Australia

    Internationally renowned research - 15 of Australia's world leading universities rank in the global top 250.; Generous funding options - It's unlikely you'll have to pay for your entire PhD out of your own pocket. Many PhD scholarships and other funding opportunities are available from universities and the Australian Government.; Unique PhD opportunities - From Marine Biology at the ...

  21. Dissertation vs Thesis: A Comprehensive Comparison

    A dissertation is a research-heavy project that is typically required for completion of a doctoral degree, such as a Ph.D. or an Ed.D. It is the culmination of several years of study and is usually focused on a unique research topic. Dissertations are often longer than theses, ranging from 150 to 400 pages.

  22. Research Proposal Service

    44-42124284. Writing a high-quality PhD dissertation research proposal is intended to satisfy your supervisor and examiners that you have a worthy thesis, and gain confidence that you have the capability to complete it. PhD Assistance Research Lab provides doctorate dissertation research proposal writing service.

  23. Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)

    *The Caveat * In this post, we'll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).