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English Department Dissertations Collection

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Dissertations from 2023 2023

In Search of Middle Paths: Buddhism, Fiction, and the Secular in Twentieth-Century South Asia , Crystal Baines, English

Save Our Children: Discourses of Queer Futurity in the United States and South Africa, 1977-2010 , Jude Hayward-Jansen, English

Epistemologies of the Unknowable in Nineteenth-Century U.S. Literature , Maria Ishikawa, English

Revenge of the Nerds: Tech Masculinity and Digital Hegemony , Benjamin M. Latini, English

The Diasporic Mindset and Narrative Intersections of British Identity in Transnational Fiction , Joseph A. Mason, English

A 19TH CENTURY ETHNOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT UN/CAGED: NARRATIVES OF INFORMAL EMPIRE, AFROLATINIDAD, AND CONTEMPORARY ARTISTIC (RE)FRAMINGS , Celine G. Nader, English

Dissertations from 2022 2022

Writing the Aftermath: Uncanny Spaces of the Postcolonial , Sohini Banerjee, English

Science Fiction’s Enactment of the Encouragement, Process, and End Result of Revolutionary Transformation , Katharine Blanchard, English

LITERARY NEGATION AND MATERIALISM IN CHAUCER , Michelle Brooks, English

TRANSNATIONAL POLITICAL AND LITERARY ENCOUNTERS: THE IDEA OF AMERÍKA IN ICELANDIC FICTION, 1920–1990 , Jodie Childers, English

When Choices Aren't Choices: Academic Literacy Normativities in the Age of Neoliberalism , Robin K. Garabedian, English

Redefining Gender Violence: Radical Feminist Visions in Contemporary Ethnic American Women’s Fiction and Women of Color Activism 1990-2010 , Hazel Gedikli, English

Stories Women Carry: Labor and Reproductive Imaginaries of South Asia and the Caribbean , Subhalakshmi Gooptu, English

The Critical Workshop: Writing Revision and Critical Pedagogy in the Middle School Classroom , Andrea R. Griswold, English

Racial Poetics: Early Modern Race and the Form of Comedy , Yunah Kae, English

At the Limits of Empathy: Political Conflict and its Aftermath in Postcolonial Fiction , Saumya Lal, English

The Burdens and Blessings of Responsibility: Duty and Community in Nineteenth- Century America , Leslie Leonard, English

No There There: New Jersey in Multiethnic Writing and Popular Culture Since 1990 , Shannon Mooney, English

Ownership and Writer Agency in Web 2.0 , Thomas Pickering, English

Combating Narratives: Soldiering in Twentieth-Century African American and Latinx Literature , Stacy Reardon, English

“IT DON’T ‘MEAN’ A THING”: TIME AND THE READER IN JAZZ FICTIONAL NARRATIVE , Damien C. Weaver, English

SATURNINE ECOLOGIES: ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE IN THE EARLY MODERN WORLD, 1542-1688 , John Yargo, English

Dissertations from 2021 2021

"On Neptunes Watry Realmes": Maritime Law and English Renaissance Literature , Hayley Cotter, English

Theater of Exchange: The Cosmopolitan Stage of Jacobean London , Liz Fox, English

“The Badge of All Our Tribe”: Contradictions of Jewish Representation on the English Renaissance Stage , Becky S. Friedman, English

On Being Dispersed: The Poetics of Dehiscence from "We the People" to Abolition , Sean A. Gordon, English

Echoing + Resistant Imagining: Filipino Student Writing Under American Colonial Rule , Florianne Jimenez, English

When Your Words Are Someone Else's Money: Rhetorical Circulation, Affect, and Late Capitalism , Kelin E. Loe, English

Indigenous Impositions in Contemporary Culture: Knotting Ontologies, Beading Aesthetics, and Braiding Temporalities , Darren Lone Fight, English

NEGRITUDE FEMINISMS: FRANCOPHONE BLACK WOMEN WRITERS AND ACTIVISTS IN FRANCE, MARTINIQUE, AND SENEGAL FROM THE 1920S TO THE 1980S , Korka Sall, English

Negotiating Space: Spatial Violation on the Early Modern Stage, 1587-1638 , Gregory W. Sargent, English

Stranger Compass of the Stage: Difference and Desire in Early Modern City Comedy , Catherine Tisdale, English

Dissertations from 2020 2020

AFFECTIVE HISTORIES OF SOUTHERN TRAUMA: SHAME, HEALING, AND VULNERABILITY IN US SOUTHERN WOMEN’S WRITING, 1975–2006 , Faune Albert, English

Materially Queer: Identity and Agency in Academic Writing , Joshua Barsczewski, English

ANGELS WHO STEPPED OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSES: “AMERICAN TRUE WOMANHOOD” AND NINETEENTH-CENTURY (TRANS)NATIONALISMS , Gayathri M. Hewagama, English

WRITING AGAINST HISTORY: FEMINIST BAROQUE NARRATIVES IN INTERWAR ATLANTIC MODERNISM , Annaliese Hoehling, English

Passing Literacies: Soviet Immigrant Elders and Intergenerational Language Practice , Jenny Krichevsky, English

Lisa Ben and Queer Rhetorical Reeducation in Post-war Los Angeles , Katelyn S. Litterer, English

Daring Depictions: An Analysis of Risks and Their Mediation in Representations of Black Suffering , Russell Nurick, English

From Page to Program: A Study of Stakeholders in Multimodal First-Year Composition Curriculum and Program Design , Rebecca Petitti, English

Forms of the Future: Indigeneity, Blackness, and the Visioning Work of Aesthetics in U.S. Poetry, 1822-1863 , Magdalena Zapędowska, English

Dissertations from 2019 2019

Black Men Who Betray Their Race: 20TH Century Literary Representations of the Black Male Race Traitor , Gregory Coleman, English

“The Worlding Game”: Queer Ecological Perspectives in Modern Fiction , Sarah D'Stair, English

Afrasian Imaginaries: Global Capitalism and Labor Migration in Indian Ocean Fictions, 1990 – 2015 , Neelofer Qadir, English

Divided Tongues: The Politics and Poetics of Food in Modern Anglophone Indian Fiction , Shakuntala Ray, English

Globalizing Nature on the Shakespearean Stage , William Steffen, English

Gilded Chains: Global Economies and Gendered Arts in US Fiction, 1865-1930 , Heather Wayne, English

“ÆTHELTHRYTH”: SHAPING A RELIGIOUS WOMAN IN TENTH-CENTURY WINCHESTER , Victoria Kent Worth, English

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Sex and Difference in the Jewish American Family: Incest Narratives in 1990s Literary and Pop Culture , Eli W. Bromberg, English

Rhetorical Investments: Writing, Technology, and the Emerging Logics of the Public Sphere , Dan Ehrenfeld, English

Kiskeyanas Valientes en Este Espacio: Dominican Women Writers and the Spaces of Contemporary American Literature , Isabel R. Espinal, English

“TO WEIGH THE WORLD ANEW”: POETICS, RHETORIC, AND SOCIAL STRUGGLE, FROM SIDNEY’S ARCADIA TO SHAKESPEARE’S THEATER , David Katz, English

CIVIC DOMESTICITY: RHETORIC, WOMEN, AND SPACE AT HULL HOUSE, 1889-1910 , Liane Malinowski, English

Charting the Terrain of Latina/o/x Theater in Chicago , Priscilla M. Page, English

The Politics of Feeling and the Work of Belonging in US Immigrant Fiction 1990 - 2015 , Lauren Silber, English

Turning Inside Out: Reading and Writing Godly Identity in Seventeenth-Century Narratives of Spiritual Experience , Meghan Conine Swavely, English

Dissertations from 2017 2017

Tragicomic Transpositions: The Influence of Spanish Prose Romance on the Development of Early Modern English Tragicomedy , Josefina Hardman, English

“The Blackness of Blackness”: Meta-Black Identity in 20th/21st Century African American Culture , Casey Hayman, English

Waiting for Now: Postcolonial Fiction and Colonial Time , Amanda Ruth Waugh Lagji, English

Latina Identities, Critical Literacies, and Academic Achievement in Community College , Morgan Lynn, English

Demanding Spaces: 1970s U.S. Women's Novels as Sites of Struggle , Kate Marantz, English

Novel Buildings: Architectural and Narrative Form in Victorian Fiction , Ashley R. Nadeau, English

CATCH FEELINGS: CLASS AFFECT AND PERFORMATIVITY IN TEACHING ASSOCIATES' NARRATIVES , Anna Rita Napoleone, English

Dialogue and "Dialect": Character Speech in American Fiction , Carly Overfelt, English

Materializing Transfer: Writing Dispositions in a Culture of Standardized Testing , Lisha Daniels Storey, English

Theatres of War: Performing Queer Nationalism in Modernist Narratives , Elise Swinford, English

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Multimodal Assessment in Action: What We Really Value in New Media Texts , Kathleen M. Baldwin, English

Addictive Reading: Nineteenth-Century Drug Literature's Possible Worlds , Adam Colman, English

"The Book Can't Teach You That": A Case Study of Place, Writing, and Tutors' Constructions of Writing Center Work , Christopher Joseph DiBiase, English

Protest Lyrics at Work: Labor Resistance Poetry of Depression-Era Autoworkers , Rebecca S. Griffin, English

From What Remains: The Politics of Aesthetic Mourning and the Poetics of Loss in Contemporary African American Culture , Kajsa K. Henry, English

Minor Subjects in America: Everyday Childhoods of the Long Nineteenth Century , Gina M. Ocasion, English

Enduring Affective Rhetorics: Transnational Feminist Action in Digital Spaces , Jessica Ouellette, English

The School Desk and the Writing Body , Marni M. Presnall, English

Sustainable Public Intellectualism: The Rhetorics of Student Scientist-Activists , Jesse Priest, English

Prosthetizing the Soul: Reading, Seeing, and Feeling in Seventeenth-Century Devotion , Katey E. Roden, English

Dissertations from 2015 2015

“As Child in Time”: Childhood, Temporality, and 19th Century U.S. Literary Imaginings of Democracy , Marissa Carrere, English

A National Style: A Critical Historiography of the Irish Short Story , Andrew Fox, English

Homosexuality is a Poem: How Gay Poets Remodeled the Lyric, Community and the Ideology of Sex to Theorize a Gay Poetic , Christopher M. Hennessy, English

Affecting Manhood: Masculinity, Effeminacy, and the Fop Figure in Early Modern English Drama , Jessica Landis, English

Who Do You Think You Are?: Recovering the Self in the Working Class Escape Narrative , Christine M. Maksimowicz, English

Metabolizing Capital: Writing, Information, and the Biophysical World , Christian J. Pulver, English

Audible Voice in Context , Airlie S. Rose, English

The Role of Online Reading and Writing in the Literacy Practices of First-Year Writing Students , Casey Burton Soto, English

Dissertations from 2014 2014

RESURRECTION: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE BLACK CHURCH IN CONTEMPORARY POPULAR CULTURE , Rachel J. Daniel, English

Seeing Blindness: The Visual and the Great War in Literary Modernism , Rachael Dworsky, English

HERE, THERE, AND IN BETWEEN: TRAVEL AS METAPHOR IN MIXED RACE NARRATIVES OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE , Colin Enriquez, English

Interactive Audience and the Internet , John R. Gallagher, English

Down from the Mountain and into the Mill: Literacy Sponsorship and Southern Appalachian Women in the New South , Emma M. Howes, English

Transnational Gestures: Rethinking Trauma in U.S. War Fiction , Ruth A.H. Lahti, English

"A More Natural Mother": Concepts of Maternity and Queenship in Early Modern England , Anne-Marie Kathleen Strohman, English

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Letters to a Dictionary: Competing Views of Language in the Reception of Webster's Third New International Dictionary , Anne Pence Bello, English

Staging the Depression: The Federal Theatre Project's Dramas of Poverty, 1935-1939 , Amy Brady, English

Our Story Has Not Been Told in any Moment: Radical Black Feminist Theatre From The Old Left to Black Power , Julie M Burrell, English

Writing for Social Action: Affect, Activism, and the Composition Classroom , Sarah Finn, English

Surviving Domestic Tensions: Existential Uncertainty in New World African Diasporic Women's Literature , Denia M Fraser, English

From Feathers to Fur: Theatrical Representations of Skin in the Medieval English Cycle Plays , Valerie Anne Gramling, English

The Reflexive Scaffold: Metatheatricality, Genre, and Cultural Performance in English Renaissance Drama , Nathaniel C. Leonard, English

The World Inscribed: Literary Form, Travel, and the Book in England, 1580-1660 , Philip S Palmer, English

Shakespearean Signifiers , Marie H Roche, English

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Home > ARTSSCI > English > dissertations

English Dissertations and Theses

The English Department Dissertations and Theses Series is comprised of dissertations and thesis authored by Marquette University's English Department doctoral and master's students.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Lifting the Postmodern Veil: Cosmopolitanism, Humanism, and Decolonization in Global Fictions of the 21st Century , Matthew Burchanoski

Gothic Transformations and Remediations in Cheap Nineteenth-Century Fiction , Wendy Fall

Milton’s Learning: Complementarity and Difference in Paradise Lost , Peter Spaulding

“The Development of the Conceptive Plot Through Early 19th-Century English Novels” , Jannea R. Thomason

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Gonzo Eternal , John Francis Brick

Intertextuality and Sociopolitical Engagement in Contemporary Anglophone Women’s Writing , Jackielee Derks

Innovation, Genre, and Authenticity in the Nineteenth-Century Irish Novel , David Aiden Kenney II

Reluctant Sons: The Irish Matrilineal Tradition of Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and Flann O’Brien , Jessie Wirkus Haynes

Britain's Extraterrestrial Empire: Colonial Ambition, Anxiety, and Ambivalence in Early Modern Literature , Mark Edward Wisniewski

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Re-Reading the “Culture Clash”: Alternative Ways of Reading in Indian Horse , Hailey Whetten

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

When the Foreign Became Familiar: Modernism, Expatriation, and Spatial Identities in the Twentieth Century , Danielle Kristene Clapham

Reforming Victorian Sense/Abilities: Disabilities in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Social Problem Novels , Hunter Nicole Duncan

Genre and Loss: The Impossibility of Restoration in 20th Century Detective Fiction , Kathryn Hendrickson

A Productive Failure: Existentialism in Fin de Siècle England , Maxwell Patchet

Inquiry and Provocation: The Use of Ambiguity in Sixteenth-Century English Political Satire , Jason James Zirbel

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

No Home but the World: Forced Migration and Transnational Identity , Justice Hagan

The City As a Trap: 20th and 21st Century American Literature and the American Myth of Mobility , Andrew Joseph Hoffmann

The Fantastic and the First World War , Brian Kenna

Insane in the Brain, Blood, and Lungs: Gender-Specific Manifestations of Hysteria, Chlorosis, & Consumption in 19th-Century Literature , Anna P. Scanlon

Reading Multicultural Novels Melancholically: Racial Grief and Grievance in the Joy Luck Club, Beloved, and Anil's Ghost , Jennifer Arias Sweeney

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Ethos of Dissent: Epideictic Rhetoric and the Democratic Function of American Protest and Countercultural Literature , Jeffrey Lorino Jr

Literary Cosmopolitanisms of Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, and Arundhati Roy , Sunil Samuel Macwan

The View from Here: Toward a Sissy Critique , Tyler Monson

The Forbidden Zone Writers: Femininity and Anglophone Women War Writers of the Great War , Sareene Proodian

Theatrical Weddings and Pious Frauds: Performance and Law in Victorian Marriage Plots , Adrianne A. Wojcik

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Changing the Victorian Habit Loop: The Body in the Poetry and Painting of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris , Bryan Gast

Gendering Scientific Discourse from 1790-1830: Erasmus Darwin, Thomas Beddoes, Maria Edgeworth, and Jane Marcet , Bridget E. Kapler

Discarding Dreams and Legends: The Short Fiction of Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Flannery O’Connor, Katherine Anne Porter, and Eudora Welty , Katy L. Leedy

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Saving the Grotesque: The Grotesque System of Liberation in British Modernism (1922-1932) , Matthew Henningsen

The Pulpit's Muse: Conversive Poetics in the American Renaissance , Michael William Keller

A Single Man of Good Fortune: Postmodern Identities and Consumerism in the New Novel of Manners , Bonnie McLean

Julian of Norwich: Voicing the Vernacular , Therese Elaine Novotny

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Homecomings: Victorian British Women Travel Writers And Revisions Of Domesticity , Emily Paige Blaser

From Pastorals to Paterson: Ecology in the Poetry and Poetics of William Carlos WIlliams , Daniel Edmund Burke

Argument in Poetry: (Re)Defining the Middle English Debate in Academic, Popular, and Physical Contexts , Kathleen R. Burt

Apocalyptic Mentalities in Late-Medieval England , Steven A. Hackbarth

The Creation of Heaven in the Middle Ages , William Storm

(re)making The Gentleman: Genteel Masculinities And The Country Estate In The Novels Of Charlotte Smith, Jane Austen, And Elizabeth Gaskell , Shaunna Kay Wilkinson

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Brides, Department Stores, Westerns, and Scrapbooks--The Everyday Lives of Teenage Girls in the 1940s , Carly Anger

Placed People: Rootedness in G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Wendell Berry , David Harden

Rhetorics Of Girlhood Trauma In Writing By Holly Goddard Jones, Joyce Carol Oates, Sandra Cisneros, And Jamaica Kincaid , Stephanie Marie Stella

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

A Victorian Christmas in Hell: Yuletide Ghosts and Necessary Pleasures in the Age of Capital , Brandon Chitwood

"Be-Holde the First Acte of this Tragedy" : Generic Symbiosis and Cross-Pollination in Jacobean Drama and the Early Modern Prose Novella , Karen Ann Zyck Galbraith

Pamela: Or, Virtue Reworded: The Texts, Paratexts, and Revisions that Redefine Samuel Richardson's Pamela , Jarrod Hurlbert

Violence and Masculinity in American Fiction, 1950-1975 , Magdalen McKinley

Gender Politics in the Novels of Eliza Haywood , Susan Muse

Destabilizing Tradition: Gender, Sexuality, and Postnational Identity in Four Novels by Irish Women, 1960-2000 , Sarah Nestor

Truth Telling: Testimony and Evidence in the Novels of Elizabeth Gaskell , Rebecca Parker Fedewa

Spirit of the Psyche: Carl Jung's and Victor White's Influence on Flannery O'Connor's Fiction , Paul Wakeman

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Performing the Audience: Constructing Playgoing in Early Modern Drama , Eric Dunnum

Paule Marshall's Critique of Contemporary Neo-Imperialisms Through the Trope of Travel , Michelle Miesen Felix

Hermeneutics, Poetry, and Spenser: Augustinian Exegesis and the Renaissance Epic , Denna Iammarino-Falhamer

Encompassing the Intolerable: Laughter, Memory, and Inscription in the Fiction of John McGahern , John Keegan Malloy

Regional Consciousness in American Literature, 1860-1930 , Kelsey Louise Squire

The Ethics of Ekphrasis: The Turn to Responsible Rhetoric in Mid-Twentieth Century American Poetry , Joshua Scott Steffey

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Cognitive Architectures: Structures of Passion in Joanna Baillie's Dramas , Daniel James Bergen

On Trial: Restorative Justice in the Godwin-Wollstonecraft-Shelley Family Fictions , Colleen M. Fenno

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

What's the point to eschatology : multiple religions and terminality in James Joyce's Finnegans wake , Martin R. Brick

Economizing Characters: Harriet Martineau and the Problems of Poverty in Victorian Literature, Culture and Law , Mary Colleen Willenbring

Submissions from 2008 2008

"An improbable fiction": The marriage of history and romance in Shakespeare's Henriad , Marcia Eppich-Harris

Bearing the Mark of the Social: Notes Towards a Cosmopolitan Bildungsroman , Megan M. Muthupandiyan

The Gothic Novel and the Invention of the Middle-Class Reader: Northanger Abbey As Case Study , Tenille Nowak

Not Just a Novel of Epic Proportions: Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man As Modern American Epic , Dana Edwards Prodoehl

Recovering the Radicals: Women Writers, Reform, and Nationalist Modes of Revolutionary Discourse , Mark J. Zunac

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

"The Sweet and the Bitter": Death and Dying in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings , Amy M. Amendt-Raduege

The Games Men Play: Madness and Masculinity in Post-World War II American Fiction, 1946-1964 , Thomas P. Durkin

Denise Levertov: Through An Ecofeminist Lens , Katherine A. Hanson

The Wit of Wrestling: Devotional-Aesthetic Tradition in Christina Rossetti's Poetry , Maria M.E. Keaton

Genderless Bodies: Stigma and the Myth of Womanhood , Ellen M. Letizia

Envy and Jealousy in the Novels of the Brontës: A Synoptic Discernment , Margaret Ann McCann

Technologies of the Late Medieval Self: Ineffability, Distance, and Subjectivity in the Book of Margery Kempe , Crystal L. Mueller

"Finding-- a Map-- to That Place Called Home": The Journey from Silence to Recovery in Patrick McCabe's Carn and Breakfast on Pluto , Valerie A. Murrenus Pilmaier

Emily Dickinson's Ecocentric Pastoralism , Moon-ju Shin

The American Jeremiad in Civil War Literature , Jacob Hadley Stratman

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Literary Art in Times of Crisis: The Proto-Totalitarian Anxiety of Melville, James, and Twain , Matthew J. Darling

(Re) Writing Genre: Narrative Conventions and Race in the Novels of Toni Morrison , Jennifer Lee Jordan Heinert

"Amsolookly Kersse": Clothing in Finnegan's Wake , Catherine Simpson Kalish

"Do Your Will": Shakespeare's Use of the Rhetoric of Seduction in Four Plays , Jason James Nado

Woman in Emblem: Locating Authority in the Work and Identity of Katherine Philips (1632-1664) , Susan L. Stafinbil

When the Bough Breaks: Poetry on Abortion , Wendy A. Weaver

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Heroic Destruction: Shame and Guilt Cultures in Medieval Heroic Poetry , Karl E. Boehler

Poe and Early (Un)American Drama , Amy C. Branam

Grammars of Assent: Constructing Poetic Authority in An Age of Science , William Myles Carroll III

This Place is Not a Place: The Constructed Scene in the Works of Sir Walter Scott , Colin J. Marlaire

Cognitive Narratology: A Practical Approach to the Reader-Writer Relationship , Debra Ann Ripley

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Defoe and the Pirates: Function of Genre Conventions in Raiding Narratives , William J. Dezoma

Creative Discourse in the Eighteenth-Century Courtship Novel , Michelle Ruggaber Dougherty

Exclusionary Politics: Mourning and Modernism in the Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Amy Levy, and Charlotte Mew , Donna Decker Schuster

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Toward a Re-Formed Confession: Johann Gerhard's Sacred Meditations and "Repining Restlessnesse" in the Poetry of George Herbert , Erik P. Ankerberg

Idiographic Spaces: Representation, Ideology and Realism in the Postmodern British Novel , Gordon B. McConnell

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Reading into It: Wallace Stegner's Novelistic Sense of Time and Place , Colin C. Irvine

Brisbane and Beyond: Revising Social Capitalism in Mid-Nineteenth-Century America , Michael C. Mattek

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Christians and Mimics in W. B. Yeats' Collected Poems , Patrick Mulrooney

Renaissance Roles and the Process of Social Change , John Wieland

'Straunge Disguize': Allegory and Its Discontents in Spenser's Faerie Queene , Galina Ivanovna Yermolenko

Theses/Dissertations from 2000 2000

Reading American Women's Autobiography: Spheres of Identity, Spheres of Influence , Amy C. Getty

"Making Strange": The Art and Science of Selfhood in the Works of John Banville , Heather Maureen Moran

Writing Guadalupe: Mediacion and (mis)translation in borderland text(o)s , Jenny T Olin-Shanahan

Writing Guadalupe: Mediacion and (Mis)Translation in Borderland Text(o)s , Jenny T. Olin-Shanahan

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Setting the Word Against the Word: The Search for Self-Understanding in Richard II , Richard J. Erable

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > English > Theses and Dissertations

English Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Of Mētis and Cuttlefish: Employing Collective Mētis as a Theoretical Framework for Marginalized Communities , Justiss Wilder Burry

What on earth are we doing (?): A Field-Wide Exploration of Design Courses in TPC , Jessica L. Griffith

Organizations Ensuring Resilience: A Case Study of Cortez, Florida , Karla Ariel Maddox

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Using Movie Clips to Understand Vivid-Phrasal Idioms’ Meanings , Rasha Salem S. Alghamdi

An Exercise in Exceptions: Personhood, Divergency, and Ableism in the STAR TREK Franchise , Jessica A. Blackman

Vulnerable Resistance in Victorian Women’s Writing , Stephanie A. Harper

Curricular Assemblages: Understanding Student Writing Knowledge (Re)circulation Across Genres , Adam Phillips

PAD Beyond the Classroom: Integrating PAD in the Scrum Workplace , Jade S. Weiss

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Social Cues in Animated Pedagogical Agents for Second Language Learners: the Application of The Embodiment Principle in Video Design , Sahar M. Alyahya

A Field-Wide Examination of Cross-Listed Courses in Technical Professional Communication , Carolyn M. Gubala

Labor-Based Grading Contracts in the Multilingual FYC Classroom: Unpacking the Variables , Kara Kristina Larson

Land Goddesses, Divine Pigs, and Royal Tricksters: Subversive Mythologies and Imperialist Land Ownership Dispossession in Twentieth Century Irish and American Literature , Elizabeth Ricketts

Oppression, Resistance, and Empowerment: The Power Dynamics of Naming and Un-naming in African American Literature, 1794 to 2019 , Melissa "Maggie" Romigh

Generic Expectations in First Year Writing: Teaching Metadiscoursal Reflection and Revision Strategies for Increased Generic Uptake of Academic Writing , Kaelah Rose Scheff

Reframing the Gothic: Race, Gender, & Disability in Multiethnic Literature , Ashely B. Tisdale

Intersections of Race and Place in Short Fiction by New Orleans Gens de Couleur Libres , Adrienne D. Vivian

Mental Illness Diagnosis and the Construction of Stigma , Katie Lynn Walkup

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Rhetorical Roundhouse Kicks: Tae Kwon Do Pumsae Practice and Non-Western Embodied Topoi , Spencer Todd Bennington

9/11 Then and Now: How the Performance of Memorial Rhetoric by Presidents Changes to Construct Heroes , Kristen M. Grafton

Kinesthetically Speaking: Human and Animal Communication in British Literature of the Long Eighteenth Century , Dana Jolene Laitinen

Exploring Refugee Students’ Second Language (L2) Motivational Selves through Digital Visual Representations , Nhu Le

Glamour in Contemporary American Cinema , Shauna A. Maragh

Instrumentalization Theory: An Analytical Heuristic for a Heightened Social Awareness of Machine Learning Algorithms in Social Media , Andrew R. Miller

Intercessory Power: A Literary Analysis of Ethics and Care in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon , Alice Walker’s Meridian , and Toni Cade Bambara’s Those Bones Are Not My Child , Kelly Mills

The Power of Non-Compliant Logos: A New Materialist Approach to Comic Studies , Stephanie N. Phillips

Female Identity and Sexuality in Contemporary Indonesian Novels , Zita Rarastesa

"The Fiery Furnaces of Hell": Rhetorical Dynamism in Youngstown, OH , Joshua M. Rea

“We developed solidarity”: Family, Race, Identity, and Space-Time in Recent Multiethnic U.S. American Fiction , Kimber L. Wiggs

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Remembrance of a Wound: Ethical Mourning in the Works of Ana Menéndez, Elías Miguel Muñoz, and Junot Díaz , José Aparicio

Taking an “Ecological Turn” in the Evaluation of Rhetorical Interventions , Peter Cannon

New GTA’s and the Pre-Semester Orientation: The Need for Informed Refinement , Jessica L. Griffith

Reading Rape and Answering with Empathy: A New Approach to Sexual Assault Education for College Students , Brianna Jerman

The Karoo , The Veld , and the Co-Op: The Farm as Microcosm and Place for Change in Schreiner, Lessing, and Head , Elana D. Karshmer

"The weak are meat, and the strong do eat"; Representations of the Slaughterhouse in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Literature , Stephanie Lance

Language of Carnival: How Language and the Carnivalesque Challenge Hegemony , Yulia O. Nekrashevich

Queer Authority in Old and Middle English Literature , Elan J. Pavlinich

Because My Garmin Told Me To: A New Materialist Study of Agency and Wearable Technology , Michael Repici

No One Wants to Read What You Write: A Contextualized Analysis of Service Course Assignments , Tanya P. Zarlengo

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Beauty and the Beasts: Making Places with Literary Animals of Florida , Haili A. Alcorn

The Medievalizing Process: Religious Medievalism in Romantic and Victorian Literature , Timothy M. Curran

Seeing Trauma: The Known and the Hidden in Nineteenth-Century Literature , Alisa M. DeBorde

Analysis of User Interfaces in the Sharing Economy , Taylor B. Johnson

Border-Crossing Travels Across Literary Worlds: My Shamanic Conscientization , Scott Neumeister

The Spectacle of The Bomb: Rhetorical Analysis of Risk of The Nevada Test Site in Technical Communication, Popular Press, and Pop Culture , Tiffany Wilgar

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Traveling Women and Consuming Place in Eighteenth-Century Travel Letters and Journals , Cassie Patricia Childs

“The Nations of the Field and Wood”: The Uncertain Ontology of Animals in Eighteenth-Century British Literature , J. Kevin Jordan

Modern Mythologies: The Epic Imagination in Contemporary Indian Literature , Sucheta Kanjilal

Science in the Sun: How Science is Performed as a Spatial Practice , Natalie Kass

Body as Text: Physiognomy on the Early English Stage , Curtis Le Van

Tensions Between Democracy and Expertise in the Florida Keys , Elizabeth A. Loyer

Institutional Review Boards and Writing Studies Research: A Justice-Oriented Study , Johanna Phelps-Hillen

The Spirit of Friendship: Girlfriends in Contemporary African American Literature , Tangela La'Chelle Serls

Aphra Behn on the Contemporary Stage: Behn's Feminist Legacy and Woman-Directed Revivals of The Rover , Nicole Elizabeth Stodard

(Age)ncy in Composition Studies , Alaina Tackitt

Constructing Health Narratives: Patient Feedback in Online Communities , Katie Lynn Walkup

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Rupturing the World of Elite Athletics: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis of the Suspension of the 2011 IAAF Regulations on Hyperandrogenism , Ella Browning

Shaping Climate Citizenship: The Ethics of Inclusion in Climate Change Communication and Policy , Lauren E. Cagle

Drop, Cover, and Hold On: Analyzing FEMA's Risk Communication through Visual Rhetoric , Samantha Jo Cosgrove

Material Expertise: Applying Object-oriented Rhetoric in Marine Policy , Zachary Parke Dixon

The Non-Identical Anglophone Bildungsroman : From the Categorical to the De-Centering Literary Subject in the Black Atlantic , Jarad Heath Fennell

Instattack: Instagram and Visual Ad Hominem Political Arguments , Sophia Evangeline Gourgiotis

Hospitable Climates: Representations of the West Indies in Eighteenth-Century British Literature , Marisa Carmen Iglesias

Chosen Champions: Medieval and Early Modern Heroes as Postcolonial Reactions to Tensions between England and Europe , Jessica Trant Labossiere

Science, Policy, and Decision Making: A Case Study of Deliberative Rhetoric and Policymaking for Coastal Adaptation in Southeast Florida , Karen Patricia Langbehn

A New Materialist Approach to Visual Rhetoric in PhotoShopBattles , Jonathan Paul Ray

Tracing the Material: Spaces and Objects in British and Irish Modernist Novels , Mary Allison Wise

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Representations of Gatsby: Ninety Years of Retrospective , Christine Anne Auger

Robust, Low Power, Discrete Gate Sizing , Anthony Joseph Casagrande

Wrestling with Angels: Postsecular Contemporary American Poetry , Paul T. Corrigan

#networkedglobe: Making the Connection between Social Media and Intercultural Technical Communication , Laura Anne Ewing

Evidence of Things Not Seen: A Semi-Automated Descriptive Phrase and Frame Analysis of Texts about the Herbicide Agent Orange , Sarah Beth Hopton

'She Shall Not Be Moved': Black Women's Spiritual Practice in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Beloved, Paradise, and Home , Rondrea Danielle Mathis

Relational Agency, Networked Technology, and the Social Media Aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing , Megan M. Mcintyre

Now, We Hear Through a Voice Darkly: New Media and Narratology in Cinematic Art , James Anthony Ricci

Navigating Collective Activity Systems: An Approach Towards Rhetorical Inquiry , Katherine Jesse Royce

Women's Narratives of Confinement: Domestic Chores as Threads of Resistance and Healing , Jacqueline Marie Smith

Domestic Spaces in Transition: Modern Representations of Dwelling in the Texts of Elizabeth Bowen , Shannon Tivnan

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Paradise Always Already Lost: Myth, Memory, and Matter in English Literature , Elizabeth Stuart Angello

Overcoming the 5th-Century BCE Epistemological Tragedy: A Productive Reading of Protagoras of Abdera , Ryan Alan Blank

Acts of Rebellion: The Rhetoric of Rogue Cinema , Adam Breckenridge

Material and Textual Spaces in the Poetry of Montagu, Leapor, Barbauld, and Robinson , Jessica Lauren Cook

Decolonizing Shakespeare: Race, Gender, and Colonialism in Three Adaptations of Three Plays by William Shakespeare , Angela Eward-Mangione

Risk of Compliance: Tracing Safety and Efficacy in Mef-Lariam's Licensure , Julie Marie Gerdes

Beyond Performance: Rhetoric, Collective Memory, and the Motive of Imprinting Identity , Brenda M. Grau

Subversive Beauty - Victorian Bodies of Expression , Lisa Michelle Hoffman-Reyes

Integrating Reading and Writing For Florida's ESOL Program , George Douglas Mcarthur

Responsibility and Responsiveness in the Novels of Ann Radcliffe and Mary Shelley , Katherine Marie McGee

Ghosts, Orphans, and Outlaws: History, Family, and the Law in Toni Morrison's Fiction , Jessica Mckee

The "Defective" Generation: Disability in Modernist Literature , Deborah Susan Mcleod

Science Fiction/Fantasy and the Representation of Ethnic Futurity , Joy Ann Sanchez-Taylor

Hermes, Technical Communicator of the Gods: The Theory, Design, and Creation of a Persuasive Game for Technical Communication , Eric Walsh

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Rhetorical Spirits: Spirituality as Rhetorical Device in New Age Womanist of Color Texts , Ronisha Witlee Browdy

Disciplinarity, Crisis, and Opportunity in Technical Communication , Jason Robert Carabelli

The Terror of Possibility: A Re-evaluation and Reconception of the Sublime Aesthetic , Kurt Fawver

Unbearable Weight, Unbearable Witness: The (Im)possibility of Witnessing Eating Disorders in Cyberspace , Kristen Nicole Gay

the post- 9/11 aesthetic: repositioning the zombie film in the horror genre , Alan Edward Green, Jr.

An(other) Rhetoric: Rhetoric, Ethics, and the Rhetorical Tradition , Kathleen Sandell Hardesty

Mapping Dissertation Genre Ecology , Kate Lisbeth Pantelides

Dead Man's Switch: Disaster Rhetorics in a Posthuman Age , Daniel Patrick Richards

"Of That Transfigured World" : Realism and Fantasy in Victorian Literature , Benjamin Jude Wright

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Find Dissertations & Theses

Use the following sources to find doctoral dissertations and master's theses.  Copies of dissertations and theses from other universities can be requested via Interlibrary Loan: borrowing . For more resources for finding theses and dissertations, see the Research Guide Dissertations .

• Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new window Full text (PDF) of most US dissertations from 1997 on, many earlier works and some from outside the US plus some master's theses. Also lists all dissertations and theses from 1861 on from US universities and some works from Europe and Asia from 1637 on. Abstracts included after July, 1980.
• Virgo Virgo provides discovery of all theses and dissertations originating at the University of Virginia as well as many others. Newer theses and dissertations are accessible online. From the advanced search screen, you can limit your search to Thesis/Dissertation under the Format heading.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations Contains more than one million records of electronic theses and dissertations.
• American Doctoral Dissertations This freely accessible database includes nearly 100,000 dissertations from 1933 through 1955, which represents the only comprehensive record of dissertations accepted by U.S. universities during that period.

Recent UVA English Dissertations & M.A. Theses

Dissertations and theses offer the latest research from graduate students, identifying trends in the field. As research tools, they are invaluable for their extensive bibliographies. The following are examples of recent dissertations and MA theses written by UVA English graduate students that can be found through Virgo and are available online through the LibraETD repository:

• "Corporate Voice": Poetic Personation and Political Theology in Early Modern England, Dissertation, 2022, Evan Cheney
• "Homo sapiens, Americanus": Exploiting the New Logic of Capitalism in Edith Wharton's The Custom of the Country, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Sarah O'Connor
• "The Story That Takes You Somewhere New": Form, Fiction, and Authority in Three English-Language Narratives of Gender Transition from 1928 to 2016, M.A. Thesis, 2021, Patrick Ahern
• All Y'All: Queering Southernness in Recent US Fiction, Dissertation, 2022, Heidi Siegrist
• The Beard Show that Grows on You: The Role of the Beard in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Kelsey Nason
• Between Self and Society: An Invitation to Openness in Frances Burney's Evelina, Cecilia, and Camilla, M.A. Thesis, 2021, John Jane
• Beyond Subversion: Raising Doubt Through Ancient Scripture in Contemporary Novels, Dissertation, 2022, Nathan Frank
• Black Boyhood and the Queer Practices of Impossibility in African American Literary and Cultural Productions, Dissertation, 2022, Dionte Harris
• A Cloister of Remembered Sounds: A Defense of Memorization as a Pedagogical Practice, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Wyatt McNamara
• Deciphering an Enigma: The Dual Function of Black Nationalism in Clarence Thomas's Judicial Opinions, M.A. Thesis, 2022, John Shimazaki
• Divergent Portrayals of the Other in Titus Andronicus and Othello, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Jasmin Whitehead
• Epistemic Uncertainties: Contemporary Narratives of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Dissertation, 2021, Samantha Wallace
• Exploring the Southern Vampiresses of Southern Gothic Literature Through Kristeva's Abject Theory, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Stirling Smith
• Family Men: Constructing the gentleman in the eighteenth-century British novel, Dissertation, 2021, Sarah Berkowitz
• Ghostly Encounters: Transnational Gothic and the Twenty-First Century Global Novel, Dissertation, 2022,Dipsikha Thakur
• Inspiration or Invention: Against Romantic Models of Composing, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Kaelin Foody
• Intimate Editing: Toward a Relational Philological Poetics, Dissertation, 2022, Anne Marie Thompson
• Into the Woods: Nature and the Divine in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, M.A. Thesis, 2021, Renu Linberg
• Leading Basic Writing Students to Success Through Empowerment and Care, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Nehali Patel
• Monarchs and the Many-Headed Multitude: Political Relationships in Early Modern English and Scottish Literature, Dissertation, 2021, Emily Keyser
• Poetry for Identity: A Phenomenological Pedagogy of Poetry to Support Students' Self-Concept Clarity, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Janet Murray
• Radical Media, Radical Culture: Technology and Social Change in 20th and 21st Century America, Dissertation, 2022, Grace Alvino
• Reading "The Writing on the Wall": Neo-Victorian Reimaginings and the Potential of Popular Genres, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Austin Rhea
• Reading for Enlightenment in the Beginning of Philosophical Transactions, Dissertation, 2021, James Ascher
• Refracting the Past in Post-Reformation Romance, Dissertation, 2022, Valerie Voight
• Traveling Elegy: Expansive Approaches to Loss in the Poetry of Agha Shahid Ali, M.A. Thesis, 2022, Maria Rossini
• Unbecoming Behavior: Insurgent Violent-Erotic Fantasies in Kate Zambereno's Green Girl and Other Contemporary Works, M.A. Thesis, 2021, Giuliana Eggleston
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University Centre for Academic English

Writing dissertations

The purpose of the activities in this section is to enable you to produce an effective dissertation, in accordance with the academic writing conventions followed at British universities.

You will learn about the different parts of a dissertation and how they relate to each other. You will also have the opportunity to consider different writing styles and choose the most appropriate for your subject area. Finally, you will consider the importance of developing your own study skills and explore some useful dissertation writing tips and techniques.

What is a dissertation?

In this subsection, you will examine the overall structure of a dissertation and the common information elements found in each part. You will also reflect upon a number of important factors that need to be considered when selecting a topic for your dissertation.

Defining a dissertation and its structure

In this activity you will consider the difference between a thesis and a dissertation. You will also identify different types of research and consider how the type of research affects the overall organisational pattern of the dissertation.

• View defining a dissertation and its structure activity

The elements of a dissertation

You will identify the information elements that the different chapters of a dissertation are likely to include. The numbering system that is typically employed for different sections of a dissertation is introduced.

• View the elements of a dissertation activity

Selecting a topic for your dissertation

Here you will explore the factors which will help you select a topic for your dissertation.

• View selecting a topic for your dissertation activity

Focusing on a topic

Here you will learn about techniques that can help you focus on a topic for your dissertation: creating mindmaps, formulating and refining research questions, and developing strategies for reading efficiently.

Brainstorming and mindmaps

You will practise using the techniques of brainstorming and creating mind maps to explore the possible areas you wish to cover in your dissertation.

• View brainstorming and mindmaps activity

Research questions and hypotheses

Here you will find out how to formulate and refine research questions. The meaning of the term hypothesis is also discussed.

• View research questions and hypotheses activity

Accessing and organising the literature for the dissertation 

You will explore effective ways to search for information and read efficiently. You will also find out how to manage, organise and record the literature that you access.

• View accessing and organising the literature for the dissertation activity

Research proposals, dissertation titles and personal journals

In this subsection you will identify the important elements in a research proposal, practise ways of writing an effective dissertation title, and explore the benefits of keeping a personal journal as part of the research process.

Writing a research proposal for a dissertation

Here you will examine the important information elements that should be included in a research proposal.

• View the writing a research proposal for a dissertation activity

Writing an effective title for your dissertation

You will find out how to write an effective title for your dissertation and how to present your title page.

• View writing an effective title for your dissertation activity

Keeping a research journal or diary

You will explore the value of keeping a research journal whilst conducting your research.

• View keeping a research journal or diary activity

The literature review

Different aspects of a dissertation literature review are explored. You will investigate the multiple purposes for which sources are cited in a literature review, explore different techniques for integrating sources into your text, consider the meaning of criticality in a literature review, and learn about strategies for giving your own voice prominence in your writing.

The multiple purposes of a literature review

This looks at how a literature review can be structured. It also considers the variety of purposes for which the related literature is used in a dissertation.

• View the multiple purposes of a literature review activity

Integrating sources

Different citation practices are introduced and the variety of ways in which the literature can be integrated into a text are considered.

• View integrating sources activity

Establishing your own position

You will learn about the organisational and linguistic techniques you can use to establish your own position in relation to the literature you are citing.

• View establishing your own position activity

How to be critical in a literature review

Here, the meaning of 'being critical' in a literature review is explored.

• View how to be critical in a literature review activity

Making linguistic choices

You will examine some of the linguistic strategies you can use to show your strength of commitment to the work you are citing.

• View making linguistic choices activity

Here, the different purposes of dissertation abstracts are considered. You will identify the common information elements in abstracts and the tense and voice changes that often occur in the text.

The purposes of a dissertation abstract

The various purposes of abstracts are explored. You will also analyse two abstracts to identify the different information elements which can be included.

• View the purposes of a dissertation abstract activity

Choices of verb tense and voice in different parts of an abstract

You will look at the changes in verb tense and voice that are likely to occur in an abstract and consider the reasons for these choices.

• View choices of verb tense and voice in different parts of an abstract activity

Writing and revising a draft abstract

Here you will have the opportunity to write a draft for your own dissertation abstract while considering the common information elements, as well as tense and voice choices.

• View writing and revising a draft abstract activity

Introductions

This subsection explores different aspects of a dissertation introduction. It focuses on its various functions, the common information elements it contains and its organisational structure. The differences between the dissertation introduction, abstract and literature review are also examined.

The purpose of an introduction and different information elements

You will focus on the purposes of dissertation introductions, their common information elements and their organisational structure.

• View the purpose of an introduction and different information elements activity

Abstracts and introductions

The differences between a dissertation abstract and introduction are examined.

• View the abstracts and introductions activity

The relationship between the introduction and the literature review

Here the difference between an introduction and a literature review is discussed. You will also look at examples of how the initial chapters of a dissertation can be organised.

• View the relationship between the introduction and the literature review activity

Research methodology

Here you will be introduced to the methodology section of a dissertation. The typical information elements and possible organisational structures will be presented. You will also focus on using appropriate verb tense and voice when describing your methodology.

Typical information elements when describing your methodology

You will be introduced to the methodology section of a dissertation and consider what information elements are typically included. You will then read four extracts and be given practice in identifying different elements. You will consider the different ways that methodology sections can be organised.

• View the typical information elements when describing your methodology activity

Common tense choice and voice choices

You will be given practice in choosing appropriate verb forms to complete short extracts which describe the methodology.

• View common tense choice and voice choices activity

Presenting and discussing findings

In this subsection, you are introduced to the various ways in which findings can be presented in dissertations. In particular, this section will cover the difference between the presentation of findings in a dissertation based on empirical research and in a library-based dissertation. You will also examine techniques for integrating tables and figures into a text.

Presenting findings from empirical research studies

You will explore the various ways in which research findings can be presented in a dissertation.

• View presenting findings from empirical research studies activity

Including tables and figures in your dissertation

Here important techniques for integrating figures and tables into a text are presented.

• View including tables and figures in your dissertation activity

Presenting findings in library-based dissertations

You will look at examples from library-based dissertations which illustrate the way findings are integrated into these types of text.

• View presenting findings in library-based dissertations activity

Interpretation and discussion

This subsection examines approaches to the discussion and interpretation of findings. The session includes an overview of the common information elements in the Discussion chapter of a dissertation, an analysis of the different meanings of interpretation, and practice in techniques for expressing different degrees of certainty in your writing.

Common elements in discussion chapters

You will consider the different ways in which you can organise the final chapters of your dissertation. The common information elements of the Discussion chapter of a dissertation are presented and explored.

• View common elements in discussion chapters activity

Different ways of interpreting findings

You will explore the various meanings of interpretation and analyse examples in texts.

• View different ways of interpreting findings activity

Expressing degrees of certainty 

You will practise the various language techniques available for expressing different degrees of certainty about your findings and interpretations.

• View expressing degrees of certainty activity

Conclusions and dissertation writing techniques

In this final subsection, you will examine the role of the conclusion in a dissertation and its links to other sections. Typical information elements will be presented. You will also focus on the need for cross referencing within a dissertation. You will consider a number of general techniques which will help you throughout your dissertation.

Conclusions

You will consider the role of a conclusion in a dissertation and how it is linked to other sections. You will also look at the different information elements often found in a conclusion.

• View conclusions activity

Cross referencing between dissertation chapters 

You will look at how authors refer back to previously given information within a dissertation and consider why it is necessary to cross reference in longer texts.

• View cross referencing between dissertation chapters activity

Time management, dealing with writer's block and revision strategies

Here you will focus on the importance of planning your time carefully during your dissertation. You will then be introduced to a number of strategies to help you keep writing. Finally, you will think about the importance of proof reading your work and making revisions.

• View time management, dealing with writer's block and revision strategies activity

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation Proposal | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on 14 February 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 11 November 2022.

A dissertation proposal describes the research you want to do: what it’s about, how you’ll conduct it, and why it’s worthwhile. You will probably have to write a proposal before starting your dissertation as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

A dissertation proposal should generally include:

• An introduction to your topic and aims
• A literature review  of the current state of knowledge
• An outline of your proposed methodology
• A discussion of the possible implications of the research
• A bibliography  of relevant sources

Dissertation proposals vary a lot in terms of length and structure, so make sure to follow any guidelines given to you by your institution, and check with your supervisor when you’re unsure.

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Table of contents

Step 1: coming up with an idea, step 2: presenting your idea in the introduction, step 3: exploring related research in the literature review, step 4: describing your methodology, step 5: outlining the potential implications of your research, step 6: creating a reference list or bibliography.

Before writing your proposal, it’s important to come up with a strong idea for your dissertation.

Find an area of your field that interests you and do some preliminary reading in that area. What are the key concerns of other researchers? What do they suggest as areas for further research, and what strikes you personally as an interesting gap in the field?

Once you have an idea, consider how to narrow it down and the best way to frame it. Don’t be too ambitious or too vague – a dissertation topic needs to be specific enough to be feasible. Move from a broad field of interest to a specific niche:

• Russian literature 19th century Russian literature The novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky
• Social media Mental health effects of social media Influence of social media on young adults suffering from anxiety

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Like most academic texts, a dissertation proposal begins with an introduction . This is where you introduce the topic of your research, provide some background, and most importantly, present your aim , objectives and research question(s) .

Try to dive straight into your chosen topic: What’s at stake in your research? Why is it interesting? Don’t spend too long on generalisations or grand statements:

• Social media is the most important technological trend of the 21st century. It has changed the world and influences our lives every day.
• Psychologists generally agree that the ubiquity of social media in the lives of young adults today has a profound impact on their mental health. However, the exact nature of this impact needs further investigation.

Once your area of research is clear, you can present more background and context. What does the reader need to know to understand your proposed questions? What’s the current state of research on this topic, and what will your dissertation contribute to the field?

If you’re including a literature review, you don’t need to go into too much detail at this point, but give the reader a general sense of the debates that you’re intervening in.

This leads you into the most important part of the introduction: your aim, objectives and research question(s) . These should be clearly identifiable and stand out from the text – for example, you could present them using bullet points or bold font.

Make sure that your research questions are specific and workable – something you can reasonably answer within the scope of your dissertation. Avoid being too broad or having too many different questions. Remember that your goal in a dissertation proposal is to convince the reader that your research is valuable and feasible:

• Does social media harm mental health?
• What is the impact of daily social media use on 18– to 25–year–olds suffering from general anxiety disorder?

Now that your topic is clear, it’s time to explore existing research covering similar ideas. This is important because it shows you what is missing from other research in the field and ensures that you’re not asking a question someone else has already answered.

You’ve probably already done some preliminary reading, but now that your topic is more clearly defined, you need to thoroughly analyse and evaluate the most relevant sources in your literature review .

Here you should summarise the findings of other researchers and comment on gaps and problems in their studies. There may be a lot of research to cover, so make effective use of paraphrasing to write concisely:

• Smith and Prakash state that ‘our results indicate a 25% decrease in the incidence of mechanical failure after the new formula was applied’.
• Smith and Prakash’s formula reduced mechanical failures by 25%.

The point is to identify findings and theories that will influence your own research, but also to highlight gaps and limitations in previous research which your dissertation can address:

• Subsequent research has failed to replicate this result, however, suggesting a flaw in Smith and Prakash’s methods. It is likely that the failure resulted from…

Next, you’ll describe your proposed methodology : the specific things you hope to do, the structure of your research and the methods that you will use to gather and analyse data.

You should get quite specific in this section – you need to convince your supervisor that you’ve thought through your approach to the research and can realistically carry it out. This section will look quite different, and vary in length, depending on your field of study.

You may be engaged in more empirical research, focusing on data collection and discovering new information, or more theoretical research, attempting to develop a new conceptual model or add nuance to an existing one.

Dissertation research often involves both, but the content of your methodology section will vary according to how important each approach is to your dissertation.

Empirical research

Empirical research involves collecting new data and analysing it in order to answer your research questions. It can be quantitative (focused on numbers), qualitative (focused on words and meanings), or a combination of both.

With empirical research, it’s important to describe in detail how you plan to collect your data:

• Will you use surveys ? A lab experiment ? Interviews?
• What variables will you measure?
• How will you select a representative sample ?
• If other people will participate in your research, what measures will you take to ensure they are treated ethically?
• What tools (conceptual and physical) will you use, and why?

It’s appropriate to cite other research here. When you need to justify your choice of a particular research method or tool, for example, you can cite a text describing the advantages and appropriate usage of that method.

Don’t overdo this, though; you don’t need to reiterate the whole theoretical literature, just what’s relevant to the choices you have made.

Moreover, your research will necessarily involve analysing the data after you have collected it. Though you don’t know yet what the data will look like, it’s important to know what you’re looking for and indicate what methods (e.g. statistical tests , thematic analysis ) you will use.

Theoretical research

You can also do theoretical research that doesn’t involve original data collection. In this case, your methodology section will focus more on the theory you plan to work with in your dissertation: relevant conceptual models and the approach you intend to take.

For example, a literary analysis dissertation rarely involves collecting new data, but it’s still necessary to explain the theoretical approach that will be taken to the text(s) under discussion, as well as which parts of the text(s) you will focus on:

• This dissertation will utilise Foucault’s theory of panopticism to explore the theme of surveillance in Orwell’s 1984 and Kafka’s The Trial…

Here, you may refer to the same theorists you have already discussed in the literature review. In this case, the emphasis is placed on how you plan to use their contributions in your own research.

You’ll usually conclude your dissertation proposal with a section discussing what you expect your research to achieve.

You obviously can’t be too sure: you don’t know yet what your results and conclusions will be. Instead, you should describe the projected implications and contribution to knowledge of your dissertation.

First, consider the potential implications of your research. Will you:

• Develop or test a theory?
• Provide new information to governments or businesses?
• Challenge a commonly held belief?
• Suggest an improvement to a specific process?

Describe the intended result of your research and the theoretical or practical impact it will have:

Finally, it’s sensible to conclude by briefly restating the contribution to knowledge you hope to make: the specific question(s) you hope to answer and the gap the answer(s) will fill in existing knowledge:

Like any academic text, it’s important that your dissertation proposal effectively references all the sources you have used. You need to include a properly formatted reference list or bibliography at the end of your proposal.

Different institutions recommend different styles of referencing – commonly used styles include Harvard , Vancouver , APA , or MHRA . If your department does not have specific requirements, choose a style and apply it consistently.

A reference list includes only the sources that you cited in your proposal. A bibliography is slightly different: it can include every source you consulted in preparing the proposal, even if you didn’t mention it in the text. In the case of a dissertation proposal, a bibliography may also list relevant sources that you haven’t yet read, but that you intend to use during the research itself.

Check with your supervisor what type of bibliography or reference list you should include.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, November 11). How to Write a Dissertation Proposal | A Step-by-Step Guide. Scribbr. Retrieved 18 March 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/proposal/

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Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, what is a dissertation | 5 essential questions to get started, what is a literature review | guide, template, & examples, what is a research methodology | steps & tips.

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 .

*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.

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).

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?

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.

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).

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 .

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. 

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

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

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!

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

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

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

Thanks Ade!

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

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

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

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

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.

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

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

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

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

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

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

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

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

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

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!

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 🙂

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

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

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

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Advanced Higher English - project-dissertation

Project-dissertation 2023  (all links open as pdf files), an analysis of the narrative techniques employed by laurie lee and lorna sage to explore the theme of childhood in their novels "cider with rosie" and "bad blood" respectively..

• Candidate Evidence 2023
• Commentary 2023

Project-dissertation 2022  (All links open as PDF files)

An exploration of narcissism in the secret history by donna tartt..

• Candidate Evidence 2022
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Project-dissertation 2021  (All links open as PDF files except where indicated otherwise)

• 2021 Advanced Higher Dissertation, guidance on marking (webinar recording)   (48:41, mp4) (External link to SQA website)
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How does Catholicism influence relationships in Brideshead Revisited?

• Candidate 1 Evidence

Comparative analysis of psychological impacts resulting from life under totalitarian rule in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

• Candidate 2 Evidence

A critical comparison of Poe’s exploration of madness in ‘The Tell-tale Heart’, ‘The Black Cat’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’

• Candidate 3 Evidence

An exploration of how Thomas Hardy uses characterisation, symbolism and key events in ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ and ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ to convey his condemnation of the treatment of women in the Victorian era

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Project-dissertation 2019  (All links open as PDF files)

How does the color purple reveal the themes of oppression and empowerment, rejecting the single story: a literary examination of how chimimanda ngozi adichie develops the characters of ugwu and olanna throught their experiences of the biafran war in her novel half of a yellow sun, a study of margaret atwood's exploration of identity in the edible woman (1969).

• Candidates 1 to 3 Commentaries

Project-dissertation 2016  (All links open as PDF files)

From session 2019/20 onwards, the word count for the Advanced Higher English project: dissertation will increase to a maximum of 3,500 words (was previously 3,000 words). None of these examples reflect the revised word count however, they all remain valid and continue to exemplify national standards. Please also note that the marking instructions for the project dissertation have not changed. You should view these materials in conjunction with the revised Advanced Higher English course specification. https://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCourseSpecEnglish.pdf 

Candidate 1 - Comparative analysis of vengeance in Euripides and Sophocles

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Candidate 2 - Eliot and existentialism in The Four Quartets

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Candidate 3 - A critical analysis of the theme of seeing clearly in Jane Austen

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Candidate 4 - The Byronic hero in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights

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Candidate 5 - Free will and choice in Trainspotting and A Clockwork Orange

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Candidate 6 - The varying moods of Sylvia Plath in her poetry

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Candidate 7 - Female emancipation in The Color Purple and Beloved

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Candidate 8 - The theme of growing up in The Cement Garden and Atonement

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Candidate 9 - Religion, belief and worship in Small Gods and American Gods

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Candidate 10 - Orwell's portrayal of social injustices in fiction and non-fiction

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Candidate 11 has been repackaged and is now Candidate 1 in the 2021 section with new candidate commentary

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Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore needs your careful analysis of the evidence to understand how you arrived at this claim. You arrive at your thesis by examining and analyzing the evidence available to you, which might be text or other types of source material.

A thesis will generally respond to an analytical question or pose a solution to a problem that you have framed for your readers (and for yourself). When you frame that question or problem for your readers, you are telling them what is at stake in your argument—why your question matters and why they should care about the answer . If you can explain to your readers why a question or problem is worth addressing, then they will understand why it’s worth reading an essay that develops your thesis—and you will understand why it’s worth writing that essay.

A strong thesis will be arguable rather than descriptive , and it will be the right scope for the essay you are writing. If your thesis is descriptive, then you will not need to convince your readers of anything—you will be naming or summarizing something your readers can already see for themselves. If your thesis is too narrow, you won’t be able to explore your topic in enough depth to say something interesting about it. If your thesis is too broad, you may not be able to support it with evidence from the available sources.

When you are writing an essay for a course assignment, you should make sure you understand what type of claim you are being asked to make. Many of your assignments will be asking you to make analytical claims , which are based on interpretation of facts, data, or sources.

Some of your assignments may ask you to make normative claims. Normative claims are claims of value or evaluation rather than fact—claims about how things should be rather than how they are. A normative claim makes the case for the importance of something, the action that should be taken, or the way the world should be. When you are asked to write a policy memo, a proposal, or an essay based on your own opinion, you will be making normative claims.

Here are some examples of possible thesis statements for a student's analysis of the article “The Case Against Perfection” by Professor Michael Sandel.  

Descriptive thesis (not arguable) 

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

Thesis Statement

Embark on a comprehensive guide to understanding the cornerstone of any compelling essay or research paper: the thesis statement. Learn its definition, discover real-world examples, and unlock the secrets to crafting a strong thesis that captures your argument succinctly. Ideal for students, educators, and aspiring writers, this article serves as a one-stop resource for mastering the art of thesis statement creation. Boost your academic writing skills and make your arguments more persuasive with our expert tips.

What is Thesis Statement? Definition

A thesis statement is a sentence that captures the main point or claim of an essay or research paper. It serves as a roadmap, guiding the reader through the arguments that are presented in the work.

Download 120+ Thesis Statement Examples

Clear and concise, a thesis statement sets the tone and direction for the entire piece of writing.

What is the Best Example of a Thesis Statement?

A strong thesis statement is concise, specific, and sets the stage for the arguments to follow. One such example that is often cited for its effectiveness is:

Example: “Stricter plastic regulations are crucial to combat environmental damage.”

This thesis statement is considered strong for the following reasons:

• Concise : It gets straight to the point, making it easy for the reader to understand the essay’s focus.
• Specific : It clearly identifies the need for stricter regulations on plastic, providing a specific course of action.
• Arguable : The statement is not a mere fact but an arguable position that invites discussion and analysis.
• Roadmap : Though brief, it gives readers a quick idea of what the essay will argue, serving as a roadmap for the discussion that will follow.
• Relevance : The topic is timely and relevant, adding weight to the thesis statement.

This example serves as an excellent starting point for an argumentative essay, offering a clear and focused direction for both the writer and the reader.

100 Simple Thesis Statement Examples

Navigating the complexities of academic writing can be challenging, but a well-crafted thesis statement can make all the difference. Whether you’re a student, educator, or anyone interested in improving their writing skills, these 100 simple thesis statement examples will provide you with the inspiration and guidance you need. From argumentative essays to analytical papers, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in!

Argumentative Thesis Statements

• School uniforms should be mandatory to promote equality and reduce bullying in educational institutions.
• Social media platforms must regulate fake news to prevent the spread of misinformation.
• Animal testing is unethical and should be banned in cosmetic research.
• The death penalty is an outdated form of punishment that has no place in a civilized society.
• Climate change is a global crisis that requires immediate action from governments worldwide.

Analytical Thesis Statements

• Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” explores the complexities of human emotion through its multi-dimensional characters.
• The Great Gatsby portrays the American Dream as unattainable , offering a critical look at 1920s America.
• The symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” serves to highlight the inherent evil in human nature.
• The marketing strategies of Apple Inc. focus on emotional appeal , setting it apart from competitors.
• The rise of cryptocurrency challenges traditional financial systems , signaling a shift in how we understand money.

Expository Thesis Statements

• The benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health , including mental well-being and increased productivity.
• Remote work is becoming the new norm , offering both challenges and opportunities for businesses.
• Meditation has proven health benefits , such as reducing stress and improving focus.
• The history of the Internet traces back to military projects , but its rapid expansion has been consumer-driven.
• Renewable energy sources are essential for a sustainable future , as they reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

Compare and Contrast Thesis Statements

• While both Apple and Samsung offer high-quality smartphones , Apple’s focus on user experience sets it apart.
• Public and private schools provide different benefits and challenges , making the choice dependent on individual needs.
• Traditional and online education have distinct advantages , but online learning offers more flexibility.
• Cats and dogs make excellent pets , but cats require less maintenance and attention.
• Democracy and monarchy are contrasting forms of government , each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Persuasive Thesis Statements

• Recycling should be made compulsory to minimize environmental impact.
• Vaccination should be mandatory for public health and safety.
• Higher education should be free for all citizens to promote economic growth and social mobility.
• Gun control laws need to be stricter to reduce the incidence of mass shootings.
• Organic farming should be subsidized to promote sustainable agriculture.

Cause and Effect Thesis Statements

• The rise in fast-food consumption has led to an increase in obesity rates among young adults.
• The advent of social media has significantly impacted mental health , leading to increased anxiety and depression.
• Global warming is causing extreme weather conditions , including more frequent and severe hurricanes.
• The decline in print journalism can be attributed to the digital revolution , which has shifted the focus to online news.
• The increase in remote work has led to a surge in demand for home office equipment , affecting the retail market.

Informative Thesis Statements

• The life cycle of a butterfly consists of four stages : egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
• The process of photosynthesis is essential for plant growth , converting sunlight into energy.
• The history of jazz music traces its roots to African and European musical traditions , blending them into a unique American art form.
• The benefits of yoga include improved flexibility, strength, and mental clarity .
• The invention of the printing press revolutionized information distribution , paving the way for the spread of knowledge.

Problem-Solution Thesis Statements

• To combat climate change, governments should invest in renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
• The opioid crisis can be mitigated through stricter regulations on prescription medications and better educational programs.
• To reduce traffic congestion, cities should invest in public transportation systems like buses and subways.
• The issue of plastic waste can be addressed by implementing recycling programs and banning single-use plastics.
• To improve mental health services, there should be increased funding for research and public awareness campaigns .

Evaluation Thesis Statements

• The film “Inception” successfully combines complex storytelling with groundbreaking visual effects , making it a modern cinematic masterpiece.
• Despite its popularity, fast food is harmful to health and well-being , offering little nutritional value.
• The educational system needs a comprehensive overhaul to meet the needs of the 21st century , including a focus on STEM and vocational training.
• The novel “1984” by George Orwell offers a chilling glimpse into the dangers of totalitarianism , making it a must-read for all generations.
• The iPhone revolutionized the smartphone industry , setting new standards for design and functionality.

Definition Thesis Statements

• Success is a subjective term , defined differently by each individual based on their goals and values.
• Beauty is a complex concept , influenced by cultural, psychological, and personal factors.
• Intelligence is not solely based on IQ , but also includes emotional and social intelligence.
• Happiness is a state of well-being , influenced by external and internal factors.
• Leadership involves not just authority but also responsibility , including the ability to inspire and guide others.

Process Thesis Statements

• The process of brewing coffee involves several key steps , from bean selection to brewing technique, that influence the final flavor.
• Creating a budget involves tracking income and expenses , setting financial goals, and making adjustments as needed.
• The process of writing a novel involves planning, drafting, and revising , each stage requiring different skills and focus.
• Learning a new language involves mastering vocabulary, grammar, and cultural nuances , requiring consistent practice and immersion.
• Building a successful startup involves market research, product development, and effective marketing strategies .

Descriptive Thesis Statements

• The Grand Canyon offers breathtaking vistas , showcasing the raw beauty and power of nature.
• The Mona Lisa captivates audiences with its enigmatic expression , intricate details, and revolutionary techniques.
• New York City is a melting pot of cultures , offering a diverse range of experiences from food to entertainment.
• The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon , characterized by vibrant colors and patterns in the night sky.
• The Amazon Rainforest is a complex ecosystem , home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.

Controversial Thesis Statements

• Genetically modified foods pose potential health risks and should be clearly labeled.
• Euthanasia should be legalized under specific conditions , to preserve the dignity and choice of terminally ill patients.
• Surveillance technology poses a threat to individual privacy , requiring stricter regulations.
• The legalization of marijuana has both pros and cons , affecting health, economy, and social issues.
• The gender pay gap is a systemic issue , requiring legislative action for equal pay.

Narrative Thesis Statements

• My journey to becoming a doctor was fueled by personal experiences , shaping my view of healthcare.
• The most impactful moment of my life was moving to a new country , which taught me resilience and adaptability.
• My passion for photography started as a hobby but evolved into a career , shaping my artistic vision.
• The experience of hiking the Appalachian Trail was transformative , offering lessons in perseverance and self-discovery.
• My year of traveling solo taught me the importance of independence and adaptability , enriching my perspective on life.

Research Thesis Statements

• The impact of climate change on coral reefs requires immediate attention , as indicated by recent scientific studies.
• The effects of video games on cognitive development are largely positive , contrary to popular belief.
• The influence of social media on body image is significant , particularly among young adults.
• The benefits of intermittent fasting are supported by scientific evidence , including improved metabolic health and longevity.
• The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare is expanding , offering promising solutions for diagnosis and treatment.

Opinion Thesis Statements

• In my opinion, remote learning is less effective than traditional classroom education , due to lack of social interaction and hands-on experience.
• I believe that mental health should be given equal importance as physical health in public healthcare systems.
• I think that electric cars are the future of transportation , offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
• I feel that organic food is worth the higher price , due to its health benefits and environmental impact.
• In my view, freelancing offers more freedom and flexibility than a 9-to-5 job , although it comes with its own set of challenges.

Proposal Thesis Statements

• I propose that schools implement mindfulness programs to improve student well-being and academic performance.
• I suggest that companies adopt a four-day workweek to increase productivity and employee satisfaction.
• I recommend that local governments invest in green infrastructure to combat the effects of climate change.
• I advocate for stricter gun control laws to reduce violence and improve public safety.
• I propose that healthcare be made universally accessible , to ensure that all citizens receive the care they need.

Reflective Thesis Statements

• Reflecting on my college experience, I realize the importance of time management in achieving academic success.
• Looking back on my career, I see the value of continuous learning in staying relevant in the job market.
• Upon reflection, my travels have broadened my understanding of cultural diversity , enriching my worldview.
• Reflecting on my relationships, I understand the importance of open communication in maintaining healthy connections.
• Looking back at my childhood, I appreciate the role of family support in shaping my values and aspirations.

Hypothetical Thesis Statements

• If renewable energy were universally adopted, it could significantly reduce carbon emissions , mitigating the effects of climate change.
• If education were made more accessible, it would lead to greater social mobility and a more equitable society.
• If healthcare were universally accessible, it would improve public health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
• If public transportation were more efficient, it could reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.
• If mental health services were more widely available, it would reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and improve public well-being.

Future-Oriented Thesis Statements

• As technology continues to advance, ethical considerations will become increasingly important in fields like AI and biotechnology.
• As the global population grows, sustainable agriculture will become crucial in meeting the world’s food needs.
• As remote work becomes more prevalent, companies will need to adapt their management strategies to maintain productivity and employee engagement.
• As climate change intensifies, global cooperation will be essential in implementing effective mitigation strategies.
• As mental health awareness increases, the demand for qualified mental health professionals will rise , necessitating improvements in training and education.

How to Write a Thesis Statement?

Start by understanding what a thesis statement is: it’s a sentence that encapsulates your paper’s primary argument or point. The 3 parts of a thesis statement generally include the subject, the precise opinion, and the blueprint of reasons.

First, identify the subject or topic of your paper. This is the broad area that your research or essay will cover.

Next, you need to formulate a precise opinion on your chosen subject. This assertion gives your paper a unique angle and a clear direction.

Finally, the blueprint of reasons outlines the main points or arguments you will use to support your opinion. These will form the body of your essay or research paper.

Now that we’ve outlined the 3 parts, let’s talk about how to start.

• Brainstorm: Begin by brainstorming ideas related to your topic. This is a crucial step that helps in defining your precise opinion and blueprint of reasons.
• Narrow down: Based on your brainstorming, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect of your topic.
• Write a working thesis statement: Craft a working thesis statement based on your narrowed-down focus. This statement doesn’t need to be perfect yet, but it should serve as a guide for your research or writing process.
• Refine: As your research progresses, refine your thesis statement. Make sure it clearly communicates your argument and the main points that support it.
• Review and Revise: Once your essay or research paper is complete, revisit your thesis statement. Ensure it still aligns with the arguments you presented in your paper.

By following these steps, you can construct a good thesis statement that will steer your paper towards a compelling argument.

Tips for Creating Effective Thesis Statements

Here are ten straightforward tips to make your thesis statement effective and engaging.

• Focus on Detail: Your thesis statement should clearly outline your main argument. Avoid vagueness and stay precise.
• Create a Spark: Make your thesis statement thought-provoking. It should incite a reader to think about the subject in depth.
• Keep it Brief: Short, crisp sentences often make the strongest statements. Aim to keep your thesis within one or two lines.
• Locate it Right: Position your thesis statement at the end of your introduction. It provides a smooth transition into the main body.
• Use Solid Evidence: Make sure each part of your thesis can be supported with concrete evidence from your research.
• Mirror Your Structure: Your thesis should give a glimpse into how your essay or paper is organized.
• Ensure Consistency: The entire content of your paper should align with the thesis statement, reinforcing your main argument.
• Avoid Being Predictable : Stay away from cliches or commonly used structures. Let your unique voice shine through your thesis.
• Revise if Required: As you delve deeper into your topic, you may need to tweak your thesis statement to better fit your findings.
• Welcome Feedback: Constructive critique can help refine your thesis statement, making it more compelling and clear.

Thesis Statement Format

A well-structured thesis statement generally follows this format:

• Subject : This is the primary topic or subject of your research or essay.
• Claim/Position : This is your stance or claim about the subject. It’s the argument you will be supporting throughout your paper.
• Supporting Points : These are the main points or ideas that you will use to back up your claim.

Here’s an example in a simple format:

[Subject] + [Claim/Position] + [Supporting Points]

This could look like:

“Exposure to sunlight (subject) has significant health benefits (claim/position) including boosting vitamin D levels, improving mood, and regulating sleep (supporting points) .”

Remember, your thesis statement should be concise, clear, and should directly answer the question or task set in the assignment.

Blank Thesis Statement

Here’s a blank outline for a thesis statement that you can use as a starting point:

“[Your Subject] is significant because it [Your Claim/Position], due to [Your Supporting Points].”

Simply fill in the blanks with your specific details. Remember, the subject is what you’re discussing, the claim/position is your argument about the subject, and the supporting points are the reasons or evidence that back up your claim.

Examples of Good Thesis Statements

1. “Mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce stress levels due to its effects on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and emotional balance.”

2. “The implementation of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, is crucial to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.”

3. “Understanding cultural differences enhances international business communication by fostering mutual respect, minimizing misunderstandings, and building stronger relationships.”

4. “Maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise routine is critical for optimal health, contributing to weight control, enhanced mood, and increased energy levels.”

5. “Education reform should focus on skills-based learning, given its potential to better prepare students for the job market, encourage critical thinking, and foster lifelong learning.”

6. “Social media plays a significant role in modern politics, shaping public opinion, promoting political engagement, and serving as a platform for activism.”

7. “Technological advancements in agriculture, including precision farming and biotechnology, can address global food security by boosting crop yields and adapting to changing climates.”

8. “Early intervention in children with developmental disorders aids in better academic performance, improved social skills, and higher quality of life in the long term.”

9. “Artificial intelligence in healthcare can enhance patient care by improving diagnosis accuracy, personalizing treatment plans, and streamlining administrative tasks.”

10. “Promoting diversity in the workplace leads to increased creativity, broader perspectives, and improved problem-solving due to the variety of experiences and backgrounds.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Research Paper

1. “The proliferation of electric vehicles can significantly curb greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the global fight against climate change.”

2. “Exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances could revolutionize mental health treatment, offering new avenues for conditions resistant to traditional therapy.”

3. “The rise of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated its viability for providing accessible and cost-effective healthcare solutions, particularly in remote areas.”

4. “Blockchain technology has transformative potential beyond cryptocurrency, with applications in supply chain transparency, digital identity verification, and secure data sharing.”

5. “Understanding the impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems is critical for developing effective environmental policies and fostering sustainable consumption habits.”

6. “The integration of AI in education can personalize learning experiences, improve student engagement, and aid teachers in instructional design and assessment.”

7. “Investigating the relationship between gut microbiota and mental health may offer insights into novel treatments for depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.”

8. “The ethical implications of gene editing technologies like CRISPR must be addressed to balance the potential health benefits with societal and moral considerations.”

9. “Examining the role of social media in modern conflicts can help develop strategies for information management, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding efforts.”

10. “Research into sustainable farming practices can contribute to food security, environmental conservation, and the socio-economic wellbeing of farming communities.”

High School Thesis Statement Examples

1. “School uniforms should not be mandatory as they limit students’ self-expression, creativity, and individuality.”

2. “Integrating financial literacy classes in high school curriculums can better prepare students for adulthood by teaching essential skills like budgeting, investing, and debt management.”

3. “Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ portrays the consequences of family feuds and impulsive decisions, demonstrating the importance of communication and reconciliation.”

4. “The use of technology in classrooms enhances the learning experience by providing interactive content, facilitating collaboration, and catering to different learning styles.”

5. “Recycling programs in high schools can foster environmental responsibility, reduce waste, and serve as a practical example of sustainability principles.”

6. “In ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, Harper Lee uses the character of Atticus Finch to explore themes of morality, justice, and racial inequality.”

7. “School cafeterias should offer healthier food options to combat the rising rates of childhood obesity and promote better eating habits.”

8. “Participation in extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and arts programs can enhance a high school student’s academic performance, social skills, and self-esteem.”

9. “J.D. Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ uses the journey of its protagonist, Holden Caulfield, to depict the struggles of adolescence and the quest for identity.”

10. “High schools should start later in the day to accommodate teenagers’ biological sleep patterns, improving students’ attention, mood, and academic performance.”

Middle School Thesis Statement Examples

1. “Keeping pets at a young age can teach children responsibility, empathy, and the importance of companionship.”

2. “In ‘Harry Potter’, J.K. Rowling explores themes of friendship, courage, and the struggle between good and evil through a magical, captivating narrative.”

3. “Recycling at school and at home helps protect the environment by reducing waste, conserving resources, and reducing pollution.”

4. “Playing a musical instrument can enhance a middle school student’s cognitive abilities, boost self-confidence, and foster discipline.”

5. “Reading is more than a school subject; it’s a gateway to learning, understanding different perspectives, and developing critical thinking skills.”

6. “Bullying in middle school should be addressed promptly and effectively to protect students’ wellbeing and create a supportive learning environment.”

7. “Outdoor education can supplement traditional classroom learning by promoting physical activity, fostering teamwork, and connecting students with nature.”

8. “In ‘The Hobbit’, J.R.R. Tolkien uses Bilbo Baggins’ journey to explore personal growth, bravery, and the importance of home.”

9. “School homework should be thoughtfully assigned, balancing the need for academic reinforcement with students’ time for extracurricular activities and relaxation.”

10. “Involving students in community service projects can foster civic responsibility, increase social awareness, and promote personal development.”

College Thesis Statement Examples

1. “Effective corporate social responsibility initiatives can enhance a company’s reputation, foster customer loyalty, and contribute to sustainable business practices.”

2. “The portrayal of mental health in modern cinema influences societal perceptions, highlighting the need for accurate and sensitive representation.”

3. “The evolution of women’s roles in Shakespeare’s plays reflects the changing societal attitudes towards gender during his time.”

4. “The rise of gig economy demonstrates a shift in employment patterns, with implications for workers’ rights, economic stability, and labor laws.”

5. “Feminism in Jane Austen’s novels subtly challenges the societal norms of her time, advocating for women’s independence and intellect.”

6. “Understanding the causes and effects of food deserts can inform public policy on nutrition, health, and urban planning.”

7. “Mandatory voting can increase political engagement, ensure representativeness, and uphold the democratic principle of political equality.”

8. “Exploring the cultural significance of hip-hop music reveals its influence on social issues, race relations, and youth culture.”

9. “Investigating the impact of climate change on global migration patterns can help formulate humanitarian and environmental policies.”

10. “The ethical considerations of artificial intelligence in healthcare encompass issues of patient privacy, algorithmic bias, and the doctor-patient relationship.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Essays

1. “The popularity of reality television reveals a societal fascination with real-life drama, celebrity culture, and the human experience under unique circumstances.”

2. “Traveling abroad can broaden one’s perspective by exposing individuals to new cultures, languages, and ways of life.”

3. “Mindful parenting promotes a healthy parent-child relationship, fostering emotional understanding, patience, and effective communication.”

4. “Sustainable fashion, though often seen as a trend, is a necessary response to the environmental and social implications of fast fashion.”

5. “Social networking platforms have revolutionized communication, but also present issues related to privacy, misinformation, and mental health.”

6. “The depiction of superheroes in comic books mirrors societal values and concerns of different eras, offering insight into cultural trends and ideologies.”

7. “Bilingual education benefits students by enhancing cognitive flexibility, promoting cultural awareness, and offering competitive advantages in the global job market.”

8. “Adopting a plant-based diet can contribute to personal health and environmental sustainability, addressing issues like animal welfare, climate change, and resource consumption.”

9. “Street art, often dismissed as vandalism, is a form of public expression that reflects societal issues, promotes dialogue, and beautifies urban spaces.”

10. “The rise of eSports challenges traditional perceptions of sports, demonstrating the importance of strategic thinking, teamwork, and digital proficiency in the modern age.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Personal Essays

1. “My volunteering experiences at the local food bank have underscored the importance of community service in alleviating poverty and promoting social unity.”

2. “Growing up in a bilingual household has enriched my cultural understanding and equipped me with effective communication skills in a multicultural world.”

3. “Overcoming adversity in my childhood has fostered resilience, empathy, and a determination to advocate for underprivileged children.”

4. “My journey in amateur photography has helped me appreciate the beauty in everyday life and taught me the power of visual storytelling.”

5. “Training for a marathon transformed not only my physical health but also taught me the values of discipline, perseverance, and goal-setting.”

6. “Navigating college as a first-generation student has been challenging yet rewarding, fostering independence, adaptability, and a strong work ethic.”

7. “The year I spent traveling solo after high school broadened my perspective, helped me understand different cultures, and instilled a sense of self-reliance.”

8. “Adopting a rescue dog changed my life, teaching me about responsibility, companionship, and the joy of giving a pet a second chance.”

9. “My passion for sustainable living, nurtured through family practices and education, has inspired me to advocate for environmental causes and green initiatives.”

10. “My experience in the school band has not only enhanced my musical skills but also instilled a deep appreciation for collaboration and shared success.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay

1. “Animal testing for cosmetics should be banned due to its inhumane nature, unreliability, and the availability of alternative testing methods.”

2. “Schools should implement stricter anti-bullying policies to protect students, promote a healthy learning environment, and prevent long-term psychological effects.”

3. “Internet censorship infringes upon freedom of speech, stifles creativity and innovation, and can be used as a tool for political control.”

4. “Capital punishment should be abolished because it does not effectively deter crime, is cost-inefficient, and violates basic human rights.”

5. “Mandatory vaccination is necessary to maintain herd immunity, protect vulnerable populations, and prevent the resurgence of deadly diseases.”

6. “The government should impose stricter regulations on fast food industries to combat the obesity epidemic, improve public health, and reduce healthcare costs.”

7. “Violent video games should not be blamed for real-world violence, as there is no concrete evidence linking the two, and they can offer cognitive benefits.”

8. “Plastic bag bans are essential to reduce environmental pollution, conserve resources, and promote sustainable consumer habits.”

9. “Public funding for arts education is crucial for fostering creativity, enhancing cultural understanding, and improving academic performance in other subjects.”

10. “Telecommuting should be encouraged to reduce carbon emissions, improve work-life balance, and decrease overhead costs for businesses.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Narrative Essay

1. “My first solo trip to Europe was a whirlwind of self-discovery, independence, and an appreciation for diverse cultures.”

2. “Landing my first job taught me the values of hard work, resilience, and the joy of earning my own money.”

3. “Moving to a big city from a small town marked a significant turning point in my life, filled with challenges, adaptation, and personal growth.”

4. “The experience of surviving a hurricane emphasized the power of community, the importance of preparation, and the unpredictable force of nature.”

5. “Adopting a healthier lifestyle transformed my life, leading to a profound personal journey toward wellness, self-care, and positive change.”

6. “Learning to play the guitar during the pandemic not only developed a new skill but also provided an emotional outlet in difficult times.”

7. “My first failure in a baking contest taught me that success is a journey of continuous learning, experimentation, and embracing mistakes.”

8. “Living with a roommate for the first time was a rollercoaster ride of shared responsibilities, conflict resolution, and cherished camaraderie.”

9. “Coaching a kids’ soccer team was a rewarding experience, imparting lessons about teamwork, discipline, and the pure joy of sport.”

10. “My encounter with a humpback whale while diving in Hawaii deepened my respect for marine life and ignited a commitment to ocean conservation.”

Short Thesis Statement Examples

1. “Public libraries are indispensable resources for communities, providing access to knowledge, digital services, and learning opportunities.”

2. “Climate change is a global issue demanding immediate and collective action for mitigation and adaptation.”

3. “School uniforms restrict students’ freedom of expression and individuality.”

4. “The portrayal of women in media influences societal gender norms and expectations.”

5. “Fast food consumption contributes to obesity and other health issues.”

6. “Bilingual education fosters cognitive development and cultural appreciation.”

7. “Artificial intelligence will revolutionize the future of work.”

8. “Animal testing is unethical and often unnecessary due to technological alternatives.”

9. “Social media impacts mental health, affecting self-esteem and fostering comparison.”

10. “Music education enhances cognitive abilities, creativity, and emotional intelligence.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Short Story

1. “Through the use of vivid imagery and symbolism, the short story ‘The Necklace’ explores the consequences of pride and the pursuit of material wealth.”

2. “In the short story ‘Hills Like White Elephants,’ Ernest Hemingway skillfully portrays the complexities of communication, addressing themes of choices, power dynamics, and the implications of decision-making.”

3. “Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ delves into the theme of female liberation in a patriarchal society, exemplifying the profound impact of personal freedom and societal constraints.”

4. “Through the exploration of guilt, redemption, and the complexities of human nature, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’ unveils the dark undercurrents of Puritan society.”

5. “Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’ delves into the significance of heritage and the tension between embracing cultural roots and seeking individual identity.”

6. “Anton Chekhov’s ‘The Lady with the Dog’ skillfully depicts the transformative power of love and its ability to challenge societal norms.”

7. “In ‘The Cask of Amontillado,’ Edgar Allan Poe creates a chilling atmosphere of revenge and deceit, exploring themes of betrayal, obsession, and the dark side of human nature.”

8. “Through the theme of societal conformity and individuality, Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’ raises profound questions about tradition, morality, and the dangers of blindly following rituals.”

9. “In ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ O. Henry presents a heartwarming tale of selflessness and sacrifice, emphasizing the true value of love and the spirit of giving.”

10. “Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Garden Party’ delves into class distinctions, shedding light on the tension between privilege and empathy in a vividly portrayed social event.”

Informative Thesis Statement Examples

1. “The advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, offer a promising solution to combat climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.”

2. “The impact of social media on society is multifaceted, influencing communication patterns, shaping public opinion, and presenting both opportunities and challenges for individuals and businesses.”

3. “Understanding the principles and benefits of mindfulness meditation can help individuals reduce stress, improve mental well-being, and enhance overall quality of life.”

4. “Exploring the history and cultural significance of traditional festivals provides valuable insights into the customs, beliefs, and values of different communities around the world.”

5. “The study of genetics and genomics has revolutionized healthcare, leading to advancements in personalized medicine, disease prevention, and targeted therapies.”

6. “Investigating the effects of climate change on biodiversity reveals the interconnectedness of ecosystems, the risk of species extinction, and the urgency of conservation efforts.”

7. “Exploring the impact of technology on education reveals its transformative potential in enhancing learning experiences, promoting digital literacy, and preparing students for the future workforce.”

8. “Understanding the causes and consequences of income inequality sheds light on socioeconomic disparities, social mobility, and the implications for individuals and society as a whole.”

9. “Exploring the historical context and significance of landmark court cases provides insight into the evolution of civil rights, constitutional interpretations, and social progress.”

10. “Studying the psychological and physiological effects of exercise highlights its positive impact on mental health, physical well-being, and overall life satisfaction.”

Examples of 3 Point Thesis Statements

1. “The legalization of marijuana should be implemented nationwide due to its potential benefits in pain management, tax revenue generation, and reducing the burden on the criminal justice system.”

2. “Effective time management skills can improve academic performance by enhancing productivity, reducing stress levels, and fostering a healthy work-life balance.”

3. “Social media addiction can have detrimental effects on mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being, necessitating the need for awareness, self-regulation, and support systems.”

4. “The three main causes of climate change are industrial emissions, deforestation, and excessive fossil fuel consumption, requiring global cooperation, policy interventions, and sustainable practices for mitigation.”

5. “Gun control measures should be implemented to enhance public safety by implementing universal background checks, restricting access to high-capacity magazines, and promoting responsible firearm ownership.”

6. “The three key components of a healthy lifestyle include regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and sufficient sleep, contributing to overall physical and mental well-being.”

7. “Online education offers advantages of flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness, making it an increasingly popular alternative to traditional classroom-based learning.”

8. “The three major effects of air pollution on human health are respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and increased risk of lung cancer, necessitating the need for stringent environmental regulations and pollution reduction strategies.”

9. “The three main benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace are increased innovation, improved problem-solving abilities, and enhanced adaptability in global markets.”

10. “The three major consequences of deforestation are loss of biodiversity, climate change acceleration, and disruption of local ecosystems, emphasizing the urgency of conservation efforts and sustainable forest management.”

What are Good Thesis Statement Sentence Starters?

“The evidence suggests that…”

“Research indicates that…”

“It is clear that…”

“The data supports the notion that…”

“A closer examination reveals that…”

“Through analysis, it becomes apparent that…”

“It is widely acknowledged that…”

“Based on the available information, it can be argued that…”

“Scholars have long debated…”

“An important aspect to consider is…”

Can a Thesis Statement Be a Question?

Yes, a thesis statement can be a question. It serves as a thought-provoking inquiry that guides the direction of the essay and prompts exploration and analysis of the topic.

How Long should a Thesis Statement Be?

A thesis statement is generally recommended to be around 40 to 60 characters or 10 to 15 words. However, the most important aspect is that it effectively conveys the main argument or point of the essay in a clear and concise manner. The length may vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the specific requirements of the assignment.

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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