What Are The Steps to Write a PhD Thesis?

Writing an excellent thesis requires some planning and preparation. For your help, we gathered some steps that will help you to write a great PhD thesis.

  1. Choose a topic
  2. Select thesis question
  3. Do some research
  4. Complete the literature review
  5. Pick primary and secondary sources
  6. Choose the citation format
  7. Create an outline
  8. Write thesis introduction
  9. Write the literature review
  10. Discuss the methodology
  11. Results
  12. Discussion
  13. Write a strong conclusion
  14. Add references
  15. Appendices
  16. Editing and proofreading

Let’s discuss these steps in detail.

  • 1. Choose a Topic
  • First, you have to pick a topic for your thesis. When you choose the research topic, make sure you follow these tips:

    • The topic should be relevant to your area of interest.
    • The topic should be unique and interesting.
    • The topic should be easily manageable.

    Also, consult your professor and take approval from them, then move to the next step.

  • 2. Select Research Question
  • Now, you will have to choose the thesis questions that you will answer in your research work. Though, the questions you select must be relevant and provide original content to the research.

  • 3. Do Some Research
  • In this step, start collecting data for your research work. Try to gather data from credible and relevant sources, and make your research process easy. Also, do not rely on one source of information.

  • 4. Complete The Literature Review
  • For the literature review chapter, you have to read the different thesis reviews. You have to keep some things in your mind, such as:

    • What authors have written about your topic?
    • What methods do they use for data collection?
    • What are their views about the topic?
  • 5. Pick Primary And Secondary Sources
  • You have to select the primary and secondary sources for your dissertation or thesis. Choose carefully and according to your topic.

  • 6. Choose The Citation Format
  • The citation format depends on your professor’s requirements and the field. Though, pick the right format for your thesis and use it from the start.

    You either use APA, MLA, and Chicago for your thesis. However, despite these, you can also use other citation formats for your thesis.

  • 7. Create an Outline
  • Before writing a dissertation, creating an outline is necessary, and it helps you in your entire writing process. Make sure you mention all the main parts of the thesis, like research design, results, etc., in your outline.

  • 8. Write Thesis Introduction
  • The thesis introduction is the part in which you introduce the topic to the readers. Also, define the research scope and main goal of the thesis.

  • 9. Write The Literature Review
  • In this section, give a summary of the thesis that you have read about your topic. Also, explain how your work makes a difference to the existing research.

  • 10. Discuss The Methodology
  • In the research methodology chapter, you have to explain which methods you use to conduct the research and what difficulties you faced.

  • 11. Results
  • Describe the findings of the results about the good thesis statement and the hypothesis.

  • 12. Discussion
  • In this section, explain the research outcomes. Then, discuss the reasons if the results are different from the expected ones.

  • 13. Write a Strong Conclusion
  • The conclusion of your thesis should be strong. It helps future researchers to do further research on your topic. Give a brief overview of your dissertation, and not add new information.

  • 14. Add References
  • In this section, add the sources that you use in your thesis. You must add in your thesis and give credibility to the other authors.

  • 15. Appendices
  • In this section, add the information that you didn’t mention in the main thesis body. It includes tables, charts, and other additional material.

  • 16. Editing and Proofreading
  • When you finish writing the thesis, start the proofreading phase. In this step, you will have to:

    • Check all the grammatical mistakes
    • Check the sentence structure
    • Check the format
    • Make sure that you cite the research work properly

    So, follow these steps and make your PhD dissertation phase easy.

How Quickly Can You Write a PhD thesis?

A dissertation usually takes 12 months, but it depends on your chosen topic and field of study; sometimes, you have to complete it in less than 12 months.

You can also get help from GradSchoolGenius for your final dissertation and degree programs assignments. The team of writers helps you in writing a thesis.