A doctoral thesis or dissertation is a long written or research project required to earn a PhD. It must contain original research and add to the scholarship on a topic, and show knowledge of past and current scholarship. A master’s thesis is shorter and does not require original research. Doctoral studies can take several years to complete.
The explanation of what a doctoral thesis is is not clear, because the term “dissertation” is more often used. Even so, it is not easy to understand the distinction between dissertation and thesis. Sometimes, to obtain a PhD, people write a thesis and other times they write a dissertation, and the terms may change elsewhere. In places like the US, the convention is that students earning a master’s degree write a thesis and doctoral candidates write a dissertation. Such complexities are better understood by explaining that the written production of the doctoral student is generally more complex, longer and has several main characteristics.
US readers, when they see the term doctoral thesis, should refer to it as a doctoral dissertation for ease of understanding. In doctoral programs, a long written or research project is critical to earning a degree. Size can vary based on school requirements, but it is not uncommon to need to write around 200-300 pages of typed material. This material is a complete treatment of a topic that is somehow new and contains original research so that new scholarship is added to the topic or something that is previously unknown is discovered.
A doctoral thesis not only needs to be logical, present something new and add to the scholarship an issue, it must also show knowledge in all current and past scholarship on the issue. A huge amount of research is required, and once the thesis/dissertation is completed, the faculty revises it. A student will have to defend it orally by asking questions, and it is only at the discretion of the faculty that the dissertation is accepted.
Not all people are successful when they write a dissertation. They need to rewrite, do more research, or possibly scrap a thread and start over. Having a faculty advisor to help with dissertation formation is very helpful in avoiding this.
The characteristics of the master’s thesis, which is sometimes confused as a dissertation, are different. This work is typically shorter, under 100 pages, and not all Masters programs have a thesis requirement. A thesis is usually a new or interesting approach to a topic that does not require original research. People writing a thesis need to have a strong understanding of all the prevailing research on their topic and can use that knowledge to present supporting arguments. As with the doctoral thesis, people who submit a master’s thesis are usually reviewed by faculty members and must defend it in a public setting.
The complexity of the doctoral thesis or dissertation explains why doctoral studies can take so long to finish. To actually do original research, people may need to examine documents from a distance, create original clinical designs, or otherwise spend time creating a piece of original scholarship. The length and rigor of the required research can take several years to complete, and some people take up to four years or more after finishing classes before they can submit a successful dissertation.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
