What Makes a PhD Thesis Actually Get Approved? 

Have you ever wondered if you could get your PhD thesis approved without changing it multiple times? Writing a PhD thesis can be difficult for the first time, especially when you have difficulty in expressing your ideas on the proposed research topic. The topic might be something that fits your understanding and interests, but as soon as you explore, it overwhelms you with the amount of data available.  

As the title suggests, thesis is done only when a researcher is pursuing a PhD degree. PhD is the highest academic doctoral degree which requires extensive research along with the willpower to explore and learn research methods. 

In this article, we will explore how one gets their thesis approved. In addition to that, tips and tricks for writing a thesis will be provided. One can also gain knowledge of a dissertation which is usually pursued in undergraduate or in masters. 

What is a PhD Degree? 

Full form of PhD is Doctor of Philosophy. PhD is one of the highest academic excellences that is awarded to an individual for their research work in a particular field. Earning a PhD might seem like a difficult process due to rigorous coursework, research, and presenting a thesis within a stipulated time.  

The duration of PhD is 2-5 years depending on the university. Entrance exams like UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE and many more are conducted on a national level. Apart from that, some universities conduct an interview to know your interests better and the end-goal that you would want to achieve with a PhD degree. 

What is a PhD Thesis? 

A PhD Thesis or a Doctoral Dissertation is extensive research work carried out on a specific field of study. A PhD Thesis is 70,000 to 1,00,000 words (250-300 pages) depending on the different universities. It is conducted over a period of 2-5 years. In some universities, a fine is issued when a researcher exceeds their time of completion. 

A researcher is supposed to provide an argument at the start of the thesis and should be able to conclude it by the end of the thesis. It is an original research work but also includes submitting research papers in journal, presenting and attending conferences.  

PhD Thesis Structure 

The exact thesis structure depends on which field you are specializing in. But below is a common PhD thesis writing structure that is followed in more of the field of study. 

1.Introduction: An introduction acts as an abstract which provides one with the background to what the PhD thesis comprises of. This focuses on the key objectives, why your work is important, scope and limitations and what you’re presenting to the readers.  

2. Literature Review: A literature review covers most of the research and papers that have been published. It explores what you and everyone already knows about your research topic. But also emphasize what unique theories you bring to the table.  

3. Methodology: This section of the thesis paper provides the supervisor with the tools and materials used for researching. Along with that, it also discusses the data collection method, sampling and participants. These are most required in a PhD thesis papers with a specialization in Economics, Psychology and much more. 

4. Chapters: After providing a brief introduction for your research topic, one can now explain their theories and concepts that they have grasped over the due course. The chapters could start with a historical background and then reach focus about the new findings that you are to provide. The chapter could be 7-10 but it depends on your field of specialization. 

5. Conclusion: Conclusion is considered the final chapter that summarizes your thesis while providing the professors with the theories you have used. It also focuses on explaining future research that could be done to further explore the potentiality of the topic you briefly discussed. 

7. References and Appendices: This is the end of the thesis paper and consists of the references that you’ve taken help from. It could be books, journals, online research articles, newspapers, anything that helped you reach the conclusion of your PhD thesis. Along with that, one is also expected to provide appendices, which is the rada data, questionnaires, anything that was used to make your thesis successful.  

How to format PhD Thesis? 

Formatting a PhD thesis is the most difficult part of the thesis. Some of the procedures of formatting thesis paper are similar throughout the world as these are the common guidelines set by higher authorities.  

Some of the general formatting that is same throughout all the universities are mentioned below: 

It is also important to make sure that the formatting is done accordingly while writing PhD thesis. Usually, the university provides researchers with a sample for better understanding. There are different formats according to different specializations. They are mentioned below:  

• APA: It is used in Social Sciences and Education 
• MLA: It is used in Literature and Humanities 
• Chicago: It is used usually in History and Philosophy 
• Harvard: Commonly used in UK/US 
• IEEE: It is used in Engineering and Computer Science 

Tips to Get your PhD Thesis Approved 

1.Choosing the Right Topic: Selection of the right research topic is the first and foremost step of making a PhD thesis. It should be something that aligns with your interest. A good match between your specialization and abilities ensures that you stay motivated throughout. You can also extend your dissertation research as one it is your strength.

2. University Guidelines: To get your thesis approved, one needs to follow all the universities guidelines without failure. This could include topic selection and even the writing style and format. Relevant material along with samples of thesis would be provided by the university. It is the work of a researcher to use them wisely and put them to work. 

3. Avoid Plagiarism: While drafting your PhD thesis, one should make sure to not plagiarize the content. University criteria for plagiarism are sent along with other guidelines. The university is very strict on these rules as thesis writing is original and presents new theories and concepts. Quoting a certain amount of citation is still allowed.  

4. Working with the Supervisor: It is also crucial not to forget that one is allotted a supervisor who guides you throughout your university. The work of supervisor is to guide a researcher through their PhD thesis writing journey. It is important to stay connected with your supervisor for quicker approval of your PhD thesis. 

Are Dissertation Writing and Thesis Writing the same? 

The terminology of dissertation and thesis are often used interchangeably. But, in reality they are both different terms which mean different things in different parts of the world. We, however, will talk about the Indian terminologies here. 

Dissertation writing is usually done at the master’s level. It is based on a common understanding of presenting unique ideas/problems on the specific subject that you are specializing in. A dissertation is shorter, often extending up to 80-100 pages. This could be a stepping stone for pursuing a doctoral degree. 

Thesis writing on the other hand is done at the PhD level. It is also based on presenting unique ideas/ problems on any specialization you want. Thesis writing is longer, combining up to 200-300 pages. This could be a stepping stone towards many careers in the specific chosen fields. 

Conclusion 

PhD thesis writing can actually be approved if you follow university guidelines. It can seem difficult at the start, but gradually when one gets the hang of it, it may have fruitful outcomes. 

PhD thesis writing can however be only pursued when you have completed your master’s degree. With a master’s degree in hand one can dream of being an assistant professor, but along with that one can be a consultant, researcher and much more. 

Frequently Asked Questions