Writing thesis sections - Part 1

Writing thesis sections - Part 1

Structuring your thesis

This resource provides advice for writing the structural elements of your thesis. It includes activities to help you apply tips to your own context and reflect on your learning, and should take you 15-20 minutes to complete. Check out the further resources at the bottom of each section and references on the last page for more information on this topic.

This page introduces you to the macro and micro structures that thesis writers use to clearly convey the value and importance of their research to their readers (Dunleavy, 2003, p. 50). The structure of a thesis should be guided by what readers will expect, what the discipline requires, and what makes sense for the research.

Macro Structure

The macro structure consists of three parts. Note that the lead-in and lead-out sections will include your introduction and conclusion respectively but may include other material as well.

1) Lead-in material 

  • Two chapters at most
  • Gives your reader a broad overview of the thesis
  • Provides background information, usually in the form of a literature review
  • Helps readers contextualise your research
  • Highlights the contribution your research makes
  • Describes the motivation for your research.

2) Core material

  • Around five chapters
  • Focuses on your own work
  • Presents your research question and hypothesis
  • Works through your data, cases and primary sources
  • Shows the findings of your analysis.

3) Lead-out material

  • One or two chapters
  • Responds to the research question and hypothesis
  • Addresses the impacts of your results for your field.

This basic structure should help you envision your thesis as a whole.(Adapted from Dunleavy, 2003, p. 50)

Micro structure

The micro structure consists of chapters and the sub-headings within an individual chapter. What constitutes a chapter will vary by discipline, but typical chapters include a brief chapter introduction followed by relevant sections and a chapter conclusion.

1) Chapters

  • Plan for the introduction and conclusion chapters to comprise roughly 20% of your thesis (10% each)
  • Consider that core chapter length can vary, but 8,000-12,000 words is considered a good guideline
  • Justify the length of any chapters that are noticeably longer or shorter than others.

2) Sub-headings

  • Break chapters into sub-topics
  • Use informative and substantive headings and sub-headings
  • Make sure your heading reflects the key argument of the section.

Watch this video to see examples of Macro and Micro structures in theses.

Video 1: Identifying Macro and Micro structures

Tips

  • Keep chapter introductions short
  • Relate each chapter to the research question and hypothesis
  • Conclude chapters by both summing up and looking ahead.

Identify structural elements in a thesis

This activity will help you to plan your own thesis structure.

  1. Go to University of Melbourne’s institutional repository and find a thesis from your discipline.
  2. Identify the macro and micro parts of its structure.
    • How does it compare to the examples here?
    • If you have a draft or portion of your thesis written, how does its structure compare to others from your field?
  3. Take note of the differences and keep those in mind as you plan your own thesis structure.

Use the side menu to go the next section: Introducing your research, where we discuss writing an introduction.

Introducing your research

Introductions set the scene and prepare the reader to see how and why your research is a contribution to the field. Your introduction should also be linked to your conclusion to demonstrate the progression of your arguments through your thesis.

As a guideline, introductions are usually around 10% of the word count of the thesis and should begin with the big picture and narrow down to the specifics of your own research. Consider working on the introduction and conclusion chapters together. Reviewing them together periodically will help you build a strong frame for your narrative.

Elements in an introduction

An introduction should provide readers with:

  • Background/Context: Situates your research within the broader social or academic context
  • Motivation: Establishes why your research is necessary
  • Significance: Articulates the potential contribution your research will make and states the research aim
  • Key concepts: Defines any concepts, methodologies or theories
  • Overview or statement of organisation: Provides a summary of what the following chapters explore

Some researchers include a personal anecdote, tantalising statistics or a puzzle in their introductions. This is generally called a hook and, if included, should come before the broader context.

Analyse sample introductions

In this activity, you will identify the elements discussed above in three sample thesis excerpts.

For each excerpt:

1) Match the numbered sentences (1-4) with the elements identified above
2) Use the 'check' button at the bottom to see feedback
3) Navigate to the next excerpt using the arrow.

*If content below does not display, please refresh your browser

Use the side menu to go the next section: Reviewing the literature, where we discuss writing a literature review.

Reviewing the literature

The literature review situates your work and demonstrates your expertise in the field through selecting, analysing, and synthesising relevant literature, leading to the identification of the gap, problem or issue your research will address.

As you review the literature:

  • Keep your aim and scope in sight to help you decide on relevance and develop your own review criteria
  • Take notes while you read at different stages to help you understand, evaluate and filter the literature
  • Establish baselines (the current best) you can compare your own approach to
  • Strike a balance between drawing on and deviating from others' ideas
  • Put a limit on the time you spend on the literature review, as you will need to recalibrate it in light of your own research.

Structuring a literature review

In your initial draft, you may not be able to structure your literature review in a way that reflects how you’ll discuss your own research, as you may not have completed your research yet.

Keep that in mind for when you are revising the literature review, after your research has been conducted.

Watch this video for tips on how to structure and organise your literature review, whether you are starting to write, or revising your draft.

Video 2: How to organise and structure your literature review

Use the side menu to go the next section: Writing conclusions, where we discuss writing a conclusion.

Writing the conclusion

The conclusion of your thesis, whether embedded in or separated from your discussion chapter, should create a strong closure to your thesis as it leads out to future research and pathways.

Key conclusion moves

  • Summarise the research by restating the research problem and aim, providing a succinct answer to these, and recapping the key findings and evidence
  • Unpack the implications of your contribution for theory, practice, research and/or policy in the field
  • Acknowledge the limitations and scope of your research
  • Address the next frontier: ‘what’s next?’ - make specific recommendations for future work in the field: what could be done to apply or further your research?

Depending on your discipline, you could include a section reflecting on your professional learning as a researcher through the study, especially if you started the thesis with a personal anecdote. Keep your conclusion  concise – it could be just several pages long.

Compare the differences between discussions and conclusions in the table below:

The discussionThe conclusion
Presents an evidence-based argument of a new insight or solution to the research problem.States why this new insight or solution matters, who should care about it, and what should be done next.
Focuses on what your original contribution is.Emphasises its social significance and as such delivers the influence, or 'punch' of the research.

Gather ideas for the conclusion

As you write or edit  your thesis, gather in one place ideas that don’t quite fit the tight purpose of an earlier chapter, or ideas that you would love to develop in another project. These can provide fresh material for the conclusion. For example, they can become statements about the social implications of your research or your recommendations for future investigations.

Align the conclusion with earlier parts of thesis

The introduction and conclusion, as well as the mini-introductions and mini-conclusions of the core chapters, form the bulk of a thesis narrative as they give readers a holistic perspective of the research.

To align the conclusion:

  • Make sure it addresses the same problem you set out in the introduction
  • If an anecdote or another kind of hook has been used to start the introduction, think about ending the thesis with a return to the hook
  • Assess whether you need to adjust the introduction or earlier parts of the thesis to fit your conclusions, or whether the conclusions themselves need to be adjusted.

Explore example introductions and conclusions

In this activity, you’ll read short introduction and conclusion excerpts from two example theses. As you read, think about the ways the author has linked or connected their conclusions to their introductions. Then, turn each card to read a brief commentary.

  • Example 1: Health sciences

  • Example 2: Physics

Use the side menu to go the next section: Using disciplinary conventions, where we discuss how to use the conventions of your discipline.

Using disciplinary conventions

Although academic writing conventions are common to most disciplines, the way they are applied may differ. For example, some STEM and social science disciplines may require a systematic review that outlines clear inclusion and exclusion criteria for the sources reviewed, while other disciplines may only ask for sufficient background information to justify your methods. Look at examples from your discipline of lead-in and lead-out material and check with your supervisors if you have questions.

Reflect on the thesis lead-in and lead-out

Study an example thesis to observe how the author introduced their topic and object of research, where they situated their literature review and how they organised it, and how they linked their lead-out material to their introductory or lead-in material. Then, look at your own writing or plan for these parts.

Answer the following questions for both the example thesis and your own to help you reflect on how you are using disciplinary conventions in shaping your own thesis narrative.

1. How are lead-in and lead out sections organised?

2. Are there headings and sub-headings? How specific are they?

3. Does the introduction include context, background, motivation, definitions and an overview of the organisation?

4. How is the literature review structured?

5. Has the conclusion of the thesis conveyed the key implications of the research and made useful recommendations for future work in the field? Do you find these convincing?

6. Are the introduction and conclusion aligned in opening and closing the same thesis narrative?

7. How could you improve this thesis in the above aspects?

Final tip

Anticipate revisiting your lead-in material several times during the writing process, especially as you write the lead-out chapters of your thesis. Together, your lead-in and lead-out material should give your readers a strong sense of purpose, unified structure and closure. Read your lead-in and lead-out chapters together to see if you provide that sense.

For more information and support in your writing,Explore: Academic Skills Graduate Research services

  • References

    Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD : How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation. Blomsbury.

    Evans, D. & Gruba, P. (2014).  How to write a better thesis. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-04286-2

    Fahnestock, J. and Secor M. (2004). A Rhetoric of Argument. 3rd ed. McGraw Hill.

    Kamler, B. & Thomson, P. (2006). Helping Doctoral Students Write: Pedagogies for supervision. Routledge.

    Lemoh, C.N. (2013). HIV in Victoria’s African communities: reducing risks and improving care. [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne].

    Syiem, B.V. (2023). Attentional Reality: Understanding and Managing Limited Attentional Resources in Augmented Reality. [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne]. http://hdl.handle.net/11343/326564

    Yeomans, N.D. (2022). A History of Australia’s Immigrant Doctors, 1838-2021: Colonial Beginnings, Contemporary Challenges. [PhD. Thesis, University of Melbourne].