Undergraduate dissertation structure: the main elements

Writing your undergraduate dissertation is a huge task. It should not be taken lightly. There are definitely some key elements that need to be included in order for your dissertation to be structured correctly.

Your dissertation is a huge paper about a specific topic in which you will make a generalization about once conducting some solid research. It will be based on this research and will draw a conclusion that you will need to prove. Your case will be proved through the compilation of factual evidence and the inferences that you draw from this evidence. This formal paper will need to be structured in accordance with the guidelines set by your school. This is a general guide to follow and the actual school guidelines may differ slightly so be sure to see if any other main elements need to be included.

  • Title Page: This is where information regarding your papers name, your name, your school, your major, and the date should be listed.
  • Copyright Information: The first section of your paper should include information pertaining to the resources that you used. It will include all pertinent information to give credit to the individuals who wrote about the subject and where you gathered your factual information from. This may include a brief synopsis of the source as well as any identifying characteristics.
  • Acknowledgements: This section of your paper will give credit to all of the individuals that have helped you with your paper. It is a good place to thank the committee who will be reviewing your dissertation as well. It should give thanks and a brief description of the individual’s specific accreditations.
  • Table of Contents: You paper should be broken down into sections with the corresponding page numbers so they can be found.
  • List of tables: This is a table of contents section for illustrations, graphs, charts, or figures.
  • Abstract: Your abstract will be next. This is your brief synopsis of your work. It should include your thesis statement since that is the reason why you are writing your paper and the main supporting ideas.
  • Main text: The body of your paper goes next with an introduction, subsequent paragraphs, and conclusion.
  • Bibliography Page: All of your sources will be listed next.
  • Appendices: This is where you may put all of your figures and diagrams for added support to your factual evidence. Your main text can list which appendix to look in for the diagram.

That is the main structure to follow when writing your dissertation. This should help you get your paper all set up and ready to go.

#