Jewish Council

What Is a Postgraduate Thesis: Vital Advice for Students 

A postgraduate thesis is completed by candidates that have a Master’s degree, and, sometimes, even a PhD degree. This is a long and serious academic paper where you represent your independent research and make contributions to the scholarly work in your field. It is often called a dissertation as well, especially if you already have a doctorate degree or study in a specific department. You should understand well what is needed to be done in your thesis, and the following advice may be of great help for you:

  • Demonstrate your critical thinking abilities.

    • In their dissertations, students are expected to show how well they can apply everything they have learned in the course to their topics. Remember this, and add your thought, character, and personality to your postgraduate thesis.

  • Follow the requirements.

    • Depending on your subject of studies, your thesis can be organized in one of the following forms:

    • An empirical work;
    • A case study of a particular issue;
    • A literature review;
    • Theoretical analysis of a particular problem, etc.

    Each of these forms has specific requirements. Get to know your particular demands and stick to them.

  • Take advantage of the supervision opportunity.

    • Schedule your meetings with your advisor and the dissertation committee, and use them for their maximum potential. Consult with your instructors about the relevance of your sources, depth of research, style, scope of research, etc.

  • Stick to the structure.

    • As a rule, theses consist of the following parts: abstract, introduction, literature review, methods, results or data analysis, conclusions or discussion, bibliography, appendices. However, you may make slight deviations from the suggested structure. Check with your advisor what structure to adopt for your postgraduate thesis in particular.

  • Decide on the length of your paper.

    • The number of pages of your postgraduate thesis depends on your discipline. Check with your advisor what the length requirements are specifically for your project.

  • Do not plagiarize.

    • Students might plagiarize unintentionally, but it may cost them their postgraduate degrees. Be sure to cite your sources and rephrase the information you borrow from other literature.

  • Start writing as early as possible.

    • Don’t procrastinate. Your postgraduate thesis is an opportunity to prove your proficiency level, and you should have enough time to make it perfect. The earlier students complete their first drafts and submit them to their supervisors, the more chances they will have to improve their writing and organize it according to the academic standards of their universities.

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