STEM fields

MASTER THESIS’ TEMPLATE  

Title Page

• Title of the thesis
• Name of the author
• Degree for which the thesis is submitted
• Name of the institution
• Date of submission

Abstract

This section should provide a brief summary of the research problem, approach, results, and conclusions with approximately 200-300 words.

• Be clear and concise: An abstract should be brief and to the point. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to readers who are not experts in your field. Instead, use clear and simple language to convey the main ideas of your research.
• State the main research question and objectives: Make sure to clearly state the main research question and objectives of your dissertation in the abstract, so that readers have a clear understanding of what your research is about.
• Summarize the main findings and conclusions: Summarize the main findings and conclusions of your research, and explain how they contribute to the existing knowledge in your field.
• Use active voice: Use active voice and strong verbs to make your abstract more engaging and effective.
• Tailor the abstract to your audience: Keep in mind who your target audience is and tailor your abstract accordingly. For example, if you are submitting your dissertation to a conference, the abstract should be written for a general audience and should highlight the main contributions and implications of your research.
• Proofreading and Editing: Review, proofread and edit your abstract several times to make sure that it is free of errors and is well-written.
• Be mindful of the word limit: Be mindful of the word limit for your abstract and try to convey as much information as possible within the allotted space.

The abstract is the first thing that most people will read from your dissertation, so it's important to make sure that it accurately reflects the main ideas and contributions of your research, and encourages them to read the full dissertation.

Introduction

This section should be able to provide the readers an overview of what the research is about and why it is important.

• Background: A review of the relevant literature and research in the field to provide context for the study.
• Problem statement: A clear and concise statement of the problem or research question that the thesis aims to address, highlighting the gaps existing in the literature.
• Research objectives: A statement of the specific goals or objectives that the research aims to achieve.
• Significance of the study: An explanation of why the research is important and how it contributes to the field.
• Research method: A brief overview of the research design, data collection and analysis methods that will be used in the study.
• Outline of the thesis: A summary of the structure and organization of the thesis, including the main chapters and their contents.
• Definition of key terms: The definition of any technical terms or jargon that will be used throughout the thesis.

Literature Review

This section should provide a detailed review of the relevant literature in the field, including previous research on the topic, relevant theory, and existing methods.

In a literature review, the aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing research in a specific field. This section should include a thorough examination of the available literature on the topic of the research, including studies, articles, and other relevant sources. The literature review should cover previous research on the topic, including any findings, conclusions, and recommendations made by previous researchers. It should also provide an overview of the relevant theory that informs the research, including any key concepts, models, or frameworks that are used to understand the topic. Additionally, the literature review should describe the existing methods that have been used to study the topic, including any techniques or tools that have been used in previous research. This section should also identify any gaps in the literature and highlight any areas where further research is needed. Overall, the literature review is an important part of the research process as it helps to establish the context and background of the research, and to identify any potential limitations or areas of uncertainty. 

Ultimately, the literature review is necessary to guide the reader through the process of how the research question was identified, how your research is going to address that question and the future direction towards which your results are pointing.

Methodology

This section should be written in a clear and concise manner, and should be able to provide the readers an understanding of how the research was conducted and how the data was collected and analyzed. The methodology section should be detailed enough to allow others to replicate the study.

• Research design: A detailed description of the research design, including the type of research (e.g., experimental, observational, qualitative, quantitative), the sample size and selection, and the data collection methods.
• Participants or subjects: A description of the participants or subjects of the study, including the criteria used for their selection and any relevant characteristics.
• Data collection methods: A detailed explanation of the methods used to collect data, including any instruments or tools used (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments) and the procedures followed.
• Data analysis methods: A description of the methods used to analyze the data, including any statistical techniques used and the software programs employed.
• Validity and reliability: A discussion of the measures taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the research, including any limitations or potential sources of bias.
• Ethical considerations: A description of any ethical considerations involved in the research, such as informed consent, confidentiality, and potential risks to participants.
• Summary: A summary of the research methodology, highlighting its strengths and limitations.

Results

This section should be written in a clear and concise manner, and should be able to provide the readers an understanding of what the research found out. The results should be presented in a logical order, and the data should be presented in a way that is easy to understand and interpret. The analysis of the data should provide support to the findings and the discussion should relate the results back to the research question or problem statement.

• Summary of findings: A summary of the main findings of the study, presented in a clear and concise manner.
• Data presentation: The presentation of the data collected, including tables, figures, and other visual aids as appropriate.
• Data analysis: The analysis of the data, including any statistical tests or calculations used to support the findings.
• Discussion of results: An interpretation of the findings in relation to the research question or problem statement, including any patterns, trends, or relationships observed in the data.
• Comparison to previous research: A comparison of the findings to previous research in the field, highlighting any similarities or differences.
• Limitations: A discussion of any limitations of the study, including any potential sources of bias or error.
• Implications: An explanation of the implications of the findings for the field and any recommendations for future research.

Discussion

This section should be written in a clear and concise manner, and should be able to provide the readers an understanding of what the research found out and its significance. The discussion should relate the results back to the research question or problem statement and the literature review, and should be able to show the importance of the findings in the broader context of the field. The discussion should also acknowledge the limitations of the study, and should suggest any future research directions.

• An interpretation of the findings in the context of the literature review and the research objectives, explaining how the results contribute to the understanding of the field.
• A comparison of the findings to previous research in the field, highlighting any similarities or differences.
• An explanation of the implications of the findings for the field and any recommendations for future research.
• Limitations: A discussion of the limitations of the study, including any potential sources of bias or error, and the impact they may have on the results.
• Conclusion: A concise statement summarizing the main findings and their significance, and any potential further research directions.

Note that oftentimes, the results and discussion session are joined because they share several bullet points and can be advantageous for the sake of the discussion flow not to dive them up.

Conclusion

The conclusion should provide a brief summary of the main findings of the study, and should be able to relate them back to the research question or problem statement, and the literature review. The conclusion should also explain the relevance and importance of the research in the field, and its potential contributions. Finally, the conclusion should suggest any future research directions that are needed to expand on the knowledge gained from the current research.

• A summary of the main findings and conclusions of the research
• A brief reflection on the research process and personal learning outcomes

References

This section should be able to provide the readers an understanding of what sources were used and cited throughout the thesis. The reference section should be consistent in formatting and style, and all sources should be listed in alphabetical order. The in-text citations should also be consistent and accurate, and should match the reference list. Proper referencing is important to give credit to other authors and to allow readers to find the sources used in the thesis.

• A list of references cited in the thesis, following a standard citation style

Appendices

The appendix should be used to provide additional information and data that are relevant to the research but not essential to the main text. The appendix should be labeled and numbered consecutively, and should be referred to in the main text when appropriate. The materials included in the appendix should be clearly labeled and described.

• Any additional material that supports the thesis but is not essential for the main text (e.g., raw data, detailed calculations, source code)