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The University of Auckland Research Repository, ResearchSpace is an online archive for the University of Auckland, and contains Full Text Theses and other research outputs.

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General Regulations – Masters Degrees

The following regulations apply to all Masters degrees published in this Calendar unless otherwise stated. As far as possible they are to be read in conjunction with the specific degree regulations for each Masters degree.

(i) a Masters is a Research Masters if it includes a thesis or research portfolio of at least 90 points, otherwise it is a Taught Masters

(ii) a research essay or research project will normally be worth no more than 45 points

(iii) a dissertation will be worth at least 40 points and less than 90 points

(iv) a research portfolio or thesis will normally be worth 90 or 120 points

(v) for the purposes of these regulations only, full-time enrolment is 50 points or more in one semester or 25 points or more in one quarter, otherwise the semester or quarter enrolment (and any Summer School enrolment) is part-time.

General Requirements

1 A student enrolled for a Masters degree at this University must pass the full points value specified in the degree regulations. The total enrolment may not exceed the minimum points requirement for the degree by more than 40 points.

Duration of Enrolment

2 a The requirements for a Masters degree must be completed in accordance with the following time limits and the thesis or research portfolio due dates in Regulation 2e.

(i) The date of initial enrolment is deemed to be:

(a) the start date of the enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio where the programme commences with a thesis or research portfolio enrolment

(b) the first term in which a student enrolled for a course which is assigned or reassigned to the programme.

(ii) One period of Summer School enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment, but is not counted if a thesis or research portfolio enrolment has already commenced.

(iii) Where a student’s enrolment is partially full-time and partially part-time, the part-time time limit applies, provided that:

(a) one semester of full-time enrolment counts as two semesters of part-time enrolment

(b) one quarter of full-time enrolment counts as two quarters of part-time enrolment.

(iv) Where a student’s enrolment is entirely full-time, it must be in consecutive semesters or quarters.

(v) Where a student’s enrolment is at least partially part-time, up to a maximum of four semesters or four quarters of non-enrolment may occur provided that:

(a) One semester of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment.

(b) One quarter of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one quarter of part-time enrolment.

(c) Any semesters or quarters of non-enrolment occur prior to commencement of a thesis or research portfolio enrolment.

b Enrolment in a Research Masters degree must conclude with the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

c Enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio must commence on either 1 December, 1 March or 15 July and continue until the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

d A student must enrol in thesis or research portfolio points in no fewer than two and no more than four consecutive semesters until the thesis or research portfolio points requirement is satisfied and subject to the time limits in Regulation 2a.

  e    A thesis or research portfolio must be submitted by the following due dates:

1 The final semester of enrolment depends on the start date of the thesis or research portfolio and the number of semesters (either two, three or four) in which a student is enrolled in thesis or research portfolio points before they satisfy the thesis or research portfolio points requirement.

2 These due dates provide 12 months of continuous enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio for students completing their thesis or research portfolio points enrolment in two consecutive semesters, and 18 or 24 months of continuous enrolment for other students (by enrolment in thesis or research portfolio points in three or four consecutive semesters respectively).

3 This due date occurs within the final semester of enrolment.

4 This due date is in the same year as the final semester of enrolment

5 This due date is in the year following the final semester of enrolment.

f A student enrolled in a 240 point Research Masters must complete at least 105 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

g A student enrolled in a 300 point Research Masters must complete at least 180 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

h A student enrolled in a 360 point Research Masters must complete at least 240 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

Completion of Requirements

3 a A student enrolled in a thesis or research portfolio must complete at least one progress review during their research. Failure to complete a progress review by the required due date may result in enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio being suspended.

b Thesis or Research Portfolio Extension of Time

(i) If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, a thesis or research portfolio has not been able to be completed by the due date specified in Regulation 2, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding eight months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(ii) If an extension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final. 

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond eight months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to eight months or more than eight months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(v) If an extension is approved, a student will be enrolled in an extension course and pay tuition fees at the rate of 5 points for each one-month period or part thereof. This will only apply when the student’s current enrolment period in the thesis or research portfolio has ended.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3b(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to theses or research portfolios for these students.

c Dissertation/Research Essay/Research Project

(i) The specified date for submission of a dissertation, research essay or research project that is included in a masters degree is the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project. If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, the dissertation, research essay or research project has not been able to be completed by the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding two months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(ii) If an extension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond two months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to two months or more than two months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(v) If an extension is approved, a student will be enrolled in an extension course and pay tuition fees at the rate of 5 points for each one-month period or part thereof. This will only apply when the student’s current enrolment period in the dissertation, research essay or research project has ended.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3c(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to dissertations, research essays or research projects for these students.

d  Other courses

Extensions of time to complete work in courses other than a dissertation, research essay, research portfolio, research project, or thesis will not be granted beyond the end of the semester(s) or quarter(s) of enrolment in the course.

e  Failed courses

A student who has failed a course or courses totalling no more than 40 points may be approved by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research to enrol for no more than one further consecutive semester or quarter beyond the duration of enrolment for completion specified in Regulation 2 in order to complete the degree.

4 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Honours, a Masters degree may be awarded with Honours where a student’s overall grade is sufficiently high and where the student has passed a research component of at least 30 points, comprising a single identifiable course.

b There are two classes of Honours: First Class Honours and Second Class Honours. Second Class Honours are awarded in either First Division or Second Division.

c First Class Honours may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Second Class Honours First Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. Second Class Honours Second Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 4.0 and 5.4. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

d For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Honours only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Fail grades and Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

e Where the requirements for a Masters degree including a research component of at least 30 points have been completed with an extension granted in accordance with Regulation 3, a student’s eligibility for honours will be retained.

Distinction or Merit

5 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Distinction or Merit, and Honours has not been awarded, the Masters degree may be awarded with Distinction or Merit where a student’s grade is sufficiently high.

b Distinction may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Merit may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

c For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Distinction or Merit only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

6 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their thesis to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The digital thesis shall be formatted as specified in the Guidelines for Formatting a Digital Thesis at the University of Auckland.

c The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies of the thesis to the examiners.

d Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a passing grade:

(i) Within one month of being advised of the outcome of the examination, the student must complete any minor corrections required to the satisfaction of the supervisor and deposit a digital copy of the thesis in ResearchSpace in the University Library. The relevant faculty will confirm that the thesis has been deposited in ResearchSpace.

(ii) The thesis will be accessible through the University’s digital repository unless embargoed under Regulation 25 of the Examination Regulations.

e Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a fail grade the thesis will not be held in the University’s digital repository.

Research Portfolios

7 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their research portfolio to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of research portfolios are not deposited in the University’s digital repository.

Dissertations/Research Essays/Research Projects

8 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their dissertation, research essay or research projects to the supervisor or department in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The relevant academic unit is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of dissertations, research essays and research projects are not deposited with the University’s digital repository.

Substitutions and Failed Courses

9 Masters students may not change their enrolment in a course after the last date approved for Changes to Current Enrolment except as outlined in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations.

10 A Masters student may not normally re-enrol in a failed course except as provided for in the regulations relating to aegrotat and compassionate passes. In exceptional circumstances, the student may apply to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, for permission to re-enrol in the course.

11 a (i) In exceptional circumstances the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, may grant a period of suspension from enrolment not normally exceeding one year for enrolment in a thesis or research portfolio or two consecutive semesters, or four quarters, for enrolment in other courses. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree.

(ii) If a suspension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

b In exceptional circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a period of suspension of enrolment exceeding two consecutive terms on the recommendation of the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro-Vice Chancellor will be final.

c If a suspension application is received from a student after an extension application for the same research component has been approved, or for a term prior to the current term of enrolment, the application must be forwarded to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) for a decision. If approved the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

Transfer Credits, Cross-credits and Reassignments

12 a Transfer credits

(i) Transfer credits may be awarded for a Taught Masters degree or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) Except as provided for in the Credit Regulations, transfer credits may not be awarded for a Research Masters degree.

b Cross-credits

Courses may not be cross-credited into or from a Masters degree.

c Reassignments

(i) With the approval of the Programme Director, courses may be reassigned as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) If enrolment in the Masters degree is not being discontinued, approval to reassign must not be given if the courses proposed to be reassigned meet the requirements for the Masters degree and the reassignment will result in an increase in the grade point average for the Masters degree. 

Certificate of Proficiency

13 a The Certificate of Proficiency regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply.

b A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may be reassigned to a Taught Masters degree, or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

c A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may not be reassigned to a Research Masters degree except as specified in 13b above.

Transitional Certificate

14 The Transitional Certificate regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply. A Transitional Certificate course may not be reassigned to a Masters degree.

Appeal of Thesis, Research Portfolio, Dissertation, Research Essay or Research Essay examination outcome

15 a A student may appeal the outcome of a thesis, research portfolio, dissertation, research essay or research project examination only on the grounds that the result was materially impacted by a procedural flaw in the examination process.

b Any application for appeal must be lodged within three months of the result of the examination being officially communicated to the student.

c Appeals will be considered in accordance with the Examination of Sub-Doctoral Postgraduate Research Components of 30 Points and Above Procedures.

Delegation of decision-making

16 a The decision makers named in these regulations may delegate their decision-making power under these regulations to another nominated role. This delegation must be in writing.

b Where decision-making authority is delegated:

(i) The delegated authority can be exercised in the same way and to the same effect as if the original listed decision maker performed or exercised it .

(ii) The decision maker that made the original delegation remains responsible for the performance or exercise of the authority. 

17 In exceptional circumstances the Provost may approve a variation to the General Regulations – Masters Degrees.

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Dissertations & Theses

All doctoral dissertations and master’s theses are submitted by the student for archiving upon final approval by the student’s committee. (“Dissertations” here also refers to DNP projects in Nursing and DMA documents in Music.) These works will be added to the UA Campus Repository and the national archive of dissertations and theses maintained by ProQuest/UMI. There are no fees charged for archiving.

The Graduate College has provided Sample Pages for use in your dissertation or thesis. These samples represent the first two pages of the dissertation or thesis. 

The Graduate College also has Dissertation and Thesis Formatting Guides available in order to assist students with formatting their dissertation or thesis.  Please review the relevant guide prior to submitting your work for archiving.

In order to graduate in a given term, a student must submit the dissertation or thesis by the published deadline for the term. Note that the dissertation submission deadline typically falls before the end of the term. The student must have defended the dissertation or thesis and gained final committee approval before submitting it for archiving. If the committee requires further revisions, the student must request a change to their graduation term from the Graduate College .

The links in the menu at the right provide full information about the process of submitting a dissertation or thesis for archiving.

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UA Theses and Dissertations

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ABOUT THE COLLECTIONS

More than 40,000 theses and dissertations produced at the University of Arizona are included in the UA Theses and Dissertations collections. These items are publicly available and full-text searchable. A small percentage of items are under embargo (restricted).

• Submitting master's theses to the UA Libraries was optional for many decades; as a result, we do not have all master's theses that were written at the University of Arizona.
• A small number of historical theses containing culturally sensitive material are not available online.

You can also refer to the Theses & Dissertations - frequently asked questions guide to find materials that are not available online.

Collections in this community

Dissertations, master's theses, honors theses, recent submissions.

Variable Selection in Economic Applications of Remotely Sensed Weather Data: Evidence from the LSMS-ISA

Unveiling Sources of Resilience and Social Support Dimensions: Honoring Mexican Immigrant Experiences and their Migration Journeys in a Borderlands Community Based Participatory Project

The Spatial and Dynamic Patterns of Climate Variability and Change in the United States

The Seasonal Variability of Trace Metals and their Transport Mechanisms in Intermittent Streams

The Role of Dopamine on Inhibition in the Mouse Retina

The Optical Truss Interferometer: A Convenient Solution for Picometer Sensitivity in the LISA Telescopes and Beyond

Teacher Efficacy and Impacts of Justice Centered Inclusive Settings on Multiply Marginalized and Underrepresented Preschool Students

Sparsity-Aware Hardware-Software Co-design of Spiking Neural Network Accelerators

Seamless Coupling of Peridynamics with Finite Element Method for the Simulation of Material Failure and Damage

Revegetation Strategies for Ecological Restoration

Resilience for Trauma and Adverse Events Among Firefighter First Responders

Repression in Conflict-Affected States: The Role of United Nations Peace Operations

Remote Sensing of Aboveground Vegetation Structure, Biomass, and Water Content Across Spatial and Temporal Scales

Reintubation in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit: Lessons Learned

Reimagining Prison Education: Incarcerated Individuals' Reflections on Education, Themselves, and the Digital World

Reexamining Preference for Online Social Interaction: Compulsion and Close Interactants as Moderators for Positive and Negative Outcomes

Racial Discrimination, Individual Resources, and Coping Among Latinx Adolescents: A Longitudinal and Within-Person Analysis

Quantifying Adaptive Mechanisms and Ovarian Dynamics in Developing Heat Stress Beef Heifers

Proteomic Assessment of Post-Translational Modifications in the Brain of 5x-FAD Females

Prediction of Maximum Solar Energy Harvest Considering Year-Round Sky Coverage Conditions and Integrating Shading Effect for Fixed PV Panels

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Theses & dissertations

Theses & dissertations online.

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Find doctoral dissertations and master's theses from universities and institutions all around the world. Check out our  tutorial  for ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations Find graduate-level theses from around the world that are freely available online.

Find UA theses & dissertations

Use the  UA Theses & Dissertations Repository , to locate UA dissertations and masters theses submitted to the library from 1895-present. You can search or browse by author, title, discipline (program) or date.

Honors College theses from 2008-present are available in the UA Campus Repository. Paper copies from 1960s-2005 are located in  Special Collections .

Several UA departments maintain their own archives of masters theses and masters reports that were not submitted to the library. Check with individual departments.

The Arizona State Museum (ASM) Library collection includes master's theses from the American Indian Studies and Anthropology programs that are not available at the UA Libraries. Search the  ASM online catalog  to find theses in their non-circulating research collection and visit the  ASM Library and Archives  for more information on location and hours.

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What a Thesis Paper is and How to Write One

From choosing a topic and conducting research to crafting a strong argument, writing a thesis paper can be a rewarding experience.

It can also be a challenging experience. If you've never written a thesis paper before, you may not know where to start. You may not even be sure exactly what a thesis paper is. But don't worry; the right support and resources can help you navigate this writing process.

What is a Thesis Paper?

A thesis paper is a type of academic essay that you might write as a graduation requirement for certain bachelor's, master's or honors programs. Thesis papers present your own original research or analysis on a specific topic related to your field.

“In some ways, a thesis paper can look a lot like a novella,” said Shana Chartier , director of information literacy at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). “It’s too short to be a full-length novel, but with the standard size of 40-60 pages (for a bachelor’s) and 60-100 pages (for a master’s), it is a robust exploration of a topic, explaining one’s understanding of a topic based on personal research.”

Chartier has worked in academia for over 13 years and at SNHU for nearly eight. In her role as an instructor and director, Chartier has helped to guide students through the writing process, like editing and providing resources.

Chartier has written and published academic papers such as "Augmented Reality Gamifies the Library: A Ride Through the Technological Frontier" and "Going Beyond the One-Shot: Spiraling Information Literacy Across Four Years." Both of these academic papers required Chartier to have hands-on experience with the subject matter. Like a thesis paper, they also involved hypothesizing and doing original research to come to a conclusion.

“When writing a thesis paper, the importance of staying organized cannot be overstated,” said Chartier. “Mapping out each step of the way, making firm and soft deadlines... and having other pairs of eyes on your work to ensure academic accuracy and clean editing are crucial to writing a successful paper.”

How Do I Choose a Topic For My Thesis Paper?

What your thesis paper is for will determine some of the specific requirements and steps you might take, but the first step is usually the same: Choosing a topic.

“Choosing a topic can be daunting," said Rochelle Attari , a peer tutor at SNHU. "But if (you) stick with a subject (you're) interested in... choosing a topic is much more manageable.”

Similar to a thesis, Attari recently finished the capstone  for her bachelor’s in psychology . Her bachelor’s concentration is in forensics, and her capstone focused on the topic of using a combined therapy model for inmates who experience substance abuse issues to reduce recidivism.

“The hardest part was deciding what I wanted to focus on,” Attari said. “But once I nailed down my topic, each milestone was more straightforward.”

In her own writing experience, Attari said brainstorming was an important step when choosing her topic. She recommends writing down different ideas on a piece of paper and doing some preliminary research on what’s already been written on your topic.

By doing this exercise, you can narrow or broaden your ideas until you’ve found a topic you’re excited about. " Brainstorming is essential when writing a paper and is not a last-minute activity,” Attari said.

How Do I Structure My Thesis Paper?

Thesis papers tend to have a standard format with common sections as the building blocks.

While the structure Attari describes below will work for many theses, it’s important to double-check with your program to see if there are any specific requirements. Writing a thesis for a Master of Fine Arts, for example, might actually look more like a fiction novel.

According to Attari, a thesis paper is often structured with the following major sections:

Introduction

• Literature review
• Methods, results

Now, let’s take a closer look at what each different section should include.

Your introduction is your opportunity to present the topic of your thesis paper. In this section, you can explain why that topic is important. The introduction is also the place to include your thesis statement, which shows your stance in the paper.

Attari said that writing an introduction can be tricky, especially when you're trying to capture your reader’s attention and state your argument.

“I have found that starting with a statement of truth about a topic that pertains to an issue I am writing about typically does the trick,” Attari said. She demonstrated this advice in an example introduction she wrote for a paper on the effects of daylight in Alaska:

In the continental United States, we can always count on the sun rising and setting around the same time each day, but in Alaska, during certain times of the year, the sun rises and does not set for weeks. Research has shown that the sun provides vitamin D and is an essential part of our health, but little is known about how daylight twenty-four hours a day affects the circadian rhythm and sleep.

In the example Attari wrote, she introduces the topic and informs the reader what the paper will cover. Somewhere in her intro, she said she would also include her thesis statement, which might be:

Twenty-four hours of daylight over an extended period does not affect sleep patterns in humans and is not the cause of daytime fatigue in northern Alaska .

Literature Review

In the literature review, you'll look at what information is already out there about your topic. “This is where scholarly articles  about your topic are essential,” said Attari. “These articles will help you find the gap in research that you have identified and will also support your thesis statement."

Telling your reader what research has already been done will help them see how your research fits into the larger conversation. Most university libraries offer databases of scholarly/peer-reviewed articles that can be helpful in your search.

In the methods section of your thesis paper, you get to explain how you learned what you learned. This might include what experiment you conducted as a part of your independent research.

“For instance,” Attari said, “if you are a psychology major and have identified a gap in research on which therapies are effective for anxiety, your methods section would consist of the number of participants, the type of experiment and any other particulars you would use for that experiment.”

In this section, you'll explain the results of your study. For example, building on the psychology example Attari outlined, you might share self-reported anxiety levels for participants trying different kinds of therapies. To help you communicate your results clearly, you might include data, charts, tables or other visualizations.

The discussion section of your thesis paper is where you will analyze and interpret the results you presented in the previous section. This is where you can discuss what your findings really mean or compare them to the research you found in your literature review.

The discussion section is your chance to show why the data you collected matters and how it fits into bigger conversations in your field.

The conclusion of your thesis paper is your opportunity to sum up your argument and leave your reader thinking about why your research matters.

Attari breaks the conclusion down into simple parts. “You restate the original issue and thesis statement, explain the experiment's results and discuss possible next steps for further research,” she said.

Find Your Program

Resources to help write your thesis paper.

While your thesis paper may be based on your independent research, writing it doesn’t have to be a solitary process. Asking for help and using the resources that are available to you can make the process easier.

If you're writing a thesis paper, some resources Chartier encourages you to use are:

• Citation Handbooks: An online citation guide or handbook can help you ensure your citations are correct. APA , MLA and Chicago styles have all published their own guides.
• Citation Generators: There are many citation generator tools that help you to create citations. Some — like RefWorks — even let you directly import citations from library databases as you research.
• Your Library's Website: Many academic and public libraries allow patrons to access resources like databases or FAQs. Some FAQs at the SNHU library that might be helpful in your thesis writing process include “ How do I read a scholarly article? ” or “ What is a research question and how do I develop one? ”

It can also be helpful to check out what coaching or tutoring options are available through your school. At SNHU, for example, the Academic Support Center offers writing and grammar workshops , and students can access 24/7 tutoring and 1:1 sessions with peer tutors, like Attari.

"Students can even submit their papers and receive written feedback... like revisions and editing suggestions," she said.

If you are writing a thesis paper, there are many resources available to you. It's a long paper, but with the right mindset and support, you can successfully navigate the process.

“Pace yourself,” said Chartier. “This is a marathon, not a sprint. Setting smaller goals to get to the big finish line can make the process seem less daunting, and remember to be proud of yourself and celebrate your accomplishment once you’re done. Writing a thesis is no small task, and it’s important work for the scholarly community.”

A degree can change your life. Choose your program  from 200+ SNHU degrees that can take you where you want to go.

Meg Palmer ’18 is a writer and scholar by trade who loves reading, riding her bike and singing in a barbershop quartet. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English, language and literature at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and her master’s degree in writing, rhetoric and discourse at DePaul University (’20). While attending SNHU, she served as the editor-in-chief of the campus student newspaper, The Penmen Press, where she deepened her passion for writing. Meg is an adjunct professor at Johnson and Wales University, where she teaches first year writing, honors composition, and public speaking. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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