state of the art bachelor thesis

How to write a good state of the art: should it be the first step of your thesis?

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How to write a "state of the art" chapter

I am an engineering student in a non-English speaking country and I'm writing my master's thesis in English, as well as all related articles. I can't use the country's language nor my first language (I was raised in another country) because my writing skills are really lacking in those languages, and as my work as an engineer forces me to write in English everyday (it's still not good enough I think) I feel more comfortable using it rather than the other languages.

Currently I'm facing a problem with a "state of the art" chapter, where I am supposed to describe the current state of the field I'm working in and I have no idea as to how to begin. To write this chapter I read many articles and translated each article into separate paragraphs without any connection with each other. The result was ... lacking to say the least.

It would really help me if anyone could point me in the right direction as how to write a chapter like this, or provide me with good examples (apparently I'm not able to distinguish a good state of the art chapter from a bad or excellent one).

• academic-writing

• Side note: I'm not sure what you mean by "I was alphabetized in another country." To "alphabetize" something is to arrange a list in alphabetical order or to insert a new item into such a list. Unless you were stuffed in a file drawer in between "Morbius" and "Mordred", you probably weren't alphabetized anywhere. Maybe you mean you learned to read in another country? –  Jay Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 21:33
• 2 @Jay I've edited the post to read "raised." I think you got the gist of the OP's intention, although that's a charming malaprop. :) –  Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 21:51
• 1 @Jay Hehehe. I think I wasn't in a file drawer. What I meant to say is that I learned how to read and write in a spanish speaking country and am currently living in a portuguese speaking country. Apparently a direct translation of the word was the wrong thing to do. What is the process of learning to read and write called in English? –  morcillo Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 21:54
• 2 @LaurenIpsum Thank you for editing the question and calling my mistake charming –  morcillo Commented Apr 3, 2015 at 21:55
• @morcillo We'd say, "I learned to read in a Spanish-speaking country". If you needed to distinguish reading from speaking, you might say, "I learned to talk ..." I comprehend the problem of trying to translate a word directly from one language to another. But it did bring a fun image to mind. On the serious side, it is not uncommon for people to be lined up in alphabetical order by name, for example in school or in the army. But I don't think we'd say that "we alphabetized the students", more like, "We lined up the students in alphabetical order". –  Jay Commented Apr 6, 2015 at 13:32

2 Answers 2

I imagine that you Master Thesis is about something, which is presented in a consequential manner. I would take the same order in which you describe your work and write the state of the art, point by point.

For instance, imagine you were to describe a new electric car engine. I'd start with a state of the art of cars in general, maybe grouped by purpose, and by type of fuel. Then I'd give the state of the art for electric engines, including other means of transportation, e.g. trains. Next, I'd give a state of the art of electric car engines. Finally, I'd give a state of the art of research and industry in all the relevant additional fields, e.g. some chemical reactions that constitute the core innovation of your engine.

I hope that helps.

• 1 It actually helps a lot. Ths question came about when I was writing my thesis and I was reading other thesis for suggestions as to what good writing is about and I read some where the reading was seamless and very entertaining, so I tried to do something similar and failed miserably. I have difficulty writing something fluent, it looked more like bullet points than anything else –  morcillo Commented Dec 19, 2018 at 9:57
• A very unrelated comment: an electric car engine has no chemical reactions. I know is off topic but had to mention it, sorry for that :) –  Miloš Commented Jun 13, 2019 at 9:36
• @Miloš why not? The coating of certain parts may be obtained by chemical reactions in order to achieve unprecedented thinness in the insulating layers. –  NofP Commented Jun 13, 2019 at 12:00

Well, any self-respecting paper has a state-of-the-art section right at the beginning. Those are good models.

A good resource to consult is Darby, R. L., and Veazie, W. H., "Writing a State-of-the-Art Report," Materials Research & Standards, MTRSA, Vol. 8 .

Organizing Information: Principles of Data Base and ... - Page 54 Dagobert Soerge - 1985 - ‎ To write a state-of-the-art report, proceed as follows:

An example is here.

• Could you maybe provide some URL and ISBN for the reference you are giving because it is quite hard to find. –  white_gecko Commented Dec 17, 2018 at 17:56

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Understanding State-of-the-Art Literature Reviews

Erin s. barry.

Erin S. Barry, MS, is Assistant Professor, Department of Military & Emergency Medicine and Department of Anesthesiology, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Doctoral Candidate, School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands

Jerusalem Merkebu

Jerusalem Merkebu, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Lara Varpio

Lara Varpio, PhD, is Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Sometimes the literature review you need isn't one that answers a narrow question: for that we would use a systematic review to determine, for example, the best workplace-based assessment tool for a pediatric residency program. Sometimes educators are not interested in how individual theories addressing a phenomenon align and differ, an answer you would find via an integrative review. Instead, educators may need to know how the modern conceptualization of a specific phenomenon became the norm—including the history that informed current understanding, what that understanding is, and what might develop in the future. For example, to understand resident assessment, you might want to know its history, what the current orientation is, and what future expansions might occur. To answer such questions, educators and researchers turn to State-of-the-Art (SotA) literature reviews .

Foundations

What is a sota review.

SotA literature reviews provide a time-based overview of the current state of knowledge about a phenomenon and suggest directions for future research. 1 They are organized in relation to how the understanding of the phenomena has evolved over time. Structured around turning points in the history of knowledge development, SotA reviews articulate: This is where we are now. This is how we got here. This is where we should go next . By synthesizing how the main characteristics of a topic have changed over time to give rise to current understandings, SotA reviews offer a modern knowledge synthesis that “tend[s] to address more current matters in contrast to other combined retrospective and current [literature review] approaches.” 1 SotA reviews are used prolifically in many fields, such as biomedical science, medicine, and engineering, to provide information on the current understanding of a topic, the historical roots that shaped the understanding, and potential next directions for future research.

How Are SotA Literature Reviews Different From Other Knowledge Syntheses?

Given their time-based and turning point-based orientations, SotA reviews are inherently different from other types of knowledge synthesis. For example, systematic reviews focus on specific research questions that are narrow in scope; in contrast, SotA reviews present a broader historical overview of knowledge development. Scoping reviews focus on mapping the present state of knowledge about a phenomenon, including, for example, the data currently available, the nature of that data, and the gaps in knowledge. Conversely, SotA reviews offer interpretations of the historical progression of knowledge relating to a phenomenon, centered on significant shifts that occurred during that history. 2

When Might SotA Reviews Be Used in Graduate Medical Education?

SotA reviews are especially useful within graduate medical education due to their purpose: these knowledge syntheses focus on the turning points that ended older ways of thinking and gave rise to current insights, while also evaluating where the field should go next. Thus, by conducting this type of review, educators and researchers in graduate medical education will be positioned to understand and apply modern best practices and to influence future directions. The Box illustrates the Case of Dr. Smith, which continues throughout this Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME) special review series, considering the same question using different review methodologies.

Processes and Considerations

What are the orienting assumptions of sota reviews.

Although SotA reviews are frequently published in peer-reviewed journals, there are few descriptions of how to conduct these knowledge syntheses, their markers of methodical rigor, and their reporting standards. We set out to address this gap by: (1) analyzing all publicly available and indexed methods-related publications describing SotA reviews, and (2) studying all SotA reviews (n=398) published between 2016 and 2020 to identify the foundational principles and techniques underpinning them. 3 Through this work, we developed a 6-stage process for conducting SotA reviews, 3 which aligns with the existing brief descriptions. 1 , 2 , 4 - 7 These 6 stages are summarized in a short how-to guide accompanying this article. 8 Here, we explain the orienting premises that shape SotA reviews.

Foundations of SotA Reviews

SotA literature reviews are founded on the principle that there is no single objectively true or correct synthesis of a body of literature. Instead, SotA reviews rest on the premise that literature is open for interpretation and that the context in which the review is conducted will shape the synthesis developed. SotA literature reviews are steeped in a relativist ontology: the nature of reality is socially and experientially informed and constructed. Consequently, SotA reviews do not require the literature included in the review to use identical methodology to support meta-analyses to generate a right answer. That is, not all findings synthesized in the review need to be carried out in the same way to enable cross-study data amalgamations. Instead—because SotA reviews assume that multiple different understandings of a phenomenon are available—this synthesis does not exclude research using different methodologies.

In terms of epistemology (the origins, nature, and limits of knowledge about reality), SotA literature reviews embrace subjectivism , the premise that knowledge generated from the review is a construction, not an objective fact. The knowledge generated through the review is value-dependent; it grows out of the subjective interpretations of the researchers who performed the synthesis. SotA reviews generate an interpretation of the literature informed by the expertise, experiences, and social context of the review team. Furthermore, the knowledge developed through SotA reviews is informed by the point in time when the review was conducted. A SotA review from 2000 reflects the contemporary knowledge of the year 2000; a SotA review from 2022 would report different knowledge reflecting that year's perspectives.

Purpose of SotA Reviews

SotA literature reviews seek (1) to create a critical summary of contemporary thinking about a topic; (2) to describe historical progressions and patterns in the literature; (3) to discuss how such modern perspectives have evolved over time; and (4) to propose a direction the field could take moving forward. Further, the SotA review presents an argument for how the literature could be interpreted; it is not a definitive statement about how the literature should or must be understood. The purpose of the SotA review is to engage in this critical summary at a specific point in time; it highlights the pivot points shaping the historical development of a topic, the factors that informed those changes in understanding, and the ways of thinking about and studying the topic that could newly inform the generation of further insights. Ultimately, the purpose of SotA literature reviews is to create a 3-part argument: This is where we are now in our understanding of this topic. This is how we got here. This is where we could go next .

To illustrate, Schuwirth and van der Vleuten's article, “A History of Assessment in Medical Education,” 9 offers a temporally organized overview of the evolving thinking in medical education about learner assessment. The authors describe how learner assessment was originally perceived as a problem of measurement, where the goal was to differentiate competent learners from incompetent ones. Historically, assessment was concerned with tool validity and replicability; human judgement was largely ignored. Even when assessment moved to include workplace-based assessment methods, the field continued to foreground assessment as a measurement problem. When human judgment was considered, the field focused on training assessors to minimize bias. Modern perspectives conceive of assessment as a whole system. Today, assessment data are integrated together to meaningfully triangulate data into a fair and defensible whole. Human judgement is recognized, but not as a bias to be mitigated. Instead, learners and assessors work together “to create a meaningful holistic narrative rather than a set of individual measurements.” 9 The authors suggest that the future of learner assessment will continue to focus on determining if a learner possesses and can apply appropriate knowledge and skills; in addition, information technologies and the availability of big data will shape future assessment considerations. These technologies will also require a reexamination of the knowledge and skills that will be required of future clinicians. Schuwirth and van der Vleuten's article thus offers a SotA review by providing an interpretation of the past, present, and future of learner assessment. 9

Strengths and Weaknesses of SotA Reviews

A significant contribution of a SotA review is the historical overview of how thinking about a phenomenon has changed over time. Such descriptions are particularly valuable for those exploring a new phenomenon or field of inquiry, and for those seeking to identify contemporary best practices and conceptualizations. Further, a SotA review provides a comprehensive time-based overview of a body of knowledge. Educators and researchers have an opportunity not only to assess past, present, and future trends, but also to characterize the unique shifts and patterns occurring over a specific period of time. Finally, the scope of a SotA review can extend beyond peer-reviewed literature.

The purpose and foundations upon which SotA reviews are built constrains them from providing a direct answer to specific, narrow research questions. They do not offer definitive answers to readers; instead, they are subjective reviews offering one interpretation of how the literature could be interpreted. Alternative interpretations exist. Moreover, the moment in history when the review is conducted and the specific review team engaging in the synthesis will shape the SotA review. Thus, reflexivity considerations by the team should be provided so that readers fully understand how the research team reached their conclusions.

Markers of a SotA Review's Rigor

While many knowledge syntheses have reporting standards, no such guidance exists for SotA reviews. SotA reviews offer interpretations of a specific body of literature; therefore, appraising the quality of the literature and preserving objectivity of the analysis processes is not relevant. Instead, indicators of the quality of a review are connected to its transparency , including considerations such as: How was the collection of articles included in the synthesis created? What inclusion and exclusion criteria controlled the selection? What reflexivity considerations shaped the perspectives of the authors? What contextual factors contributed to shaping the analysis? The final search strategy must be included in the manuscript so that others can replicate the process. The purpose of a replication would not be to confirm the interpretations offered in the SotA review; instead, it would be for another team of researchers to offer their unique interpretations and insights. Another consideration is the breadth of literature included in the review. It is advisable to incorporate a wide range of papers (eg, commentaries, research articles, grey literature) since part of the purpose of a SotA review is to identify how and when a field of inquiry took on its current state. Such information is not necessarily found only in peer-reviewed journal articles.

A SotA review can be deemed a success if it offers a coherent description regarding the current state of knowledge of a phenomenon: This is where we are now in our current understanding of this topic. This is how we got here. This is where we could go next .

Conclusions

Until very recently, SotA reviews were highly used but underdescribed: no robust methodologies were offered, and no information existed about their epistemological and ontological backgrounds. We hope to redress this gap. It is important when reading older SotA reviews to look for the 6 stages presented in the accompanying short article 8 to help make meaning of the findings (additional resources are provided in the Table ). We recommend that the structure of future SotA reviews clearly articulate these 6 stages so that researchers can more easily assess the interpretations offered within.

Resources for Conducting a State-of-the-Art (SotA) Literature Review

Box The Case of Dr. Smith

Dr. Smith, a program director, has been tasked to develop an interprofessional education (IPE) experience for the residency. Dr. Smith decides that conducting a literature review would be a savvy way to examine the existing evidence and generate a publication useful to others. After running a quick Google search using the term “interprofessional education,” she finds more than 11 million hits, and a similar PubMed search generates 24 000+ matches—far too many to review. Dr. Smith begins to randomly sample articles and notes the huge diversity in how IPE is conceptualized and in the types of articles, from randomized trials to qualitative investigations to critical perspectives on issues of concern.

As Dr. Smith is interested in learning how IPE is currently conceptualized, how the field came to hold this conceptualization, and where the field should go next, she decides to complete a State-of-the-Art review. This will allow Dr. Smith to identify the seminal moments when thinking about how IPE has changed in graduate medical education, to understand today's conceptualization of IPE, how that conceptualization came to be, and to offer new ideas about where IPE should go next.

Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions contained herein are those of the authors and are not to be construed as reflecting the views of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the US Department of Defense.

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Relation of concepts "related work"/"background"/"preliminaries"/"state of the art"?

I'm currently struggling to structure and organize my "related work" chapter of my PhD thesis.

I've stumbled across the terms "related work", "background", "preliminaries" and "state of the art". Mainly, I understand that some deal with established knowledge that is being taught in textbooks, and which is the technological base for my work (e.g., elliptic curve (EC) cryptography and digital signatures to protect communication among servers). The other deal with the most recent academic state of the art, e.g., novel communication protocols based on elliptic curves.

It's also clear to me, that I need to differentiate my work by having contributions which go beyond the state of the art, and which differ from related work.

Hoever, I struggle to realted this terms, and to make up a meaningful chapter outline.

I was thinking of:

Background and related work chapter

• Technology X
• Technology Y
• Technology Z
• Overall related work to the kind of system I build
• Overall related work to sub-aspect A
• Overall related work to sub-aspect B
• Overall related work to sub-aspect C
• Difference to related work and state of the art

Can anyone help me clarify the relation of these terms, or hint me to page clarifying them? Also suggestions regarding my outline would be welcome.

2 Answers 2

Every scientific work needs to establish its context. What exactly you name the sections and how you organize them in order to present this context is less important, so long as you give the reader a good roadmap to understanding how your work fits into the larger intellectual environment.

Personally, I find that references tend to cluster into a few distinct groups:

• Motivation of the work and the foundations that it builds upon
• Contrasting to the works of others that do not accomplish the same goals, showing that you are aware of them and that your work is novel.
• Justification of assertions
• Pointers to methods that have been used

The first two are what typically ends up in a related work / background / whatever section, while the other two more typically end up embedded in other prose where they end up being relevant.

Given this, your proposed structure seems basically sane, though of course the details can't be determined without knowing the details of your work. The most important thing, I would say, is that if you end up with a very large and complex chapter (as often happens in a thesis), to make sure that you give the reader a good map to help them navigate it.

I would recommend to split this in two chapters. Preliminaries and State of the Art .

Preliminaries contains the basics, standards, established research, things you learn from text books. What you call technological base .

State of the Art is more recent research, these are other approaches to which you compare your research. This helps the reader to know in which current area your research is situated.

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• What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on April 16, 2024.

A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master’s program or a capstone to a bachelor’s degree.

Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation , it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely .

Thesis template

You can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started.

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Table of contents

Thesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses.

You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things.

• A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
• A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
• In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
• In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.

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The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as:

• Your discipline
• Your theoretical approach

Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis.

In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section ,  results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix .

Thesis examples

We’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started.

• Example thesis #1:   “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
• Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.

The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including:

• Your full title
• Your full name
• Your department
• Your institution and degree program
• Your submission date.

Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure.

Read more about title pages

The acknowledgements section is usually optional. Its main point is to allow you to thank everyone who helped you in your thesis journey, such as supervisors, friends, or family. You can also choose to write a preface , but it’s typically one or the other, not both.

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An abstract is a short summary of your thesis. Usually a maximum of 300 words long, it’s should include brief descriptions of your research objectives , methods, results, and conclusions. Though it may seem short, it introduces your work to your audience, serving as a first impression of your thesis.

Read more about abstracts

A table of contents lists all of your sections, plus their corresponding page numbers and subheadings if you have them. This helps your reader seamlessly navigate your document.

Your table of contents should include all the major parts of your thesis. In particular, don’t forget the the appendices. If you used heading styles, it’s easy to generate an automatic table Microsoft Word.

Read more about tables of contents

While not mandatory, if you used a lot of tables and/or figures, it’s nice to include a list of them to help guide your reader. It’s also easy to generate one of these in Word: just use the “Insert Caption” feature.

Read more about lists of figures and tables

If you have used a lot of industry- or field-specific abbreviations in your thesis, you should include them in an alphabetized list of abbreviations . This way, your readers can easily look up any meanings they aren’t familiar with.

Read more about lists of abbreviations

Relatedly, if you find yourself using a lot of very specialized or field-specific terms that may not be familiar to your reader, consider including a glossary . Alphabetize the terms you want to include with a brief definition.

Read more about glossaries

An introduction sets up the topic, purpose, and relevance of your thesis, as well as expectations for your reader. This should:

• Ground your research topic , sharing any background information your reader may need
• Define the scope of your work
• Introduce any existing research on your topic, situating your work within a broader problem or debate
• State your research question(s)
• Outline (briefly) how the remainder of your work will proceed

In other words, your introduction should clearly and concisely show your reader the “what, why, and how” of your research.

Read more about introductions

A literature review helps you gain a robust understanding of any extant academic work on your topic, encompassing:

• Selecting relevant sources
• Determining the credibility of your sources
• Critically evaluating each of your sources
• Drawing connections between sources, including any themes, patterns, conflicts, or gaps

A literature review is not merely a summary of existing work. Rather, your literature review should ultimately lead to a clear justification for your own research, perhaps via:

• Addressing a gap in the literature
• Building on existing knowledge to draw new conclusions
• Exploring a new theoretical or methodological approach
• Introducing a new solution to an unresolved problem
• Definitively advocating for one side of a theoretical debate

Read more about literature reviews

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on.

Read more about theoretical frameworks

Your methodology chapter shows your reader how you conducted your research. It should be written clearly and methodically, easily allowing your reader to critically assess the credibility of your argument. Furthermore, your methods section should convince your reader that your method was the best way to answer your research question.

A methodology section should generally include:

• Your overall approach ( quantitative vs. qualitative )
• Your research methods (e.g., a longitudinal study )
• Your data collection methods (e.g., interviews or a controlled experiment
• Any tools or materials you used (e.g., computer software)
• The data analysis methods you chose (e.g., statistical analysis , discourse analysis )
• A strong, but not defensive justification of your methods

Read more about methodology sections

Your results section should highlight what your methodology discovered. These two sections work in tandem, but shouldn’t repeat each other. While your results section can include hypotheses or themes, don’t include any speculation or new arguments here.

Your results section should:

• State each (relevant) result with any (relevant) descriptive statistics (e.g., mean , standard deviation ) and inferential statistics (e.g., test statistics , p values )
• Explain how each result relates to the research question
• Determine whether the hypothesis was supported

Additional data (like raw numbers or interview transcripts ) can be included as an appendix . You can include tables and figures, but only if they help the reader better understand your results.

Read more about results sections

Your discussion section is where you can interpret your results in detail. Did they meet your expectations? How well do they fit within the framework that you built? You can refer back to any relevant source material to situate your results within your field, but leave most of that analysis in your literature review.

For any unexpected results, offer explanations or alternative interpretations of your data.

Read more about discussion sections

Your thesis conclusion should concisely answer your main research question. It should leave your reader with an ultra-clear understanding of your central argument, and emphasize what your research specifically has contributed to your field.

Why does your research matter? What recommendations for future research do you have? Lastly, wrap up your work with any concluding remarks.

Read more about conclusions

In order to avoid plagiarism , don’t forget to include a full reference list at the end of your thesis, citing the sources that you used. Choose one citation style and follow it consistently throughout your thesis, taking note of the formatting requirements of each style.

Which style you choose is often set by your department or your field, but common styles include MLA , Chicago , and APA.

Create APA citations Create MLA citations

In order to stay clear and concise, your thesis should include the most essential information needed to answer your research question. However, chances are you have many contributing documents, like interview transcripts or survey questions . These can be added as appendices , to save space in the main body.

Read more about appendices

Once you’re done writing, the next part of your editing process begins. Leave plenty of time for proofreading and editing prior to submission. Nothing looks worse than grammar mistakes or sloppy spelling errors!

Consider using a professional thesis editing service or grammar checker to make sure your final project is perfect.

Once you’ve submitted your final product, it’s common practice to have a thesis defense, an oral component of your finished work. This is scheduled by your advisor or committee, and usually entails a presentation and Q&A session.

After your defense , your committee will meet to determine if you deserve any departmental honors or accolades. However, keep in mind that defenses are usually just a formality. If there are any serious issues with your work, these should be resolved with your advisor way before a defense.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Survivorship bias
• Self-serving bias
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Hindsight bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.

If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .

If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.

When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.

Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:

• Plan to attend graduate school soon
• Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
• Are considering a career in research
• Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience

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State of the art? Thesis for MSc

Hello everyone!

I'm an economist and I want to do a MSc in Statistics at a local university. I think doing it will be very important for my career, my job, and my future plans (I want to do a Ph.D later in life... not sure if in economics or somthing like Machine Learning).

The problem is that I'm struggling with the thesis idea. I want to combine something like Neural Networks and apply them to somethig in economics. Could you help me with places to look for what is being developed, or what are current research questions in statistics-NN?

Thank you so much!!

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