fine art dissertation structure

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• Find Articles
• Find Dissertations & Theses
• Find Images & Videos
• Citation Help

MFA Thesis: Finding a Balance

Writing an mfa thesis, thesis outlines, mind mapping.

• Group 4 Research Tips

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Writing an MFA thesis is a delicate balance between maintaining focus on your process and your art, while also using research and citations to put your art into a larger context with evidence as support for your claims.

Think of two extremes.   People write completely narrative theses, like this one . Other people write long, well-researched art history theses, like this one .  In the Lesley program you're aiming for somewhere in the middle, but you all might vary in how close they are to one or the other.

• HOW TO WRITE YOUR MFA THESIS IN FINE ART (AND BEYOND) A professor's tips and suggested exercises to help with writing

If you aren't sure how you want to organize your thesis, try mind mapping your ideas to find connections (scroll down for videos!) or read other MFA theses to see how other people organize a thesis.

Abstract vs. Practical

Notice how all the examples below compare in their organization (check out their table of contents!), even when dealing with a similar topic or medium!

• Example: Practical Organization This MFA thesis, written by Robert Bradley at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, is organized practically, with a section for each medium, a section on process, and a section on influences.
• Example: Abstract Organization This MFA thesis, written by Jin Lee at Illinois State University, is broken up by abstract headings. Instead of practical headings like "Materials" "Process" "Influences" the artist uses abstract ideas as her organization, like "Beginnings" and "Being Seen".

Notice how the two theses below both center around art and trauma, but how they organize their thesis is different. 

• Ceramics MFA Thesis, written by Alex Bailey at Southern Illinois University This one has a more practical organization. It is organized based on the artist's life and the chronology of healing, with sections called "One: Lived Experience", "Two: Trauma, Damage", "Three: Mending, Coping", "Four: Restoration".
• Visual Arts MFA Thesis, written by Angel Estrella at Clemson University This thesis has a more abstract organization, with sections called 'Seeing Feeling", "The Body Remembers", and "Inside-Out". The more practical information, like clay recipes, is includes as an appendix.

Process-Based Art

If your art is very focused on your process, you may want to find a way to put more focus on that in your thesis. You can have a section of your thesis about your process but for some people their work is very process-based so they speak to process throughout the thesis.

• Digital Production Arts MFA Thesis, written by Thomas Scott Rapp at Clemson University This thesis has a very practical organization, but it's focused on the preparation and process of creating. There is a section for background, one for influences, and one for production, and the results aren't discussed until the end. This puts the focus on the process and technique while still designating space to discuss the final product.
• The Pain that Love Produced Moton, Barrymore A. Illinois State University Check out the section "MEANING OF MATERIALS & RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORM AND PROCESS"
• My Culture Art in Healing Action Chavarria, Fabian. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Process is discussed thoroughly in specific sections like: PROCESS AND MEDIA, MIX MEDIA, SCULPTURE, & INK ON CANVAS
• Curating Memories; Art as a Collection of Loss and Nostalgia Feagin, Christle Dawn. Azusa Pacific University There are intrinsic relationships between artists, their collections, viewers, cultures, and nostalgic memories resulting from loss. This thesis probes these deep-rooted connections by examining how early traumatic experiences inform not only the objects an artist collects and uses in their art, but also how viewers and culture perceive these creations.

Mind mapping is a great way to organize your thoughts visually.  There are digital tools you can use ( check out this list of 5 ) but it's usually more effective to create one on paper by hand.  They can be used for:

Studying:   Map a textbook chapter or lecture notes to better understand, remember, and make connections

Writing Papers : Map out your thoughts to generate a topic or thesis question, outline your supporting research, and find connections to help you with transitions

Presentations : Present information visually, so that the audience can see how your ideas are organized and connected

See mind mapping in action:

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• Formatting Your Dissertation
• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

• Application for Degree
• Credit for Completed Graduate Work
• Ad Hoc Degree Programs
• Acknowledging the Work of Others
• Advanced Planning
• Dissertation Advisory Committee
• Dissertation Submission Checklist
• Publishing Options
• Submitting Your Dissertation
• English Language Proficiency
• PhD Program Requirements
• Secondary Fields
• Year of Graduate Study (G-Year)
• Master's Degrees
• Grade and Examination Requirements
• Conduct and Safety
• Financial Aid
• Non-Resident Students
• Registration

On this page:

Language of the Dissertation

Page and text requirements, body of text, tables, figures, and captions, dissertation acceptance certificate, copyright statement.

• Table of Contents

Front and Back Matter

Supplemental material, dissertations comprising previously published works, top ten formatting errors, further questions.

• Related Contacts and Forms

When preparing the dissertation for submission, students must follow strict formatting requirements. Any deviation from these requirements may lead to rejection of the dissertation and delay in the conferral of the degree.

The language of the dissertation is ordinarily English, although some departments whose subject matter involves foreign languages may accept a dissertation written in a language other than English.

Most dissertations are 100 to 300 pages in length. All dissertations should be divided into appropriate sections, and long dissertations may need chapters, main divisions, and subdivisions.

• 8½ x 11 inches, unless a musical score is included
• At least 1 inch for all margins
• Body of text: double spacing
• Block quotations, footnotes, and bibliographies: single spacing within each entry but double spacing between each entry
• Table of contents, list of tables, list of figures or illustrations, and lengthy tables: single spacing may be used

Fonts and Point Size

Use 10-12 point size. Fonts must be embedded in the PDF file to ensure all characters display correctly. 

Recommended Fonts

If you are unsure whether your chosen font will display correctly, use one of the following fonts: 

If fonts are not embedded, non-English characters may not appear as intended. Fonts embedded improperly will be published to DASH as-is. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that fonts are embedded properly prior to submission. 

Instructions for Embedding Fonts

To embed your fonts in recent versions of Word, follow these instructions from Microsoft:

• Click the File tab and then click Options .
• In the left column, select the Save tab.
• Clear the Do not embed common system fonts check box.

For reference, below are some instructions from ProQuest UMI for embedding fonts in older file formats:

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2010:

• In the File pull-down menu click on Options .
• Choose Save on the left sidebar.
• Check the box next to Embed fonts in the file.
• Click the OK button.
• Save the document.

Note that when saving as a PDF, make sure to go to “more options” and save as “PDF/A compliant”

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2007:

• Click the circular Office button in the upper left corner of Microsoft Word.
• A new window will display. In the bottom right corner select Word Options . 
• Choose Save from the left sidebar.

Using Microsoft Word on a Mac:

Microsoft Word 2008 on a Mac OS X computer will automatically embed your fonts while converting your document to a PDF file.

If you are converting to PDF using Acrobat Professional (instructions courtesy of the Graduate Thesis Office at Iowa State University):  

• Open your document in Microsoft Word. 
• Click on the Adobe PDF tab at the top. Select "Change Conversion Settings." 
• Click on Advanced Settings. 
• Click on the Fonts folder on the left side of the new window. In the lower box on the right, delete any fonts that appear in the "Never Embed" box. Then click "OK." 
• If prompted to save these new settings, save them as "Embed all fonts." 
• Now the Change Conversion Settings window should show "embed all fonts" in the Conversion Settings drop-down list and it should be selected. Click "OK" again. 
• Click on the Adobe PDF link at the top again. This time select Convert to Adobe PDF. Depending on the size of your document and the speed of your computer, this process can take 1-15 minutes. 
• After your document is converted, select the "File" tab at the top of the page. Then select "Document Properties." 
• Click on the "Fonts" tab. Carefully check all of your fonts. They should all show "(Embedded Subset)" after the font name. 
•  If you see "(Embedded Subset)" after all fonts, you have succeeded.

The font used in the body of the text must also be used in headers, page numbers, and footnotes. Exceptions are made only for tables and figures created with different software and inserted into the document.

Tables and figures must be placed as close as possible to their first mention in the text. They may be placed on a page with no text above or below, or they may be placed directly into the text. If a table or a figure is alone on a page (with no narrative), it should be centered within the margins on the page. Tables may take up more than one page as long as they obey all rules about margins. Tables and figures referred to in the text may not be placed at the end of the chapter or at the end of the dissertation.

• Given the standards of the discipline, dissertations in the Department of History of Art and Architecture and the Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning often place illustrations at the end of the dissertation.

Figure and table numbering must be continuous throughout the dissertation or by chapter (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, etc.). Two figures or tables cannot be designated with the same number. If you have repeating images that you need to cite more than once, label them with their number and A, B, etc. 

Headings should be placed at the top of tables. While no specific rules for the format of table headings and figure captions are required, a consistent format must be used throughout the dissertation (contact your department for style manuals appropriate to the field).

Captions should appear at the bottom of any figures. If the figure takes up the entire page, the caption should be placed alone on the preceding page, centered vertically and horizontally within the margins.

Each page receives a separate page number. When a figure or table title is on a preceding page, the second and subsequent pages of the figure or table should say, for example, “Figure 5 (Continued).” In such an instance, the list of figures or tables will list the page number containing the title. The word “figure” should be written in full (not abbreviated), and the “F” should be capitalized (e.g., Figure 5). In instances where the caption continues on a second page, the “(Continued)” notation should appear on the second and any subsequent page. The figure/table and the caption are viewed as one entity and the numbering should show correlation between all pages. Each page must include a header.

Landscape orientation figures and tables must be positioned correctly and bound at the top so that the top of the figure or table will be at the left margin. Figure and table headings/captions are placed with the same orientation as the figure or table when on the same page. When on a separate page, headings/captions are always placed in portrait orientation, regardless of the orientation of the figure or table. Page numbers are always placed as if the figure were vertical on the page.

If a graphic artist does the figures, Harvard Griffin GSAS will accept lettering done by the artist only within the figure. Figures done with software are acceptable if the figures are clear and legible. Legends and titles done by the same process as the figures will be accepted if they too are clear, legible, and run at least 10 or 12 characters per inch. Otherwise, legends and captions should be printed with the same font used in the text.

Original illustrations, photographs, and fine arts prints may be scanned and included, centered between the margins on a page with no text above or below.

Use of Third-Party Content

In addition to the student's own writing, dissertations often contain third-party content or in-copyright content owned by parties other than you, the student who authored the dissertation. The Office for Scholarly Communication recommends consulting the information below about fair use, which allows individuals to use in-copyright content, on a limited basis and for specific purposes, without seeking permission from copyright holders.

Because your dissertation will be made available for online distribution through DASH , Harvard's open-access repository, it is important that any third-party content in it may be made available in this way.

Fair Use and Copyright 

What is fair use?

Fair use is a provision in copyright law that allows the use of a certain amount of copyrighted material without seeking permission. Fair use is format- and media-agnostic. This means fair use may apply to images (including photographs, illustrations, and paintings), quoting at length from literature, videos, and music regardless of the format. 

How do I determine whether my use of an image or other third-party content in my dissertation is fair use?  

There are four factors you will need to consider when making a fair use claim.

1) For what purpose is your work going to be used?

• Nonprofit, educational, scholarly, or research use favors fair use. Commercial, non-educational uses, often do not favor fair use.
• A transformative use (repurposing or recontextualizing the in-copyright material) favors fair use. Examining, analyzing, and explicating the material in a meaningful way, so as to enhance a reader's understanding, strengthens your fair use argument. In other words, can you make the point in the thesis without using, for instance, an in-copyright image? Is that image necessary to your dissertation? If not, perhaps, for copyright reasons, you should not include the image.  

2) What is the nature of the work to be used?

• Published, fact-based content favors fair use and includes scholarly analysis in published academic venues. 
• Creative works, including artistic images, are afforded more protection under copyright, and depending on your use in light of the other factors, may be less likely to favor fair use; however, this does not preclude considerations of fair use for creative content altogether.

3) How much of the work is going to be used?  

• Small, or less significant, amounts favor fair use. A good rule of thumb is to use only as much of the in-copyright content as necessary to serve your purpose. Can you use a thumbnail rather than a full-resolution image? Can you use a black-and-white photo instead of color? Can you quote select passages instead of including several pages of the content? These simple changes bolster your fair use of the material.

4) What potential effect on the market for that work may your use have?

• If there is a market for licensing this exact use or type of educational material, then this weighs against fair use. If however, there would likely be no effect on the potential commercial market, or if it is not possible to obtain permission to use the work, then this favors fair use. 

For further assistance with fair use, consult the Office for Scholarly Communication's guide, Fair Use: Made for the Harvard Community and the Office of the General Counsel's Copyright and Fair Use: A Guide for the Harvard Community .

What are my options if I don’t have a strong fair use claim? 

Consider the following options if you find you cannot reasonably make a fair use claim for the content you wish to incorporate:

• Seek permission from the copyright holder. 
• Use openly licensed content as an alternative to the original third-party content you intended to use. Openly-licensed content grants permission up-front for reuse of in-copyright content, provided your use meets the terms of the open license.
• Use content in the public domain, as this content is not in-copyright and is therefore free of all copyright restrictions. Whereas third-party content is owned by parties other than you, no one owns content in the public domain; everyone, therefore, has the right to use it.

For use of images in your dissertation, please consult this guide to Finding Public Domain & Creative Commons Media , which is a great resource for finding images without copyright restrictions. 

Who can help me with questions about copyright and fair use?

Contact your Copyright First Responder . Please note, Copyright First Responders assist with questions concerning copyright and fair use, but do not assist with the process of obtaining permission from copyright holders.

Pages should be assigned a number except for the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate . Preliminary pages (abstract, table of contents, list of tables, graphs, illustrations, and preface) should use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages must contain text or images.  

Count the title page as page i and the copyright page as page ii, but do not print page numbers on either page .

For the body of text, use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) starting with page 1 on the first page of text. Page numbers must be centered throughout the manuscript at the top or bottom. Every numbered page must be consecutively ordered, including tables, graphs, illustrations, and bibliography/index (if included); letter suffixes (such as 10a, 10b, etc.) are not allowed. It is customary not to have a page number on the page containing a chapter heading.

• Check pagination carefully. Account for all pages.

A copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) should appear as the first page. This page should not be counted or numbered. The DAC will appear in the online version of the published dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same. 

The dissertation begins with the title page; the title should be as concise as possible and should provide an accurate description of the dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same. 

• Do not print a page number on the title page. It is understood to be page  i  for counting purposes only.

A copyright notice should appear on a separate page immediately following the title page and include the copyright symbol ©, the year of first publication of the work, and the name of the author:

© [ year ] [ Author’s Name ] All rights reserved.

Alternatively, students may choose to license their work openly under a  Creative Commons  license. The author remains the copyright holder while at the same time granting up-front permission to others to read, share, and (depending on the license) adapt the work, so long as proper attribution is given. (By default, under copyright law, the author reserves all rights; under a Creative Commons license, the author reserves some rights.)

• Do  not  print a page number on the copyright page. It is understood to be page  ii  for counting purposes only.

An abstract, numbered as page  iii , should immediately follow the copyright page and should state the problem, describe the methods and procedures used, and give the main results or conclusions of the research. The abstract will appear in the online and bound versions of the dissertation and will be published by ProQuest. There is no maximum word count for the abstract. 

• double-spaced
• left-justified
• indented on the first line of each paragraph
• The author’s name, right justified
• The words “Dissertation Advisor:” followed by the advisor’s name, left-justified (a maximum of two advisors is allowed)
• Title of the dissertation, centered, several lines below author and advisor

Dissertations divided into sections must contain a table of contents that lists, at minimum, the major headings in the following order:

• Front Matter
• Body of Text
• Back Matter

Front matter includes (if applicable):

• acknowledgements of help or encouragement from individuals or institutions
• a dedication
• a list of illustrations or tables
• a glossary of terms
• one or more epigraphs.

Back matter includes (if applicable):

• bibliography
• supplemental materials, including figures and tables
• an index (in rare instances).

Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the end of the dissertation in an appendix, not within or at the end of a chapter. If additional digital information (including audio, video, image, or datasets) will accompany the main body of the dissertation, it should be uploaded as a supplemental file through ProQuest ETD . Supplemental material will be available in DASH and ProQuest and preserved digitally in the Harvard University Archives.

As a matter of copyright, dissertations comprising the student's previously published works must be authorized for distribution from DASH. The guidelines in this section pertain to any previously published material that requires permission from publishers or other rightsholders before it may be distributed from DASH. Please note:

• Authors whose publishing agreements grant the publisher exclusive rights to display, distribute, and create derivative works will need to seek the publisher's permission for nonexclusive use of the underlying works before the dissertation may be distributed from DASH.
• Authors whose publishing agreements indicate the authors have retained the relevant nonexclusive rights to the original materials for display, distribution, and the creation of derivative works may distribute the dissertation as a whole from DASH without need for further permissions.

It is recommended that authors consult their publishing agreements directly to determine whether and to what extent they may have transferred exclusive rights under copyright. The Office for Scholarly Communication (OSC) is available to help the author determine whether she has retained the necessary rights or requires permission. Please note, however, the Office of Scholarly Communication is not able to assist with the permissions process itself.

• Missing Dissertation Acceptance Certificate.  The first page of the PDF dissertation file should be a scanned copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC). This page should not be counted or numbered as a part of the dissertation pagination.
• Conflicts Between the DAC and the Title Page.  The DAC and the dissertation title page must match exactly, meaning that the author name and the title on the title page must match that on the DAC. If you use your full middle name or just an initial on one document, it must be the same on the other document.  
• Abstract Formatting Errors. The advisor name should be left-justified, and the author's name should be right-justified. Up to two advisor names are allowed. The Abstract should be double spaced and include the page title “Abstract,” as well as the page number “iii.” There is no maximum word count for the abstract. 
•  The front matter should be numbered using Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, …). The title page and the copyright page should be counted but not numbered. The first printed page number should appear on the Abstract page (iii). 
• The body of the dissertation should be numbered using Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, …). The first page of the body of the text should begin with page 1. Pagination may not continue from the front matter. 
• All page numbers should be centered either at the top or the bottom of the page.
• Figures and tables Figures and tables must be placed within the text, as close to their first mention as possible. Figures and tables that span more than one page must be labeled on each page. Any second and subsequent page of the figure/table must include the “(Continued)” notation. This applies to figure captions as well as images. Each page of a figure/table must be accounted for and appropriately labeled. All figures/tables must have a unique number. They may not repeat within the dissertation.
• Any figures/tables placed in a horizontal orientation must be placed with the top of the figure/ table on the left-hand side. The top of the figure/table should be aligned with the spine of the dissertation when it is bound. 
• Page numbers must be placed in the same location on all pages of the dissertation, centered, at the bottom or top of the page. Page numbers may not appear under the table/ figure.
• Supplemental Figures and Tables. Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the back of the dissertation in an appendix. They should not be placed at the back of the chapter. 
• Permission Letters Copyright. permission letters must be uploaded as a supplemental file, titled ‘do_not_publish_permission_letters,” within the dissertation submission tool.
•  DAC Attachment. The signed Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must additionally be uploaded as a document in the "Administrative Documents" section when submitting in Proquest ETD . Dissertation submission is not complete until all documents have been received and accepted.
• Overall Formatting. The entire document should be checked after all revisions, and before submitting online, to spot any inconsistencies or PDF conversion glitches.
• You can view dissertations successfully published from your department in DASH . This is a great place to check for specific formatting and area-specific conventions.
• Contact the  Office of Student Affairs  with further questions.

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Dissertation,   the dissertation.

After the successful completion of the general examination, a topic and adviser for the dissertation should be chosen. Students should discuss potential topics with several faculty members before beginning. The final prospectus should be approved not later than 3 months (within the academic calendar -- September through May) of passing the general examinations in order to be considered to be making satisfactory progress toward the degree. This is the time when the Thesis Reader and Dissertation Proposal form should be completed and submitted to the department office or DGS. Three signatures are now required on the thesis acceptance certificate. Two of the three signatories must be GSAS faculty. The primary adviser must be in the department of History of Art and Architecture; the secondary adviser need not be. In addition to the primary and secondary advisers the student may have one or more other readers. Two readers must be in the department.

Thesis Defense

The Department of History of Art and Architecture requires that all Ph.D. dissertations (of students entering in September 1997 and beyond) be defended. At the defense, the student has the opportunity to present and formally discuss the dissertation with respect to its sources, findings, interpretations, and conclusions, before a Defense Committee knowledgeable in the student's field of research. The Director of the thesis is a member of the Defense committee. A committee is permitted to convene in the absence of the thesis Director only in cases of emergency or other extreme circumstances. The Defense Committee may consist of up to five members, but no fewer than three. The suggested make-up of the members of the committee should be brought to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval. Two members of this committee should be from the Department of History of Art and Architecture. One member can be outside the Department (either from another Harvard department or outside the University). The Defense will be open to department members only (faculty and graduate students), but others may be invited at the discretion of the candidate. Travel for an outside committee member is not possible at this time; exceptions are made rarely.  We encourage the use of Skype or conference calling for those committee members outside of Cambridge and have accommodation for either.  A modest honorarium will be given for the reading of the thesis for one member of the jury outside the University. A minimum of one month prior to scheduling the defense, a final draft of the dissertation should be submitted to two readers (normally the primary and secondary advisors). Once the two readers have informed the director of graduate studies that the dissertation is “approved for defense,” the candidate may schedule the date, room, and time for the defense in consultation with the department and the appointed committee. This date should be no less than six weeks after the time the director of graduate studies has been informed that the dissertation was approved for defense. It should be noted that preliminary approval of the thesis for defense does not guarantee that the thesis will be passed. The defense normally lasts two hours. The candidate is asked to begin by summarizing the pertinent background and findings. The summary should be kept within 20 minutes. The Chair of the Defense Committee cannot be the main thesis advisor. The Chair is responsible for allotting time, normally allowing each member of the committee 20 to 30 minutes in which to make remarks on the thesis and elicit responses from the candidate. When each committee member has finished the questioning, the committee will convene in camera for the decision. The possible decisions are: Approved; Approved with Minor Changes; Approved Subject to Major Revision (within six months); Rejected. The majority vote determines the outcome. --Approved with minor changes: The dissertation is deemed acceptable subject to minor revisions. The dissertation is corrected by the candidate, taking into account the comments made by the committee. The revisions will be supervised by the primary adviser. Upon completion of the required revision, the candidate is recommended for the degree. --Approved subject to major revision within six months: The dissertation is deemed acceptable subject to major revisions. All revisions must be completed within six months from the date of the dissertation defense. Upon completion of the required revisions, the defense is considered to be successful. The revisions will be supervised by the primary adviser. --Rejected: The dissertation is deemed unacceptable and the candidate is not recommended for the degree. A candidate may be re-examined only once upon recommendation of two readers. Rejection is expected to be very exceptional. A written assessment of the thesis defense will be given to the candidate and filed in the Department by the Chair of the Defense Committee. Candidates should keep in mind the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences deadlines for submission of the thesis and degree application when scheduling the defense.

Submitting the Dissertation

Students ordinarily devote three years to research and writing the dissertation, and complete it prior to seeking full-time employment. The dissertation will be judged according to the highest standards of scholarship, and should be an original contribution to knowledge and understanding of art. The final manuscript must conform to University requirements described in the Supplement The Form of the Doctoral Thesis distributed by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Graduate students should negotiate with their readers the timing of submission of drafts prior to final revisions. However, the complete manuscript of the dissertation must be submitted to the thesis readers not later than August 1 for a November degree, November 1 for a March degree, and April 1 for a May degree (this in order to provide both the committee with time to read and the candidate to revise, if necessary). The thesis readers may have other expectations regarding dates for submission which should be discussed and handled on an individual basis. The student is still responsible for distribution of the thesis to the committee for reading. In cases where a thesis defense is scheduled, the thesis must be submitted to the primary adviser at least one month prior to the defense. The thesis defense must be scheduled at least two weeks prior to the university deadline for thesis submission.

A written assessment by dissertation readers must be included with the final approval of each thesis including suggestions, as appropriate, on how the dissertation might be adapted for later publication.

The Dissertation is submitted online.   The Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (original) must be on Harvard watermark paper and is submitted directly to the registrar’s office once it is signed.

Degree Application and Deadlines

Commencement

• Your thesis: Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Town Planning

Format, bind and submit your thesis: Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Town Planning

This guidance explains the correct format for thesis and presentation submissions for students of Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Town Planning, including the practice-led PhD examinations.

This information is for research students submitting a thesis for assessment in Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Town Planning.

You may submit in A3 and/or double sided format without seeking specific permission to do so. 

You may either register to undertake research leading to a thesis submitted in accordance with the normal provisions, or you may register for studio-based research or other visual display. This must be original work which exemplifies and locates the ideas which are developed in conjunction with the written part of the thesis. However presented this must be accompanied by an adequate and approved form of retainable documentation.

Practice-led PhD Examination for Students in Fine Art

The practice-led PhD examination will include a presentation of practical work, the submission of a written report of 15,000 to 40,000 words accompanied by CD/DVD, or USB memory stick, of visual documentation of the practical work, and a viva voce examination. The written report can be hard-bound or soft-bound. Hard-bound theses must have the pages sown in (not punched) and soft-bound theses should have the pages glued in. Theses submitted in any other form of binding, including ring binding, will not be accepted.

For the final viva examination, you will normally be required to present your research thesis at UCL. This may take the form of an installation, exhibition, performance or other form approved by the supervisors. A discussion of both the presentation and written report will form the basis of the PhD viva. The permanent record of the thesis, which may include an archival box of visual material, should be available at the viva.

After the PhD award you are required to submit your work for permanent storage in the Library. The thesis may consist of a written report plus CD/DVD bound into the cover. When submitting practical work, the permanent record of the thesis may also take the form of an archival box. 

The archival box must:

• fit within either a standard large library crate (H29 x 32 x 50 cm) or the special large carrying cases (86 x 64 x 6 cm)
• fit onto shelving (H64 x D54 cm)
• weigh no more than 10kg
• include the written report
• include the visual material

The box can be made from any archival material or decorated in any way, but the exterior must be robust enough to cope with transit.

The box may contain the written report plus, for example, video and photographic records, musical scores, audio works, publications, diagrams and drawings and other elements approved by your supervisors. 

The box should contain a list of contents securely fastened to its cover. It need not conform to UCL’s standard thesis colouring (blue with gold lettering) but must provide your name, year and degree level clearly on the outside.

All elements in the box must be scanned and made available for the library e-thesis facility and comply with copyright legislation.

Find out more about the e-thesis facility 

Related content

• Research degrees: examination entry
• Format, bind and submit your thesis: general guidance
• Viva examinations: guidance

Dissertation Writing: Home

Check your Library Account

Dissertation writing.

• Illustrations

What is a dissertation? An extended essay exploring a specified research question or area of practice in depth. Although the word count can vary it is usually longer than most essays, between 5000 - 10000 words.

Your dissertation should demonstrate your ability to:

• Study independently;
• Plan and undertake an in-depth piece of research;
• Select and evaluate information;
• Develop a reasoned argument based on examples and evidence;
• Communicate your ideas and findings effectively.

Dissertation Webinars For further help see -  Library & Learning Webinars and Events  (see Recorded Webinars tab and Dissertations).

Developing your research Consider your overarching hypothesis and the argument you are going to construct. Be aware that these may change as your research deepens. Use tutor and peer feedback to develop your research.

Begin writing before you have completed your research, because the process of writing will help you clarify your ideas and inform your research.

Research methods To some extent, the topic you choose to investigate will be shaped by existing studies on related topics, so it is important to explore existing literature.

Once you have some awareness of what has already been written about, you need to select the texts, ideas and methods that are most relevant to your particular enquiry.

You may want to research people’s responses to a recent phenomenon, and there may not be very much written about your specific topic: in which case look at the ways that other people have investigated public opinion, find out more about primary research methods (e.g. writing and delivering surveys, interviews, carrying out focus groups and observations etc.)

However, many art subjects are continuations or variations of existing practices and disciplines, and a lot of research is based on evaluating existing texts, which is known as secondary research (e.g. texts written by another researcher).

See also: Finding Resources

See 'The Introduction' under the 'Writing' tab at: Essay Writing .

For longer pieces of writing, chapters serve to break up sections that have different, but related topics. Traditionally, dissertations included a literature review as the first chapter (after the introduction), and a methodology, but check your course requirements.

Chapters can be arranged into key themes, case studies, or they can follow the development of something, chronologically. How you organise them will depend on your topic, and what you want to emphasize. It is helpful for your reader if you explain how you have arranged your chapters in the introduction, so that they know what to expect.

See: Literature Reviews

A methodology is a theoretically-informed approach to the production of knowledge. It usually refers to a chapter or section of a chapter that explains how you went about finding and verifying information, and why you used the methods and processes that you decided to use.

Since research is about finding out more about a subject, methodologies are designed to aid the process, so a good starting point is deciding what you want to find out.

• Your research question (aim)
• What smaller questions (objectives) you think you may need to explore in order to answer your main research question (aim)
• What practical experiments/primary research/secondary research activities you think you will need to undertake to answer these questions (objectives)

You might want to write a list of what you are going to do. However, a methodology is more than simply the methods you intend to use to collect data. You need to include a consideration of the concepts and theories which underlie your chosen methods, and to state how you have addressed the research questions and/or hypotheses.

Every stage should be explained and justified with clear reasons for the choice of your particular methods and materials. Ideally, the methods should be described in enough detail for the study to be replicated, or at least repeated in a similar way in another situation. If your research is mainly secondary, then much of this will be covered in the literature review and you may choose to combine the two (a critical review).

Methods vary both within and between disciplines: talk to your supervisors and evaluate methodologies written by other researchers in your field.

Research Methods Research methods are frequently divided into two categories: primary and secondary research.

• Primary research includes interviews, surveys, observations and questionnaires – research where the student gathers first hand evidence.
• Secondary research is found in sources such as academic books and journals and is the usual route for the contextual and theory-based dissertation. Secondary research should be done before primary research is carried out, as this will inform the research design.

However, when you Google or search online for a guide to writing a methodology, you are commonly given a scientific methodology structure which emphasises the experiment and results. In an arts and humanities based subject, a methodology is not a systematic description of how you arrived at your conclusion or result. Rather, it could take a critical approach that is grounded in theory (perhaps social theory such as Marxism, Feminism, or Post-humanism, for example), and the use of literature to support this which may be applied to case studies or examples.

The choice of research methods depends on what you want to find out: the data or findings you need to support your discussion of your chosen research subject.

Research Findings Research findings, that is the information related to the topic you are investigating, falls roughly into two categories - quantitative (numbers and statistics) and qualitative (words, images, objects and meanings).

• Quantitative methods might include experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed-ended or multiple-choice questions. The findings are usually presented in tables, charts or percentages.
• Qualitative methods might include interviews with open-ended questions, observations described in words, and literature reviews that explore concepts, narratives and theories and is open to interpretation.
• It is important not to consider them to be mutually exclusive: for example, the process of designing an effective survey or questionnaire to gather quantitative data will probably include some qualitative research into different approaches and formats of questionnaires, and this will need to be underpinned by your own evaluation of what would be most effective.

Structure Have a short introduction which tells your reader the overall aim of the research. what methods and procedures have been used, with a rationale to explain how the approach is appropriate to the research questions and aim.

Establish links between the question and the method, e.g. if the question revolves around a feminist debate on the representation of women in advertising, then a survey of people's opinions on this would not be as valuable as academic texts that engage with these current debates at a theoretical level.

Describe the specific methods of data collection.

Establish your analytic framework (theoretical perspective) and interpretation of your findings.

Your conclusion should bring together the main themes, findings and overall point of your essay. In order to do this, it is a good idea to refer to both the assignment question and your introduction, so that your conclusion is consistent with them. For example, if you have looked at an argument weighing up the pros and cons of something, you should summarise why you lean towards one opinion above others, or explain why a variety of approaches are valid for different reasons. It is not necessary to state a definitive answer to your question, but you should bring together the key elements that you have investigated, so as to justify your stance.

See also 'The Conclusion' under the 'Writing' tab at Essay Writing .

Academic style Being able to express your ideas in formal English is a requirement for many written course assignments: it is also a valuable transferrable skill in terms of employability. Academic writing demonstrates your ability to present your ideas convincingly, with clarity accuracy and authority. Some good examples of academic phrases are available on the Manchester Academic Phrasebank .

General guidelines for academic style include:

• Use signposting words to introduce and link your ideas, and help your reader follow your ideas. For example, rather than ‘Picasso experimented with cubism’ use ‘Picasso’s experiments with cubism were significant because…’
• Use objective language (the third person, rather than the first): e.g. rather than 'I believe that it is difficult to say how much an artwork is worth…’ use 'It is often difficult to estimate the value of an artwork, for example...’
• Use accurate language and subject-specific terminology, e.g. Rather than stating ‘Media stereotypes women' be specific: ‘The film Showgirls (1995) has been criticised for representing the female characters as stereotypical and highly sexualised.’ or ‘in the 1960s’ rather than ‘In the old days…’ (try to avoid assumptions and generalisations: e.g. everyone uses facebook, everybody knows…)
• Avoid contractions: e.g. use ‘do not’, rather than ‘don’t’, or ‘cannot’ rather than ‘can’t’ (this affects word count as well)

None of these guidelines are always applicable – there may be times when it is appropriate to use first person (I) to refer to personal experiences and opinions, and there may be times when you want to assert strong opinions. As with any piece of writing it will depend on what you want to communicate. However, essays are usually assessed on the knowledge demonstrated by the writer and using accurate terminology and statements rather than questions present a more convincing argument than phrases used in spoken English, such as ‘I feel…’ or ‘in my opinion…’.

Using evidence Providing evidence to demonstrate that you have researched your topic, and are aware of other studies and opinions about it, is a distinctive feature of academic writing. You should refer to the ideas and findings of others to support your argument, but the main voice should be your own.

Do not use a quotation unless you make it clear to your reader why you are using it and how it relates to the overall discussion. By interpreting other people's work you can indicate the significance of their ideas to your own argument. By commenting on or evaluating the work of others you demonstrate your own understanding of the topic you are investigating and indicate how you position yourself in relation to existing scholarship.

Evidence could be a direct or paraphrased citation from a variety of different sources to support your argument. Academic writing should contain citations, but they should not constitute more than 25% of your word count.

For information about how to evidence and refence your work correctly, see Harvard Referencing .

Citations are used in the body of your writing to indicate when you have referred to someone else’s writing, work or ideas. Your citations provide some basic information about the sources you used, and link to your bibliography, which provides more detailed information about your sources and how you accessed them.;

• the author's surname
• the year of publication
• the page number (where applicable)

So, a UCA Harvard citation from a book or journal article would be formatted like this:  (Butler, 2006:8)

Direct citations need to include speech marks , for example:

"whatever biological intractability sex appears to have, gender is culturally constructed" (Butler, 2006:8)

To integrate quotations within your paragraphs, you may want to introduce the author before quoting them, for example:

The architect Daniel Libeskind (1997:153) argues that “in representing the making of architecture as an autonomous activity (having more affinity to technique than science) this thinking intentionally narrows itself to a process of date collecting operations.

Indirect citations are paraphrased in your own words, and can be used to summarise and integrate others' ideas into your writing. Paraphrasing is more complex than changing the occasional word, you must convey the author’s original meaning.

For example, here is a direct quotation:  “Of course, if women could subvert so-called masculine traits by adapting and adopting masculine fashions, then it was also possible for men to procure feminine styles for themslves, and, as the century progressed, the cries of ‘gender confusion’ by media and academic commentators became increasingly loud” (Arnold, 2001:101)

This direct quotation could be paraphrased like this:  Increasing discourse surrounding gender emerged as the traditional distinctions between male and female fashion became blurred (Arnold, 2001:101).

Or, like this: Traditional notions of gender were challenged by women wearing fashions usually intended for men and men wearing fashions usually intended for women (Arnold, 2001:101).

Note: As shown in the examples above, Indirect citations do NOT need to include speech marks.

For more information of formatting citations, see Harvard Referencing .

Using illustrations Illustrations are another form of evidence, and should be used as support for:

• Comparison;
• Deconstruction;
• Interpretation;
• Extrapolation.

Each image should have its own figure number and the numbers are allocated by order of appearance. The first image in your written work will be Figure 1, the second will be Figure 2, followed by Figure 3, Figure 4 and so on. If the image you are using is a named work of art, you should include the name of the artist, the tile, the year of production (in round brackets), the medium [in square brackets] and its dimensions in the caption. For an example, see below.

If your image does not have a name, your caption should simply describe what the image is. The caption, like all titles in the Harvard refencing system, must be in italics.  The year of publication, medium [in square brackets] and year (in round brackets).

For more information on formatting images, captions and your list of illustrations in Word documents see Microsoft Help on Inserting Pictures and Harvard Referencing .

Formatting your work Check the criteria for layout and contents recommended by your course. This may be in the handbook or the dissertation briefing documents.

General presentation: Dissertations should be word-processed and their overall presentation and layout should be reader-friendly.

• Number your pages;
• Set it out on A4 paper;
• Use 1.5 or double-line spacing;
• Use a readable font (e.g. Times New Roman or Arial);
• Use at least a 12 point font.
• The front cover/title page;
• The full title;
• Your full name;
• The qualification/course you are studying;
• The name of the Institution (UCA);
• Year of submission;
• Name of your tutor/assessor;
• Word count.
• The introduction;
• Titles of chapters;
• The conclusion;
• List of illustrations;
• Bibliography;
• Appendices.

LibrarySearch

• Last Updated: Apr 17, 2024 11:36 AM
• URL: https://mylibrary.uca.ac.uk/dissertationwriting

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

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How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Art History Research at Yale: Dissertations & Theses

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A thesis is typically the culminating project for a master's degree, while a dissertation completes a doctoral degree and represents a scholar's main area of expertise. However, some undergraduate students write theses that are published online, so it is important to note which degree requirements the thesis meets. While these are not published works like peer-reviewed journal articles, they are typically subjected to a rigorous committee review process before they are considered complete. Additionally, they often provide a large number of citations that can point you to relevant sources. 

Find Dissertations & Theses at Yale

Dissertations & Theses @ Yale University A searchable databases with dissertations and theses in all disciplines written by students at Yale from 1861 to the present.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Graphic Design​ Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 600 individual theses from 1951 to the present. The theses are most often in book format, though some have more experimental formats. Individual records for the theses are also available in the library catalog.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Photography Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 300 individual Master of Fine Arts theses from 1971 to the present. The theses are most often in the format of a portfolio of photographic prints, though some theses are also in book form. Individual records for the MFA theses are also available in the library catalog.

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How to Structure a Dissertation – A Step by Step Guide

Published by Owen Ingram at August 11th, 2021 , Revised On September 20, 2023

A dissertation – sometimes called a thesis –  is a long piece of information backed up by extensive research. This one, huge piece of research is what matters the most when students – undergraduates and postgraduates – are in their final year of study.

On the other hand, some institutions, especially in the case of undergraduate students, may or may not require students to write a dissertation. Courses are offered instead. This generally depends on the requirements of that particular institution.

If you are unsure about how to structure your dissertation or thesis, this article will offer you some guidelines to work out what the most important segments of a dissertation paper are and how you should organise them. Why is structure so important in research, anyway?

One way to answer that, as Abbie Hoffman aptly put it, is because: “Structure is more important than content in the transmission of information.”

Also Read:   How to write a dissertation – step by step guide .

How to Structure a Dissertation or Thesis

It should be noted that the exact structure of your dissertation will depend on several factors, such as:

• Your research approach (qualitative/quantitative)
• The nature of your research design (exploratory/descriptive etc.)
• The requirements set for forth by your academic institution.
• The discipline or field your study belongs to. For instance, if you are a humanities student, you will need to develop your dissertation on the same pattern as any long essay .

This will include developing an overall argument to support the thesis statement and organizing chapters around theories or questions. The dissertation will be structured such that it starts with an introduction , develops on the main idea in its main body paragraphs and is then summarised in conclusion .

However, if you are basing your dissertation on primary or empirical research, you will be required to include each of the below components. In most cases of dissertation writing, each of these elements will have to be written as a separate chapter.

But depending on the word count you are provided with and academic subject, you may choose to combine some of these elements.

For example, sciences and engineering students often present results and discussions together in one chapter rather than two different chapters.

If you have any doubts about structuring your dissertation or thesis, it would be a good idea to consult with your academic supervisor and check your department’s requirements.

Parts of  a Dissertation or Thesis

Your dissertation will  start with a t itle page that will contain details of the author/researcher, research topic, degree program (the paper is to be submitted for), and research supervisor. In other words, a title page is the opening page containing all the names and title related to your research.

The name of your university, logo, student ID and submission date can also be presented on the title page. Many academic programs have stringent rules for formatting the dissertation title page.

Acknowledgements

The acknowledgments section allows you to thank those who helped you with your dissertation project. You might want to mention the names of your academic supervisor, family members, friends, God, and participants of your study whose contribution and support enabled you to complete your work.

However, the acknowledgments section is usually optional.

Tip: Many students wrongly assume that they need to thank everyone…even those who had little to no contributions towards the dissertation. This is not the case. You only need to thank those who were directly involved in the research process, such as your participants/volunteers, supervisor(s) etc.

Perhaps the smallest yet important part of a thesis, an abstract contains 5 parts:

• A brief introduction of your research topic.
• The significance of your research.
•  A line or two about the methodology that was used.
• The results and what they mean (briefly); their interpretation(s).
• And lastly, a conclusive comment regarding the results’ interpretation(s) as conclusion .

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Tip: Make sure to highlight key points to help readers figure out the scope and findings of your research study without having to read the entire dissertation. The abstract is your first chance to impress your readers. So, make sure to get it right. Here are detailed guidelines on how to write abstract for dissertation .

Table of Contents

Table of contents is the section of a dissertation that guides each section of the dissertation paper’s contents. Depending on the level of detail in a table of contents, the most useful headings are listed to provide the reader the page number on which said information may be found at.

Table of contents can be inserted automatically as well as manually using the Microsoft Word Table of Contents feature.

List of Figures and Tables

If your dissertation paper uses several illustrations, tables and figures, you might want to present them in a numbered list in a separate section . Again, this list of tables and figures can be auto-created and auto inserted using the Microsoft Word built-in feature.

List of Abbreviations

Dissertations that include several abbreviations can also have an independent and separate alphabetised  list of abbreviations so readers can easily figure out their meanings.

If you think you have used terms and phrases in your dissertation that readers might not be familiar with, you can create a  glossary  that lists important phrases and terms with their meanings explained.

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Introduction

Introduction chapter  briefly introduces the purpose and relevance of your research topic.

Here, you will be expected to list the aim and key objectives of your research so your readers can easily understand what the following chapters of the dissertation will cover. A good dissertation introduction section incorporates the following information:

• It provides background information to give context to your research.
• It clearly specifies the research problem you wish to address with your research. When creating research questions , it is important to make sure your research’s focus and scope are neither too broad nor too narrow.
• it demonstrates how your research is relevant and how it would contribute to the existing knowledge.
• It provides an overview of the structure of your dissertation. The last section of an introduction contains an outline of the following chapters. It could start off with something like: “In the following chapter, past literature has been reviewed and critiqued. The proceeding section lays down major research findings…”
• Theoretical framework – under a separate sub-heading – is also provided within the introductory chapter. Theoretical framework deals with the basic, underlying theory or theories that the research revolves around.

All the information presented under this section should be relevant, clear, and engaging. The readers should be able to figure out the what, why, when, and how of your study once they have read the introduction. Here are comprehensive guidelines on how to structure the introduction to the dissertation .

“Overwhelmed by tight deadlines and tons of assignments to write? There is no need to panic! Our expert academics can help you with every aspect of your dissertation – from topic creation and research problem identification to choosing the methodological approach and data analysis.”

Literature Review 

The  literature review chapter  presents previous research performed on the topic and improves your understanding of the existing literature on your chosen topic. This is usually organised to complement your  primary research  work completed at a later stage.

Make sure that your chosen academic sources are authentic and up-to-date. The literature review chapter must be comprehensive and address the aims and objectives as defined in the introduction chapter. Here is what your literature research chapter should aim to achieve:

• Data collection from authentic and relevant academic sources such as books, journal articles and research papers.
• Analytical assessment of the information collected from those sources; this would involve a critiquing the reviewed researches that is, what their strengths/weaknesses are, why the research method they employed is better than others, importance of their findings, etc.
• Identifying key research gaps, conflicts, patterns, and theories to get your point across to the reader effectively.

While your literature review should summarise previous literature, it is equally important to make sure that you develop a comprehensible argument or structure to justify your research topic. It would help if you considered keeping the following questions in mind when writing the literature review:

• How does your research work fill a certain gap in exiting literature?
• Did you adopt/adapt a new research approach to investigate the topic?
• Does your research solve an unresolved problem?
• Is your research dealing with some groundbreaking topic or theory that others might have overlooked?
• Is your research taking forward an existing theoretical discussion?
• Does your research strengthen and build on current knowledge within your area of study? This is otherwise known as ‘adding to the existing body of knowledge’ in academic circles.

Tip: You might want to establish relationships between variables/concepts to provide descriptive answers to some or all of your research questions. For instance, in case of quantitative research, you might hypothesise that variable A is positively co-related to variable B that is, one increases and so does the other one.

Research Methodology

The methods and techniques ( secondary and/or primar y) employed to collect research data are discussed in detail in the  Methodology chapter. The most commonly used primary data collection methods are:

• questionnaires
• focus groups
• observations

Essentially, the methodology chapter allows the researcher to explain how he/she achieved the findings, why they are reliable and how they helped him/her test the research hypotheses or address the research problem.

You might want to consider the following when writing methodology for the dissertation:

• Type of research and approach your work is based on. Some of the most widely used types of research include experimental, quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Data collection techniques that were employed such as questionnaires, surveys, focus groups, observations etc.
• Details of how, when, where, and what of the research that was conducted.
• Data analysis strategies employed (for instance, regression analysis).
• Software and tools used for data analysis (Excel, STATA, SPSS, lab equipment, etc.).
• Research limitations to highlight any hurdles you had to overcome when carrying our research. Limitations might or might not be mentioned within research methodology. Some institutions’ guidelines dictate they be mentioned under a separate section alongside recommendations.
• Justification of your selection of research approach and research methodology.

Here is a comprehensive article on  how to structure a dissertation methodology .

Research Findings

In this section, you present your research findings. The dissertation findings chapter  is built around the research questions, as outlined in the introduction chapter. Report findings that are directly relevant to your research questions.

Any information that is not directly relevant to research questions or hypotheses but could be useful for the readers can be placed under the  Appendices .

As indicated above, you can either develop a  standalone chapter  to present your findings or combine them with the discussion chapter. This choice depends on  the type of research involved and the academic subject, as well as what your institution’s academic guidelines dictate.

For example, it is common to have both findings and discussion grouped under the same section, particularly if the dissertation is based on qualitative research data.

On the other hand, dissertations that use quantitative or experimental data should present findings and analysis/discussion in two separate chapters. Here are some sample dissertations to help you figure out the best structure for your own project.

Sample Dissertation

Tip: Try to present as many charts, graphs, illustrations and tables in the findings chapter to improve your data presentation. Provide their qualitative interpretations alongside, too. Refrain from explaining the information that is already evident from figures and tables.

The findings are followed by the  Discussion chapter , which is considered the heart of any dissertation paper. The discussion section is an opportunity for you to tie the knots together to address the research questions and present arguments, models and key themes.

This chapter can make or break your research.

The discussion chapter does not require any new data or information because it is more about the interpretation(s) of the data you have already collected and presented. Here are some questions for you to think over when writing the discussion chapter:

• Did your work answer all the research questions or tested the hypothesis?
• Did you come up with some unexpected results for which you have to provide an additional explanation or justification?
• Are there any limitations that could have influenced your research findings?

Here is an article on how to  structure a dissertation discussion .

Conclusions corresponding to each research objective are provided in the  Conclusion section . This is usually done by revisiting the research questions to finally close the dissertation. Some institutions may specifically ask for recommendations to evaluate your critical thinking.

By the end, the readers should have a clear apprehension of your fundamental case with a focus on  what methods of research were employed  and what you achieved from this research.

Quick Question: Does the conclusion chapter reflect on the contributions your research work will make to existing knowledge?

Answer: Yes, the conclusion chapter of the research paper typically includes a reflection on the research’s contributions to existing knowledge.  In the “conclusion chapter”, you have to summarise the key findings and discuss how they add value to the existing literature on the current topic.

Reference list

All academic sources that you collected information from should be cited in-text and also presented in a  reference list (or a bibliography in case you include references that you read for the research but didn’t end up citing in the text), so the readers can easily locate the source of information when/if needed.

At most UK universities, Harvard referencing is the recommended style of referencing. It has strict and specific requirements on how to format a reference resource. Other common styles of referencing include MLA, APA, Footnotes, etc.

Each chapter of the dissertation should have relevant information. Any information that is not directly relevant to your research topic but your readers might be interested in (interview transcripts etc.) should be moved under the Appendices section .

Things like questionnaires, survey items or readings that were used in the study’s experiment are mostly included under appendices.

An Outline of Dissertation/Thesis Structure

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FAQs About Structure a Dissertation

What does the title page of a dissertation contain.

The title page will contain details of the author/researcher, research topic , degree program (the paper is to be submitted for) and research supervisor’s name(s). The name of your university, logo, student number and submission date can also be presented on the title page.

What is the purpose of adding acknowledgement?

The acknowledgements section allows you to thank those who helped you with your dissertation project. You might want to mention the names of your academic supervisor, family members, friends, God and participants of your study whose contribution and support enabled you to complete your work.

Can I omit the glossary from the dissertation?

Yes, but only if you think that your paper does not contain any terms or phrases that the reader might not understand. If you think you have used them in the paper,  you must create a glossary that lists important phrases and terms with their meanings explained.

What is the purpose of appendices in a dissertation?

Any information that is not directly relevant to research questions or hypotheses but could be useful for the readers can be placed under the Appendices, such as questionnaire that was used in the study.

Which referencing style should I use in my dissertation?

You can use any of the referencing styles such as APA, MLA, and Harvard, according to the recommendation of your university; however, almost all UK institutions prefer Harvard referencing style .

What is the difference between references and bibliography?

References contain all the works that you read up and used and therefore, cited within the text of your thesis. However, in case you read on some works and resources that you didn’t end up citing in-text, they will be referenced in what is called a bibliography.

Additional readings might also be present alongside each bibliography entry for readers.

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Wish that you had more time to write your dissertation paper? Here are some practical tips for you to learn “How to get dissertation deadline extension”.

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• Introduction

Art History Dissertation Methodology: 7 Things To Keep In Mind

The methodology section for an art history dissertation is shorter compared to counterparts in the sciences, but it’s still an integral part of the graduate project that requires your undivided attention. As it will likely be based on non-empirical information taken from literature that has already been published in the field, there are some really important things you need to keep in mind when writing it:

• Determine the appropriate methodology to employ

Art historians can use any of a number of methodologies to conduct their research study (e.g., chronological, logical, iconographical, critical analysis, etc.) so it’s important that you first identify the appropriate methodology and that you fully understand how you must frame your study within it.

• Make sure you address your advisor’s requests

If you are having any doubts about which methodology to use then you might benefit from brainstorming some ideas with your graduate advisor. Even though this is your personal academic study, it still must meet certain criteria. Discuss this to find out exactly what is expected from you by the committee.

• Provide a simple step by step explanation of approach

Don’t merely define the methodology you plan on using in your work; you should provide a step by step explanation of why you chose the approach as well as how you plan on going about conducting it. Remember to keep your personal opinions or findings out of this section. The content within should be straightforward.

• Don’t introduce complex approaches in methodologies

One of the things that trip students up is when they begin to introduce complex approaches in their methodologies. This can be both confusing to the reader and to you. The best approach is to think about the simplest method for finding something out and arriving to some definitive conclusion.

• Set your work aside for a few days before revising

The process of revision is very important in high academic writing. If you don’t give yourself plenty of time to revise you might not be taking full advantage of an exercise where the main purpose is to make your argument and presentation stronger. Start this with a clear mindset to reap all of its benefits.

• Thoroughly edit and Proofread the entire section

This piece of advice really does apply to every section and all types of written assignments. Edit for sentence and word clarity. Complex structures or multi-syllabic words can be confusing and much more difficult to understand. Also, make sure you have corrected all errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. A document that is filled with errors will be poorly received.

• Always have a fresh set of eyes critique the section

You should constantly remind yourself that you want to keep your work interesting and understandable. Even though it will be reviewed by experts in the field, your work should be written and structured so that a person outside the field could also enjoy.

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Home > Fine Arts and Communications > Visual Arts > Theses and Dissertations

Visual Arts Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2014 2014.

A Maoli-Based Art Education: Ku'u Mau Kuamo'o 'Ōlelo , Raquel Malia Andrus

Accumulation of Divine Service , Blaine Lee Atwood

Caroline Murat: Powerful Patron of Napoleonic France and Italy , Brittany Dahlin

.(In|Out)sider$ , Jarel M. Harwood

Mariko Mori's Sartorial Transcendence: Fashioned Identities, Denied Bodies, and Healing, 1993-2001 , Jacqueline Rose Hibner

Parallel and Allegory , Kody Keller

Fallen Womanhood and Modernity in Ivan Kramskoi's Unknown Woman (1883) , Trenton B. Olsen

Conscience and Context in Eastman Johnson's The Lord Is My Shepherd , Amanda Melanie Slater

The War That Does Not Leave Us: Memory of the American Civil War and the Photographs of Alexander Gardner , Katie Janae White

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Women and the Wiener Werkstätte: The Centrality of Women and the Applied Arts in Early Twentieth-Century Vienna , Caitlin J. Perkins Bahr

Cutting Into Relief , Matthew L. Bass

Mask, Mannequin, and the Modern Woman: Surrealism and the Fashion Photographs of George Hoyningen-Huene , Hillary Anne Carman

The End of All Learning , Maddison Carole Colvin

Civitas: A Game-Based Approach to AP Art History , Anna Davis

What Crawls Beneath , Brent L. Gneiting

Blame Me for Your Bad Grade: Autonomy in the Basic Digital Photography Classroom as a Means to Combat Poor Student Performance , Erin Collette Johnson

Evolving Art in Junior High , Randal Charles Marsh

All Animals Will Get Along in Heaven , Camila Nagata

It Will Always Be My Tree: An A/r/tographic Study of Place and Identity in an Elementary School Classroom , Molly Robertson Neves

Zofia Stryjeńska: Women in the Warsaw Town Square. Our Lady, Peasant Mother, Pagan Goddess , Katelyn McKenzie Sheffield

Using Contemporary Art to Guide Curriculum Design:A Contemporary Jewelry Workshop , Kathryn C. Smurthwaite

Documenting the Dissin's Guest House: Esther Bubley's Exploration of Jewish-American Identity, 1942-43 , Vriean Diether Taggart

Blooming Vines, Pregnant Mothers, Religious Jewelry: Gendered Rosary Devotion in Early Modern Europe , Rachel Anne Wise

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Rembrandt van Rijn's Jewish Bride : Depicting Female Power in the Dutch Republic Through the Notion of Nation Building , Nan T. Atwood

Portraits , Nicholas J. Bontorno

Where There Is Design , Elizabeth A. Crowe

George Dibble and the Struggle for Modern Art in Utah , Sarah Dibble

Mapping Creativity: An A/r/tographic Look at the Artistic Process of High School Students , Bart Andrus Francis

Joseph as Father in Guido Reni's St. Joseph Images , Alec Teresa Gardner

Student Autonomy: A Case Study of Intrinsic Motivation in the Art Classroom , Downi Griner

Aha'aina , Tali Alisa Hafoka

Fashionable Art , Lacey Kay

Effluvia and Aporia , Emily Ann Melander

Interactive Web Technology in the Art Classroom: Problems and Possibilities , Marie Lynne Aitken Oxborrow

Visual Storybooks: Connecting the Lives of Students to Core Knowledge , Keven Dell Proud

German Nationalism and the Allegorical Female in Karl Friedrich Schinkel's The Hall of Stars , Allison Slingting

The Influence of the Roman Atrium-House's Architecture and Use of Space in Engendering the Power and Independence of the Materfamilias , Anne Elizabeth Stott

The Narrative Inquiry Museum:An Exploration of the Relationship between Narrative and Art Museum Education , Angela Ames West

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

The Portable Art Gallery: Facilitating Student Autonomy and Ownership through Exhibiting Artwork , Jethro D. Gillespie

The Movement Of An Object Through A Field Creates A Complex Situation , Jared Scott Greenleaf

Alice Brill's Sao Paulo Photographs: A Cross-Cultural Reading , Danielle Jean Hurd

A Comparative Case Study: Investigation of a Certified Elementary Art Specialist Teaching Elementary Art vs. a Non-Art Certified Teacher Teaching Elementary Art , Jordan Jensen

A Core Knowledge Based Curriculum Designed to Help Seventh and Eighth Graders Maintain Artistic Confidence , Debbie Ann Labrum

Traces of Existence , Jayna Brown Quinn

Female Spectators in the July Monarchy and Henry Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d’Arc à Orléans , Kalisha Roberts

Without End , Amy M. Royer

Classroom Community: Questions of Apathy and Autonomy in a High School Jewelry Class , Samuel E. Steadman

Preparing Young Children to Respond to Art in the Museum , Nancy L. Stewart

DAY JAW BOO, a re-collection , Rachel VanWagoner

The Tornado Tree: Drawing on Stories and Storybooks , Toni A. Wood

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

IGolf: Contemporary Sculptures Exhibition 2009 , King Lun Kisslan Chan

24 Hour Portraits , Lee R. Cowan

Fabricating Womanhood , Emily Fox

Earth Forms , Janelle Marie Tullis Mock

Peregrinations , Sallie Clinton Poet

Leland F. Prince's Earth Divers , Leland Fred Prince

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Ascents and Descents: Personal Pilgrimage in Hieronymus Bosch's The Haywain , Alison Daines

Beyond the Walls: The Easter Processional on the Exterior Frescos of Moldavian Monastery Churches , Mollie Elizabeth McVey

Beauty, Ugliness, and Meaning: A Study of Difficult Beauty , Christine Anne Palmer

Lantern's Diary , Wei Zhong Tan

Text and Tapestry: "The Lady and the Unicorn," Christine de Pizan and the le Vistes , Shelley Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

A Call for Liberation: Aleijadinho's 'Prophets' as Capoeiristas , Monica Jayne Bowen

Secondhand Chinoiserie and the Confucian Revolutionary: Colonial America's Decorative Arts "After the Chinese Taste" , Kiersten Claire Davis

Dairy Culture: Industry, Nature and Liminality in the Eighteenth-Century English Ornamental Dairy , Ashlee Whitaker

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Navajo Baskets and the American Indian Voice: Searching for the Contemporary Native American in the Trading Post, the Natural History Museum, and the Fine Art Museum , Laura Paulsen Howe

And there were green tiles on the ceiling , Jean Catherine Richardson

Four Greco-Roman Era Temples of Near Eastern Fertility Goddesses: An Analysis of Architectural Tradition , K. Michelle Wimber

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The Portrait of Citizen Jean-Baptiste Belley, Ex-Representative of the Colonies by Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson: Hybridity, History Painting, and the Grand Tour , Megan Marie Collins

Fix , Kathryn Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Ideals and Realities , Pamela Bowman

Accountability for the Implementation of Secondary Visual Arts Standards in Utah and Queensland , John K. Derby

The Artistic and Architectural Patronage of Countess Urraca of Santa María de Cañas: A Powerful Aristocrat, Abbess, and Advocate , Julia Alice Jardine McMullin

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Research Proposal Writing for Fine Arts and Music

Where to start, phase 1- go deep, phase 2- give yourself some structure, phase 3- writing your research question, phase 4- finalising your research question, research methodologies, key research texts.

• Graduate Research
• Talk to a Librarian

Your creative project is well underway and now it is time to research and write about it. But how do you turn your ideas into a  research question?

Use the tabs on this page to work through  Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 . These may help you identify themes and questions you would like to explore in your project, and how to turn these into successful library search strategies.

The library also has many resources available to help you learn more about Practice-Based Research and other research methodologies. There are links to these in the  Research Methodologies  and  Key Research Texts  tabs.

1) Reflect on your current creative project. Write down your motivations and aims for creating the project. Write down any significant discoveries you have made along the way. 

2) Ask yourself, have there been any issues arising from the project that I could research? These issues may be based around the concept, themes or technical aspects of your work or a combination of these. 

3) If you are struggling to identify any issues, talk with peers who know your work and ask them for feedback. Explain to them your motivations, aims and discoveries. Ask them if your work effectively achieves what you set out to do. Write down any issues related to your work that come from this discussion. 

4) Based on the issues you and your peers have identified, select one or two issues that are the most interesting and important for you. These issues will form the basis of your research question. 

1) Using the 1 or 2 issues you have identified, you can narrow the focus of your research question. Here are a few questions to ask:

• Time period (Is my work related to a specific period?)
• Person (Is my work related to a specific director, composer, choreographer, performer or writer?)
• Technical tool (Does my work use any particular technique?)
• Social or political issue (Does my work address a social issue such as war, disease, love, race or sexuality?)
• Contemporary issue (Does my work explore an issue in contemporary music theatre? Eg. music, writing, performance venues, lyrics, acting or dancing)
• What kind of role does my creative project have in the broader context of contemporary music theatre?

2) Make a list of responses to these questions. Select which responses are most interesting and relevant to your creative project.

You will now have a narrower idea for your research question.

1) Play around with your research question. Write it down as a question or statement in a number of different ways. Try to get to at least ten different statements, but no pressure! Not all of them will be good. You might:

• Change around the phrasing of the issue
• Change your original words for synonyms
• Say the question out loud
• Explain it to one of your peers and write down your explanation.

2) Highlight the questions that seem clearest to you. 

3) Forget about your question or topic for 24 hours. Instead, reflect on your creative project, watch some documentation or perform part of the project.

4) Return to your list of questions with fresh eyes. Make a list of the best three questions/topic sentences. If you have already identified that one question is the best one for you, stick with that one. 

1) For each question, spend 10 minutes searching  Discovery . Use an  Information Search Planner  to help you search effectively (download one from the link below). 

2) Assess the results of your searches as you go and use these results to help you choose one of your three questions. Ask yourself:

• Is there a lot of information available on this topic?
• Has my question already been answered?
• Who is writing about the topic of my question?
• Which of my searches is finding results that are the most interesting and relevant to my creative project?

3) By answering the questions above, you will be able to select a suitable question.  If not, reassess your question and repeat Phase 2 onwards. Alternatively, you may wish to discuss your question with your lecturer or supervisor.

REMEMBER:  Your question will change over time. When you are making work and researching, your ideas will change and your question can too!

The Library collections offer many resources on research methods. Doing a simple keyword search in the  Library Catalogue  will give you a list of many. You can use the keywords below as a starting point:

• Practice-led research
• Practice based research
• Research-led practice
• Artistic research

You can also  modify your search  to limit it to resources held at Southbank Library, or to our Online Resources if you're interested in an ebook.

Subject Headings in the Catalogue

The links below will launch a search in the library catalogue for specific subject headings:

Arts -- Research

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Mixed Methods Research

Research Method

SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods is a research tool to help you design your research project.  Search by keywords or use the visual interface in the  Methods Map . Its main focus is research in the social sciences.

• SAGE Research Methods SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool which links SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content with truly advanced search and discovery tools. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. SAGE Research Methods Cases is a collection of case studies of real social research that faculty can use in their teaching. Cases are original, specially commissioned, and designed to help students understand often abstract methodological concepts by introducing them to case studies of real research projects.

• Next: Graduate Research >>
• Last Updated: Jun 4, 2024 2:27 PM
• URL: https://unimelb.libguides.com/proposalwritingcreativearts

Home > FACULTIES > Visual Arts > VISUALARTS-ETD

Visual Arts Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Visual Arts, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Contemporary Painting: Autopoietic Improvisation and a Relational Ecology , Philip James Gurrey

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

sweeping the forest floor of frequencies , Maria A. Kouznetsova

Achy Awfulness , Rylee J. Rumble

Nonstop Digital Flickerings; , Sam Wagter

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Credulous Escapism , Brianne C. Casey

At Dusk , Michelle Paterok

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Marvelous Monsters , Thomas Bourque

On Ground , Matthew Brown

Pharmakon: From Body to Being , Jérôme Y. C. Conquy

The Other Neighbour of El Otro Lado , Anahi Gonzalez Teran

Neoliberalism, Institutionalism, and Art , Declan Hoy

Strings of Sound and Sense: Towards a Feminine Sonic , Ellen N. Moffat

Cyber Souls and Second Selves , Yas Nikpour Khoshgrudi

The No No-Exit Closet: An Alternative to No-Exit Pathways , Faith I. Patrick

Fleet: Nuances of Time and Ephemera , Rebecca Sutherland

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Hell of a Boiling Red , George Kubresli

still, unfolding , Ramolen Mencero Laruan

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Spanning , Mary Katherine Carder-Thompson

The Medieval Genesis of a Mythology of Painting , Colin Dorward

Philosophical Archeology in Theoretical and Artistic Practice , Ido Govrin

Bone Meal , Johnathan Onyschuk

Inventory , Lydia Elvira Santia

Collaborative Listening and Cultural Difference in Contemporary Art , Santiago Ulises Unda Lara

Absence and Proximity , Zhizi Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Then Again, Maybe I Won't , Claire Bartleman

and where is the body? , Tyler Durbano

Next to a River: Mobility, Mapping, and Hand Embroidery , Sharmistha Kar

Interfaces of Nearness: Documentary Photography and the Representation of Technology , Mark Kasumovic

Buffer , Graham Macaulay

The English Landscapes in the Seventeenth Century , Helen Parkinson

SuperNova: Performing Race, Hybridity and Expanding the Geographical Imagination , Raheleh Saneie

Slower Than Time Itself , Matthew S. Trueman

Skim , Joy Wong

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Gardening at Arm's Length , Paul Chartrand

Lesser Than Greater Than Equal To: The Art Design Paradox , Charles Lee Franklin Harris

Skin Portraiture: Embodied Representations in Contemporary Art , Heidi Kellett

Midheaven , Samantha R. Noseworthy

Drum Voice , Quinn J. Smallboy

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Beyond the Look of Representation: Defamiliarization, Décor, and the Latin Feel , Juanita Lee Garcia

Emphatic Tension , Mina Moosavipour

Symbiotic: The Human Body and Constructs of Nature , Simone Sciascetti

Thin Skin , Jason Stovall

On Coming and Going , Quintin Teszeri

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Crowdsourcing , Sherry A. Czekus

From Dust to Dust , Lynette M. de Montreuil

Hand-Eye , Michael S. Pszczonak

Abstraction And Libidinal Nationalism In The Works Of John Boyle And Diana Thorneycroft , Matthew Purvis

Tangled Hair: Uncertain Fluid Identity , Niloufar Salimi

Liminal Space: Representations Of Modern Urbanity , Matthew Tarini

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Creative Interventions and Urban Revitalization , Nicole C. Borland

What Lies Behind: Speculations on the Real and the Willful , Barbara Hobot

Turning to see otherwise , Jennifer L. Martin

Come Together: An Exploration of Contemporary Participatory Art Practices , Karly A. McIntosh

A Photographic Ontology: Being Haunted Within The Blue Hour And Expanding Field , Colin E. Miner

Matters of Airing , Tegan Moore

Liquidation , Amanda A. Oppedisano

Just As It Should Be: Painting and the Discipline of Everyday Life , Jared R. Peters

Clyfford Still in the 1930s: The Formative Years of a Leading Abstract Expressionist , Emma Richan

From 'Means to Ends': Labour As Art Practice , Gabriella Solti

Across Boundaries , Diana A. Yoo

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Following the Turn: Mapping as Material Art Practice , Kyla Christine Brown

Queer(ing) Politics and Practices: Contemporary Art in Homonationalist Times , Cierra A. Webster

Some Theoretical Models for a Critical Art Practice , Giles Whitaker

Lines of Necessity , Thea A. Yabut

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Out of Order: Thinking Through Robin Collyer, Discontent and Affirmation (1973-1985) , Kevin A. Rodgers

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©1878 - 2016 Western University

Department of the History of Art

You are here, dissertations, completed dissertations.

1942-Present

DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

As of July 2024

Bartunkova, Barbora , “Sites of Resistance: Antifascism and the Czechoslovak Avant-garde” (C. Armstrong)

Betik, Blair Katherine , “Altars on the Roman Frontiers: Ritual Objects in Real Space.” (M. Gaifman)

Burke, Harry , “The Islands Between: Art, Animism, and Anticolonial Worldmaking in Archipelagic Southeast Asia” (P. Lee)

Boyd, Nicole , “Science, Craft, Art, Theater: Four ‘Perspectives’ on the Painted Architecture of Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli” (N Suthor). 

Chau, Tung , “Strange New Worlds: Interfaces in the Work of Cao Fei” (P. Lee)

Cox, Emily , “Perverse Modernism, 1884-1900” (C. Armstrong, T. Barringer)

Datta, Yagnaseni , “Materialising Illusions: Visual Translation in the Mughal Jug Basisht, c. 1602.” (K. Rizvi)

de Luca, Theo , “Nicolas Poussin’s Chronotopes” (N. Suthor)

Del Bonis-O’Donnell, Asia , “Trees and the Visualization of  kosmos  in Archaic and Classical Athenian Art” (Yale University, M. Gaifman)

Demby, Nicole , “The Diplomatic Image: Framing Art and Internationalism, 1945-1960” (K. Mercer)

Donnelly, Michelle . “Spatialized Impressions: American Printmaking Outside the Workshop, 1935–1975” (J. Raab)

Epifano, Angie , “Building the Samorian State: Material Culture, Architecture, and Cities across West Africa” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Fialho, Alex , “Apertures onto AIDS: African American Photography and the Art History of the Storage Unit” (P. Lee, T Nyong’o)

Foo, Adela , “Crafting the Aq Qoyuniu Court (1475-1490) (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Franciosi, Caterina , “Latent Light: Energy and Nineteenth-Century British Art” (T. Barringer)

Frier, Sara , “Unbearable Witness: The Disfigured Body in the Northern European Brief (1500-1620)” (N. Suthor)

Galdone, Isabella , “Interwoven: Women Makers at the Intersection of Needlework and Painting in Victoria Britain” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke, Jr.)

Gaudet, Manon , “ Property and the Contested Ground of North American Visual Culture, 1900-1945” (E. Cooke, Jr.)  

Haffner, Michaela , “Nature Cure: ”White Wellness” and the Visual Culture of Natural Health, 1870-1930” (J. Raab)

Herrmann, Mitchell , “The Art of the Living: Biological Life and Aesthetic Experience in the 21st Century” (P. Lee)

Higgins, Lily , “Reading into Things: Articulate Objects in Colonial North America, 1650-1783” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Hodson, Josie , “Something in Common: Black Art under Austerity in New York City, 1975-1990” (P. Lee)

Hong, Kevin , “Plasticity, Fungibility, Toxicity: Photography’s Ecological Entanglements in the Mid-Twentieth-Century United States” (C. Armstrong, J Raab)

Horwitz, Vu , “Palm Wine Cups from the Kuba Cultural Region” (Edward Cooke, Jr.)

Kim, Adela , “Beyond Institutional Critique: Tearing Up in the Work of Andrea Fraser” (P. Lee)

Kitlinski, Sophia , “The Bureaucracy of Ritual: Spanish Administrative Iconography and Afro-Cuban Sacred Drawing in Nineteenth-Century Cuba” (J. Raab)

Keto, Elizabeth , “Reconstruction’s Objects: Art in the United States South, 1861-1900.” (J. Raab)

Koposova, Ekaterina , “Triumph and Terror in the Arts of the Franco-Dutch War” (M Bass)

Levy Haskell, Gavriella , “The Imaginative Painter”: Visual Narrative and the Interactive Painting in Britain, 1851-1914” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke Jr)

Marquardt, Savannah , “Chthon: Material Eschatologies of Burial in Colonial Southern Italy (5th-4th c BCE)” (M. Gaifman)

Miraval, Nathalie , “Sacred Subversions: Martha, Monsters, and Domestic Devotion in the Early Modern Afro-Iberian Atlantic” (C. Fromont)

Mizbani, Sharon , “Mediated Waters: Architectures of Thirst and Nourishment in Late-Ottoman Istanbul” (K. Rizvi)

Molarsky-Beck, Marina . “Seeing the Unseen: Queer Artistic Subjectivity in Interwar Photography” (C. Armstrong)

Nagy, Renata , “Remaking Natural History in Seventeenth-Century Northern Europe” (M. Bass)

Olfat, Faraz , “Eclecticism in Architecture and the Politics of Nation Building, 1870-1920” (C. Buckley, E. Cooke, Jr.)

Petrilli-Jones, Sara , “Drafting the Canon: Legal Histories of Art in Florence and Rome, 1600-1800” (N. Suthor)

Phillips, Kate , “American Ephemera” (J. Raab)

Potuckova, Kristina , “The Arts of Women’s Monastic Liturgy, Holy Roman Empire, 1000-1200” (J. Jung)

Rapoport, Sarah , “James Jacques-Joseph Tissot in the Interstices of Modernity” (T. Barringer, C. Armstrong)

Robbins, Isabella , “Relationality and Being: Indigeneity, Space and Transit in Global Contemporary Art” (P. Lee, N. Blackhawk)

Sellati, Lillian , “When is Herakles Not Himself? Mediating Cultural Plurality in Greater Central Asia, 330 BCE – 365 CE” (M. Gaifman)

Valladares, Carlos , “Jacques Demy” (P. Lee)

Wang, Xueli , “Performing Disappearance: Maggie Cheung and the Off-Screen” (Q. Ngan)

Werwie, Katherine , “Visions Across the Gates: Materiality, Symbolism, and Communication in the Historiated Wooden Doors of Medieval European Churches” (J. Jung)

Wisowaty, Stephanie , “Painted Processional Crosses in Central Italy, 1250-1400: Movement, Mediation and Multisensory Effects” (J. Jung)

Webley, John , “Ink, Paint, and Blood: India and the Great Game in Russian Culture” (T. Barringer, M. Brunson)

Young, Colin , “Desert Places: The Visual Culture of the Prairies and the Pampas across the Nineteenth Century” (J. Raab)

Zhou, Joyce Yusi , “The Art and Material Culture of Women in Early Modern Batavia” (M. Bass, E. Cooke, Jr.)

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Forgotten umayyad forts in castilla-la mancha: the history of the fortress of zorita and its role in cultural memory , panorama and related exhibitions in london , processual exploration of airbnb: facets of user governance, platform processes, and placemaking , glimmer before sunrise: qian song (1818-1860) and his elite art in nineteenth-century china , towards a poetics of revolution: a transnational approach to roberto matta's works from the 1960s and 1970s , 'mr syme's useful little work': the making of werner's nomenclature of colours (1814/1821) in early nineteenth-century edinburgh , cow, caste and contemporary art in india: aesthetic ecologies and social hierarchies in the twenty-first century , sounding the climate crisis: time and the more-than-human in contemporary folk music in scotland and england , indigenous landscapes in caspana: exploring a ch'ixi epistemology , new pulsar generator (nupg): compositional practice, digital sound synthesis model and their temporalities , 'we are such stuff': shakespeare and material culture in eighteenth-century england , wellbeing as a decision making criterion in urban park design: assessing urban parks on their effect on user wellbeing , forgotten images still resisting time: writing the london bomb damage photograph archive 1940 - 1945 , medicine and modernity: fifty years of nhs hospital building in scotland, 1948-1998 , farc musicians' musical identities and political identities through their music: analysis of their narratives, musical practices and songs in the colombian peace post-agreement , drawing-with eye-tracking technology: an exploratory art-based research investigating the adaptation of eye-tracking methodology as a contemporary artistic drawing practice , staging the carnivalesque: seditious strategies in print and performance from simplicissimus to berlin dada, 1896-1920 , differential space in underused town centres: community appropriation of space through creative practices of arts-led urban regeneration , spatial narratives of happiness in everyday environments , humour in fifteenth-century france: a study of visual evidence .

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Department of History of Art

Best undergraduate dissertations 2015.

Since 2011 the Department of History of Art at the University of Bristol has published the best of the annual dissertations produced by our final-year undergraduates. We do so in recognition of the excellent research undertaken by our students, which is a cornerstone of our degree programme. As a department, we are committed to the advancement of art historical knowledge and to research of the highest order. Our undergraduates are part of that endeavour.

Listed below are the best of this year’s undergraduate art history dissertations, with links to the dissertations themselves where these are available. Please note that these dissertations are published in the state they were submitted for examination. Thus the authors have not been able to correct errors and/or departures from departmental guidelines for the presentation of dissertations (eg in the formatting of footnotes and bibliographies). In each case, copyright resides with the author and all rights are reserved.