thesis on social science

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• Research Guides
• Faculty of Arts & Sciences Libraries

Thesis 101: A Guide for Social Science Thesis Writers

Welcome to the harvard library, finding a researchable question, finding scholarly resources in your field, covid-19 - information & resources, helpful library services & tools.

• Subject Guide

Sue Gilroy , Librarian for Undergraduate Writing Programs and Liaison to Social Studies  ([email protected])

Diane Sredl , Data Reference Librarian and Liaison to the Department of Economics ([email protected])

Kathleen Sheehan , Research Librarian and Liaison to the Depts. of Government, Psychology & Sociology ([email protected])

Congratulations on choosing to write a senior thesis! This guide brings together resources and information to help you as you work though the thesis research and writing process.

What is Already Known

Handbooks  are a stock-in-trade for academic researchers. Typically, they're edited volumes, with chapters written by authorities -- or recognized experts, and they synthesize current "consensus" thinking around a particular topic, the most widely accepted perspectives on a topic  They usually contain extensive bibliographies which you can mine as well.

• Cambridge Handbooks O nline
• Cambridge Histories Online
• Oxford Handbooks Online
• Very Short Introductions

Current Trends & Questions

Literature reviews  are essays that help you easily understand—and contextualize—the principal contributions that have been made in your field. They not only track trends over time in the scholarly discussions of a topic, but also synthesize and connect related work. They cite the trailblazers and sometimes the outliers, and they even root out errors of fact or concept. Typically, they include a final section that identifies remaining questions or future directions research might take.

Among the databases for finding literature reviews, we recommend you start with:

• Annual Reviews offers comprehensive collections of critical reviews by leading scholars.
• Web of Science can be a powerful tool in uncovering literature reviews. A keyword topic search in Web of Science much like HOLLIS, will return results that you can then sift through using a variety of left-side filter categories.  Under document type, look for the review.  

Prioritizing My Reading  

• Oxford Bibliographies Online combine the best features of the annotated bibliography with an authoritative subject encyclopedia. Entries identify key contributions to a topic, idea, person, or event and indicate the value of the work. 
• Anthropology
• Social Studies
• Multidisciplinary

Research Guide:

• Anthropology Research

Key Databases:

• Anthropology Plus
• Anthropology Online

Library Research Contact:

Susan Gilman , Librarian for Tozzer Library

• Economics Research  
• Business Source Complete
• Business Premium Collection

Diane Sredl , Data Reference Librarian

• Library Research Guide for History  
• America History & Life
• Historical Abstracts

Fred Burchsted , Research Librarian

Anna Assogba , Research Librarian

• Sociology: a Guide to Research Resources
• Sociology Database
• Social Sciences Premium  

Kathleen Sheehan , Research Librarian

• Government: a Guide to Research Resources
• Worldwide Political Science Abstracts

Social Studies tends to be so interdisciplinary that it's sometimes hard to offer students  a "one-size fits all" starting point.  

Research Guides :

• Research Guides for Social Studies 98 (junior tutorials) may also cover -- broadly speaking -- an area of interest and you may find some leads there. But the 1:1 consult often can't be beat for  locating the databases and the primary sources that are  best suited to your project! 
• If your thesis is applied, our Social Sciences Premium database is sometimes, along with HOLLIS , a good jumping off point. 
• If your thesis is theoretical,   resources like Phil Papers or Philosopher's Index are also recommended.  

Sue Gilroy , Liaison to Social Studies, Lamont Library

• Contemporary Issues in Psychology

Key Database:

• Web of Science

Michael Leach , Head, Collection Development, Cabot Library

Research Guides:

• Research Travel Checklist
• HOLLIS User Guide
• Public Opinion Sources
• Beginner's Guide to Locating and Using Numeric Data
• Conducting Research Interviews: Selected Resources
• Academic Search Premier
• A Harvard COVID-19 Resource Roundup
• Harvard Library Restart Updates
• How to Borrow Materials and Use Our Services During COVID-19
• HathiTrust  for digitized materials
• Scan & Deliver
• Harvard Library Purchase request
• Check Harvard Library Bookmark - Use this bookmarklet to get quick access to subscriptions purchased by Harvard Library.
• Zotero: Getting Started  - A tool for saving, organizing and formatting your research sources.
• Ask a Librarian - Send us your question virtually.
• Borrow Direct & ILL  to borrow materials not currently available from the Harvard Library
• Harvard Map Collection
• Visualization Support
• Qualitative Research Support

The contents of this Guide are drawn largely from other Guides authored by Sue Gilroy, Librarian for Undergraduate Writing Programs and Liaison to Social Studies.

• Last Updated: Feb 26, 2024 1:50 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/thesis101

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Theses and dissertations

Result includes all theses and dissertations — from all sources — held in the Stanford Libraries and Digital Repository.

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• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 41,367
• Doctor of Education (EdD) 1,155
• Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) 778
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) 411
• Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) 278
• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) 1
• Unspecified 1
• Master of Arts (MA) 9,070
• Engineer 2,080
• Master of Science (MS) 1,630
• Unspecified 361
• Master of the Science of Law (JSM) 282
• Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) 129
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) 76
• Master of Laws (LLM) 17
• Master of Education (EdM) 10
• Master of Legal Studies (MLS) 8
• Undergraduate honors thesis 1,200
• Unspecified 536
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) 4
• Unspecified 187
• Student report 357

Stanford school or department

• School of Education 5,644
• Department of Electrical Engineering 4,930
• Department of Chemistry 2,572
• Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,267
• Graduate School of Business 1,922
• Department of Physics 1,763
• Department of History 1,562
• Department of English 1,431
• Department of Economics 1,406
• Department of Psychology 1,320
• Department of Music 1,251
• Computer Science Department 1,248
• Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,213
• Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Department of Political Science 1,049
• Department of Biological Sciences 932
• Department of Applied Physics 922
• Department of Mathematics 900
• Department of Civil Engineering 897
• Department of Materials Science and Engineering 869
• At the Library 123,995
• Online 42,801

Resource type

• Archive/Manuscript 102
• Book 137,299
• Journal/Periodical 1
• Music recording 2
• Music score 200
• Software/Multimedia 1
• Sound recording 4
• Microfilm 2,612
• Microfiche 592
• Videocassette (VHS) 4
• Videocassette 2

Current results range from 1508 to 2024

• [Missing] 123
• Archive of Recorded Sound 31
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• Education (Cubberley) 223
• Engineering (Terman) 10
• Green 5,012
• Hoover Institution Library & Archives 2,147
• Lane Medical 4,255
• Law (Crown) 4,155
• Marine Biology (Miller) 818
• Media Center 2,455
• Music 1,010
• Philosophy (Tanner) 342
• SAL1&2 (on-campus storage) 1,401
• SAL3 (off-campus storage) 86,920
• Science (Li and Ma) 41
• Special Collections 46,766
• Stanford Digital Repository 15,666
• English 91,810
• German 31,579
• French 4,091
• Latin 1,852
• Spanish 1,384
• Swedish 1,110
• Dutch 1,073
• Chinese 763
• Russian 303
• Portuguese 295
• Italian 184
• Turkish 180
• Greek, Ancient (to 1453) 151
• Finnish 128
• Greek, Modern (1453- ) 97
• Carnoy, Martin 205
• Ramirez, Francisco O. 181
• Zare, Richard N. 163
• Harris, J. S. (James Stewart), 1942- 144
• Cutkosky, Mark R. 138
• Wender, Paul A. 138
• Horne, Roland N. 136
• Khosla, Chaitan, 1964- 134
• Kenny, Thomas William 130
• Miller, D. A. B. 130
• Waymouth, Robert M. 128
• Alonso, Juan José, 1968- 125
• Brongersma, Mark L. 123
• Pauly, John (John M.) 123
• Boxer, Steven G. (Steven George), 1947- 121
• Fayer, Michael D. 121
• Fan, Shanhui, 1972- 120
• Salleo, Alberto 120
• Saraswat, Krishna 120
• Horowitz, Mark (Mark Alan) 119

Call number

• 000s - Computer Science, Knowledge & Systems 65
• 010s - Bibliography 10
• 020s - Library & Information Sciences 6
• 030s - Encyclopedias & Fact Books 1
• 050s - General Serials & their Indexes 6
• 060s - Associations, Organizations & Museums 139
• 070s - News Media, Journalism, Publishing 25
• 090s - Manuscripts & Rare Books 18
• 100s - Philosophy 38
• 110s - Metaphysics 34
• 130s - Parapsychology & Occultism 22
• 150s - Psychology 298
• 160s - Logic 22
• 170s - Ethics 20
• 180s - Ancient, Medieval & Eastern Philosophy 116
• 190s - Modern Western Philosophy 205
• 200s - Religion 7
• 210s - Philosophy & Theory of Religion 1
• 220s - The Bible 39
• 230s - Christianity & Christian Philosophy 18
• 240s - Christian Practice & Observation 4
• 260s - Christian Organization, Social Work & Worship 39
• 270s - History of Christianity 95
• 280s - Christian Denominations 123
• 290s - Other Religions 60
• 300s - Social Sciences, Sociology & Anthropology 255
• 310s - Statistics 19
• 320s - Political Science 206
• 330s - Economics 649
• 340s - Law 200
• 350s - Public Administration & Military Science 83
• 360s - Social Problems & Social Services 96
• 370s - Education 2,460
• 380s - Commerce, Communications, Transport 150
• 390s - Customs, Etiquette, Folklore 38
• 400s - Language 64
• 410s - Linguistics 12
• 420s - English & Old English 111
• 430s - German & Related Languages 94
• 440s - French & Related Languages 60
• 450s - Italian, Romanian & Related Languages 8
• 460s - Spanish & Portugese Languages 10
• 470s - Latin & Italic Languages 96
• 480s - Classical & Modern Greek Languages 18
• 490s - Other Languages 37
• 500s - Natural Sciences & Mathematics 81
• 510s - Mathematics 90
• 520s - Astronomy & Allied Sciences 11
• 530s - Physics 100
• 540s - Chemistry & Allied Sciences 197
• 550s - Earth Sciences 565
• 560s - Paleontology Paleozoology 92
• 570s - Life Sciences, Biology 153
• 580s - Plants (Botany) 118
• 590s - Animals (Zoology) 241
• 600s - Technology 1
• 610s - Medicine & Health 541
• 620s - Engineering & Allied Operations 89
• 630s - Agriculture & Related Technologies 46
• 640s - Home & Family Management 4
• 650s - Management & Auxiliary Services 1
• 660s - Chemical Engineering 26
• 670s - Manufacturing 1
• 680s - Manufacture for Specific Uses 1
• 710s - Civic & Landscape Art 1
• 750s - Painting & Paintings 1
• 790s - Recreational & Performing Arts 3
• 800s - Literature & Rhetoric 93
• 810s - American Literature in English 76
• 820s - English & Old English Literatures 753
• 830s - Literatures of Germanic Languages 644
• 840s - Literatures of Romance Languages 387
• 850s - Italian, Romanian & Related Literatures 21
• 860s - Spanish & Portuguese Literatures 78
• 870s - Italic Literatures, Latin literature 179
• 880s - Hellenic Literatures Classical Greek 116
• 890s - Literatures of Other Languages 49
• 900s - History & Geography 21
• 910s - Geography & Travel 131
• 920s - Biography, Genealogy, Insignia 18
• 930s - History of Ancient World to ca. 499 57
• 940s - History of Europe 352
• 950s - History of Asia, Far East 30
• 960s - History of Africa 14
• 970s - History of North America 190
• 980s - History of South America 16
• 990s - History of Other Areas 8
• California 3
• Federal 2,721
• AC - Collections, Series, Collected Works 48
• AE - Encyclopedias 4
• AM - Museums, Collectors & Collecting 10
• AS - Academies & Learned Societies 86
• AY - Yearbooks, Almanacs, Directories 2
• AZ - History of Scholarship & Learning. The Humanities 2
• B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion 1,889
• BC - Logic 66
• BD - Speculative Philosophy 135
• BF - Psychology, Parapsychology, Occult Sciences 605
• BH - Aesthetics 41
• BJ - Ethics, Social Usages, Etiquette 107
• BL - Religions, Mythology, Rationalism 372
• BM - Judaism 177
• BP - Islam, Bahaism, Theosophy, etc. 171
• BQ - Buddhism 231
• BR - Christianity 711
• BS - The Bible 728
• BT - Doctrinal Theology 348
• BV - Practical Theology 314
• BX - Christian Denominations 1,139
• C - Auxiliary Sciences of History 1
• CB - History of Civilization 26
• CC - Archaeology 15
• CD - Diplomatics, Archives, Seals 22
• CE - Technical Chronology, Calendar 10
• CJ - Numismatics 23
• CN - Inscriptions, Epigraphy 23
• CR - Heraldry 32
• CS - Genealogy 36
• CT - Biography 25
• D - History (General) 606
• DA - Great Britain (History) 153
• DB - Austria, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Slovakia (History) 148
• DC - France (History) 300
• DD - Germany (History) 1,602
• DE - Greco-Roman World (History) 31
• DF - Greece (History) 183
• DG - Italy, Malta (History) 271
• DH - Low Countries, Belgium, Luxembourg (History) 40
• DJ - Netherlands (Holland) (History) 48
• DJK - Eastern Europe (General History) 3
• DK - Russia, Soviet Union, Former Soviet Republics, Poland (History) 344
• DL - Northern Europe, Scandinavia (History) 255
• DP - Spain. Portugal (History) 82
• DQ - Switzerland (History) 87
• DR - Balkan Peninsula (History) 154
• DS - Asia (History) 1,305
• DT - Africa (History) 674
• DU - Oceania (South Seas) (History) 39
• DX - Romanies (Gypsies) (History) 9
• E - America, United States (General History) 852
• F - United States, British, Dutch, French, Latin America (Local History) 819
• G - Geography, Atlases, Globes, Maps 84
• GA - Mathematical Geography, Cartography 9
• GB - Physical Geography 100
• GC - Oceanography 102
• GE - Environmental Sciences 22
• GF - Human Ecology, Anthropogeography 51
• GN - Anthropology 375
• GR - Folklore 92
• GT - Manners & Customs 81
• GV - Recreation. Leisure 135
• H - Social Sciences (General) 124
• HA - Statistics 9
• HB - Economic Theory, Demography 450
• HC - Economic History & Conditions 859
• HD - Industries, Land use, Labor 2,543
• HE - Transportation & Communications 430
• HF - Commerce 1,748
• HG - Finance 619
• HJ - Public Finance 257
• HM - Sociology 233
• HN - Social History & Conditions 336
• HQ - Family, Marriage, Gender & Sexuality 643
• HS - Societies: Secret, Benevolent, etc. 28
• HT - Communities, Classes, Races 220
• HV - Social Pathology, Social & Public Welfare, Criminology 450
• HX - Socialism, Communism, Utopias, Anarchism 277
• J - Political Science (Legislative & Executive papers) 15
• JA - Political Science (General) 87
• JC - Political Theory 271
• JF - Political Institutions & Public Administration (General) 65
• JK - Political Institutions & Public Administration (U.S.) 83
• JL - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Canada, Latin America) 60
• JN - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Europe) 574
• JQ - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area) 242
• JS - Local Government, Municipal Government 123
• JV - Colonies & Colonization, Emigration & Immigration 128
• JX - International Law 390
• JZ - International Relations 68
• K - Law 552
• KBM - Jewish Law 8
• KBP - Islamic Law 40
• KBR - History of Canon law 143
• KBT - Canon law of Eastern Rite Churches in Communion with the Holy See of Rome 1
• KBU - Law of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See 265
• KD - Law of England & Wales 44
• KDC - Law of Scotland 1
• KDK - Law of Ireland (EIRE) 1
• KDZ - Law of America, North America 9
• KE - Law of Canada 18
• KEB - Law of British Columbia 1
• KEO - Law of Ontario 1
• KEQ - Law of Quebec 2
• KF - Law of the U.S. 314
• KFA - Law of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas 1
• KFC - Law of California, Colorado, Connecticut 14
• KFD - Law of Delaware, District of Columbia 1
• KFF - Law of Florida 1
• KFG - Law of Georgia 1
• KFI - Law of Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa 3
• KFM - Law of Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana 8
• KFN - Law of Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota 11
• KFO - Law of Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon 1
• KFT - Law of Tennessee, Texas 4
• KFU - Law of Utah 1
• KFV - Law of Vermont, Virginia 4
• KFW - Law of Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming 2
• KFX - Law of Individual U.S. cities 5
• KG - Law of Latin America 11
• KGB - Law of Costa Rica 3
• KGC - Law of El Salvador 1
• KGD - Law of Guatemala 4
• KGF - Law of Mexico 31
• KGH - Law of Panama, Panama Canal Zone 2
• KGR - Law of Dutch Leeward Islands, Dutch West Indies (Netherlands Antilles), Dutch Windward Islands, French West Indies, Grenada 1
• KHA - Law of Argentina 9
• KHC - Law of Bolivia 3
• KHD - Law of Brazil 10
• KHF - Law of Chile 12
• KHH - Law of Colombia 55
• KHK - Law of Ecuador 10
• KHN - Law of Guyana 1
• KHP - Law of Paraguay 1
• KHQ - Law of Peru 4
• KHS - Law of Suriname 1
• KHW - Law of Venezuela 11
• KJ - History of law: Europe 8
• KJA - Roman Law 77
• KJC - Europe: Regional Comparative & Uniform Law 76
• KJE - Europe: Regional Organization & Integration 59
• KJJ - Law of Austria 7
• KJK - Law of Belgium, Bosnia and Hercegovina (Federation), Republika Srpska 1
• KJM - Law of Bulgaria, Croatia (Kingdom), Croatia (1992- ) 3
• KJP - Law of Czechoslovakia (to 1993), Czech Republic (1993- ) 3
• KJR - Law of Denmark 6
• KJS - Law of Estonia 1
• KJT - Law of Finland 6
• KJV - Law of France 88
• KJW - Law of French Regions, Provinces, Departments 4
• KK - Law of Germany 531
• KKA - Law of East Germany 11
• KKB - Law of German states and provinces (A-Pr) 24
• KKC - Law of German states and provinces (Ps-Z) 16
• KKE - Law of Greece 6
• KKF - Law of Hungary 3
• KKH - Law of Italy, Kosovo 10
• KKI - Law of Latvia 1
• KKM - Law of the Netherlands 16
• KKP - Law of Poland 5
• KKR - Law of Romania 1
• KKT - Law of Spain 16
• KKV - Law of Sweden 16
• KKW - Law of Switzerland 119
• KKX - Law of Turkey 7
• KKY - Law of Ukraine 1
• KKZ - Law of Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro (to 2006) 1
• KL - History of Law, The Ancient Orient 17
• KLA - Law of Russia, Soviet Union 8
• KLP - Law of Ukraine (1919-1991), Zakavkazskaia͡ Sots͡ialisticheskaia͡ Federativnaia͡ Sovetskaia͡ Respublika (to 1936) 1
• KLS - Law of Kyrgyzstan 1
• KMC - Law of the Middle East, Southwest Asia: Regional comparative and uniform law 2
• KMJ - Law of Iraq 1
• KMK - Law of Israel 15
• KMM - Law of Jordan, West Bank 2
• KMP - Law of Lebanon 2
• KMQ - Law of Oman, Palestine (to 1948) 1
• KNF - Afghanistan 1
• KNN - Law of China 9
• KNP - Law of Taiwan 13
• KNQ - Law of China (People's Republic, 1949- ) 23
• KNR - Law of Hong Kong (to 1997) 2
• KNS - Law of India 9
• KNW - Law of Indonesia, East Timor 3
• KNX - Law of Japan 21
• KPA - Law of Korea. South Korea 5
• KPL - Law of Pakistan 1
• KPM - Law of the Philippines 6
• KPP - Law of Singapore 2
• KQC - Africa: Regional comparative and uniform law 5
• KQE - Africa: Regional organization and integration 1
• KQH - Law of Angola 2
• KQJ - Law of Benin 1
• KQW - Law of Cameroon 4
• KRM - Law of Egypt (United Arab Republic) 17
• KRX - Law of Ghana 8
• KSA - Law of Guinea 1
• KSK - Law of Kenya 6
• KSR - Law of Madagascar 1
• KSW - Law of Morocco 3
• KTA - Law of Nigeria 6
• KTD - Law of Rwanda 2
• KTG - Law of Senegal 3
• KTL - Law of South Africa, Republic of 16
• KTQ - Law of Sudan 1
• KTT - Law of Tanzania 1
• KTU - Law of Togo 1
• KTV - Law of Tunisia 2
• KTX - Law of Congo (Democratic Republic) 4
• KU - Law of Australia 4
• KVE - Law of Pacific area jurisdictions: Regional comparative and uniform law: Regional organization and integration. Pacific area cooperation 1
• KZ - Law of Nations 151
• KZA - Law of the sea 11
• KZD - Law of outer space 3
• L - Education 12
• LA - History of Education 466
• LB - Theory & Practice of Education 843
• LC - Special Aspects of Education 617
• LD - Individual Educational Institutions: United States 117
• LE - Individual Educational Institutions: America (except U.S.) 5
• LF - Individual Educational Institutions: Europe 51
• LG - Individual Educational Institutions: Asia, Africa, Oceania 11
• M - Music 34
• ML - Literature on Music 3,041
• MT - Musical Instruction & Study 184
• N - Visual Arts 552
• NA - Architecture 574
• NB - Sculpture 263
• NC - Drawing, Design, Illustration 69
• ND - Painting 726
• NE - Print Media 62
• NK - Decorative Arts, Applied Arts, Decoration & Ornament 186
• NX - Arts in General 42
• P - Philology, Linguistics (General) 684
• PA - Classical Philology, Greek & Latin Languages & Literatures 1,590
• PB - Modern Languages, Celtic Languages 36
• PC - Romance Philology & Languages 571
• PD - Germanic Philology & Languages 249
• PE - English Philology & Language 485
• PF - West Germanic Philology & Languages 438
• PG - Slavic, Baltic, Albanian Languages & Literatures 466
• PH - Uralic, Basque Languages & Literatures 79
• PJ - Oriental Philology & Literature 335
• PK - Indo-Iranian Philology & Literature 157
• PL - Languages & Literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania 663
• PM - Hyperborean, Indian & Artificial Languages 140
• PN - Literature (General) & Journalism 1,295
• PQ - French, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese Literature 1,471
• PR - English Literature 1,152
• PS - American & Canadian Literatures 524
• PT - German & Germanic Literatures 2,543
• Q - Science (General) 113
• QA - Mathematics 1,235
• QB - Astronomy 115
• QC - Physics 515
• QD - Chemistry 650
• QE - Geology 1,393
• QH - Natural History, Biology 156
• QK - Botany 234
• QL - Zoology 555
• QM - Human Anatomy 27
• QP - Physiology 303
• QR - Microbiology 84
• R - Medicine (General) 194
• RA - Public Aspects of Medicine 185
• RB - Pathology 12
• RC - Internal Medicine 224
• RD - Surgery 51
• RE - Ophthalmology 10
• RF - Otorhinolaryngology 2
• RG - Gynecology & Obstetrics 34
• RJ - Pediatrics 32
• RK - Dentistry 4
• RL - Dermatology 3
• RM - Therapeutics, Pharmacology 27
• RS - Pharmacy & Materia Medica 27
• RT - Nursing 19
• RZ - Other Systems of Medicine 3
• S - Agriculture (General) 123
• SB - Plant Culture 86
• SD - Forestry 29
• SF - Animal Culture 51
• SH - Aquaculture, Fisheries, Angling 27
• SK - Hunting Sports 6
• T - Technology (General) 100
• TA - Engineering, Civil Engineering 185
• TC - Hydraulic Engineering 27
• TD - Environmental Technology, Sanitary Engineering 88
• TE - Highway Engineering, Roads & Pavements 10
• TF - Railroad Engineering & Operation 4
• TG - Bridge Engineering 6
• TH - Building Construction 26
• TJ - Mechanical Engineering & Machinery 83
• TK - Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Nuclear Engineering 157
• TL - Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics 81
• TN - Mining Engineering, Metallurgy 265
• TP - Chemical Technology 94
• TR - Photography 29
• TS - Manufactures 33
• TT - Handicrafts. Arts & Crafts 8
• TX - Home Economics 37
• U - Military Science (General) 65
• UA - Armies 141
• UB - Military Administration 48
• UC - Maintenance & Transportation 5
• UD - Infantry 1
• UF - Artillery 5
• UG - Military Engineering, Air Forces, Military Astronautics 27
• UH - Other Military Services 3
• V - Naval Science (General) 11
• VA - Navies 19
• VB - Naval Administration 1
• VE - Marines 1
• VG - Minor Services of Navies 1
• VK - Navigation, Merchant Marine 8
• VM - Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering 7
• Z - Bibliography, Library Science, Information Resources 348
• ZA - Information Resources (General) 2
• Education 940
• Geology 918
• English language 829
• Animals 680
• Catholic Church 669
• Mexican Americans 641
• Materials Science 585
• Geology, Stratigraphic 519
• German language 470
• Agriculture 451
• French language 397
• German literature 379
• Theater 311
• World War, 1914-1918 302
• Physics Of Elementary Particles And Fields 295
• Thesis/Dissertation ✖ [remove] 137,590
• Academic Dissertations 4,165
• Academic theses 3,808
• Books 3,605
• Government document 3,380
• Manuscripts, Print 2,154
• Thèses et écrits académiques 2,147
• Print Reproductions 1,703
• thesis 1,685
• Technical report 1,485
• Manuscripts, Typescript 1,364
• Academic Dissertation 1,240
• Archival Materials 927
• Index not Present 768
• Pamphlets 637
• Manuscripts, Handwritten 511
• History 494
• Germany 6,072
• United States 4,677
• California 1,942
• France 1,817
• China 1,799
• Japan 1,058
• Great Britain 888
• Switzerland 662
• Germany (West) 631
• Allemagne 478
• Soviet Union 454
• Netherlands 424
• England 405
• 20th century 1,926
• 19th century 1,292
• 18th century 730
• 17th century 401
• 16th century 344
• To 1500 235
• Early modern, 1500-1700 207
• Middle English, 1100-1500 171
• Old English, ca. 450-1100 165
• Middle High German, 1050-1500 161
• 1933-1945 158
• 1918-1933 149
• 500-1400 121
• 1918-1945 115
• To 1300 109
• Middle Ages, 600-1500 108
• Cretaceous 81
• Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600 80
• Revolution, 1789-1799 73

Organization (as author)

• Stanford University. School of Education 5,594
• Stanford University. Department of Electrical Engineering 4,932
• Stanford University. Department of Chemistry 2,572
• United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information 2,505
• Stanford University. Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,269
• Stanford University. Graduate School of Business 1,907
• Stanford University. Department of Physics 1,763
• Stanford University. Department of History 1,563
• Stanford University Department of English 1,431
• Stanford University. Department of Economics 1,407
• Stanford University. Department of Psychology 1,322
• Stanford University. Department of Music 1,251
• Stanford University. Computer Science Department 1,239
• Stanford University. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,213
• Stanford University. Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Stanford University. Department of Political Science 1,049
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How to Write a Social Science or Humanities Thesis/Dissertation

Writing a thesis/dissertation is a huge task, and it is common to feel overwhelmed at the start. A thesis and a dissertation are both long pieces of focused research written as the sum of your graduate or postgraduate course.

The difference between a thesis and a dissertation can depend on which part of the world you are in. In Europe, a dissertation is written as part of a Master’s degree, while a thesis is written by doctoral students. In the US, a thesis is generally the major research paper written by Master’s students to complete their programs, while a dissertation is written at the doctoral level.

The purpose of both types of research is generally the same: to demonstrate that you, the student, is capable of performing a degree of original, structured, long-term research. Writing a thesis/dissertation gives you experience in project planning and management, and allows you the opportunity to develop your expertise in a particular subject of interest. In that sense, a thesis/dissertation is a luxury, as you are allowed time and resources to pursue your own personal academic interest.

Writing a thesis/dissertation is a larger project than the shorter papers you likely wrote in your coursework. Therefore, the structure of a thesis/dissertation can differ from what you are used to. It may also differ based on what field you are in and what kind of research you do. In this article, we’ll look at how to structure a humanities or social science thesis/dissertation and offer some tips for writing such a big paper. Once you have a solid understanding of how your thesis/dissertation should be structured, you will be ready to begin writing.

How are humanities and social science thesis/dissertations structured?

The structure of a thesis/dissertation will vary depending on the topic, your academic discipline, methodology, and the place you are studying in. Generally, social science and humanities theses/dissertations are structured differently from those in natural sciences, as there are differences in methodologies and sources. However, some social science theses/dissertations can use the same format as natural science dissertations, especially if it heavily uses quantitative research methods. Such theses/dissertations generally follow the “IMRAD” model :

• Introduction

Social science theses/dissertations often range from 80-120 pages in length.

Humanities thesis/dissertations, on the other hand, are often structured more like long essays. This is because these theses/dissertations rely more heavily on discussions of previous literature and/or case studies. They build up an argument around a central thesis citing literature and case studies as examples. Humanities theses/dissertations tend to range from between 100-300 pages in length.

The parts of a dissertation: Starting out

Never assume what your reader knows! Explain every step of your process clearly and concisely as you write, and structure your thesis/dissertation with this goal in mind.

As you prepare your topic and structure your social science or humanities thesis/dissertation, always keep your audience in mind. Who are you writing for? Even if your topic is other experts in the field, you should aim to write in sufficient detail that someone unfamiliar with your topic could follow along. Never assume what your reader knows! Explain every step of your process clearly and concisely as you write, and structure your thesis/dissertation with this goal in mind.

While the structure of social science and humanities theses/dissertations differ somewhat, they both have some basic elements in common. Both types will typically begin with the following elements:

What is the title of your paper?

A good title is catchy and concisely indicates what your paper is about. This page also likely has your name, department and advisor information, and ID number. However, the specific information listed varies by institution.

Acknowledgments page

Many people probably helped you write your thesis/dissertation. If you want to say thank you, this is the place where it can be included.

Your abstract is a one-page summary (300 words or less) of your entire paper. Beginning with your thesis/dissertation question and a brief background information, it explains your research and findings. This is what most people will read before they decide whether to read your paper or not, so you should make it compelling and to the point.

Table of contents

This section lists the chapter and subchapter titles along with their page numbers. It should be written to help your reader easily navigate through your thesis/dissertation.

While these elements are found at the beginning of your humanities or social science thesis/dissertation, most people write them last. Otherwise, they’ll undergo a lot of needless revisions, particularly the table of contents, as you revise, edit, and proofread your thesis/dissertation.

The parts of a humanities thesis/dissertation

As we mentioned above, humanities and some social science theses/dissertations follow an essay-like structure . A typical humanities thesis/dissertation structure includes the following chapters:

• References (Bibliography)

The number of themes above was merely chosen as an example.

In a humanities thesis/dissertation, the introduction and background are often not separate chapters. The introduction and background of a humanities thesis/dissertation introduces the overall topic and provides the reader with a guide for how you will approach the issue. You can then explain why the topic is of interest, highlight the main debates in the field, and provide background information. Then you explain what you are investigating and why. You should also specifically indicate your hypothesis before moving on to the first thematic chapter. 

Thematic chapters (and you can have as many of them as your thesis/dissertation guidelines allow) are generally structured as follows:

• Introduction: Briefly introduce the theme of the chapter and inform the reader what you are going to talk about.
• Argument : State the argument the chapter presents
• Material : Discuss the material you will be using
• Analysis : Provide an analysis of the materials used
• Conclusion : How does this relate to your main argument and connect to the next theme chapter?

Finally, the conclusion of your paper will bring everything together and summarize your argument clearly. This is followed by the references or bibliography section, which lists all of the sources you cited in your thesis/dissertation.

The parts of a social science thesis/dissertation

In contrast to the essay structure of a humanities thesis/dissertation, a typical social science thesis/dissertation structure includes the following chapters:

• Literature Review
• Methodology

Unlike the humanities thesis/dissertation, the introduction and literature review sections are clearly separated in a social science thesis/dissertation. The introduction tells your reader what you will talk about and presents the significance of your topic within the broader context. By the end of your introduction, it should be clear to your reader what you are doing, how you are doing it, and why.

The literature review analyzes the existing research and centres your own work within it. It should provide the reader with a clear understanding of what other people have said about the topic you are investigating. You should make it clear whether the topic you will research is contentious or not, and how much research has been done. Finally, you should explain how this thesis/dissertation will fit within the existing research and what it contributes to the literature overall.

In the methodology section of a social science thesis/dissertation, you should clearly explain how you have performed your research. Did you use qualitative or quantitative methods? How was your process structured? Why did you do it this way? What are the limitations (weaknesses) of your methodological approach?

Once you have explained your methods, it is time to provide your results . What did your research find? This is followed by the discussion , which explores the significance of your results and whether or not they were as you expected. If your research yielded the expected results, why did that happen? If not, why not? Finally, wrap up with a conclusion that reiterates what you did and why it matters, and point to future matters for research. The bibliography section lists all of the sources you cited, and the appendices list any extra information or resources such as raw data, survey questions, etc. that your reader may want to know.

In social science theses/dissertations that rely more heavily on qualitative rather than quantitative methods, the above structure can still be followed. However, sometimes the results and discussion chapters will be intertwined or combined. Certain types of social science theses/dissertations, such as public policy, history, or anthropology, may follow the humanities thesis/dissertation structure as we mentioned above.

Critical steps for writing and structuring a humanities/social science thesis/dissertation

If you are still struggling to get started, here is a checklist of steps for writing and structuring your humanities or social science thesis/dissertation.

• Choose your thesis/dissertation topic
• What is the word count/page length requirement?
• What chapters must be included?
• What chapters are optional?
• Conduct preliminary research
• Decide on your own research methodology
• Outline your proposed methods and expected results
• Use your proposed methodology to choose what chapters to include in your thesis/dissertation
• Create a preliminary table of contents to outline the structure of your thesis/dissertation

By following these steps, you should be able to organize the structure of your humanities or social science thesis/dissertation before you begin writing.

Final tips for writing and structuring a thesis/dissertation

Although writing a thesis/dissertation is a difficult project, it is also very rewarding. You will get the most out of the experience if you properly prepare yourself by carefully learning about each step. Before you decide how to structure your thesis/dissertation, you will need to decide on a thesis topic and come up with a hypothesis. You should do as much preliminary reading and notetaking as you have time for.

Since most people writing a thesis/dissertation are doing it for the first time, you should also take some time to learn about the many tools that exist to help students write better and organize their citations. Citation generators and reference managers like EndNote help you keep track of your sources and AI grammar and writing checkers are helpful as you write. You should also keep in mind that you will need to edit and proofread your thesis/dissertation once you have the bulk of the writing complete. Many thesis editing and proofreading services are available to help you with this as well.

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What are the parts of a social science thesis/dissertation? +

A social science thesis/dissertation is usually structured as follows:

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What are the parts of a humanities thesis/dissertation +.

Humanities theses/dissertations are usually structured like this:

• Thematic Chapters

What is the typical structure of a thematic chapter in a humanities thesis/dissertation? +

A thematic chapter in a humanities thesis/dissertation is structured like this:

How long is a typical humanities thesis/dissertation? +

A typical humanities thesis/dissertation tends to range from 100 to 300 pages in length.

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The MA Thesis

The MA thesis should demonstrate your ability to (1) identify and develop a substantive research question; and (2) apply appropriate methodological tools to this question. The aim is to create a manuscript suitable (in length, style, and rigor) for publication in a social science journal. 

MA Thesis Defense

The culmination of your work is the MA thesis defense. This meeting with the full committee serves as a forum for formal approval of the thesis and provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss a future plan of study and research.

Scheduling and Applying to Graduate

The administrative steps you need to take in order to defend your thesis and apply to graduate are outlined in this page:

MA Degree Request and Defense Scheduling

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Home > College of Social Sciences > Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences > Social Science Master's Theses

Master’s Theses and Graduate Research, Social Sciences

Theses/dissertations from 2004 2004.

www.to-get-her.org : a global cyber community for Taiwanese lesbians , Ping-Ying Chang

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

The role of attachment in the social production of place in Pajaro Valley , Lori Burgman

The Nishimutas: the oral history of a Japanese/Spanish family, who lived in Oklahoma from 1917 , Juli Ann Ora Nishimuta

Muslim women speak their mind , Alexandra Maria da Silva Rubens

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Gay bars of Silicon Valley : a study of the decline of a social institution , William M. Coker

Legacies transforming memories into memorials , Bonnie Evans

Identity and political consciousness : community involvement of Mexican/Chicano youth , Etsuko Maruyama

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Homophonbia : a socio-cultural barrier to U.S female athletes in Olympic tryouts , Natalie L. Wells

Theses/Dissertations from 2000 2000

The Vietnamese elderly refugees' experience in America , Thanh Dac Tran

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

The social construction of nature as the other and its human consequences , Shannon Abernathy

Telecommuting and its impact on business and personal relationships , Margaret G. Dreher

American family/work relationships : a case study of hospital nurses , Valora Glandt

Differential diagnosis of vertebral lytic lesions from an Ohlone cemetery site CA-SCL-038 , Victoria M. Wu

Theses/Dissertations from 1998 1998

Audre Lorde and poetic activism , Jennifer Blackman

Sons of alcoholic fathers : psychological and methodological considerations , Dennis Haines

Doing quality time : development of a feminist treatment program for women prisoners and their children , Ann Rebecca Pierce Harrison

Women's education and employment in Yugoslavia and California , Milina Jovanovic

Understanding aging and the aged through mainstream films , Linda Janet Proudfoot

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

California Native American college students' experience : an ethnographic study , Linda Jane Christie

The Paleodemography of the Yukisma Site, CA-SCI-38 : a prehistoric cemetery of the South San Francisco Bay , Susan Morley

Beyond princess and squaw : Wilma Mankiller and the Cherokee gynocentric system , Maureen O'Dea Caragliano

The feminization of poverty : welfare to work research project , Kim S. Petersen

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

Every woman her own midwife : a study of empowerment through wise woman health care , Kimberly A. Bick-Maurischat

Cultural diversity training : corporate stratification or cultural diversity , Judy Lynn Carrico

On the trail to the coast : a view from CA-MEN-2136 : the Zeni Site , Patricia A. Dunning

Walker's way : an oral history of Mark Walker , Elizabeth L. Lake

Marketing culture : an ethnographic case study of organizational culture in Silicon Valley , Kathleen MacKenzie

Korean women in the labor market , Jeamin Seung

Theses/Dissertations from 1995 1995

The public response to homelessness , Celine-Marie Pascale

Theses/Dissertations from 1994 1994

An archaeological survey of some major drainages within Henry W. Coe State Park, Santa Clara and Stanislaus Counties, California , Theodora Goodrich

Oral histories of black gay men and a black transgender person in the San Francisco Bay Area , Nina Schjelderup

Theses/Dissertations from 1993 1993

Four problems, one solution , Edward Emmanuel Corneille

Women, child-free and single , Margaret Hood Hynan

A reinterpretation of some Bay Area shellmound sites : a view from the mortuary complex from Ca-Ala-329, the Ryan Mound , Alan Leventhal

Institutional inequality : a case of educational tracking , Mary Etta Marshall

Chicanas in higher education : the road to success , Laura Alicia Salazar

U.S. policy toward Vietnam, 1960-1990 , An Ngoc Vu

Theses/Dissertations from 1992 1992

Strong hopes/shattered dreams : study of college females and perceived economic future , Heather M. David

The Vietnamese refugee experience : a fundamental redefinition of an ethnic identity , Laura A. Furcinitti

Prelude, interludes, and etudes : a study of the feminist/spiritual journey and designs for its nurture and practice , Maureen Hilliard

Not in his image : a study of male priesthood and catholic women , Marilyn Faye Crnich Nutter

The Formation of an ethnic identity : the life history of a Filipino/Native American , Mark Pasion

The Problem of black access to American higher education is connected to institutional underpreparation , Daryl M. Poe

San Jose State University students and domestic violence , Bette S. Ruch Rose

A leadership model for a woman in the U.S. presidency , Patricia Anne Stroup

Theses/Dissertations from 1991 1991

Archaic milling cultures of the southern San Francisco Bay region , Richard Thomas, Jr Fitzgerald

The use of terrorism as a means to create a homeland for stateless refugees in the Middle East , Chris D. Funk

A new method of skeletal aging using stages of sacral fusion as seen in the CA-Ala-329 burial population , Charlane Susan Gross

A breach of conduct : James A. Garfield and the court-martial of Fitz John Porter , William Warren Holland

Prehistoric native American adaptations along the central California coast of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties , Mark Gerald Hylkema

The Culpability of James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, in the North Berwick witchcraft trials of 1590-91 , Margaret Carol Kintscher

Black Berets for Justice , Arturo Villarreal

Theses/Dissertations from 1990 1990

A history of the Ohlone Indians of Mission Santa Clara , Debra Kitsmiller Barth

Women reclaiming ourselves : the conflict between affiliation and individuation , Jana Bartley

The cycle of the feminine spirit : women, the earth, and athe return of the goddess , Wendy Denton

Sourcing Monterey banded chert, a cryptocrystalline hydrosilicate : with emphasis on its physical and thermal traits as applied to central California archaeology , Gary Alan Parsons

Theses/Dissertations from 1989 1989

Concerned women for America : the handmaidens of the new right , Teri Ann Bengiveno

Daughter of the landlord : life history of a Chinese immigrant , Joan M. Beck Coulson

Self-esteem of sexually abused adolescent girls in group home placement , Audrey Damon

The U.S. policy toward China during the Nixon presidency , Tuan Khac Truong

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

• 6. The Methodology
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The methods section describes actions taken to investigate a research problem and the rationale for the application of specific procedures or techniques used to identify, select, process, and analyze information applied to understanding the problem, thereby, allowing the reader to critically evaluate a study’s overall validity and reliability. The methodology section of a research paper answers two main questions: How was the data collected or generated? And, how was it analyzed? The writing should be direct and precise and always written in the past tense.

Kallet, Richard H. "How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper." Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004): 1229-1232.

Importance of a Good Methodology Section

You must explain how you obtained and analyzed your results for the following reasons:

• Readers need to know how the data was obtained because the method you chose affects the results and, by extension, how you interpreted their significance in the discussion section of your paper.
• Methodology is crucial for any branch of scholarship because an unreliable method produces unreliable results and, as a consequence, undermines the value of your analysis of the findings.
• In most cases, there are a variety of different methods you can choose to investigate a research problem. The methodology section of your paper should clearly articulate the reasons why you have chosen a particular procedure or technique.
• The reader wants to know that the data was collected or generated in a way that is consistent with accepted practice in the field of study. For example, if you are using a multiple choice questionnaire, readers need to know that it offered your respondents a reasonable range of answers to choose from.
• The method must be appropriate to fulfilling the overall aims of the study. For example, you need to ensure that you have a large enough sample size to be able to generalize and make recommendations based upon the findings.
• The methodology should discuss the problems that were anticipated and the steps you took to prevent them from occurring. For any problems that do arise, you must describe the ways in which they were minimized or why these problems do not impact in any meaningful way your interpretation of the findings.
• In the social and behavioral sciences, it is important to always provide sufficient information to allow other researchers to adopt or replicate your methodology. This information is particularly important when a new method has been developed or an innovative use of an existing method is utilized.

Bem, Daryl J. Writing the Empirical Journal Article. Psychology Writing Center. University of Washington; Denscombe, Martyn. The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects . 5th edition. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press, 2014; Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Groups of Research Methods

There are two main groups of research methods in the social sciences:

• The e mpirical-analytical group approaches the study of social sciences in a similar manner that researchers study the natural sciences . This type of research focuses on objective knowledge, research questions that can be answered yes or no, and operational definitions of variables to be measured. The empirical-analytical group employs deductive reasoning that uses existing theory as a foundation for formulating hypotheses that need to be tested. This approach is focused on explanation.
• The i nterpretative group of methods is focused on understanding phenomenon in a comprehensive, holistic way . Interpretive methods focus on analytically disclosing the meaning-making practices of human subjects [the why, how, or by what means people do what they do], while showing how those practices arrange so that it can be used to generate observable outcomes. Interpretive methods allow you to recognize your connection to the phenomena under investigation. However, the interpretative group requires careful examination of variables because it focuses more on subjective knowledge.

II.  Content

The introduction to your methodology section should begin by restating the research problem and underlying assumptions underpinning your study. This is followed by situating the methods you used to gather, analyze, and process information within the overall “tradition” of your field of study and within the particular research design you have chosen to study the problem. If the method you choose lies outside of the tradition of your field [i.e., your review of the literature demonstrates that the method is not commonly used], provide a justification for how your choice of methods specifically addresses the research problem in ways that have not been utilized in prior studies.

The remainder of your methodology section should describe the following:

• Decisions made in selecting the data you have analyzed or, in the case of qualitative research, the subjects and research setting you have examined,
• Tools and methods used to identify and collect information, and how you identified relevant variables,
• The ways in which you processed the data and the procedures you used to analyze that data, and
• The specific research tools or strategies that you utilized to study the underlying hypothesis and research questions.

In addition, an effectively written methodology section should:

• Introduce the overall methodological approach for investigating your research problem . Is your study qualitative or quantitative or a combination of both (mixed method)? Are you going to take a special approach, such as action research, or a more neutral stance?
• Indicate how the approach fits the overall research design . Your methods for gathering data should have a clear connection to your research problem. In other words, make sure that your methods will actually address the problem. One of the most common deficiencies found in research papers is that the proposed methodology is not suitable to achieving the stated objective of your paper.
• Describe the specific methods of data collection you are going to use , such as, surveys, interviews, questionnaires, observation, archival research. If you are analyzing existing data, such as a data set or archival documents, describe how it was originally created or gathered and by whom. Also be sure to explain how older data is still relevant to investigating the current research problem.
• Explain how you intend to analyze your results . Will you use statistical analysis? Will you use specific theoretical perspectives to help you analyze a text or explain observed behaviors? Describe how you plan to obtain an accurate assessment of relationships, patterns, trends, distributions, and possible contradictions found in the data.
• Provide background and a rationale for methodologies that are unfamiliar for your readers . Very often in the social sciences, research problems and the methods for investigating them require more explanation/rationale than widely accepted rules governing the natural and physical sciences. Be clear and concise in your explanation.
• Provide a justification for subject selection and sampling procedure . For instance, if you propose to conduct interviews, how do you intend to select the sample population? If you are analyzing texts, which texts have you chosen, and why? If you are using statistics, why is this set of data being used? If other data sources exist, explain why the data you chose is most appropriate to addressing the research problem.
• Provide a justification for case study selection . A common method of analyzing research problems in the social sciences is to analyze specific cases. These can be a person, place, event, phenomenon, or other type of subject of analysis that are either examined as a singular topic of in-depth investigation or multiple topics of investigation studied for the purpose of comparing or contrasting findings. In either method, you should explain why a case or cases were chosen and how they specifically relate to the research problem.
• Describe potential limitations . Are there any practical limitations that could affect your data collection? How will you attempt to control for potential confounding variables and errors? If your methodology may lead to problems you can anticipate, state this openly and show why pursuing this methodology outweighs the risk of these problems cropping up.

NOTE:   Once you have written all of the elements of the methods section, subsequent revisions should focus on how to present those elements as clearly and as logically as possibly. The description of how you prepared to study the research problem, how you gathered the data, and the protocol for analyzing the data should be organized chronologically. For clarity, when a large amount of detail must be presented, information should be presented in sub-sections according to topic. If necessary, consider using appendices for raw data.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you are conducting a qualitative analysis of a research problem , the methodology section generally requires a more elaborate description of the methods used as well as an explanation of the processes applied to gathering and analyzing of data than is generally required for studies using quantitative methods. Because you are the primary instrument for generating the data [e.g., through interviews or observations], the process for collecting that data has a significantly greater impact on producing the findings. Therefore, qualitative research requires a more detailed description of the methods used.

YET ANOTHER NOTE:   If your study involves interviews, observations, or other qualitative techniques involving human subjects , you may be required to obtain approval from the university's Office for the Protection of Research Subjects before beginning your research. This is not a common procedure for most undergraduate level student research assignments. However, i f your professor states you need approval, you must include a statement in your methods section that you received official endorsement and adequate informed consent from the office and that there was a clear assessment and minimization of risks to participants and to the university. This statement informs the reader that your study was conducted in an ethical and responsible manner. In some cases, the approval notice is included as an appendix to your paper.

III.  Problems to Avoid

Irrelevant Detail The methodology section of your paper should be thorough but concise. Do not provide any background information that does not directly help the reader understand why a particular method was chosen, how the data was gathered or obtained, and how the data was analyzed in relation to the research problem [note: analyzed, not interpreted! Save how you interpreted the findings for the discussion section]. With this in mind, the page length of your methods section will generally be less than any other section of your paper except the conclusion.

Unnecessary Explanation of Basic Procedures Remember that you are not writing a how-to guide about a particular method. You should make the assumption that readers possess a basic understanding of how to investigate the research problem on their own and, therefore, you do not have to go into great detail about specific methodological procedures. The focus should be on how you applied a method , not on the mechanics of doing a method. An exception to this rule is if you select an unconventional methodological approach; if this is the case, be sure to explain why this approach was chosen and how it enhances the overall process of discovery.

Problem Blindness It is almost a given that you will encounter problems when collecting or generating your data, or, gaps will exist in existing data or archival materials. Do not ignore these problems or pretend they did not occur. Often, documenting how you overcame obstacles can form an interesting part of the methodology. It demonstrates to the reader that you can provide a cogent rationale for the decisions you made to minimize the impact of any problems that arose.

Literature Review Just as the literature review section of your paper provides an overview of sources you have examined while researching a particular topic, the methodology section should cite any sources that informed your choice and application of a particular method [i.e., the choice of a survey should include any citations to the works you used to help construct the survey].

It’s More than Sources of Information! A description of a research study's method should not be confused with a description of the sources of information. Such a list of sources is useful in and of itself, especially if it is accompanied by an explanation about the selection and use of the sources. The description of the project's methodology complements a list of sources in that it sets forth the organization and interpretation of information emanating from those sources.

Azevedo, L.F. et al. "How to Write a Scientific Paper: Writing the Methods Section." Revista Portuguesa de Pneumologia 17 (2011): 232-238; Blair Lorrie. “Choosing a Methodology.” In Writing a Graduate Thesis or Dissertation , Teaching Writing Series. (Rotterdam: Sense Publishers 2016), pp. 49-72; Butin, Dan W. The Education Dissertation A Guide for Practitioner Scholars . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2010; Carter, Susan. Structuring Your Research Thesis . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012; Kallet, Richard H. “How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper.” Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004):1229-1232; Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008. Methods Section. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Rudestam, Kjell Erik and Rae R. Newton. “The Method Chapter: Describing Your Research Plan.” In Surviving Your Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process . (Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications, 2015), pp. 87-115; What is Interpretive Research. Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah; Writing the Experimental Report: Methods, Results, and Discussion. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Methods and Materials. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College.

Writing Tip

Statistical Designs and Tests? Do Not Fear Them!

Don't avoid using a quantitative approach to analyzing your research problem just because you fear the idea of applying statistical designs and tests. A qualitative approach, such as conducting interviews or content analysis of archival texts, can yield exciting new insights about a research problem, but it should not be undertaken simply because you have a disdain for running a simple regression. A well designed quantitative research study can often be accomplished in very clear and direct ways, whereas, a similar study of a qualitative nature usually requires considerable time to analyze large volumes of data and a tremendous burden to create new paths for analysis where previously no path associated with your research problem had existed.

To locate data and statistics, GO HERE .

Another Writing Tip

Knowing the Relationship Between Theories and Methods

There can be multiple meaning associated with the term "theories" and the term "methods" in social sciences research. A helpful way to delineate between them is to understand "theories" as representing different ways of characterizing the social world when you research it and "methods" as representing different ways of generating and analyzing data about that social world. Framed in this way, all empirical social sciences research involves theories and methods, whether they are stated explicitly or not. However, while theories and methods are often related, it is important that, as a researcher, you deliberately separate them in order to avoid your theories playing a disproportionate role in shaping what outcomes your chosen methods produce.

Introspectively engage in an ongoing dialectic between the application of theories and methods to help enable you to use the outcomes from your methods to interrogate and develop new theories, or ways of framing conceptually the research problem. This is how scholarship grows and branches out into new intellectual territory.

Reynolds, R. Larry. Ways of Knowing. Alternative Microeconomics . Part 1, Chapter 3. Boise State University; The Theory-Method Relationship. S-Cool Revision. United Kingdom.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Methods and the Methodology

Do not confuse the terms "methods" and "methodology." As Schneider notes, a method refers to the technical steps taken to do research . Descriptions of methods usually include defining and stating why you have chosen specific techniques to investigate a research problem, followed by an outline of the procedures you used to systematically select, gather, and process the data [remember to always save the interpretation of data for the discussion section of your paper].

The methodology refers to a discussion of the underlying reasoning why particular methods were used . This discussion includes describing the theoretical concepts that inform the choice of methods to be applied, placing the choice of methods within the more general nature of academic work, and reviewing its relevance to examining the research problem. The methodology section also includes a thorough review of the methods other scholars have used to study the topic.

Bryman, Alan. "Of Methods and Methodology." Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal 3 (2008): 159-168; Schneider, Florian. “What's in a Methodology: The Difference between Method, Methodology, and Theory…and How to Get the Balance Right?” PoliticsEastAsia.com. Chinese Department, University of Leiden, Netherlands.

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Social Sciences Resources (STA): Theses & Dissertations

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Theses & Dissertations: Page Contents

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Theses & Dissertations: Introduction

The University of the West Indies (UWI) has specific guidelines for the writing of theses, dissertations and research papers (applicable to higher degree candidates, graduate students).  Social Sciences   students should consult their academic supervisors and lecturers regarding the guidelines that ought to be followed for a specific assignment.

The Alma Jordan Library (AJL) provides access to several databases that offer access to theses and dissertations (UWI and non-UWI), in Social Sciecnes and other disciplines.

Theses & Dissertations: Selected Guidelines (UWI)

Please refer to the link below.

For other relevant guidelines, policies and procedures relating to UWI theses and dissertations, please visit the Graduate Studies and Research Information Portal  (GRIP).

• Thesis Guide - The University of the West Indies

Theses & Dissertations: Useful Resources (AJL, UWI)

• Thesis Boot Camp- Citing & Referencing
• Thesis Boot Camp - Formatting Thesis Tips & Tricks
• Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition - Sample Citations

Theses & Dissertations: Databases (AJL)

• ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global
• The University of the West Indies Thesis Collection
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Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples

Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation . One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer’s block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.

This article collects a list of undergraduate, master’s, and PhD theses and dissertations that have won prizes for their high-quality research.

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Table of contents

Award-winning undergraduate theses, award-winning master’s theses, award-winning ph.d. dissertations, other interesting articles.

University : University of Pennsylvania Faculty : History Author : Suchait Kahlon Award : 2021 Hilary Conroy Prize for Best Honors Thesis in World History Title : “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the “Noble Savage” on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807”

University : Columbia University Faculty : History Author : Julien Saint Reiman Award : 2018 Charles A. Beard Senior Thesis Prize Title : “A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man”: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947

University: University College London Faculty: Geography Author: Anna Knowles-Smith Award:  2017 Royal Geographical Society Undergraduate Dissertation Prize Title:  Refugees and theatre: an exploration of the basis of self-representation

University: University of Washington Faculty:  Computer Science & Engineering Author: Nick J. Martindell Award: 2014 Best Senior Thesis Award Title:  DCDN: Distributed content delivery for the modern web

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University:  University of Edinburgh Faculty:  Informatics Author:  Christopher Sipola Award:  2018 Social Responsibility & Sustainability Dissertation Prize Title:  Summarizing electricity usage with a neural network

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Education Author:  Matthew Brillinger Award:  2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize Title:  Educational Park Planning in Berkeley, California, 1965-1968

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty: Social Sciences Author:  Heather Martin Award:  2015 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  An Analysis of Sexual Assault Support Services for Women who have a Developmental Disability

University : University of Ottawa Faculty : Physics Author : Guillaume Thekkadath Award : 2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Sciences Prize Title : Joint measurements of complementary properties of quantum systems

University:  London School of Economics Faculty: International Development Author: Lajos Kossuth Award:  2016 Winner of the Prize for Best Overall Performance Title:  Shiny Happy People: A study of the effects income relative to a reference group exerts on life satisfaction

University : Stanford University Faculty : English Author : Nathan Wainstein Award : 2021 Alden Prize Title : “Unformed Art: Bad Writing in the Modernist Novel”

University : University of Massachusetts at Amherst Faculty : Molecular and Cellular Biology Author : Nils Pilotte Award : 2021 Byron Prize for Best Ph.D. Dissertation Title : “Improved Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths”

University:  Utrecht University Faculty:  Linguistics Author:  Hans Rutger Bosker Award: 2014 AVT/Anéla Dissertation Prize Title:  The processing and evaluation of fluency in native and non-native speech

University: California Institute of Technology Faculty: Physics Author: Michael P. Mendenhall Award: 2015 Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics Title: Measurement of the neutron beta decay asymmetry using ultracold neutrons

University:  Stanford University Faculty: Management Science and Engineering Author:  Shayan O. Gharan Award:  Doctoral Dissertation Award 2013 Title:   New Rounding Techniques for the Design and Analysis of Approximation Algorithms

University: University of Minnesota Faculty: Chemical Engineering Author: Eric A. Vandre Award:  2014 Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics Title: Onset of Dynamics Wetting Failure: The Mechanics of High-speed Fluid Displacement

University: Erasmus University Rotterdam Faculty: Marketing Author: Ezgi Akpinar Award: McKinsey Marketing Dissertation Award 2014 Title: Consumer Information Sharing: Understanding Psychological Drivers of Social Transmission

University: University of Washington Faculty: Computer Science & Engineering Author: Keith N. Snavely Award:  2009 Doctoral Dissertation Award Title: Scene Reconstruction and Visualization from Internet Photo Collections

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Social Work Author:  Susannah Taylor Award: 2018 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  Effacing and Obscuring Autonomy: the Effects of Structural Violence on the Transition to Adulthood of Street Involved Youth

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

Three Minute Thesis Competition

The Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) is an exciting, fast-paced event showcasing the research of graduate students across campus. Each scholar is given three minutes to present their research displayed to the audience and judging panel in a single presentation slide. The competition boasts cash prizes for winners in each category.

You'll be amazed at what these scholars can fit into a three-minute presentation. You don't want to miss this competition!

Our graduate students have had an impressive showing at the regional 3MT competition at the Western Association of Graduate Schools annual conference. In 2023, Jennifer Heppner won third place and in 2024, Kendra Isable won second place. 

The 2024 competition will be hosted in the Spring semester with two preliminary rounds in early March and the finals in April.

Learn more about our competition

Join our competition, preliminary round.

The top four contestants from groups A1, B1, A2 and B2 will be awarded $300 and will compete in the final round. Submit your presentation using the appropriate Group description link below.

Liberal Arts/Social Sciences/Education/Business

Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Auditorium (MIKC 124)

• Group A1: Doctoral Dissertation Students
• Group B1: Master's Thesis Students

Sciences/Engineering/Mathematics/Health Sciences

Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Auditorium (MIKC 124)

• Group A2: Doctoral Dissertation Students
• Group B2: Master's Thesis Students

Final round

Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Auditorium (MIKC 124)

In the final round you'll compete against the eight finalists at your degree level:

• Group A — Doctoral Students (Four students from A1 and four students from A2)
• Group B — Master's Students (Four students from B1 and four students from B2)

Award amounts

Winners from each group of the final round will be awarded as follows:

• First Place: $1,000
• Second Place: $600
• Third Place: $400
• Peoples' Choice: $500

Deadline and application form

Applications are due February 29 by 11:59 p.m.

Preliminary submission form

Competition rules and terms

Presentation:.

• A single, static PowerPoint slide in 16x9 format is required (pdfs not allowed).
• Include your presentation title, full name, and graduate program on the slide.
• First-place winners from the last year's 3MT competition are ineligible to compete, however, last year's second- and third-place winners are eligible to compete.
• No slide transitions, animations or on-screen movement of any description are allowed.
• The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum; competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
• Presentations are to commence from the stage.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
• All monetary awards for both preliminary and final rounds are pre-tax amounts.
• Abstracts are limited to 250 words.
• Students must be graduate students to enter the competition.
• While advancement to candidacy is not required, students must have made significant progress towards completion of their dissertation, thesis, or professional project in order to enter the competition.
• Winners will be announced approximately one week after the competition.
• You will be asked to sign a photo-video release at the event to allow the University of Nevada, Reno to use your likeness in photos/videos of the competition.

Judging criteria

Comprehension & content.

• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Was the thesis topic, key results and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?

Engagement & Communication

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
• Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?

View past Three Minute Thesis winners

View the winners of each year since 2014!

View past winners

2022-2023 Finalists and winners

Doctoral category

First place: cody cris.

• Graduate program:  Cell and Molecular Biology
• Title:  Lighting the way: Tools to prepare for future pandemics
• Faculty advisor:  Subhash Verma

SECOND PLACE: Anithakrithi Balaji

• Graduate program: Biomedical Engineering
• Title: Electrifying the fight-or-flight response: Nanosecond electric pulses for neuromodulation
• Faculty advisor: Jihwan Yoon

THIRD PLACE: Noah Nieman

• Graduate program:  Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Title:  Accelerating bridge construction connections behavior during near fault motions
• Faculty advisor: Floriana Petrone

2024 Finalists:

Francisco calderon abullarade.

• Graduate program: Ph.D. History
• Title: Creating the Enemy: The origins of the inter-american cold war in the 1940s
• Faculty advisor: Renata Keller

Anithakrithi Balaji

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering
• Title: Electrifying the fight-or-flight response: Nanosecond electric pulses for neuromodulation 

Monika Bharti

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Education - Literacy Studies
• Title: P re-service teachers experiences teaching K-8 Multilingual Students' (MLS) writing
• Faculty advisor: Rachel Salas and Fares Karam

Cossette Canovas

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Clinical Psychology
• Title: Identifying predictors of racial trauma to inform treatment development 
• Faculty advisor: Lorraine Benuto
• Graduate program: Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology
• Title:   Lighting the way: Tools to prepare for future pandemics 
• Faculty advisor: Subhash Verma

Kaashifah 

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Education - Equity, Diversity and Language
• Title: Bridging  the gaps: Evaluating the intervention programs to overcome academic disparities 
• Faculty advisor: Donald Easton-Brooks

Noah Nieman

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Title: Accelerating bridge construction connections behavior during near fault motions 

Sanjeevan Pradhan

• Graduate program: Ph.D. Political Science
• Title: Tough sell: Rising powers, domestic legitimation and costly international initiatives 
• Faculty advisor: Xiaoyu Pu

Patricia Berninsone People's Choice Award

Abdulwarith kassim.

• Graduate program: Chemistry
• Title: Chemically recyclable dithioacetal polymers
• Faculty advisor:  Ying Yang

Master's category

First place: abdulwarith kassim.

• Faculty advisor: Ying Yang

SECOND PLACE (TIE): 

• Name:  Elizabeth Everest
• Graduate program: Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology
• Title: Sustaining the beating heart of Cambodia: Fisheries management in southeast Asia's largest lake
• Faculty advisors: Zeb Hogan, Sudeep Chandra, Ken Nussear
• Name:  Cathy Silliman
• Title: Winterfat restoration in a changing climate
• Faculty advisor: Elizabeth Leger 

Samantha DeTiberiis

• Graduate program: M.A. Criminal Justice 
• Title: What do our phones teach us about incarceration? A social media content analysis 
• Faculty advisor: Jennifer Lanterman

Elizabeth Everest 

• Graduate program: M.S. Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology 
• Title:   Sustaining the beating heart of Cambodia: Fisheries management in southeast Asia's largest lake 
• Faculty advisor: Zeb Hogan, Sudeep Chandra, Ken Nussear

Carolynn Fedarko 

• Title: Zeroing in on gun violence
• Faculty advisor: Weston Morrow

Shipra Goswami

• Graduate program: M.S. Biochemistry
• Title: May the pericytes be with you: Transport engineers you never knew existed!
• Faculty advisor: Albert Gonzales
• Graduate program: M.S. Chemistry 

Anthony Michell

• Graduate program: M.A. History
• Title: Pushed to the limit: How the 1998 China floods revolutionized the relationship between China and the natural world
• Faculty advisor: Hugh Shapiro

Elizabeth Morgan

• Graduate program: M.S. Teaching History (M.A.T.H.)
• Title: Dust in the wind dude: The Owens Valley everywhere except, in the Owens Valley
• Faculty advisor: Edward Schoolman

Cathy Silliman

• Graduate program: M.S. Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology
• Faculty advisor: Elizabeth Leger