The formats, styles, and contents of dissertations can vary widely across different disciplines, and these elements continue to evolve with the progression of doctoral education. There are two common models of dissertations: the traditional “big book thesis,” which typically comprises 60,000 to 100,000 words, and the “papers model,” in which a student writes four or five papers of “publishable quality” that cumulatively reach about 60,000 words.
The papers model typically includes an introduction and a conclusion to unify the individual papers into a coherent whole. While each format presents its unique challenges, certain structural hurdles are common to both, especially regarding dissertation length.
Expected dissertation structures
In some academic fields, there is an expected structure for dissertations. For example, in the social sciences, the usual structure encompasses the sections of an Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
In contrast, an English dissertation may require the production of six or more chapters, with multiple topic-specific chapters inserted between the introductory and concluding sections.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of your dissertation structure, you might consider seeking professional help. When faced with the intricate task of organizing and writing their dissertations, students may find themselves asking, can someone just write essays for me? There are services to help with this process, but guides such as this one can also help.
How many words in a PhD thesis?
Typical dissertation length, which is also referred to as a PhD thesis word count, can significantly vary depending on the discipline and the chosen model.
Generally, a “big book thesis” ranges from 60,000 to 100,000 words. This extensive document usually spans around eight chapters, each about 10,000 words. On the other hand, the “papers model” consists of approximately 60,000 words spread across four or five papers.
Both models require careful planning and structuring to ensure coherence and comprehensiveness.
In the realm of doctoral dissertation length, there’s considerable variation not only across different disciplines but also among universities.
For instance, in the humanities and social sciences, it’s not uncommon for dissertations to exceed 100,000 words, especially when they involve significant qualitative research that requires detailed explanation and analysis. Conversely, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields often have shorter dissertations, primarily if the thesis involves a lot of quantitative research or practical experiments, which are documented in a more concise manner.
Structuring your dissertation
An invaluable guide for organizing your work can be found in “Authoring a PhD” by Patrick Dunleavy. Dunleavy provides crucial insights in the realms of planning an integrated thesis and mapping out chapters. The book is invaluable for grasping the organizational challenges at both the macro and micro levels and addressing them effectively.
Below are some of Dunleavy’s key points from the chapters, along with additional considerations on structuring your dissertation.
‘Planning an Integrated Thesis’ (Chapter 3)
- In the typical structure of an 80,000-word “big book” dissertation, it is organized into about eight chapters, each containing roughly 10,000 words. The initial chapters serve as an introduction, setting the stage for the core material to be easily comprehensible. The concluding chapters provide an integrative summary or reiteration of the findings and place them within a broader context.
- The central chapters (five in number) should focus on presenting your original research. All supplementary material should be designed to emphasize this core, value-added material.
- Maintaining a balanced chapter length is essential. Aim for a variance of about 2,000 words in either direction (between 8,000 and 12,000 words per chapter). Avoid chapters that are significantly shorter or longer than this range to maintain reader expectations.
- Avoid excessive delays in presenting the core or most engaging material, which can often occur if the literature review is overly lengthy.
- Develop a rolling synopsis early in your program that outlines your chapter plans in a concise 3-4 page document. Continually update this synopsis as your dissertation develops and evolves. This document is useful for keeping your committee informed and involved in your progress.
‘Organizing Chapters Effectively’ (Chapter 4)
- Chapters must be segmented or “chunked” to improve readability, which is done by dividing them into smaller sections that center around a unified theme. The essential principle behind chunking is to ensure that these sections are approximately equal in size. A useful guideline is to introduce a “major heading” every 2000 to 2500 words to structure the text efficiently, which generally results in about four sections in a standard 10,000-word chapter. These headings are categorized as “first order” headings, indicative of the highest organizational tier. By maintaining roughly equal sizes for these sections, readers can better anticipate the flow of the chapter.
- To make these headings more noticeable, consider using numbering (3.1, 3.2, etc.), a larger font size, or placing them on separate lines. According to a work by Thomson and Kamler, it is important to ensure these headings are impactful and convey significant meaning. Dunleavy also suggests using secondary and possibly tertiary headings to divide the text further as needed.
- Writers often encounter problems such as under-organizing, resulting in too few divisions for the length of the text, or over-organizing, which can lead to many small sections and an overly complex hierarchy of headings. Additionally, inconsistency in the format of headings across different chapters can disrupt the reader’s experience. Proper chunking can also help manage the overall PhD dissertation length effectively, ensuring each section is clear and concise.
Each chapter should consistently include several key elements:
- A clear chapter title
- An engaging “high impact” opening element to capture the reader’s attention
- Introductory framing text that transitions from the opening element to a discussion of the chapter’s main themes
- Clear signposts for the reader outlining the sequence and focus of the chapter’s main sections—those with first-order headings
For more comprehensive guidance, you can refer to Dunleavy’s detailed discussions in his texts.
Alternative approaches to structuring your dissertation
While Dunleavy provides a structured approach to organizing your dissertation, Thomson and Kamler’s work offers a contrasting viewpoint.
They suggest that while preliminary chapter headings can guide your writing, you should avoid letting the form dictate the content. They advocate for letting the form follow the function: prioritize the substance of your dissertation before finalizing its structure. This approach may seem not intuitive as the tendency is to draft a detailed outline and stick to it rigidly. However, Thomson and Kamler recommend using your writing as a tool for exploration, allowing your ideas to develop fully without being prematurely confined by a rigid structure.
You might find it beneficial to start by writing freely, then later use a reverse outlining technique, as effectively described by Rachael Cayley’s book “Thriving as a Graduate Writer,” to organize your content.
Additional resources for dissertation structure
- Helen Sword, in her chapter “Structural Designs” from Stylish Academic Writing, contrasts traditional academic structures with more inventive approaches (pp. 122-134).
- Peter Elbow delves into the temporal dynamics of writing structures in “The Music of Form,” expanding on Fish’s idea that “everything depends on the temporal dimension.”
- William Germano offers insightful strategies for enhancing your writing in the chapter “Getting into Shape” from his book, From Dissertation to Book (pp. 79-100).
By considering these insights and resources, you can effectively structure your dissertation, ensuring it is comprehensive, coherent, and engaging.
