Dissertation vs thesis

Dissertation vs thesis: What's the difference and how to choose?

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The word dissertation is taken from the root Latin word ‘dissertare’ which means to continue to discuss. The word thesis is taken from the Greek word ‘tithenai’ which means to place.

Both these words explain different meanings but are we talking about or referring right when we say dissertation or a thesis? And do these words impact you while you are thesis writing or a dissertation?

The terms dissertation and thesis are often used interchangeably. Many people may get confused with the actual difference and ask, "How is your thesis going on?” while you are writing a dissertation or vice versa. Plus, it makes it more confusing when different countries and institutions use these terms interchangeably.

Let's know the difference between a dissertation and a thesis in the UK:

A thesis in the UK is often meant as unpublished work submitted for a doctoral degree. On the other hand, a dissertation in the UK means a work presented at the undergraduate or master's level.
The thesis is an original research work that helps candidates to earn a PhD degree while the dissertation is a part of a master's degree involving a broader research project.
As the thesis requires original research work, it takes up a lot of time and plenty of background research on the subject. Therefore, a thesis contains extensive citations and references to all the work done. But the main focus remains to present original work.

Defining Characteristics of a Dissertation:

Length:

A dissertation is mostly acceptable for a written work whose number of pages is between 70,000 and 100,000 words at least, this is because of the volume of research presented in the paper.
The purpose is to prove the significant results, of the initial research thesis that adds to knowledge or new understanding of the discipline of the field.
It is common to see a dissertation which includes the following subheadings:
It is a summary of the entire research work done.

Literature Review – an evaluation of previous research and theories.

Methodology –

a description of how the research was conducted or data collected and how it was analyzed.
Reproduction of the research results with possible back data and explanation.
Meaning of the results, with a view to related studies.
This is a summary of findings and the significance of such findings in the area of concentration.

What is a Thesis? An Important Requirement of Master’s Degree Programs

There is a common understanding that a thesis is a requirement in twining master’s degree programs and it is concerned with mastering the content of a particular discipline. A thesis could be based on primary data collection but also it could be an appreciation of the available literature in the field.

Salient characteristics of a Thesis:

Length: A thesis is submitted as a requirement for a master's degree which is lower than that for a dissertation and volumes of not less than 15,000 and of not more than 30,000 words are common.
Purpose: the essay aims at proving the mastery of the particular subject area hence the author wants to display such understanding in a comprehensive manner.
Structure: A thesis is structurally similar to a dissertation, in the sense that is structured in the following manner:
Introduction: states the research topics and their goals.
Literature Review: cites other studies that are relevant to the study and constructs the theoretical context of the study.

Average Length of UK Dissertations and Theses between 2018 to 2024

Dissertation and Thesis Difference UK In the UK, one must understand the difference that exists between a thesis and a dissertation. The bottom line examines the main categories.

Purpose of the Research

Dissertation: Its understanding is clear: a dissertation is about developing new and original knowledge, so it's quite obvious it has to be based on extensive primary research and therefore contribute directly to the center of interest.
Thesis: The dominant scope of a thesis is rather high, as it is concerned mainly with the already performed research; say, in most cases, a thesis is aimed at a literature review or the theories on-demand approach.

Level of Study

Dissertation: Only PhD candidates are allowed to submit their Dissertation which is an assumption that is supposed to expand the horizons of what is already known.
Thesis: Students pursuing a master's degree are expected to write a thesis that indicates the student's understanding and comprehension of available information related to their specific area of interest and their respective fields.

Research Depth

Dissertation: The definition of dissertation depicts it as an intermediate revision type that corresponds to independence which is divulged as a consequence particularly seeking documents or papers and or even getting into direct contact with researched parties.
Thesis: Although a few theses have original research components most of them basically deal with taking established doctrines and theories and other academic research and papers integrated with the synthesis method.

Size and Degree of Difficulty

Dissertation: Doctorate holders have to push themselves further up with a more complicated situation, the having to write a long paper such as a dissertation on the given topic matter which indeed requires the scholar to research and analyze the topic further.
Thesis: On the other hand, a thesis has only a tighter space to deal with for scientific literature and a bit more space as well as freedom to navigate around for research work.

Value Added

Dissertation: It is mandatory for the dissertation to be written in such a manner that the topics being covered in the paper have some new insights or knowledge that helps the particular field.
Thesis: While a thesis can be written without such original material, it will be supplemented by, and will discuss, such material in great detail in the paper.Deciding Between a Dissertation and a Thesis what UK Researchers have to take into Automatic
Point and Considerations: For UK researchers, the question of whether to write a dissertation or a thesis will be based on the following:
Academic Goals: If the aim of a scholar whilst pursuing a doctorate is to create an original research piece, it is clear that a dissertation should be written. However, for master’s students, a thesis is a requirement.

Discover: How to Write Dissertation Research Questions

Comparison of components: dissertation VS thesis

When comparing the structures of the thesis and dissertation, the following can be helpful.

Arrangement of the Dissertation

Abstract: This part of the dissertation contains the dissertation’s research problem, methodology dissertation, and results in a nutshell.
Introduction: A section with a general overview of the research problem supported by the objectives.
Literature Review: A look at the key theories, models, and empirical studies done within that area of discipline.
Methodology: The strategy or framework for the research, which encompasses ways of collecting and analyzing data.
Discussion: This section interprets the results and analyses them.

It is common to mix up the terms dissertation and thesis yet the two are different. The basic definition of a dissertation is that it is original research done at the doctoral level which comes from the Latin “dissertare”, whereas the more general definition of a thesis works comes from a master's requirement with the Greek “tithenai.” In the UK for example a thesis is rather a term used for doctoral students where they have done a lot of research and made many citations, while a dissertation is the term used at the undergraduate or master degree . The writers of the theses aim to show that they have mastered a certain subject and a topic with a work including literature reviews, and in contrast the purpose of the writer of the dissertation is to make an original contribution to knowledge. Both types of work involve research however they vary in terms of size, objective and academic level.