If you have more than 10 chapters total, you should suspect that some are actually only subsections of other chapters and start consolidating.
Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to your field.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation, such as:
In the final product, you can also provide a chapter outline for your readers. This is a short paragraph at the end of your introduction to inform readers about the organizational structure of your thesis or dissertation. This chapter outline is also known as a reading guide or summary outline.
Example 2: IS-AV construction
You can also present your information using the “IS-AV” (inanimate subject with an active verb) construction.
A chapter is an inanimate object, so it is not capable of taking an action itself (e.g., presenting or discussing). However, the meaning of the sentence is still easily understandable, so the IS-AV construction can be a good way to add variety to your text.
Example: IS-AV construction Chapter 1 presents an introduction to the problem and Chapter 2 discusses the relevant literature.
Example 3: The “I” construction
Another option is to use the “I” construction, which is often recommended by style manuals (e.g., APA Style and Chicago style). However, depending on your field of study, this construction is not always considered professional or academic. Ask your supervisor if you’re not sure.
Example: “I” construction In Chapter 1, I discuss the cause of the problem. In Chapter 2, I then discuss the literature. In Chapter 3, I discuss the methods.
Example 4: Mix-and-match
To truly make the most of these options, consider mixing and matching the passive voice , IS-AV construction , and “I” construction .This can help the flow of your argument and improve the readability of your text.
Example: Mix of different constructions Chapter 2 contains a review of the relevant literature that I used for the purposes of this paper. The methods used in the study are then described in Chapter 3, after which the results are presented and discussed in Chapter 4.
Sample verbs for variation in your chapter outline
As you draft the chapter outline, you may also find yourself frequently repeating the same words, such as “discuss,” “present,” “prove,” or “show.” Consider branching out to add richness and nuance to your writing. Here are some examples of synonyms you can use.
| Address | Describe | Imply | Refute |
| Argue | Determine | Indicate | Report |
| Claim | Emphasize | Mention | Reveal |
| Clarify | Examine | Point out | Speculate |
| Compare | Explain | Posit | Summarize |
| Concern | Formulate | Present | Target |
| Counter | Focus on | Propose | Treat |
| Define | Give | Provide insight into | Underpin |
| Demonstrate | Highlight | Recommend | Use |
Frequently asked questions about thesis and dissertation outlines
When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation.
The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation, such as:
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However, the paradox about creating a proposal outline is that you likely don t have a well-developed plan and should actually conduct a little background research before trying to put one together. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to your field.
In “How to write a better thesis” by David Evans and Paul Gruba, it states these general guidelines for thinking about the overall structure.
Resources:
https://u.osu.edu/hackingthethesis/managing-stuff/your-content/outline/
https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/dissertation-thesis-outline/
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