Checklist: Writing a dissertation

My title page includes all information required by my university.

I have included acknowledgements thanking those who helped me.

My abstract provides a concise summary of the dissertation, giving the reader a clear idea of my key findings or arguments.

I have created a table of contents to help the reader navigate my dissertation.

The table of contents includes all chapter titles, but excludes the title page, acknowledgements, and abstract.

My introduction leads into my topic in an engaging way and shows the relevance of my research.

My introduction clearly defines the focus of my research, stating my research questions and objectives.

My introduction includes an overview of the dissertation’s structure.

I have reviewed the most important literature to show the current state of knowledge on my topic.

My literature review does not just summarize but engages critically with sources, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing research.

My literature review discusses patterns, themes, and debates in the literature.

My literature review shows how my dissertation addresses a gap or contributes something new to existing research.

I have clearly outlined the theoretical framework of my research, explaining the theories and models that support my approach.

I have thoroughly described my methodology, explaining how I collected and analyzed data.

I have concisely and objectively reported all relevant results.

I have evaluated and interpreted the meaning of the results in my discussion.

I have acknowledged any important limitations of the results.

I have clearly stated the answer to my main research question in the conclusion.

I have clearly explained the implications of my conclusion, emphasizing what new insight my research has contributed.

I have provided relevant recommendations for further research or practice.

If relevant, I have included appendices with supplemental information.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

I have listed every source in a reference list at the end of my dissertation.

I have consistently followed the rules of my chosen citation style.

I have followed all formatting guidelines provided by my university.