A dissertation is one of the longest essay projects students have to undertake at some point in their academic lives. It follows a set structure with different sections highlighting different concepts to make the dissertation paper complete. Being among the largest academic projects, the main question is, how long is a dissertation?
In this guide, we highlight useful insights into the average dissertation length and any other crucial information you need to know regarding the length of dissertation, especially since a dissertation is made up of different chapters, with each chapter representing crucial information on the subject matter. Keep reading for a better understanding.
How long is a dissertation paper?
The question of dissertation length varies based on the nature of the topic. Therefore, a PhD dissertation length can be more or less based on the subject matter of your whole project. However, an ideal dissertation will fall between 25,000 – 40,000 words. This leads us to another question; how many pages is a dissertation?
Again, based on the nature of your subject matter or research topic, the number of pages for a dissertation paper may range between 75 – 125 pages. The goal is to focus on the dissertation chapters, ensuring each section meets the set guidelines.
The different parts of a dissertation
Having answered the question of how long is a PhD dissertation, let’s do an analysis of parts of a dissertation that make the word count and the number of pages.
- Title page
This is the very first section of a dissertation with the following details:
- Title of the research
- Writer’s name
- Institute’s name
The details should be arranged according to the formatting guidelines in the requirements.
- Abstract
This is a research summary, briefing the reader about the objectives of the research in a short and precise manner.
- Acknowledgment
This part includes details of the people who helped with the research in one way or the other. It can be a spouse, parents, tutors, or children, among others.
- Table of content
The tables show the sub-sections of a dissertation in a simplified manner. It makes it easy for the reader to click on the specific details they want to review.
- Figures and tables
If you use figures and tables in your dissertation, you include them just after the T.O.C. to enable the reader to click and access the details instantly.
- Abbreviations list
Next, you include all the abbreviations you’ve used in your research paper with their meaning. The abbreviations are usually arranged in alphabetical order.
- Introduction
The dissertation introduction sets the base of your paper by giving the reader the direction of your paper.
- Literature review
This section is simply a review of past work on the same topic. Therefore, the writer must do an analysis of similar works before writing a literature review.
- Methodology
This section explains the methods or approaches used to carry out the research.
- Findings
Describe the results of the methods used. Sometimes, this section is usually merged with the discussion section.
- Conclusion
This is a simplified summary of all the details highlighted in the dissertation.
- Reference list
This section includes all the sources used during the research process.
- Appendices
This is the last section of a dissertation paper, and it may include transcripts, surveys, or even questionnaires.
Conclusion
Knowing the exact details for writing a compelling dissertation is a must to succeed in the project. The secrete is knowing the average dissertation length, selecting a perfect topic, the forming a plan on how to structure each section of a dissertation to ensure you meet the word limit.