summary for thesis

How to Write a Thesis Summary

Your thesis summary is the distilled essence of your thesis: a tool to underline the strengths of your research and make yourself recognizable as a competent scholar.

The importance of writing a good thesis summary is often underestimated and it is not too difficult to understand why. Even in the cases where a student has seriously engaged in writing his thesis, the summary is usually the last thing that gets done. The typical scenario is therefore the following: the bulk of the work has finally been done, the deadline to submit the thesis is imminent. Time is running out and, consequently, when it comes to set the summary down, this is written in a very hasty way… I am pretty sure that you can relate to this situation and – trust me – you are not the only one. Yet, this is a pity! Your thesis summary deserves to be written with a certain care for several good reasons. An effective summary is the best way to impress your readers. It will be the first thing to be read and – as hard as it is to admit – the first impression is what really counts. You should therefore think of the summary as a distilled and concentrated essence of your thesis: a tool to underline the strengths of your research and make yourself recognizable as a competent scholar.

Especially if your thesis is written in another language, setting down an accurate, compelling summary in English can be the first step to internationally disseminate your work. In this regard, keep also in mind that an English summary of your thesis may be required for a job application or a PhD-position. Having said that, how to proceed? Here you are some useful steps to write an effective summary.

Elaborate a thesis statement

The thesis statement . is the most important part. This is a sentence usually placed at the beginning of the summary and it is aimed at clarifying the main research questions of your work. The thesis statement must be clear and concise. MA theses, but also PhD dissertations, usually concern very narrow topics. So, avoid being vague and explain the central idea of your research as specific as possible. Let’s do some practical examples. A sentence like:

“the aim of the present study is to show how English skills can be improved in several ways” is certainly too vague.

Instead, a statement like:

“the aim of the present research is to show how the use of Ludwig can improve English writing skills, by providing reliable texts to get inspiration”

defines a narrower field of research. In addition, as the last example demonstrates, a good thesis statement can be enforced with further arguments.

For example, one could state that:

taking inspiration from a database of 300 million English sentences can indeed help a student to perfect their phrasing, by seeing words in the context of real sentences. A mere automatic correction tool, instead, carries the risk of worsening the student performance, for example by favouring the memorization of wrong phrases and expressions.

Explain the structure of the thesis

Each thesis is usually divided into diverse chapters, such as an introduction, a section dedicated to explaining the terminology, a chapter for the methodology, the discussion of the data, the results of the research etc. A good summary must give a clear idea of how you have organized your research step by step. So be very clear and use sentences like “in the first chapter of my thesis I treated”, “while in the second…”, “the analysis of the data has shown that” etc. And, of course, do not hesitate to use Ludwig if you need examples to take inspiration from. Keep in mind, you may have made the discovery of the century… but if you are not able to explain how you achieved such a result, you will be considered a charlatan.

How to write a thesis summary: a practical example

In this regard, it is good practice to read a number of thesis summaries and to analyse how they are written. Nowadays all the most prestigious universities offer free access to their online repositories, where one can find great inspirational models. See, for example, this website by Cambridge University. Now, let's analyse the structure of one of them:

The Italian giallo film was a type of thriller that was produced in huge numbers between the early 1960s and the late 1980s. This thesis contributes to recent scholarly attempts to situate the giallo within its socio-cultural historical context but resists the critical tendency to read these films as passive and transparent reflections of social attitudes in post-war Italy. Rather, I attend concretely to the form of these films and, specifically, to their critically neglected sound designs . I argue that the giallo’s voice tracks were conditioned by the commercial imperatives of Italy’s post-war popular film industry and that these commercial imperatives were in turn shaped by wider social, economic and political phenomena. By theorising the voice as a mediator between the giallo text and its industrial and social contexts, I show that these films both registered and reified social change. Chapter 1 demonstrates that the anonymous narrator of Mario Bava’s The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) adopts a range of sonorous modes throughout the film. Each of these sonorous modes invokes a specific set of intertexts which are vital to tracing both the giallo’s cultural origins and the increasingly globalised socio- cultural landscape from which it emerged. This chapter then shows that Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) uses the model of the cinematic voice-over to explore the subjective experience of urban space in post-war Italy. The film suggests that by 1970 the ability to vocally ‘narrate’ and thus control space had become a fundamental assumption of the modern, cosmopolitan subject. Chapter 2 analyses Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) and Sergio Martino’s Torso (1973). Both films draw on longstanding Italian cultural stereotypes to pitch the silence of the rural against the vocality of the urban. The films use silence and the voice as ‘cartographic’ tools to delineate the profound socio-economic divisions between Italy’s rural South and its more urban North, but they also illustrate the giallo’s underlying affinities with its silent cinema ancestors and so challenge the assumed temporal borders between cinematic eras. Chapter 3 argues that Argento’s Tenebrae (1982) and Fulci’s The New York Ripper (1982) variously mimic the vocal aesthetics of television. These films lay bare both the increasing dominance of the Italian cultural landscape by imported commercial television in the 1980s and the neoliberal economic project that underpinned that trend. Ultimately, they question the stability of the nation itself, precisely because the voice — now fractured across a global mediascape — is unable to signal national specificity.

The sentences in bold highlight how the author carefully organized the structure of the text. He started with a well elaborate thesis statement. As you can see, the object of the research is well defined and narrow: the study focuses on Italian thrillers , produced during a specific historical period between the early 1960s and the late 1980s. Moreover, the investigation depeens a specific aspect: the use of sounds in this movie genre. Then, the scholar explains in detail how he organized his work step by step, by summarizing the content of each chapter.

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Ultimately, we can say that to write a theis summary is a less daunting task than one might imagine at first sight!

Keep in mind why and for whom you are writing

There is a huge difference between writing a summary for the theses database of your university and to write a summary for a more ambitious purpose. As mentioned above, a summary of your thesis may be required for a job application or to get a PhD position. So, if you are facing this kind of situation, you must “use” your summary in a smart way. Are there any points of contact between your thesis and the position you hope to get? If yes which ones? Is it the topic? Or, perhaps, in order to undertake your research, you have used a tool/method/program that could be pertinent with this position? So, tailor your summary in order to highlight what you need to stand out from the crowd and… good luck!

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Thesis Summary

Ai generator.

Considering that you have finished writing your thesis, it is high time that you started working on your thesis summary or abstract as the last and final part of your research paper before submitting it to your instructor. Writing an abstract is actually the simplest way for your audience, the teachers and the panel of publishers (if you wish for it to be published) to know what your research paper is about without going through the bulk of your paper.

What is an Abstract?

According to an article found in the Simon Fraser University database, the abstract is deemed a critical part of your thesis and it is presented at the beginning of the thesis, as it is a summary of the whole thesis. The thesis summary is a substantive description of your work read by an external examiner by presenting all the major elements of your work in a highly condensed form.

Size and Structure

Normally, a thesis summary would only contain 120 or less (for undergraduate theses), 150 words (for Masters theses) and 350 words (for a doctoral dissertation).

For doctoral dissertations, it is best to limit it to only 280 words with a format of one double-spaced page, to preserve visual coherence.
The structure of the abstract should mirror the structure of the whole thesis, and should represent all its major elements.
For instance, if your thesis has five chapters (rationale, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion), limit each chapter to only a sentence or two for each chapter in order to maximize some parts that need more substantial backing.

Clearly Specify Your Research Questions

Research questions are important in making sure that the abstract is coherent and logically structured as they form the backbone to which other elements adhere; they should be presented near the beginning of the abstract.
Depending on the length of your research paper, there is only room for one to three questions. If there are more than three major research questions in your thesis, try to rearrange them by reducing some to subsidiary status.

Don’t Forget the Results

One of the most common mistakes in writing abstracts is the failure to indicate the results.
The primary function of your thesis (and by extension your abstract) is not to tell readers what you did, it is to tell them what you discovered. Other information, such as the account of your research methods, is needed mainly to back the claims you make about your results.
The final part of your thesis should be about summarizing your results as well as interpreting them.
Although it is sometimes not necessary, you can choose to add keywords below your abstract as the most important terms that can be found in the thesis.

Listed below are some thesis summary examples:

This study aimed to analyze and identify the most frequent news category and rhetoric of the three local English dailies as well as assess whether they align to the readers’ news preference. These factors served as the sources of the data gathered by the researchers: ninety tertiary students, each local publication’s respective editorial board, and banner stories. Findings indicated that even though the editors would usually select their stories based on impact, the banner story content however focused more on news like crime and politics which are mostly conflict-based issues, instead of human interest stories that readers prefer the most. In conclusion, the respective editorial boards of each publication are not presenting the readers with their main interests in the banner story. Keywords: banner stories, news values, news categories, gatekeeping/gatekeepers, and readers’ preference

An example of a summary format The aim or goal or purpose of this graduation thesis (title) is to … (analyse, characterize, compare, examine, illustrate, present, survey, design, reconstruct) … The graduation thesis is composed of five chapters, each of them dealing with different aspect of … Chapter 1 is introductory and (defines, describes, reviews, deals with) … The chapter is subdivided into two parts. Part 1 describes … and explains … . Part 2 deals with … Chapter 2 examines … . The chapter consists of three parts. Part 1 focuses on … . Part 2 investigates … . Part 3 addresses the issue of … . Chapter 3 is subdivided into two parts and provides an outline of relevant … Part 1 illustrates … . Part 2 looks at … . Chapter 4 concentrates on problems resulting from … Part 1 describes …. Part 2 recommends changes to be made in legislation … Conclusions are drawn in Chapter 5. The main aim of the graduation thesis has been reached. The author suggests that …………………… should be changed/introduced/applied.

The aim of this graduation thesis entitled Development of Yamakawa Technologies to Ascertain the Existence of Cheese on the Moon is to test the use of Yamakawa technologies in ascertaining the existence of cheese on the moon. Yamakawa technologies have been successfully used to test the existence of water in Wakanda, but to date no further applications are known. For this reason the author decided to test further applications, with the aim of describing the technology’s suitability for further development. This thesis first examines the testing procedures for the water in Wakanda experiment, and presents the results. In a second stage several adaptations to Yamakawa for the testing of the existence of cheese on the moon are undertaken. Finally the technology is applied to the question of cheese on the moon, within a six-week testing phase. At the end of each week the testing apparatus is fine tuned, and experiment results are charted every twenty-four hours. The results of the experiment show that Yamakawa technologies are well suited to ascertaining the presence of water in Wakanda, but were unable to be sufficiently modified for the purpose of ascertaining the existence of cheese on the moon. The author recommends further modification to the technology before any other uses are considered.

After writing the said abstract in your research paper, then congratulations! You are now ready to move to the next step of your thesis journey, defending it. Just remember this, always know your thesis by heart. Believe me, if you do, you will not have a hard time and eventually, you will learn to enjoy it too. Good luck!

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Guide On How To Write a Thesis Summary In 2023

So, you just found out that you need to write a thesis summary. In most cases, students who encounter this requirement for the first time start to panic. Frankly, not everyone knows what this thesis summary is. And let’s not forget that most students have no clue how to write one. Don’t worry about it too much though.

What is a thesis summary?

Why use a thesis summary, how to write an effective thesis summary in 2023, master thesis summary example.

A thesis summary is a document that summarizes the points of a longer essay, thesis, or dissertation. Readers will often find a summary to be helpful as it offers a succinct overview of the document’s contents. A Thesis Summary should not be confused with an abstract as they both refer to separate documents that serve different purposes.

The steps involved in writing a Thesis Summary depend on what type of thesis you are summarizing. If you’re summarizing a text-based thesis, then your first step should be to read the Thesis and make note of any major key points and conclusions made by the author(s). You then assemble your notes into one coherent paragraph detailing each one of the major key points. Keep in mind that this initial paragraph will serve as an introduction to your Thesis Summary; therefore, it should not contain the thesis’ main points. Once you’ve completed this step, use these Main Points (identified in your thesis) as a guide for writing the body of your document.

If you’re developing a summary thesis that’s math-related, then you’ll first need to take note of the main conclusions. Second, you must determine how these conclusions were reached by noting each step in the proof. Finally, you’ll have to explain why each step is true using logic statements and definitions from the thesis.

These are the two standard ways to write a thesis summary. However, you can also include your insights, opinions, and comments if you choose.

The steps for writing a ‘ Thesis Summary in 2023’ are just about the same as they’ve always been. They’re pretty much set in stone because this is how students have written thesis summaries for decades.

For both types of thesis summaries, you should include a final paragraph that ties everything together with a brief conclusion. This final paragraph should highlight the key points and conclusions made throughout your document as well as offer a brief statement about why these points matter.

Step 1: Read the Text

The very first thing you’ll want to do is read the entire text. When you’re reading, make note of any major key points and conclusions made by the author(s). If you’re summarizing a text-based thesis, then these major points will form the basis for your introduction paragraph. However, don’t include these points in this introduction.

Step 2: Get to Work

After reading the entire document, it’s time to get started! Begin by taking notes on what you’ve learned from the text and organize them into one coherent paragraph. Make sure that this introduction doesn’t contain the thesis’ main points. Next, use these Main Points (identified in your thesis) as a guide for writing the rest of your thesis summary.

Step 3: Proof it Out

If you’re summarizing a math-related thesis, then you’ll first need to take note of the main conclusions and purposes stated within the document. Next, determine how these conclusions were reached by noting each statement or step in the proof. Finally, complete your Thesis Summary by explaining why each step is true using logical statements and definitions from the thesis.

Step 4: Wrap it Up

Once you’ve finished writing the body of your Thesis Summary, include a final paragraph that ties everything together with a brief conclusion. This final paragraph should highlight the key points and conclusions made throughout your document as well as offer a brief statement about why these points matter.

The best reasons to use a thesis summary are that it will both summarize the relevance of the document and add relevance to an argument. If someone is looking for a specific point or conclusion from the original text, then a Thesis Summary provides them with a quick breakdown of what they can find in the document’s introduction.

You should include a thesis summary in your writings when you believe that there may be too many arguments within your writing. It will help you put together the important points from the different arguments into one concise section.

If you’re summarizing a math-related thesis, they will ensure that you proof every step of the proof given in your paper. It will make sure that you do not miss any details.

There are a few key things that you should keep in mind when writing an effective thesis summary.

When you’re summarizing a math-related paper, make sure to highlight the main conclusions and how they were arrived at.
Tell the reader why these conclusions matter by explaining each one with logical statements and definitions from the original document.
Include a brief conclusion paragraph that ties everything together and highlights the key points covered throughout your work.
If your thesis is text-based, make sure to include important points throughout the body of your work.
Last but not least, remember that you are writing a summary so don’t use big words or complex sentence structures! Your goal is to be understood by anyone who reads it in the future.

This Thesis Summary sample is based on a text-based document. Please note, as far as the format and structure are concerned, there’s not much difference between a summary of a bachelor thesis example, an example of a Ph.D. thesis summary, and a thesis chapter summary from a Master thesis summary.

The introduction to the original document should be written as such:

“In this thesis, we’d like to introduce a new framework for understanding how we learn and teach math. The topic of learning and teaching should be the focus of mathematics education.”

Then, point out the main points and conclusions made throughout the body of your work:

“One conclusion that we’ve drawn from our research is that children’s conceptions should be taken into account when designing an appropriate math curriculum for them.”

“A second conclusion that we’ve drawn from our research is that children are more likely to develop their ideas about math if they are encouraged to think critically.”

Finally, make a brief statement about why these points matter using logical statements and definitions from the thesis:

“These conclusions highlight how important it is to focus on children’s conceptions when designing curricula because if we don’t take them into account, we miss out on our student’s potential.”

“These conclusions also show that we need to emphasize critical thinking as a means for children to develop their ideas about math.”

Now, you’ve successfully written an effective thesis summary! Keep in mind that your goal is to highlight the main points and conclusions of the original document as well as boast about their significance. To make this process easier for you, we hope that our tips come in handy.

You should now have a good idea about what a thesis summary or dissertation summary is, why you should use them, and how to write one.

A thesis summary is an overview of the main points and conclusions made in a text-based document or simply put, a summary of the research paper. A Thesis Summary should be included when you believe there are too many arguments within your writing, or if you’re summarizing math-related papers for proofing purposes. Key things to keep in mind while writing one include highlighting important concepts that were previously mentioned, explaining why these new ideas matter with logical statements and definitions from the original work, and providing a brief conclusion paragraph that ties everything together. If you want thesis help with any part of this process from reading or understanding complex texts to organizing them into coherent paragraphs let us know! Our team of thesis writers will be happy to help you complete your thesis summary!

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Connect with an expert today, thesis summary: an in-depth guide to academic writing.

A thesis summary is a highly condensed version of the longer paper. It highlights the main points that have been covered in the paper while concisely describing the content of the thesis. In most cases, the summary of a thesis and the abstract serve the same purpose.

A thesis summary is a succinct and abridged rendition of the lengthier text. It succinctly summarizes the key aspects discussed in the paper and provides a brief overview of the thesis's substance. Typically, the summary of a thesis and the abstract have a similar function. They offer a comprehensive summary of the key aspects of a thesis. Therefore, the summary allows the reader to promptly grasp the primary content of your thesis. This allows them to ascertain their level of interest in your work.

A thesis summary often includes a concise overview of the main points and findings of a thesis.

When requested to provide a summary, you are merely expected to compress the content to its key points. A comprehensive summary of thesis research should encompass only the crucial components. The summary should encapsulate the central concept of the work, as well as the subordinate arguments that may be intertwined with less significant information.

Several learners often mistake a thesis statement summary for an analysis. An analysis is a comprehensive examination and exploration of the methods, concepts, and significance present within the text. However, it is important to note that a summary does not involve providing a response or evaluating the concepts presented in the text. When assessing a paper, you need to summarize its content in order to identify the topics that you will be examining. An analysis cannot be replaced by a summary.

A Ph.D. or master thesis summary should encompass the following elements: A title that closely resembles the one used for your thesis The primary objective of your thesis The primary subject of your thesis The research methodologies employed to collect the data The divisions within your thesis Recommendations, findings, and deductions

In essence, a summary should succinctly convey the author's main points in a clear and organized manner. Hence, meticulously analyse the thesis to ascertain the primary and secondary elements or arguments, and succinctly describe them in a structured fashion.

In order to effectively portray the main argument of the author, it is important to offer a brief summary of the thesis that incorporates both the initial and concluding points made by the author. Therefore, it is imperative that you thoroughly comprehend and rephrase the thesis in a more succinct and abbreviated manner.

Guide to Crafting an Executive Summary for a Thesis

It is possible that you have composed a concise thesis that does not exceed ten pages in length. To write a summary thesis, follow these steps:

Provide a concise summary of each paragraph using a single sentence.
Provide a concise summary of the entire content in one sentence.
The text can be summarized in a single paragraph. This paragraph begins with a concise sentence that captures the main idea of the text. Following this, a series of summary sentences provide an overview of the key points discussed in the book.
Revise and reorganize your paragraph to ensure it is succinct and unambiguous.
Remove inconsequential and redundant details while incorporating smooth transitions.
Ensure that the ultimate summary is comprehensive, logical, and cohesive.

Guide to Composing Summaries of Ph.D. Dissertations and Lengthy Texts

Summarizing a lengthy work such as a Ph.D. thesis necessitates a significant amount of time. The reason for this is that one must engage in reading and comprehending the document before to summarizing it. Below are the steps to construct a concise and comprehensive thesis statement for lengthier academic papers.

Analyse the thesis by dividing it into distinct primary segments. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to categorize the paragraphs that centre around a common subject and thereafter enumerate the corroborating arguments for each part.
Compose a concise summary for each part, consisting of one or two sentences.
Compose a concise summary that encapsulates the entirety of the content. Examine the thesis to locate the topic sentence that will provide guidance.
Compose a single paragraph or multiple paragraphs to initiate the overarching summary statement. Subsequently, provide sentences that succinctly encapsulate certain areas.
Reorganize and rephrase the paragraphs to make the writing more succinct and understandable, while removing redundant and less significant points. Additionally, ensure that you incorporate transitions throughout your summary.

The ultimate synopsis should encompass the primary corroborating aspects of each notion. Ensure that the final version is logically connected, integrated, and comprehensive.

When is it necessary to include a Summary of Findings in a thesis?

The summary and conclusion thesis fulfils the function of presenting a comprehensive outline of the article. Consequently, pupils are obligated to compose a summary on numerous occasions. Occasionally, an instructor may require students to compose a brief written response following the completion of a reading assignment. In addition, they may be required to provide a summary of their text as a component of their critique or response following the completion of reading a paper.

As part of their research paper writing process, students may choose to include article summaries in their planning or note-taking. The final papers can incorporate these summaries or their components. When composing a research paper, the author can rely on the summary as a point of reference for source materials. A summary allows a writer to succinctly summarize extensive information in order to elucidate and demonstrate the significance of sources that address a related topic.

The opening of a paper can also serve the purpose of summarizing the important topics that will be presented in the body of the text, providing a clear and succinct overview. The optimal length of a summary should be determined by the intricacy and extent of the work. Furthermore, the intended objective of a summary should dictate its length, whether it be a concise few phrases, a brief paragraph, or even multiple paragraphs. It is possible to encounter a thesis summary sample that closely resembles a complete paper.

Characteristics of an Exemplary Summary Thesis Example

When acquiring the skill of composing a summary and conclusion in a thesis, most pupils rely on samples as their guiding references. However, how can you ascertain that you are utilizing an exemplary thesis summary example? These are the desirable attributes to consider:

Comprehensiveness : An effective summary should encompass all relevant information. It is necessary to extract and record all significant points from the original paragraph in a concise list. The ideas that should comprise the summary are essential for the advancement of the thesis.
Conciseness : An optimal summary should not have any redundancies. Avoid duplicating the same ideas, especially if they have already been reiterated in the primary document. The summary should be concise yet offer a succinct synopsis of the paper. Hence, it is advisable to refrain from restating the central argument and the supporting concepts.
Coherence : An effective summary exhibits logical consistency. It does not resemble a section that has been extracted from the primary document. Furthermore, it is important that the summarized text does not give the impression of being a compilation of disconnected sentences from the original source.
Independence : When composing a summary, your task is not to replicate the author's style or content. However, it is anticipated that you will demonstrate your unique style and individuality in the summary. Therefore, it is imperative that you should not simply cite the author of the primary material. Instead, articulate your comprehension of the document using your own language. A summary should be derived from your comprehension and analysis of the primary concepts or arguments presented by the writer. However, a well-crafted summary should avoid distorting or misrepresenting information by include criticisms or opinions.

It is important to emphasize that a strong example of a summary thesis employs a format that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The document includes the objective or aim, findings, and final remarks or suggestions. Furthermore, it incorporates coherent linkages between the provided information without introducing additional data.

To write an exceptional summary, dedicate your efforts to this section subsequent to finalizing your thesis. Ensure that you are directed by the key aspects of your argument. Additionally, utilize a well- crafted executive summary from a thesis sample to provide guidance. The appropriate length of your summary should be determined by its intended function and the overall length of the primary content. After composing the summary, thoroughly review it and remove any mistakes during the process of proofreading and editing . Alternatively, you can request the assistance of our thesis editors to proofread the summary on your behalf.

Access to a wide variety of free tools, research templates, and guidelines can be obtained by visiting our website, which can be found here . We are always ready to provide you with comprehensive research guidance and project support in the event that you ever need assistance with writing your research project, review journal, article, or dissertation. At HAMNIC Solutions , our team of professionals and research experts is always ready to guide you through your research journey.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence)

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.

Arguable thesis with analytical claim

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.

Arguable thesis with normative claim

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.

Questions to ask about your thesis

Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?
Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?
Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?
Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?
Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
picture_as_pdf Thesis

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
Answer your project’s main research question.
Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

Summary (abstract)

Tips for a good structure.

Thesis structure

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What is the abstract for?

Writing a summary or abstract, what parts does your thesis summary contain, summary for your thesis in the present or past tense, check check athenacheck.

Most theses contain a summary, also called an 'abstract'. This briefly describes what your thesis is about, and includes every part of the thesis: the research method, the results, the conclusion, suggestions for follow-up research, etc. All are described very briefly, and to the point! Read here what to look out for when writing a good abstract.

You can think of the abstract as a brief overview of the most important substantive parts of your thesis. The summary always stands on its own: it should tell the whole story and should be understandable to people who do not read your entire thesis.

A summary of your thesis usually aims to...

...make the reader curious. After reading the summary, readers will know if it is of interest to them to read the whole thesis.

...briefly describe the content of your thesis . This way, people who do not read the full thesis will still get an idea of your research and results.

The abstract comes usually after the title page and any preface , and before the table of contents. Often, the summary of your thesis is at most one A4. Some studies use a smaller word count, e.g. around 200-300 words.

A common mistake when writing the abstract is that people copy and paste text from the thesis itself. This is not the purpose of an abstract. Instead, paraphrase the content of your thesis in fewer words.

These are several important points to consider when writing an abstract or summary:

Write out abbreviations when you use them for the first time in your summary. This applies to abbreviations that you repeat more often in the text. Note that you should reintroduce abbreviations in the thesis itself by fully writing them out once first, even if you have already done so in the abstract. After all, the summary is separate from your thesis. For example, it might look like this: 'The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (NIPHE) conducted research on...'.

Discuss all parts of your thesis very succinctly. For example, do not devote more than a few sentences to your results.

Get straight to the point. There is no need to give much theoretical background. The reader can gain more depth by reading the full thesis.

Make the summary accessible to people with no prior knowledge. Do not use technical terms if you do not explain them. Furthermore, use academic language .

Usually, you do not cite sources in the abstract because it is a description of your reseayou refer to a source? Then use the correct source citation , according to APA or the Guideline for Legal Authors.

Always write your abstract after you have written the full thesis . This makes it easier to highlight all the completed thesis components in your summary.

In your summary, include at least the following:

The problem statement and objective;

Your research question (just the main question, not the sub-questions);

A brief description of your research methodolog y;

A summary of the main results (only those relevant to answering your main question);

The conclusion (the answer to your main question);

Any shortcomings of your research;

Suggestions for follow-up research and possible recommendations .

For some studies, it is mandatory to include keynotes below the abstract. Check with your supervisor what guidelines you should follow.

A question we often get from students is: do you write the summary for your thesis in the present or past tense? In practice, you use two verb tenses in your thesis summary: present tense and present perfect tense .

You use the present tense for, among other things, naming the research question or describing the current situation. You also use the present perfect tense when describing the results or the research method.

Thesis – Structure, Example and Writing Guide

Table of contents.

Definition:

Thesis is a scholarly document that presents a student’s original research and findings on a particular topic or question. It is usually written as a requirement for a graduate degree program and is intended to demonstrate the student’s mastery of the subject matter and their ability to conduct independent research.

History of Thesis

The concept of a thesis can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was used as a way for students to demonstrate their knowledge of a particular subject. However, the modern form of the thesis as a scholarly document used to earn a degree is a relatively recent development.

The origin of the modern thesis can be traced back to medieval universities in Europe. During this time, students were required to present a “disputation” in which they would defend a particular thesis in front of their peers and faculty members. These disputations served as a way to demonstrate the student’s mastery of the subject matter and were often the final requirement for earning a degree.

In the 17th century, the concept of the thesis was formalized further with the creation of the modern research university. Students were now required to complete a research project and present their findings in a written document, which would serve as the basis for their degree.

The modern thesis as we know it today has evolved over time, with different disciplines and institutions adopting their own standards and formats. However, the basic elements of a thesis – original research, a clear research question, a thorough review of the literature, and a well-argued conclusion – remain the same.

Structure of Thesis

The structure of a thesis may vary slightly depending on the specific requirements of the institution, department, or field of study, but generally, it follows a specific format.

Here’s a breakdown of the structure of a thesis:

This is the first page of the thesis that includes the title of the thesis, the name of the author, the name of the institution, the department, the date, and any other relevant information required by the institution.

This is a brief summary of the thesis that provides an overview of the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions.

This page provides a list of all the chapters and sections in the thesis and their page numbers.

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the research question, the context of the research, and the purpose of the study. The introduction should also outline the methodology and the scope of the research.

Literature Review

This chapter provides a critical analysis of the relevant literature on the research topic. It should demonstrate the gap in the existing knowledge and justify the need for the research.

Methodology

This chapter provides a detailed description of the research methods used to gather and analyze data. It should explain the research design, the sampling method, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures.

This chapter presents the findings of the research. It should include tables, graphs, and charts to illustrate the results.

This chapter interprets the results and relates them to the research question. It should explain the significance of the findings and their implications for the research topic.

This chapter summarizes the key findings and the main conclusions of the research. It should also provide recommendations for future research.

This section provides a list of all the sources cited in the thesis. The citation style may vary depending on the requirements of the institution or the field of study.

This section includes any additional material that supports the research, such as raw data, survey questionnaires, or other relevant documents.

How to write Thesis

Here are some steps to help you write a thesis:

Choose a Topic: The first step in writing a thesis is to choose a topic that interests you and is relevant to your field of study. You should also consider the scope of the topic and the availability of resources for research.
Develop a Research Question: Once you have chosen a topic, you need to develop a research question that you will answer in your thesis. The research question should be specific, clear, and feasible.
Conduct a Literature Review: Before you start your research, you need to conduct a literature review to identify the existing knowledge and gaps in the field. This will help you refine your research question and develop a research methodology.
Develop a Research Methodology: Once you have refined your research question, you need to develop a research methodology that includes the research design, data collection methods, and data analysis procedures.
Collect and Analyze Data: After developing your research methodology, you need to collect and analyze data. This may involve conducting surveys, interviews, experiments, or analyzing existing data.
Write the Thesis: Once you have analyzed the data, you need to write the thesis. The thesis should follow a specific structure that includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references.
Edit and Proofread: After completing the thesis, you need to edit and proofread it carefully. You should also have someone else review it to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors.
Submit the Thesis: Finally, you need to submit the thesis to your academic advisor or committee for review and evaluation.

Example of Thesis

Example of Thesis template for Students:

Title of Thesis

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

Chapter 4: Results

Chapter 5: Discussion

Chapter 6: Conclusion

References:

Appendices:

Note: That’s just a basic template, but it should give you an idea of the structure and content that a typical thesis might include. Be sure to consult with your department or supervisor for any specific formatting requirements they may have. Good luck with your thesis!

Application of Thesis

Thesis is an important academic document that serves several purposes. Here are some of the applications of thesis:

Academic Requirement: A thesis is a requirement for many academic programs, especially at the graduate level. It is an essential component of the evaluation process and demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct original research and contribute to the knowledge in their field.
Career Advancement: A thesis can also help in career advancement. Employers often value candidates who have completed a thesis as it demonstrates their research skills, critical thinking abilities, and their dedication to their field of study.
Publication : A thesis can serve as a basis for future publications in academic journals, books, or conference proceedings. It provides the researcher with an opportunity to present their research to a wider audience and contribute to the body of knowledge in their field.
Personal Development: Writing a thesis is a challenging task that requires time, dedication, and perseverance. It provides the student with an opportunity to develop critical thinking, research, and writing skills that are essential for their personal and professional development.
Impact on Society: The findings of a thesis can have an impact on society by addressing important issues, providing insights into complex problems, and contributing to the development of policies and practices.

Purpose of Thesis

The purpose of a thesis is to present original research findings in a clear and organized manner. It is a formal document that demonstrates a student’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the knowledge in their field of study. The primary purposes of a thesis are:

To Contribute to Knowledge: The main purpose of a thesis is to contribute to the knowledge in a particular field of study. By conducting original research and presenting their findings, the student adds new insights and perspectives to the existing body of knowledge.
To Demonstrate Research Skills: A thesis is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate their research skills. This includes the ability to formulate a research question, design a research methodology, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
To Develop Critical Thinking: Writing a thesis requires critical thinking and analysis. The student must evaluate existing literature and identify gaps in the field, as well as develop and defend their own ideas.
To Provide Evidence of Competence : A thesis provides evidence of the student’s competence in their field of study. It demonstrates their ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems, and their ability to communicate their ideas effectively.
To Facilitate Career Advancement : Completing a thesis can help the student advance their career by demonstrating their research skills and dedication to their field of study. It can also provide a basis for future publications, presentations, or research projects.

When to Write Thesis

The timing for writing a thesis depends on the specific requirements of the academic program or institution. In most cases, the opportunity to write a thesis is typically offered at the graduate level, but there may be exceptions.

Generally, students should plan to write their thesis during the final year of their graduate program. This allows sufficient time for conducting research, analyzing data, and writing the thesis. It is important to start planning the thesis early and to identify a research topic and research advisor as soon as possible.

In some cases, students may be able to write a thesis as part of an undergraduate program or as an independent research project outside of an academic program. In such cases, it is important to consult with faculty advisors or mentors to ensure that the research is appropriately designed and executed.

It is important to note that the process of writing a thesis can be time-consuming and requires a significant amount of effort and dedication. It is important to plan accordingly and to allocate sufficient time for conducting research, analyzing data, and writing the thesis.

Characteristics of Thesis

The characteristics of a thesis vary depending on the specific academic program or institution. However, some general characteristics of a thesis include:

Originality : A thesis should present original research findings or insights. It should demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the knowledge in their field of study.
Clarity : A thesis should be clear and concise. It should present the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions in a logical and organized manner. It should also be well-written, with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Research-Based: A thesis should be based on rigorous research, which involves collecting and analyzing data from various sources. The research should be well-designed, with appropriate research methods and techniques.
Evidence-Based : A thesis should be based on evidence, which means that all claims made in the thesis should be supported by data or literature. The evidence should be properly cited using appropriate citation styles.
Critical Thinking: A thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to critically analyze and evaluate information. It should present the student’s own ideas and arguments, and engage with existing literature in the field.
Academic Style : A thesis should adhere to the conventions of academic writing. It should be well-structured, with clear headings and subheadings, and should use appropriate academic language.

Advantages of Thesis

There are several advantages to writing a thesis, including:

Development of Research Skills: Writing a thesis requires extensive research and analytical skills. It helps to develop the student’s research skills, including the ability to formulate research questions, design and execute research methodologies, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
Contribution to Knowledge: Writing a thesis provides an opportunity for the student to contribute to the knowledge in their field of study. By conducting original research, they can add new insights and perspectives to the existing body of knowledge.
Preparation for Future Research: Completing a thesis prepares the student for future research projects. It provides them with the necessary skills to design and execute research methodologies, analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
Career Advancement: Writing a thesis can help to advance the student’s career. It demonstrates their research skills and dedication to their field of study, and provides a basis for future publications, presentations, or research projects.
Personal Growth: Completing a thesis can be a challenging and rewarding experience. It requires dedication, hard work, and perseverance. It can help the student to develop self-confidence, independence, and a sense of accomplishment.

Limitations of Thesis

There are also some limitations to writing a thesis, including:

Time and Resources: Writing a thesis requires a significant amount of time and resources. It can be a time-consuming and expensive process, as it may involve conducting original research, analyzing data, and producing a lengthy document.
Narrow Focus: A thesis is typically focused on a specific research question or topic, which may limit the student’s exposure to other areas within their field of study.
Limited Audience: A thesis is usually only read by a small number of people, such as the student’s thesis advisor and committee members. This limits the potential impact of the research findings.
Lack of Real-World Application : Some thesis topics may be highly theoretical or academic in nature, which may limit their practical application in the real world.
Pressure and Stress : Writing a thesis can be a stressful and pressure-filled experience, as it may involve meeting strict deadlines, conducting original research, and producing a high-quality document.
Potential for Isolation: Writing a thesis can be a solitary experience, as the student may spend a significant amount of time working independently on their research and writing.

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How To Write A Research Summary

It’s a common perception that writing a research summary is a quick and easy task. After all, how hard can jotting down 300 words be? But when you consider the weight those 300 words carry, writing a research summary as a part of your dissertation, essay or compelling draft for your paper instantly becomes daunting task.

A research summary requires you to synthesize a complex research paper into an informative, self-explanatory snapshot. It needs to portray what your article contains. Thus, writing it often comes at the end of the task list.

Regardless of when you’re planning to write, it is no less of a challenge, particularly if you’re doing it for the first time. This blog will take you through everything you need to know about research summary so that you have an easier time with it.

What is a Research Summary?

A research summary is the part of your research paper that describes its findings to the audience in a brief yet concise manner. A well-curated research summary represents you and your knowledge about the information written in the research paper.

While writing a quality research summary, you need to discover and identify the significant points in the research and condense it in a more straightforward form. A research summary is like a doorway that provides access to the structure of a research paper's sections.

Since the purpose of a summary is to give an overview of the topic, methodology, and conclusions employed in a paper, it requires an objective approach. No analysis or criticism.

Research summary or Abstract. What’s the Difference?

They’re both brief, concise, and give an overview of an aspect of the research paper. So, it’s easy to understand why many new researchers get the two confused. However, a research summary and abstract are two very different things with individual purpose. To start with, a research summary is written at the end while the abstract comes at the beginning of a research paper.

A research summary captures the essence of the paper at the end of your document. It focuses on your topic, methods, and findings. More like a TL;DR, if you will. An abstract, on the other hand, is a description of what your research paper is about. It tells your reader what your topic or hypothesis is, and sets a context around why you have embarked on your research.

Getting Started with a Research Summary

Before you start writing, you need to get insights into your research’s content, style, and organization. There are three fundamental areas of a research summary that you should focus on.

While deciding the contents of your research summary, you must include a section on its importance as a whole, the techniques, and the tools that were used to formulate the conclusion. Additionally, there needs to be a short but thorough explanation of how the findings of the research paper have a significance.
To keep the summary well-organized, try to cover the various sections of the research paper in separate paragraphs. Besides, how the idea of particular factual research came up first must be explained in a separate paragraph.
As a general practice worldwide, research summaries are restricted to 300-400 words. However, if you have chosen a lengthy research paper, try not to exceed the word limit of 10% of the entire research paper.

How to Structure Your Research Summary

The research summary is nothing but a concise form of the entire research paper. Therefore, the structure of a summary stays the same as the paper. So, include all the section titles and write a little about them. The structural elements that a research summary must consist of are:

It represents the topic of the research. Try to phrase it so that it includes the key findings or conclusion of the task.

The abstract gives a context of the research paper. Unlike the abstract at the beginning of a paper, the abstract here, should be very short since you’ll be working with a limited word count.

Introduction

This is the most crucial section of a research summary as it helps readers get familiarized with the topic. You should include the definition of your topic, the current state of the investigation, and practical relevance in this part. Additionally, you should present the problem statement, investigative measures, and any hypothesis in this section.

Methodology

This section provides details about the methodology and the methods adopted to conduct the study. You should write a brief description of the surveys, sampling, type of experiments, statistical analysis, and the rationality behind choosing those particular methods.

Create a list of evidence obtained from the various experiments with a primary analysis, conclusions, and interpretations made upon that. In the paper research paper, you will find the results section as the most detailed and lengthy part. Therefore, you must pick up the key elements and wisely decide which elements are worth including and which are worth skipping.

This is where you present the interpretation of results in the context of their application. Discussion usually covers results, inferences, and theoretical models explaining the obtained values, key strengths, and limitations. All of these are vital elements that you must include in the summary.

Most research papers merge conclusion with discussions. However, depending upon the instructions, you may have to prepare this as a separate section in your research summary. Usually, conclusion revisits the hypothesis and provides the details about the validation or denial about the arguments made in the research paper, based upon how convincing the results were obtained.

The structure of a research summary closely resembles the anatomy of a scholarly article . Additionally, you should keep your research and references limited to authentic and scholarly sources only.

Tips for Writing a Research Summary

The core concept behind undertaking a research summary is to present a simple and clear understanding of your research paper to the reader. The biggest hurdle while doing that is the number of words you have at your disposal. So, follow the steps below to write a research summary that sticks.

1. Read the parent paper thoroughly

You should go through the research paper thoroughly multiple times to ensure that you have a complete understanding of its contents. A 3-stage reading process helps.

a. Scan: In the first read, go through it to get an understanding of its basic concept and methodologies.

b. Read: For the second step, read the article attentively by going through each section, highlighting the key elements, and subsequently listing the topics that you will include in your research summary.

c. Skim: Flip through the article a few more times to study the interpretation of various experimental results, statistical analysis, and application in different contexts.

Sincerely go through different headings and subheadings as it will allow you to understand the underlying concept of each section. You can try reading the introduction and conclusion simultaneously to understand the motive of the task and how obtained results stay fit to the expected outcome.

2. Identify the key elements in different sections

While exploring different sections of an article, you can try finding answers to simple what, why, and how. Below are a few pointers to give you an idea:

What is the research question and how is it addressed?
Is there a hypothesis in the introductory part?
What type of methods are being adopted?
What is the sample size for data collection and how is it being analyzed?
What are the most vital findings?
Do the results support the hypothesis?

Discussion/Conclusion

What is the final solution to the problem statement?
What is the explanation for the obtained results?
What is the drawn inference?
What are the various limitations of the study?

3. Prepare the first draft

Now that you’ve listed the key points that the paper tries to demonstrate, you can start writing the summary following the standard structure of a research summary. Just make sure you’re not writing statements from the parent research paper verbatim.

Instead, try writing down each section in your own words. This will not only help in avoiding plagiarism but will also show your complete understanding of the subject. Alternatively, you can use a summarizing tool (AI-based summary generators) to shorten the content or summarize the content without disrupting the actual meaning of the article.

SciSpace Copilot is one such helpful feature! You can easily upload your research paper and ask Copilot to summarize it. You will get an AI-generated, condensed research summary. SciSpace Copilot also enables you to highlight text, clip math and tables, and ask any question relevant to the research paper; it will give you instant answers with deeper context of the article..

4. Include visuals

One of the best ways to summarize and consolidate a research paper is to provide visuals like graphs, charts, pie diagrams, etc.. Visuals make getting across the facts, the past trends, and the probabilistic figures around a concept much more engaging.

5. Double check for plagiarism

It can be very tempting to copy-paste a few statements or the entire paragraphs depending upon the clarity of those sections. But it’s best to stay away from the practice. Even paraphrasing should be done with utmost care and attention.

Also: QuillBot vs SciSpace: Choose the best AI-paraphrasing tool

6. Religiously follow the word count limit

You need to have strict control while writing different sections of a research summary. In many cases, it has been observed that the research summary and the parent research paper become the same length. If that happens, it can lead to discrediting of your efforts and research summary itself. Whatever the standard word limit has been imposed, you must observe that carefully.

7. Proofread your research summary multiple times

The process of writing the research summary can be exhausting and tiring. However, you shouldn’t allow this to become a reason to skip checking your academic writing several times for mistakes like misspellings, grammar, wordiness, and formatting issues. Proofread and edit until you think your research summary can stand out from the others, provided it is drafted perfectly on both technicality and comprehension parameters. You can also seek assistance from editing and proofreading services , and other free tools that help you keep these annoying grammatical errors at bay.

8. Watch while you write

Keep a keen observation of your writing style. You should use the words very precisely, and in any situation, it should not represent your personal opinions on the topic. You should write the entire research summary in utmost impersonal, precise, factually correct, and evidence-based writing.

9. Ask a friend/colleague to help

Once you are done with the final copy of your research summary, you must ask a friend or colleague to read it. You must test whether your friend or colleague could grasp everything without referring to the parent paper. This will help you in ensuring the clarity of the article.

Once you become familiar with the research paper summary concept and understand how to apply the tips discussed above in your current task, summarizing a research summary won’t be that challenging. While traversing the different stages of your academic career, you will face different scenarios where you may have to create several research summaries.

In such cases, you just need to look for answers to simple questions like “Why this study is necessary,” “what were the methods,” “who were the participants,” “what conclusions were drawn from the research,” and “how it is relevant to the wider world.” Once you find out the answers to these questions, you can easily create a good research summary following the standard structure and a precise writing style.

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Types of Essays in Academic Writing - Quick Guide (2024)

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
makes a claim that others might dispute.
is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

Do I answer the question? Yes!
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How To Write A High-Impact Executive Summary

By Derek Jansen | January 2018

In this post, I’ll deconstruct the often-misunderstood executive summary and show you how to develop a high-impact executive summary for your assignment, research report or even your dissertation or thesis.

So, what is an executive summary?

An executive summary (sometimes called an abstract ) is quite simply a summary of summaries. In other words, an executive summary provides a concise summary of each of your assignment or report chapters/sections . More specifically, it should communicate the key points/insights/findings/suggestions from the following chapters:

Introduction
Recommendations
Implementation (if applicable)
Reflection (if applicable)

I’ll discuss which key points from each section need to be addressed a bit later. On a separate note – if you’re writing an executive summary for a dissertation or thesis, all of the concepts described in this post will still apply to you, however, you’ll include an additional paragraph about your methodology, and you’ll likely spend more word count discussing your analysis findings.

The 4 Important Attributes Of An Exec Summary

Before I discuss what goes into the executive summary, let’s quickly look at 4 attributes that make for a strong executive summary:

#1 – It should be able to stand alone.

The executive summary should be able to stand independently as an informative document . In other words, the reader should be able to grasp your broad argument without having to read the full document. Further reading should be purely for attaining more detail. Simply put, the executive summary should be a “Mini-Me” of the assignment.

This independence means that anything you write in the executive summary will need to be re-stated in the body of your assignment. A common mistake that students make is to introduce key points in the executive summary and then not discuss them again in the document – accordingly, the marker must view the main document as missing these key points. Simply put – make sure you discuss key points in both the executive summary and the main body . It will feel repetitive at times – this is normal.

#2 – It should be written for the intelligent layman.

When crafting your executive summary, its useful to keep the intelligent layman front of mind. What I mean by this is that you should write your summary assuming that your reader (i.e. the marker) will be intelligent but won’t be familiar with your topic and/or industry. This means that you should explain any technical concepts, avoid jargon and explain acronyms before using them.

#3 – It should be concise.

Typically, your executive summary should be a one-pager (one and a half pages at worst). To summarise a 3000 – 5000-word document into one page is no easy task, so you’ll need to:

Present only the most important information (key insights, recommendations, etc).
Write concisely – i.e. with brevity and completeness.

To the first point, I’ll explain what the “most important” information is for each chapter shortly. To the second point (writing concisely), there are various ways to do this, including:

Using simple, straightforward language.
Using the active voice.
Removing bloaty adverbs and adjectives.
Reducing prepositional phrases.
Avoiding noun strings.

Does this sound like gibberish to you? Don’t worry! The Writing Center at the University of Wisconson-Madison provides a practical guide to writing more concisely, which you can download here.

On a related note, you typically would not include headings, citations or bulleted/numbered lists in your executive summary. These visual components tend to use a lot of space, which comes at a premium, as you know.

#4 – It should be written last.

Given that your executive summary is a summary of summaries, it needs to be written last , only once you’ve identified all your key insights, recommendations and so on. This probably sounds obvious, but many students start writing the summary first (potentially because of its position in the document) and then end up re-writing it multiple times, or they don’t rewrite it and consequently end up with an executive summary which is misaligned with the main document.

Simply put, you should leave this section until everything else is completed. Once your core body content is completed, you should read through the entire document again and create a bullet-point list of all the key points . From this list, you should then craft your executive summary . The approach will also help you identify gaps, contradictions and misalignments in your main document.

So, what goes into an executive summary?

Right, let’s get into the meat of it and consider what exactly should go into your executive summary. As I’ve mentioned, you need to present only the absolutely key point points from each of your chapters, but what does this mean exactly?

Each chapter will typically take the form of 1 paragraph (with no headings) in your executive summary. So, 5 chapters means 5 paragraphs. Naturally, some will be longer than others (let this be informed by the mark allocation), but assuming one page contains 500 words, you’re aiming for roughly 100 words per paragraph (assuming a 5-paragraph structure). See why conciseness is key!

Now, let’s look at what the key points are for each chapter in the case of a typical MBA assignment or report. In the case of a dissertation or thesis, the paragraph structure would still mimic the chapter structure – you’d just have more chapters, and therefore, more paragraphs.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

This paragraph should cover the following points:

A very brief explanation of the business (what does it do, for whom and where?).
Clear identification and explanation of the problem or opportunity that will be the focus of the assignment/report.
A clear statement of the purpose of the assignment (i.e. what research questions will you seek to answer?).
Brief mention of what data sources were utilised (i.e. secondary research) and any fieldwork undertaken (i.e. primary research ).

In other words, your first paragraph should introduce the business, the problem/opportunity to be addressed, why it’s important, and how you approached your analysis. This paragraph should make it clear to the reader what the assignment is all about at a broad level. Here’s a practical example:

This assignment focuses on ABC Ltd, a XXX business based in XXX, which provides XXX to XXX customers. To date, the firm has relied almost exclusively on XXX marketing channel. Consequently, ABC Ltd has little understanding of consumer segments, wants, and needs. This marketing channel is now under regulatory threat due to XXX. The core challenge, therefore, is that whilst ABC Ltd seeks to grow its market share, it has little understanding of its market characteristics or competitive set, and its sole marketing channel under regulatory threat. Accordingly, the objective of this assignment is XXX. The assignment draws on survey, interview, and industry data.

Paragraph 2: Analysis and findings

In this paragraph, you should discuss the following:

What exactly did you analyse? For example, you might have analysed the macro context (i.e. PESTLE analysis), followed by the meso (i.e. competitor or industry analysis) and then the micro (i.e. internal organisational analysis).
What were your key findings in relation to the purpose of the assignment? For example, you may have identified 4 potential causes of a problem and would then state them.

In other words, your second paragraph should concisely explain what you analysed and what your main findings were . An example of this:

Segmentation analysis, consisting of macro, industry and firm-level analyses, revealed a strong segmentation variable in the form of XXX, with distinct needs in each segment. Macro analysis revealed XXX, while industry and firm-level analyses suggested XXX. Subsequently, three potential target segments were established, namely XXX, XXX and XXX. These were then evaluated using the Directional Policy Matrix, and the results indicated XXX.

From a presentation perspective, you might structure this section as:

Analysis 1, findings from analysis 1.
Analysis 2, findings from analysis 2.
Analysis 3, findings from analysis 3.

Importantly, you should only discuss the findings that are directly linked to the research questions (i.e. the purpose of the assignment) – don’t digress into interesting but less relevant findings. Given that the analysis chapter typically counts for a large proportion of marks, you could viably write 2-3 paragraphs for this. Be guided by the mark allocation.

Lastly, you should ensure that the findings you present here align well with the recommendations you’ll make in the next paragraph. Think about what your recommendations are, and, if necessary, reverse engineer this paragraph to create a strong link and logical flow from analysis to recommendations.

Paragraph 3: Recommendations

With the key findings from your analysis presented in the preceding paragraph, you should now discuss the following:

What are your key recommendations?
How do these solve the problems you found in your analysis?
Were there any further conclusions?

Simply put, this paragraph (or two) should present the main recommendations and justify their use (i.e. explain how they resolve the key issue). As mentioned before, it’s critically important that your recommendations tightly align with (and resolve) the key issues that you identified in the analysis. An example:

Based on the Directional Policy Matrix analysis, it is recommended that the firm target XXX segment, because of XXX. On this basis, a positioning of XXX is proposed, as this aligns with the segment’s key needs. Furthermore, a provisional high-level marketing mix is proposed. The key aspects of the marketing mix include XXX, XXX and XXX, as these align with the firm’s positioning of XXX. By adopting these recommendations, the key issue of XXX will be resolved.

Also, note that (typically) the tone changes from past to present tense when you get to the recommendations section.

Paragraph 4: Implementation

If your assignment brief requires an implementation/project plan-type section, this paragraph will typically include the following points:

Time requirements (how long will it take?)
People requirements (what skills are needed and where do you find them?)
Money requirements (what budget is required?)
How will the project or change be managed? (i.e. project management plan)
What risks exist and how will these be managed?

Depending on what level of detail is required by your assignment brief, you may need to present more, less or other details in this section. As always, be guided by the assignment brief.

A practical example:

A high-level implementation plan is proposed, including a stakeholder analysis, project plan and business case. Resource requirements are presented, detailing XXX, XXX and XXX requirements. A risk analysis is presented, revealing key risks including XXX, XXX and XXX. Risk management solutions are proposed, including XXX and XXX.

Paragraph 5: Reflection

As with the implementation chapter, the need for a reflection chapter/section will vary between assignments and universities. If your assignment has this requirement, it’s typically good to cover the following points:

What were your key learnings? What were your ah-ha moments?
What has changed in the real world as a consequence of these learnings? I.e. how has your actual behaviour and approach to “X” changed, if any?
What are the benefits and/or disadvantages of this change, if any?

This section is very personal, and so each person’s reflections will be different. Don’t take the above points as gospel.

Time to test it out.

Once you’ve written up your executive summary and feel confident that it’s in good shape, it’s time to test it out on an unsuspecting intelligent layman. This is a critically important step, since you, as the writer, are simply too close to the work to judge whether it all makes sense to a first-time reader. In fact, you are the least suitable person on the planet!

So, find someone who is not familiar with your assignment topic (and ideally, not familiar with your industry), and ask them to have a read through your executive summary. Friends and family will usually tell you its great, regardless of the quality, so you need to test them on their understanding. Do this by asking them to give the details back to you in their own words. Poke and prod – can they tell you what the key issues and recommendations were (in their own words!). You’ll quickly spot the gaps this way, and be able to flesh out any weak areas.

Wrapping up.

In this post, I’ve discussed how to write the all too often undercooked executive summary. I’ve discussed some important attributes of a strong executive summary, as well as the contents that typically go into it. To recap on the key points:

The key attributes of a high-impact executive summary:

It should be able to stand alone.
It should be written for the intelligent layman.
It should be concise.
It should be written last.

The key contents of a high-impact executive summary:

Each paragraph should cover a chapter from the document. For example, In the case of a typical assignment, it would be something like:

Summary of the introduction chapter.
Summary of the analysis chapter.
Summary of the recommendations and/or conclusions chapter.
Depending – summary of the implementation and reflection.

Lastly, don’t forget to test out your executive summary on an unsuspecting layman or two. This is probably the most important step of them all!

If you have any questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch here or leave a comment below.

Thanks so much for your methodical process and explanation of Executive Summary. It is exactly what I was researching for.

Regards Saane

It’s a pleasure!

This was really helpful with how to structure my assignment.

Thank you so much for the step by step process. It’s so helpful for beginners like me.

Great! This post is very informative and gives clear guidance on to write an executive summary. Thanks very much for sharing this information, it’s very helpful.

Thanks for the feedback, Anna. Best of luck with your writing 🙂

Thank you for the great article, really helped explain what was needed.

Great insight and tips . Thanks

Thank you so much for sharing this. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you for your help

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

Explain the analysis of the college admission process
Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

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In a nutshell: how to write a lay summary

November 26, 2018 | 5 min read

By Christopher Tancock

Why “translating” your research for a general audience can bring many benefits – and how to do so

With thanks to Kristina Killgrove

Elsevier Authors' Update is pleased to present this article in support of PHD2Published Academic Writing Month. opens in new tab/window

You must be rather pleased with that newly-published article. After many long months, your hard work has paid off and that paper has now taken its place in the library of academic literature. Unfortunately, so have another 2.5 million articles just this year. How do you stand out amongst that enormous crowd and get attention? One way of doing this is to make your article as accessible as possible and a good way of achieving that aim is to prepare a lay summary.

What is a lay summary?

Though your colleagues and peers are probably able to get to grips with your article, the chances are that its content will be unintelligible to the average man or woman in the street. What’s more, researchers are increasingly tasked by their institutions and funders to outline the impact of their research for the general public and beyond their specific area of interest. If you can transform your article into something that the wider public can understand, you’ve got yourself another readership - and one who is more likely to share what it is that you’ve discovered/hypothesized/confirmed further. The key to doing this is in producing a lay summary.

A lay summary, or impact statement, is a very efficient way of conveying the essence of your article briefly and clearly. Fundamentally, what you’re aiming to produce is a short paragraph outlining the article content, aimed at non-specialists in the field and written in a way that they can easily understand. This element differentiates it from the abstract, which is designed with your subject peers in mind. The structure of a lay summary should answer the main questions of “who/what/where/when/how many/why?” (in essence, you’re trying to justify why someone should spend time in reading what you’ve produced). Answering these questions in a concise manner will deliver all the details the reader needs. The most important part of it is a “summary within a summary”: one final sentence which explains why the research is important, and what the article has concluded.

What’s the big deal?

Lay summaries are already commonly used by researchers in many subject areas, as they encourage and increase the possibility of collaboration, and some funding bodies even require them as part of their application procedure. Writing such summaries – distilling your work into a “portable” and maximally-accessible form can bring many benefits for your wider interactions with society at large. Among other things, they’re great for use in press releases or when communicating with journalists. In short: this is a communications skill worth learning.

Here are some pointers on how to write a useful lay summary:

Predict and cover the “so what?” factor – justify your research.

Give some background and context to the research. What prompted you to do it?

Follow a logical order. This may not always coincide with a temporal order.

Explain the impact of the work – what is going to change (especially in relation to wider society)?

Use succinct, short sentences – and write in plain English. Imagine you’re talking to an undergraduate who’s just stepped into your introductory class. Or, better still, pretend you’re trying to explain your article to a distant family member who works in retail/fashion/hospitality.

Avoid jargon unless absolutely necessary and explain it if you do have to keep it in.

Use first person and active voice (“we agreed” rather than “it was agreed”).

Use positives not negative sentences: “You will have repeat appointments at least once a fortnight”, rather than “The usual practice is not to schedule repeat appointments more frequently than once a fortnight”

Images are very important – try to include one if you can.

When you think you’re ready with your summary, ask a friendly non-academic to read it. Ask them if they understood it: the number of questions you get might dictate that further revision is needed!

Supporting lay summaries at Elsevier

Here at Elsevier we’ve been exploring how we can support authors with writing, hosting and promoting lay summaries. Several of the journals we publish including: Epilepsy & Behavior Case Reports opens in new tab/window , International Journal of Paleopathology , Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports opens in new tab/window and Journal of Hepatology opens in new tab/window now provide lay summaries for selected papers on their homepages. These are made freely available to readers. Note that different journals and subject areas might approach the same basic idea in various ways. For example, the Materials Today group of journals has recently launched its “Contributor” project whereby early and mid-career researchers are encouraged to write “news summaries” of recent articles (which are then checked with the original author(s) for accuracy and published on the Materials Today news page opens in new tab/window ). There might be similar initiatives in your community, so make sure you keep your ear to the ground and get involved if you can.

Looking to the future, we’re also in the process of experimenting with facilitating the submission of lay summaries during the submission process – and aggregating them on a grander scale for authors to aid their discoverability. Stay tuned to hear more on our efforts in this regard.

Lay summaries can be a powerful tool to extend and broaden the impact of your research. Don’t forget that there are a number of other tools available to you as author – check out our guide to “getting noticed” opens in new tab/window , for example. Have a go at writing a summary for your next article and ask your editor if the journal in question is interested in participating in the lay summaries project. Enjoy making a splash with your next article!

Contributor

Christopher Tancock

Authors' update - keeping journal authors in touch with industry developments, support and training.

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Key Takeaways from the Climate Change Authority's Sector Pathways Review

8th September 2024

cca sectorial pathways review report - key takeaways

Franziska Curran

Principal Consultant

Grace Tully

Senior Consultant

Gregor Theinschnack

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One of the challenges our clients face when setting net zero emissions targets is the lack of certainty they have in their suppliers and downstream emissions. If these emissions are included in their target – it’s important to know and trust that viable net zero pathways exist for them. This is why progress like the Sector Pathways Review is exciting and comforting. While there is still so much work to do, being able to see it simply and clearly laid out is helpful. It helps us know where to aim, what to expect, and where the government will likely be providing support.

But the report does acknowledge : “A range of sector pathways can combine to achieve net zero by 2050. All require significant effort.” So by no means is the job done – or the pathway crystal clear.

What’s the Sector Pathways Review all about?

For those who are new to this area, the Sectoral Pathways are the “sets of potential technological and operational changes in each sector, that taken together could potentially deliver net zero emissions in Australia by 2050”.

The sectors considered are those that Australia reviews and tracks as part of our climate commitments: Electricity and energy, Transport, Industry and waste, Agriculture and land, Resources and Built Environment.

The Sector Pathways Review dives into top-down and bottom-up analysis into how these sectors could reduce emissions out to 2050 in line with Australia’s Net Zero target.

cca sectorial pathways review emissions reductions technologies

Sector Pathways Review – Australia’s key reduction opportunities and strategies for achieving emissions targets

Electrification:.

It starts with electricity – and rightly so – this is the area of the economy which has arguably the greatest potential to unlock decarbonisation in other sectors.

The planned electrification of the built environment, transport and the resources sectors are highlighted as mature technologies for these sectors.

LIVESTOCK EMISSIONS:

The report isn’t very optimistic about livestock emission reductions. With so many solutions emerging for enteric methane reduction ( such as feed additives ) and a focus of many environmental groups to decrease meat consumption, it posits that “major reductions in livestock emissions may not be realised until the late 2030s and in the 2040s. More investment in R&D is needed”.

Hydrogen plays a role in three of the six sectors but is acknowledged as fitting within “demonstrated and early-stage technologies”. It warns that “progress of hydrogen in achieving projected cost and production levels to displace fossil fuels in domestic markets needs to be closely monitored”.

Nuclear is omitted and clearly stated so, due to its current ban under Australian legislation. The report notes that if there is a significant reduction in costs this should be reconsidered.

LAND SECTOR REMOVALS:

The report states that land removals will play a critical role, doing the heavy lifting and abating any 2050 residual emissions as the only sector with negative net emissions.

The combined pathways across all six sectors target reductions from 500MtCO2e to 133MtCO2e (residual emissions), to which the aim would be to have most of these (90%) abated by land sector removals.

That would mean a requirement to triple land sector removals from around 40MtCO2e to 120MtCO2e.

Non-land removals are highlighted as a challenge and risk that still requires access to land and resources. What is concerning about this is there is very little mention of climate risk .

Obviously, inaction now will lead to a heavier dependence upon land-based removals, but global inaction will also mean more climate risks facing our land-based carbon removal projects. The risks posed by climate change on removal projects are only mentioned briefly – but if the 2019-20 bushfire season is anything to go by, we should be thinking about this one carefully.

Put more simply, climate events could undo storage that we are relying on to achieve our targets – which means very high stakes!

INDUSTRY AND WASTE:

For heavier industrial facilities, it’s well known that generating process heat from less emissions-intensive sources will have wide benefits across industries at all scales. But this is not just applicable to large emitters (i.e. facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism) – the report highlights the far-reaching potential impacts of process heat interventions across smaller facilities.

Process heat accounts for more than 50% of total scope 1 energy use in industry – which means this is very fertile ground for emissions reduction interventions.

Existing technologies can meet some of the demand for low and medium-temperature requirements, yet the technology to support high-temperature requirements is not yet mature or proven at the scale required for heavy industry, such as ammonia production.

The report is another useful reminder that a lot of technologies heavy industry is expected to rely upon might not be readily available for years to come. For example, many decarbonisation plans have a reliance on fuel substitutes, particularly the availability of green hydrogen, alongside emerging technologies which are not expected to be available until 2035, according to this report.

Another key insight from the Sector Pathways Review is that it highlights the important role of planning agencies in the transition and that the onus is not just on industry to make the required change. It discusses how low-emissions industrial precincts could play a meaningful role in overcoming barriers to investment and technology rollout. This will require a high degree of coordination by government agencies and industry.

SAFEGUARD MECHANISM:

The paper expresses that they’ve found many Safeguard Covered facilities that intend to pursue near-term decarbonisation opportunities to meet their obligations. The rate at which this happens will indicate the dependence we have on land-based removals into the future.

What is also interesting is the mention of the expansion of the Safeguard Mechanism as a key approach to achieving the necessary reductions. Whether this means including more facilities or lowering the baseline remains to be seen.

The threshold for Safeguard covered facilities is currently at 100kt CO2e scope 1, but the writing is on the wall that this might drop, with the entry of considerably more organisations and the need for much more sophisticated carbon accounting and increasing audit burdens.

The report also notes the expansion of the Safeguard Mechanism could help to overcome the ‘lack of willingness to pay the green premium’ by entities who currently face no penalty on their emissions profile.

cca sectorial pathways review emissions reductions removals

Opportunities and Risks

Obviously, with a government-led and regulated net zero plan in the most critical sectors, there are plenty of opportunities to come.

Opportunities

We have seen recent announcements of the Future Made in Australia plan- partly in response to the US’s Inflation Reduction Act and the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. This includes the recently launched $1bln Solar Sunshot program which is getting rolled out via Arena to increase solar PV manufacturing.

Other opportunities include:

The transition of Australia’s workforce to build a net zero economy has huge potential. If done right – and that’s with a fair share of ifs and buts – Australia can tap into its wealth of knowledge in the resources and energy sectors and transfer those skills to new, sustainable industries. We know and understand that Australia is mineral-rich and can provide large amounts of critical minerals required for the transition towards net zero.
Inclusion of First Nations communities, is essential and needs to be done properly. The review highlights the Net Zero Economy Authority’s obligation to address social aspects in its coordination efforts, investment brokerage to create regional jobs, and support for workers through the transition. It also emphasises the need for First Nations’ inclusion, as many large-scale renewable energy projects and resource mining will take place on their land. However, more concrete steps from the government and industry on how to effectively engage First Nations communities are needed. On a positive note, the report does spotlight the 38 active carbon projects and the Indigenous Economic Power Project, though further regulatory work should be pursued to strengthen these initiatives.

It’s important to highlight some risks that are not addressed in the review or any of the sectoral pathways:

The risk from a changing climate and how adaptation will need to be factored in: Climate risk is not extensively explored in the pathways. In part this could hinge on assumptions about what the rest of the world will do to mitigate climate change, but it lingers as a gap – especially when our long-term future assumes residual emissions getting abated through land-based sequestration.
Environmental and Biodiversity considerations. The review includes a section on how to manage competing land use between food production, environmental conservation and carbon sinks. And it does say that there is no problem as we will plan the management of our land in a better way. The risk is that once there is a market developed for each of the usage options, land owners will gear towards the most profitable option. Which might not lead to the expected and wanted outcome.
The risk of a change in government. To drive the transition will require a vast amount of investments (the review speaks about the need for $122bln to transition the National Electricity Market). For that to happen, investors want certainty which is only partially built into the pathways and which requires more bi-partisan leadership.
The risk of overshooting the targets and thus not being able to stay on a 1.5 or 2-degree trajectory. This, in turn, leads to higher climate-related physical risks, which ultimately results in greater economic and social disruptions.
The intensity of the transition is another risk factor not covered by the pathways or the review. To achieve our desired low-carbon future, significant investments in several systems will be required, and these will come at a cost to the planet – in resources, land use and in particular in greenhouse gas emissions, which need to be factored in.

Our Economic Future

One of the biggest questions surrounding Australia’s Net Zero pathway is: what will the future look like?

In a country where 39% of our commodity exports are fossil fuels what are we going to do in a future where the world is chasing net zero? The review suggests Australia can maintain a healthy resources sector but there will be a “shift to increased iron and other metals and minerals production, and away from coal and eventually gas.”

How do we also ensure that imports we are dependent on remain available as demand increases? Our role as an exporter will shift as supply chains decarbonise, but our opportunities as an importer will also be impacted as demand for certain products and technologies increases as the world decarbonises.

In Conclusion

The CCA Sectoral Pathways Review consolidates a lot of research and planning for the future – it lays out potential paths ahead for our key economic sectors, as many stakeholders align towards a common goal – net zero by 2050. While in some areas it presents a realistic picture of the challenges ahead – that a significant amount of coordination will be required, that there are systemic and significant shifts that must happen to our economic outputs, and that not all the solutions are technologically ready – it also presents ideas to overcome those barriers.

We will be watching closely for improvements that roll on from this and shape the way our climate policies and incentives develop – and how we can best guide our clients to success. We will closely watch for hints for the expansion of the Safeguard Mechanism and of NGERs, the evolution and growth of our carbon market to overcome the green premium, as well as guidance and strategies for improvement to nature and nature as a climate resilient solution.

Want to explore how these findings might affect your business?

If you’d like to learn more or need guidance with emissions reduction, target setting or your broader sustainability initiatives please reach out to our experts , we’re here to help.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Momentum Still Promising Through H2 2024, Turnaround Likely Prolonged

BMY's rally from the July 2024 bottom is well deserved, as the market rotated from high growth to high dividend-yielding sectors.
This is significantly aided by the pharmaceutical company's robust FQ2'24 performance and raised FY2024 guidance.
Readers must not forget the numerous tailwinds from H2'24 to 2026 as BMY increasingly monetizes its in-house/acquired pipelines.
With the stock still inherently discounted, investors with long investing trajectory may also look forward to a near-doubling upside potential.
However, we shall discuss why investors may want to observe the stock movement for a little longer before pulling the trigger here.

BMY's Investment Thesis Remains Attractive, Despite The Recent Rally

We previously covered Bristol Myers Squibb Company ( NYSE: BMY ) in July 2024, discussing how we continued to rate the stock as a Buy despite its underperformance compared to the wider market.

This was attributed to the pharmaceutical company's robust double-beat FQ1'24 earnings call, ongoing cost-saving strategies, and numerous regulatory wins.

Combined with the stock's oversold status, we had believed that investors only needed to patiently await its eventual turnaround, while getting paid rich dividends.

BMY YTD Stock Price

Trading View

With the Fed already signaling their readiness "to kick off a series of interest rate cuts at the U.S. central bank's meeting in two weeks," attributed to the cooling inflation and labor market , the next question is whether the pivot will be by 25 basis point as priced in by 70% of the market or the more aggressive 50 basis point by a small subset.

Either way, the inherent attractiveness of high dividend-yielding stocks is unsurprising as observed with many other dividend-paying sectors, including REITs, commodities, and tobacco stocks, with these stocks finally showing signs of recovering after the challenging past four years.

The same recovery has also been observed in BMY by mid-July 2024, thanks to the recent market rotation , attributed to its overly discounted status with the same stock price movement also observed with Pfizer Inc. ( PFE ).

Despite so, we believe that opportunistic investors may still add here, particularly attributed to BMY's increasingly rich forward dividend yields of 4.82%, compared to its 4Y average of 3.47% and the sector median of 1.40%.

This is especially true since the US Treasury Yields have already moderated to between 3.49% and 5.05% by the time of writing, compared to the peak of 4.95% and 5.51% observed in October 2023, respectively.

BMY's dividend investment thesis remains highly secure as well, as observed in its LTM Free Cash Flow generation of $12.9B (+20.5% sequentially) ending FQ2'24, compared to the LTM dividend paid out at $4.8B (+1.9% sequentially).

The last raised quarterly dividend payout to $0.60 per share (+5.2%) by early 2024 also implies the management's confidence about generating rich cash flows while returning great value to existing shareholders.

This is despite the pharmaceutical company's relatively higher net debt of $45.37B in FQ2'24 ( -0.5% QoQ / +56.7% YoY ) since the management already plans "to pay down approximately $10 billion of debt over the next two years" - a target that is not overly aggressive given its relatively rich Free Cash Flow generation.

This trend is also well-supported by BMY's robust growth in sales for Total Growth Portfolio at $5.59B (+16.7% QoQ/ +17.9% YoY), well balancing the ongoing erosion observed in its Total Legacy Portfolio at $6.6B (-6.6% QoQ/ +1.8% YoY) - with the ratio increasingly skewed to the former at 45.8% (+5.5 points QoQ/ +3.6 YoY).

BMY H2'24 PDUFA Pipelines

For H2'24, we believe that BMY may also be well-positioned to generate robust growth in financial metrics and further recovery in stock prices.

This is attributed to the pharmaceutical company's promising developments surrounding KarXT and the upcoming Prescription Drug User Fee Act [PDUFA] date by September 26, 2024 - referring to the deadlines for the US FDA to review new drugs, with the management already initiating launch preparations by Q4'24 and meaningful topline accretion likely by 2025.

As discussed in our previous article, this development is highly promising indeed, since new estimates for Karuna's KarXT (treatment for schizophrenia) imply a much higher peak annual revenue of up to $10B, compared to the previous estimates of $6.2B .

BMY's Raised FY2024 Guidance

These developments may be why BMY has already raised their FY2024 total revenue guidance to the upper end of low single digit range and adj EPS to $0.75 at the midpoint (non-comparable on a YoY basis attributed to numerous one-time merger/ IPRD costs).

The Consensus Forward Estimates

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These developments may also be why the consensus has moderately raised their forward estimates, with BMY expected to generate a slightly improved top/ bottom line performance at a CAGR of -0.6%/ -5.4% through FY2026.

This is compared to the previous estimates of -0.9%/ -5.9%, though naturally impacted compared to its historical growth at +15.5%/ +18.2% between FY2016 and FY2022, respectively.

Even so, readers may want to pay attention to BMY's most important metric, Free Cash Flow generation, which is expected to remain rich at over $12B annually over the next few years, implying its ability to eventually deleverage while continue paying out rich dividends.

With the management already guiding 6 additional therapies for expanded indications and 6 new therapies for US FDA approval by 2026, we believe that the second half of the decade may bring forth excellent results for patient investors.

So, Is BMY Stock A Buy , Sell, or Hold?

BMY 12Y Stock Price

For now, BMY has had a rather bullish recovery by +21.5% from the July 2024 bottom, with it currently running away from its 50/100/200-day moving averages while retesting the $48s support levels.

Even so, we believe that its dividend investment thesis remains robust despite the moderation observed in its forward yields from the recent July 2024 peak of 5.93%, as discussed above.

At the same time, readers must note that BMY remains inherently undervalued at FWD non-GAAP P/E valuations of 10.9x, based on the stock price of $48.70 at the time of writing and adj EPS of $4.46 over the LTM (after adjusting for one-time merger and IPRD costs).

This is compared to the sector median FWD non-GAAP P/E valuations of 21.33x and its 5Y mean of 14.69x, with it implying an opportunistic chance for a great upside potential upon the successful monetization of its acquired/ in-house pipelines from 2025 onwards and the completion of its cost efficiency efforts by 2026.

Based on the consensus FY2026 adj EPS estimates of $6.35 and BMY's 5Y P/E mean of 14.69x, we are looking at a bull-case long-term price target of $93.30, with it implying an excellent near-doubling upside potential from the current levels.

As a result of its highly attractive risk/ reward ratio, we are reiterating our Buy rating here, with it allowing investors to enjoy rich dividends prior to its eventual turnaround.

Risk Warning

It goes without saying, that BMY's prospects have been impacted by the loss of exclusivity for Revlimid, whose $5.4B in FQ2'24 annualized revenues have declined drastically from the peak sales of $12.82B in FY2021

This is on top of its upcoming LOEs in the US for:

Yervoy by 2025 - comprising $2.52B/ 5.1% of its annualized sales,
Eliquis by 2026 - $13.64B/ 27.9%,
Opdivo by 2028 - $9.52B/ 19.5%,

with the overall sum potentially triggering a $31.08B/ 63.6% impact on its annualized sales.

As a result, while BMY's intensified R&D efforts/ acquisitions are expected to be accretive by the second half of the decade, we may see the next two or three years bringing forth potential volatility in its stock prices, prior to the eventual monetization and consequent improvements in its top/bottom lines.

Stock Market Volatility

At the same time, with the CBOE Volatility Index already exceeding October 2023 levels, the market momentum hitting fear levels, and the SPY index likely to drop below the 125-day moving averages (implying pessimistic stock market sentiments), we believe that there may be more volatility in the near term indeed.

As a result, while we remain optimistic about BMY's eventual turnaround, it remains to be seen if the stock is able to hold on to its recent gains or pullback alongside the wider market.

Interested investors may want to monitor its stock movement for a little longer before adding, if its support levels of $46s are not breached in the near term.

This article was written by

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. The analysis is provided exclusively for informational purposes and should not be considered professional investment advice. Before investing, please conduct personal in-depth research and utmost due diligence, as there are many risks associated with the trade, including capital loss.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on September 7, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 21, 2023.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction on a relevant topic .

Your introduction should include:

Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write — in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Begin by introducing your dissertation topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualize your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

Geographical area
Time period
Demographics or communities
Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
Addresses a gap in the literature
Builds on existing research
Proposes a new understanding of your topic

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Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

A hook to catch the reader’s interest
Relevant background on the topic
Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

A thesis statement or research question
Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
Your proposed timeline and duration
Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

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George, T. & McCombes, S. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/introduction-structure/

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COMMENTS

How to Write a Thesis Summary
Elaborate a thesis statement. The thesis statement. is the most important part. This is a sentence usually placed at the beginning of the summary and it is aimed at clarifying the main research questions of your work. The thesis statement must be clear and concise. MA theses, but also PhD dissertations, usually concern very narrow topics.
Thesis Summary
The thesis summary is a substantive description of your work read by an external examiner by presenting all the major elements of your work in a highly condensed form. Size and Structure Normally, a thesis summary would only contain 120 or less (for undergraduate theses), 150 words (for Masters theses) and 350 words (for a doctoral dissertation).
How to Write a Thesis Statement
How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
Academic Guide For Students How Write a Thesis Summary
A thesis summary is an overview of the main points and conclusions made in a text-based document or simply put, a summary of the research paper. A Thesis Summary should be included when you believe there are too many arguments within your writing, or if you're summarizing math-related papers for proofing purposes. ...
What is a thesis
A thesis is an in-depth research study that identifies a particular topic of inquiry and presents a clear argument or perspective about that topic using evidence and logic. Writing a thesis showcases your ability of critical thinking, gathering evidence, and making a compelling argument. Integral to these competencies is thorough research ...
What Is a Thesis?
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples
How to Write a Summary
How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples
Thesis Summary: An In-Depth Guide to Academic Writing
A thesis summary is a highly condensed version of the longer paper. It highlights the main points that have been covered in the paper while concisely describing the content of the thesis. In most cases, the summary of a thesis and the abstract serve the same purpose. A thesis summary is a succinct and abridged rendition of the lengthier text.
Thesis
Thesis | Harvard College Writing Center
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Q: How can we write a summary of a thesis?
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Summary of your thesis
The abstract comes usually after the title page and any preface, and before the table of contents. Often, the summary of your thesis is at most one A4. Some studies use a smaller word count, e.g. around 200-300 words. A common mistake when writing the abstract is that people copy and paste text from the thesis itself.
Thesis
[The abstract is a brief summary of your thesis, usually around 150-250 words, that provides an overview of your research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions. It should be concise, specific, and to the point. It should also highlight the most significant contributions of your thesis and any implications for future research.]
Summary: Using it Wisely
Summary: Using it Wisely - UNC Writing Center
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How To Write A Research Summary
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How To Write A High-Impact Executive Summary
Typically, your executive summary should be a one-pager (one and a half pages at worst). To summarise a 3000 - 5000-word document into one page is no easy task, so you'll need to: Present only the most important information (key insights, recommendations, etc). Write concisely - i.e. with brevity and completeness.
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In a nutshell: how to write a lay summary
In a nutshell: how to write a lay summary
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Key Takeaways from the Climate Change Authority's Sector Pathways
Another key insight from the Sector Pathways Review is that it highlights the important role of planning agencies in the transition and that the onus is not just on industry to make the required change.
Bristol Myers Squibb: Momentum Still Promising Through H2 2024
BMY's dividend investment thesis remains highly secure as well, as observed in its LTM Free Cash Flow generation of $12.9B (+20.5% sequentially) ending FQ2'24, compared to the LTM dividend paid ...
How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction
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A thesis summary often includes a concise overview of the main points and findings of a thesis.

Guide to Crafting an Executive Summary for a Thesis

Guide to Composing Summaries of Ph.D. Dissertations and Lengthy Texts

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Characteristics of an Exemplary Summary Thesis Example

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Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence)

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8. Watch while you write

9. Ask a friend/colleague to help