Writing a PhD dissertation can be overwhelming, and you may end up getting stressed due to working without a roadmap. Worry not, we have brought a step-by-step guide to the PhD dissertation chapter structure to help organise a clear, logical manuscript. Let us walk you through the structure of a PhD thesis, with examples to follow.
Standard PhD Dissertation Structure – A Chapter-by-Chapter Overview
- Front Matter (Title Page, Abstract, Contents)
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Literature review
- Chapter 3: Methodology
- Chapter 4: Results/Findings
- Chapter 5: Discussion
- Chapter 6: Conclusion
- Back Matter (References, Appendices)
Some research studies have 7-9 chapters as well, including different sections for results and findings. The exact number of chapters depends on your research design and university requirements.
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Front Matter of a PhD Study
The front matter introduces your dissertation with a title page and so on, before the main chapters begin.
1.1 Title Page
Your dissertation title page is your first impression, and it should be:
- Specific enough to indicate your exact focus
- Broad enough to show relevance.
E.g., Machine Learning Approaches for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
1.2 Abstract
An ideal abstract of a dissertation is usually of 250-350 words, which is a comprehensive summary of your entire dissertation. Many readers only go through your abstract to decide whether to read further or not, so ensure that it is perfect.
1.2.1 Abstract Structure
Paragraph 1: Background and research problem
Paragraph 2 Research aims and objectives
Paragraph 3 Research methodology
Paragraph 4 Key findings
Paragraph 5 Conclusion and implications
E.g., “This study investigates the impact of visual support strategies on classroom behaviour and engagement among primary school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in special educational needs (SEN) settings. It explores the challenges faced by SEN teachers in managing behaviour and examines whether structured visual tools can support effective classroom management and improve learning experiences. A review of existing literature identifies key gaps, including limited research within mainstream SEN units, insufficient use of mixed or practitioner-focused methodologies, and a lack of attention to implementation factors influencing intervention success. Guided by an interpretivist research philosophy and an inductive approach, the study adopts a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis to ensure credibility and ethical rigour. Findings are presented objectively through descriptive summaries and thematic patterns, followed by interpretation in relation to existing research. The study concludes by outlining its contributions to knowledge, practical recommendations for SEN practice, acknowledged limitations, and directions for future research.”
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1.3 Acknowledgements
In this section, you can show your gratitude towards your research supervisor or thank anyone who’s impacted your life or the journey of pursuing a PhD study. Ensure to keep the dissertation acknowledgement section short and meaningful.
1.4 Table of Contents
Your table of contents must list all chapters, sections, and subsections with page numbers. Use your word processor’s (Google Doc or Microsoft) automatic table of contents feature to generate this list automatically.
1.5 List of Figures and Tables (If required)
In case you have used 5+ figures, tables, or even special abbreviations, you need to add a list of figures and tables, and abbreviations as well.
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Main Chapters
Now comes the place of the main chapters on which the whole foundation of your work stands. These chapters include an introduction and a conclusion that explain the why, what, and how of your research. Most researchers use the 5-chapter dissertation format as explained below, and you can use it as well.
2.1 Introduction
Remember, your dissertation introduction chapter sets the tone for your entire study. It will explain what you will research, why it matters, and how you will investigate it.
2.1.1 Research Context and Background
Explain the background of your research and why it is important to investigate specific ideas. Remember, it’s not a detailed literature review, and minimal context is okay to make your topic understandable.
2.1.2 Problem Statement
Simply explain the research problems you are going to address and the gaps you are dealing with.
2.1.3 Research Aims, Objectives, and Questions
State your research aims or objectives that you want to achieve through your study. Also, don’t forget to discuss the research questions you will find answers to.
2.1.4 Significance
Explain why your research study matters and who can benefit from it. Also, mention the practical or theoretical contributions it will make to the knowledge.
E.g., “This research explores how visual support strategies influence classroom behaviour among primary school students with autism spectrum disorder. It examines existing challenges faced by SEN teachers and investigates whether structured visual tools can improve student engagement, reduce disruptive behaviour, and support more effective classroom management practices.”
2.2 Literature Review
Your dissertation literature review in a PhD dissertation structure demonstrates how nicely you understand your field’s current knowledge. It shows you have not just summarised different sources but have woven them together through critical analysis. You can organise your literature review of the work into the following parts:
- Introduction: What this section covers and why it matters.
- Key studies: Present and analyse 8-15 important reference works.
- Critical analysis: What are the strengths and weaknesses of your research?
- Synthesis: How do the references relate to each other?
- Gap identification: What is missing that you are finding?
Always conclude the literature review with a clear summary of research gaps and how your study addresses them. This will create a bridge to your research methodology chapter.
E.g., “This review reveals three critical gaps in current literature. First, most studies examine visual supports in special schools, not mainstream SEN units. Second, few studies use mixed methods to capture both behavioural outcomes and teacher experiences. Third, limited research considers implementation factors affecting intervention success. This dissertation addresses these gaps by…”
2.3 Methodology
Your dissertation methodology chapter explains how you have conducted your research and why you have made these choices. Examiners want to see that you understand research methods and can justify every decision.
2.3.1 Research Philosophy and Approach:
Explain your underlying research philosophy (positivism or post-positivism, interpretivism, critical realism, pragmatism) and what your approach is.
2.3.2 Research Design:
Describe your overall research design, such as surveys or case studies, and explain why this design answers your research questions.
2.3.3 Sampling and Participants:
Describe who has participated in your research and how you have selected the sampling size or group, including methods. Ensure to discuss the following elements in the methodology chapter.
- Sampling strategy
- Sampling size and justification
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
- Participant demographics
- Recruitment procedures
2.3.4 Data Collection Methods:
Simply describe what data collection methods you have used and collected the data for analysis. Research methodology comes at 3rd in the PhD thesis chapter structure.
2.3.5 Data Analysis Procedures:
Explain step-by-step how you have analysed your data, and be specific enough that someone could replicate your analysis easily.
2.3.6 Ethical Considerations:
Describe how you have protected the privacy of participants and ensured ethical considerations.
2.3.7 Research Limitations:
Address validity, reliability, or trustworthiness and acknowledge limitations honestly.
E.g., “This study adopts an interpretivist research philosophy with an inductive approach to explore teachers’ experiences of behaviour management in SEN classrooms. A qualitative case study design was used, involving purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis to ensure rich, credible, and ethically sound findings.”
2.4 Results & Findings
This is the section where you need to conduct the data analysis using appropriate techniques and obtain results. In this PhD dissertation chapter, you need to present the analysis comprehensively and derive the results against the variables under study.
2.4.1 Present Overview:
Briefly remind readers of your research questions and analysis approach.
2.4.2 Descriptive Statistics:
Present participate demographics and descriptive statistics for all variables.
2.4.3 Main Findings:
Present your statistical tests addressing each research question. Ensure to use subheadings for each question or hypothesis.
2.4.4 Summarise:
Now, summarise your key findings without interpreting or going into discussion.
E.g., “This chapter presents the findings of the study in relation to each research question. Descriptive statistics summarise participant characteristics and key variables, followed by statistical analyses examining the effectiveness of visual support interventions. Results are reported objectively, using tables and figures, without interpretation or discussion.”
2.5 Discussion
The PhD dissertation discussion chapter is the second last one in the structure of a PhD dissertation, usually where you present your viewpoints. In this section, you need to do the following things:
2.5.1 Summarise Key Findings:
Restate your main findings in easy-to-understand language for a general audience.
2.5. Interpret Findings:
Explain what each finding means, its relationship to the literature review, and offer explanations for your results.
2.5.3 Future Implications:
Discuss theoretical and practical implications about what future researchers should do differently based on your findings.
2.5.4 Research Limitations:
Discuss your study’s limitations honestly and acknowledge them maturely as a researcher.
E.g., “This chapter explains what the study’s findings mean and how they relate to existing research. The results are interpreted in light of relevant literature, highlighting areas of agreement and difference. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed, followed by an honest reflection on the study’s limitations and scope.”
2.6 Conclusion
Remember, a good PhD thesis conclusion chapter is meant to bring everything together and answer research questions directly.
2.6.1 Research Overview:
Briefly recap your research aims and questions, and ensure they do not exceed 2-3 paragraphs maximum.
2.6.2 Key Findings and Conclusion:
Answer each research question directly and be clear or confident.
2.6.3 Contributions to Knowledge:
Explain your original contribution and what it has brought to the research world.
2.6.4 Recommendation:
Provide practical recommendations for future researchers.
2.6.5 Future Research Direction:
Suggest specific studies that should follow your work and provide future research insights.
E.g., “This chapter summarises the study’s purpose and answers each research question directly. It highlights the key findings, explains the original contribution to knowledge, and offers practical recommendations. The chapter concludes by outlining clear directions for future research based on the study’s outcomes.”
3. Back Matter of a PhD Study
PhD research studies usually end with a list of works cited, appendices, bibliography, etc.
3.1 References:
List every source cited in your dissertation and maintain consistent citation formatting. Most PhD theses have 150-300 references, and you must use any reference management software like Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, or even an APA citation generator to generate citations automatically.
3.2 Appendices:
Include supplementary materials like the following in the appendix:
- Interview protocols and questionnaires
- Consent forms
- Additional tables and figures
- Sample calculations
- Coding frameworks
Label appendices clearly (Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.) and reference them in your main text.
How Much Does a PhD Dissertation Usually Consist of?
PhD dissertations, whether in the arts or STEM, are usually 80,000 words in total and take years to complete the research. Remember, the following are general guidelines, not strict rules. Always check with your institution’s requirements to avoid messing with the formatting.
| Chapter | Contribution % | Word Count |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 10% | 8,000 |
| Literature Review | 25% | 20,000 |
| Methodology | 15% | 12,000 |
| Results & Findings | 30% | 24,000 |
| Discussion | 12% | 9,600 |
| Conclusion | 8% | 6,400 |
PhD Dissertation Chapter-by-Chapter Template to Use
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, researchers in the UK and worldwide typically write PhD dissertations ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 words (excluding references and appendices). Usually, STEM-related works are shorter in word count, while humanities works are extensive.
Yes, but ensure you discuss the major tweaks you plan to make with your supervisor for final approval. Minor adjustments are standard as your research evolves, but significant restructuring after writing multiple chapters can be challenging. So plan carefully and stick to the defined structure unless major changes are required.
It is not usually recommended to discuss the dissertation results or the discussion chapter simultaneously. Quantitative researchers often separate them, and qualitative researchers combine them, as they typically use mixed methods research.
