Dissertation vs. Thesis - Differences & Similarities

Understanding Dissertation 

A dissertation paper is an extensive piece of research. Typically required at the end of one’s doctoral degree, the student is required to do in-depth levels of research to secure their degree.

Apart from that, a dissertation demands the individual to present original findings, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the chosen field of study.

Now that we know what a dissertation is, let’s see what is our understanding about a thesis paper. 

What is a Thesis? 

Being a formal academic document, a thesis paper is typically submitted at the end of a master's graduate degree. For a thesis, students are required to select a topic aligning with their degree program and interest. 

Your graduate school will demand a thesis paper to demonstrate your ability to think critically and to contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Now that you’re well aware of the basic attributes of a dissertation and thesis, let’s see how these academic papers differ from each other!

Must Know Dissertation and Thesis Differences 

Now coming to what differentiates a dissertation and a thesis paper, there is a lot to point out. The biggest difference hides in the fact that a dissertation requires the doctoral student to conduct their own research.

On the other hand, thesis work is done on existing research to prove your knowledge and grip on the degree you’re pursuing. 

But the differences don’t end here! 

Here is a detailed overview of the differences between a dissertation and a thesis. 

Structural Differences Between a Thesis and a Dissertation 

The two academic papers have the following structural differences.

It is crucial to note that some regions, like the USA and Europe, take a differentiating approach to both dissertation and thesis papers.

But don’t worry, read on to get rid of all your doubts!

How Does a Dissertation Differ from a Thesis in Europe? 

In Europe, the term “thesis” is frequently used for both master's and doctoral theses. However, in most European institutes, students are required to submit a doctoral thesis that results from their original research.

Whereas, a dissertation is a project that you can do to earn a master's degree. It takes one or two years of education and hard work on the subject matter.

The meaning of the thesis in Europe has evolved with time. Now the graduate student is required to do more research. With extensive references and citations, its emphasis lies on the original work produced. 

How Does a Dissertation Differ from a Thesis in the United States?

In America, the thesis is performed to end one's master's degree. The master’s candidates take advanced coursework to gain first-hand experience in the research projects. But they aren’t expected to bring forth an innovation through original research.

However, in the US, a dissertation is required for someone pursuing a PhD degree. They have to write a long doctoral dissertation because their degrees require more work, not only terminal exams alone.

Differences in Degree Requirement 

As mentioned earlier, a thesis and dissertation are both required for different types of degrees.

A dissertation earns you the highest degree in a particular field, whereas students are required to write a thesis for their master’s.

There are some cases where neither of these is a requirement to earn a degree. It, however, is subject to the type of degree and institute. For some institutes, the only requirement is passing the final exams.

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What is the Difference between their Research and Data Collection Methods? 

Irrespective of what you are studying, the main purpose of both is to ask students to defend their research.

These projects require students to conduct exhaustive research and prove that they have gained adequate knowledge and understanding of their field of study.

The only difference is the extent of the research that is necessary for both projects. Since writing a dissertation is based on a student’s ideas and coming up with something new, it requires primary research.

The primary data is collected in the following ways:

• Interviews
• Self-administered surveys
• Focus groups
• Field observations
• Experiments

Primary research takes up a lot of time and is more expensive than secondary research for writing a thesis defense. 

Secondary data can be obtained using the following methods:

• Journals
• Scholarly articles
• Survey reports
• Online studies
• Existing studies
• Books

Differences in the Oral Presentation

Following are some dissimilarities between the oral presentation of both thesis and dissertation papers. 

Having discussed the differences between dissertation and thesis papers, let’s see what common attributes these documents share. 

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Basic Dissertation and Thesis Similarities

A thesis and a dissertation both are academic writing forms. For that very reason, there are several similarities between the two. These similarities can be classified into different sections, such as structural and completion.

Structural Similarities Between Dissertation and Thesis

The basic structure of writing a thesis and dissertation is similar. According to this structure, both the dissertation and thesis require the following components to be written:

• Title
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Literary Review
• Main body
• Research methods/material
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Recommendation
• Bibliography
• Appendix
  

Although these basic components are a part of both the thesis and dissertation writing process, the two assignments’ content differs.

Similarities in Their Completion 

Another similarity between a thesis and a dissertation is that students need guidance for their completion. There are specific supervisors or advisors assigned to every student to help and guide them throughout the process. 

Your supervisor will assist you from selecting the dissertation topic, and data collection up to the write-up itself.

Here is an overview of the similarities between a thesis and a dissertation. 

Dissertation and Thesis Examples

All the significant differences and similarities that a student should know before starting to work on a dissertation or thesis are given. To give you an even clearer understanding of the two concepts, examples are provided below.

To conclude,

Knowing the basic differences between the two prospects is essential for writing an effective and impressive workpiece. Moreover, you must understand that both the thesis and dissertation, are challenging papers requiring a great deal of patience and skills.

Having said that, working on a paper can undoubtedly present its fair share of challenges. But you can always opt for our professional support for your do my paper for me requests!

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