How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

Photo of Master Academia

The thesis introduction, usually chapter 1, is one of the most important chapters of a thesis. It sets the scene. It previews key arguments and findings. And it helps the reader to understand the structure of the thesis. In short, a lot is riding on this first chapter. With the following tips, you can write a powerful thesis introduction.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you . I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

Elements of a fantastic thesis introduction

Open with a (personal) story, begin with a problem, define a clear research gap, describe the scientific relevance of the thesis, describe the societal relevance of the thesis, write down the thesis’ core claim in 1-2 sentences, support your argument with sufficient evidence, consider possible objections, address the empirical research context, give a taste of the thesis’ empirical analysis, hint at the practical implications of the research, provide a reading guide, briefly summarise all chapters to come, design a figure illustrating the thesis structure.

An introductory chapter plays an integral part in every thesis. The first chapter has to include quite a lot of information to contextualise the research. At the same time, a good thesis introduction is not too long, but clear and to the point.

A powerful thesis introduction does the following:

  • It captures the reader’s attention.
  • It presents a clear research gap and emphasises the thesis’ relevance.
  • It provides a compelling argument.
  • It previews the research findings.
  • It explains the structure of the thesis.

In addition, a powerful thesis introduction is well-written, logically structured, and free of grammar and spelling errors. Reputable thesis editors can elevate the quality of your introduction to the next level. If you are in search of a trustworthy thesis or dissertation editor who upholds high-quality standards and offers efficient turnaround times, I recommend the professional thesis and dissertation editing service provided by Editage . 

This list can feel quite overwhelming. However, with some easy tips and tricks, you can accomplish all these goals in your thesis introduction. (And if you struggle with finding the right wording, have a look at academic key phrases for introductions .)

Ways to capture the reader’s attention

A powerful thesis introduction should spark the reader’s interest on the first pages. A reader should be enticed to continue reading! There are three common ways to capture the reader’s attention.

An established way to capture the reader’s attention in a thesis introduction is by starting with a story. Regardless of how abstract and ‘scientific’ the actual thesis content is, it can be useful to ease the reader into the topic with a short story.

This story can be, for instance, based on one of your study participants. It can also be a very personal account of one of your own experiences, which drew you to study the thesis topic in the first place.

Start by providing data or statistics

Data and statistics are another established way to immediately draw in your reader. Especially surprising or shocking numbers can highlight the importance of a thesis topic in the first few sentences!

So if your thesis topic lends itself to being kick-started with data or statistics, you are in for a quick and easy way to write a memorable thesis introduction.

The third established way to capture the reader’s attention is by starting with the problem that underlies your thesis. It is advisable to keep the problem simple. A few sentences at the start of the chapter should suffice.

Usually, at a later stage in the introductory chapter, it is common to go more in-depth, describing the research problem (and its scientific and societal relevance) in more detail.

You may also like: Minimalist writing for a better thesis

Emphasising the thesis’ relevance

A good thesis is a relevant thesis. No one wants to read about a concept that has already been explored hundreds of times, or that no one cares about.

Of course, a thesis heavily relies on the work of other scholars. However, each thesis is – and should be – unique. If you want to write a fantastic thesis introduction, your job is to point out this uniqueness!

In academic research, a research gap signifies a research area or research question that has not been explored yet, that has been insufficiently explored, or whose insights and findings are outdated.

Every thesis needs a crystal-clear research gap. Spell it out instead of letting your reader figure out why your thesis is relevant.

* This example has been taken from an actual academic paper on toxic behaviour in online games: Liu, J. and Agur, C. (2022). “After All, They Don’t Know Me” Exploring the Psychological Mechanisms of Toxic Behavior in Online Games. Games and Culture 1–24, DOI: 10.1177/15554120221115397

The scientific relevance of a thesis highlights the importance of your work in terms of advancing theoretical insights on a topic. You can think of this part as your contribution to the (international) academic literature.

Scientific relevance comes in different forms. For instance, you can critically assess a prominent theory explaining a specific phenomenon. Maybe something is missing? Or you can develop a novel framework that combines different frameworks used by other scholars. Or you can draw attention to the context-specific nature of a phenomenon that is discussed in the international literature.

The societal relevance of a thesis highlights the importance of your research in more practical terms. You can think of this part as your contribution beyond theoretical insights and academic publications.

Why are your insights useful? Who can benefit from your insights? How can your insights improve existing practices?

thesis chapter overview

Formulating a compelling argument

Arguments are sets of reasons supporting an idea, which – in academia – often integrate theoretical and empirical insights. Think of an argument as an umbrella statement, or core claim. It should be no longer than one or two sentences.

Including an argument in the introduction of your thesis may seem counterintuitive. After all, the reader will be introduced to your core claim before reading all the chapters of your thesis that led you to this claim in the first place.

But rest assured: A clear argument at the start of your thesis introduction is a sign of a good thesis. It works like a movie teaser to generate interest. And it helps the reader to follow your subsequent line of argumentation.

The core claim of your thesis should be accompanied by sufficient evidence. This does not mean that you have to write 10 pages about your results at this point.

However, you do need to show the reader that your claim is credible and legitimate because of the work you have done.

A good argument already anticipates possible objections. Not everyone will agree with your core claim. Therefore, it is smart to think ahead. What criticism can you expect?

Think about reasons or opposing positions that people can come up with to disagree with your claim. Then, try to address them head-on.

Providing a captivating preview of findings

Similar to presenting a compelling argument, a fantastic thesis introduction also previews some of the findings. When reading an introduction, the reader wants to learn a bit more about the research context. Furthermore, a reader should get a taste of the type of analysis that will be conducted. And lastly, a hint at the practical implications of the findings encourages the reader to read until the end.

If you focus on a specific empirical context, make sure to provide some information about it. The empirical context could be, for instance, a country, an island, a school or city. Make sure the reader understands why you chose this context for your research, and why it fits to your research objective.

If you did all your research in a lab, this section is obviously irrelevant. However, in that case you should explain the setup of your experiment, etcetera.

The empirical part of your thesis centers around the collection and analysis of information. What information, and what evidence, did you generate? And what are some of the key findings?

For instance, you can provide a short summary of the different research methods that you used to collect data. Followed by a short overview of how you analysed this data, and some of the key findings. The reader needs to understand why your empirical analysis is worth reading.

You already highlighted the practical relevance of your thesis in the introductory chapter. However, you should also provide a preview of some of the practical implications that you will develop in your thesis based on your findings.

Presenting a crystal clear thesis structure

A fantastic thesis introduction helps the reader to understand the structure and logic of your whole thesis. This is probably the easiest part to write in a thesis introduction. However, this part can be best written at the very end, once everything else is ready.

A reading guide is an essential part in a thesis introduction! Usually, the reading guide can be found toward the end of the introductory chapter.

The reading guide basically tells the reader what to expect in the chapters to come.

In a longer thesis, such as a PhD thesis, it can be smart to provide a summary of each chapter to come. Think of a paragraph for each chapter, almost in the form of an abstract.

For shorter theses, which also have a shorter introduction, this step is not necessary.

Especially for longer theses, it tends to be a good idea to design a simple figure that illustrates the structure of your thesis. It helps the reader to better grasp the logic of your thesis.

thesis chapter overview

Master Academia

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.

Subscribe and receive Master Academia's quarterly newsletter.

The most useful academic social networking sites for PhD students

10 reasons not to do a master's degree, related articles.

Featured blog post image for How to prepare your viva opening speech

How to prepare your viva opening speech

Featured blog post image for Minimalist writing for a better thesis

Minimalist writing for a better thesis

thesis chapter overview

Dealing with conflicting feedback from different supervisors

Featured blog post image for Thesis writing with the Pomodoro® technique

Better thesis writing with the Pomodoro® technique

  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

How to Write a Thesis Chapter Outline

4-minute read

  • 30th April 2023

Are you writing a thesis ? That’s amazing! Give yourself a pat on the back, because reaching that point in your academic career takes a lot of hard work.

When you begin to write, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. That’s where outlines come in handy. In this article, we’ll break down an effective outline for a thesis chapter – one that you can follow for each section of your paper.

What Is a Thesis Chapter?

Your thesis will be broken up into several sections . Usually, there’s an introduction, some background information, the methodology, the results and discussion, and a conclusion – or something along those lines.

Your institution will have more specific guidelines on the chapters you need to include and in what order, so make sure you familiarize yourself with those requirements first. To help you organize the content of each chapter, an outline breaks it down into smaller chunks.

The Outline

While the content and length of each chapter will vary, you can follow a similar pattern to organize your information. Each chapter should include:

1.   An Introduction

At the start of your chapter, spend some time introducing what you’re about to discuss. This will give readers the chance to quickly get an idea of what you’ll be covering and decide if they want to keep reading.

You could begin with a link to the previous chapter, which will help keep your audience from getting lost if they’re not reading it from start to finish in one sitting. You should then explain the purpose of the chapter and briefly describe how you will achieve it.

Every chapter should have an intro like this, even the introduction ! Of course, the length of this part will vary depending on the length of the chapter itself.

2.   The Main Body

After introducing the chapter, you can dive into the meat of it. As with the introduction, the content can be as brief or as lengthy as it needs to be.

While piecing together your outline, jot down which points are most important to include and then decide how much space you can devote to fleshing out each one. Let’s consider what this might look like, depending on the chapter .

If your thesis is broken up into an introduction, a background/literature review section, a methodology chapter, a discussion of the results, and a conclusion, here’s what the main body could include for each:

●  Introduction : A brief summary of the problem or topic and its background, the purpose of the thesis, the research questions that will be addressed, the terminology you’ll be using, and any limitations or unique circumstances.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

●  Background/literature review : A more thorough explanation of the problem, relevant studies and literature, and current knowledge and gaps in knowledge.

●  Methodology : A detailed explanation of the research design, participants and how they were chosen, and how the data was collected and analyzed.

●  Results/discussion : A thorough description of the results of the study and a discussion of what they could mean.

●  Conclusion : A summary of everything that’s been covered, an explanation of the answers that were (or weren’t) found to the research questions, and suggestions for future research.

This is a rough plan of what the main body of each chapter might look like. Your thesis will likely have more chapters, and some of these topics may be broken down into multiple paragraphs, but this offers an idea of where to start.

3.   A Conclusion

Once you’ve detailed everything the chapter needs to include, you should summarize what’s been covered and tie it all together. Explain what the chapter accomplished, and once again, you can link back to the previous chapter to point out what questions have been answered at this point in the thesis.

If you’re just getting started on writing your thesis, putting together an outline will help you to get your thoughts organized and give you a place to start. Each chapter should have its own introduction, main body, and conclusion.

And once you have your draft written, be sure to send it our way! Our editors will be happy to check it for grammar, punctuation, spelling, references, formatting, and more. Try out our service for free today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you outline a thesis chapter.

Each chapter of your thesis should have its own introduction, the main content or body of the chapter, and a conclusion summarizing what was covered and linking it to the rest of the thesis.

How do you write a thesis statement?

A thesis statement should briefly summarize the topic you’re looking into and state your assumption about it.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

How to Ace Slack Messaging for Contractors and Freelancers

Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....

3-minute read

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

University of Leeds logo

  • Leeds University Business School
  • Research and innovation
  • Research and innovation blog

How to write an introduction chapter for a thesis

Louisa Hill is a Senior Teaching Fellow and delivers workshops for Postgraduate Researchers who want to teach.

Student in foyer

When writing a thesis, you will need to write an introductory chapter. This chapter is critical as it is the first thing that the examiner will read and it is therefore important to make a good first impression. 

A good introduction chapter should incite the reader to read the rest of the thesis by establishing the context of your topic, the motivation for undertaking your work and the importance of your research.

As a lecturer and supervisor, I have read many introductory chapters for research projects such as theses. Here is my advice to those undertaking a research project and writing a thesis.

Capture the reader’s interest

Initially you need to capture the reader’s attention with a discussion of a broader theme relating to your research. To add impact draw on research, data and quotations from international or national professional bodies, governmental organisations or key authors on the topic of study.

Give an overview of your research topic

Your discussion should then begin by detailing the broader aspects of the topic more, before focussing on the specific topic of your research. It is a good idea when you do this to assume that the reader knows nothing about your topic. Therefore definitions, drawing on key research, need to be clarified and explained. Alternatively, if having read key literature for the literature review chapter, you are not satisfied with existing definitions, then draw on these, to devise your own (but make it clear you have done this).

Detail how your research is going to make a contribution

You must then sell your idea for undertaking the research topic, demonstrating the main reasons why the research will make a significant contribution to the current body of research. This can be achieved by demonstrating a gap or limitation with existing research, then showing how your research will resolve this. There are different types of contribution (see  Constructing Research Questions: Doing Interesting Research ).

Explain what your interest is in the topic

Next you need to demonstrate your personal reasons for choosing the topic. These could relate to your previous research, work or experiences.

List your research objectives

You need to include your three or four overarching research objectives. Also include corresponding research questions if it is a qualitative piece of research or hypotheses if it is quantitative-based. The former are usually derivatives of the research objectives. Note though that these objectives and questions or hypotheses are fluid in nature and can be tweaked as you undertake the research.

Give a forthcoming chapter overview

The final part of the introduction is an overview of the rest of the chapters in the thesis. The other sections can go in any order, providing it is a logical sequence.

Learn from others

Look at other theses for example from  White Rose etheses  or your university library’s website. The majority of journal articles that you will read in the content of your topic will also provide useful insights.

Speak with your supervisor

Remember to always speak with your supervisor and have regular catch-ups. They will be able to offer guidance and encouragement, and steer you in the right direction.

Related content

  • Writing a research PhD proposal
  • Presenting with impact
  • The benefits of undertaking a placement alongside your PhD

If you would like to get in touch regarding any of these blog entries, or are interested in contributing to the blog, please contact:

Email: [email protected] Phone: +44 (0)113 343 8754

Click here to view our privacy statement. You can repost this blog article, following the terms listed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence .

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the views of Leeds University Business School or the University of Leeds.

Grad Coach

How To Write The Discussion Chapter

A Simple Explainer With Examples + Free Template

By: Jenna Crossley (PhD) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | August 2021

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve reached the discussion chapter of your thesis or dissertation and are looking for a bit of guidance. Well, you’ve come to the right place ! In this post, we’ll unpack and demystify the typical discussion chapter in straightforward, easy to understand language, with loads of examples .

Overview: The Discussion Chapter

  • What  the discussion chapter is
  • What to include in your discussion
  • How to write up your discussion
  • A few tips and tricks to help you along the way
  • Free discussion template

What (exactly) is the discussion chapter?

The discussion chapter is where you interpret and explain your results within your thesis or dissertation. This contrasts with the results chapter, where you merely present and describe the analysis findings (whether qualitative or quantitative ). In the discussion chapter, you elaborate on and evaluate your research findings, and discuss the significance and implications of your results .

In this chapter, you’ll situate your research findings in terms of your research questions or hypotheses and tie them back to previous studies and literature (which you would have covered in your literature review chapter). You’ll also have a look at how relevant and/or significant your findings are to your field of research, and you’ll argue for the conclusions that you draw from your analysis. Simply put, the discussion chapter is there for you to interact with and explain your research findings in a thorough and coherent manner.

Free template for discussion or thesis discussion section

What should I include in the discussion chapter?

First things first: in some studies, the results and discussion chapter are combined into one chapter .  This depends on the type of study you conducted (i.e., the nature of the study and methodology adopted), as well as the standards set by the university.  So, check in with your university regarding their norms and expectations before getting started. In this post, we’ll treat the two chapters as separate, as this is most common.

Basically, your discussion chapter should analyse , explore the meaning and identify the importance of the data you presented in your results chapter. In the discussion chapter, you’ll give your results some form of meaning by evaluating and interpreting them. This will help answer your research questions, achieve your research aims and support your overall conclusion (s). Therefore, you discussion chapter should focus on findings that are directly connected to your research aims and questions. Don’t waste precious time and word count on findings that are not central to the purpose of your research project.

As this chapter is a reflection of your results chapter, it’s vital that you don’t report any new findings . In other words, you can’t present claims here if you didn’t present the relevant data in the results chapter first.  So, make sure that for every discussion point you raise in this chapter, you’ve covered the respective data analysis in the results chapter. If you haven’t, you’ll need to go back and adjust your results chapter accordingly.

If you’re struggling to get started, try writing down a bullet point list everything you found in your results chapter. From this, you can make a list of everything you need to cover in your discussion chapter. Also, make sure you revisit your research questions or hypotheses and incorporate the relevant discussion to address these.  This will also help you to see how you can structure your chapter logically.

Need a helping hand?

thesis chapter overview

How to write the discussion chapter

Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what the discussion chapter is and what it needs to include, let’s look at how you can go about structuring this critically important chapter. Broadly speaking, there are six core components that need to be included, and these can be treated as steps in the chapter writing process.

Step 1: Restate your research problem and research questions

The first step in writing up your discussion chapter is to remind your reader of your research problem , as well as your research aim(s) and research questions . If you have hypotheses, you can also briefly mention these. This “reminder” is very important because, after reading dozens of pages, the reader may have forgotten the original point of your research or been swayed in another direction. It’s also likely that some readers skip straight to your discussion chapter from the introduction chapter , so make sure that your research aims and research questions are clear.

Step 2: Summarise your key findings

Next, you’ll want to summarise your key findings from your results chapter. This may look different for qualitative and quantitative research , where qualitative research may report on themes and relationships, whereas quantitative research may touch on correlations and causal relationships. Regardless of the methodology, in this section you need to highlight the overall key findings in relation to your research questions.

Typically, this section only requires one or two paragraphs , depending on how many research questions you have. Aim to be concise here, as you will unpack these findings in more detail later in the chapter. For now, a few lines that directly address your research questions are all that you need.

Some examples of the kind of language you’d use here include:

  • The data suggest that…
  • The data support/oppose the theory that…
  • The analysis identifies…

These are purely examples. What you present here will be completely dependent on your original research questions, so make sure that you are led by them .

It depends

Step 3: Interpret your results

Once you’ve restated your research problem and research question(s) and briefly presented your key findings, you can unpack your findings by interpreting your results. Remember: only include what you reported in your results section – don’t introduce new information.

From a structural perspective, it can be a wise approach to follow a similar structure in this chapter as you did in your results chapter. This would help improve readability and make it easier for your reader to follow your arguments. For example, if you structured you results discussion by qualitative themes, it may make sense to do the same here.

Alternatively, you may structure this chapter by research questions, or based on an overarching theoretical framework that your study revolved around. Every study is different, so you’ll need to assess what structure works best for you.

When interpreting your results, you’ll want to assess how your findings compare to those of the existing research (from your literature review chapter). Even if your findings contrast with the existing research, you need to include these in your discussion. In fact, those contrasts are often the most interesting findings . In this case, you’d want to think about why you didn’t find what you were expecting in your data and what the significance of this contrast is.

Here are a few questions to help guide your discussion:

  • How do your results relate with those of previous studies ?
  • If you get results that differ from those of previous studies, why may this be the case?
  • What do your results contribute to your field of research?
  • What other explanations could there be for your findings?

When interpreting your findings, be careful not to draw conclusions that aren’t substantiated . Every claim you make needs to be backed up with evidence or findings from the data (and that data needs to be presented in the previous chapter – results). This can look different for different studies; qualitative data may require quotes as evidence, whereas quantitative data would use statistical methods and tests. Whatever the case, every claim you make needs to be strongly backed up.

Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations of your study

The fourth step in writing up your discussion chapter is to acknowledge the limitations of the study. These limitations can cover any part of your study , from the scope or theoretical basis to the analysis method(s) or sample. For example, you may find that you collected data from a very small sample with unique characteristics, which would mean that you are unable to generalise your results to the broader population.

For some students, discussing the limitations of their work can feel a little bit self-defeating . This is a misconception, as a core indicator of high-quality research is its ability to accurately identify its weaknesses. In other words, accurately stating the limitations of your work is a strength, not a weakness . All that said, be careful not to undermine your own research. Tell the reader what limitations exist and what improvements could be made, but also remind them of the value of your study despite its limitations.

Step 5: Make recommendations for implementation and future research

Now that you’ve unpacked your findings and acknowledge the limitations thereof, the next thing you’ll need to do is reflect on your study in terms of two factors:

  • The practical application of your findings
  • Suggestions for future research

The first thing to discuss is how your findings can be used in the real world – in other words, what contribution can they make to the field or industry? Where are these contributions applicable, how and why? For example, if your research is on communication in health settings, in what ways can your findings be applied to the context of a hospital or medical clinic? Make sure that you spell this out for your reader in practical terms, but also be realistic and make sure that any applications are feasible.

The next discussion point is the opportunity for future research . In other words, how can other studies build on what you’ve found and also improve the findings by overcoming some of the limitations in your study (which you discussed a little earlier). In doing this, you’ll want to investigate whether your results fit in with findings of previous research, and if not, why this may be the case. For example, are there any factors that you didn’t consider in your study? What future research can be done to remedy this? When you write up your suggestions, make sure that you don’t just say that more research is needed on the topic, also comment on how the research can build on your study.

Step 6: Provide a concluding summary

Finally, you’ve reached your final stretch. In this section, you’ll want to provide a brief recap of the key findings – in other words, the findings that directly address your research questions . Basically, your conclusion should tell the reader what your study has found, and what they need to take away from reading your report.

When writing up your concluding summary, bear in mind that some readers may skip straight to this section from the beginning of the chapter.  So, make sure that this section flows well from and has a strong connection to the opening section of the chapter.

Tips and tricks for an A-grade discussion chapter

Now that you know what the discussion chapter is , what to include and exclude , and how to structure it , here are some tips and suggestions to help you craft a quality discussion chapter.

  • When you write up your discussion chapter, make sure that you keep it consistent with your introduction chapter , as some readers will skip from the introduction chapter directly to the discussion chapter. Your discussion should use the same tense as your introduction, and it should also make use of the same key terms.
  • Don’t make assumptions about your readers. As a writer, you have hands-on experience with the data and so it can be easy to present it in an over-simplified manner. Make sure that you spell out your findings and interpretations for the intelligent layman.
  • Have a look at other theses and dissertations from your institution, especially the discussion sections. This will help you to understand the standards and conventions of your university, and you’ll also get a good idea of how others have structured their discussion chapters. You can also check out our chapter template .
  • Avoid using absolute terms such as “These results prove that…”, rather make use of terms such as “suggest” or “indicate”, where you could say, “These results suggest that…” or “These results indicate…”. It is highly unlikely that a dissertation or thesis will scientifically prove something (due to a variety of resource constraints), so be humble in your language.
  • Use well-structured and consistently formatted headings to ensure that your reader can easily navigate between sections, and so that your chapter flows logically and coherently.

If you have any questions or thoughts regarding this post, feel free to leave a comment below. Also, if you’re looking for one-on-one help with your discussion chapter (or thesis in general), consider booking a free consultation with one of our highly experienced Grad Coaches to discuss how we can help you.

thesis chapter overview

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

You Might Also Like:

How to write the conclusion chapter of a dissertation

36 Comments

Abbie

Thank you this is helpful!

Sai AKO

This is very helpful to me… Thanks a lot for sharing this with us 😊

Nts'eoane Sepanya-Molefi

This has been very helpful indeed. Thank you.

Cheryl

This is actually really helpful, I just stumbled upon it. Very happy that I found it, thank you.

Solomon

Me too! I was kinda lost on how to approach my discussion chapter. How helpful! Thanks a lot!

Wongibe Dieudonne

This is really good and explicit. Thanks

Robin MooreZaid

Thank you, this blog has been such a help.

John Amaka

Thank you. This is very helpful.

Syed Firoz Ahmad

Dear sir/madame

Thanks a lot for this helpful blog. Really, it supported me in writing my discussion chapter while I was totally unaware about its structure and method of writing.

With regards

Syed Firoz Ahmad PhD, Research Scholar

Kwasi Tonge

I agree so much. This blog was god sent. It assisted me so much while I was totally clueless about the context and the know-how. Now I am fully aware of what I am to do and how I am to do it.

Albert Mitugo

Thanks! This is helpful!

Abduljabbar Alsoudani

thanks alot for this informative website

Sudesh Chinthaka

Dear Sir/Madam,

Truly, your article was much benefited when i structured my discussion chapter.

Thank you very much!!!

Nann Yin Yin Moe

This is helpful for me in writing my research discussion component. I have to copy this text on Microsoft word cause of my weakness that I cannot be able to read the text on screen a long time. So many thanks for this articles.

Eunice Mulenga

This was helpful

Leo Simango

Thanks Jenna, well explained.

Poornima

Thank you! This is super helpful.

William M. Kapambwe

Thanks very much. I have appreciated the six steps on writing the Discussion chapter which are (i) Restating the research problem and questions (ii) Summarising the key findings (iii) Interpreting the results linked to relating to previous results in positive and negative ways; explaining whay different or same and contribution to field of research and expalnation of findings (iv) Acknowledgeing limitations (v) Recommendations for implementation and future resaerch and finally (vi) Providing a conscluding summary

My two questions are: 1. On step 1 and 2 can it be the overall or you restate and sumamrise on each findings based on the reaerch question? 2. On 4 and 5 do you do the acknowlledgement , recommendations on each research finding or overall. This is not clear from your expalanattion.

Please respond.

Ahmed

This post is very useful. I’m wondering whether practical implications must be introduced in the Discussion section or in the Conclusion section?

Lisha

Sigh, I never knew a 20 min video could have literally save my life like this. I found this at the right time!!!! Everything I need to know in one video thanks a mil ! OMGG and that 6 step!!!!!! was the cherry on top the cake!!!!!!!!!

Colbey mwenda

Thanks alot.., I have gained much

Obinna NJOKU

This piece is very helpful on how to go about my discussion section. I can always recommend GradCoach research guides for colleagues.

Mary Kulabako

Many thanks for this resource. It has been very helpful to me. I was finding it hard to even write the first sentence. Much appreciated.

vera

Thanks so much. Very helpful to know what is included in the discussion section

ahmad yassine

this was a very helpful and useful information

Md Moniruzzaman

This is very helpful. Very very helpful. Thanks for sharing this online!

Salma

it is very helpfull article, and i will recommend it to my fellow students. Thank you.

Mohammed Kwarah Tal

Superlative! More grease to your elbows.

Majani

Powerful, thank you for sharing.

Uno

Wow! Just wow! God bless the day I stumbled upon you guys’ YouTube videos! It’s been truly life changing and anxiety about my report that is due in less than a month has subsided significantly!

Joseph Nkitseng

Simplified explanation. Well done.

LE Sibeko

The presentation is enlightening. Thank you very much.

Angela

Thanks for the support and guidance

Beena

This has been a great help to me and thank you do much

Yiting W.

I second that “it is highly unlikely that a dissertation or thesis will scientifically prove something”; although, could you enlighten us on that comment and elaborate more please?

Derek Jansen

Sure, no problem.

Scientific proof is generally considered a very strong assertion that something is definitively and universally true. In most scientific disciplines, especially within the realms of natural and social sciences, absolute proof is very rare. Instead, researchers aim to provide evidence that supports or rejects hypotheses. This evidence increases or decreases the likelihood that a particular theory is correct, but it rarely proves something in the absolute sense.

Dissertations and theses, as substantial as they are, typically focus on exploring a specific question or problem within a larger field of study. They contribute to a broader conversation and body of knowledge. The aim is often to provide detailed insight, extend understanding, and suggest directions for further research rather than to offer definitive proof. These academic works are part of a cumulative process of knowledge building where each piece of research connects with others to gradually enhance our understanding of complex phenomena.

Furthermore, the rigorous nature of scientific inquiry involves continuous testing, validation, and potential refutation of ideas. What might be considered a “proof” at one point can later be challenged by new evidence or alternative interpretations. Therefore, the language of “proof” is cautiously used in academic circles to maintain scientific integrity and humility.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Print Friendly
  • Directories

Chapter writing

  A chapter is a discrete unit of a research report or thesis, and it needs to be able to be read as such.

Your examiners may read your thesis abstract, introduction and conclusion first, but then they may come back weeks later and read a chapter at random, or select one that they are interested in (Mullins & Kiley, 2002). This means that each chapter needs to be easy to read, without the reader having to reread the thesis' introduction to remember what it is about. At the same time, it needs to be clear how the chapter contributes to the development of your overall thesis argument. In the following pages you'll find advice on how to effectively plan and structure your chapters, commuicate and develop your argument with authority, and create clarity and cohesion within your chapters. 

Chapter structures

thesis chapter overview

When it comes to structuring a chapter, a chapter should:

  • have an introduction that indicates the chapter's argument / key message
  • clearly address part of the thesis' overall research question/s or aim/s
  • use a structure that persuades the reader of the argument 
  • have a conclusion that sums up the chapter's contribution to the thesis and shows the link to the next chapter.

To make your chapter easy to read, an introduction, body and conclusion is needed. The introduction should give an overview of how the chapter contributes to your thesis. In a chapter introduction, it works well to explain how the chapter answers or contributes to the overall research question. That way, the reader is reminded of your thesis' purpose and they can understand why this chapter is relevant to it. Before writing, make an outline and show it to a friend or supervisor to test the persuasiveness of the chapter's structure.

The chapter's body should develop the key message logically and persuasively. The sequence of sections and ideas is important to developing a persuasive and clear argument. When outlining your chapter, carefully consider the order in which you will present the information. Ask yourself these questions. 

  • Would it make your analysis clearer and more convincing to organise your chapter by themes rather than chronologically?
  • If you were demonstrating why a particular case study contradicts extant theoretical literature, would it be better to organise the chapter into themes toshow how the case study relates to the literature in respect to each theme, rather than having a dense literature review at the beginning of the chapter?
  • Is a brief literature review at the beginning of the chapter necessary and sufficient to establish the key ideas that the chapter's analysis develops?
  • What is the best order to convince readers of your overall point? 

Our friend the Thesis Whisperer has written about writing  discussion chapters and discussion sections within chapters .

If used appropriately, subheadings can also be useful to help your reader to follow your line of argument, distinguish ideas and understand the key idea for each section. Subheadings should not be a substitute for flow or transitional sentences however. In general, substantive discussion should follow a subheading. Use your opening paragraph to a new section to introduce the key ideas that will be developed so that your readers do not get lost or are left wondering how the ideas build on what's already covered. How you connect the different sections of your paper is especially important in a long piece of writing like a chapter.

Paragraphing techniques are essential to develop a persuasive and coherent argument within your chapters. Each paragraph needs to present one main idea. Each paragraph needs to have a topic sentence and supporting evidence, and a final sentence that might summarise that idea, emphasise its significance, draw a conclusion or create a link to the next idea. Using language that shows the connections between ideas can be helpful for developing chapter  flow  and  cohesion .

As suggested in our  page on thesis structures , a good way to test out the persuasiveness and logic of your chapter is to talk it over with a friend or colleague. Try to explain the chapter's purpose and argument, and give your key reasons for your argument. Ask them whether it makes sense, or whether there are any ideas that weren't clear. If you find that you express your ideas differently and in a different order to how they're written down, consider whether it would better to revise your argument and adjust the structure to persuasively and more logically make your case in writing.

In sum, when you plan, write and edit your chapter, think about your reader and what they need in order to understand your argument.

  • Have you stated your chapter's argument?
  • Will a reader be able to identify how it contributes to the whole thesis' research question/s or aim/s?
  • Does your chapter flow logically from one idea to the next, and is it convincing?
  • Finally, does it have a conclusion that pulls the chapter's key points together and explains its connection to the next chapter?

These elements are central to helpfing your reader follow and be persuaded by your work.

  • Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). 'It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How experienced examiners assess research theses.  Studies in Higher Education ,  27 (4), 369-386. doi:10.1080/0307507022000011507

Reference documents

  • Chapter diagram (PDF, 1.14 MB)
  • Chapter template (DOCX, 66.58 KB)

Use contact details to request an alternative file format.

  • ANU Library Academic Skills
  • +61 2 6125 2972

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

Make a Gift

an image, when javascript is unavailable

site categories

Josh o’connor and cailee spaeny join daniel craig in ‘wake up dead man: a knives out mystery’, ‘horizon: an american saga’ review: kevin costner’s chapter 1 (of 4) sets stage for epic story of american west and its complicated history – cannes film festival.

By Pete Hammond

Pete Hammond

Awards Columnist/Chief Film Critic

More Stories By Pete

  • Cannes Film Festival 2024: Read All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews, Including Palme d’Or Winner ‘Anora’
  • Cannes Film Festival Winners Analysis: Comedy, Humanity Takes Jury’s Heart Over Politics
  • 1964 Palme d’Or Winner ‘The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg’ Celebrates 60th In Cannes With Special Screening & Two New Documentaries – Cannes Film Festival

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 starring Kevin Costner

Related Stories

Sienna Miller and Kevin Costner on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet on May 19 for the Horizon world premiere

Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Gets 11-Minute Ovation At Its Cannes World Premiere

Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 movie

Kevin Costner Reveals The Epic Journey Of His Cannes Western ‘Horizon’ And Has His Say On ‘Yellowstone’ Rancor

Running three hours, this film, scheduled for release by New Line and Warner Bros on June 28, is just “Chapter 1”, first of an unusual planned series of four separate films (not sequels) continuing the massive story, with Chapter 2 already in the can and scheduled for an August 16 release, and Chapter 3 reportedly going before the cameras imminently. Of course this multi-part saga is not unusual for television, where it thrives in the limited series form, but for movies it is virtually unheard of — along with the fact that its star/director, who has been dreaming of this in various forms since 1988, is largely footing the bill.

RELATED: ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Cannes Film Festival Premiere Photos: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller Luke Wilson & More

RELATED: ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Review: Chris Hemsworth And Anya Taylor-Joy Take Dystopian Franchise To New Levels

But nothing on this scale has ever been attempted for this kind of release pattern on the big screen, and I would say, at least based on the first part with its huge cast of characters and storylines woven in and out, Costner’s biggest influence may have in fact been 1963’s Cinerama production of How the West Was Won. I know from multiple interviews in the past, including mine, Costner has always noted the impact seeing that film (nominated for Best Picture and winner of three Oscars including Best Original Screenplay) with his father made a lifelong impression on him. It similarly traversed many years, characters and story arcs like Horizon does but was just one long, reserved seat movie event. Horizon has four times its spirit at the very least.

RELATED: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Luke Wilson & Cast Talk ‘Horizon’: “We Can’t Be Consumed With Making Our Pile Of Money Bigger As Much As Our Heart Full” – Cannes Studio

Spanning about 15 years from the end of the Civil War (a factor but not the focus here), Horizon is about the expansion and settlement of the American West, those brave white people who made their way on horse and wagon trains to the promise of a new life. Literally. In the movie Horizon is the name of a basically suburban dream. Flyers are continually seen urging people to come West. “If you want a farm or home the best thing in the West is the town of Horizon. Best grazing land in the world, the richest land, premium virgin land with pure and abundant water, temperate climate, and excellent health,” it advertises to potential settlers.

What it doesn’t say is it is also the home of American Indians, our Native Americans, many who are understandably not too keen about this development on what they consider their territory, and that it could also be a dangerous proposition. But this is a film about Manifest Destiny, and therein will lie many of the complications for these (many) people we meet along the way. And of course in different parts of the world this concept makes this movie still relevant, even as it is told as a piece of our history.

It is clear from this Chapter 1 that Costner, who co-wrote the script with Jon Baird and a story from Mark Kasdan, is interested again in this conundrum with the Indigenous population, just as he was in Dances With Wolves in going for a much deeper and complex study than what Hollywood largely did for decades in its treatment of the American Indian on film. And coming on the heels of another film that premiered in Cannes last year, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the upcoming chapters . In this one the table is set and we meet a lot of the key players, with the emphasis on those white settlers who made their way west as the Civil War had ravaged the Union, but with the promise of changing times giving hope.

Chief among the settlers is Costner’s character, Hayes Ellison, a lone wolf type who would like to keep to himself but keeps getting drawn into things he would rather avoid. He has survival and fighting skills that will come in handy, especially in some confrontations with very bad guys who are making trouble, notably the outlaw Sykes family.

This is a huge cast, but Costner tries to get them all introduced here including the intriguing Sam Worthington character of First Lt. Trent Gephardt, a soldier stationed at Fort Gallant but a guy with questions about himself and where he is going in this new world. Danny Huston’s sympathetic Col. Houghton has his hands full with the emerging droves of settlers, but knows there will be no way to stop, or possibly protect them when they get to Horizon. And you can count in Michael Rooker’s Sgt Major Riordan, who has the same concerns at Gallant.

Others include Luke Wilson’s good but reluctant leader of a wagon train, chosen against his will but trying to live up to the challenge, and Will Patton, a widower still recovering from the Civil War and accompanying his three daughters for a better shot at life.

The Native Americans are authentically cast, as you might expect in any movie from the filmmaker of Dances With Wolves. Standouts include Owen Crow Shoe as Pionsenay, an Apache warrior who is confused and frustrated with clashes with the settlers and none too pleased at this development, as opposed to brother Taklishim (a fine Tatanka Means) who is siding with their father, the Chief, in trying to be non-confrontational. Liluye (an excellent Wase Winyan Chief) is also his wife and mother of their baby, but she seems to have more fortitude and actually believes they should, like her brother-in-law, be resisting the rise of the settlers rather than sitting idly by.

Giovanni Ribisi, Glynn Turman, Tom Payne, Kathleen Quinlan, Angus MacFayden and countless others also pop in and out, some with perhaps more to do in ensuing chapters. There are more than 170 speaking roles in the series which is being shot on locations in Utah, with stunning cinematography by J. Michael Muro who captures the grandeur of the Old West in style. Other shout-outs go to Derek R. Hill’s authentic production design and John Debney’s stirring score.

For Costner, this is an impressive beginning, with the promise of more to come. It even ends with a montage of scenes from the second film coming in August, much like you might see if this were a television production, something it is defiantly not. With Horizon: An American Saga, Costner is just trying to keep the American Western alive, but he may, with this innovative roll of the dice, also be trying to keep theaters alive at the same time, that is if there is still an appetite for Westerns. Hopefully there is.

Title: Horizon: An American Saga Distributor: Warner Bros Festival: Cannes (Out of Competition) Release date: June 28, 2024 Director: Kevin Costner Screenwriters: Kevin Costner, Jon Baird Cast: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Michael Rooker, Will Patton, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Wase Winyan Chief, Jamie Campbell Bower, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jon Beavers Rating: R Running time: 3 hr 1 min

Must Read Stories

Edges ‘garfield’ in listless holiday weekend; how worried should hollywood be.

thesis chapter overview

‘General Hospital’ Alum’s Killing Shocks Castmates & Hollywood

‘anora’ scoops top cannes prize; baker on plight of theatrical; neon high 5, loan out corporations could end, iatse tells members as amptp talks continue.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

15 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Quantcast

  • Search News and Events
  • News overview
  • Media relations

New ultrasound techniques beat physical limits for prediction of rupture risk in abdominal aortic aneurysms

Hein de Hoop defended his thesis at the Department of Biomedical Engineering on May 24.

thesis chapter overview

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) pose a serious health threat, with the risk of sudden and often fatal ruptures. However, current ultrasound techniques for assessing AAAs have limitations in accurately predicting rupture risk. An AAA occurs when a weakness in the wall of the abdominal artery leads to abnormal dilation of the vessel, which can result in life-threatening complications.

For his PhD research, Hein de Hoop has developed an innovative approach using multi-perspective ultrasound to allow more detailed and patient-specific analysis of the abdominal aortic wall. Through this new method, De Hoop hopes to improve current functional imaging techniques aimed to strike a better balance between the risk of rupture and the need for surgical intervention.

Traditional treatment criteria for AAAs are primarily based on the diameter and growth rate of the aorta, often resulting in overtreatment and the associated risks and costs. De Hoop's approach, which uses more detailed and accurate images of the aortic wall obtained by two ultrasound heads from different angles, would help physicians to perform a more patient-specific analysis.

Ultrasound imaging allows physicians to map the geometry and movement of the vessel wall in a non-invasive and cost-effective way that fits within current clinical practice. However, current ultrasound techniques struggle to accurately determine local tension and strain across the entire circumference of the vessel wall. De Hoop's research has yielded promising results. By improving the contrast and resolution of the images with the information obtained by the additional ultrasound head, multi-perspective ultrasound was able to perform an improved assessment of the vessel wall motion and deformation. By extending these methods to a clinical setting, the presented technique may play an important role in predicting the rupture risk of aneurysms.

De Hoop conducted this research within the Photoacoustics and Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e) within the department of Biomedical Engineering. The project was part of the ERC-funded project MUSE (Multi-perspective Ultrasound Strain Imaging & Elastography.

Title of PhD thesis: “ Multi-aperture ultrasound strain imaging of the abdominal aorta ”

Supervisors: Hans-Martin Schwab and Richard Lopata

Latest news

thesis chapter overview

thesis chapter overview

All Weekly Fortnite Quests: Chapter 5 Season 2, Week 10

N ew Fortnite Season Challenges appear each week to earn additional XP to complete your Battle Pass faster . Unlike previous seasons where weekly challenges reset each week, you have a full season to complete them. To give you an overview, we have all the Fortnite challenges for Chapter 5 Season 2 for you here!

Fortnite Map: Overview for Chapter 5 Season 2

With the release of Chapter 5, we received a completely new map for the 5th time, which was also updated again in Season 2!

You'll need to complete some challenges in specific locations, so it doesn't hurt to have a small map overview for all the Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 named locations and landmarks:

When Do Weekly Quests Appear In Fortnite?

Fortnite Weekly Challenges appear every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT. So we will update this article weekly for you. For the particularly difficult challenges, you can find guides in our Fortnite Challenges section .

Week 10 Quests

Week 9 quests, week 8 quests, week 7 quests, week 6 quests, week 5 quests, week 4 quests, week 3 quests, week 2 quests, week 1 quests, week 0 quests, when does chapter 5 season 2 end.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 ends on May 24, 2024.

If you look at the current Battle Pass, you'll see the message "Chapter 5 - Season 2 until May 24 at 2 AM ET." in the lower left corner. So you have until then to complete all the weekly challenges.

Fortnite Weekly Challenges - Rewards

As mentioned above, completing each weekly challenge awards you a certain amount of XP. Now, the XP is nothing special, but it does provide a means to an end. With the XP you level like in any other game, also in Fortnite.

With each level, you receive valuable Battle Stars, which you can use to unlock rewards in your Battle Pass. You can also buy levels with V-Bucks, but we recommend that you save them for a fancy skin and unlock the Battle Pass the traditional way.

Want the Fortnite Battle Pass Skins? Then you have to earn them! | © Epic Games

Screen Rant

Furiosa chapter titles explained.

4

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Furiosa’s Mad Max Cameo Explained

Where to watch furiosa: a mad max saga - showtimes & streaming status, every mad max movie, ranked worst to best.

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

  • Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is divided into five chapters, each revealing crucial moments in Furiosa's transformation.
  • The chapter titles provide deeper insights into Furiosa's journey, with each segment portraying her growth and development.
  • Furiosa's chapters showcase her evolution from a solitary survivor to a legendary warrior seeking vengeance and redemption.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is split into five different chapters, and the titles of those chapters have some deeper meaning behind them. Furiosa acts as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road , and as such it included several connections, such as the 10 Fury Road characters in Furiosa . Aside from surface-level connections like that, though, Furiosa had to explain how its titular character became a legendary warrior. That's a rather large story to depict that spanned several years of the Mad Max timeline , and to do it more cohesively and effectively, Furiosa included different chapters.

Since Furiosa tells such a massive story that spans a huge swath of Furiosa's life, it was divided into chapters to give greater insight into particularly important parts of her story. Each chapter saw Furiosa at a different moment, and as essentially a different person, considering how much she went through. Because of that and how much ground the movie covers, Furiosa is essentially five short stories chronicling her life. Each chapter had something to say about how Furiosa became " the darkest of angels ," and their titles give some insight into what each step of that journey was really about.

Mad Max has an interesting cameo in Furiosa, raising questions not only about who plays him but also about his future in the George Miller franchise.

5 The Pole of Inaccessibility

Furiosa's story began with her being completely isolated.

The first chapter of Furiosa , "The Pole of Inaccessibility," saw Furiosa and her mother, Mary Jabassa, fighting Dementus' gang both to escape back to the Green Place, and to keep its location secret. While Mary and Furiosa did manage to keep the Green Place a secret, they failed to escape, and Mary was tortured and killed while Furiosa was taken as Dementus' prisoner . It was a decidedly dark and hopeless start to her story, and it has a fittingly solitary title to accompany it.

"The Pole of Inaccessibility" is one of Furiosa 's most vague and thematically rich chapter titles. In the real world, a pole of inaccessibility is a term used in geography to describe the point on a landmass or ocean that is furthest away from the nearest coastline . For example, the pole of inaccessibility of Australia is where the ocean is as far away as possible in every direction, which is nearly in the center of the continent, West of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Much like a pole of inaccessibility, Furiosa was completely isolated.

"The Pole of Inaccessibility" as a title in Furiosa could be a literal reference to the geographical concept, as both the Green Place and Dementus' group were located very far inland in Australia. The beginning of the movie could have taken place at the continent's actual pole of inaccessibility, but it likely has a much more nuanced meaning.

After her mother's death, Furiosa was completely alone in the world. She had been taken from the Many Mothers and her sister at the Green Place, the only home she had ever known, and put in the midst of strange people who wanted to do her harm. Much like a pole of inaccessibility, Furiosa was completely isolated . "The Pole of Inaccessibility" put her in the middle of nowhere, which set up the rest of Furiosa and Mad Max: Fury Road , as she spent the next several years trying to get back to the Green Place.

4 Lessons from the Wasteland

Furiosa learned to be brutal by watching dementus.

The next chapter of Furiosa , "Lessons from the Wasteland," picked up a fairly significant time after "The Pole of Inaccessibility." Furiosa was still in Dementus' captivity, but her hair had noticeably grown out, and she was much more resigned to her fate as a prisoner. "Lessons from the Wasteland" saw Furiosa traveling with Dementus' gang and seeing how they brutalized the wasteland. A great scene that illustrated that brutality was Dementus' initiation ritual, in which he forced his victims to fight to the death and execute one of their own by quartering him for a chance to join the gang.

Eventually, Dementus and his gang took control of Gas Town by hijacking one of Immortan Joe's rigs and using it to hide some of their members. Then, when they made a play to extort Joe, it turned out that Joe wanted Furiosa to be one of his breeders. Dementus agreed to sell her in exchange for a better deal on food. After Immortan Joe started grooming Furiosa to be one of his breeders, his son, Rictus, started to take an interest in her. To save herself from Rictus, Furiosa cut her hair off and went into hiding, marking a major step in her transformation.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga brings the action franchise back, and there are different options for where to watch the prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy.

Throughout the chapter, Furiosa was watching intently, even when Dementus allowed her to close her eyes. As the title "Lessons from the Wasteland" suggests, Furiosa was learning about how brutal the world beyond the Green Place was, and how to survive in it . During her time with Dementus, Furiosa learned that brutality was the most effective language of the wasteland, and that those who survive are the ones who are willing to kill. During her time at the Citadel, Furiosa learned that the only person who would protect her was herself, and that if she was to survive, she had to sacrifice who she once was.

3 The Stowaway

Furiosa was a stowaway on the war rig, but she needed to be a road warrior.

The lessons Furiosa learned in "Lessons from the Wasteland" informed the next chapter of her journey, "The Stowaway." For years, Furiosa hid herself as one of Immortan Joe's workers, biding her time until she could escape. That chance came when the War Rig was finally completed and Praetorian Jack took it to make a delivery. To escape, Furiosa chained herself to the undercarriage of the truck, along with a motorcycle and some supplies.

Furiosa was somewhere between the little girl at the start of the movie and the "fifth rider of the apocalypse" she would become at the end.

"The Stowaway" seems like the most straightforward of Furiosa 's chapter titles, but it's also possible to read into it further. Furiosa's plan to escape via the bottom of the War Rig literally made her a stowaway, as she wasn't a known passenger, but how it actually played out made her much more than that . The War Rig was attacked, and Furiosa fought well enough that she even caught the attention of Praetorian Jack. He then offered to help her learn to wage Road War, which hinted at the true meaning of this chapter being called "The Stowaway."

The Furiosa shown in Fury Road was a wrathful warrior, but in "The Stowaway," Furiosa was far from a legendary fighter. Because she wasn't who she had to become yet, "The Stowaway" acts as a mid-point for Furiosa, as she was being far too passive in her own escape. Furiosa was somewhere between the little girl at the start of the movie and the " fifth rider of the apocalypse " she would become at the end during "The Stowaway." While she fought valiantly during the attack on the War Rig, Furiosa still had quite a bit of development left, and much more pain left to endure.

Furiosa Was Ready To Return To The Green Place, But She Hadn't Found True Fury Yet

"Homeward" brought Furiosa closer to the person she was supposed to be, but it didn't get her all the way there quite yet. This chapter showed Furiosa after another significant amount of time that she spent learning from Praetorian Jack. Through their various journeys in the War Rig, Furiosa had learned all the combat skills she needed to survive the trip to the Green Place, and Jack told her that she was ready to go. Before they could leave together, though, Dementus ambushed them at the Bullet Farm, tortured and killed Jack, and was the reason Furiosa lost her arm .

Dementus' interference ties directly into this chapter's title. Furiosa was finally homeward-bound, she had the skills she needed, and she was ready to make her escape with Jack. They were so close to freedom, and Furiosa was so close to her home, before Dementus took that from her as well . If it hadn't been for his plans to take over the three fortresses of the wasteland, Furiosa's story might have ended very differently. In an odd way, though, Dementus actually helped Furiosa in "Homeward," as she still needed one final thing to become the character she was in Fury Road .

George Miller has made five Mad Max movies in the post-apocalyptic franchise, but their quality can vary. The Mad Max movies ranked reveals the best.

Furiosa may have been capable of leaving in "Homeward," but she hadn't truly lived up to the fury her name is based on yet. She was obviously filled with rage over what Dementus had done, but it hadn't consumed her yet. Furiosa was named after fury, and she essentially acts as its physical embodiment, so she couldn't let Dementus, the man who had taken everything from her, walk away . Furiosa had one final challenge to overcome and one final transformation to make before she was ready to return to the Green Place.

1 Beyond Vengeance

Furiosa inflicted a fate far worse than mere revenge on dementus.

Dementus' fate showed that this chapter truly was "Beyond Vengeance," it was Furiosa's rebirth.

After Dementus' takeover of the Bullet Farm, Furiosa warned Immortan Joe of his plans, and the 40-day Wasteland War began. Furiosa got her mechanical arm, which completed her physical transformation into her Fury Road character, but she still had one last step to take to truly become that warrior. Furiosa set out to finally get her revenge on Dementus, and become the human form of fury. After an intense standoff in the wasteland, Furiosa ultimately settled on a fate for him: she planted the seed she had carried with her from the Green Place in Dementus' abdomen, turning him into food for the tree .

Dementus' fate showed that this chapter truly was "Beyond Vengeance," it was Furiosa's rebirth. She took all the lessons she learned over the course of the movie and used them against Dementus. She literally went beyond vengeance: Furiosa didn't simply kill Dementus, she kept him alive to torture him for years to come . She didn't give him the release of death, she turned him into a different form of life. Furiosa got so much more than vengeance, she got even on an existential level. Furiosa destroyed everything Dementus stood for, and made him live as a husk of what he used to be.

By the end of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga , Furiosa had finally completed her journey to Mad Max: Fury Road . It was a massive road to get there, though, and one that spanned several years. Luckily, the chapters and their titles helped guide Furiosa along the path, and even added more meaning to her revenge quest. Understanding the meaning behind Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 's chapter titles makes the movie even more thought-provoking and poignant, which is an impressive feat indeed.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa is an action-adventure film that tells the origin story of the headstrong and fearless Furiosa. Set shortly after the beginning of the "end of the world," Furiosa is kidnapped and brought before a powerful warlord, now forced to work for him. To find her way back home, Furiosa will adapt to the new harsh and arid world as she grows into the Furiosa she becomes known to be. 

Furiosa (2024)

IMAGES

  1. 🎉 How to structure a thesis. Tips on designing a perfect thesis

    thesis chapter overview

  2. 1. Overview of chapters of the dissertation

    thesis chapter overview

  3. 5: Visual outline of this thesis. Chapters are connected by dotted

    thesis chapter overview

  4. Overview of thesis structure and brief description of chapters

    thesis chapter overview

  5. The thesis structure showing the brief contents of the chapters of the

    thesis chapter overview

  6. 3.: Overview of parts and chapters of the dissertation.

    thesis chapter overview

VIDEO

  1. How to Write Chapter 1 of a Thesis: The Problem and Its Setting

  2. Lecture 34 ARM

  3. How to write thesis chapter 1

  4. Thesis Writing Chapter 4 Output of the Study

  5. How to write your thesis chapter 4-6

  6. Technique of writing Research

COMMENTS

  1. Dissertation & Thesis Outline

    This is a short paragraph at the end of your introduction to inform readers about the organizational structure of your thesis or dissertation. This chapter outline is also known as a reading guide or summary outline. Tip You can find a thesis and dissertation outline template below, as well as a chapter outline example, ...

  2. Chapter Summary & Overview

    Chapter Summary in Thesis. In a Thesis, the Chapter Summary is a section that provides a brief overview of the main points covered in each chapter of the thesis. It is usually included at the beginning or end of each chapter and is intended to help the reader understand the key concepts and ideas presented in the chapter.

  3. How To Write A Dissertation Introduction Chapter

    #1 - The Opening Section. The very first essential ingredient for your dissertation introduction is, well, an introduction or opening section. Just like every other chapter, your introduction chapter needs to start by providing a brief overview of what you'll be covering in the chapter.. This section needs to engage the reader with clear, concise language that can be easily understood and ...

  4. How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

    The thesis introduction, usually chapter 1, is one of the most important chapters of a thesis. It sets the scene. It previews key arguments and findings. And it helps the reader to understand the structure of the thesis. In short, a lot is riding on this first chapter. With the following tips, you can write

  5. The Dissertation: Chapter Breakdown

    Dissertation OverviewThe traditional dissertation is organized into 5 chapters and includes the following elements and pages:Title page (aka cover page) Signature ...

  6. Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)

    Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.

  7. How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

    Overview of the structure. 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.

  8. How to Write a Thesis Chapter Outline

    The Outline. While the content and length of each chapter will vary, you can follow a similar pattern to organize your information. Each chapter should include: 1. An Introduction. At the start of your chapter, spend some time introducing what you're about to discuss. This will give readers the chance to quickly get an idea of what you'll ...

  9. What Is a Thesis?

    Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.

  10. Introduction and conclusion thesis chapters

    The conclusion gives a convincing summary of the thesis's findings. ... Give an overview of the chapter outline of the thesis. It's important to note that, depending on your field of study and the faculty requirements of your thesis, not all of these features will be relevant. Also, these features may occur in varied orders.

  11. Thesis

    This is a brief summary of the thesis that provides an overview of the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions. Table of Contents. ... Chapter 1: Introduction [The introduction sets the stage for your thesis, providing background information on the topic, explaining the research problem or question, and outlining the scope and ...

  12. PDF CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

    CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION. 1. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to identify what motivates. women to stay in or return to science, technology, engineering, and math professions. (STEM), leading to a motivation model. As illustrated in the literature review, research has. abbreviations. introduce introduce you can use Once ...

  13. PDF SUGGESTED DISSERTATION OUTLINE

    Chapter 1 Introduction (broad overview of the research) Chapter 2 Review of the literature (and conceptual framework) Chapter 3 Methodology Chapter 4 Results or Findings Chapter 5 Interpretations, Conclusions, and Recommendations References Appendices Dissertation proposals should include the elements normally found in Chapters 1, 2, 3, and the ...

  14. PDF A Complete Dissertation

    A Complete Dissertation The Big Picture OVERVIEW Following is a road map that briefly outlines the contents of an entire dissertation. This is a comprehensive overview, and as such is ... Chapter 1. A Complete Dissertation 7 purpose, or it does not stand alone as a document. Chapter 2: Literature Review

  15. How to write an introduction chapter for a thesis

    Give a forthcoming chapter overview. The final part of the introduction is an overview of the rest of the chapters in the thesis. The other sections can go in any order, providing it is a logical sequence. Learn from others. Look at other theses for example from White Rose etheses or your university library's website. The majority of journal ...

  16. PDF Sample Dissertation Overview

    Sample Dissertation Overview. The problem generally is addressed in two related parts: The problem statement is contained in Chapter 1, and a review of the related research, theory, and professional literature is described in Chapter 2. The methods used for investigating the problem are usually included in Chapter 3.

  17. Thesis chapter

    A thesis is built up of a series of chapters that construct a substantiated and convincing response to the research question (s). Typically, a thesis contains the following chapters: an introduction; a literature review; a description of methodology; a report and discussion of results; and a conclusion. A thesis may have five to eight chapters ...

  18. Chapter introductions

    Chapter introductions. The purpose of the thesis introduction is to orient the reader to the research presented in the body of your thesis. The introduction should include all information necessary to prepare the reader, to put the reader in the picture in terms of the specifics of your research project: what the thesis focuses on; the context ...

  19. How To Write A Dissertation Discussion Chapter

    Step 1: Restate your research problem and research questions. The first step in writing up your discussion chapter is to remind your reader of your research problem, as well as your research aim (s) and research questions. If you have hypotheses, you can also briefly mention these.

  20. Chapter writing

    Chapter writing. A chapter is a discrete unit of a research report or thesis, and it needs to be able to be read as such. Your examiners may read your thesis abstract, introduction and conclusion first, but then they may come back weeks later and read a chapter at random, or select one that they are interested in (Mullins & Kiley, 2002).

  21. The Elements of Chapter 4

    Chapter 4. What needs to be included in the chapter? The topics below are typically included in this chapter, and often in this order (check with your Chair): Introduction. Remind the reader what your research questions were. In a qualitative study you will restate the research questions. In a quantitative study you will present the hypotheses.

  22. PDF Presenting Methodology and Research Approach

    OVERVIEW Chapter 3 of the dissertation presents the research design and the specific procedures used in conducting your study. A research design includes various interrelated elements that reflect its sequential nature. This chapter is intended to show the reader that you have an understanding of the methodological

  23. Thesis Statements

    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.

  24. Numerical study of electrophoresis and electro-osmosis for electronic

    Numerical study of electrophoresis and electro-osmosis for electronic paper displays. May 28, 2024. Wei Liu defended his PhD thesis at the Department of Mechanical Engineering on May 15th. Electrophoretic displays, known for their paper-like appearance and low power usage, have emerged as strong contenders for electronic paper applications.

  25. Fortnite: All Mythic Weapon Locations

    Fortnite: All Mythic Weapon Locations In Chapter 5 Season 3. Most of the Mythic weapons are in the possession of enemy NPC bosses.However, there are usually other enemies spawning nearby, so make ...

  26. Chasing Majorana zero modes with indium antimonide nanostructures

    Chasing Majorana zero modes with indium antimonide nanostructures. May 28, 2024. Marco Rossi defended his PhD thesis at Department of Applied Physics and Science Education on May 23rd. Quantum computers offer the promise of solving a variety of computational problems that to many seem impossible to solve at this moment in time.

  27. 'Horizon: An American Saga' Review: Kevin Costner's Chapter 1 (Of 4

    With Horizon: An American Saga, Costner is just trying to keep the American Western alive, but he may, with this innovative roll of the dice, also be trying to keep theaters alive at the same time ...

  28. New ultrasound techniques beat physical limits for prediction of

    News overview Media relations Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn New ultrasound techniques beat physical limits for prediction of rupture risk in abdominal aortic aneurysms. May 27, 2024 Hein de Hoop defended his thesis at the Department of Biomedical Engineering on May 24. ... Title of PhD thesis: ...

  29. All Weekly Fortnite Quests: Chapter 5 Season 2, Week 10

    Headshot players with Warforged Assault Rifle (5) 10,000 XP. Talk to Aphrodite, Artemis, Medusa, or Poseidon to receive free items (3) 10,000 XP. Eliminate enemy players within 10 seconds of ...

  30. Furiosa Chapter Titles Explained

    Summary. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is divided into five chapters, each revealing crucial moments in Furiosa's transformation. The chapter titles provide deeper insights into Furiosa's journey, with each segment portraying her growth and development. Furiosa's chapters showcase her evolution from a solitary survivor to a legendary warrior seeking ...