If you’ve recently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at a reputed university, the question of “dissertation length” might be stuck in your mind. It is extremely normal to have this question in mind because every student wonders about it at a certain point.
Check out this article to discover everything about the length of a dissertation.
Number of Pages and Words in a Dissertation
On average, a long dissertation contains around 100 to 200 pages. Usually, the number of words in a dissertation ranges between 80,000 to 100,000 words. But, the exact number of words and pages in a dissertation will depend on multiple factors.
For instance, the academic discipline will influence the dissertation length. A dissertation on a history topic will be much longer than that of a chemistry topic. Moreover, the writer’s topic, writing style, and goals also influence its length.
Length of the Different Chapters in a Dissertation
You need to consider each chapter while figuring out the ideal dissertation length. Typically, the different chapters of a dissertation are of the following length:
Introduction
While trying to figure out “how long is a dissertation,” you need to begin with choosing the right length for the introductory chapter. The introduction of a dissertation is around 10 to 15 pages long.
It is the perfect size for an introductory chapter to mention everything concisely. The introduction of your dissertation should not disclose anything in detail. Instead, it should revolve around intriguing the readers.
Literature Review
This section involves analyzing relevant sources that you have picked for your paper. This section can be around 20 to 25 pages long. Remember only to include sources that can be used to write the long dissertation.
Methodology
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The methodology chapter ranges between 10 to 15 pages. It will shed light on all the chosen methods to perform the research. Students can talk about specific methods and data selection procedures in this chapter. Moreover, the challenges faced while performing the research can be mentioned here.
Results
The results chapter should not be over 10 pages. It should provide a list and explanation of the different findings. You need to mention whether the different hypotheses were confirmed or rejected. This chapter also provides a conclusion for everything done in terms of investigation.
Conclusion
The concluding part of your long dissertation should be between 15 and 20 pages. This section requires you to discuss the different implications of your research. This section requires you to provide your current perspective regarding the research.
You can’t find a specific answer to the question, “how long is a PhD dissertation?” In short, a dissertation must be appropriate to answer the stated question in-depth.
FAQs
Are footnotes included in the total word count of the dissertation?
The total word count of your dissertation will also include the appendices. But, references, footnotes, and bibliography are not included within the word count. Usually, the footnotes should not exceed 20% of the overall text in a dissertation.
How long is a PhD dissertation proposal?
Usually, the ideal length of a dissertation proposal is between 15 and 20 pages. But, the research proposal length will vary according to the problems to be pursued, reasons to address the problem, and other factors.
How long is a PhD dissertation abstract?
The length of a PhD dissertation abstract is around 150 to 300 words.
