Congratulations on completing your thesis! However, your Master’s or PhD thesis is incomplete without an acknowledgement. Several of the PhD students spend several years on completing their thesis & when it is finally done you might have to acknowledge the same in the thesis.
Many research scholars might get stuck on how to write a good acknowledgement for your thesis, this article will help you to do so.
Contents
What is an Acknowledgement?
An acknowledgement is a very personalized section in your thesis where you can mention your collaborations, sources, funding, and support that you received while carrying out the research. The acknowledgement should be short and precise and should not exceed 2 pages.
An acknowledgement is always written at the very end of your thesis completion. This allows you to express your gratitude and thank all the people who were supportive and helpful during your thesis journey. The content within the acknowledgement is highly personalized, giving you the freedom to write it in your own words. It should highlight your journey and mention all the assistance you received while conducting your research.
The answer to this question is to be more ethical while you pursue your research. By showing gratitude and highlighting the support you received, you demonstrate the most ethical way of giving credit.
How to Write an Acknowledgement for a Thesis
Your acknowledgement section of your PhD thesis should not be more than two pages. It is preferable that your acknowledgement is only one page and is the last thing that you will write.
There are several ways that you can write your acknowledgement. After many years, there is one generalized format that you can follow to write an acknowledgement. So, let us look at that.
- Thank Your PhD Supervisor: The first thing that you should write about is how grateful you are to your PhD supervisor. Mention the help and motivation that he or she has provided. Throughout all the years you have spent pursuing your PhD, you would always be guided by your PhD supervisor, so write your thoughts about your PhD supervisor.
- Write About Your Institute or University Support: The next thing that you should write about is your institute or university, where you are pursuing your PhD. Write about the resources that helped you. You can also write about the library or other facilities that your institute supported you with.
- Your Special Mentor: If you have someone who has specially guided you in pursuing your PhD, you should write about them and how helpful they were for the completion of your PhD. Mention their name; a few lines will do.
- Funding Agency: If you have received any kind of funding from any organization or institution, you should write about them and thank them as well, as they supported you monetarily to pursue your PhD research. It is very much expected that you mention them.
- Other Companies or Organizations: Mention all the companies or organizations that may have helped you in your research. It could be any company that you may have approached to gather data.
- Managers or Professionals: Also, thank the managers or professionals that you may have contacted during your PhD research. Tell them how grateful you were for their guidance.
- Your Family: The last thing to mention would be your family. Many PhD acknowledgements thank their parents for giving them support and motivation to complete their PhD. Your PhD is not just your own, but the whole family is involved, so it is very kind to mention all the support that you got from your family.
Above are the entities or parties that you should mention in your acknowledgement. Now, I would provide you with a full sample that you can use and just replace with your own thoughts. I will also provide you with statements that you can use to start your acknowledgement.
Sample Acknowledgement
I am profoundly grateful to [Funding Agency] for supporting my research through funding. Your support has played a crucial role in financing my research endeavors. I am truly honored to have received your support.
My appreciation also goes towards my university, which has been providing me with a conducive environment and resources that facilitate my research. The academic community at (university name) has contributed significantly to my intellectual development and research pursuits.
I would also like to thank (friends’ names) for their unwavering support, encouragement, and friendship throughout this endeavor. Your words of encouragement and unwavering belief in my abilities have been a source of strength and inspiration.
Lastly, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my family for their unwavering love, encouragement, and understanding throughout my PhD journey. Your constant support and belief in my abilities have been my greatest motivation, and I am deeply thankful for everything that you have done for me.
In the above format, you can just insert the names and use it in your PhD thesis. Feel free to add anything extra that you think could be added.
Conclusion
An acknowledgement in your PhD thesis is the very last thing to be written. Giving appropriate credits and appreciation towards your journey should be written in this section. It should be short and very simple to understand. Your acknowledgement does not affect your PhD thesis for publication, but it is very much expected that you write it in a very professional way.
Apart from the above-mentioned template, if you have any other queries, feel free to comment, and I would be very happy to help you out.
