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You can include or not include an acknowledgement in your dissertation unless it is outlined in university guidelines.
Example: It has been an honor to finish my dissertation with the support of so many people. It wouldn't have been possible without you!
Essentially, acknowledging someone is saying thanks to them. A dissertation acknowledgement section expresses gratitude to all those who contributed to its preparation.
What is the Purpose of Acknowledgments in a Dissertation?
You thank those who have supported you during your PhD in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation. An individual, institution, or organization can be included in this category.
Despite the fact that the acknowledgements of your thesis will not be evaluated, they are still important. The reason for this is that it can have a negative or positive impact on the reader's perception before the main body of your text is even read. It shows that you deeply value the support of all the people and organizations that helped you complete this thesis or dissertation.
Who to Acknowledge in the Acknowledgement Section?
In a professional acknowledgement, there is a difference between a professional acknowledgement and a personal acknowledgement. Prior to acknowledging the people who helped you personally, you should acknowledge the professionals who played a significant role in your research.
Depending on the university, you might be required to acknowledge people who have provided you with direct assistance, such as academics and professionals.
Pro Tip: You should always read the guidelines of the university before submitting your thesis.
Professional Acknowledgements
There is no doubt that this is the most important part of the dissertation acknowledgements page. Since the faculty members' names are mentioned in this section, it is best to be as precise as possible.
This means that you should take care not to miss out on any names. The faculty members who assisted you with your research should be commended and credited for their efforts.
There are several people to whom professional acknowledgements may be addressed. Below is the order:
Thanking Order
- University professors
- Editors or proofreaders
- Assistants in laboratories
- The librarians
- Colleagues
- Fellow classmates
- Friends and Family
- Research participants
Personal acknowledgements
Everyone in your family or friend group does not need to be mentioned. You may wish to mention someone specifically if they were particularly inspiring or supportive. There are many people who thank their parents, partners, children, friends, and even pets, but you can thank anyone who has encouraged you or offered tangible or intangible assistance.
In some cases, students dedicate their dissertations to deceased influential people in their lives. As long as they are mentioned before any professional recognition, it is okay to do so.
Tips and Tricks:
- Only mention the collective name of a group or organization if several members assisted you.
- To avoid appearing snobbish, you should thank your chair first even if you did not feel they helped you much.
- When appropriate, use full names and titles.
- Anonymized data should be considered ethically. The first name or a generic identifier (such as "the interviewees") is best for protecting the privacy of the person you are interviewing.
How to write acknowledgements?
Dissertation Acknowledgements can be written in two styles: list or paragraph. Organizing the names of those you wish to thank alphabetically is one way to do it.
Creating a list of all people who assisted you in writing your dissertation is required before applying this technique of writing acknowledgements.
In your dissertation acknowledgement, you should clearly describe the issue with which you have dealt during the research process. Having different people thanked will make the reader feel as if you are giving them importance and appreciation.
If there are individuals who contributed significantly to the dissertation writing process, it is very important to mention their names. In addition, it is a good idea to categorize people according to their status and designation.
You should then list all the people who assisted you in the research process. You can thank all the people who have contributed to your dissertation in one paragraph if you have received assistance from a large number of people.
Tips and Tricks:
- The dissertation acknowledgement does not constitute academic work and can therefore be written in an informal manner.
- Dissertation acknowledgements should be written in the first person.
What to Include and Avoid in Acknowledgments?
As soon as you have compiled a list of people you wish to thank, sort the list by rank. Organize the people you listed into three categories: "major thanks," "big thanks," and "minor thanks."
- It is important to give "major thanks" to the people who make your project possible. Professional acknowledgements are typically made to advisors, chairs, committees, as well as funders.
Example: I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor and professors who made this research possible.
- As an in-between, “big thanks” is given to classmates, colleagues, or librarians who helped you intellectually or along the way.
Example: I am also grateful to all the laboratory assistants who stood day and night by me.
- The term "minor thanks" is often used as a catch-all for anyone giving moral support or encouragement. Apart from parents, partners and friends, you can even thank your pets in this category.
Example: Lastly, I would like to mention to my amazing parents for bringing out the best in me since forever.
What to Include:
- Consider friends, family, and even pets as personal or intangible supporters
- Provide a brief description of what the funding bodies funded
- Use a professional tone in your writing
- It is best to thank your professional contacts first
- Make appropriate arrangements for anonymizing or grouping research participants or acknowledging non-individuals
What to Avoid
- Making use of slang or informal language
- Exceeding one page
- Including people who played a minor role in your research
FAQs about Acknowledgements
Get a Dissertation Proposal – Get Going!
Dissertation Proposal Lays Down the Outline of Your Final Dissertation
Get a Dissertation Proposal that matches your requirements, which includes the topic title, research aim and objective, research questions, research gap, literature review, methodology and list of reference papers.
The Dissertation Proposal will be foundation of your final dissertation. It is very important to get this done perfectly to avoid any problems!
Afterward, you can include personal thanks for the support you received from friends, family, and others.
In the dissertation, the acknowledgement section appears after the title page but before the Abstract. The acknowledgement for a dissertation only requires one page. The acknowledgement section acknowledges the contribution of others to the successful completion of the study.
You should only write an acknowledgement after completing your dissertation. You might find it strange to thank your professor before the completion of your dissertation if you submit the acknowledgment paper with a draft.
