How To Write Acknowledgement For Thesis And Dissertation?

What is the importance of acknowledgement for a dissertation and thesis?

The acknowledgement section in a dessert or thesis helps identify and recognise the people who have helped the students during the preparation of the thesis and description. The section is not limited to only individuals and may contain institutions and different 

organisations involved in the competition of the thesis or dissertation. Acknowledgement is essential for part of any thesis or dissertation, although it did not help evaluate the work done by the researcher. Acknowledgement plays an essential role in the readers' minds regarding the information in the main body of the thesis and dissertation.

Who should be acknowledged?

Acknowledgement in a thesis paper generally consists of two distinct types: personal and professional acknowledgement.  The writer needs to pay more attention to professional acknowledgement writing. It is essential to thank every person in the studies who has helped in the dissertation. Not acknowledging them can be taken as disrespect for their efforts in supporting the writer for their thesis or dissertation. 

Professional Acknowledgement:

The professional acknowledgements are written to the following group of people.

• Sponsors for the dissertation or thesis
• Professors
• Supervisors
• Lab assistant and research group
• Colleagues
• Proofreaders
• Research participants

Personal Acknowledgement:

This type of acknowledgement is written to recognise the help of family members and friends while preparing the dissertation and thesis paper. 

• Essential members of the family and friends. 
• Partner in the study
• People who have motivated the students during their academic journey and influenced their work.
• Any person who has helped the student prepare the dissertation, and it is essential for the student to recognise their efforts during the preparation of the dissertation and thesis. 

However, in some cases, it may also be directed to the students, only those who have helped the student during the dissertation and thesis preparation. For example, professors and supervisors directly influence the dissertation or thesis work done by the students.  Therefore, the students must read the guidelines provided by the universities before writing the acknowledgement section of the thesis or dissertation.

Steps for writing an acknowledgement:

During the preparation of the acknowledgement, the student can use an informal writing style compared to the thesis's main body.  The acknowledgement is written in the first person, and the use of emotional language is very essential. The acknowledgement can be written freely by the writer. However, following professionalism when writing an acknowledgement section in the thesis and dissertation is essential. Maintaining professionalism is essential for the writer in the assessment section, as it is the first. Thing read and creates the impression regarding the quality of information provided in the main body of the thesis and dissertation. 

The acknowledgement structure provided in the dissertation and thesis follows a specific pattern. The acknowledgement of a dissertation or thesis begins with acknowledging the most formal support and then moving to less form persons or bodies involved in the preparation of the dissertation or thesis.  While acknowledging the professional people, providing their full name and turtle is mandatory.  Proving the full name in the acknowledgement is helpful as it assists the writer in contributing to the credibility of the dissertation and making the individuals popular in the field of the related subject. Moreover, providing the full name is also essential as it helps clarify to the readers the source of information used in the dissertation or thesis.  When providing names of individuals from varied institutions and organisations, it is recommended to provide them alphabetically.  The only expectation during this process is that only those persons who have the most significant contributions to the completion of the dissertation and thesis should be mentioned in the list.

Length of the acknowledgement in dissertation or thesis:

Acknowledgement in different dissertations varies differently as per the writer's requirement.  Some assignments last for a single paragraph, while sometimes they go to three pages. The length of the acknowledgement depends on the number of people recognised by the writer in the thesis dissertation.  

However, the general rule of writing an acknowledgement limits them to one.  As there is no specific word limit mentioned for writing the acknowledgement, however, writing a long acknowledgement makes the writer's gratitude dilute to the people who have contributed the most amount of time and effort during the preparation of the dissertation or thesis by the writer. 

Where should we write an acknowledgement in a dissertation or thesis?

The acknowledgement in a thesis paper is generally written after the abstract section before the content page in a dissertation or thesis. However, the students should follow the guidelines provided by the university or supervisor before deciding the place of acknowledgement in the dissertation or thesis. 

Common phrases used in the assignment:

Some of the common phrases which can be used to start an assignment are

• “I am deeply grateful to”
• “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to.”
• “I would like to offer my special thanks to”
• “I would like to extend my sincere thanks.”
• For providing help whenever required during the preparation of the thesis or dissertation 
• For the valuable suggestions and comments provided whenever required.
• For providing your contribution during.
• Thank you for believing in and supporting me while completing the thesis or dissertation. 

Example of assignment for thesis and dissertation:

At the very beginning, I am very much thankful to my teachers and supervisors, Professor XXX and Professor XXX, for your valuable suggestions and comments while preparing the thesis paper.  The large number of ideas and knowledge obtained from my professors has helped motivate me for the preparation of the dissertation. I would also like to thank Professor XXX for providing me with all the technical support required during the thesis statement preparation. Finally, I would also like to thank my parents, friends and colleagues, who have given me immense support during the dissertation and thesis paper preparation. 

Final Word

One of the most crucial things to remember while writing an acknowledgement is that although it is permissible to write it in an informal tone, writing it formally helps create a positive image in the readers' minds.