Thesis types
This page outlines three main thesis options (conventional, thesis with published papers, and creative) and explains how to structure each one.
There are three main kinds of PhD - a conventional thesis, a thesis incorporating published papers and a creative thesis.
Check with the Graduate Research School and your supervisor before deciding on the kind of thesis you'll write.
The general structures of these three thesis types are outlined below; however, there is variability in terms of chapter order and inclusions/exclusions to the models below.
Conventional thesis
The conventional PhD thesis involves producing an unpublished document, up to 100,000 words in length, that scrutinises a research topic/question over several chapters (Federation University, 2019). The structure of a conventional thesis is generally organised as follows; however, variations to this are possible depending on the discipline area.
Sections of a conventional thesis
Thesis incorporating publications
Also known as or ‘PhD by publication’, a thesis incorporating published papers normally includes three or more papers drafted, submitted, or accepted for publication. These form a significant part of the thesis content (Federation University, 2019, p. 7). Other unpublished chapters can be presented, but all must be contextualised and integrated into one main thesis in the Introduction, Literature Review and Conclusion.
This type of thesis is increasingly common among PhD students who are encouraged to publish and get recognised by a wider audience in their respective fields. Another advantage is that it can raise the overall quality of the thesis, including parts of which are in unpublished form.
You'll need to ask your publishers for permission to reproduce published papers in the thesis. Failure to do so will breach copyright and may result in litigation. Some publishers may ask you to use a pre-print while others may permit use of the final published version. The structure of a thesis incorporating published papers can vary depending on the candidate and discipline area but can include the following.
Sections of a thesis incorporating publications
Creative thesis
The creative thesis involves the creation of a work by the PhD candidate in the form of “performances”, “folios or electronic media appropriate to the discipline” (Federation University, 2019, p. 8), or other types of creative work such as prose, poetry, or a screenplay (The University of Queensland, 2021). These works are often accompanied by a critical essay or commentary (an exegesis).
- A creative work (in its various forms) shows the candidate’s originality, understanding of the principles of the chosen field of creation, and their distinctive contribution to that field.
- An exegesis is a critical essay on and about your creative work, which can be approached in several ways. The exegesis may reflect the contribution of the candidate’s creative work; it may explore the literary terrain of the creative work; or interrogate its historical, social, artistic or other relevant context. It may also illuminate the creative work with the application of a particular theoretical lens or contextualise it within a particular mode of practice. An exegesis can be organised like a traditional thesis (see section 1 above) that includes an Introduction, Literature Review, Conceptual/Theoretical Framework, Methodology, Findings and Conclusion, but other formats are possible. A general rule of practice is to ensure that the exegesis follows a structure that accords with its specific relationship to the creative work.
The word limit is up to 100,000 words for both the creative component and the exegesis. At Federation University, the exegesis component is required to represent no less than 25% of the thesis (Federation University, 2019).