In order to write a thesis, you need to conduct some research, which in humanities could be library research or empirical research.
Most of the humanity branches do not need to do research in a lab, field, or by distributing questionnaires. In these cases, you just need to use a library or laptop and search for your thesis’s variables.
Library research
In library-researches, you just need to read books and papers related to the title of your thesis. You may dip into some of them, skim, or scan some others to find the information about your thesis’s variables. This information can also come from speeches, podcasts, and so on.
After gathering information, discuss the relationship existed between the variables using the sources you have read, in chapter three.
In chapter four, you need to draw a conclusion. It would be the last chapter and the last chance to convince readers that your statement is right, by relying on the given information in the previous chapters. Summarize the most important evidence so that results in the correctness of your statement.
Chapters one and two should be written as what is said in “chapters of a Ph.D. and master’s dissertation”.
What branches need library research?
In philosophy, history, ancient languages, law, political science, literature, translation, religion, jurisprudence, and so on.
Empirical research
In empirical researches and theses, in humanity branches, you need to use questionnaires in your study. To do so, find the related questionnaires to the variables, then distribute them among the right samples. You need to explain all the process in chapter three.
In chapter four, reveal your findings in tables, analyze them and discuss how the findings answer your research questions.
Finally, in chapter five, draw a conclusion.
Chapters one and two are the same as library researches. You can see them in “chapters of a Ph.D. and master’s dissertation”.
What branches need empirical research?
In psychology, teaching languages, archaeology, religion, and so on.
Note: as you can see, religion field of study is written in both sections (library research and empirical research). In some fields of study, research can be done as library research or empirical research, it depends to chosen subject.
Some advices on writing humanities’ theses
In humanities researches and theses, there are some tips that you can do your research easier by knowing them.
Write what is in your mind
In order to organize what is in your mind, write down your ideas and do not leave them in your head. It would increase the tempo of writing your thesis.
Get your adviser assistance
The research will raise some questions in your mind. It is the nature of research. Especially in humanities, students face new information which may cast doubt on their beliefs. Do not forget that you have the support of your adviser, so you can turn to him for assistance.
Have conversations
In humanities, you are of an advantage over other fields of studies which is you can have conversations with other people about the subject and become aware of their opinions. It would be helpful in writing your thesis to discuss the title of your thesis from different points of view. Be as specific as possible about the challenges and make the issue perfectly clear that does not remain any doubt in your and your readers’ mind. In other words, write persuasively.
to see some examples of theses in humanities see Scholar commons page.
