An IT Dissertation Template: How Should It Look Like?
A typical IT dissertation template is a word processor file with sample headings and all formatting set. To use it, you have to delete the sample text and replace it with relevant fragments from your own dissertation (e. g. put the text of your introduction under the “Introduction” heading).
- Front page.
- Abstract.
- Attestation.
- Acknowledgments.
- Table of contents.
- List of figures.
- Introduction.
- Body.
- Conclusion.
- References.
- Appendices.
The front page contains the project title, author’s name, month and date, university’s name, and degree statement (“Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Science in…”). You will need to insert the exact title of your degree, as well as other specific data. If you use your university’s template, the name of your educational institution will already be stated properly.
The abstract follows the title page. Insert a brief (under 300 words) summary of your dissertation here. Note that no first paragraph indent is needed, and the page number has a different format than in the rest of your paper.
The next page is for your statement of awareness about your university’s anti-plagiarism policy, and your promise to follow it. You will need to print this page and sign it by hand.
This is the place to thank everyone who has helped you with your work – your supervisor, technical staff, colleagues, and external bodies.
The table of contents, found in a dissertation template, is usually an automatically generated one. You do not need to modify it manually: after you have finished revising your paper, simply press “Update the field.”
Most IT dissertations involve the creation of diagrams and graphic models, which should be included in your list of figures. Find the sample figure in the template text, copy its title formatting to the titles of your other graphs, then update the automatic list.
The sample introduction will contain subheadings such as; background and context, or scope and objectives. Feel free to modify them to meet the specific requirements of your supervisor, or your course – the standard template heading might not work for everyone.
This part should be expanded into several chapters (the phases of the software development style, the modules of your system, etc.). Further divide them into sections and subsections as needed. Invent your own headings, that best reflect the nature of your project, but retain the template’s formatting.
This part usually consists of a summary, an evaluation, and implications for future work.
Do not rush to delete the sample references in the template, as you can use them as examples to properly reference your own sources.
Here you can include additional specifications, tables, or diagrams. Do not include your program listings unless required - submit them as a separate item.