the most formal (academic) to theWriting the acknowledgements section of your thesis might seem straightforward, but it’s more than just a list of names. In this post, we’ll unpack everything you need to know to write up a rock-solid acknowledgements section for your dissertation or thesis.
The acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation is where you give thanks to the people who contributed to your project’s success. Generally speaking, this is a relatively brief, less formal section.
With the acknowledgements section, you have the opportunity to show appreciation for the guidance, support, and resources provided by others during your research journey. We’ll unpack the exact contents, order and structure of this section in this post.
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Although this is a less “academic” section, acknowledging the right people in the correct order is still important. Typically, you’ll start with the most formal (academic) support received, before moving on to other types of support.
Here’s a suggested order that you can follow when writing up your acknowledgements:
Start with those who have provided you with academic guidance, including your supervisor, advisors, and other faculty members.
If your research was funded, acknowledging these organisations is essential. You don’t need to get into the specifics of the funding, but you should recognise the important role that this made in bringing your project to life.
Next you’ll want to mention those who contributed intellectually to your work, including your fellow cohort members and researchers.
Last but certainly not least, you should acknowledge your personal (non-academic) support system – those who have provided emotional and moral support. If Fido kept you company during those long nights hunched over the keyboard, you can also thank him here 🙂
As you can see, the order of the acknowledgements goes from the most academic to the least. Importantly, your thesis or dissertation supervisor (sometimes also called an advisor) generally comes first. This is because they are typically the person most involved in shaping your project (or at least, they should be). Plus, they’re oftentimes involved in marking your final work and so a kind word never hurts…
All that said, remember that your acknowledgements section is personal. So, feel free to adjust this order, but do pay close attention to any guidelines or rules provided by your university. If they specify a certain order or set of contents, follow their instructions to the letter.
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In terms of style, try to strike a balance between conveying a formal tone and a personal touch. In practical terms, this means that you should use plain, straightforward language (this isn’t the time for heavy academic jargon), but avoid using any slang, nicknames, etc.
As a guide, you’ll typically use some of the following phrases in the acknowledgements section:
I would like to express my appreciation to… for their help with…
I’m particularly grateful to… as they provided…
I could not have completed this project without… as this allowed me to…
Special thanks to… who did…
I had the pleasure of working with… who helped me…
I’d also like to recognise… who assisted me with…
In terms of positioning, the acknowledgements section is typically in the preliminary matter, most commonly after the abstract and before the table of contents. In terms of length, this section usually spans one to three paragraphs, but there’s no strict word limit (unless your university’s brief states otherwise, of course).
If you’re unsure where to place your acknowledgements or what length to make this section, it’s a good idea to have a look at past dissertations and theses from your university and/or department to get a clearer view of what the norms are.
Alright, let’s look at an example to give you a better idea of what this section looks like in practice.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Smith, whose expertise and knowledge were invaluable during this research. My sincere thanks also go to the University Research Fund for their financial support.
I am deeply thankful to my colleagues, John and Jane, for their insightful discussions and moral support. Lastly, I must acknowledge my family for their unwavering love and encouragement. Without your support, this project would not have been possible.
As you can see in this example, the section is short and to the point, working from formal support through to personal support. If you’re interested, you can explore a few more examples here.
To simplify the process, we’ve created a free template for the acknowledgements section. If you’re interested, you can download a copy here.
