A thesis (literally: 'position' from the Greek θέσις) is an intellectual proposition. Dialectics
In dialectics, the combination of a thesis with an Antithesis produces a Synthesis.Academia
In Academia, a thesis or dissertation is a document that presents the author's research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification. A thesis statement is the statement that begins a formal essay or argument.
At Canadian universities, writings presented in fulfillment of Undergraduate coursework requirements are normally called papers, term papers or essays. A long paper presented for completion of an honours degree is sometimes called a major paper, or, more rarely, an undergraduate thesis or honours thesis. Major papers presented as the final project for a masters degree are normally called theses; and major papers presenting the student's research towards a doctoral degree are called dissertations.
At UK universities, the term thesis is usually associated with a Ph.D. (doctoral) or M.Phil. degree, while dissertation is the more common term for the research project required for an M.A. or other postgraduate degree. The equivalent for Undergraduate degrees is usually referred to as a research project.
In many US doctoral programs, the term dissertation can refer to the major part of the student's total time spent (along with 2-3 years of classes), and may take years of full-time work to complete. At some universities, dissertation is the term for the required submission for the doctorate and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement. At many others, the word thesis is used for both.Thesis defence
A thesis defence ("defending one's thesis") is a type of final Examination for a Ph.D. candidate, and sometimes for a masters candidate. Certain undergraduate schools, whose students are largely expected to matriculate into graduate programs, also require students to defend theses.
A thesis defence differs from a typical examination in several respects. The biggest difference is that the candidate often knows more about the topic than the examiners ("the Committee," or the "jury"), having researched the topic extensively, typically over a number of years; some candidates may have devoted the better part of a decade to the work being examined. The purpose of the thesis defense is to test the candidate's knowledge of his or her subject area and thinking in related areas, and to test the candidate's knowledge of and ability to explain his or her dissertation.
The examining committee normally consists of professors from the University, including the candidate's primary supervisor (without whose presence the defense cannot proceed) and members of his or her advisory committee, as well as professors from other departments or faculties and, sometimes, an external examiner (someone not otherwise connected to the university). Each committee member will have been given a completed copy of the dissertation prior to the defense, and will come prepared to ask questions about the thesis itself and the subject matter.
The atmosphere is formal; the candidate typically gives a short presentation on his or her thesis, usually lasting no more than thirty minutes, after which the examiners are free to ask questions, usually starting with the primary supervisor and then proceeding by seating order. Thesis defenses are usually open to the public (they may be attended by friends or Family of the candidate, members of the university (especially other students in the candidate's department) and members of the community); audience members are often permitted to ask questions when all the examiners have finished.
Questions are typically about the content of the dissertation and the claims made therein. Examiners may need clarification on a point or points, or may ask the candidate to explain his or her reasoning or research further. Questions are often friendly, but may also challenge the candidate's views, methods, or conclusions. Part of the evaluation is based on how well the candidate can defend his or her work.
At the end of the defence, the candidate and other persons who are not members of the jury are asked to leave the room. The committee then deliberates and reaches a unanimous decision (sometimes called a "verdict"), usually in the form of a number from one to five (this varies from school to school). Potential decisions include:
The candidate is immediately informed of the results.
In practice, the latter two verdicts are extremely unusual, since the thesis supervisor (and the other members of the jury) will normally have reviewed the thesis before the thesis defence.