Components of an Article-Based Thesis

An Article-Based Thesis at Kuwait University must include several key components to ensure a comprehensive and cohesive presentation of the student’s research. These components not only fulfill academic requirements but also support the student in developing a structured and scholarly body of work.

Preliminary Pages

• Title Page: Clearly states the thesis title, author’s name, supervisor(s), and affiliation. This page should not be numbered.

• Copyright: The copyright notice consists of the year in which the copyright will be established and the words “All Rights Reserved.”

• Authorization Page: Granting KU a license to the work.

• Signatory Page: A statement confirming that the submitted thesis/dissertation has been approved by members of the Examination Committee.

• Abstract: Summarizes the thesis (1 page max written in third person), highlighting the research problem, methodology, main findings, and implications. Five keywords must be included at the end of the abstract.

• Table of Contents: Lists the thesis chapters, main headings, and sub-headings along with their beginning pages for easy navigation.

• List of Tables, Figures, Appendices and Symbols: Tables, figures and appendices are listed by number, title, and page number in the thesis/dissertation. When many symbols and/or abbreviations are used, a separate list of symbols and/or abbreviations with appropriate definitions can be included for the sake of clarity.

• Acknowledgments: A record of the writer’s professional indebtedness and includes acknowledgement of permission to use previously copyrighted material which appears extensively in the thesis. Only those who have directly aided or/and funded the research (including individuals and organizations) are mentioned.

• Dedication: (Optional) can be added in the case the author wishes to bestow a high honor on a person or a group of people

Main Body

• Chapter 1 (Introduction): Introduces the research topic, objectives, and significance of the study, setting the stage for the research article(s).

  • Originality: The final section of the introduction chapter should indicate the elements of the thesis/dissertation that are considered original scholarship and distinct contributions to knowledge.

  • Contributions: The final section should also explicitly state the student’s contribution to each chapter, along with the contributions of any co-authors.

• Chapter 2 onwards: The core of the thesis, consisting of one or more research articles.

  • Article(s): A Master’s thesis must include 1 or more accepted or published article. A PhD dissertation must include 2 or more accepted or published articles. The author is free to add unpublished work provided that it is packaged in the form of an article (title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references).

  • Identical Copy: Each article should be included as a separate chapter identical to the accepted or published version, with the exception of font and size variations. Each chapter should encompass the full research article in its entirety, inclusive of the reference list and diagram/figure list.

  • Bridging Text: Subsequent to each article, students should add a 1-3 page bridging text to clearly explain how the articles are related and collectively contribute to the study’s overall narrative.

• Discussion Chapter: If a thesis/dissertation includes more than 1 article, a Discussion Chapter must be included to relate all findings to the initial research statement. This discussion should afford a conclusive, overarching summary of study themes, limitations, and prospective directions. The comprehensive discussion should encompass all chapters and must not merely replicate the content of individual chapters.

• Conclusion Chapter: Synthesizes the findings from the individual article(s), discusses their implications, and suggests directions for future research.

Closing Pages

• References: Each article chapter has its own reference list included in the chapter. At the end of the thesis/dissertation, you must include an additional master reference list which includes all the other references cited throughout the introduction, discussion, and conclusion chapters.

• Appendices: (Optional) Contains additional material relevant to the research, such as data sets, technical details, additional proofs, article supplementary material, and any ethics approval documents.

• Authorship Declaration: A statement by the student detailing their contribution to each manuscript, especially in cases of co-authored papers.

• Biography: A short (1 page max) professional biographical information on the  candidate that includes date and place of birth, educational institution attended, earned academic degrees, and teaching and professional experience.

• Arabic Abstract: A translated Abstract into Arabic

• Arabic Title Page: A translated Title page into Arabic.