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The #1 Dissertation Checklist

Our go-to full-thesis checklist, built from an examiner's view. Free to use. Instant access.

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What this checklist covers

The A–Z checklist, organized by document section rather than by theme. It’s rooted in our experience helping over 10,000+ students complete their dissertations, and walks the full structure of a dissertation or thesis:

Title page: required elements, formatted to spec.
Abstract: whether it stands alone and covers the study.
Acknowledgments: the conventions, and who belongs there.
Contents, figures and tables: accurate, and regenerated last.
Introduction chapter: context, focus, aims and scope.
Literature review chapter: coverage, synthesis, a visible gap.
Methodology chapter: design, sampling, analysis, justification.
Results chapter: presentation, visuals, no interpretation.
Discussion chapter: findings against literature and questions.
Conclusion chapter: answers, implications, recommendations.
Reference list: complete, consistent, matching every citation.
Appendix: what belongs there, and what doesn’t.
General issues: register, formatting, proofreading, consistency.

The checklist can be copied to your Google Drive or downloaded as a fully editable document, so you can tick items off as you go.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cover the abstract and title page too?

Yes, this is the only checklist here that spans the whole document rather than one chapter. It opens with the title page and abstract before working through every chapter, the reference list, and the appendix.

What does it say about ordering acknowledgments?

It has a specific suggestion: order them from the most formal support, your supervisor or advisor, down to the least formal, family and friends, while keeping the tone sincere but professional.

Does it help me build my reference list?

It checks your reference list rather than building it, whether every source is accurate, complete, and cited wherever you’ve made a claim that isn’t common knowledge, plus links to short tutorials on Mendeley and Zotero.

How does it treat literature review synthesis?

It’s specific: an integrated, critical synthesis of the literature rather than a summary of what each paper said in turn.

Does it check how I’ve used appendices?

Yes, whether each appendix is referred to in the body (“see Appendix A”), clearly labeled, and introduced with a short explanatory paragraph.

What level of study is this checklist meant for?

It’s written for a full dissertation or thesis at honors, master’s or doctoral level, covering every section from the title page to the appendix.

What format is the checklist?

It’s a Google Doc. Make a copy to your own Drive to edit it, or download it as a fully editable file if you’d rather work offline.

Can I share this checklist with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share it in its original format (no editing allowed). If you post about it on your blog or social media, please reference this page as your source.