thesis vs. dissertation 12:27 Nov 6, 2012
The confusion to which Donna has referred is entirely a matter of different usage in the UK and Ireland versus the US and Canada. In the UK and Ireland, a dissertation is presented for a master's degree and a thesis for a doctorate. In the US and Canada, it is exactly the other way round: you write a master's thesis and a doctoral dissertation. So you need to bear in mind your target audience when using these terms.
In Australia usage seems to vary, though I think the UK pattern of master's dissertation and doctoral thesis is more usual. Perhaps an Australian colleague can tell us. |