theses

theses — noun

1. an extended piece of written research that a student produces in order to earn a

1.名詞B2
釋義

an extended piece of written research that a student produces in order to earn an advanced university degree, such as a master's or a doctorate

例句

The university library holds over five thousand doctoral theses from the last century.

doctoral theses — common collocation

Naledi spent two years researching and writing her master's thesis on water management in Botswana.

master's thesis — common collocation

同義詞
  • dissertation

    often used specifically for doctoral-level work, especially in British English

  • treatise

    a formal, book-length study on a specific subject, not necessarily for a degree

  • paper

    a broader term; a paper can be short and is not always written for a degree

文法句型

singular: thesis

plural: theses

用法筆記

In academic contexts, 'thesis' most often refers to a master's degree project, while 'dissertation' is preferred for doctoral work — though this varies between British and American English.

常見錯誤

❌I handed in my thesis about Shakespeare last week.' (when referring to a short undergraduate essay)
✅I handed in my essay about Shakespeare last week.
💡a thesis is a long piece of research for an advanced degree, not a short undergraduate paper.

2. the key argument or central claim that a writer, speaker, or thinker presents, a

2.名詞B2
釋義

the key argument or central claim that a writer, speaker, or thinker presents, and which the rest of their work aims to support

例句

The central thesis of Dr. Okonkwo's book is that climate change will reshape global food systems within a decade.

central thesis — common collocation

Yuki challenged the thesis that economic growth always leads to greater happiness.

challenge a thesis — typical pattern

同義詞
  • argument

    a broader, less formal term; can refer to any reasoned position

  • hypothesis

    specifically a testable claim in scientific or academic research

  • premise

    a starting statement that other reasoning builds upon

  • proposition

    a formal statement put forward for consideration, often in debate or logic

文法句型

singular: thesis

plural: theses

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (ACADEMIC DISSERTATION): sense 2 refers to the core idea itself, not the written document. A doctoral thesis (sense 1) will contain a central thesis (sense 2) that the research aims to prove.

常見錯誤

❌I wrote a thesis about why we should recycle.
✅I wrote an essay about why we should recycle.
💡unless you are making a formal, structured argument or writing for a degree, 'thesis' sounds too academic.