How to Write a Thesis Acknowledgement With Tips and Examples

Acknowledgement statements play a crucial role in ensuring scholars appreciate all efforts they receive when completing their research work. Basically, many scientists tend to read acknowledgements in theses and dissertations. In practice, writing such a statement should appear at the beginning of a thesis or dissertation. Moreover, this section should identify individuals who took an active part in the completion of the study. As such, key individuals to write about include funding bodies, supervisors, professors, laboratory assistants, librarians, colleagues, classmates, research participants, and classmates. Then, scholars should mention main contributors by using specific names and their contributions toward a completion of a presented thesis. Besides, one must acknowledge a supervisor’s support in this section. Appreciating a supervisor must occur even when students feel that an assistance given is minimal, which helps to avoid unnecessary problems with intended grades. Finally, a proper acknowledgement should have opening and several body paragraphs and follow appropriate language. Hence, scholars need to learn how to write a thesis acknowledgement correctly to provide high-quality papers for an academic community.

General Aspects

Students must conduct research studies before completing their higher education studies. Basically, science students have to use a rigorous research process to complete their projects. In this case, they use money, time, support, and resources from institutions and specific contributors. Basically, failing to obtain a necessary assistance can undermine an ability to conduct research studies effectively. In turn, each student must acknowledge all efforts offered in pursuing higher education and write about them. As a result, some of the individuals who require acknowledgements include funding bodies, supervisors, professors, laboratory assistants, librarians, colleagues, classmates, research participants, and classmates, among others.

What Is a Thesis Acknowledgement and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a thesis acknowledgement is a brief section where an author expresses gratitude to individuals and organizations that provided support and assistance throughout an entire research and writing process. Basically, this section typically includes acknowledgement to advisors, mentors, funding bodies, colleagues, friends, and family who contributed to a successful completion of a scientific work (Single & Reis, 2023). As such, the main purpose of writing a thesis acknowledgement is to formally recognize and thank those who played a significant role in a particular development of an entire research, whether through academic guidance, emotional support, or financial assistance. Typically located at the beginning of a thesis or dissertation paper, an acknowledgement section adds a personal note of appreciation to an academic document, reflecting crucial relationships and resources that have been integral to a research journey (Starks et al., 2024). In terms of pages and words, the length of a thesis acknowledgement depends on academic levels, specific institution requirements, and scopes of research, while general writing guidelines are:

High School

Length: 0.5 to 1 page
Word Count: 125 to 250 words

College (Undergraduate)

Length: 0.5 to 1 page
Word Count: 125 to 250 words

University (Bachelor’s)

Length: 1-1.5 page
Word Count: 250 to 375 words

Master’s

Length: 1 to 1.5 pages
Word Count: 250 to 375 words

Ph.D.

Length: 1.5 to 2 pages
Word Count: 375 to 500 words

Format

Section	Content
Title	Write a simple heading, such as “Acknowledgments” or “Acknowledgements,” centered and bold.
Opening Sentence	Begin with a general expression of gratitude, e.g., “I would like to thank…” or “I wish to express my sincere thanks to… .”
Academic Mentors/Advisors	Acknowledge your academic mentors, advisors, or supervisors who provided guidance and support throughout your research.
Collaborators/Peers	Mention collaborators, classmates, or peers who contributed to your research or provided intellectual support.
Institutional Support	Recognize any institutional support, such as resources provided by your school, department, or research institution.
Funding Sources	Acknowledge any scholarships, grants, or financial support received from organizations or institutions.
Family and Friends	Thank family and friends for their emotional support, encouragement, and understanding during an entire research process.
Closing Sentence	End with a final note of gratitude, e.g., “Thank you all,” “I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me,” or similar sentence closings.

Note: Some sections of a thesis acknowledgement can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, depending on a specific number of people or organizations an author wishes to acknowledge and other requirements or guidelines of different academic institutions. For example, a standard thesis acknowledgement format is a structured section where people express their gratitude to those who supported their research, typically including headings, a personal introduction, and organized mentions of contributors, all presented in a clear and respectful manner (Single & Reis, 2023). In writing, a thesis acknowledgement section should typically be concise, ranging from 1-2 paragraphs to 1 page, depending on an extent of support an author wishes to recognize. Moreover, an acknowledgement section typically goes at the beginning of a thesis or dissertation, following a title page and preceding an abstract or table of contents (Felix & Smith, 2019). As such, an acknowledgement in a research paper project in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, or any other format is a section where people thank individuals, organizations, and institutions that provided support, guidance, or resources essential to a whole completion of their theses. Besides, people can thank God in their acknowledgements if it reflects their personal beliefs and is meaningful to them in expressing gratitude (Starks et al., 2024). A good thesis acknowledgement example in a research paper project might be: “I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Smith, for her unwavering guidance, insightful feedback, and continuous support, which were invaluable in an entire completion of this thesis.” Finally, to start a thesis acknowledgement, people begin by expressing their heartfelt gratitude to their significant contributors, such as their primary advisors or mentors, describing their essential role in an entire research journey.

Importance

Acknowledgement notes play a crucial role in one’s academic performance. Although thank notes lack an academic bearing, theses and dissertations cannot be complete without acknowledgements. In this case, prudent students must focus on writing outstanding and respectful notes. For example, a practical note should begin with individuals who gave the most significant assistance to a particular student (Paul-Hus & Desrochers, 2019). However, scholars must acknowledge a supervisor’s support at all times. Besides, they should use an official language and a relevant department’s format to meet academic requirements. Hence, learning how to write a thesis acknowledgement is important in shaping academic fields.

Steps on How to Write a Thesis Acknowledgement

To write a thesis acknowledgement, people express sincere gratitude to all individuals, groups, and institutions that provided guidance, support, or resources throughout their research, ensuring they mention key contributors while keeping a personal and respectful tone. In writing all acknowledgements, people should thank anyone who provided significant support or contributions to their work, including advisors, mentors, collaborators, institutions, organizations, funding sources, friends, and family (Single & Reis, 2023). In turn, it is customary and respectful to thank a person’s supervisor in thesis acknowledgements for essential guidance and support throughout an entire research. As such, key steps for writing this section include:

Start With a Title: Begin with a simple, bold heading, such as “Acknowledgments” or “Acknowledgements,” centered at the top of a page.
Express General Gratitude: Open with a sentence that expresses your overall appreciation to those who have supported you during your research journey.
Thank Academic Mentors: Acknowledge your advisors, mentors, and supervisors who provided guidance, feedback, and support throughout your research.
Mention Collaborators and Peers: Recognize any collaborators, colleagues, or peers who contributed to your research or provided valuable insights.
Acknowledge Institutional Support: Thank specific institutions, departments, or research centers that provided resources, facilities, or administrative support.
Recognize Funding Sources: Acknowledge any financial support received, such as scholarships, grants, or sponsorships, that made your research possible.
Appreciate Family and Friends: Express gratitude to family members and friends for their emotional support, encouragement, and understanding.
Be Specific and Sincere: Use specific names and details where possible to make your acknowledgement personal and heartfelt.
Keep It Concise: Aim for brevity, ensuring you acknowledge all key contributors without making a section overly long.
Close With Final Thanks: End with a concluding sentence that sums up your gratitude, leaving a lasting note of appreciation.

Possible Contributors

There are two categories of contributors that a scholar should recognize and write about. For example, these two types include professional and personal contributors (Felix & Smith, 2019). In some cases, universities may limit individuals that a scholar can appreciate in an acknowledgement note. Mostly, such requirements limit one to those individuals who made a direct contribution to a research content. In turn, they include members of academia and other professionals.

Referencing Contributors

A student should recognize all the individuals who supported his or her academic progress. For example, one must mention all the members of academia and funders who contributed to a whole project (Kumar & Sanderson, 2019). In writing, a practical thank you note should include full names of significant contributors. Hence, the following list contains possible individuals one should acknowledge:

funding bodies;
supervisors;
professors;
laboratory assistants;
librarians;
colleagues;
editors;
classmates;
research participants;
family members;
friends.

Scholars need to focus on appreciating individuals who had a direct impact on a study project. For example, one should not recognize his or her casual friends who did not support a research’s completion (Single & Reis, 2023). As a result, including such individuals makes writing a thesis acknowledgement note irrelevant.

Writing Order

An actual significance of contribution toward any study or project must determine a specific order of appreciation. For example, to acknowledge a thesis, people express their appreciation to all individuals or organizations that supported and contributed to their research, including advisors, colleagues, institutions, funding sources, and loved ones, in a separate section (Starks et al., 2024). As a rule, one should begin with professional acknowledgements before going to family members who provided support. On the other hand, many institutions do not have specific rules for such an order one must use when appreciating contributors. In turn, students should make an appropriate choice when writing a thesis acknowledgement note to avoid unnecessary outcomes. Hence, a possible writing order a scholar may use is:

funders;
supervisors;
other academicians;
colleagues;
family;
friends.

An order above appreciates an actual importance of contributors to research completion. In this case, funders ensure a particular student pursues a specific course at a university or college. Moreover, supervisors provide a necessary guidance in completing a research project (Álvarez-Bornstein & Montesi, 2020). Then, students rely on a supervisor’s support throughout a thesis writing process, which includes identifying an appropriate topic, gathering and analyzing data, and compiling a final work. In turn, other categories play a minimal role in an entire completion of most studies.

Mentioning Full Names

Practical acknowledgement notes mention full names of authoritative individuals who gave feedback and suggestions during a research process, and one should describe their contribution briefly. For example, to acknowledge participants in a thesis, people express sincere gratitude for their time, contributions, and willingness to share their experiences or data, which were crucial to an overall success of your research (Single & Reis, 2023). In writing, such an approach strengthens a thesis or dissertation’s authority and credibility. Moreover, failing to mention academicians who provided significant contributions toward a project’s success may affect final grades. Besides, any study submitted without a written thesis or dissertation acknowledgement may fail to meet a necessary assistance.

Covering Family Members and Friends

Students should avoid mentioning all the family members and friends who may have contributed to a study project. For example, a provided list of personal friends and family members who support learners may be long (Felix & Smith, 2019). Basically, mentioning all their names may take up ample space in writing a thesis acknowledgement. Moreover, this writing strategy may make an appreciation note appear vague. Hence, a prudent student mentions only those family members who made outstanding and direct support toward completing a whole thesis or dissertation.

Including Supervisors

Scholars must acknowledge their supervisors even if they feel that they did not make a significant contribution toward a final research. For example, some students may think that their supervisors failed to give an expected assistance throughout a research process (Single & Reis, 2023). In turn, they must still write about their supervisors or colleagues in an acknowledgement note. Besides, failure to include supervisors may result in negative academic consequences.

Structure

An acknowledgement page should appear at the beginning of a thesis paper or dissertation after a title page. As a rule, writing a thesis acknowledgement must be placed before a table of contents. Basically, this writing strategy ensures readers understand a complex nature of academicians’ support and other notable individuals (Felix & Smith, 2019). Moreover, this position on a given page helps committee members to understand a specific order of support received by a person. Hence, an acknowledge page should be put after a title page and before a table of contents or an abstract.

Concise and Compelling Language

A thesis acknowledgement page should contain concise and compelling language. As a rule, scholars should write a natural and sincere statement, and words and phrases used should not sound funny or awkward (Starks et al., 2024). Then, prudent learners should avoid unnecessary repetitions, which makes this section look vague. Besides, they should keep in mind that appreciation statements are the most widely read sections in dissertations. Therefore, scholars should use concise and compelling language when writing a thesis acknowledgement.

Using a Personal Language

A dissertation acknowledgement must include appropriate language, and students can use a first-person writing style when completing this section. For example, some words, like “I” and “My,” make a thank you note appear credible (Single & Reis, 2023). In practice, scholars should use signposting throughout an entire section. Besides, conjunctions, like “first,” “second,” and “lastly,” among others, enhance an overall quality of dissertation acknowledgement statements. In turn, some writing examples of sentence starters for beginning a thesis acknowledgement are:

I would like to pay my special regards to … .
I wish to show my gratitude to … .
I wish to express my dearest gratitude to … .
I would wish to thank those people whose assistance and guidance were instrumental in a whole completion of this project.
I am indebted to … .
I unequivocally value your great advice for my study because it provided colossal support for this study’s success.
I would like to acknowledge an irreplaceable assistance that you all provided during my study.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to [Name], whose guidance, support, and encouragement were instrumental in a whole completion of this thesis.
I am sincerely thankful to [Name] for their assistance and invaluable advice throughout an entire research process, which has greatly contributed to an overall success of this work.
This thesis would not have been possible without a significant assistance and guidance of [Name], to whom I owe my gratitude for their mentorship and encouragement.
I wish to acknowledge an invaluable support and expertise provided by [Name], whose insights and feedback significantly shaped a particular direction of my research.
I am deeply indebted to [Name] for their continuous assistance, patience, and encouragement, which have been essential in a successful completion of this research thesis.
My heartfelt thanks go to [Name] for their dedication and commitment to my academic journey, as their guidance has been crucial in overcoming key challenges of this research.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to [Name] for their exceptional mentorship and for always being available to offer advice and encouragement during an entire course of my studies.
I am profoundly grateful to [Name] for their unwavering belief in my abilities and for providing resources and support necessary to bring this dissertation to life.
It is a pleasure to thank those who made this thesis possible, especially [Name], whose thoughtful guidance and constructive feedback have been invaluable throughout this journey.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank [Name] for their relentless support, insightful suggestions, and their desire for pushing me to achieve my best in this research.

Introduction and Body Paragraphs

A proper dissertation acknowledgement should have opening and several body paragraphs. Basically, scholars need to use an introduction section to acknowledge that they received adequate support from various individuals (Felix & Smith, 2019). In writing, such a strategy reveals a student appreciates all academicians’ efforts to devote their energy and resources toward a whole completion of a given project. Then, prudent students should mention their learning institutions in this section. Besides, writing body paragraphs must identify specific individuals who provided a necessary support (Starks et al., 2024). Moreover, scholars should discuss one contributor in each passage. In turn, a whole content must include details about a particular contribution given. Finally, proper thesis acknowledgements should have several writing sections that provide adequate information on a corresponding assistance received by students (Single & Reis, 2023). As a result, some tips for writing acknowledgements in any thesis include being sincere, specific in mentioning contributors, keeping it concise, and balancing professional gratitude with personal thanks.

Thesis Acknowledgement Example

I would not have successfully executed this project without the support and guidance of various people at the University of California, Berkeley.

Firstly, I would like to thank Professor Pieter Abbeel for his unrelenting support and supervision when writing my Ph.D. thesis and it is truly an honor. I appreciate your advice, ideas, moral support, and patience in guiding me through this project. Thank you for your enthusiasm for the study of Artificial Intelligence. Your knowledge in the field of Artificial Intelligence, in particular, is inspirational. I acknowledge the opportunity you provided me to grow in this field of expertise. Your ability to solve complex challenges astonishes me.

I grant my special thanks to Professor Elad Alon for introducing me to the study of Design, Modeling, and Analysis. I appreciate your continuous support and guidance, which kept me motivated throughout the writing and editing of the articles included in this thesis. I acknowledge your role in creating various opportunities for me, believing in my potential, and giving me adequate preparation in completing my research. Your passion for the field of science is contagious. I anticipate much collaboration between us in the future.

I would not have completed my Ph.D. without the people who supported me in the computer science laboratory. Therefore, I would like to acknowledge Professor Ana Claudia Arias, who co-directed the simulation experiments, together with Professor Ruzena Bajcsy. Field assistants who assisted in data collected included Michael Ball, David Bamman, Peter Bartlett, Alexandre Bayen, Jeffrey Bokor, Christian Borgs, Bernhard Boser, and Robert K. Brayton.

I extend my sincere gratitude to Christian Borgs and Peter Bartlett for exploring their computer modeling projects. You made the necessary arrangements and obtained mainly from the local authorities to conduct field research. Besides, I would like to thank you for being available to give additional information about specific simulation components, and past inventions in Artificial Intelligence.

Further, I would like to give special thanks to Professor Ruzena Bajcsy. I appreciate your support throughout my stay in Berkeley. Despite being my lecturer, you ensured that I had a comfortable place of residence. Your inspiration enabled me to focus on my core academic goals.

On the other hand, I would like to recognize Marius Loots and Renee Botha for helping me with the report writing. You helped me to improve my report writing and analysis skills. Through your guidance, I managed to prepare an outstanding thesis without many difficulties.

I am greatly indebted to Darlene Weston for proofreading this thesis. Darlene helped me to improve the wording and sentence structures to ensure that it meets the right criteria. Besides, I wish to thank Wies Groeneboer and Marion Maat-Schieman for translating some of the valuable research articles that were in Dutch.

Lastly, I would like to thank my mother and sister, Retha and Jana van der Merwe and Johan Schutte. Your dedication, unqualified love, sustenance, sense of humor, tolerance, hopefulness, and guidance were more valuable than you can ever imagine.

Thesis Acknowledgement Example Download PDF Doc

What to Include

Element	Description
Committee Members	Recognize key contributions and feedback from members of your thesis or dissertation committee.
Primary Supervisor	Acknowledge a direct supervision and key guidance provided by your main thesis advisor.
Secondary Advisors	Recognize any secondary advisors or co-supervisors who offered additional expertise and assistance.
Institutional Resources	Write about main resources, facilities, and support provided by your university, department, or research center.
Research Participants	Express gratitude to individuals or groups who participated in your research, especially in studies involving surveys, interviews, or experiments.
Personal Inspiration	Mention any personal inspirations or figures who motivated you to pursue and complete your research and write about them.
Mentors	Express gratitude to mentors who provided long-term academic or professional guidance beyond your thesis work.
External Collaborators	Recognize collaborators from other institutions or organizations who contributed to your research project.
Cultural or Community Support	Recognize assistance from cultural, community, or societal groups that influenced or supported your research and writing.
Ethical Review Boards	Express gratitude to ethical review boards or committees that approved your research, ensuring it met ethical standards.

Common Mistakes

Being Too Formal or Impersonal: Writing in an overly formal tone can make a thesis acknowledgement insincere and impersonal.
Overlooking Key Contributors: Forgetting to mention important people, such as advisors or funding sources, can be seen as ungrateful and diminish a completeness of this section.
Being Overly Long: Writing an excessively long thesis acknowledgement can dilute its impact; keep it concise and focused on key contributors.
Being Too Brief: On the other hand, a very short acknowledgement might not fully express a correct appreciation owed to those who contributed significantly.
Using Inappropriate Language: Casual or informal language can undermine an overall professionalism of a thesis; maintain a respectful tone.
Failing to Acknowledge Funding Sources: Neglecting to mention financial support from scholarships or grants is a major oversight, as these are often crucial to writing and conducting a whole research.
Focusing Too Much on Personal Relationships: While it is important to thank family and friends, overemphasizing personal relationships can lower an academic assistance received.
Repeating Phrases or Sentiments: Repetitions in writing can make this section seem redundant; strive for variety in how gratitude is expressed.
Ignoring Institutional Support: Failing to mention necessary resources provided by your institution or department can seem unappreciative of their role in your research.
Not Proofreading: Errors in writing, grammar, spelling, or names can detract from an overall professionalism of a thesis acknowledgement and may offend those mentioned.

Summing Up

Students should include acknowledgement statements in writing their dissertations and thesis papers. Basically, a acknowledgement page is one of the sections that scholars read the most in theses and dissertations. In practice, appreciation statements should appear at the beginning of any thesis or dissertation. Moreover, this section should identify individuals who took an active part in an entire completion of a given study. In writing, such individuals include funding bodies, supervisors, professors, laboratory assistants, librarians, colleagues, classmates, research participants, and classmates. Hence, students should pay attention to the following writing tips:

One must mention all the members of academia and funders who contributed to conducting, writing, and completing an entire research.
Scholars must acknowledge a supervisor’s support in a thesis acknowledgement. Besides, appreciating a supervisor must occur even when students feel that an assistance given is minimal.
A proper thesis acknowledgement should have opening and several body paragraphs.
An acknowledgement section should include appropriate writing language.
Practical acknowledgement sections should mention full names of authoritative individuals who gave feedback and suggestions during a whole research process.

References

Felix, M. S., & Smith, I. (2019). A practical guide to dissertation and thesis writing. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Kumar, V., & Sanderson, L. J. (2019). The effects of acknowledgements in doctoral theses on examiners. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 57(3), 285–295. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2019.1620625

Paul-Hus, A., & Desrochers, N. (2019). Acknowledgements are not just thank you notes: A qualitative analysis of acknowledgements content in scientific articles and reviews published in 2015. PLOS ONE, 14(12), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226727

Single, P. B., & Reis, R. M. (2023). Demystifying dissertation writing: A streamlined process from choice of topic to final text. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Starks, D., Robertson, M. J., & Horsely, G. (2024). 50 things to think about when writing a thesis: Paving your own path to submission. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Álvarez-Bornstein, B., & Montesi, M. (2020). Funding acknowledgements in scientific publications: A literature review. Research Evaluation, 29(4), 469–488. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvaa038

Thesis Acknowledgement: Student Guidelines & Examples