When it comes to writing a thesis, the chapters get most of our attention – and so they should! They are the bulk of the thesis, and they contain the actual research. But there are other sections to think about as well, and two of them can be particularly fun to write.
The dedication and acknowledgements pages are where you can show your love and gratitude to the people who have helped you to achieve your goals. They tend to be less prescribed than other sections, so you have a little freedom to get creative in the way you express yourself!
While they might seem similar, there is a difference between the dedications and the acknowledgements. The dedication, as the name suggests, allows you to dedicate your thesis to someone (or multiple people). This is quite a personal matter, and dedications are often made to family members, spouses, friends, or community groups.
The acknowledgements page, by contrast, allows you to express thanks for specific contributions, and often features people that the author knows professionally as well as personally. If a person or group helped you by giving advice, funding, mentorship, editorial assistance, or practical support, it’s a good idea to give them a shout-out in the acknowledgements. This is more than just a courtesy – it’s an important part of maintaining your relationships by formally recognising the people and organisations who have made a contribution to your work.
As an example – I dedicated my PhD thesis to several members of my family, and wrote short personal notes about their contributions. In my acknowledgements section, I thanked my supervisor, a mentor, a friend who provided technical advice during my research, and my scholarship provider.
My dedication and acknowledgements sections were fairly conventional, but that doesn’t mean yours have to be! I’ve heard of writers dedicating their thesis to their pets, their computers, and even their local barista. There have even been rumours of one acknowledgements page which included a coupon for a free beer for anyone whose name was listed!
Other scholars have been known to thank:
- Public transport providers “for making the task of writing in buses and trains such an enjoyable exercise” (source)
- The “spell-check function of Microsoft Word, without whom ‘institution’ would be misspelled differently 197 times” (source)
- “The U.S. Immigration Service under the Bush administration, whose visa background security check forced [the author] to spend two months (following an international conference) in a third country, free of routine obligations” (source)
One enterprising paleontologist even proposed to his girlfriend via the acknowledgements section of his journal article. (She said yes, apparently.)
So if you haven’t already, have a go at drafting your dedication and acknowledgements pages. After all, it’s not often you can gush about your favourite people while still technically being productive!
FAQs
The most important things to remember when writing a dedication are to keep it simple, concise, and ensure that it truly reflects your personality and your relationship with the person the dedication is for. Remember to get your finished dedication edited by one of our book editors.
How do you write an acknowledgement in good writing? ›
I'm extremely grateful to (Something—my success, the completion of my dissertation) would not have been possible without the support and nurturing of (person). I cannot begin to express my thanks to …., who …. Less strong, but very appreciative: I would like to extend my sincere thanks to …/ I must also thank …
What is an example of acknowledgement and dedication in research paper? ›
I would like to acknowledge and thank my school division for allowing me to conduct my research and providing any assistance requested. Special thanks goes to the members of staff development and human resources department for their continued support.
Which comes first acknowledgement or dedication? ›
As mentioned above, a dedication comes at the beginning, before the body of the work. Acknowledgments come at the end, after the body. Another difference is that acknowledgments usually mention people who worked on the book. Common mentions include editors, research assistants, proofreaders, and the like.
What is a good acknowledgement statement? ›
For example: "I completely understand your frustration, and I appreciate your patience. I'll do my best to resolve this for you as quickly as possible." "I'm sorry to hear about your experience, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
How do you acknowledge someone professionally? ›
Professional compliments shouldn't be vague or seem like an exaggeration, but purposeful. Not all of your praise should sound the same. Perhaps you'll praise one team member on their communication skills, but another on their attention to detail. Regardless, genuine compliments should motivate your team.
Is Acknowledgement and dedication the same? ›
Most dedications are short statements of tribute beginning with “To…” such as “To my family”. Acknowledgements are the author's statement of gratitude to and recognition of the people and institutions that helped the author's research and writing.
What is an example of a good Acknowledgement for a book? ›
To all the individuals I have had the opportunity to lead, be led by, or watch their leadership from afar, I want to say thank you for being the inspiration and foundation for The Leadership Manifesto. Without the experiences and support from my peers and team at Ultimate Software, this book would not exist.
What is an example of acknowledgement in writing a project? ›
I would like to express my special thanks to our mentor Mr./Mrs. ______ for his/her time and efforts he/she provided throughout the year. Your useful advice and suggestions were really helpful to me during the project's completion. In this aspect, I am eternally grateful to you.
What is the example of dedication in project? ›
I dedicate this work to the Almighty God who has been my source of Strength, Grace and Wisdom throughout the period of my course, through whose Grace and Favor I have been able to run my course and scale through the hurdles of my academic pursuit.
A book dedication begins with “To . . .” or “For . . .” Then name the person, people, group, or cause that you're dedicating the book to. Then, if you want to, you can explain why. There is no one way to do this, so whatever works for you!
How do you write an acknowledgement in a research paper? ›
An acknowledgement for research paper includes thanks to advisors, committee members, funding agencies, collaborators, institutions providing resources, and anyone who significantly contributed. Maintain a formal tone, adhere to ethical considerations, and, if appropriate, add a personal touch or anecdotes.
What a dedication page looks like? ›
An acknowledgements page might run a whole page (or several), but a dedication page is usually just a line or three, often to just one person and trying to hint at how important they were with just a couple of words. It might be the most heartfelt line in the book.
What is a good example of dedication? ›
Examples of dedication and devotion at the workplace include: proactively seeking out learning opportunities, working overtime, pitching solutions to help the company, assisting your team, maintaining a positive attitude, and punctuality.
How do you write a proper dedication? ›
A book dedication begins with “To . . .” or “For . . .” Then name the person, people, group, or cause that you're dedicating the book to. Then, if you want to, you can explain why. There is no one way to do this, so whatever works for you!
What's the difference between an acknowledgement and a dedication? ›
Dedication — A personal tribute to someone or a group of people. Example: "To my parents." Acknowledgements — A professional tribute to a person or people who helped you with the thesis.
