Dissertation Formats: Five Chapter Format vs. Three Article Format

The two most common dissertation formats are the traditional format (sometimes referred to as the five-chapter format) and the three-article format (sometimes referred to as the manuscript format). The same quality of work and effort is required for both formats, but they are valued differently across programs and disciplines. For example, if your discipline values peer-reviewed journal articles over books/monographs, you might want to consider the three-article format.

This will prepare you to submit your dissertation as multiple manuscripts in preparation for or after your final defense. On the other hand, if your discipline places more value on books/monographs, sticking with the traditional five-chapter format might be your best option. This blog goes through the basic differences between these two options, but we recommend you discuss which might be best for you with your committee.

Dissertation Format: Traditional Format

In the traditional format, you would start with the introduction that gives the reader an idea of the problem being addressed, the literature around this problem, the background of the problem, why it is significant to address this problem, and a brief introduction to the framework and approach to addressing the problem. Both formats generally include these elements.

For the traditional format, the second chapter is a comprehensive review of the literature to give the reader an idea of what is currently known about the problem. The third chapter then presents the methods of data collection and analysis to tell the reader how you will empirically study the problem. Chapter four presents the findings or results, and chapter five concludes with a discussion of these findings/results and their implications, limitations, and recommendations.