To prepare a plan for your bachelor's or master's thesis, start with the university requirements and a preliminary literature review. Then narrow down the topic, define the objective and scope, plan how you will address the problem, and outline the chapters. Also, write down questions for your supervisor. The first version is the basis for consultation – it may change as you get to know the topic better.
Below, you will go through the entire process: from the first idea, through choosing the type of thesis, to consultation and revisions. You will find a sample plan, a ready-made outline template, a seven-day preparation proposal, and questions worth asking your supervisor.
Thesis plan, outline, and table of contents – what to prepare?
These terms are often used interchangeably, so first establish how your supervisor understands them. For the purpose of preparing for the seminar, the following distinction is useful:
Thesis plan – the arrangement of chapters. It shows the sequence of addressing the topic: what issues will appear in the subsequent parts and how detailed they will be. At the working stage, it does not need page numbers.
Thesis outline – the concept of the entire work. In addition to the plan, it usually contains the topic, justification for the choice, objective, scope, method of solving the problem, and a preliminary bibliography. It allows you to assess whether the project is coherent and feasible.
Table of contents – a list of document sections. In a completed thesis, it includes headings and their corresponding page numbers. It is created based on the actual content of the text, so it may differ from the initial plan.
Schedule – tasks distributed over time. It specifies when you will collect literature, prepare the research, write individual parts, and make revisions. It is also worth agreeing on consultation dates in it.
If you are instructed to "prepare a plan", ask whether this refers only to chapters or also to research assumptions. For the first consultation, a short outline is useful: the supervisor can then assess not only the chapter titles but also the idea behind them.
How to prepare a thesis plan step by step?
1. Gather requirements before you start arranging chapters
Check the faculty website, graduation rules, and seminar materials. Look for the outline form, information on the acceptable nature of the thesis, and the deadline for approving the topic. Also record the requirements provided by your supervisor.
Do not assume that every thesis must have three chapters or include a survey. An empirical, review, project-based, or case analysis thesis may require a different structure. Expectations for a bachelor's and a master's thesis also depend on the field of study and the programme; the difference is not just about the number of pages.
Create one folder for guidelines, notes, and successive versions of the outline. For help with organising the document, see the guide on adapting the thesis to university guidelines.
2. Choose a topic that can actually be researched
If you do not have a thesis topic, start with two or three areas that interested you during your studies, internships, or professional work. Then, for each idea, answer three questions:
- Can I find reliable literature on this issue?
- Do I have access to the necessary data, documents, or research participants?
- Is the scope feasible to complete in the available time?
Example of narrowing down a topic:
"Student problems" is a very broad area. "Adaptation of first-year students" already indicates a phenomenon and a group. "Adjustment difficulties of first-year pedagogy students at a selected university" defines a more specific scope that can be discussed with a supervisor.
This is a working proposal. Before accepting it, you must check access to research participants and literature. If recruiting participants turns out to be impossible, it is better to change the scope or the method of addressing the problem at the planning stage.
How to narrow down a topic in different fields? Three examples
Pedagogy. Instead of the general heading "School cooperation with parents", you might consider "Forms of contact between the school and parents of pupils in Years 1-3 in the opinion of teachers at a selected institution". It is not just the length of the title that changes: you specify whose perspective you are exploring and where you can collect material. You cannot automatically draw conclusions about the opinions of all parents from such answers.
Public administration. The heading "Digitisation of public offices" can be narrowed down to "Accessibility of information about a selected e-service on the websites of municipal offices in a specified county". Before accepting the topic, establish comparison criteria, the selection of offices, and the date of analysis. The content of their websites may change, so you need an organised way of documenting the material.
Nursing. Instead of the very broad "Health education", you might consider a literature review concerning a specific area of education for a selected group of patients. The type of review, selection criteria for publications, and expected scope must be agreed upon at the seminar. Do not choose research involving patients just because it seems easier – first check the possibility of access and required consents.
In each example, the same scheme works: phenomenon + defined perspective or material + boundaries of the work. Not every title must contain all these elements, but they should be clear in the outline. If you are considering two topics, compare their sources, material availability, and workload, rather than choosing only the one that sounds more impressive.
Example of a decision: two variants, different access to material
- Variant A: opinions of first-year students. You need the ability to invite this group to the research, agreed recruitment rules, and an appropriate tool. The fact that you study at this university does not guarantee access to respondents.
- Variant B: analysis of informational materials for new students. Check if you have access to the documents, exactly what you will compare in them, and whether such material will allow you to achieve the newly formulated objective.
If you cannot collect opinions, document analysis is not a substitute measurement of those opinions. It is a different concept: it requires agreeing on the topic, objective, and method of analysis. Bring both variants to the meeting, along with information about what material is actually available.
You do not have a topic yet, and comparing several ideas still does not give you a direction? Check the service “Choosing a bachelor’s or master’s thesis topic” – proposals can be based on your interests, available sources, and realistic possibilities for collecting material.
3. Check the literature and prepare keywords
Do not wait until every subsection is approved to start looking for sources. Preliminary reading allows you to see which concepts appear in research, what has already been established, and which questions are worth answering.
Start with the university library catalogue, databases available through the university, repositories, and Google Scholar. Read abstracts, tables of contents, and relevant sections of the publications you find. The title in search results is not enough to assess the usefulness of a source.
For a sample topic, you can check terms such as: “adaptacja do studiów”, “studenci pierwszego roku”, “wsparcie społeczne studentów”, as well as “first-year students”, “university adjustment”, and “social support”. Treat these as starting points for searching, not as a ready-made bibliography.
For each useful item, record the author, title, year, place of publication, DOI or address, and a short note: “How will I use this source?”. The preliminary bibliography should contain publications that have actually been identified. It is worth organising the recording method immediately – see common errors in bibliographies and footnotes.
4. Formulate the objective and scope of the work
The topic states what you are dealing with. The objective explains what you want to establish. The scope defines which group, location, period, or material the work concerns.
For our example, the objective could be:
The objective of the thesis is to identify the adaptive difficulties declared by first-year pedagogy students at a selected university and to describe the forms of support they use.
The scope can be limited to adult students of one programme and their experiences from the first semester. This wording makes it easier to assess what information needs to be collected and which threads go beyond the topic.
Be careful with the word “impact”. A one-off survey of opinions or experiences is usually not enough to demonstrate a causal relationship. The title, objective, and later conclusions should correspond to what the adopted research design actually allows you to establish.
5. Plan the questions and the method of finding answers
The research problem should follow from the objective. In our example, the main question could be: “What adaptive difficulties do the surveyed students declare and what support do they use?”.
Specific questions may concern difficulties related to organising studies, building relationships, and access to help. Each of them should have a counterpart in the planned material and later analysis.
Hypotheses are added when justified by the nature of the work, the adopted approach, and the requirements of the seminar. They should not be automatically added to every topic. In exploratory research, questions can be the starting point; in a project testing predicted relationships, hypotheses based on literature may be needed.
Agree with your supervisor what material will allow you to answer your questions and how you will analyse it. You will find detailed distinctions in the guide on research objectives, problems, and hypotheses. If you agree on a survey-based study, the next step will be preparing a questionnaire for your own research.
6. Arrange the chapters and check the function of each one
For each proposed chapter, add one sentence: “This part is necessary because…”. This makes it easier to notice chapters that repeat the same content or are loosely connected to the topic.
In an empirical thesis, theory should prepare you to understand the problem, methodology should explain the research method, and analysis should answer the questions posed. It is not worth writing results into headings that you do not yet know.
If you already have chapters and want to check their order and connections more closely, go to the article how to organise the structure of a thesis.
How to adapt the plan to the type of work?
The plan should reflect what you actually intend to do. A structure based on a survey will not fit every literature analysis, technical project, or legal study.
Empirical thesis: first plan where the data will come from
In an empirical thesis, you need a clear connection between questions, data collection methods, and their analysis. A working structure can lead from theoretical foundations, through methodology, to results and their discussion. Methodology can be a separate chapter or part of a larger chapter – in accordance with the programme requirements.
At the planning stage, record who or what you will study, how you will select the material, and what the obtained information will be used for. If you want to compare groups, make sure that the design and available data allow for such a comparison. Do not postpone the decision about analysis until the survey is already closed.
Review thesis: plan the comparison of sources
A literature-based thesis needs an organising principle. This could be a comparison of theoretical approaches, an analysis of a specific problem in a defined period, or a comparison of research results concerning a specific issue. Chapters titled “Definitions”, “History”, and “Other information” do not yet explain what conclusions you want to reach.
A sample structure is: introduction to the problem and concepts → method of selecting literature → thematic or comparative analysis → discussion of findings and limitations. The way you describe the selection of publications depends on the type of review. Do not call your work a systematic review if you are not implementing the methodology specific to it.
Project thesis: show the path from need to evaluation of the solution
In a project thesis, the plan can include identifying the problem, requirements, a review of available solutions, your own design, and the method of its verification. At the beginning, define what is to be created and how you will know that it meets the assumptions.
For example, a project for an organisational tool requires not only a description of its functions, but also a justification of user needs and a planned evaluation. Evaluation criteria should be known before the project is completed. This way, the final chapter will answer the question of whether the solution works according to the requirements.
Case study: explain why you are choosing this specific case
A case analysis plan should specify the subject, context, available sources, and the method of interpreting the material. Consider what the choice of a specific organisation, situation, or set of documents allows you to understand. Also check whether you have access to the necessary information.
A single case should not automatically be presented as representative of the entire group. It is worth defining in the outline where the scope of your findings ends.
Sample bachelor's thesis plan to discuss with your supervisor
The following example shows a plan for an empirical thesis on student adaptation difficulties. This is educational material to demonstrate how to think about thesis structure. The specific layout must be adapted to the faculty guidelines and seminar arrangements.
Working title: Adaptation difficulties of first-year pedagogy students at a selected university.
Objective: Identifying declared difficulties and describing the forms of support used.
Planned material: Responses from adult first-year pedagogy students, collected after agreeing on the recruitment method, tools, and required procedures. A questionnaire is one possible proposal for consultation here.
Introduction
Justification for the topic choice, objective, scope, and a brief preview of the thesis content.
Chapter 1. Adaptation to university studies in the light of the literature
- 1.1. The concept of adaptation to the academic environment.
- 1.2. Difficulties in organising studies and social functioning among students.
- 1.3. Forms of support in the process of adapting to university studies.
Chapter 2. Methodological foundations of the student’s own research
- 2.1. Objective, subject, and research questions.
- 2.2. Data collection method and tool characteristics.
- 2.3. Participant selection, organisation, and ethical principles of the research.
- 2.4. Data analysis plan and project limitations.
Chapter 3. Adaptation difficulties and forms of support in the studied group
- 3.1. Characteristics of the research participants.
- 3.2. Declared difficulties related to studies and relationships.
- 3.3. Forms of support used and their evaluation by the participants.
- 3.4. Discussion of results in relation to the literature and research questions.
Conclusion, bibliography, and any appendices.
In this structure, each part has a task related to the objective. There is no separate chapter on the entire history of higher education if it is not needed to understand the research problem. There is also no promise that the results will describe all Polish students – the scope of inference depends on sample selection and data quality.
In a master's thesis, the scope of analysis may require deeper investigation or a different research project. It is not enough to mechanically add a fourth chapter. Agree on the appropriate level and method of developing the topic with your supervisor.
How to check a finished plan before sending it?
Read the title, objective, questions, and headings in sequence. They should concern the same problem. If the title promises an analysis of adaptation difficulties, but most subchapters describe university marketing, you need to return to the scope of the work.
Next, perform a short test for each chapter:
- Objective: Which questions or tasks from the outline does this part refer to?
- Material: Which sources or data will allow you to write it?
- Boundaries: What will I discuss here, and what belongs to another chapter?
- Sequence: What must the reader know beforehand to understand this part?
- Outcome: What finding should enable further analysis?
Example: A chapter on forms of student support may explain concepts needed to prepare research questions. However, if you intend to repeat almost the same description in the second chapter, separate their tasks or combine the material.
Also check the proportions. Five extensive general parts and one short subchapter directly related to the objective are a signal to rethink the plan. You do not need to predict the exact number of pages at this stage, but it is worth knowing where the main analysis is located.
What to tell your supervisor at the first meeting?
Prepare a brief presentation of your idea. You can use the following structure:
I want to focus on the adaptive difficulties of first-year pedagogy students. I am interested in what problems they report and what support they use. I have checked the literature preliminarily and prepared a proposal for three chapters. I would like to establish whether the scope is appropriate and which data collection method would be justified.
If you do not have a topic yet, present your area of interest and what you have managed to establish. You can say: “I am considering adaptation to studies or the organisation of learning. I have found preliminary sources on both issues. I need help choosing a scope that is feasible to complete”.
You do not need to pretend to be certain. A specific doubt provides a good starting point for consultation.
It is worth asking the following at the meeting:
- Does the topic match the field of study and the level of study?
- Is the scope appropriate, or does it need to be narrowed down?
- What type of thesis and material does the supervisor expect?
- Are hypotheses required, and if so, how should they be justified?
- Does the proposed chapter plan require changes?
- Which sources should be read first?
- What should be prepared for the next meeting and by what deadline?
After the conversation, note down the agreements and make corrections to the outline. For the next version, record the date and the scope of changes. This will help keep the supervisor's comments organised.
Would you like to discuss specific doubts and prepare for the meeting first, instead of commissioning a ready-made outline? Check the service “Bachelor’s and master’s thesis consultations” and indicate the questions and materials needed to analyse them.
How to send the plan to the supervisor before the consultation?
If the supervisor accepts materials before the meeting, send one organised file in the agreed format. Name it so that the author and version can be identified, for example “Surname_outline_2026-10-05”. In the message body, briefly state what you are sending and which issues you want to discuss.
Example text to adapt:
Attached is a working outline of a thesis concerning the adaptive difficulties of first-year students. The document contains the topic, objective, research questions, chapter plan and preliminary bibliography. During the consultation, I would like to discuss the scope of the thesis and the possibility of using a survey. My main current doubt concerns the method of selecting participants.
Adjust the level of formality to the recipient. Do not label the file as the final version if you are only asking for an evaluation of the concept. If the supervisor has provided contact rules or deadlines for submitting materials, follow them.
What to do if the supervisor rejects the topic or corrects the plan?
Feedback on the outline is information about what needs to be refined before further writing. First, establish what the problem concerns: the topic, scope, sources, method or chapter structure. Do not change everything at once if the supervisor has pointed out one specific difficulty.
“The topic is too broad”. Propose limiting it to one group, location, period or aspect of the problem. Prepare two narrower variants and show what material you have for each of them.
“The plan is too general”. Refine the headings and describe the function of the chapters. Instead of “Student problems”, specify whether you are analysing the organisation of learning, social contacts or access to support. Do not expand titles with extra words only – show the scope of the content.
“There is no connection between theory and research”. Link each research question with the concepts and findings discussed in the theoretical part. Remove fragments that do not help understand the researched problem, and fill in missing foundations.
“You will not be able to complete this research”. Check access to participants or data, deadlines and required agreements. Propose a change in scope or another way of answering the question. Do not make such a change without consultation if it affects the accepted concept.
After the corrections, prepare a short note: what was changed, why, and what still requires a decision. This will facilitate the next conversation and limit returning to already resolved issues. Do you already have comments on a written chapter? See how to implement supervisor corrections in a bachelor's or master's thesis.
What to prepare for discussing the outline?
Before the meeting, organise the topic, objective and work plan. The following points will help you determine what you have already established and what requires the supervisor's decision. You do not need to have ready answers to everything – mark the issues to be discussed. If the faculty requires a specific outline structure, include it in your preparation.
1. Field of study and type of thesis
I am studying: … My thesis is a bachelor’s / master’s / engineering thesis. I plan an empirical / literature-based / project-based / other study: …
2. Working topic
Proposed title: … Key concepts that I must define: …
3. Justification of the choice
I want to focus on this issue because: … Its significance for my field of study or professional practice is: …
4. Objective of the thesis
The objective of the thesis is: … After its completion, I want to be able to answer the question: …
5. Scope of the work
The thesis concerns: … The analysed group or material: … Location and period: … I leave out of scope: …
6. Research or analytical questions
Main question: … Specific questions: … Data or sources needed for the answer: …
7. Hypotheses – if required by the adopted concept
Predicted relationship or answer: … Justification in the literature: … Method of verification: … If you lack the basis for a hypothesis, note this issue for consultation.
8. Material and method of work
I intend to use: … I will obtain access to the material through: … Planned method of analysis: … Limitations or necessary agreements: …
9. Chapter plan
First chapter: … Its purpose: … Second chapter: … Its purpose: … Subsequent parts: … Subchapters: …
10. Preliminary bibliography and search terms
Verified publications: … Keywords in Polish: … Foreign language terms: … Sources I still need to access: …
11. Schedule
Before the next consultation, I will prepare: … Expected date for collecting material: … Dates for subsequent parts and revisions: …
12. Questions for the supervisor
I need to clarify: … The biggest difficulty at the current stage: … The solution I propose: …
Before the meeting, check if you have: faculty requirements, the outline in its current version, notes from initial readings, and a list of questions. Ensure you can explain the aim of the thesis in your own words and indicate which materials you need.
Do not include only the deadline for submitting the finished thesis in the schedule. First plan the approval of the concept, then the selection of sources or preparation of research, processing of material, writing, and consultations. Leave time for revisions and potential difficulties with data access.
Preparing for the seminar in seven days – a proposed organisation
The following cycle helps break down initial preparations into smaller tasks. This is a working proposal, not a binding university deadline or a promise to complete every outline in a week. If gathering literature or obtaining access to material takes longer, extend the stage accordingly.
- Day 1
Requirements and starting point
Collect guidelines, check the consultation date, and note two or three areas of interest. The result should be a short list of possibilities and conditions the thesis must meet.
- Day 2
Initial sources
Search for literature on the selected areas and review useful publications. Record keywords and bibliographic data. Assess which topic has a basis in available materials.
- Day 3
Narrowing the topic
Choose a working variant, define its boundaries, and check data access. Note the biggest obstacle and a possible alternative.
- Day 4
Aim and questions
Write down what you want to establish and what information is needed for this. Prepare questions for the supervisor regarding the method of addressing the problem.
- Day 5
Chapter plan
Arrange the subsequent parts, give them specific titles, and add their functions. Check that you are not planning the same issue twice.
- Day 6
Outline in one file
Combine the topic, aim, scope, plan, and bibliography. Separate elements provisionally agreed upon from issues requiring consultation. Check compliance with the faculty form, if one applies.
- Day 7
Preparing the conversation
Try to briefly describe the idea without reading the entire document. Select the most important questions and prepare a notebook for notes. If you send the outline in advance, do so in accordance with the rules established by the course leader.
After the consultation, start the next stage with the supervisor's comments. Preparing a questionnaire, detailed analysis, or a chapter should already follow from the agreed concept.
Most common mistakes when preparing the plan
Arranging chapters before checking the topic. An attractive title may concern an issue for which you have no data. First check the feasibility of the idea.
Copying a plan from another thesis. A similar topic does not mean the same aim, material or requirements. An example can help you understand the structure, but each chapter should follow your own concept.
Matching research questions to a ready-made questionnaire. Start with what you want to establish, and then choose how to collect the information. The reverse order may leave the most important questions unanswered.
Listing invented or unverified sources. Verify publication details in a catalogue, database or on the publisher's website. This also applies to bibliography suggestions generated by AI tools.
Treating the first draft as final. Revising the plan after reading or consultation is part of the work. However, significant changes to the topic, aim or research must be agreed with your supervisor.
Questions about the bachelor's and master's thesis plan
How many chapters should a bachelor's or master's thesis have?
There is no single number suitable for all fields of study. Three chapters in a bachelor's thesis and four in a master's thesis are not a universal rule. The division should result from the topic, the objective, the nature of the work, and the faculty guidelines.
More important than the number is whether each chapter fulfils a specific part of the objective. If the university requires a specific structure, it must be followed.
Must the thesis plan include hypotheses?
The list of chapters usually does not present all research assumptions. Hypotheses may be part of a broader outline if required by the accepted project and the supervisor. They are not automatically necessary in every thesis.
How many sources should I prepare for the first meeting?
Check the requirements of the supervisor. If no number is specified, prepare a few publications that you have actually reviewed and that are relevant, and explain their usefulness. The number of entries in the bibliography does not replace familiarity with their content.
Can I change the plan after the supervisor's approval?
The working plan may require updates during reading, research, and analysis. Significant changes to the objective, scope, material, or method should be agreed with the supervisor. Present the proposed structure and explain what problem it solves.
Changing an approved topic may additionally require a procedure defined by the university.
What should I do if I do not know where to start?
To begin, find the guidelines, note down two topics of interest, and check initial sources. With such a note, it is easier to ask for specific advice. You do not need a complete plan to start a conversation about preparing one.
Do I need a final topic for the first seminar?
This depends on how the classes are organised and the lecturer's instructions. If no final topic is required, prepare a working proposal or a few focused ideas with some initial sources. The first meeting may be intended to establish the direction of your further work.
How detailed should the subchapters be?
Detailed enough to show which issues you will discuss and in what order. Overly general headings make it difficult to assess the scope, while dozens of minor points may fragment the argument. Start with the main parts and refine the subchapters after preliminary reading.
Must the plan include page numbers?
A working structure does not yet have actual page numbers. You can estimate the length of sections if the supervisor asks, but mark it as estimated. The page numbers in the table of contents of the finished thesis should correspond to the document.
Can a plan be prepared without access to respondents?
A proposal can be prepared, but access to the material remains an issue to be resolved. Describe how you intend to obtain it and what you will do if it fails. Do not present participant recruitment as certain when there is no basis for such an assumption.
Would you like to discuss your plan before meeting your supervisor?
Send your proposed topic and chapter structure, even if they are still drafts. I can help identify repetitions, missing parts and questions worth bringing to the consultation.
Help with your thesis outline and structure includes refining the plan and the connections between chapters. If you are preparing your own research, we can also discuss the research aim and choice of instrument. You agree the final scope of the work with your supervisor.
- State your field of study, type of thesis and proposed topic.
- Attach your plan, available sources and university guidelines.
- Note your supervisor’s comments and the date of the consultation.
