Why do students have to do a thesis? First, it is a requirement by your program to get your degree. A thesis or a dissertation is normally an evidence that the student has accumulated an experience in conducting research. This requirement is there to provide evidence that the student can graduate. It proves that the student is capable of conducting research, identifying a problem, build a model, investigate literature, make use of available research methods, know the differences among research methods, collect data, and come up with conclusions. The thesis provides a comprehensive exercise that once the student has passed, he or she has gone through many problem solving challenges that involve knowledge building, and truth finding.
What does the thesis or dissertation try to achieve? The thesis or dissertation tries to find the truth about a topic. The researcher tries to gather all available data, information, findings, other research, and realized findings to reach a conclusion. This truth-finding mission is important to develop learning and to gain insights into a specific topic. As students proceed in the process, they gain experience and apply existing knowledge to solve a new problem, to understand new phenomena, or to provide a new interpretation of a given topic. This process is described here as a journey of finding the truth, and as you take the journey, you need to provide evidence that you have gone through the journey successfully, meaning that you can take this journey again on your own and achieve reliable results that can create new knowledge or trend in the field of study.
The important part of the dissertation objective is you. You are the key component in this study. It is important that you take the journey with the help of your adviser. You program may call your adviser as your mentor, committee chair, or supervisor. As you take the journey, you start to learn the process on how to find the truth, and you start to learn techniques that will help you next time to do it on your own.
In summary, the thesis is a truth-finding journey. It provides evidence that you – the student – is familiar with the different research techniques and is able to use them. The thesis is the evidence that you are a master or a doctor of a particular subject.