thesis plural and singular

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What’s the Plural of Thesis? (Thesises? Theses?)

November 13, 2022

What’s the plural of “thesis”?

Thesis , (and its plural theses ) is an example of one of the many common English words that has roots elsewhere. In this case, thesis is a word that has roots all the way back to Ancient Greek. Like other similarly structured words: diagnosis , synthesis , analysis , oasis , crisis , nemesis and the like, thesis is by no means the only frequently used Greek word that’s made it to Modern English.

What’s the singular of thesis?

Thesis is a singular noun and refers to one thing (or one thesis ).

What’s a thesis?

Merriam-Webster defines the noun thesis (plural theses ) as follows, “a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view especially : one written by a candidate for an academic degree.”

Nouns that end in -sis/ses

Thesis is an irregular plural noun that does not end in the typical -s / -es that regular plural noun forms take. This is so despite that theses plural does in fact end in the conventional -s/-es suffix. Why is it still considered irregular; then, given that it follows the regular plural form? Notice the following regular plural noun forms:

Thesis / theses operates differently. With these Greek words, the -ses does not simply add onto the end of the singular form of the noun; instead, -ses replaces the singular noun’s suffixes, and effectively changes the entire spelling of the word (and arguably the word itself.)


	crises

Examples of “thesis” (singular) in sentences

His master thesis was on modal neural networks.

She wrote her thesis on Renaissance Nativity scenes.

We disagreed with the basic thesis of the report.

I’ve made a first draft of my thesis .

The student’s experiments helped her formulate a thesis to share with her professor and classmates.

Examples of “theses” (plural) in sentences

It must not be assumed that Luther’s ninety-five theses produced any considerable direct results.

The collection of theses are ready for publication.

Twenty years after Savonarola’s death Martin Luther made public his theses against indulgences.

Theses are generally examined by two or more specialists.

Theses is the plural form of the singular noun thesis.

Origin of the word “thesis”

Thesis / theses are of Greek origin.

Read about other irregular nouns

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Merriam-Webster, thesis/theses.

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Definition of thesis

Did you know.

In high school, college, or graduate school, students often have to write a thesis on a topic in their major field of study. In many fields, a final thesis is the biggest challenge involved in getting a master's degree, and the same is true for students studying for a Ph.D. (a Ph.D. thesis is often called a dissertation ). But a thesis may also be an idea; so in the course of the paper the student may put forth several theses (notice the plural form) and attempt to prove them.

Examples of thesis in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thesis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

in sense 3, Middle English, lowering of the voice, from Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, from Greek, downbeat, more important part of a foot, literally, act of laying down; in other senses, Latin, from Greek, literally, act of laying down, from tithenai to put, lay down — more at do

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a(1)

Dictionary Entries Near thesis

the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children

thesis novel

Cite this Entry

“Thesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thesis. Accessed 19 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of thesis, more from merriam-webster on thesis.

Nglish: Translation of thesis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of thesis for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thesis

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Plural of Thesis: A Quick Guide for English Learners

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: October 11, 2023

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Do you know the plural of thesis? Understanding the correct plural of thesis is important not only for academic writing, but for general communication as well. Whether you’re discussing multiple research papers or simply trying to sound knowledgeable in a conversation, using the correct plural form can help you make a good impression and avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.

Plural of Thesis

Definition and Plural of Thesis

When writing a research paper or dissertation, the central argument or main point is known as a thesis. A thesis is a statement or proposition that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. It is a crucial element of academic writing and is often required for a degree or certification.

The plural of thesis is “theses.” In English, most nouns form the plural by adding an “s” at the end. However, “thesis” is one of the few exceptions to this rule. The word “thesis” has a Greek root, and “theses” is how it is pluralized in that original language.

Singular	Plural
Thesis	Theses

It is important to note that “theses” is the only way to make the noun “thesis” plural. There is no alternative form of the plural for this word.

In academic writing, the plural form “theses” is commonly used when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations. For example, “I have read several theses on this topic, and they all have different viewpoints.”

When to Use Thesis and Its Plural Form

When writing academic papers or conducting research, it is important to understand when to use the word “thesis” and its plural form, “theses.” Here are some guidelines to help you use these words correctly:

Use “thesis” when referring to a single research paper or dissertation that presents a specific argument or viewpoint.
Use “theses” when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations.
Remember that “thesis” is a singular noun and “theses” is its plural form.
Be aware that “thesis” has a Greek root and follows the same pluralization rule as other Greek words ending in “-is,” such as “crisis” and “analysis.” They become “crises” and “analyses,” respectively.
Keep in mind that “thesis” can also refer to a statement or proposition that is put forward for consideration or discussion. In this case, the plural form would be “theses.”
When citing multiple theses in a paper, use “theses” to indicate the plurality. For example, “The theses presented in this paper all support the idea that…”

Examples of Thesis and Its Plural Form in Sentences

If you are wondering how to use the word “thesis” in a sentence, here are a few examples:

Your thesis statement should be clear and concise.
The professor asked us to submit our theses by the end of the semester.
The thesis of the article is that climate change is caused by human activity.
She spent months researching and writing her thesis on the history of feminism .
The committee was impressed by the depth and originality of his thesis.

As you can see, “thesis” is used to refer to a statement or argument put forth by a writer or speaker, as well as a research paper written by a student to earn a degree.

Now, let’s take a look at the plural form of “thesis.” According to Grammar Monster, the only correct way to form the plural of “thesis” is “theses.” Here are some examples of how to use “theses” in a sentence:

The library has a collection of theses written by graduate students.
The professor asked us to read several theses on the topic before starting our own research.
The theses presented at the conference covered a wide range of topics.
The committee was impressed by the quality and originality of the theses submitted.

Plural Noun Rules for Regular Nouns

When forming the plural of regular nouns, there are some standard rules to follow. These rules apply to most English nouns, including “thesis.” Here are the basic guidelines:

For most singular nouns, simply add an “-s” to the end to form the plural. For example, “book” becomes “books,” “car” becomes “cars,” and “house” becomes “houses.”
If the singular noun ends in “-s,” “-x,” “-z,” “-ch,” or “-sh,” add “-es” to form the plural. For example, “bus” becomes “buses,” “box” becomes “boxes,” “buzz” becomes “buzzes,” “church” becomes “churches,” and “dish” becomes “dishes.”
If the singular noun ends in a consonant followed by “-y,” change the “-y” to “-ies” to form the plural. For example, “city” becomes “cities,” “baby” becomes “babies,” and “story” becomes “stories.”
If the singular noun ends in a vowel followed by “-y,” simply add an “-s” to form the plural. For example, “boy” becomes “boys,” “key” becomes “keys,” and “day” becomes “days.”

It’s important to note that there are some irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules. For example, “child” becomes “children,” “foot” becomes “feet,” and “tooth” becomes “teeth.” However, “thesis” is a regular noun, so it follows the standard rules for forming the plural.

Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns in English, there are some general rules that apply to most words. However, there are also many irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules and have unique plural forms. In this section, we’ll go over some common irregular plural nouns and the rules for forming their plurals.

List of Common Irregular Plural Nouns

Here are some examples of irregular plural nouns that you may come across:

Singular	Plural
Child	Children
Foot	Feet
Goose	Geese
Man	Men
Mouse	Mice
Tooth	Teeth
Woman	Women

Nouns that End in Us

Nouns that end in “us” often have a plural form that ends in “i”. For example:

Singular	Plural
Cactus	Cacti
Focus	Foci
Radius	Radii

Nouns that End in Is

Nouns that end in “is” may have a plural form that ends in “es”. For example:

Singular	Plural
Analysis	Analyses
Basis	Bases
Crisis	Crises

Nouns that End in On

Nouns that end in “on” may have a plural form that ends in “a”. For example:

Singular	Plural
Criterion	Criteria
Phenomenon	Phenomena
Vertex	Vertices

Plurals That Are the Same as Singulars

Some nouns have the same form for both the singular and plural. For example:

Singular	Plural
Deer	Deer
Fish	Fish
Sheep	Sheep

Words That Look Like Plural Nouns but Are Singular Nouns

Some words may look like plural nouns but are actually singular nouns. For example:

Singular	Plural
News	–
Mathematics	–
Physics	–

Collective Nouns and List

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, collective nouns can be a bit tricky. A collective noun refers to a group of people or things as a single entity. For example, “team” is a collective noun because it refers to a group of individuals working together towards a common goal.

The challenge with collective nouns is deciding whether to treat them as singular or plural. In American English, collective nouns are usually treated as singular, while in British English, they can be treated as either singular or plural depending on the context.

Here are some examples of collective nouns and how they can be treated in different contexts:

Collective Noun	Singular Example	Plural Example
audience	The audience is enjoying the show.	The audience are clapping their hands.
family	My family is going on vacation.	My family are all different ages.
staff	The staff is working hard.	The staff are taking their lunch breaks.

As you can see, the choice of whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on whether you are referring to the group as a single entity or as individuals within the group.

When it comes to forming the plural of collective nouns, the same rules apply as for regular nouns. For example, the plural of “team” is “teams”, and the plural of “family” is “families”.

Plural Nouns vs. Possessive Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are standard rules that apply to most words in the English language. However, there are some exceptions, such as the word “thesis.” The plural of “thesis” is “theses,” and this is the only correct way to form the plural of this word.

On the other hand, when it comes to forming possessive nouns, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Here are some key points to remember:

For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “the thesis’s conclusion” means the conclusion belonging to the thesis.
For plural nouns that end in “s,” add only an apostrophe to show possession. For example, “the theses’ conclusions” means the conclusions belonging to the theses.
For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “women’s rights” means the rights belonging to women.

It’s important to note that possessive nouns should not be confused with plural nouns. While they may look similar, they serve different grammatical functions. Possessive nouns show ownership or possession, while plural nouns simply refer to more than one of something.

Common Mistakes with Plural Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are some common mistakes that are made. Here are a few things to keep in mind when forming the plural of the word “thesis” and other nouns:

Adding an Apostrophe

One common mistake is adding an apostrophe to a noun to make it plural. For example, “the thesis’s” instead of “the theses.” This is incorrect and should be avoided.

Irregular Plurals

Some nouns have irregular plurals that do not follow the standard rules. For example, “child” becomes “children” and “goose” becomes “geese.” It is important to learn these irregular plurals to avoid mistakes.

Confusion over Plurals

Some nouns, like “thesis,” can cause confusion over their plural form. “Theses” is the only correct way to make “thesis” plural. Other words that end in “-is” may also have irregular plurals, such as “crisis” becoming “crises.”

Using Incorrect Count Nouns

It is important to use the correct count nouns when referring to multiple instances of something. For example, “studies” instead of “researches,” and “pieces of evidence” instead of “evidences.” Using the incorrect count noun can make your writing sound awkward or confusing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct plural form of ‘thesis’?

The correct plural form of ‘thesis’ is ‘theses.’ It is an irregular plural noun that does not follow the typical -s/-es suffix used for regular plural nouns.

How is ‘thesis’ used in a sentence?

‘Thesis’ refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. An example sentence would be: “Her thesis on the effects of climate change was well-researched and presented.”

What is the origin of the word ‘thesis’?

The word ‘thesis’ comes from the Greek word ‘tithenai,’ which means ‘to place’ or ‘to put.’ In academia, it refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

What is the difference between ‘thesis’ and ‘theses’?

‘Thesis’ is the singular form of the word, while ‘theses’ is the plural form. ‘Thesis’ refers to a single statement or theory, while ‘theses’ refers to multiple statements or theories.

The plural of thesis is the word 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you pluralize thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To pluralize 'thesis', you simply add 'es' to the end of the word. This is because 'thesis' ends in 'is', which is a singular noun ending.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the plural of thesis 'theses'?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Yes, the plural of thesis is 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the irregular plural form of thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

'Theses' is not an irregular plural form of thesis. It is a regular plural form.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some examples of irregular plural nouns?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some examples of irregular plural nouns include 'child' (children), 'tooth' (teeth), and 'foot' (feet).

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is, you simply change the 'is' to 'es'. For example, the plural of 'thesis' is 'theses', and the plural of 'analysis' is 'analyses'.

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English Teacher Site

Whats the Plural of Thesis: Understanding Singular and Plural Forms

The plural of “thesis” adheres to the Greek-rooted pattern, changing the singular -is to a plural -es.
Accurate use of “thesis” and “theses” reflects scholarly precision in both written and oral communication.
Awareness of correct pluralization extends to other similar nouns ending in -sis, emphasizing the importance of understanding language origins.

It is crucial to use the word correctly in both singular and plural contexts to maintain the integrity of written and spoken communication. In the realm of academics, precision in language reflects the rigor of one’s research and argumentation. As such, understanding the transformation from “thesis” to its plural counterpart is more than a trivial detail; it reflects a deeper appreciation for the structure and history of the English language.

What’s the Plural of Thesis?

The proper plural of thesis is “theses.” This transformation is part of a broader pattern in the English language where certain nouns change their ending to reflect a plural state.

Below, a comparison is made to illustrate the standard singular to plural transformation for nouns ending in -is:

Singular	Plural
thesis	theses
crisis	crises
oasis	oases

Key Points about the pluralization of “thesis”:

The plural follows a specific rule of changing the ‘-is’ ending to ‘-es’.
This pattern is consistent with other Greek-derived words.
The pronunciation changes with the plural form, ending in “-eez.”

To clarify usage, consider these examples:

Singular: The student’s thesis was commended for its clarity.
Plural: The professor read all the submitted theses before the conference.

Singular Form of Thesis

The singular form of ‘thesis’ is of notable interest due to its origins and distinct pluralization.

Origination and Definition:

Etymology : Derived from the ancient Greek word τίθημι (tithēmi), which means “to put” or “to place.”
Meaning : It is a statement or theory put forward to be maintained or proved.

Usage in Academia:

A significant piece of writing prepared by a student to obtain a university degree or diploma.
Often involves original research and substantiates a particular view or argument.

Table 1: Notable Features of ‘Thesis’

Features	Description
Pronunciation	/ˈθiːsɪs/
Syllable Structure	Two
Grammatical Number	Singular

Table 2: Contextual Examples

Context	Example Sentence
In a Proposal	“Her proposal was accepted by the advisory committee.”
During Defense	“He defended his rigorously to earn his master’s degree.”
In Academic Writing	“The central of the book is well-supported with evidence.”

Definition of Thesis

A thesis is a substantial piece of scholarly writing that is typically required to obtain a master’s or doctoral degree. It represents the author’s research and findings in their chosen field of study. A thesis serves as evidence that the student has acquired the knowledge necessary to be considered a scholar in the field. Here, two key aspects of a thesis will be described through tables:

Purpose and Composition of a Thesis:


To present original research	Introduction
To showcase the author’s understanding and proficiency	Literature Review
To contribute to the academic community	Methodology
To fulfill a requirement for a graduate degree	Results/Discussion
	Conclusion

Characteristics of a Thesis:

Focused : It should have a clear, concise premise or central argument.
Researched : Employs rigorous methodologies to gather and analyze data.
Structured : Contains defined sections that present information logically.
Cited : Includes proper citations of sources that support or contrast the thesis.
Reviewed : Undergoes scrutiny by academic peers or supervisors.

Other Irregular Plural Nouns Ending in -sis/ses

Below you will find two tables categorized by common and less common irregular plurals that follow this pattern.

Common Irregular Plurals:

Singular	Plural
analysis	analyses
hypothesis	hypotheses
parenthesis	parentheses
thesis	theses

This pattern is often observed with words that have Greek origins.

Less Common Irregular Plurals:

Singular	Plural
basis	bases
crisis	crises
oasis	oases

It is important to recognize these forms to maintain grammatical accuracy in writing and speech. Below is a list of examples used in sentences:

When multiple scientific hypotheses are tested, the results can lead to important discoveries.
During the editing process, Jane had to review all the parentheses to ensure clarity in her writing.
Geographers study multiple oases in the desert to understand these unique ecosystems.
His thesis on renewable energy was well-received, and many theses on the subject reference his work.

Examples of Thesis (Singular) in Sentences

Here are examples that demonstrate its usage in various sentences.

In Academic Context

Subject Area	Sentence
Literature	His thesis explores the symbolism in Victorian poetry.
Science	The thesis provides a groundbreaking approach to climate change mitigation.

In Everyday Discourse

Informal setting : During the debate, his thesis was that space exploration is no longer just a dream but a necessity.

Discussing beliefs : Her thesis is that all public spaces should offer free Wi-Fi.
Opinion : They argued the thesis that high taxes discourage spending.

Examples of Theses (Plural) in Sentences

Here are some examples of how “theses” can be used in sentences:


The library’s collection includes theses from graduates over the decades.	Indicates possession of multiple papers by the library.
She compared multiple theses to ensure her research was comprehensive.	Shows the act of reviewing several papers.


The committee requested summaries of the proposed theses before approval.	Used as the subject of the committee’s requests.
Theses covering revolutionary medical findings were presented at the conference.	Theses acting as the main topic at a professional event.

Education Setting : Graduate students often struggle to find unique topics for their theses as most ideas have been extensively explored.

Evaluating the structure and arguments of different theses can help one build a stronger dissertation.

Origin of the Word Thesis

The term thesis originates from the ancient Greek word θέσις (thésis), which means “a proposition” . Historically, this term has played a crucial role in both rhetorical and academic contexts. It denotes a statement that a writer intends to support and prove. In academic circles, thesis often refers to a document that presents the author’s research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification.

Etymological Background

The journey of the word from its Greek roots to the modern English language reflects the changing dynamics of educational and scholarly practices over the centuries.

Greek Origin	Modern English Equivalent
θέσις (thésis)	Thesis

As a carryover from Greek to Latin, the word made its way into English, maintaining its original Greek plural form:

Singular	Plural
Thesis	Theses

Usage in Academia

In academia, the word has been used since the late Middle Ages to denote a scholarly work written by students aiming to obtain a university degree. Over time, the use of thesis expanded from merely referring to a proposition to a lengthy document providing evidence of comprehensive research.

Historical Evolution:

Middle Ages : Referred to propositions for a degree.
Renaissance : Emphasized individual research.
Modern Usage : Extensive research documents for higher education degrees.

Areas of Impact:

Rhetoric : Considered as a premise to be argued.
Academic Research : Reflects comprehensive study in a field.

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Pronunciation

( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθiːsɪs/ , ( archaic ) /ˈθɛsɪs/

Audio ( ):

( )

( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθisɪs/
Rhymes: -iːsɪs
Hyphenation: the‧sis
( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθiːsiːz/
( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθisiz/
Rhymes: -iːsiːz
Hyphenation: the‧ses

thesis ( plural theses )

( rhetoric ) A proposition or statement supported by arguments .
1766 , [ Oliver Goldsmith ], “The Conclusion”, in The Vicar of Wakefield: [ … ] , volume II, Salisbury, Wiltshire: [ … ] B. Collins, for F [ rancis ] Newbery , [ … ] , →OCLC ; reprinted London: Elliot Stock , 1885 , →OCLC , pages 218–219 : I told them of the grave, becoming, and ſublime deportment they ſhould aſſume upon this myſtical occaſion, and read them two homilies and a theſis of my own compoſing, in order to prepare them.
( mathematics , computer science ) A conjecture , especially one too vague to be formally stated or verified but useful as a working convention.
( logic ) An affirmation , or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis .
( philosophy ) In the dialectical method of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel : the initial stage of reasoning where a formal statement of a point is developed ; this is followed by antithesis and synthesis .
( music , prosody , originally ) The action of lowering the hand or bringing down the foot when indicating a rhythm ; hence, an accented part of a measure of music or verse indicated by this action; an ictus , a stress . Antonym: arsis
( music , prosody , with a reversal of meaning ) A depression of the voice when pronouncing a syllables of a word ; hence, the unstressed part of the metrical foot of a verse upon which such a depression falls , or an unaccented musical note .

Derived terms

all but thesis
bachelor's thesis
Church-Turing thesis
conflict thesis
doctoral thesis
graduate thesis
Habakkuk thesis
master's thesis
Merton thesis
private language thesis
thesis defense
thesis film
thesis statement

Related terms

Translations.

(tʻez) , (tézis), (palažénnje), (téza) (téza), (tézis) ／ (leon dim ), ／ (leon tai ) ／ (lùndiǎn), ／ (lùntí) , , (tezisi) (thésis) , (tēze), (ろんだい, rondai), (しゅちょう, shuchō), (ていりつ, teiritsu) (teje), (nonje), (ronje) (North Korea) (teza) (tɛ́zis), (položénije) , , , , (téza), (tézys), (polóžennja)

(ʔuṭrūḥa) (atenaxosutʻyun), (disertacʻia), (diplomayin ašxatankʻ) (dysjertácyja), (dysertácyja), (dyplómnaja rabóta) (disertácija) , ／ (leon man ) ／ (lùnwén) , , , , ; ; , (diserṭacia) , , , , , (only a doctoral thesis) (mahāśodh nibandh) (téza) , (postgraduate), (ろんぶん, ronbun) (dissertasiä), (diplomdyq jūmys) (nɨkkheepaʼbɑt) (nonmun), (ronmun) (North Korea) (dissertatsiya) (wi tha nyā ni phon) (disertacija) or , (pâyân-nâme), , , (dissertácija), (diplómnaja rabóta) , , , (dissertatsiya) (wít-tá-yaa-ní-pon), (bpà-rin-yaa-ní-pon), (ní-pon) , , (dysertácija), (dyplómna robóta) , ,

(thésis)

^ “ thē̆sis, n. ”, in MED Online , Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan , 2007 .
^ “ thesis, n. ”, in Lexico , Dictionary.com ; Oxford University Press , 2019–2022 .

Descendants

→ Dutch: thesis
→ Armenian: թեզ ( tʻez )
→ Dutch: these
→ Persian: تز ( tez )
→ Romanian: teză
→ Turkish: tez
Galician: tese
Italian: tesi
English: thesis
Portuguese: tese
Spanish: tesis
“ thesis ”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short ( 1879 ) A Latin Dictionary , Oxford: Clarendon Press
thesis in Gaffiot, Félix ( 1934 ) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français , Hachette.

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Students must submit a thesis on an agreed subject within four years.
He presented this thesis for his PhD.
a thesis for a master's degree
He's doing a doctoral thesis on the early works of Shostakovich.
Many departments require their students to do a thesis defense.
She completed an MSc by thesis.
her thesis adviser at MIT
in a/the thesis
thesis about

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

Pronunciation [ change ]

( UK ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθiːsɪs/
( US ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθisɪs/

Audio (UK)

( )

Audio (US)

( )

Hyphenation : the‧sis

Noun [ change ]

( countable ) A thesis is a long paper that university students at the masters or doctoral level write. I finished my coursework and have been working on my thesis for about a year now. She's writing her thesis on the effects of TV on children.
( countable ) A thesis is a main idea or argument that is developed or explained. This book has three major theses . If you're going to write about this, you're going to have trouble supporting your thesis .

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The Plural Forms of Words

What are the plural forms of words.

Word Type	Example in the Singular Form	Example in the Plural Form
Noun
Determiner
Pronoun
Verb	trying	trying

Forming the Plurals of Nouns

1 dog > 2 dogs
1 house > 2 houses
1 video > 2 videos
How to form the plurals of nouns (spelling rules)
How to form the plurals of compound nouns (e.g., mothers-in-law, Knights Templar)
How to form the plurals of abbreviations (e.g., MOTs, L.R.S.s)

What Are the Plural Pronouns?

Pronoun	Name
I	first person singular
You	second person singular
He / She / It	third person singular
We	first person plural
You	second person plural
They	third person plural

What Is the Plural Form of a Verb?

Pronoun	Name	Example Verb	Example Verb	Example Verb
I	first person singular	I ate	I eat	I will eat
You	second person singular	You ate	You eat	You will eat
He / She / It	third person singular	He ate	He eats	He will eat
We	first person plural	We ate	We eat	We will eat
You	second person plural	You ate	You eat	You will eat
They	third person plural	They ate	They eat	They will eat

What Are Plural Demonstrative Determiners?

Forming the Plurals of Foreign Words

stadium > stadia or stadiums
datum > data
radius > radii or radiuses
agendum > agenda

"Plural" Also Applies to Zero

0 dogs (plural)
1 dog (singular)
2 dogs (plural)
3 dogs (plural)
There are no alligators in the lake.

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The book is a compilation of doctoral candidates' dissertations and .

This synthesis is based on public domain data, including published papers, and dissertations.

They can continue classes or use the research as their master's and doctoral dissertations.

Today, most universities require their students to submit electronic and dissertations for their graduation.

Many scientists, including people writing doctoral , had access to the bones, and they were laboriously studied.

Leuthner was fiercely attacked for his at the time by social democratic leader Karl Kautsky.

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What is the correct shortened form for "Goals of the Theses"

What is the correct shortening for "Goals of the Theses"?

Theses Goals
Theses' Goals

I am confused, because Theses ends with an 's', but using the apostrophe makes it plural.

possessives

It is common practice to omit the possessive -- and is permitted. "Theses Goals" = "Theses' Goals" where required. – Kris Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 8:33

4 Answers 4

Thesis is singular, theses is plural. Thesis' is singular genitive, theses' is plural genitive. As a general rule for genitives of words ending in s , you use s' , the Saxon genitive.

So, assuming you want to talk about the multiple goals in multiple theses, then you would use "theses' goals". If you want to talk about multiple goals on a single thesis, you would use "thesis' goals."

As a general rule you can translate "x of the y" into "y's x", these being the two forms of genitive in English. However, beware, there are many instances where the two are not interchangeable.

2 In the case of singular nouns ending in -s, often just the apostrophe is added, but this is generally discouraged - see owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/621/01 or many other references for that. So thesis's is the correct version for the singular form. – Arsen Y.M. Commented Oct 21, 2014 at 22:36
I'm afraid that's not the question, though. – Kris Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 8:29

Thesis is the singular form, and theses is the plural. If you have one thesis, you can say thesis's goals , but goals of the thesis would sound and look better. If you have more than one thesis, then you can say theses' goals , but again goals of the theses would probably be the better choice.

We can use comments to provide helpful information such as this. See also my comment above at Fraser Orr. – Kris Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 8:30

Either choice could be suitable. "Theses goals" could be perfectly acceptable as a compound.

Strictly speaking, inanimate objects don't have 'goals'. They are the writer's goals, so you should phrase it differently, such as 'my goals in this thesis' or something along those lines.

So, the answer is: 'none of the above'.

This makes the incorrect assumption that ‘the goal of the thesis’ implies that the goal belongs to the thesis in an actively possessing way. There is nothing wrong with saying that a thesis (or a football pitch for that matter) has a goal. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 8:43

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged possessives apostrophe or ask your own question .

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PhD Theses Grammar – Nouns & Words Both, Either, Neither, Nor & Only

Posted by Rene Tetzner | Oct 30, 2021 | PhD Success | 0 |

5.4.3 Nouns and Agreement

The use of most English nouns is relatively straightforward, but spelling and word choice can sometimes be an issue if English is not your native language. It is usually quite easy to deal with such problems through careful and critical proofreading, especially with the assistance of the spell-checking function of your word-processing program, which in most cases will highlight obvious errors (though it should not be trusted to discover them all). If a word is underlined or otherwise highlighted by the program, check the spelling and correct it if necessary; if spelling is not the problem, it is likely that you have chosen the wrong or an inappropriate word (perhaps you used ‘content’ for ‘context,’ for example, ‘implementation’ for ‘intervention’ and so on), in which case you will need to use a dictionary or perhaps a thesaurus to find the correct or a more appropriate word. Watch for nouns that are too vague to express your exact meaning to all readers: ‘in this context,’ ‘in our area’ and ‘in local universities’ are classic examples of instances in which you and your thesis committee will know what you are talking about, but other readers (especially those from other contexts and areas) cannot unless the context or area you are working in or the location of those universities is specified wherever necessary for absolute clarity (specific language is also best for dates: see Section 6.4.4). Conversely, your language should not be so specific to one country or region that its meaning will not be fully understood by international readers: currency and educational systems are good examples of topics for which you should provide not only specific information relevant to the original locality, but also careful enough explanations of the specifics to make them clear to readers who are not familiar with that locality and its culture.

Agreement should always be maintained between nouns and the verbs used with them, which in most cases is easily established: singular nouns should be used with the singular forms of verbs (‘the doctoral candidate investigates,’ ‘the brush untangles’ and ‘the child plays’) and plural nouns with the plural forms of verbs (‘the doctoral candidates investigate,’ ‘the brushes untangle’ and ‘the children play’). If you want your language to suggest the possibility of both singular and plural situations simultaneously, for most nouns you can enclose the ‘s’ or ‘es’ of the plural form in parentheses – ‘the methodology chapter(s)’ – in which case the verb form should be governed by the singular noun because the plural is technically parenthetical: for example, ‘the methodology chapter(s) describes the research methods used in the thesis.’ Another (and often preferable) solution is to word the text in such a way that the verb works for both the singular and plural forms of the noun: ‘the methodology chapter(s) should describe the research methods used in the thesis.’ With plural nouns formed through the addition of endings other that ‘s’ or ‘es,’ the same strategy can be used – ‘the child(ren) will be going to a party this afternoon’ – but with nouns that change their stems to form the plural (such as ‘man’ that becomes ‘men’ and ‘woman’ that becomes ‘women’), effective constructions can be complicated and confusing for readers, and are generally best avoided.

There are certain nouns in the English language that present special challenges when it comes to agreement. Plural nouns that seem like singular nouns (‘data,’ ‘media,’ ‘criteria’ etc.), for instance, should take a plural verb (‘the criteria required were,’ not ‘the criteria required was’), although ‘data’ can, alternatively, be used as a singular noun (‘the data were’ or ‘the data was’). This is to say that ‘data’ can be treated as a collective or group noun instead of as a normal plural noun, in which case the important point is to ensure that the noun is treated as a singular whenever it is used in a document. With collective nouns in general, it is essential that each noun is consistently treated as either a singular or a plural, ideally throughout a thesis and certainly within a single sentence, but this can be rather tricky because such nouns tend to be used as both singular and plural in casual conversation, so there is a tendency to be inconsistent: for example, in ‘The society was founded in 1995; since then, they have grown rapidly,’ ‘they have’ in the second part of the sentence should actually be ‘it has’ to agree with the singular ‘society’ and its verb ‘was’ in the first part. Also complicated is the fact that the decision to use a singular or plural verb with a collective noun can depend on whether the noun refers to the group as a unit (singular) or to its members as individuals (plural), and also on whether British or American English is used: in American English, when the group is considered as a unit, a singular verb is usually used (our hockey team is playing very poorly this year), but in British English, collective nouns tend to use plural verbs (our hockey team are playing very poorly this year). The collective nouns ‘couple’ and ‘pair’ are usually used as plurals when they refer to people – ‘The couple ride their bicycles to work’ – but collective nouns of quantity such as ‘number,’ ‘percentage’ and ‘proportion’ tend to take a singular verb when a definite article precedes the noun and a plural verb when an indefinite article precedes the noun (‘The proportion of customers with home phones is decreasing,’ but ‘A large proportion of customers are giving up their home phones in favour of mobile phones’).

5.4.4 Both, Either, Neither, Nor and Only

Certain other words, phrases and constructions can cause particular problems when constructing sentences, especially for authors whose native language is not English. ‘Both’ takes a plural verb (e.g., ‘both a pool and a water slide were added to the playground’), whereas ‘either’ and ‘neither’ take a singular verb (either a pool or a water slide is being added to the playground), and so does a ‘neither . . . nor’ construction (neither a pool nor a waterslide was added to the playground). Please note that ‘or’ should not be used instead of ‘nor’ in a ‘neither . . . nor’ construction.’ ‘Neither,’ ‘either’ and ‘both’ should be correctly positioned in a sentence to achieve balance and avoid repetition, so the phrasing should be ‘that affect neither him nor her,’ not ‘that neither affect him nor her,’ and ‘that affect both him and her,’ not ‘that both affect him and her.’ ‘Only’ can be placed where it sounds best in a sentence unless there is a possibility of ambiguity or confusion, in which case it should be carefully positioned to clarify the meaning: for example, ‘vegetable gardens only watered on Sundays’ could mean ‘only vegetable gardens are watered on Sundays’ or ‘vegetable gardens are watered on Sundays only’ or ‘vegetable gardens are watered, but not weeded, on Sundays’ (examples adapted from Butcher et al., 2006, p.164). It is therefore wise to consider all the placement and semantic options as you are writing such sentences and choose the one that most effectively expresses your intentions. ‘Only’ can also be problematic when used not to mean ‘exclusively,’ but to refer to a small number or percentage: ‘just 39%’ or ‘as small as 39%’ is more accurate than and preferable to ‘only 39%.’

5.4.5 Beginning Sentences Correctly and Avoiding Dangling Participles

The wording at the beginning of sentences should be both precise and complete in formal scholarly prose, and certain elements should not be used in that position. Numerals, for instance, should be avoided, so any number at the beginning of a sentence should be written out in words unless writing it out would be cumbersome (e.g., ‘237,482’ would be very unwieldy if written as words), in which case the sentence should be reworded to avoid using the number at its beginning (for information on formatting numbers, see Section 6.4 below). Certain abbreviations should also be avoided at the beginning of sentences, although acronyms and initialisms are usually acceptable (see Section 6.3.8 below). As a general rule, sentences should not begin with conjunctions such as ‘and,’ ‘or,’ ‘but’ and ‘so,’ although the occasional lapse in this regard, even in formal writing, is tolerated in most cases as long as the sentence does not begin a paragraph, the meaning is clear and the rhythm of the prose is effective. A sentence and especially a paragraph should not normally start with a pronoun such as ‘this,’ ‘that’ or ‘they’ even if the antecedent is clear from what has gone before, but particularly if the antecedent is at all ambiguous. Instead, the subject should be clearly stated as a noun or noun phrase to avoid confusion, but the pronoun ‘I’ (as well as ‘we’ in texts with more than one author) is acceptable at the beginning of a sentence or paragraph because there can be no doubt, if the pronoun is used only when it should be, about the meaning. Keep in mind that when a descriptive phrase is used at the beginning of a sentence, it applies to everything that follows until the subject changes or is restated: in the sentence ‘In 1879 he painted his first watercolour and began to work with oils in 1886,’ for instance, the date 1879 applies incorrectly to ‘began’ as well as correctly to ‘painted,’ so rewording is necessary: either ‘He painted his first watercolour in 1879 and began to work with oils in 1886’ or ‘In 1879 he painted his first watercolour, and in 1886 he began to work with oils’ would work.

Dangling participles are often problematic at the beginning of sentences, though they can turn up anywhere in a sentence. A dangling participle occurs when a participle or participial phrase is followed by a word other than the subject it modifies, as it is in ‘Plunging to enormous depths, we marvelled at the canyon’ and ‘Having found the right food at last, the diabetic dog was fed.’ It is clear to a thinking reader familiar with English that the ‘canyon’ plunges ‘to enormous depths’ and the person feeding the dog is the one who ‘found the right food,’ but the sentences do not actually say these things: they say that ‘we’ plunge ‘to enormous depths’ and ‘the diabetic dog’ was the one who ‘found the right food’ because those are the subjects that appear immediately after the participial phrases. Such sentences should be reworded so that their syntax reflects the realities reported: ‘We marvelled at the canyon that plunged to enormous depths’ and ‘Having found the right food at last, he fed the diabetic dog.’ Other kinds of dependent clauses that frequently appear at the beginning of sentences can present problems as well, particularly when they are mistakenly used as independent clauses or full sentences. Although a dependent clause contains a subject and a verb (as the opening clause of this sentence does), it does not express a complete thought; instead, it often begins with a dependent marker word (such as ‘after,’ ‘when,’ ‘if,’ ‘because’ and ‘although’) that leaves the reader waiting for the rest of the thought: ‘After he had drafted his thesis’ and ‘Because she is afraid of fireworks’ are good examples. For this reason, a dependent clause cannot be a complete sentence, but should be either followed by a comma and an independent clause that does complete the thought, or preceded by an independent clause and (if necessary) a comma: ‘After he had drafted his thesis, he had it checked by a professional proofreader’ or ‘We left our dog at home because she is afraid of fireworks.’

Why PhD Success?

To Graduate Successfully

This article is part of a book called "PhD Success" which focuses on the writing process of a phd thesis, with its aim being to provide sound practices and principles for reporting and formatting in text the methods, results and discussion of even the most innovative and unique research in ways that are clear, correct, professional and persuasive.

The assumption of the book is that the doctoral candidate reading it is both eager to write and more than capable of doing so, but nonetheless requires information and guidance on exactly what he or she should be writing and how best to approach the task. The basic components of a doctoral thesis are outlined and described, as are the elements of complete and accurate scholarly references, and detailed descriptions of writing practices are clarified through the use of numerous examples.

The basic components of a doctoral thesis are outlined and described, as are the elements of complete and accurate scholarly references, and detailed descriptions of writing practices are clarified through the use of numerous examples. PhD Success provides guidance for students familiar with English and the procedures of English universities, but it also acknowledges that many theses in the English language are now written by candidates whose first language is not English, so it carefully explains the scholarly styles, conventions and standards expected of a successful doctoral thesis in the English language.

Individual chapters of this book address reflective and critical writing early in the thesis process; working successfully with thesis supervisors and benefiting from commentary and criticism; drafting and revising effective thesis chapters and developing an academic or scientific argument; writing and formatting a thesis in clear and correct scholarly English; citing, quoting and documenting sources thoroughly and accurately; and preparing for and excelling in thesis meetings and examinations.

Completing a doctoral thesis successfully requires long and penetrating thought, intellectual rigour and creativity, original research and sound methods (whether established or innovative), precision in recording detail and a wide-ranging thoroughness, as much perseverance and mental toughness as insight and brilliance, and, no matter how many helpful writing guides are consulted, a great deal of hard work over a significant period of time. Writing a thesis can be an enjoyable as well as a challenging experience, however, and even if it is not always so, the personal and professional rewards of achieving such an enormous goal are considerable, as all doctoral candidates no doubt realise, and will last a great deal longer than any problems that may be encountered during the process.

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Rene Tetzner

Rene Tetzner's blog posts dedicated to academic writing. Although the focus is on How To Write a Doctoral Thesis, many other important aspects of research-based writing, editing and publishing are addressed in helpful detail.

PhD Success – How To Write a Doctoral Thesis

October 1, 2021

Table of Contents – PhD Success

October 2, 2021

The Essential – Preliminary Matter

October 3, 2021

The Main Body of the Thesis

October 4, 2021

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Nouns: singular and plural

Nouns used only in the singular.

Some nouns are used only in the singular, even though they end in -s . These include: the names of academic subjects such as classics, economics, mathematics/maths, physics ; the physical activities gymnastics and aerobics ; the diseases measles and mumps; and the word news :

Maths was never my best subject at school.

Aerobics is great fun – you should try it!

Nouns used only in the plural

Some nouns only have a plural form. They cannot be used with numbers. They include the names of certain tools, instruments and articles of clothing which have two parts.

Tools and instruments

I’ve got new sunglasses . Do you like them?

He always wears shorts , even in the winter.

We can use pair of to refer to one example of these nouns:

I bought a new pair of binoculars last week.

That old pair of trousers will be useful for doing jobs in the garden.

We use pairs of to refer to more than one example of this type of noun:

They’re advertising two pairs of glasses for the price of one.

I bought three pairs of shorts for the summer.

Other nouns which are always plural in form


	(buildings)
	(money)

Please ensure that you take all your belongings with you as you leave the aircraft.

They live on the outskirts of Frankfurt, almost in the countryside.

My clothes are wet. I’ll have to go upstairs and change.

She spent all her savings on a trip to South America.

Collective nouns (group words)

Some nouns refer to groups of people (e.g. audience, committee, government, team ). These are sometimes called collective nouns. Some collective nouns can take a singular or plural verb, depending on whether they are considered as a single unit or as a collection of individuals:

seen as a single unit	seen as individuals
larger than average and the concert was a success.	all cheering wildly.
hoping that online voting will attract more young people to vote.	all very nervous about the report, which will be published tomorrow.
the world’s most famous football club.	looking forward to meeting Valencia in the final next week.

In general, a plural verb is more common with these nouns in informal situations.

Piece words and group words

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hard physical work that makes you thirsty

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Thesis Plural, What is the Plural of Thesis?

Meaning: a statement that is put forward as premise

Singular and Plural of Thesis


thesis	theses

Thesis as a Singular Noun in Example Sentences:

She spent months researching and writing her thesis .
The student defended her thesis in front of a panel of professors.
The thesis presented a novel approach to the problem.
The professor guided the student in developing a strong thesis
The researcher’s thesis contributed to the field’s understanding of the topic.
The graduate student received funding to conduct experiments for her thesis .
The thesis required extensive data analysis and interpretation.
The academic journal published an article based on the researcher’s thesis .
The conference featured presentations on diverse thesis
The defense committee praised the clarity and depth of the student’s thesis .

Thesis as a Plural Noun in Example Sentences:

The university library stores an extensive collection of doctoral theses .
The scholars debated different approaches proposed in their respective theses .
The conference showcased the groundbreaking research presented in the participants’ theses .
The professors provided valuable feedback on the students’ draft theses .
The candidates diligently prepared their final theses for submission.
The graduate students shared their findings during a panel discussion on their theses .
The scholars engaged in lively discussions about the implications of their theses .
The research symposium featured presentations on a wide range of topics from various theses .
The library offers online access to digitized versions of historic theses .
The academic journal published an issue dedicated to exceptional doctoral theses .

Singular Possessive of Thesis

The singular possessive form of “Thesis” is “Thesis’s”.

Examples of Singular Possessive Form of Thesis:

We analyzed Thesis’s research methodology.
Thesis’s findings provided valuable insights.
The committee reviewed Thesis’s abstract and conclusion.
We discussed the implications of Thesis’s hypothesis.
Thesis’s literature review presented a comprehensive analysis.
The professor praised Thesis’s organization and structure.
We examined Thesis’s data collection process.
Thesis’s bibliography included relevant sources.
The defense highlighted the significance of Thesis’s contribution.
The advisor provided feedback on Thesis’s methodology.

Plural Possessive of Thesis

The plural possessive form of “Thesis” is “Theses'”.

Examples of Plural Possessive Form of Thesis:

We analyzed multiple theses’ research methodologies.
Theses’ findings provided valuable insights.
The committee reviewed theses’ abstracts and conclusions.
We discussed the implications of theses’ hypotheses.
Theses’ literature reviews presented comprehensive analyses.
The professors praised theses’ organization and structure.
We examined theses’ data collection processes.
Theses’ bibliographies included relevant sources.
The defenses highlighted the significance of theses’ contributions.
The advisors provided feedback on theses’ methodologies.

Explore Related Nouns:

Complete List of Singular Plurals

Timpani Plural, What is the Plural of Timpani?

Mir Plural, What is the Plural of Mir?

Varix Plural, What is the Plural of Varix?

Phd Plural, What is the Plural of Phd?

Taurus Plural, What is the Plural of Taurus?

Scenery Plural, What is the Plural of Scenery?

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Is thesis singular or plural

Add your answer:

Plural form of hypothesis?

it's theses: pronounced (thee-sees)

Can you give 100 examples of plural pronoun?

No, because there are not 100 plural pronouns.The plural pronouns are:weusyou (can be singular or plural)theythemthesethoseouroursyour (can be singular or plural)yours (can be singular or plural)theirtheirsourselvesyourselvesthemselvesbothfewfewermanyothersseveralall (can be singular or plural)any (can be singular or plural)more (can be singular or plural)most (can be singular or plural)none (can be singular or plural)some (can be singular or plural)such (can be singular or plural)

Is are plural or singular?

Are is plural. "Is" is singular. For example, "There is a glove on the chair". That is singular. "There are gloves on the chair". That is plural.

Is coat singular or plural?

singular Singular: plural is coats

Is who singular or plural?

Who may be singular or plural.

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First person plural or singular pronouns for thesis presentation

I am going to do an oral presentation for my thesis. Normally, when presenting a paper, as the paper is a collaboration work, I always use the pronoun "we".

The thesis is written based on the papers. However, when presenting (for example, when talking about the contributions of the thesis), I feel using "we" a bit odd.

Should I use "we" or "I"? Many thanks.

presentation

4 Do not use the Royal one ! :-p – Massimo Ortolano Commented Nov 13, 2020 at 12:36
3 This is also worth checking out. – mustaccio Commented Nov 13, 2020 at 21:03

4 Answers 4

Use "we" when referring to something you did as a team, and use "I" when referring to something that you did by yourself. That is what these words are for.

Using "we" and "I" consistently in this way helps to make clear what your contributions were, and this is often exactly what the jury wants to find out during your presentation. If you choose to not go with the above option you should make it clear in some other way what you did and what others did.

Of course, if there is a clear preference in the culture where you are presenting it is best to follow that preference, but you would probably not be asking the question if that were the case.

7 +1 for calling out that it's very important in this context to differentiate your own personal contribution from collaborative (or others') work. I would be very careful to us "I", "we" and "they" very precisely. – CCTO Commented Nov 13, 2020 at 19:50
That's also what I thought actually. – lenhhoxung Commented Nov 17, 2020 at 15:16

That's a matter of opinion. If it's your official thesis defense presentation, you're representing your work, so it would be fine to use "I". But others may prefer to stick with the common "we".

There is no 'correct' answer here. You should do what you feel comfortable with.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Er... hands. Anyway, spot on. – Buffy Commented Nov 13, 2020 at 12:22
Seconded here. In my experience, even papers that are authored by a single author typically use "we" (in math at least), presumably to acknowledge the contributions of others they bounced ideas off of, chatted with, etc. even if not formally acknowledged. I would say a thesis presentation (or similar) is basically the only time "I" is commonly used, and even there, people often use "we" simply out of habit. That being said -- I don't think anything bad will happen if you use the wrong pronoun. I think people will be focused on the content, not the implicit attribution! – Richard Rast Commented Nov 14, 2020 at 15:09
8 Math papers are a little bit special. They are written in the present tense, and I interpret the "we" as the author and the reader making their way together through the material. – Mark Foskey Commented Nov 14, 2020 at 20:08

There is no rule you have to pick one exclusively. I would not bat an eye at someone using "we" for the collaborative sections and "I" at their sections.

Especially for a thesis presentation, everyone knows you and who your group is.

5 Indeed, something like "Here we were interested in XYZ, so I made samples and analyzed them with..." is perfectly acceptable. "We" for big picture stuff, "I" for stuff you personally did. – Jon Custer Commented Nov 13, 2020 at 15:27

I agree with the options the other answers present, and that in the end it is up to you to decide what to do, keeping your audience in mind. However, the other answers do not say much about which of those options to choose, so I'd like to cover that in more detail.

Those words you're using, what do they mean?

First, let's take a step back and look at what the words mean. "we" refers to a group of more than person including the author/speaker* (unless you want to be patronizing or indicate that you're important than your audience , but I recommend against such arrogance). "I" refers to exactly one person, the author/speaker.

With these definitions of the meaning of "we", we(!) can rephrase your question as follows:

During an oral presentation for my thesis, should I attribute the contributions to myself only, or also to my coauthors?

Your options

And that is a good question! I see 3 workable options 1 here:

Attribute all contributions to the group consisting of you and your coauthors, and use "we" exclusively when talking about contributions. Note that this is about contributions only, never say something like "we thank our wife for her support during the writing of this thesis" 2 . Additionally, when "the group of you and your coauthors" is only a single person (i.e. you 3 ), you should use "I", of course. This is (usually) the case with your thesis, for example.

Attribute all results to yourself and use "I" exclusively when talking about contributions. If you do so, I recommend you at least briefly aknowledge the support of your coauthors at the start of your presentation. They would almost certainly feel ignored otherwise. (and they may still feel so if you only acknowledge them at the start! But that is a risk inherent to this option)

Decide in advance which contributions belong to you only, which contributions belong to all of you, and use both "I" and "we" accordingly.

As you can see, these options are distinguished in how you choose to assign the attribution of your work in cases where ownership is not obvious for the audience. This means that the difference between the options can be minor in practice, in particular when the ownership of most of your work is very clear.

I think there are pros and cons to all of these options. Which one to choose would mostly depend on what your audience expects of your presentation and what your goals are.

Pros and cons

The main advantage of options 1 and 2 is that you do not have to decide (or negotiate!) which contributions are really "yours" 3 . This makes it easier to prepare for your presentation, and harder to make mistakes. Whether you can afford option 1 or 2 would depend on the context. If, for example, your defense is mainly ceremonial (yes, this is possible. Academia varies more than you think ), then it may not be nessecary to assert your personal contribution during your defense and option 1 would be fine. At the least, your co-authors or friends their should not have to feel they are being ignored this way. I personally would not be comfortable with option 2, but there may be communities or cultures where this is acceptable or even the norm.

If you cannot afford or do not like options 1 or 2, then you should go for 3. This is a bit more complicated, as now you will have to decide what your personal contribution is and need to be careful to use the right words during your talk. (while you will probably have to do this sooner or later, a serious defense is likely one of the more confrontational settings to make this assertion) You may need to be careful when your idea of ownership conflicts with the feelings of coauthors present during your defense. Most decent people will not make a big deal about this, but well, not everyone is a decent person. If you suspect that someone might make a big deal about it, it might be a good idea to talk to them about it before your defense.

1. A fourth option would be to avoid both "we" and "I", but the author does not consider this a workable option, as one would have to refer to themselves in the third person when talking about their own (joint) contributions. This would be even more awkward for a speaker than it is for an author. Or at least, this author would imagine so. 2. Paraphrased from How to write mathematics by Paul Halmos, Chapter 13 "The editorial we is not all bad" 3. I mean singular "you" here. This would have been clearer if the English words for 2nd person singular and plural were not homonyms in most forms. (yes, "y'all" exists, but that does not help to indicate the singular, and its possessive form does not appear to be the lesser evil)

"Y'all" IS the singular. The plural is "all y'all"! (Also: thee, thou, thy, thine.) – JeffE Commented Nov 16, 2020 at 4:17
2 @JeffE I'm not an expert, but that seems to be a matter of debate . Which in itself implies the term does not decrease ambiguity as much as I'd hoped it would. Thanks for the other suggestions, good to know the English language used to have the words I wanted. I might actually use that when I prefer using stereotypical archaic words over making complaints about the English language. – Discrete lizard Commented Nov 16, 2020 at 7:05

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Is theses plural

Theses is singular both plural and singular singular both plural and singular plural plural singular both plural and singular plural .

The singular plural plural plural singular plural singular singular plural of theses is thesis .

How to say theses: How to pronounce theses

How to say thesis: How to pronounce thesis

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Plural of thesis

Hi everyone! Need a small advice Can anyone suggest a plural of thesis? Thanks in advance.

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The plural of thesis is theses.

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