dedication of thesis to father

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Dedicating PhD thesis to my Dad who recently passed away

I lost my Dad while waiting for the examiners reports of my thesis. In my final copy I would like to include a dedication page to him (in addition to the general acknowledgements page), but I'm not really sure what to say. I know I would like something really short, but more than "I dedicate this thesis to my Dad."

I was thinking including something about how I know how proud he was even though he won't be around to see me graduate. Or perhaps referencing how I hope my dedication to my field in science stays as strong as his dedication to his own field (engineering).

I would appreciate any suggestions or examples of dedications as I haven't managed to find too much online and I'm lost for words.

• acknowledgement

• 2 Your own suggestion is fine. –  Anonymous Physicist Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 0:35
• 7 If a friend asked for me advice about this situation, I would advise them to write their honest feelings as best they could express them in their own words, without worrying about whether it is exactly the right thing to say as a dedication. –  d_b Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 0:40
• 1 OP - thanks everyone, I'll try to come up with something in my own words to use. –  user125368 Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 2:01
• 1 @user125368 Perhaps ask close friends to comment on the words you find. –  user2768 Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 6:51
• 2 My condolences! Just do what you think is right! Your suggestion seems fine since it is coming from your heart. –  stackoverblown Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 18:11

2 Answers 2

I had a dedication page in my PhD thesis, to my recently deceased grandparents. I kept it short, with a line that basically translates to:

"To my grandparents, in loving memory."

The things you suggest to include and to reference will make it more personal, and more appropriate for you. And that is all that matters: write it such that it represents well how you feel.

I started my Ph.D. a few years after my father passed away. I dedicated the thesis to him. I wrote, "To my father who never saw this adventure" (something like this when translated).

Like all who commented, I would say keep it short, keep it personal. Grief makes it difficult to find words. Actually, looking back at my thesis and this dedication bring back memories of him. I guess that's what this dedication page is for: yourself.

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Dedication Page for Academic Papers [11 Examples]

The dedication section is where the writer expresses gratitude or others, normally those who have inspired or assisted them in their research and writing. It is usually the shortest page of an academic paper.

In this post, we will include examples of dedication for theses, dissertations, research papers and college projects.

Who to include in the dedication section?

Dedication examples for thesis or dissertation.

Most of the dedications in the thesis or dissertation are dedicated to family and friends.

Here are some of the examples which you can use as an example for writing your dedication for your thesis or dissertation.

Dedication for Dissertation/Thesis: Example #1

Dedication for dissertation/thesis: example #2, dedication for dissertation/thesis: example #3, dedication for dissertation/thesis: example #4, dedication for dissertation/thesis: example #5, dedication for dissertation: example #6, dedication examples for research paper.

Here are some examples of dedication written for research papers.

Dedication for Research Paper: Example #1

Dedication for research paper: example #2, dedication for research paper: example #3.

DEDICATION This research is dedicated to all the members of group 5 class 21/2012 for their sacrifice and cooperation in researching this paper. Our appreciation goes to MRS KANGETHE and MR KARIUKI for their guidance in the preparation of the final document and to our colleagues in the SMC 21/2012 for their support.

Dedication for College Projects

Here are two examples of dedication for college projects:

Dedication for College Project: Example #1

Dedication for college projects: example #2, other popular acknowledgement examples.

Academic Acknowledgement for Research Paper [5 Examples] Acknowledgement for Internship Report [5 Examples] Acknowledgement for Thesis and Dissertation [15 Examples] Acknowledgement for Portfolio [5 Examples] Acknowledgement for Case Study [4 Examples] Acknowledgement for Academic Research Paper [5 Examples] Acknowledgement for College/School Assignment [5 Examples] Acknowledgemet to God in Reports [5 Examples]

Others Acknowledgement to Funeral Attendees [5 Examples] Funeral Acknowledgement Templates (for Newspapers and Websites) Common Website Disclaimers to Protect Your Online Business Notary Acknowledgement [5 Examples]

How-to Guides on Academic Writing and Others

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Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word

• Dedication, Acknowledgements, & Preface
• Introduction
• Copyright Page
• Headings and Subheadings
• Citations and Bibliography
• Page Numbers
• Tables and Figures
• Rotated (Landscape) Pages
• Table of Contents
• Lists of Tables and Figures
• List of Abbreviations
• Some Things to Watch For
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Dedication, acknowledgements, & preface

Dedication, Acknowledgements, and Preface sections are all optional pages. But, what is the difference between these three?

Dedication — A personal tribute to someone or a group of people. Example: "To my parents."

Acknowledgements — A professional tribute to a person or people who helped you with the thesis. Example: "I wish to thank my thesis advisor for the hours of help in the lab making sure the experiments were set up properly and guiding me through the thesis process."

Preface ( sometimes confused with Foreward or Prologue ) — A very rarely included section that details why you are qualified to write about your topic of your thesis or why you became interested in the topic (for example, an anecdote about a childhood incident that led you to become interested in the topic). Do not confuse this with the literature review; this is more of a personal story.

The video below gives more examples of what can be included in these sections. Note: If your dedication is short (like "To my parents"), you may choose not to include the "Dedication" heading at the top of the page. A demonstration of how to format the dedication page this way is shown below.

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• Thesis & Dissertation Acknowledgements | Tips & Examples

Thesis & Dissertation Acknowledgements | Tips & Examples

Published on May 3, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The acknowledgements section is your opportunity to thank those who have helped and supported you personally and professionally during your thesis or dissertation process.

Thesis or dissertation acknowledgements appear between your title page and abstract  and should be no longer than one page.

In your acknowledgements, it’s okay to use a more informal style than is usually permitted in academic writing , as well as first-person pronouns . Acknowledgements are not considered part of the academic work itself, but rather your chance to write something more personal.

To get started, download our step-by-step template in the format of your choice below. We’ve also included sample sentence starters to help you construct your acknowledgments section from scratch.

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Table of contents

Who to thank in your acknowledgements, how to write acknowledgements, acknowledgements section example, acknowledgements dos and don’ts, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the acknowledgements section.

Generally, there are two main categories of acknowledgements: professional and personal .

A good first step is to check your university’s guidelines, as they may have rules or preferences about the order, phrasing, or layout of acknowledgements. Some institutions prefer that you keep your acknowledgements strictly professional.

Regardless, it’s usually a good idea to place professional acknowledgements first, followed by any personal ones. You can then proceed by ranking who you’d like to thank from most formal to least.

• Chairs, supervisors, or defense committees
• Funding bodies
• Other academics (e.g., colleagues or cohort members)
• Editors or proofreaders
• Librarians, research/laboratory assistants, or study participants
• Family, friends, or pets

Typically, it’s only necessary to mention people who directly supported you during your thesis or dissertation. However, if you feel that someone like a high school physics teacher was a great inspiration on the path to your current research, feel free to include them as well.

Professional acknowledgements

It is crucial to avoid overlooking anyone who helped you professionally as you completed your thesis or dissertation. As a rule of thumb, anyone who directly contributed to your research process, from figuring out your dissertation topic to your final proofread, should be mentioned.

A few things to keep in mind include:

• Even if you feel your chair didn’t help you very much, you should still thank them first to avoid looking like you’re snubbing them.
• Be sure to follow academic conventions, using full names with titles where appropriate.
• If several members of a group or organization assisted you, mention the collective name only.
• Remember the ethical considerations around anonymized data. If you wish to protect someone’s privacy, use only their first name or a generic identifier (such as “the interviewees”)/

Personal acknowledgements

There is no need to mention every member of your family or friend group. However, if someone was particularly inspiring or supportive, you may wish to mention them specifically. Many people choose to thank parents, partners, children, friends, and even pets, but you can mention anyone who offered moral support or encouragement, or helped you in a tangible or intangible way.

Some students may wish to dedicate their dissertation to a deceased influential person in their personal life. In this case, it’s okay to mention them first, before any professional acknowledgements.

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After you’ve compiled a list of who you’d like to thank, you can then sort your list into rank order. Separate everyone you listed into “major thanks,” “big thanks,” and “minor thanks” categories.

• “Major thanks” are given to people who your project would be impossible without. These are often predominantly professional acknowledgements, such as your advisor, chair, and committee, as well as any funders.
• “Big thanks” are an in-between, for those who helped you along the way or helped you grow intellectually, such as classmates, peers, or librarians.
• “Minor thanks” can be a catch-all for everyone else, especially those who offered moral support or encouragement. This can include personal acknowledgements, such as parents, partners, children, friends, or even pets.

How to phrase your acknowledgements

To avoid acknowledgements that sound repetitive or dull, consider changing up your phrasing. Here are some examples of common sentence starters you can use for each category.

Note that you do not need to write any sort of conclusion or summary at the end. You can simply end the acknowledgements with your last thank you.

Here’s an example of how you can combine the different sentences to write your acknowledgements.

A simple construction consists of a sentence starter (in purple highlight ), followed by the person or entity mentioned (in green highlight ), followed by what you’re thanking them for (in yellow highlight .)

Acknowledgements

Words cannot express my gratitude to my professor and chair of my committee for her invaluable patience and feedback. I also could not have undertaken this journey without my defense committee, who generously provided knowledge and expertise. Additionally, this endeavor would not have been possible without the generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, who financed my research .

I am also grateful to my classmates and cohort members, especially my office mates, for their editing help, late-night feedback sessions, and moral support. Thanks should also go to the librarians, research assistants, and study participants from the university, who impacted and inspired me.

Lastly, I would be remiss in not mentioning my family, especially my parents, spouse, and children. Their belief in me has kept my spirits and motivation high during this process. I would also like to thank my cat for all the entertainment and emotional support.

• Write in first-person, professional language
• Thank your professional contacts first
• Include full names, titles, and roles of professional acknowledgements
• Include personal or intangible supporters, like friends, family, or even pets
• Mention funding bodies and what they funded
• Appropriately anonymize or group research participants or non-individual acknowledgments

Don’t:

• Use informal language or slang
• Go over one page in length
• Mention people who had only a peripheral or minor impact on your work

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In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.

Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.

Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .

Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.

The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .

In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.

You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.

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George, T. (2023, July 18). Thesis & Dissertation Acknowledgements | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/acknowledgements/

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Including a deceased person in a dedication

What is the convention when you want to dedicate a work to someone who is dead? It is necessary to be explicit about that?

For example, I am writing my thesis and would like to dedicate it to my parents. However my father passed away while I was studying. I would like to dedicate it to both him and my mother, any suggestions?

Is it ok to say "to my loving parents" even though one of them is actually not with us anymore?

• academic-writing
• word-choice

• 1 Hi, and welcome to Writers. Requests to rephrase single sentences are not on-topic for us (as they are unlikely to help others in the future), but they are on-topic at English SE. I will ask the mods to migrate. –  Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum Commented Feb 27, 2015 at 13:08
• 2 I think a question about the proper format and content of a dedication is perfectly on topic and of interest to many writers. Please do not move. –  user5645 Commented Feb 27, 2015 at 15:05
• or you could say: to my loving Mom and Dad (who is sadly no more) –  ottodidakt Commented Feb 27, 2015 at 15:42
• Hi Lauren.. Thank you.. but it is fine.. I think I got my answer.. But it would be nice if the mods automatically migrated any off-topic questions to the correct place without really putting them on hold.. And this could really help anyone in the future if they need to make a dedication to someone who is not alive anymore :) –  Aqs Commented Feb 28, 2015 at 2:28
• Why did you close this question? It does not ask what to write or to rephrase but for the conventions in dedications. This qzestion is exactly similar to all the questions asking how to cite or how to headline. Please reopen. –  user5645 Commented Feb 28, 2015 at 7:35

2 Answers 2

The phrase "to [name]" is perfectly applicable to persons past, present and future, as it does not contain a finite verb form or any other time reference.

Also, there is no reason why a book could not be dedicated to someone who is no longer alive. Many books that I own are dedicated to persons that were part of the authors life but are no longer with us.

Some authors expand the dedication, explaining the relationship ("to my son Paul"), the reason for the dedication ("for their help with..."), when they lived ("1907-1983") or whatever else the author wants to mention. Some dedications are quite mysterious though ("to D."), and only comprehensible for the person in question.

• This is what I wanted to know... If "to (name)" can be applied to someone in the past... Thanks :) –  Aqs Commented Feb 28, 2015 at 2:21
• @Aqs You are welcome. You can accept my answer if it answers your question. –  user5645 Commented Feb 28, 2015 at 7:30

I'm sorry to learn of your father's death. To answer your question, I would ask a few questions of my own.

Did your father ever stop loving you before he died?

If he were alive today, would he continue to love you?

Did your father's love for you help you to achieve your educational ambitions?

Has he love for you helped to shape who you are today?

I already know from your question what the answers will be. I think, therefore, that your father has every right to the dedication you want to make to him. He has loved you, sponsored you, worried about you and encouraged you to this point and the only reason he cannot physically show his love for you now is because, sadly, he is no longer alive.

I don't know how old you are but your Dad put x years of love and work into you - and it is your thesis and your way of recognising what both your mother and your father have contributed to make you the scholar you are today.

As for the rest of the world, it is an unfortunate fact of life that no-one else will actually care about the wording of your dedication. However, your thesis is the culmination of your studies, is something intensely personal to you and - I imagine - you will keep a copy of it for many, many years to come.

If you do dedicate your thesis to your loving parents, no-one but you and your mother will care - but it will mean something important for a long time to come.

If you only dedicate your thesis to your living mother, she will be hurt (assuming she loved your father).

If you do not dedicate your thesis to your father and mother together, no-one else will ever care ... but you will and you will live to regret your decision for many years.

Be proud of who you are. Be proud of how your parents have helped you. Dedicate your thesis to your loving parents and you will have something to treasure.

P.S. And write the very best thesis you possibly can! Good luck.

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How to Write a Dedication

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And the dedication goes to…

When you have finally completed the gruelling yet wonderful process of writing a book, short story , dissertation, etc., you are then faced with the difficult decision of dedicating this source of all your hard work to someone special. Here are some helpful tips to ease your anxiety and assist you in writing a dedication page.

Picking a person 

The most difficult part of writing this piece of front matter is choosing who you would like to dedicate your work to. Some writers may find it to be the most difficult part of the whole process. When choosing who to write your dedication for, think about the process you just went through and who helped you get through it. This could include a variety of people, including a parent, sibling, or other family member, a spouse or partner, a friend, a supervisor, a colleague, or even a pet. This is a very personal choice and there is no wrong decision.

Naming names

After you have decided who you will write your dedication for, you must decide how you are going to identify them. This will be based on your own personal preference and what is appropriate, according to your relationship with that person. The identification could vary from formal to informal.

On the formal end of the spectrum, your dedication could be addressed to Dr. So and So, Mr. X, or even Mother and Father. In between formal and informal, there are options like Mom, Dad, My sister, My friend, a person’s first and last name (no title), etc. On the informal side, you could use the first name or nickname of someone you know.

Reason for the dedication

The next component in writing your dedication is explaining why you chose this person. Many authors provide a reason for their dedication selections. As with the whole dedication process, this is an extremely personal and subjective decision. The dedication could simply be: "For my mom"; others may choose to explain their decision: "For my mom; without her I would not be here." You may want to write a funny anecdote about the person, an experience you shared, or even a private joke shared only by the two of you. As seen in our example dedication page, there are many types of dedications, each with it's own style. Your reason is completely dependent on your personality and your relationship with the person to whom you are dedicating your work.

Addressing the dedication

There are many ways you can address your dedication. You could write, "I dedicate this book to …", "This is dedicated to …", "To: …", "For: …", or simply just start writing your dedication without any formal address. It should be on its own page so everyone will get the hint that it is a dedication page, even if there isn't any formal address. Take into consideration the person you have chosen to dedicate your work to, your personality, and the formality of your relationship and the address will follow suit.

Alternative dedications

It has been extremely popular over the years to write a dedication page using alternative formats. Authors have used poems or funny anecdotes to express their gratitude. In the past, many dedications were often written in the style of a formal letter.

The most important things to remember when writing a dedication are to keep it simple, concise, and ensure that it truly reflects your personality and your relationship with the person the dedication is for. Remember to get your finished dedication edited by one of our book editors . You don't want to overlook calling your spouse the pettiest person in the world when you really meant the prettiest person in the world!

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Dedication page

The Dedication Page is optional. If you choose to include a Dedication Page, please ensure that:

• You are using the same font as in the rest of your manuscript.
• No images are included.
• Page number ii appears centered at the bottom of the page.

​Please note that the Dedication Page is different from the Acknowledgments Page.

Dedication page example

Here is an example of a dedication page from the template:

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• Acknowledgements for PhD Thesis and Dissertations – Explained
• Doing a PhD

The Purpose of Acknowledgements

The acknowledgement section of a thesis or dissertation is where you recognise and thank those who supported you during your PhD. This can be but is not limited to individuals, institutions or organisations.

Although your acknowledgements will not be used to evaluate your work, it is still an important section of your thesis. This is because it can have a positive (or negative for that matter) influence the perception of your reader before they even reach the main body of your work.

Who Should I Acknowledge?

Acknowledgements for a PhD thesis will typically fall into one of two categories – professional or personal.

Within these categories, who you thank will ultimately be your decision. However, it’s imperative that you pay special attention to the ‘professional’ group. This is because not thanking someone who has played an important role in your studies, whether it be intentional or accidental, will more often than not be seen as a dismissal of their efforts. Not only would this be unfair if they genuinely helped you, but from a certain political aspect, it could also jeopardise any opportunities for future collaborations .

Professional Acknowledgements

This may include, but is not limited to:

• Funding bodies/sponsorship providers
• Supervisors
• Research group and lab assistants
• Research participants
• Proofreaders

Personal Acknowledgements

• Key family members and friends
• Individuals who inspired you or directly influenced your academic journey
• Anyone else who has provided personal support that you would like to mention

It should be noted that certain universities have policies which state only those who have directly supported your work, such as supervisors and professors, should be included in your acknowledgements. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you read your university guidelines before writing this section of your thesis.

How to Write Acknowledgements for PhD Thesis

When producing this section, your writing style can be more informal compared to the rest of your thesis. This includes writing in first person and using more emotive language. Although in most cases you will have complete freedom in how you write this section of your thesis, it is still highly advisable to keep it professional. As mentioned earlier, this is largely because it will be one of the first things your assessors will read, and so it will help set the tone for the rest of your work.

In terms of its structure, acknowledgements are expected to be ordered in a manner that first recognises the most formal support before moving onto the less formal support. In most cases, this follows the same order that we have outlined in the ‘Who Should I Thank’ section.

When thanking professionals, always write out their full name and provide their title. This is because although you may be on a first-name basis with them, those who read your thesis will not. By providing full names and titles, not only do you help ensure clarity, but it could also indirectly contribute to the credibility of your thesis should the individual you’re thanking be well known within your field.

If you intend to include a list of people from one institution or organisation, it is best to list their names in alphabetical order. The exception to this is when a particular individual has been of significant assistance; here, it would be advisable to list them.

How Long Should My Acknowledgements Be?

Acknowledgements vary considerably in length. Some are a single paragraph whilst some continue for up to three pages. The length of your acknowledgement page will mostly depend on the number of individuals you want to recognise.

As a general rule, try to keep your acknowledgements section to a single page. Although there are no word limits, creating a lengthy acknowledgements section dilutes the gratitude you’re trying to express, especially to those who have supported you the most.

Where Should My Acknowledgements Go?

In the vast majority of cases, your acknowledgements should appear directly after your abstract and before your table of contents.

However, we highly advise you to check your university guidelines as a few universities set out their own specific order which they will expect you to follow.

Phrases to Help You Get Started

We appreciate how difficult it can be to truly show how grateful you are to those who have supported you over the years, especially in words.

To help you get started, we’ve provided you with a few examples of sentences that you can complete or draw ideas from.

• I am deeply grateful to XXX…
• I would like to express my sincere gratitude to XXX…
• I would like to offer my special thanks to XXX…
• I would like to extend my sincere thanks to XXX…
• …for their assistance at every stage of the research project.
• …for their insightful comments and suggestions.
• …for their contribution to XXX.
• …for their unwavering support and belief in me.

Thesis Acknowledgement Examples

Below are three PhD thesis acknowledgment samples from which you can draw inspiration. It should be noted that the following have been extracted from theses which are freely available in the public domain. Irrespective of this, references to any individual, department or university have been removed for the sake of privacy.

First and foremost I am extremely grateful to my supervisors, Prof. XXX and Dr. XXX for their invaluable advice, continuous support, and patience during my PhD study. Their immense knowledge and plentiful experience have encouraged me in all the time of my academic research and daily life. I would also like to thank Dr. XXX and Dr. XXX for their technical support on my study. I would like to thank all the members in the XXX. It is their kind help and support that have made my study and life in the UK a wonderful time. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my parents, my wife and my children. Without their tremendous understanding and encouragement in the past few years, it would be impossible for me to complete my study.

I would like to thank my supervisors Dr. XXX and Dr. XXX for all their help and advice with this PhD. I would also like to thank my sisters, whom without this would have not been possible. I also appreciate all the support I received from the rest of my family. Lastly, I would like to thank the XXX for the studentship that allowed me to conduct this thesis.

I would like to thank my esteemed supervisor – Dr. XXX for his invaluable supervision, support and tutelage during the course of my PhD degree. My gratitude extends to the Faculty of XXX for the funding opportunity to undertake my studies at the Department of XXX, University of XXX. Additionally, I would like to express gratitude to Dr. XXX for her treasured support which was really influential in shaping my experiment methods and critiquing my results. I also thank Dr. XXX, Dr. XXX, Dr. XXX for their mentorship. I would like to thank my friends, lab mates, colleagues and research team – XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX for a cherished time spent together in the lab, and in social settings. My appreciation also goes out to my family and friends for their encouragement and support all through my studies.

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• Writing, Presenting and Publishing

Acknowledging my deceased grandpas in my dissertation

By Hope.for.the.best November 29, 2017 in Writing, Presenting and Publishing

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• Hope.for.the.best

Finally, after an eventual year, I am about to submit my PhD dissertation. I have been writing the acknowledgement back and forth. I adequately acknowledged my advisors and colleagues. However, I only have a few sentences dedicated to my family, which I feel that is not enough. Would that be okay to acknowledge my deceased grandpas there?

My maternal grandpa passed away 8 years ago, to the disease that my dissertation is about. When he was alive, he always asked me to persist in spite of difficulties, so I feel it is relevant to acknowledge that. 

My paternal grandpa passed away last year to another disease, but he had always been very supportive to me. 

Is that okay to write something like, "I wish you could have been here with me. I hope I have made you proud"?

My school does not have any specific requirements for acknowledgement. 

Thank you. 

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Adelaide9216

I don't know which field you're in, but I believe this is okay. I've even had a social work prof make an acknowledgment to her mother who passed away from cancer in a journal article that was specifically about terminal illness. 

PS : I'm sorry for your losses.

fuzzylogician

Perfectly fine. My dedication reads 

“To my grandparents and their families, who history has forgotten.”

and frankly I don’t care what anybody thinks about that. 

• PNWqueen , Mopar18 , Bschaefer and 2 others

This is definitely okay! Usually the "dedication" is something short and either whimsical or serious/formal (i.e. just one or two lines like fuzzy's example) and the "acknowledgments" are longer. Most schools do not place any requirements on the acknowledgements you want, and it's one of the few places where you have almost absolute freedom to write whatever you want. Even the most formal scholar would likely write something personal here, I think.

In my acknowledgements, I dedicated one paragraph for my advisors, current and past, one for my friends and two for family. I always find the acknowledgments the most fun part of the thesis to read. And, as you might have seen quoted (but never backed up with stats), the acknowledgement is often the first and only thing that people read. Anecdotally, I know that I have purposefully looked up dissertations only to read their acknowledgments. Personally, I feel that in the sciences, we do too much "depersonalization" of science and I think there is no need to overly distance ourselves from our work. So, I purposely seek out dissertation acknowledgments to get a peek at someone's personal / more human side.

If you check your dissertation requirements, you might find even more opportunities to personalize your dissertation, if that's what you want to do. For example, although the thesis template provided by the school didn't have a placeholder for a front matter quotation, I found that in the policies, this is an optional section that's allowed. So I added a quote that has inspired me most of my adult life and really kept me going through grad school (I just have a page with the quote there, with no explanation of it). One of my committee members had a picture of his cat on his dedication page (the thesis was also dedicated to his cat). 

Finally, while not recommended for everyone, many people I know have snuck little inside jokes or references into the actual text of their dissertation. Sometimes they are subtle but sometimes they are not! I've read one where after a long paragraph on math, the text reads something like, "If you're one of my committee members and you are still reading along, let me know and I'll buy you a drink." (the person later told me that only one of their committee members said they saw that line). I think this is pretty funny and it's great that people feel like doing this. Personally, I enjoy seeing this type of humour but I don't enjoy producing it myself, so I kept the main body strictly scientific. But that's just me. Given your other posts here with your worries about the text, you probably don't want to do something like that yourself, but just letting you know what I've seen out there.

• St Andrews Lynx and Hope.for.the.best

15 minutes ago, TakeruK said: If you check your dissertation requirements, you might find even more opportunities to personalize your dissertation, if that's what you want to do. For example, although the thesis template provided by the school didn't have a placeholder for a front matter quotation, I found that in the policies, this is an optional section that's allowed. So I added a quote that has inspired me most of my adult life and really kept me going through grad school (I just have a page with the quote there, with no explanation of it). One of my committee members had a picture of his cat on his dedication page (the thesis was also dedicated to his cat).  Finally, while not recommended for everyone, many people I know have snuck little inside jokes or references into the actual text of their dissertation. Sometimes they are subtle but sometimes they are not! I've read one where after a long paragraph on math, the text reads something like, "If you're one of my committee members and you are still reading along, let me know and I'll buy you a drink." (the person later told me that only one of their committee members said they saw that line). I think this is pretty funny and it's great that people feel like doing this. Personally, I enjoy seeing this type of humour but I don't enjoy producing it myself, so I kept the main body strictly scientific. But that's just me. Given your other posts here with your worries about the text, you probably don't want to do something like that yourself, but just letting you know what I've seen out there.

I will definitely keep things professional rather than casual. That's why I asked how I can acknowledge my deceased grandpas without being too personal. They are indeed very important to me and I really wished they could see me complete PhD.

At my school, what you wrote in your acknowledgement was entirely up to you, as was any dedication. Personally, I had around 2 pages, and used the time to really think about the people that had gotten me to where I was in both large and small ways, including a deceased grandfather who was a professor and my deceased father. 

I also definitely mentioned pets.

31 minutes ago, Hope.for.the.best said: I don't wish anyone (especially examiners) who reads my acknowledgement has prejudice against me for that reason. Of course, I am going to buy her some good treats and thank the joy she gave me  

That's fair! I know all of my examiners very well since I've worked with them for the past five years so I knew what was good and what wasn't. I also knew that my advisor fully supports me so that if one person wanted to be a jerk about something I wrote in my acknowledgements or dedication then my advisor would have shut them down.

However, I forgot to also mention: the version of the dissertation I submitted to my committee did not contain my acknowledgements! Partly because they were not written yet and partly because I wanted to say very nice things about them but didn't want to include it and have them see it before they made their final decision. It is my university's policies that the committee does not need to see the final version (unless they request it). Since no one requested to read my dissertation after the exam, the acknowledgements were entered without anyone else ever reading it. Some of my colleagues added a whole chapter after their defense because they got more work done (you have a month after your defense date to submit your final thesis). I imagine in these cases their supervisor at least read that new chapter.

1 hour ago, TakeruK said: That's fair! I know all of my examiners very well since I've worked with them for the past five years so I knew what was good and what wasn't. I also knew that my advisor fully supports me so that if one person wanted to be a jerk about something I wrote in my acknowledgements or dedication then my advisor would have shut them down. However, I forgot to also mention: the version of the dissertation I submitted to my committee did not contain my acknowledgements! Partly because they were not written yet and partly because I wanted to say very nice things about them but didn't want to include it and have them see it before they made their final decision. It is my university's policies that the committee does not need to see the final version (unless they request it). Since no one requested to read my dissertation after the exam, the acknowledgements were entered without anyone else ever reading it. Some of my colleagues added a whole chapter after their defense because they got more work done (you have a month after your defense date to submit your final thesis). I imagine in these cases their supervisor at least read that new chapter.

I really wished I were in your school! My school is very strict with examiners. Anyone who has worked with a student cannot examine his/her dissertation. I just know my examiners by names and publications. I know one of them is a leading expert who has changed the dogma of my field. He is well-known internationally, and it is my pleasure to have him as an examiner. However, I am worried at the same time because he knows so much. My other examiners have basic knowledge of my field, but don't know that much as him. I am going to send out a manuscript of my PhD work. It's highly likely that he will be the reviewer of my manuscript too. If he is not happy with my dissertation, he will not be happy with my manuscript. Let's hope that he appreciates my dissertations rather than examining it in a critical way.

My school requires dissertation to be complete at submission, i.e. including acknowledgement. That's why I need to be careful, as I don't know my examiners. 

8 hours ago, Hope.for.the.best said: I really wished I were in your school! My school is very strict with examiners. Anyone who has worked with a student cannot examine his/her dissertation. I just know my examiners by names and publications. I know one of them is a leading expert who has changed the dogma of my field. He is well-known internationally, and it is my pleasure to have him as an examiner. However, I am worried at the same time because he knows so much. My other examiners have basic knowledge of my field, but don't know that much as him. I am going to send out a manuscript of my PhD work. It's highly likely that he will be the reviewer of my manuscript too. If he is not happy with my dissertation, he will not be happy with my manuscript. Let's hope that he appreciates my dissertations rather than examining it in a critical way. My school requires dissertation to be complete at submission, i.e. including acknowledgement. That's why I need to be careful, as I don't know my examiners. 

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Dedicating my master thesis to a deceased friend

I am currently finalizing my master thesis and in my acknowledgement section I would like to dedicate it to my friend who passed away during the semester. I have a hard time writing this dedication because of the formal style. I want to write about how smart she was and how her level of determination and excellence will always inspire me.

Since acknowledgement are supposed to be for people who helped you with your thesis I don’t know if it is appropriate. Thoughts?

ETA: Thank you for all your answers, it is very helpful and definitely eased any worries that I had :)

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DEDICATION This Dissertation is dedicated to my parents

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dedication to my late father and my mother

I am writing my thesis and would like to dedicate it to my parents. However my father passed away while I was studying. I would like to dedicate it to both him and my mother. How do I word this without making the sentence too awkward?

Is it correct to say "to my loving parents" even though one of them is actually not with us anymore? (Meaning, is it correct usage of the language, or is it necessary to use the words "late/diseased" etc.?)

• sentence-construction

• 4 I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's more about seeking opinion-based "writing advice" than learning English. –  FumbleFingers Commented Feb 26, 2015 at 19:07
• If you think that is an appropriate dedication, who is anyone to say otherwise? It might be one I would use if in a similar situation. –  user6951 Commented Feb 26, 2015 at 20:22
• 1 If you do end up using the last phrase, the word you are looking for is 'deceased' meaning dead, not 'diseased', meaning suffering from a disease. –  DJClayworth Commented Feb 27, 2015 at 2:41

2 Answers 2

You can avoid "late" but still make clear that you father is dead by expanding the dedication a bit:

To my mother for her ongoing love and support and to my father who could not see this thesis completed.

I'm sure the native speakers can come up with a more elegant wording, but the pattern of giving two separate forms of thanks would be my choice.

Conventional wording would, I think, be, "Dedicated to my parents" or "Dedication: To my parents" or "Dedicated to my father and mother".

If both of your parents were dead, you could say "to my late parents" or "to my late father and mother". But with one dead and one alive the wording gets a little awkward. Yes, you could say "to my late father and to my mother", but personally I think that makes a choppy sentence. If it was me I'd just not mention the "late" part.

• Thanks... So it is ok to say "dedicated to my parents"? Moved the question to writers beta since it was put on hold here:( –  user17745 Commented Feb 26, 2015 at 23:25
• Sure. "Dedicated to my parents" is a very common dedication in books. It's also common to write "Dedication" at the top of the page, and then below this, "To my parents". –  Jay Commented Feb 27, 2015 at 14:13

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