Writing the Theoretical Part of Your Thesis

In the theoretical section—also called the fundamentals section—you place your topic within a broader context and explain the key concepts and terminology relevant to your work. This section also serves to highlight the significance and timeliness of your topic by discussing the current state of the art or research. It is important to clearly and transparently outline the assumptions and foundations on which your own work is based, so that your later results can be interpreted and evaluated on a solid footing.

Info: Here you can find an overview of the overall structure of a paper in engineering and natural sciences.

In the theoretical section of your paper, you present the current state of research on the topic you are addressing and summarize the findings on this topic from previous work.

From this, you derive the implications for your own research.

Ideally, you have already conducted a literature review before writing, so that you are already well-informed in the field. The basics section is not always a separate chapter – sometimes it is part of a subsection of another section, e.g., “State of the Art,” “Prerequisites,” or “Needs Analysis.”

In the theoretical section, you should demonstrate that you are able to place your work within the current scientific context. Here you present the knowledge you have acquired in the course of your work – knowledge that cannot be assumed for other students.

Basic lecture content is generally not part of the theoretical chapter.

The theoretical section is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to write a theoretical section?

The theoretical section places your topic in a broader context and clarifies the fundamentals and technical terms relevant to your work. This allows you to demonstrate that you are able to place your work within the current scientific context.

Is the basics section a separate chapter?

Not always – sometimes it is part of a subsection of another section, e.g., “State of the Art,” “Prerequisites,” or “Needs Analysis.”

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This article was published in August 2025 and last updated in December 2024.

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Writing the Theoretical Part of Your Thesis

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to write a theoretical section?

Is the basics section a separate chapter?

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Body Section: State of the Art / Research / Science

Body Section: Solution Development

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