A good acknowledgement will always bring a smile on your reader’s face. Whether it is your advisor, your family or your prospective employer, a well-written note of gratitude exhibits your personality and your writing.

People Matter: Your acknowledgement will be one of the first few pages of your dissertation. Make sure to include all the people who have supported you through your dissertation. Hopefully, your advisor will have played a vital role in your dissertation; give him/her due credit. Don’t forget to mention your professors, your college staff, your librarian, your classmates, your family and friends, your love, your dog, etc.! The point is, do not miss out on important people, they may not read the entire dissertation, but they will surely read the acknowledgement.

Express wholeheartedly: When you write the acknowledgement, express how the people have helped you – whether they motivated you, made your experience of writing worthwhile, helped in your research, stood by you in tough times, added enthusiasm when you felt distressed or wanted to give up, etc.

Writing Skills: Showcase some great writing skills while you write your acknowledgement. Using the right words will add a lot of personal touch to your acknowledgement and give it a deeper meaning than just words. Also, refrain from using slang language or very casual tone. Keep it formal, sincere and nice.