In Harvard style, the placement of the summary in a thesis may vary depending on the specific guidelines provided by your institution or department. However, in general, the summary (also referred to as an executive summary or abstract) is typically placed after the title page and before the table of contents.
The usual order in a thesis or dissertation following the Harvard style is as follows:
1. Title page: Includes the title of the thesis, author's name, institution, department, and date.
2. Abstract: This is a concise summary of the main points and findings of the thesis, typically limited to a certain word count (e.g., 150-300 words). It provides an overview of the research topic, objectives, methodology, key results, and conclusions.
3. Table of Contents: This lists the main sections, chapters, and subsections of the thesis, along with their corresponding page numbers.
4. The main body of the thesis: This includes the introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and any additional chapters or sections specific to your research.
It's important to consult the specific style guide provided by your institution or department for precise instructions on formatting and placement of elements in your thesis, as guidelines may vary.