Thesis - UiTM

Effective Research Report
Writing
Prof. Sr. Ir. Dr. Suhaimi Abdul Talib
Asst. Vice Chancellor (Development,
Facilities Management & ICT), UiTM
Kursus Penyelidikan untuk Pemegang Biasiswa UiTM
24 Nov 2011, UiTM, Shah Alam

What is a Thesis
• A theory maintained in argument.
• Unproved statement put forward as a basis
in an argument.
• A dissertation resulting from original
research, submitted by a candidate for a
degree.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN M.Sc. THESIS
and A Ph.D. THESIS

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives: Cognitive Domain
Creating (Synthesis)
Evaluating (Evaluation)
Analyzing (Analysis)
Applying (Application)
Understanding (Comprehension)
Remembering (Knowledge)
Design, plan, create, formulate
Make criteria-based judgments
(choose, prioritize, rate, critique)
Explain, interpret, predict the
behavior of a system
Apply known procedures to novel
problems
Explain, interpret, classify, compare
terms, observations, & concepts
Recall facts & definitions, replicate
known solution procedures

Characteristics of a thesis
• Written for a very small group
of audience
• Very focus and specific
• Convey clear and detailed
message without having to
interact with the author
• Is one of the many pictures
on a wall in a gallery
• Not just a degree – character
building

Characteristics of a good thesis
• The material is original.
• The title, abstract and keywords accurately reflect
the content of the thesis
• -The objectives of the study are clearly stated.
• -Parameters to be determined and method to be
used are clearly defined.
• -The results are well presented and interpreted.
• -There are no inconsistencies in tables, figures
and references.
• -The conclusions are logical and clearly stated.
• -Complete and comprehensive list of references

Structure of a thesis – EU/Japan
• Executive Summary
• Papers published as a result of the Ph.D.
Investigation

Structure of a thesis – Traditional UK
• Preliminaries
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methodology
• Results and Discussions
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• References
• Appendices

Introduction – Research Direction
• Brief Background
• Problem Statement
• Goal and Objectives
• Scope of work and
Brief Methodology
THIS IS YOUR
COMPASS

Brief Background
• Chart– what others have done

Work reported in Literature
In-sewer processes
study
Characterisation of wastewater
Raunkjaer (1993)
Bjerre et al. (1995)
Vollertsen and Hvitved-Jacobsen
(2002)
Modelling processes in sewer
networks
AEROSEPT (Matos, 1992)
Mousetrap (Garsdal et al., 1995)
WATS (Tanaka, 1998)
ASM3 (Huisman, 2001)
Aerobic
Anoxic
Anaerobic
Bulk water
Bjerre et al.
(1995)
Almeida (1999)
Biofilm
Raunkjaer . (1993)
Bjerre et al. (1998)
Huisman (2001)
Bulk water
Tanaka and Hvitved-Jacobsen
(1998)
Haaning et al. (in progress)
Pilot Scale
Tanaka et al.
(1998)
Sediment
Vollertsen et al.
(1998)
Air-water
interface
Jensen (1994)
Bulk water
Abdul-Talib et al.
(2002)
Pilot Scale
Æsøy et al. (1997)
Air-water Interface
Yongsiri et al. (2002)

Studies on In-sewer Processes
In-sewer Processes
study
Characterisation
of wastewater
Study
on kinetics
Modelling processes
in sewer networks
Aerobic
Anoxic
Anaerobic
Bulk water Biofilm Sediment Air-water interface

Problem Statement
• What is the present
situation
• What‟s wrong with it
• What needs to be
done

Integrated Wastewater
Treatment System

The sewer sub-system

Integrated Wastewater
Treatment System

Work reported in Literature
In-sewer processes
study
Characterisation of wastewater
Raunkjaer (1993)
Bjerre et al. (1995)
Vollertsen and Hvitved-Jacobsen
(2002)
Modelling processes in sewer
networks
AEROSEPT (Matos, 1992)
Mousetrap (Garsdal et al., 1995)
WATS (Tanaka, 1998)
ASM3 (Huisman, 2001)
Aerobic
Anoxic
Anaerobic
Bulk water
Bjerre et al.
(1995)
Almeida (1999)
Biofilm
Raunkjaer . (1993)
Bjerre et al. (1998)
Huisman (2001)
Bulk water
Tanaka and Hvitved-Jacobsen
(1998)
Haaning et al. (in progress)
Pilot Scale
Tanaka et al.
(1998)
Sediment
Vollertsen et al.
(1998)
Air-water
interface
Jensen (1994)
Bulk water
Abdul-Talib et al.
(2002)
Pilot Scale
Æsøy et al. (1997)
Air-water Interface
Yongsiri et al. (2002)

Goal and Objectives –
The Need To Do Research Arise From
1. Establishing the „truth‟
2. Eliminate falsehood as regards to facts, history
and performances
3. Evaluating the soundness of theory
4. Solve practical problems
5. Extend and produce good knowledge
6. Develop new policies, products, practices etc.

Goal and Objectives
• Provide a general statement of a big picture
• Specific objectives should be SMART
• To…..followed by a verb
• To establish…
• To model…
• To compare…
• To evaluate
• Outcome to measure the objectives

Objectives
• Most important of the whole document
• Will determine : scope of work
• methodology
• conclusions

Scope of work
• What is involved – laboratory, field,
modelling, etc.
• Where the study is to be conducted
• When and how long

Scope of work
• Important to show that each item in the
scope contributes to your stated
objectives.
• Work that will not lead to
achievement of objectives
– inefficient planning

Literature Review
• Introduce problem on global/national scale.
• Problems associated with the issue in Malaysia.
• Institutional/Management/Regulatory aspects.
• Theoretical aspects
• Specific related studies –
comparison.
• Gap analysis and
justification.

Literature Review
• Cover a decent duration
• Variety of reference types
• Review – not just reporting
• Review based on themes (not chronology)
• Show ability to comprehend, analyse,
synthesize and evaluate
• Provide original opinion with sound
reasoning

Literature Review
• Fundamental flaws in published work
• The use of inappropriate equipment
• Flaws in assumption
• Ability to screen reported data-resultsconclusions
• Do not have Tables and Figures without
commenting on them
• Conclusions not supported by data

Literature Review
• Literature review is not reporting one
article after the other.
• Ensure that citation and reference are
correctly written (using correct format
especially the use of et al.)
• Ensure that citation and references are
consistent.

Literature Review
• Clearly indicate that
there is a gap in the
present body of
knowledge – this is
why you are doing
the work
• Be honest and
ethical

Plagiarism
• Copying directly – verbatim
• Paraphrasing without citation
• Writing your own sentences without citation

Methodology

Methodology
• Description on methodology:
– What is being measured
– What instrument is used
– What are the specs of the instruments
– Ensure that it is not written as a lab sheet,
describe what HAS been done, NOT what WILL
be done OR SHOULD be done
– Use past tense

Research Methodology
• Recall your objectives and scope of work
• This is where detail procedures on how you
do things is being described
• Describe the location of study
• Describe the sampling method
• Type of data to be collected from
experiments and number of samples

Research Methodology
• Instrumentation – individual piece
• Experimental set up
• Experimental procedures
Provide schematics

NUR TESTS FOR RATES AND K NO3
Nitrogen
gas
Temperature
bath fixed at
27 or 20C Reactor
A
valve
Reactor
B
valve
Reactor
C
valve
Reactor
D
valve
pump

AEROBIC REACTORS – OUR TESTS (COD-Fractions)
Data logger for
recording DO
Air pump
Spilling chamber
during aeration cycle
Oxygen
probe
Auto opening
mechanism during
aeration cycle
Cooling/ heating
water outlet
DO probe connected to
computer for data
logging
Cooling/ heating
water inlet
Magnetic
stirrer
Inlets for
aeration
Magnetic stirrer
Malaysia
Denmark

Research Methodology
Standard Method
provide reference
New Method
describe in detail
Non-standard Method
taken from literature
describe in detail and
provide reference

Research Methodology
• Final checks:
• Level 1 : Will someone be able to
perform these experiments
without consulting me
Level 2 : Get someone to read and ask
for comments

Results and Discussion
This Chapter must reflect:
Purpose
Rigor
Testability
Replicability
Precision and Confidence
Objectivity
Generalization

Results and Discussion
• Arrange sequentially so that data analysis
and results will build your case towards
fulfilling the objectives

• Ensure that there is a corresponding
“visible” result for each objective. This can
be in the form of a flowchart, table or
graphs.
• Ensure that findings are consistent with
results and conclusions are consistent with
objectives.

Results and Discussion
• The use of Graphs and Tables. Show them
as soon as they are mentioned in text
• Discuss these graphs and tables

Results and Discussions
• Do not limit to
relating principal
variables only.
• Graph with high
scatter can be very
useful.
• Do not limit to what
EXCEL can do.

Results and Discussions
• Compare and Evaluate your results with
those found in literature
• Useful to establish indices – normalize your
data
• Highlight your results using scientific
explanation – physics, chemistry, biology

Contribution
- evaluation of the importance of your findings
to the development of the discipline
- significance of your analysis
- limitations
- new perspectives

Contribution
• Original
• Impact on
mankind and its
environment

Conclusion
Address findings related to your objectives
- State that they have been
achieved
- Attach numerical values that
comes from your findings
- Describe the type of behaviour
that was observed
- Highlight your contributions

• Provide 5 – 6
possible areas of
extensions
Recommendations

References
• Include works from leading experts.
• Include most recent findings on the subject.
• Important to keep your articles and
reference list systematically.
• Reference list must be consistent with
citation.
• Follow whatever format and rules that has
been given by the University – no matter
how inconvenient.

References
• Note on references to be cited.
• Journals
• Authoritative as articles are reviewed by experts prior
• to publication
• Publication takes quite while
• Publication over a duration of 1-3 years are relevant
• Proceedings
• Most recent findings
• Need to exercise caution as articles are not thoroughly
• reviewed.
• May contain inconsistencies
• May contain serious fundamental errors
• Publication over duration of 1-5 years are relevant

Some Reminders

All Sections
• Ensure that all sections begin with some
text.
• Ensure that passive voice is used. Do not
use we, our, my, I, you, etc.

All Sections
• Ensure that all Figures and Tables used in
reports are introduced, mentioned and
discussed in the text.
• All Figures and Tables should be given
appropriate and correct captions.

All Sections
• Do not use locater words such as “above “or
“below” for Figures or Tables. Number
Figures/ Tables appropriately and refer to
them by this numbering system.

All Sections
• Introduce the “factors” before listing
them in properly numbered system
either a, b, c...... or i, ii, iii.
• Do not use bullets;
• Ensure consistency in explaining
factors introduced in text.

All Sections
• Advise students to use spell-check
• Resubmission together with the previous
corrected submission.

Current Trends in Research
•Multi (inter) –disciplinary
•Global Collaboration
•Industry-University Collaboration
•Increase in Qualitative research
•Increase in ethical issues
•Increase in public demand for
accountability and benefits of research

Characteristics of a good
researcher….
Creative & Inquisitive mind
Intelligent - Understand the problem
Persistence- progress based on trial & error
Patience – repeat tests & experiments
Humility – read & study what others have
done

Characteristics of a good
researcher….
•Ability to expect outcome
•Ability to deduce results
•Ability to conclude
•Ability to expand existing research
•Ability of produce reports and technical
papers
•Ability to make effective oral presentations

Thank you