How-to-Write-a-Better-Thesis

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Types of Thesis 3 These questions really are about the thesis rather than the candidate. They roughly parallel the structure of a solid thesis, and each builds on the previous one. The first two questions are about familiarity with the previous work in your field and the demonstration of a critical approach to it. Note that, from the start, having and demonstrating a critical attitude towards your subject sets the tone of your interactions with the examiners. The third question is about choosing appropriate research methods and justifying your choices as appropriate to the topic. Be aware that it is you, at this point, who must set the scope of that topic that will determine the appropriateness of a methodology. Further, the third question alerts examiners to show concern for the manner in which the methods are applied. The fourth question focuses on displaying the results, explaining them and showing that you know what they mean. Here, then, it is not simply a question of showing those in the discipline area what you have found but also that you know how to present the results. The fifth and sixth questions remind examiners to check the alignment, and connections, between an initial aim and the final conclusions. The logic flow in the thesis must be right. Notice, too, the emphasis on linking your interpretations back to what you said you would do earlier in the thesis. The seventh question invites the reader to step away from the empirical side of the study to consider how well you can write. In a sense, the question signals to both you and the examiners just how important it is to be able to be able to communicate well within the international research community. Finally, the eighth question asks examiners to consider the quality of the work as a whole. For doctoral students, producing work that is a ‘substantive original contribution to knowledge’ is a primary goal that can be reached through writing satisfactory responses to the series of previous questions. There are other questions an examiner might also address. In particular, an examiner would look for evidence of insightful or critical thinking, and of objective appraisal of outcomes of the study. That is, they want to be persuaded that the student can think clearly and can construct a reasoned argument. Types of Thesis This book focuses on PhD study, but there are several other forms of research work that are understood to be theses. In the Australian context, the word ‘thesis’ is used to refer to the document that a student creates to earn a degree at the Honours, Masters, or doctoral level. (In other countries, such as the United States or Canada, the word ‘thesis’ is commonly used to signify work at the Honours or Masters degree level and ‘dissertation’ is generally used to refer to doctoral work.) What is the difference between the different understandings of a thesis? At Honours level, a thesis—strictly, a ‘minor thesis’—is a work of original research of approximately 10,000 words in length. For many students undertaking a
4 1 What Is a Thesis? minor thesis, it is the first time that they have conducted original research. From my experience, one of the main struggles occurs in making the transition from ‘research consumption’ to ‘research production’. Minor theses are closely supervised and, very often, stem from research that is of direct interest to the supervisor. An Honours thesis is typically produced within a year alongside the demands of coursework. For the most part, they are assessed within the students’ department; note, therefore, that the readership is well-known and thus the writing can be tailored to fit the audience. At the Masters degree level, there are two types of theses. One is a minor thesis, with length limits ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 words. It is completed within one or two years alongside coursework, and usually requires one or two semesters of full-time effort. Much like those at the Honours level, minor theses are assessed within the department by a set of internal criteria. The second type is a ‘Masters by research’ thesis of 30,000 to 40,000 words. It is much more substantial than those that are written by coursework students as it is the result of full-time research over one to two years. This thesis is examined by experts in the field outside the department. In some departments, students first join the field by writing a Masters thesis; if it is considered to be of high quality and can be extended, it can be converted into a doctoral thesis. A ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ is earned by the successful completion of a PhD thesis. For PhD students, the word limit of a thesis is 1,00,000 words; most students write approximately 80,000 words. In Australia, a PhD thesis is typically produced in 3 years of full-time study. It is examined by two experts who have themselves supervised doctoral work; and they are likely to be located at an international research institution. There are other types of doctorate, too, including those in education, by exhibition (in fine arts), or by publication, but these are beyond the scope of this book. All of these should be described in the policies on your university’s website. Look at Other Theses It’s now time to look at some other theses. Most supervisors have a few on their shelves that they may be willing to lend you. Reading these works will be a good start, but don’t stop there. Probably they follow a pattern set by your supervisor’s own ideas of a good thesis, and almost certainly they will be typical of what your own department thinks is acceptable. So go out and look at theses from across a range of disciplines, and even theses from other countries. As presentation and style change relatively rapidly, look at theses that are no more than 3 years old. If applicable, examine a mix of kinds of studies, both qualitative and quantitative (see Chap. 8). Try and find work that is outside your field, but makes use of a similar methodology. After you have skimmed several, select some that are coherent, and some that are not so clear, and go through a few of them with your supervisor. Read the theses as if you were an examiner. With the guidelines for examiners in front of you, begin the assessment of each of them by first looking at the overall
Page 2 and 3: How to Write a Better Thesis
Page 4 and 5: David Evans † University of Melbo
Page 6 and 7: Preface to the Third Edition When I
Page 8 and 9: Introduction Thesis writing can be
Page 10 and 11: Contents 1 What Is a Thesis? ......
Page 12 and 13: Contents xiii 8 Outcomes and Result
Page 14 and 15: Chapter 1 What Is a Thesis? Simply
Page 18 and 19: Examiners’ Reports 5 layout. See
Page 20 and 21: Summary of Chapter 1: What Is a The
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Page 28 and 29: 16 2 Thesis Structure 2. Background
Page 30 and 31: 18 3 Mechanics of Writing that even
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Page 50 and 51: Chapter 4 Making a Strong Start In
Page 52 and 53: Creating a Structure 41 are trying
Page 54 and 55: Initial Efforts 43 of it in detail
Page 56 and 57: Starting, and Starting Again 45 ad
Page 58 and 59: The Creative Process 47 you must a
Page 60 and 61: Writing an Individual Chapter 49 H
Page 62 and 63: Literature 51 From ‘Chapter Five
Page 64 and 65: Styles of Working 53 And don’t f
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Working with Your Supervisor 55 Th
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Working with Your Supervisor 57 pa
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Summary of Chapter 4: Making a Stro
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62 5 The Introductory Chapter at th
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64 5 The Introductory Chapter curre
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66 5 The Introductory Chapter From
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68 5 The Introductory Chapter resea
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72 5 The Introductory Chapter 3. Ai
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74 6 Background Chapters Developing
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76 6 Background Chapters Establishi
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78 6 Background Chapters Throughout
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80 6 Background Chapters • You un
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82 6 Background Chapters • In som
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84 7 Establishing Your Contribution
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Chapter 8 Outcomes and Results In a
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From Data to Results 99 Jackie’s
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Presentation 101 Presentation In t
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Analysis 103 haste, and overconfid
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Quantitative or Qualitative, Revisi
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Reflection 107 in his thesis, wher
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Illustrations 109 interpreted, and
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Illustrations 111 they can read an
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Chapter 9 The Discussion or Interpr
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Structuring the Discussion 115 can
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Writing with Authority 117 criteri
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Summary of Chapter 9: The Discussio
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122 10 The Conclusion One way that
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Chapter 11 Before You Submit You ha
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From First to Second Draft 127 abo
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Dotting the ‘i’s and Crossing t
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Chapter 12 Beyond the Thesis Studen
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Kinds of Dissemination 139 Feedbac
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Dissemination Plans 141 • Primar
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Seminar and Conference Presentation
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Being a Graduate Student 145 more
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The Arc of a Research Degree 147 t
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Summary of Chapter 12: Beyond the T
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Appendix Afterword The creation of
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Appendix 153 Appendix: Analysis of
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Appendix 155 • The text is unnece
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158 Notes on Further Resources Phil
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160 Index Books, writing, 25 Bracke
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162 Index H Harvard reference syste
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164 Index Proper names, 20 Punctuat
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166 Index discussion of results, 12
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