Thesis writing

THESIS WRITING

BY: CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

(Guidelines, format and sample)

WHAT IS A THESIS?

The word “thesis” has two meanings, both of which are applicable to your writing.

the word refers to either a Master’s Thesis or a PhD Thesis (dissertation).

“thesis” signals the fact that your thesis must be a work of persuasive argumentation. You first make a statement defining the focus of your research (the problem/question/issue that needed to be solved) and signal your results. Then, through evidence and reasoning, you persuade your committee of the validity of your research.

CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

In the process of telling that story, you must answer, clearly and precisely, the following key

questions:

What problem/question/issue does your thesis focus on?Why is it important?How does your work fit into the intellectual context of your field?What experimental design / methods did you use? Why did you choose those methods? What difficulties did you encounter along the way? How did you solve (or not) those difficulties?What are your research results? How do they differ from what you had expected or from what had previously been done by others? What evidence do you have to support those results? Whatconclusions did you reach?What, specifically, is your unique contribution?What are some possible applications, either practical or theoretical, of your findings? What future work does your thesis suggest?


PARTS OF A

THESIS


INITIAL PAGES

Title Page Approval Sheet

Abstract Acknowledgment

Dedication Table of Contents

List of Tables List of Figures


TITLE PAGE

The following information needs to be on the title page:

The title (and possibly the subtitle) of your thesis First name and surname of the author(s) Whether it is a ‘Bachelor’s thesis’ or a ‘Master’s

thesis’ Faculty and department Place and date of completion


Title SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Title Measurements2”

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Title Measurement


APPROVAL SHEET

This is to prove that the authors have passed the requirements needed for the thesis.

This is signed by the thesis/FS adviser, panel and the Dean.

This also states the grade obtained by the author/s.


Approval Sheet SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Approval Sheet SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

ABSTRACT

An abstract presents a brief summary of your thesis.

The aim of the abstract is to briefly provide the reader with the most important information from the entire text.

An abstract never contains new information. This summary is no longer than 2 pages of

A4.CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

ABSTRACT

The abstract must summarize the contents of the thesis, not merely say what it is about. Write it last because you must have written the Introduction and Conclusion before you can summarize their main ideas in the Abstract.


350 words for Ph.D.150 words for a Masters

Abstract Sample


Abstract Measurements


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This is a page focused on expressing gratitude to organizations, agencies or individuals who, in one way or another, have aided the researchers in finishing the thesis.


Acknowledgment SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO,

MPA;LLB

Acknowledgment Measurements

2”

1”

DEDICATION

This is the page for dedicating the thesis to certain people or groups who have inspired the researchers while doing the thesis.


Dedication Sample


Measurement of Dedication

1”


TABLE OF CONTENTS

The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis.

It is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis down to whichever level you choose.


Table Of Contents SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Table Of Contents Measurement

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LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF FIGURES

Include a list of figures (illustrations) and a list of tables if you have one or more items in these categories.

Use a separate page for each list. List the number, caption, and page

number of every figure and table in the body of the thesis.


Figures, tables, illustrations... what's the difference?

If you are doing a design or fine arts subject, it is likely that you will include photographs, drawings, paintings or illustrations in your dissertations. These would normally be included in your List of illustrations.

In other subjects, it is common to include all tables, charts, graphs, photographs, drawings, etc. together in a List of figures.

However, if you have a great deal of information presented in tables, it may be best to have a both a List of tables and a List of figures (everything that's not a table). When labelling, number these separately (Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).


List Of Tables / List Of Figures Samples


TITLE OF CHAPTERS

1. Problem and Its Background2. Review of Related Literature and

Studies3. Methodology of the Study4. Presentation, Analysis and

Interpretation of Data5. Summary, Conclusions and

RecommendationsCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Title Of Chapters Measurement2”

1”

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.5”From bottom to page number 1” from bottom to footnote


CHAPTER I


INTRODUCTION AND

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

The first chapter of your thesis is your introduction.

This is where you provide an introduction to the topic of your thesis: you give the context in terms of content of the research project.


This chapter provides an overview of the thesis as a whole it does not simply give background. The first sentence should identify the problem and signal your results. Then move to a more detailed overview of problem, importance, method, intellectual context, and your findings. The last paragraph usually briefly lists what will be covered in subsequent chapters. You can usually do it in one sentence per chapter; try to vary the sentence style.

The Introduction is often short, perhaps some 10 pages. Write it after you have written the body chapters and the Conclusion so that you know just what you are introducing.

INTRODUCTIONCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Introduction Format


Introduction SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Introduction Sample FormatCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the study will mainly focus on the question “Who will benefit from the study?”.

This section will state the contribution of your study and the usefulness of your study in the society.


Thesis statementThe thesis sentence is a clear, concise statement of the position you will defend in your paper. The thesis sentence should argue a position, not summarize information.

WHEN COMPOSING YOUR THESIS SENTENCE,

make sure your thesis reflects the full scope of your argument avoid using a thesis that is too broad to be defended in the your paper or too narrow to be a full response to the assignment. argue as conceptually rich a position as you can support. Ask yourself How? and Why? questions to deepen your thesis. make sure your reader can easily identify your thesis sentence. do not just reword the professor’s question; claim your own position.


Thesis statement Sample


STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem must be reflected to your title or the readers must know your problem by just simply reading your topic.

The problem must not be answerable by yes or no and must be arranged in the flow of your documentation or study.


Statement Of The Problem SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

HYPOTHESIS


Difference between thesis: statement & hypothesis

A thesis statement and thesis hypothesis are different. Thus, the latter is applied to support the ideas stated in thesis statement. So, a good research paper must have both thesis statement and thesis hypothesis. There are two major peculiarities concerning thesis hypothesis. Firstly, a thesis hypothesis is an assumption that you are going to prove in the paper. As any assumption it is based on some statistic calculations. Secondly, it can be an assumption of the writer’s ideas. It is based on the results that were received during the research.Thesis hypothesis is mainly applied, when the writer is required to find out something new about the problem under consideration. It is also used, if it is necessary to answer some specific question. In all other cases it is possible to submit a paper without a thesis statement. Of course, it much depends upon your instructor’s requirements


CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

A conceptual framework elaborates the research problem in relation to relevant literature. This section may summarize the major (dependent and independent) variables in your research. The framework may be summarized in a schematic diagram that presents the major variables and their hypothesized relationships. It should also cover the following:

•Existing research and its relevance for your topic •Key ideas or constructs in your approach •Identify and discuss the variables related to the problem. •Conceptualized relationships between variables Independent variables (presumed cause) Dependent variables (presumed effect) Intervening variables (other variables that influence the effect of the

independent variable)


Conceptual Framework SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Instructional Materials and Equipment commonly used in teaching Science

1Traditional Materials2Technological Equipment

Effects of the use of instructional Materials and

equipment

Profile of the respondents1Age

2Gender3Civil Status4Educational Attainment

5Years of Service


SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The scope is mainly the coverage of your study and the Delimitation is the limitation of your study or topic.



Scope And Delimitation Sample

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The definition of terms must be arranged in alphabetically. It must be also stated if you used your definition of terms in technically or operationally.


CHAPTER II


Review of Related

Literature and

Studies

RELATED LITERATURE In this part you must get your data and information

from any books, magazines, and news papers. You must label your published material with local or foreign.

1. Must be also organized to cover specific problems. 2. Must take all the evidences about the problem with

the author’s experiences. 3. As much as possible, get the latest published

materials. Avoid old published materials. 4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it. 5. On the last part of this part you must have a

statement how this old published material helps the researcher in their current study and relate it to your study.


RELATED STUDIES

In this part you must get your data and information from unpublished material such as previous or old study, research or thesis. In some format, you must label your unpublished material with local or foreign.

1. This should be organized to cover the specific problems.2. You must take note all of the evidences that the previous researcher

came up.3. The unpublished material should not be older than 5 years if possible.4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it.5. On the last part of this part you must have a statement how this old

unpublished material helps the researcher in their current study and relate it to your study.


Related Literature SampleCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO,

MPA;LLB

CHAPTER III


Methodology of the Study

The purpose of the methodology chapter is to give an experienced investigator enough information to replicate the study. Some advisors do not understand this and require students to write what is, in effect, a textbook. A research design is used to structure the research and to show how all of the major parts of the research project, including the sample, measures, and methods of assignment, work together to address the central research questions in the study. The chapter should begin with a paragraph reiterating the purpose of the study. The following subjects may or may not be in the order required by a particular institution of higher education, but all of the subjects constitute a defensible methodology chapter.

METHODOLOGYCHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

Appropriateness of the Research Design

This section is optional in some institutions, but required by others. Specify that the research for the dissertation is experimental, quasi-experimental, correlation, causal-comparative, quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or another design. Be specific. The designated approach should be defended by contrasting and comparing it with alternate methods and rejecting those that do not meet the needs of the study. This section should not be a textbook description of various research designs, but a focused effort to match a rational research design with the purpose of the study


RESEARCH DESIGN

The appropriate research design should be specified and described.


RESEARCH DESIGN


Research Design Sample

POPULATION AND SAMPLES

Describe the population of interest and the sampling of subjects used in the study.


RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

Describe the instrument and what it will measure.

State qualifications of informants if used in the study.


VALIDATION PROCEDURE

Discuss how the validity and the reliability will be established. Specify the level of reliability (probability).


PROCEDUREFully describe how the data were when and how the data are collected. In a QUALITATIVE study, this is the section where most of the appendices are itemized, starting with letters of permission to conduct the study and letters of invitation to participate with attached consent forms. A paragraph must be inserted that states the study is deemed to be one of minimal risk to participants and that the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research will not be greater than any ordinarily encountered in daily life, or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.


DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

Describe how instrument will be administered.


DATA PROCESSING PROCEDURE AND

STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA

Describe the processing and treatment of data


Ethical ConsiderationsIn a QUALITATIVE STUDY, the procedures for the protection of human participants should be stated. This section is nearly identical in all qualitative studies, which makes it subject to identification as plagiarism when submitted to a mechanical plagiarism tool. Ethical concerns are important, particularly in reference to planning, conducting, and evaluating research. The study should present minimal risk to participants pertaining to experimental treatment or exposure to physical or psychological harm. Care should be taken to ensure that the participants fully understood the nature of the study and the fact that participation is voluntary. A statement should be made that confidentiality of recovered data will be maintained at all times, and identification of participants will not be available during or after the study.


DATA PROCESSING & ANALYSISIn both QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES, the precise method of how the data were processed and then analyzed is described. Increasingly, in qualitative studies, data collection and analysis is accomplished by using any one of several data collection and analysis tools available on the Internet such as SurveyMonkey.

Internet services are fast and accurate, and produce data that can be quickly incorporated in Chapter 4. CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO,

MPA;LLB

CHAPTER IV


Presentation, Analysis and

Interpretation of Data

PRESENTATION OF DATA

Present the findings of the study in the order of the specific problem as stated in the statement of the Problem.

Present the data in these forms: Tabular Textual Graphical (optional)


ANALYSIS OF DATA

Data may be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively depending on the level of measurement and the number of dimensions and variables of the study.

Analyze in depth to give meaning to the data presented in the data presented in the table. Avoid table reading.

State statistical descriptions in declarative sentences, e.g. in the studies involving:


INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Establish interconnection between and among data

Check for indicators whether hypothesis/es is/are supported or not by findings.

Link the present findings with the previous literature.

Use parallel observations with contemporary events to give credence presented in the introduction. CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO,

MPA;LLB

CHAPTER V


Summary of Findings,

Conclusions and Recommendations

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to the questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form instead of the enumeration form.

For each of the problems, present: The salient findings, The results of the hypothesis tested


CONCLUSIONS

These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and each of the specific sub-problems.

These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general inferences applicable to a wider and similar population.

Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the findings as all variables can be subsume in one paragraph.

Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).


RECOMMENDATIONS

They should be based on the findings and conclusion of the study.

Recommendations may be specific or general or both. They may include suggestions for further studies.

They should be in non-technical language. They should be feasible, workable, flexible,

doable, adaptable.

REFERENCES:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thesis

http://www.jpsimbulan.net/thesis-writing-guide/how-to-write-a-thesis/

https://www.google.com.ph/CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

IMPORTANCE OF FOOTNOTES

are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it.

DIFFERENCE: (FOOTNOTE & ENDNOTE)-appear at the bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes all appear at the end of your document. If you want your reader to read your notes right away, footnotes are more likely to get your reader's attention

THANK YOU FOR READING!

CHELDHAYE

Thesis writing

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