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Tips for a SuccessfulThesis
Amar Khoukhi
Systems Engineering Department,KFUPM
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Outline
Selecting a Research TopicSelecting a Research Topic Research proposal preparationResearch proposal preparation
Research topic and titleResearch topic and title
Literature reviewLiterature review
Research questionsResearch questions
Research proposal writingResearch proposal writing
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Some definitions
Research: The process ofsearching, carefully, to answer aquestion using a method,
Many types of researchTheoreticalTheorems and proofs
Experimental
Design reated e!perimenta resu
ts,engineering ne" produ#ts,
System developmentAgorithm de$eopment, %oding, testing, &
'asi# resear#h skis don(t di)er mu#h
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Most of the skis #an *e earnt or impro$ed o$er time, if one"ants
Some taent is needed, *ut aone it is not enoughPeope "ith great taent and no skis o*tain mu#h ess than
"hat they #oud do
+ot ony te#hni#a skis
Skill The learned capacity or talentto #arry out pre-determined resuts
often "ith the minimum outay of time,energy, or *oth. Wikipedia.com
Some definitions
Research Skills
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A thesis for the PHD must form a distinctivecontribution to the knowledge of the subject andaord evidence of originality shown by the
discovery of new facts and/or by the exercise ofindependent critical power((, niversity !f"ondon #egulation$
An argument
An exposition of an original piece of research The product of an apprenticeship Something that could be published:
e.g. at least one paper in a scholarly journal
But you will probably never publish the whole thesis
Starting a thesis?
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The rocess of Research
Identify theResearch Problem
Review the
iterature
Report
and!isseminate Research
Specify a
ResearchPurpose
"ollect !ata
Interpret
the Research
Analy#e !ata
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Selecting a ResearchTopic
What are some considerations whenselecting a research topic?
Personal interest / Passion, Curiosity
Importance / Contriution to the !ield "ewness / Relevance
#easiilit$
Time constraints %thical constraints &rgani'ational support (vailailit$ o! equipments
(!ter graduation emplo$ment possiilities
!nswer
:
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Sources of Research Topics
)iscussion with !acult$
#acult$ ongoing pro*ects +(CST, )SR, RI, -.
Previous student pro*ects +0 Sc0 10 Sc to Ph).
Peer2reviewed *ournals in $our !ield
Personal e3periences %3isting literature Recommendations for
future research
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Refining Your Topic
Refinement needed for effective and efficient research "arrow $our topic
Identi!$ a theoretical !ramewor4
Speci!icall$ and unamiguousl$ de!ine terms
State research questions and h$potheses
A literature review will help you
See i! $our idea has een tried Include all relevant constructs
Select instruments
(nticipate common prolems
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Research proposalResearch proposal
preparationpreparation
! good proposal is a good idea, wellexpressed, with a clear indication of
methods for pursuing the idea, evaluatingthe "ndings, making them known to all who
need to know, and indicating the #roaderimpacts of the activity$
Source: http:%%www$nsf$gov%
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urpose of the research
proposal/. To informthe reader of nature of your proposedresearch$What is the prolem?What is its e3tent?
&$ To convince the reader, especially supervisors andreviewers, of the value of your proposed research$Is this pro*ect worth the time and mone$?Will it ma4e a di!!erence to the world?
'$ To demonstrate your expertise andcompetency in a particular area of study$ )o $ou have the quali!ications to conduct this research?
5ave $ou in!ormed $oursel! o! the e3isting theor$ and data
relevant to $our topic?
The Proposal: Part 1,
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urpose of the researchproposal
($ Toplanthe research pro)ect and provide a
step*#y*step guide to the tasks necessaryfor its completion$What are the 4e$ stages o! the wor4?5ow do the various components !it together?
0. To requestsupport from individuals andagencies who provide supervision, oversightor funding$What 4inds o! support does the pro*ect need?(re all participants properl$ protected?
1$ To contract with the agencies andindividuals involved, +e$g$ supervisors,foundations and participants$ 5ow will tas4s e assigned and resources e3pended?
What does each contriute to the collective endeavor?
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arts of a roposalarts of a roposal %o$er Page and Tite
Pro2e#t summary or E!tended A*stra#t
Ta*e of #ontents
Pro2e#t des#ription
Introduction Literature review Prolem statement Research o*ectives Research methodolog$ Pro*ect tas4s and milestones udget deliverales
3eferen#es #ited
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ro)ect Summaryro)ect Summary
4ntee#tua Merit
Des#ri*e thes#ienti5#6engineering6edu#ation pro*emand "hy it is important
State the o$era o*2e#ti$e of the pro2e#t State the spe#i5# aims Des#ri*e ho" the aims "i *e a#hie$ed
'roader 4mpa#ts
Edu#ationa 7 outrea#h a#ti$ities8infrastru#ture8 dissemination of resuts8underrepresented groups8 *ene5t to so#iety
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-hat is a .iterature
Review/
re$ie" of the iterature
9is a written summary of )ournal
articles, #ooks and other documentsthat descri#es the past and currentstate of information, organi0es theliterature into topics and documentsa need for a proposed study.: pp. ;
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rings a readerup-to-dateon whatis 4nown on a given topic
provide !resh insights that advance4nowledge
Resolve con!licts etween studiesIdenti!$ new wa$s to interpret
research resultsCreating a path !or !uture research
-hat is a .iteratureReview/
The >3is notis not a 6list7 o! !ound research ut a coherent andarticulate account o! past and current research !indings
Masters Is summative, Covers methodological issues, research techniques and results topics.
Doctorate analytical synthesis, Covers all known literature on the subect, !inks ideas
conceptually across and within theories,
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8 The LR should e e3haustive and as current as possile0
8 5ow man$ articles?
? There is no set num#er$ !s long as the search is
exhaustive and focused on the research topic, thereview will #e accepta#le$
o" far *a#k shoud one sear#h
widel$ accepted time!rame past 9: $ears,Pioneer and seminal wor4s even i! these go e$ond0
-hat is a .iteratureReview/
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reliminary .iteratureReview
1uidelines on Style, 2echanics,and .anguage 3sageDoes your draft foo" the ogi# or idea that is presented
in your intro and titeA$oid o$erusing dire#t Buotations, espe#iay ong ones%he#k stye manua for #orre#t use of #itationsA$oid using synonyms for re#urring "ordsThis is not #reati$e "riting and stay #onsistent "ith
terminoogyCroup 4, Phoeni! %ohort, E!perimenta Croup
Spe out a a#ronyms "hen 5rst using themTraditional 2 (merican Societ$ o! 1echanical %ngineering +(S1%."on2traditional 2 Collective %!!icac$ +C%.
+o Don(t use #ontra#tionsA$oid the foo"ing
Slang ; 6cool7Colloquialisms ; 6thing7
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2aintain 1ood Research racticesThroughout the Search
1. Maintain your search record.
2. Keep your research journal.
3. Make copies of all sources.
4. Be sure that the copy has full bibliographic inforation.
!. Check the reference list of e"ery source you ha"e located.
#. Back up all coputer files $%"ery t&o &eeks 'ie((()
*. +et e,pert help &hene"er you need it.
-. Keep your dissertation chair infored about progress andprobles.
./t is useful to set up and aintain a hoe page on the /nternet.
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-riting 4our Research5uestion+s
( good research topic as4s a clear, concise question0
The$, dictate what t$pe o! statistical anal$sis is needed, andwhat t$pe o! research design ma$ e emplo$ed
Can e !ormulated ased on theories, past research, previouse3perience, or the practical need to ma4e data2drivendecisions in a wor4 environment
( research question should address onl$ 9 concept
=uestion must e measurale +answerale.
$rom Topic %& Problem definition ' to Research (uestion
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Directed and Independent Research +et one or t&o 0uestions that &ill ser"e in your'heses as a chapter paper
!ro" #o$r co$rse ter" pro%ects2 esign projects that fit &ith your research topic2 uthorship "s. %thics
+i"e Credit &hen Credit is due(
Research Questions
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6ow do you read a statement of thepro#lem passage/
Topic Research
Pro&le"
'(idence )or the
I"portance o)
the Pro&le"
De)iciencies in*no+lede
a&o$t the
Pro&le"
-$diencesthat Ma#
.ene)it
Sub)ect
areaA concern
A problem
Something
that needs
a solution
*vidence from
the literature*vidence from
practical
experiences
In this body of
evidence+ whatis missing?
,hat do we
need to -now
more about?
.ow will addressing
what we need to
-now help:researchers
educators
policy ma-ersindividuals such as
those in the study
An "#ample
"thical
issues
in
colle$es
"thical
violations
amon$ football
recruiters
%&ap in the literature%Reports of violations
'escription
identifyin$ and
characteri(in$
violations
%Assessin$ violations%)elps recruiters develop
better ethical standards%)elps athletes
understand ethical issues
$/, /$ I!*AS
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7i8erences among the
Topic, ro#lem, urpose,and 5uestions0eneral
Specific
Topic
Research
Problem
Purpose
Statement
Research
(uestion
!istance learning
ac- of students in distance
learning classes
To study why students do not
attend distance education classes at
a community college
!oes the use of ,eb site technology
in the classroom deter students
from enrolling in a distance
education class?
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7i8erences among the
Topic, ro#lem, urpose,and 5uestions0eneral
Specific
Topic
Research
Problem
Purpose
Statement
Research
(uestion
1obile Robotics
1ulti2ob)ective motion
planning
Time and energy are conflictual
criteria 3 .owever both will
contribute to high efficiency of the
robot
.ow limitation on motor tor4ues can
be handled for such a minimum
time and energy planner?
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+o study is perfe#t
9A data is dirty in some "ay or another8resear#h is "hat you do "ith that dirty data:
Measurement in$o$es making #hoi#es
ou #an re5ne or #hange your pan
Read to learn9 $$read to analy0e9
read to write
A*out resear#h methodoogy Studies on simiar topi#s
User repair strategies
/ettin Started, *eep In Mind That
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The roposal: art ',2ethodology
A des#ription of the genera methodoogy andpro#edures
The resear#h #onte!t or site
The pant or the su*2e#ts
The instruments and materias used
E!pain 7 2ustify= adequate the pro#edures foo"ed
and toos for data #oe#tion and anaysis and
A methodology is not just alist of research tasks but anargument as to why thesetasks add up to the best attackon the problem (Przeworski
!alomon" #$$%" p& '
)he methodology section serves toconvince the e*aminer that you really knew
what you were doing and that you knewhow to do it properly (Parsons & Knight, 2005,p.128).
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hat Makes a Proposa %ompetiti$ehat Makes a Proposa %ompetiti$e
Grigina ideas that go *eyond the #ommonpa#e
Su##in#t, fo#used pro2e#t pan
3eaisti# amount of "ork SuH#ient detai pro$ided
3ationae and e$iden#e of potentia e)e#ti$eness
Potentia #ontri*ution to kno"edge
%apa#ity to disseminate 5ndings
Gn the startGn the start
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Tips for Su##essTips for Su##ess
Foo" page and font siIe imits and other guideines a$e a strong e$auation pan "ith timeines and
*en#hmarks
3e"rite and re"rite again Cet #ritiBues from Mentors and #oeagues Pre$ious mem*ers of re$ie" panes
;$
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Tips for Su##essTips for Su##ess
'e a"are of the s#ope 9too am*itious: $s. 9toonarro":
Anti#ipate pro*ems Address possi*e diH#uties
A#kno"edge possi*e e!perimenta pro*emsand ha$e aternati$es
'$ >e reasona#le
Simpify and streamine
Make sure you get your o$era idea a#rossJ Pay attention to detais 3un a spe #he#ker and proof-read a$e someone ese read the proposa
Spe #he#k8 grammar #he#k, #ear photos, graphs, et#.
($ 2ake it easy for thereviewers
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*cience and research writin$ is lar$ely made up of sentence structures +templates,
used to particular areas of science for many different areas. -nce you understand
this concept you will probably find it easier to read articles from areas of sciencewith which you are not completely familiar
-rite -ith an E?cientrocess
! good writing needs a lot of reading
Grigina senten#e Possi*e a**re$iation
The data "ere #oe#ted and they
"ere anaysed using&..The data "ere #oe#ted and#orreations "ere #a#uated...The data "hi#h "ere #oe#ted "ereanaysed using&..
The data "ere #oe#ted and
anaysed using&..
The data "ere #oe#ted and#orreations #a#uated&..The data "ere #oe#ted "ereanaysed using&..
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%on#usions
ou can learn/improve your research skills
ou can produce sustained $reat research
results if you are enthusiastic, honest, work
hard, open, and committed
Many research skills you will develop
And Have An Excellent Thesis !!
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Thank you for listening