Doing a thesis or dissertation isn’t easy. Academia may be a new world for you. There are lots of things to learn, lots of work to do and deadlines to meet. You have a supervisor, advisor, or lecturer, but many other students around you also need their attention. So why not stand out? Be an […]
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Imagine a golden thread that runs through your thesis, from start to finish. It weaves your argument through theory and literature, linking your research questions, your conceptual framework, your methodology and analytic framework, and finally, your skilful answers to the research questions. This is the coveted golden thread of your thesis. Let’s think more about
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In the methodology chapter, the focus of the thesis is different from the previous chapters. In Chapter 1, you described mainly the problem and purpose of your research, the key debates in the associated literature, and the knowledge gap. In Chapter 2, you reviewed the relevant literature and arrived at your conceptual framework. But Chapter
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Are you using tables in your thesis or dissertation? Here are 10 tips. The first nine are rules or guidelines from the APA 7 manual. The last one is my own. Tip 1: Tables should be aligned with the left margin, rather than centred. Tip 2: The table number and heading should be
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Have you considered using a diagram to explain the concepts in your thesis? A diagram that explains concepts and their expected relationships is called a conceptual diagram, and it’s simpler than you think. The image in this post shows a conceptual diagram of the relationship between three concepts: Work-life balance, Organisational commitment, and attitudes to
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Theoretical and conceptual framing in academic writing is a challenge for many students. So why do you need theory at all? Why not simply identify a problem, conduct an interview or a survey, and report your results without using a theoretical base? Well, first, as a postgraduate student, you are required to use a theoretical
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Presenting your problem as a RESEARCH problem is one of the most important tasks early on in a thesis or dissertation. You have to convince your readers – your supervisor(s), panel and examiners – that your problem is researchable, i.e., that it is a RESEARCH Problem. Van de Ven (2007), provides 4 essentials for you
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1. Structure a WINNING Introduction Chapter 1 needs to be excellent. As in all beginnings, it needs to engage its audience – your examiners, supervisors, advisors and subsequent readers – and convince them of the value of your research. It has multiple other tasks: it must set the scene for your research, with sections on
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A dissertation or thesis is somewhat like a chain – a chain of interlinked stages from identifying the problem to the conclusion. Of course, you can revisit and improve a previous stage. Nevertheless, a dissertation or thesis is only as strong as its weakest stage, like a chain that is only as strong as its
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Whether you’re writing your proposal or the introduction to your dissertation or thesis, you will need to convince your supervisor or examiner that you’ve identified a researchable problem. The trouble is that not every problem is a research problem. Methodologists like Van de Ven (2007) provide guidance on how to distinguish between an ordinary problem and a research problem.
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