THESIS CLINICS

Understanding How to develop and write a

Master’s level thesis

LECTURER: DR. M. AFRIFAH

Office of Student Research (OSR)
Graduate School
[email protected]
 Marking scheme for thesis

 Your dissertation makes up 50% of the overall thesis score

 Proposal -20%
 Viva- 30%
 Final Thesis- 50%
 Final mark is a moderated mark between a 1st and 2nd marker
 Proposal details

 Research Proposal – This proposal is expected at least a month after

working with your supervisor
 A proposal is to be submitted approximately 5- 6 months after the
start of the course. Exact date to be communicated by OSR
 The OSR allows students to review their marked proposals prior to
submission of their thesis so they can incorporate ay important
feedback provided into their final submission. An email inviting
students to the surgery hour will be sent roughly a month after
submission of the proposal. When possible students can also interact
with the marker to get even more detailed feedback on their work.
Revised Proposal Structure
STRUCTURE OF A DISSERTATION OR THESIS

1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Table of Contents, List of Figures, Tables, Appendices
etc
4. Acknowledgements
5. Chapter 1 – Introduction
6. Chapter 2 – Literature review
7. Chapter 3 – Research Methodology
8. Chapter 4- Data Analysis and Discussion
9. Chapter 5 - Conclusions and recommendations
10. Reference/Bibliography page
11. Appendices
 Choosing a topic
 Have you and your supervisor agreed on the topic?
 Is the topic solving a well identifiable problem?
 Can you get the data?
 Is your data source solid to avoid changing topic and theme midstream?
 Are you interested in solving the problem?
 Do you have the academic background to execute the project? (Doing MSC
EM but thesis on SC)
 Is the topic clear and well defined?

 Is the problem being addressed in the topic relevant in the field of study?
 Is the scope of the topic realistic for the time allocated for the project?
 The Choice of Topic has effect
on the Research Methodology
 The choice of topic will depend on the type of methodology
 The student researcher has to be conscious of formulation of the thesis
topic
 For Example if a researcher is looking at an exploratory study then that
study methodology is qualitative approach.
 E.g An Exploratory of the state of ICT integration in Ghanaian Schools:
A case Study of Ayalolo SHS In Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
 The Student researcher has to be careful of choice of active verbs
such as: Examination of…., Assessment of……., Critical analysis of..
 The above are example of either Quantitative or mixed methods types
of topics.
 Let us look at more examples.
The 5 w’s when selecting a
topic

 Who- who will you focus on

 When-when the event started or will start
 Where- where will you focus
 What- what factors are you considering,
issues
 Why- why you want to undertake the topic
 The Abstract

 200- 300 words approx….in some cases 150

 ‘Despite the fact that an abstract is quite brief, it must do almost as much
work as the multi-page paper that follows it’
(https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~koopman/essays/abstract.html)
 Motivation:
Why do we care about the problem and the results?
 Problem statement:
What problem are you trying to solve? What is the scope of your work
 Approach:
How did you go about solving or making progress on the problem
 Results:
What's the answer?
 Conclusions:
What are the implications of your answer? Is it going to change the world ,
Are your results general, potentially generalizable, or specific to a particular
case?
 It will be the LAST thing you complete
 Content Details

 Word count- 12,000-15,000 words

 Word count for each section will vary per each kind of
study but the Literature review and Data analysis will
form the bulk of your content
 Please see the thesis ‘Dissertation guide’ given to you
during orientation for more details
Chapter1: The Introduction

Stages in a thesis introduction

 state the general topic and give some background
 provide a brief review of the literature related to the topic
 define the terms and scope of the topic
 outline the current situation
 evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify
the gap
 identify the importance of the proposed research
 state the research problem/ questions
 state the research aims and/or research objectives
 Significance of the Study
 outline the methodology
 outline the order of information in the thesis
Source: Adapted from: https://student.unsw.edu.au/introductions
 Writing a good Introduction

 You should update your introduction several times as your ideas develop.
 Include (optional) An interesting opening sentence that will hold the attention
of your reader.
 Don’t try to say everything in the introduction, but do outline the broad thrust of
your work and argument.
 Make sure that you don’t promise anything that can’t be delivered later.
 Keep the language straightforward. Although you should do this throughout, it
is especially important for the introduction.
 Don’t include too many citations in your introduction: this is your summary of
why you want to study this area, and what questions you hope to address.
 Any citations are only to set the context, and you should leave the bulk of the
literature for a later section.

Adapted from : http://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/dissertation-

What we look for in your introduction
 Chapter 2 literature Review

 A literature review is a survey and

discussion of the literature in a given area of
study. It is a concise overview of what has
been studied, argued, and established
about a topic
 A good place to start is to look at sources of
literature including students theses, but
make sure that you are looking at a good
example of a thesis
 SOURCES OF
LITERATURE

Theses
Textbooks Scientific /dissertations
journals Reports

Conference Magazines and

proceedings People newspapers
Preferred order of academic sources to use

 Peer-reviewed Journal articles;

 Text books
 Academic journals;
 Professional body publications;
 Trade journals;
 Open Educational Resources
 Google Scholar
 Steps in undertaking a literature review

 Formulate a problem in your field of study

 Read around extensively on the problem
 Decide on the texts you wish to include in your review
 Decide on the most appropriate way to classify the texts
 Identify the key issues
 Critically analyze what you have read
 Identify important issues that are still unresolved
 Write a draft of the review
 Read and think about what you have written and then
rewrite.
 Structure of the literature review

 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE-Provide an overview of the literature, how

your LR is organized: the purpose of the research
 BODY OF LITERATURE
 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE- summarize the literature maintaining the focus
presented in the work giving insight into the relationships between the topic
and large area of study,
 Avoidance of repetition, selection of appropriation of methods linking it to
methodology chapter
 What a literature review is NOT

 An annotated bibliography
 An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles,
and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about
150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation.
The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the
relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
 A series of book reviews
 List of unconnected critical evaluations of individual documents.
 A combination of extracts from documents.
 A selection of quotations linked by acceptable phrases in an
attempt to tell a story.
 A set of arranged abstracts (brief summary of a research article) of
relevant items.
 A literature review tells us three
things……
 That you have made yourself familiar with what exists
in your subject area.
 That you have understood the theoretical and
practical concepts, current and past research context
and directions.
 With the quality (in terms of relevant material,
language, insights, arguments) of your literature
review tell us if you are of level 3 or not
 Makes the argument for your own research. Identifies
potential gaps for you to research into
 Why do we do a literature
review
 LR is written to highlight specific arguments and ideas in a field of study.
 LR is used to highlight what has been studied in the field, and also where the
weaknesses, gaps, or areas needing further study are.
 The review should therefore demonstrate to the reader why the writer’s
research is useful, necessary, important, and valid.
 LR also fine tunes the idea and the methodology.
 How a literature review should look

 What are the themes, ideas, gaps, abundances, most talked about, most
discussed, focuses in your subject area
 For example In most academic literature (add refs here), NPD has been
on the rise. It has been talked about extensively in xxxxx ways in yyyy
literature (refs) etc
 Popular themes include x (ref), xx(ref) and xxxx(ref). However, few book,
journals and/or research has focused on x. Then you incorporate your
relevant stuff!!
 However, few articles have discussed NPD when it comes to companies
in SSA, West Africa, etc WHICH IS AN AREA THAT THIS STUDY SEEKS TO
ADDRESS
 Another topic of interest is y, this is because ……………. Add your own
thoughts and ideas!
 Another key area worthy of note is x……..In this area…………………
 Michael’s (2010) viewpoint on x model is this. This is a valid point of view
What we look for in your literature review
 Chapter 3: Research Methodology

 Research Approach- IS IT QUALITATIVE OR QUANTITATIVE OR MIXED

METHODS
 Research Design-Plans for the study. Philosophical assumptions, Strategies
of inquiry and specific research methods
 Exploratory study, Descriptive Study, Explanatory Study etc
 Research Strategy- Case Study, Phenomenological Study, Ethnography,
Experimental Study, Grounded Theory, Narrative. Sequential mixed
methods, concurrent, methods
 Data collection Methods- Population of Study, Sampling Methods, Sample
size
 Instrumentation- Questionnaire (Survey) and Semi structured Interview
guide ( Interview and Focus Group Disicussions)
 Reliability and Validity of research
 Ethical Considerations of Research
 Key areas in a methodology

 Introduction
 Research objectives
 Positionality (if applicable)
 Rationale for choosing location/sites etc
 Methodology and approach
 *Data collection clearly identified and justified
 Justification of research methods
 Results of pilot study (if applicable)
 Sampling strategy
 Data processing and analysis
 Limitations/delimitations
 Ethical issues
 Summary
 Methodology Structure

 Chapter 3, the methodology chapter, includes...

 An introduction that restates what the study does and how it does it.
 A section that... identifies and describes the statistical operations employed in
the analysis.
This involves...
 naming the statistical procedure, and defining any ‘jargon’ that is required to
understand the procedure;
 describing what it does;
 describing how it does what it does;
 noting any assumptions about data (data requirements) of the statistical
operations;
 specifying what (numerical) results the procedure yields;
 explaining how those (numerical) results are interpreted.
 Methodology structure contd.

Structure and design

 logical and relevant structure, consisting of the following: title
page, abstract, table of contents, acknowledgments + structure
below
 Consistent and clear chapter structure that is relevant to the
main question.
 The chapters and sections are provided with suitable titles which
reflect ROs
 All sections, topics and sub topics are numbered properly using
1.1.1.1 system (usually up to four points is considered ok)
 References must comply with Harvard Ref System and are
complete, consistent and correct; in-text and end text.
 Quantitative Approach

• Measuring variables and comparing groups of those variables,

or examining the relationships between two or more variables.
• Objectivity is paramount and that a repeat of the study using the
same methods by a second person should yield approximately
the same results
• Quantitative analysis requires a qualitative element (discussion
and analysis). It is not enough to just present statistics and leave
it at that. An explanation and some reflection on the statistics is
required.

28
 Qualitative Approach

Is subjective and frequently uses interviews, focus groups. This lacks

objective measurement and have restricted generalization.
More common are the use of focus groups of six to eight people into a
room with structured questions. Focus group discussion are tape
recorded or videotaped .

29
 Types of Data Collection

Primary data
 Focus group/discussion group
 Participant and non participant observation
 Informal discussions
 Questionnaire
 Interview (structured or semi-structured)
 Secondary data – books, journals, documentaries,
 The Data Collection Process

 All methods of collection require rigorous and

systematic design and execution that includes
 thorough planning
 well considered development
 effective piloting
 weighed modification
 deliberate implementation and execution
 appropriate management and analysis

31
The Questionnaire: What is a
Questionnaire?

 A set of predetermined questions for all

respondents that serves as a primary
research instrument in survey research.
 Used to collect factual information
 Consist of a form containing a series of
questions
Difference between a Questionnaire and a
Survey

 Some sources say:

 It is used interchangeably and therefore mean the same thing
 Survey is used in America while questionnaire is used in Europe
 Some people write…..Survey Questionnaire
 Or worse…..Questionnaire Survey
The conclusion
 A survey is ‘the measure of opinions or experiences of a group of
people through the asking of questions. This is opposed to a
questionnaire, which is defined as a set of printed or written
questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a
survey or statistical study’.
 A questionnaire is a tool to be used for a survey
When to use the questionnaire

 When resources and money are limited

 When it is necessary to protect the privacy of the participants
 Characteristics of a good
questionnaire

1. Should be concerned with specific and relevant topic

2. Should be as short as possible, only long if necessary: We are all busy
and as such people are less likely to answer a long questionnaire than a
short one.
3. Directions and wording should be simple and clear
4. Questions should be objective
5. Embarrassing questions, presuming questions and hypothetical
questions should be avoided
6. Should be presented in a logical order
7. Should be attractive, neatly printed and clearly arranged
8. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: If you are trying to measure an attitude,
concept, or behaviour, there’s a pretty good chance someone has
done this before. Some studies may have already tested what you are
trying to test.
 Questionnaire Design

The basic process of survey research can be outlined as follows:

1. Define your research aims
2. Identify the population and sample
3. Decide how to collect replies
4. Design your questionnaire
5. Run a pilot survey
6. Carry out the main survey
7. Analyse the data (Burgess, 2001:1)
 1. Define your Research Aims

 In other words ask yourself (which you should already know) What
am I trying to find out?
 A good questionnaire is designed so that your results will tell you
what you want to find out.
 ALWAYS design your questionnaire around your Research
Objectives or Research Questions.
2. Identify the population and sample

 Make sure that the people you are asking the Q have adequate
knowledge of the topic at hand
 Know your audience and the most appropriate mode of
administration of your questionnaire
 Old people- telephone
 Younger generation- email/online
 Lecturers-email
 CEO’s/Managers etc- face to face administration
3. Decide how to collect replies
 4. Design your questionnaire

Design of the questionnaire can be split in to three elements:

 a) determine the questions to be asked,
 b) select the question type for each question and specify the
wording, and
 c) design the question sequence and overall questionnaire layout.
 Structure of your Questionnaire

 Introduction: information sheet, purpose of Q, importance of

participation, advantages of participating, identifying yourself,
confidentiality issues
 Main catalogue of questions: interesting Q’s , divide list of Q’s into
topics
 Put the most important questions in the first half of the questionnaire.
 Leave enough space to record the answers.
 Demographic questions: leave to end, may deter responses if too
much focus is on it
 Include closing statements: thanks, acknowledgments , your contact
details etc
WORDING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

 Simplicity in language/ short

 Ask for one piece of information at a time
 Avoid ambiguity
 Avoid vague words
 Avoid embarrassing questions
 Avoid double negatives
 Avoid leading questions
 Presuming questions
 Hypothetical questions
 Avoid Double-Barrelled Questions. Questions should measure one thing.
Double barrelled questions try to measure two (or more!) things. For example:
“Do you think the president should lower taxes and spending.” Respondents who
think the president should do only one of these things might be confused.
 Sensitive questions

 It can be difficult to obtain honest replies when asking sensitive questions

or views on gender roles, sex, cheating, political affiliations, religion etc
 How you ask a sensitive Q can make a difference
 Using euphemisms can also be helpful
For example:
Q4. Have you ever cheated in an exam? Yes/No
This is very direct and may often be responded with a NO.
 Q4. A lot of students have copied answers in an exam. Statistics show that
24% of students in SHSS have admitted to copying
“Do you feel that this is wrong and if so what penalty should be imposed on
such students and have you done or would you consider doing the above?”
Question Types

 Question Types
 Different types of questions can be used, e.g. open
vs. closed, single vs. multiple responses, ranking,
and rating.
 The closed –ended question

 Q1. Do you think prevailing cases of Malaria in Ghana are caused

by: (tick whichever apply)
 High cost of mosquito nets
 Self medication
 High hospital bills
 Bad sanitation practices
 Stagnant water
 Lack of education
 Other (please specify)…………………..
The open –ended question

 Q1. what do you think are the main causes of

prevailing cases of Malaria in Ghana
……………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………….

 Elicits a range of replies of varying length and

breadth…allows for free expression
 Single vs. Multiple Response

Q7. What mode of transport do you use to get to work on a daily

bases? : (Tick all that apply)

 Private car
 Troski
 Taxi dropping
 Taxi tro- tro
 Train
 Bicycle
 Motorbike
 Single vs. Multiple Response

Q7. What mode of transport do you use MOSTLY to get to work on a daily
bases?
 Private car
 Troski
 Taxi dropping
 Taxi tro- tro
 Train
 Bicycle
 Motorbike
In this case, only 1 response is expected
Ranking questions

 Q.9 Number in order of importance to you the

following health services. Please indicate by
numbering from 1-5 where 1 is the most important
and 5 the least important
Hospital bed 1
Medication
Cost 5
Lab test 3
Atmosphere
Likert Scales
For the sake of clarity try to standardise on no more than two or three of
these types in any given questionnaire.
 Types of Measurement scale

 Nominal scale: nominal category uses labels; e.g igneous, sedimentary

and metamorphic. It offers names or labels for a certain characteristics.
 Nominal- name, label, no quantitative value, used for labelling variables,
mutually exclusive

Prepared by Dr. M. Afrifah

 Ordinal scale

 Ordinal scales are measures of non-numeric concepts like customer

satisfaction, happiness, discomfort
 With Ordinal scales it is the order that matters
 Ordinal scale: order, in this scale type, the numbers assigned to the
objects or events represents a rank order (1st, 2nd, and 3rd).
How satisfied are you with the
What is your current product?
mood? 1. Very satisfied
1. Very unhappy 2. Somewhat satisfied
2. A little unhappy 3. Neutral
3. ok 4. Somewhat satisfied
4. happy 5. Very satisfied
5. Very happy
Prepared by Dr. M. Afrifah
 Interval scales

 Interval scale are numeric scales

 We know the order of interval scales
 We know the exact differences between values represented
 In interval scales, increments are known, consistent and measurable
 Examples of interval scales- time, temperature....80 degrees Celsius,
70 degrees Celsius....10 degree difference .. The difference between
29 and 30 degrees is the same magnitude as the difference between
78 and 79

Prepared by Dr. M. Afrifah

 58
Ratio scale

 The ratio scale has all the properties of nominal, ordinal and
interval plus its own properties. It has an absolute zero
 They tell us about the order, the exact value between units and
have an absolute zero, so a wide range of descriptive and
inferential stats can be applied to it
 Foe ex time
 How many hours a day do you spend on a computer?
 5. Run a pilot survey

 Test your questionnaire on your colleagues.

Complete some interviews with your colleagues BEFORE you ask the
real respondents. This will allow you to time your questionnaire, make
any final changes, and get feedback from your colleagues.
 For best results, questionnaires must be pretested on a sample of
people characteristic of those in the survey.
 Results of pilot can help you identify errors in language use etc for
correction in final copy
6. Carry out the main survey
7. Analyse the data
 Samples and Population

 Population: The group from which sample may

be taken from
 Samples are randomly selected units of the
population that are measured to make
generalization of the population under study
 Sample size- More is better, Trade off between
cost and benefit, Need reasonable sample to
conclude on the population

62
 Sampling methods

 Haphazard
 Random Sampling
 Systematic Sampling
 Stratified Sampling
 Quota sampling
 Snow ball sampling
 Read on other kinds thoroughly and decide on the
most appropriate fro your study

63
One of the things we look in your methodology
 Chapter 4: Data Collection
and Analysis
 It consists of the data that has been collected as a part of
the research and the researcher’s analysis of the data.
Presenting the data collected and its analysis in
comprehensive and easy to understand
 This section SHOULD NOT only be full of graphs, pie charts
and narrations of your statistics- that is not analysis, need
to use words to guide readers through your data
 There should be a DISCUSSION of the results, a REFLECTION
of results
 Chapter 4 Results and Analysis

 PRESENT YOUR FINDINGS IN THIS DISCUSSION CHAPTER

 NOT JUST STAING STATISTICS…30% SAID THIS, 45% SAID THAT…
 EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE RESULTS MEAN OR MIGHT INFER
 ARE THERE OTHER STUDIES SIMILAR OR DISIMILAR TO YOUR
RESULTS?...DISCUSS THIS ASSOCIATION
 DO NOT PRESENT STATISTICS THAT YOU DO NOT INTEND TO
USE…GENDER STATS ETC
 Data Collection and Analysis

 Explain the tests you performed (and why),

 Explain how you gathered the data,
 Present your results.
 Choose those that show something interesting and that your experiments support
your conclusions.
 Show any negative results too, and try to explain them, Indicate what results are
significant,
 Make meaningful comparisons,
 Draw any immediate conclusions,
 Remind the reader of the research question being addressed, or the hypothesis
being tested, Tell the reader what you want him/her to get from the data,
 State which differences are significant,
 Highlight the important trends and differences/comparisons,
 Indicate whether the hypothesis is confirmed, not confirmed, or partially
confirmed
(Adapted from: http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/hdr/write/5.8.html).
Your Data analysis sections should include:

 An overview consisting a brief about the purpose of the study, how the research
was conducted, and description of the data types, data collection instruments
used and any assumptions made during the study
 A detailed description of each research questions and /or hypothesis
 The actual data that is collected and the various statistical, mathematical and
qualitative analysis that is performed
 A conclusion of each question separately and the insight that the researcher
draws from the analysis
 Reference the analysis with the literature review. Cross referencing is a good way
to relate the common points that the researches has come up between analysis
and literature review.
 Follow a theme based structure similar to that followed in the literature review
 Provide your judgment and critical view for the results that the analysis throws up.
 If any new theme emerges from the analysis the researcher should acknowledge
it and link it the appropriate conclusion that is drawn for the analysis.
 A summary paragraph will provide a brief review of the chapter
Some extra tips for writing the
data analysis section
 Relevance. Do not blindly follow the data you have collected; make sure your
original research objectives inform which data does and does not make it into your
analysis. All data presented should be relevant and appropriate to your aims.
Irrelevant data will indicate a lack of focus and incoherence of thought. In other
words, it is important that you show the same level of scrutiny when it comes to
the data you include as you did in the literature review. By telling the reader the
academic reasoning behind your data selection and analysis, you show that you
are able to think critically and get to the core of an issue. This lies at the very heart
of higher academia.
 2. Analysis. show the reader that you didn’t choose your method haphazardly,
rather arrived at it as the best choice based on prolonged research and critical
reasoning. The overarching aim is to identify significant patterns and trends in the
data and display these findings meaningfully.
 3. Quantitative work- draw conclusions that can be generalised beyond the
sample (assuming that it is representative – which is one of the basic checks to
carry out in your analysis) to a wider population. In social sciences, this approach
is sometimes referred to as the “scientific method,” as it has its roots in the natural
sciences.
 4. Qualitative work- the aim of research utilising a qualitative approach is not to
generate statistically representative or valid findings, but to uncover deeper,
transferable knowledge.
Some extra tips for writing the
data analysis section
Discussion- In discussing your data, you will need to demonstrate a capacity to identify
trends, patterns and themes within the data.
Consider various theoretical interpretations and balance the pros and cons of these
different perspectives.
Discuss anomalies as well consistencies, assessing the significance and impact of each. If
you are using interviews, make sure to include representative quotes to in your discussion.
Findings. What are the essential points that emerge after the analysis of your data? These
findings should be clearly stated, their assertions supported with tightly argued reasoning
and empirical backing.
Relation with literature. comparing your data with that published by other academics,
considering points of agreement and difference.
Are your findings consistent with expectations, or do they make up a controversial or
marginal position?
Discuss reasons as well as implications. What were the key themes you identified? What were
the gaps? How does this relate to your own findings? If you aren’t able to link your findings to
your literature review, something is wrong – your data should always fit with your research
question(s), and your question(s) should stem from the literature. It is very important that you
show this link clearly and explicitly.
(Adapted from: https://www.oxbridgeessays.com/blog/dissertation-data-analysis/)
Sample of discussion content

 Twenty percent of respondents agreed that x was t,

whilst 13% preferred x and y. Thus result a and b
have shown that……., this is an interesting finding
that also supports a similar study by x that shows
how…..Other studies by x and y produced results to
the contrary. They showed how….This could also
imply that…. (reflection and thinking). Most literature
(refs) do not always subscribe to such a general
consensus, however if x and y are reviewed then
such results can be verified in x and y ….etc
 Please refer to other highly graded Masters thesis or
preferably PhD level thesis
One of the things we assess in
this section
Chapter 5: Conclusion

• Summarize your results in a few paragraphs or pages

• Come up with conclusion based on the results
• Compare conclusions with results obtained from similar previous
research
• identify your achievements, significance, and scientific value
• State whether your research validated your hypothesis or
otherwise
• Summarize and evaluate your research methods used, making
comments about its success and effectiveness.
• Suggest changes in the method (or design) and/or possibilities for
further study.
• Make any relevant recommendations
What we look for in this section
References

 Harvard style reference- Downloadable free online

 Should be in alphabetical order
 Consistent in style
 Three main ways to interpret/use information for the
thesis: paraphrase and the direct quote or a
combination of both
 Johnson(2009) discussed the key concerns of the local
tradotional leaders when it came to the effectiveness
of the bore hole and referred to its execution as "a
reckless hole of neglect" (p. 34)
 Plagiarism

 The following activities constitute plagiarism:

 turning in someone else’s work as your own
 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
 failing to put a quotation before and after a quoted text
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without
giving credit
Useful guides to avoid
plagiarism

 Quoting: Use the exact words from the original

information source; Show clearly that it is a direct
quote ; and Reference your source and page
numbers
 Paraphrasing: Change the structure and words of the
original information source; Keep the same meaning;
and Reference your source
 As long as you paraphrase the majority of your work,
plagiarism will not be a worry
 Remember- replacing words is not paraphrasing, you
have to understand original content first then
completely change sentence to reflect the meaning
of the original
Thesis extras: Appendices

 Here you can add any forms, documents,

questionnaire samples, interview sample transcripts,
maps, etc that you feel are important but that may

 Appendix. You may find your data analysis chapter

becoming cluttered, yet feel yourself unwilling to cut
down too heavily the data which you have spent such
a long time collecting. If data is relevant but hard to
organise within the text, you might want to move it to
an appendix. Data sheets, sample questionnaires and
transcripts of interviews and focus groups should be
placed in the appendix. Only the most relevant
snippets of information, whether that be statistical
analyses or quotes from an interviewee, should be used
in the dissertation itself.
Finishing up………………………

 Make sure that you put your dissertation together in

a single document, and read it over as a whole
before submitting it.
 Get a friend and an a academic to proofread your
work to check for any mistakes that you may have
missed.
 Thesis formatting- please check with your awarding
body. An email will be sent before submission
detailing structural and procedural requirements
THESIS/PROPOSAL ISSUES
GTUC THESIS GRADING SHEET
Conclusions and Recommendation, Planning Research Reporting

PREPARING FOR THE VIVA

What is a Viva?

It is an Oral defense of your thesis done in the form of

a 10-15 minute PowerPoint presentation
This is done After submission of the soft bound copy of
your thesis
You will present to a panel of 4 assessors/examiners
Conclusions and Recommendation, Planning Research Reporting

PREPARING FOR THE VIVA

1. Always dress up nicely for the presentation/interview—NO JEANS!

Everyone will take you more seriously if you look professional
2. Make good use of your board (PowerPoint). Point to diagrams and
graphs when you are discussing them
3. Always be positive and enthusiastic
• Show the lecturers you are interested in your research and
they will be more likely to remember you.
• Do not be negative/defensive to any question that arises
4. Be confident with your answers. Do not mumble and say
"Ummmmm...I think, maybe this is happening?" Even if you answer
a question incorrectly, at least you will do it with confidense
 PREPARING FOR THE VIVA

 Emphasize how you were creative/unique/innovative with your project.

• One of the major criteria on a lecturers' list is creativity and originality.

 6. If you have no idea what the lecturer is asking, or do not know the answer
to their question, it is okay to say "I do not know."

• This is better than making something up that probably is not correct.

• It's better to get on to the next question for which you probably do know
the answer.

 7. Treat each person as a judge

• They may be a valuable contact who could give you an internship or

work later on..

 8. Always ask for feedback from the panel after an interview