NURSING RESEARCH

THESIS WRITING GUIDE

(Instructor: ARVIE E. ARRIETA, RN, MAN)

I. GENERAL FORMAT
1) PAPER and PRINTING
 Short bond paper (8.5” x 11”)
 At least substance 20
 Use letter – quality printer (presentable)

2) MARGINS
 At least one inch (1”) on all four sides, but with wider left (one
and a half inches) if the paper is to be bound.

3) FONTS and SPACING

 Typeface: Times Roman or Courier fonts are required.
 Use Font size 12. Be consistent; use same font size for all text.
 Double (2.0) spacing between lines in the text.
 Single space “table titles and headings, figure captions, references
(but double spacing is required between references), footnotes and
long quotations (more than two lines – single spaced within, double
spaced from the text)”
 Space once after punctuations (space once after initials but not
inside abbreviations – for example, the initials Tolkein, J. R. R.
are spaced, but the U. in U.S. is not).
 Indent all text paragraphs from the left one half inch (0.5”), except
the abstract. Indentations should be uniform all throughout.

Hanging indents (when entries have more than one line, the second line is
indented from the left.) in references are also indented one half inch.

4) TEXT
 Heading caps – an adaptation of headline caps. These are used: a.)
with the first two levels of headings in the text but not on lower
levels, b.) for titles of tables.
- Capitalize the first letter of the first word (Example:
The …), the first word after a colon (Absenteeism: The
truth…), all words of four letters or more and all
adjectives, adverbs, nouns and pronouns in a heading or a
title.
- Only articles (Example: a, an, the…), conjunctions
(Example: or, nor, if, then…) and short prepositions
(Example: in, with…)are not capitalized.
 Sentence caps – capitalize the first letter of the sentence, proper
nouns and the first word after a colon. Example: 1) The effect of
group study to academic performance; 2) The American Psychological
Association manual for college papers; or 3) Absenteeism: A
behavioural study.
  Full caps – capitalize every letter of words. (Example: ABSENTEEISM:
THE…)

5) TITLE OF THE THESIS

 The title should be in heading caps and bold font, placed at the
center in an inverted pyramid form.
 Single spaced between texts but double spaced between blocks,

6) HEADINGS, SUBHEADINGS
 Headings or titles of Chapters should be in bold letters and Heading
Caps and placed at the center.
 When top level headings run to two lines, single space between the
headings, but double space after. Example:
Heading – Chapter I
nd
2 line – The Problem and its Scope
 NOTE: In Chapter I, do not begin with the heading “Introduction”, it
is understood that all papers begin with an introduction.
 Subheadings are aligned left in Bold Heading Caps and double – spaced
together with texts.

7) CITATION
 Introduce the citation with an author-date or parenthetical system
(Author, Date, Page [if relevant]).
 It must agree with the corresponding reference.
 If authors name is mentioned in the text, it should not be repeated
in the citation.
 Includes the author’s last name followed by the date of publication
in parenthesis. Example: Twomey (1995) compared…
 When the author’s name does not appear in the signal phrase, place
the author’s name and the date (within a parenthesis) at the end of
the citation. Use comma between items in the parenthesis followed by
a period. Example: The Swan River is considered… (John, 1994).

8) SECTIONS OF THE THESIS

 The thesis should be divided into sections:
CONTENT PAGE
Title page
Approval Sheet
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Chapter 1: The Problem and its Scope
Introduction
Conceptual Framework (presented as 1 page)
Theoretical Framework
Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis
 Significance of the Study
Scope and Delimitation
Definition of Terms
Chapter II: Review of Related Literature
Foreign Literature
Local Literature
Foreign Studies
Local Studies
Chapter III: Methodology
Research Design
Research Locale
Research Respondents
Sampling Procedure
Research Instrument
Validity of the Instrument
Data Gathering Procedure
Statistical Treatment of Data
Chapter IV: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Chapter V: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
Summary of Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendices (includes the instrument and all communication documents)
Curriculum Vitae

* NOTE: A proposal does not include Chapters 4&5.

9) PAGE NUMBERS
 The page numbers align with the upper right margin.
 On the title page, the number is centered at the bottom or omitted.
 Number all pages consecutively – starting with the title page –
whether the page number is shown or not.

II. TITLE PAGE

 Include concise title, then full title of the degree for which the
thesis is presented and correct official name of the Department in
which the work was done with the name of the Institution, followed by
the Author/s’ name and year of presentation.

III. APPROVAL SHEET

 Contains a paragraph where the title is presented with the names and
signatories of persons who approved the thesis.
 The signatories are as follows: a.) the thesis adviser; b.) the panel
members and c.) the Dean / Chairman of the college.
 Degree titles should be placed after the name. Example: Mr. Juan B.
dela Cruz, Ph.D. and not Dr. Juan B. dela Cruz.
IV. DEDICATION
 Contains messages and list of persons to whom the research is
dedicated
 Use first person pronouns (my and me).
  Format: fonts are same but centered and in italics in an inverted
pyramid form.
V. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
 The part for recognizing all those who aided the author. Be fair; do
not omit anyone who has contributed to the completion of your work.
May be stated specifically (mention names) or in general. Example:
specific - to the statistician, Mr. Juan B. dela Cruz or general –
to the panel members…
 Includes messages for the following: Class and Research adviser,
panel members (chairman, members, statistician, English critique),
special persons (parents, loved ones, etc), school, library, God, and
so on…
VI. ABSTRACT
 The abstract should be concise, stating what you studied and why, how
you went about it, what you found and the relevance of those
findings.
 It is typed as a single paragraph without indentation.
 Usually 150 – 250 words only.
 Usually last to be written but the first to be read after the title.
It should be written only when the thesis is completed.
 Written in third person pronoun (her, his, their)

VII. TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Contains a list of parts of the thesis organized in the order of
which the parts appear with corresponding pages.
 Usually headed with the word “Content” on the left and “Page/s” on
the right.
VIII. CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
This chapter is divided into sections, namely:
a) Background of the Study
 Gives the reader some background context of the study.
 It should answer the two questions:”Why was this study of interest”
and “What is known to date?”
b) Statement of the Problem
 States the aims or objectives of the study (start with the main
problem followed by specific objectives/problems).
 The intent of the investigation is stated in a clear grammatical
sequence, shows congruence with the title.
 Each specific problem should be completely researchable units
amenable to testing and verification.

c) Hypothesis
 The temporary answer to the research problem.
 A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more
variables. A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what
you expect to happen in your study.
 It states whether there is a relationship between variables or not.
Usually stated as Null hypothesis.
d) Significance of the Study
 Stated in order to: a.) present the global and local issues
surrounding the topic you will study b.) present evidence of those
issues and c.) argue for the importance of your study
 Focused on convincing rationale to justify problem at hand.
 May be establish by:
a.) Providing theory vis – a – vis a practice.
b.) Expressing the study’s practical importance.
c.) Visualizing who the readers will be and how they will benefit
from the results of the study.
e) Scope and Delimitation
 Sets the precise boundaries of the problem area, the variables of the
sample, at the research will include or exclude.
 Includes the setting of the study, constraints and restrictions
imposed by the study design.
f) Definition of Terms
 Defines the variables operationally (how variables are used in the
study). Avoid dictionary based definitions or conceptual definitions.
 Identify and define relevant words/variables only.
g) Theoretical Framework
 A theoretical framework is a theoretical perspective of something. It
can simply be a theory, but it can also be more general or a basic
approach to understanding something.Typically,a theoretical framework
defines the kinds of variables that you will want to look at.
 If a relationship is found between two or more variables a theory
should be formulated to explain why the relationship exists.
 To write a theoretical framework, identify the core set of connectors
within a topic showing how they are related to the research topic.
When writing theoretical framework, include an outline of existing
theories closely related to the research topic.

h) Conceptual Framework
 This consists of concepts that are placed within a logical and
sequential design.
 Represents less formal structure and used for studies in which
existing theory is inapplicable or insufficient
 Based on specific concepts and propositions, derived from empirical
observation and intuition.
IX. CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
 Presents reasoned arguments about the topic under study.
 Synthesis or collection of previous studies related to research
problem at hand.
 A review must:
a.) present new ideas;
b.) review all the literature relevant to these ideas; and
c.) be specific
 Avoid quoting all the references (messy and unnecessary)
 If there are two conflicting views on a topic and both have
reasonable basis, do accept one view over the other (one that agrees
with your study).
 If there are several authors stating the same idea:
a.) cite the first author/s to have made the point in question; or
b.) if certain points have already been well reviewed with a sound
bibliography, you may have the acceptable shortcut of referring to
that review (literature can be covered even though some of it will
not be in your own references).
 When the information you find comes from several weak and
questionable sources and you believe none of them, you should be
honest and admit that “the further arguments on the topic are based
on the best information available but which in fact the researcher
believe may not be reliable”.
 Allot only 10 – 15 pages for this chapter for undergraduate research
or thesis (undergrad. and masteral) and not more than 20 pages for
dissertations (doctorate).

X. CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
 Tells the reader what was done to solve the research problem. Use
past tense to describe what you did, i.e. was, were, etc... (In
Proposals: What is to be done to solve the research problem? Use
future tense in describing. i.e. will ____, shall ____, etc…)
 Meticulous care must be done to ensure that the criterion of
replicability is satisfied. Provide enough detail for replication.
 Include the following:
a.) Research Design
 Discusses the procedures employed to conduct the research. The design
of a study defines the study type (descriptive, correlational, semi-
experimental, experimental, review, meta-analytic) and sub-type
(e.g., descriptive-longitudinal case study).

b.) Research Locale

 A term that refers to a specified area and/or subject that is being
studied in a research project.

c.) Respondents and Sampling procedure

 Tells the readers the criteria for participants how they were
selected and how they were selected.
 Indicates the sampling method used to choose these participants
(probability and non probability) and specific method (simple random,
cluster, etc.).

d.) Research Instrument

 Discusses the instrument to be used in the study and how it is
formulated (or adapted from).
 Instrument is the generic term that researchers use for a measurement
device (survey, test, questionnaire, etc.). Instrument is the
 device and instrumentation is the course of action (the process of
developing, testing, and using the device).
 Researchers chose which type of instrument, or instruments, to use
based on the research question.

e.) Validity of the Instrument

 Validity is the extent to which an instrument measures what it is
supposed to measure and performs as it is designed to perform.
 Measures in degrees (rare/ nearly impossible for an instrument to be
100% valid).
 Validation involves collecting and analyzing data to assess the
accuracy of an instrument.
 Pilot testing is a small scale test run conducted, using statistical
tests and measures to assess the validity of quantitative
instruments.
 Reliability can be thought of as consistency. Does the instrument
consistently yield the same result when administered more than once?
f.) Data Gathering Procedure
 Discusses the detailed account and step by step process done to
collect the data needed in the study.
 Includes letters of permission to the actual collection of data.
g.) Statistical Treatment of Data
 This section describes the statistical tests used in analysis of
data.
 Discuss each statistical treatment used with formula.
XI. CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
 This chapter discusses the results or data (raw materials for the
solution of research problem), the researchers’ analysis and
interpretation. “What do the data mean?”
 Best presented in a condensed form, e.g. means or averages in tables
or graphs, figures as well as photo images. Use past tense.
 Results should be presented in an order on how the statement of the
problem was presented.
 TABLE MANNERS: (use of open tables)
1. Tables and graphs do not stand by themselves. They are always
accompanied with texts. The text tells the story; the table makes
the text clear and provides the evidence or support for the
assertions made.
2. The texts that accompany the table should not repeat the
information presented in it. A trend or pattern analysis should be
made and a summary statement must be made.
Ex: WRONG: Table 3 shows that treatment 1 scored 30, treatment 2
scored 20 and treatment 3 scored 10.
IMPROVED: Table 3 shows that treatment 1 got the highest score and
treatment 3, the lowest.
 3. Label each table beginning with the table number followed by a
description of the contents in italics and heading caps and aligned
at the left side with one half inch indent. Ex:
Table 1
APA Style Problems Identified by Editors
Frequency Influence
Problem Area Mean Mean
References 3.32 0.98
Tables and 3.00 1.32
figures
4. Tables may be submitted either single – or double – spaced.
5. Place the table immediately after the label.
6. Each row and column must have a heading.
7. Everything must be type written, not drawn by hand.
8. Report exact probabilities to two or three decimal places (0.06
instead of 0.061)
9. Use a zero before the decimal point when numbers are less than 1
(0.23 not .23)
10. Texts must still be in double – spacing. Indented at the beginning
of each paragraph.
11. Do not split a table across pages (i.e. splitting 1 table into 2
pages).
XII.CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATIONS
 Discussed in past tense, paragraph form with double spacing.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
 Use of past tense (the researcher/s have found that…)
 When summarizing findings of the study in Chapter 5, list the
specific problems asked in Chapter I, but phrase them as topics not
questions. Example:
The following are the findings of the study:
1. Profile of subjects:
2. Effects of the use of Communication Board:

CONCLUSIONS:
 A summary statement that highlights the results of the study.
 These are generalizations that evolve from the findings. Do not
confuse them with findings. Example:
Finding: Sixty percent of the respondents (college students) showed very
low proficiency in English based on their scores in the English
Proficiency.
Conclusion: Most college students today have low English proficiency.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
 This includes possible problems that may be pursued which were
derived from the result of the study.
 May also include courses of actions to be taken as suggested by the
findings.
 XIII. REFERENCES
 Include all sources that were cited in the study.
 All entries should be arranged and presented in alphabetical order by
the last name of the author.
 Preferable references are not more than 5 years old.
 Segregate entries for books, web pages, thesis, etc.
 Single spaced between lines, but double spaced between entries.

COMMON Format: (use Hanging indent)

1) BOOKS: AUTHOR/S. (YEAR). Title of book in sentence caps and italics.
(xth ed.). Place of publication, State: Publisher. Example:

American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the

American Psychological Association (6th ed.). New York: Oxford
University Press.

2) WEB PAGES: AUTHOR/S (if given). (YEAR). Title of article sentence caps
and italics. Retrieved from WEBSITE/LINK. Example:

American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the

American Psychological Association. Retrieved from
http://www.apastyle.org

3) UNPUBLISHED THESIS: AUTHOR/S. (YEAR). Title of thesis in sentence caps

and italics. School, Place (Unpublished Bachelor’s Thesis). Example:

Cruz, J. (2011). Group Study and its Implication to Academic

Performance. Mahardika Institute of Technology, Incorporated,
Bongao, Tawi – Tawi (Unpublished Bachelor’s Thesis).

XIV. APPENDICES
 List of tables, figures, letter of communication may be places in
this section (including Work Plan and Budgetary Outlay).
 All entries must be numbered consecutively just like tables and
figures with descriptive titles and aligned on the left. Example:
CONTENT PAGE
Appendix 1. Clinical Symptoms of Infection 18
Appendix 2: Consent for Respondents 20
Appendix 3: Questionnaire 22
 NOTE:
A CHECKLIST TO USE AS A FINAL STAGE OF PREPARATION
1) Does the introductory section specify purpose or main argument of the
study?
2) Does the study accomplish the objectives?
3) Do the conclusions rest on the evidence presented in the course of
the argument or study?
4) Has the submission been proof – read to check spelling, grammar and
punctuation?
5) Has the accuracy of the cited material been checked?
6) Are the references and footnotes complete and complete?
7) Is the list of references in correct form and arranged alphabetically
by authors’ surname?
8) Is every source of information referred to or acknowledged in the
list of references?
9) Does the title page include title, together with your name (group’s
names) and date of submission?
10) Is the thesis provided with an abstract, table of contents, list
of tables, list of figures, and appendices?
 SAMPLE ONLY
Appendix ___
Summary of Activities
Table ___
Schedule of Activities / Work Plan
Title: Group Study and its Implication to Academic Performance
Proponents: Kitty H. Tom – M.I.T. Inc.
Sylvester C. Black - M.I.T. Inc.
and so on…
Duration: 1 Year
MONTH
ACTIVITY DURATION November 2013 – October 2014
11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1. Deciding on a Research Title
and Adviser
2. Formulating Chapter I
3. Obtaining data for Chapter I
4. Formulating Chapter II
5. Formulating Chapter III
6. Formulating The Evaluation Tool
7. Proposal Defense
8. Training/Briefing of project
staffs and enumerators
9. Ocular visit and obtaining
consent from respondents
10. Surveying /Conducting
inventory
11. Gathering of supporting data
from concern government agencies
12. Consolidating and validating
of data collected
13. Graphing, analyzing and
interpreting data
14. Writing and concluding
research findings
15. Final Defense
 SAMPLE ONLY
Appendix __
Summary of Budget
Table ___
Budgetary Outlay
Title: Group Study and its Implication to Academic Performance
Duration: 5 months (Proposal)
Total Research Cost: 16,403.00
I. PERSONNEL SERVICES P 8,000.00
Salaries - P250/day x 14 days x 2 enumerators 7,000.00
Salaries - P200/day x 5 days x 1 encoder
1,000.00
I. MAINTENANCE AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES 350.00 2,813.00
(MOOE) 220.00
Supplies/Materials 105.00
Battery AA rechargeable for the voice 90.00
recorder and camera - P 175.00/set x 2 sets 26.00
Bond Paper (short) - P 220.00/r x 1 ream 15.00
Brown Envelop (short) - P 7.00/pc x 15 115.00
pieces 150.00
Green Expandable Envelop - P 18.00 x 5 90.00
pieces 60.00
Pen - P 5.20/pc x 5 pieces 210.00
Pencil - P 5.00/pc x 3 pieces 90.00
Plastic Organizer - P 115.00/pc x 1 piece 42.00
Xerox – P 0.75/page x 200 pages 300.00
Transportation and other travelling expenses 50.00
City proper to Ayala and vice-versa - P 750.00
15.00 x 3 visits x 2 150.00
City proper to 7 other areas in the west
coast - P 10.00 x 3 visits x 2
City proper to Sangali - P 35.00 x x 3
visits x 2
City proper to 5 other areas in the east
coast - P 15.00 x 3 visits x 2
Government Offices not in city proper - P
7.00 x 3 visits x 2
Communication
Cellular phone Load
Payphone
Token and Snacks
Snacks for participants in FGD – P
25/person x 30 persons
Token for community organizer of farmers
and landowners - P 50.00 x 3
I. EQUIPMENT OUTLAY 5,590.00
Camera 5,000.00
Memory Card Reader 590.00
TOTAL P
16,403.00