研08overallstructureofthethesis.ppt

Research Method and Paper Writing,Professor: Xiaoling Zou,Writing a research proposal Writing a research paper Getting your research paper published,Chapter VIII Overall Structure of the Thesis,Writing a research proposal,Chapter VIII Overall Structure of the Thesis,1. Writing a research proposal,Preamble/introduction The problem Objectives of the study Hypothesis to be tested Study design The setting Measurement procedures,Ethical issues Sampling Analysis of data Structure of the report Problems and limitations appendix,1) Contents of a research proposal,2) Structure of the research proposal Introduction: depending on the scope of your proposal, the introduction will contain a number of sub-sections. background to the study the significance of the study/ aims and significance of the study the statement of the problem research questions and hypotheses definitions,1. Writing a research proposal,2) Structure of the research proposal Literature review: the literature review provides the rationale for your research topic. It should give an overview of the current research on the topic area. It should identify a gap in the research. This is important because it shows why your topic is important. The literature review should also review relevant methodologies, which show how your research is to be done.,1. Writing a research proposal,2) Structure of the research proposal Research design/ methodology: this section will include a number of subsections. It should describe the type of study you propose to do as well as how you propose to do it. You need to describe your participants/subjects, your data collection procedure and method of data analysis, as well as the limitations of your project.,1. Writing a research proposal,2) Structure of the research proposal Proposed timeframe: provide a brief timeline for your project Expected outcomes: what you hope to achieve References: a full list of all references cited in your proposal. You may also include a description of any pilot studies which have been undertaken. It may also be advisable to include a section on your theoretical orientation. If your research involves human participants you may need to include a section on ethical considerations.,1. Writing a research proposal,3) Sample short research proposal The requirements for research proposals will vary for different disciplines, but the elements in this example are fairly generic. Research proposal,1. Writing a research proposal,Writing a research paper,Chapter VIII Overall Structure of the Thesis,Abstracts,1) Descriptive Abstracts Topic Specification: WHAT the research is about? Purpose Statement: WHY the research was done? Methodology and Data: HOW the research was done?,Abstract,2) Informative Abstracts Topic Specification: WHAT the research is about? Background Information: WHAT question the research is answering or what gap in previous research the present research fills? Purpose Statement: WHY the research was done? Methodology and Data: HOW the research was done? Results/Findings: WHAT the research found? Implications/Conclusions: WHY the results are significant, WHAT the implications are? Other Considerations,1) Purpose and scope The main purpose of an introductory chapter is to introduce your research and your thesis; However, the scope of the introduction can vary significantly according to the nature of your study and your discipline area. Traditionally the introductory chapter functions to introduce the research in detail and establish the validity of the research by showing that the previous research in the field contains a gap in knowledge that will be filled by your research.,Chapter I Introduction,2) Function Establish the field of your research Summarize and review the previous research in the field Prepare for your research by showing a gap in the previous research or raising questions based on, or prompted by, previous research Introduce your research in detail and state the purpose or aim of your research Outline the whole thesis Not all introductions will fulfill all of the functions suggested above; Some disciplines will typically include an outline of the thesis in the introduction, while others may not.,Chapter I Introduction,The introduction provides a logical progression of information from the general to the specific. These movements in the text introduce the reader to the general field, then summarize relevant previous research in a specific field in a way that allows the gap in the field to be identified. This gap prepares for and provides a rationale for the research presented in the thesis. These movements can be represented by the following diagram:,4) Summary: Introduction generally includes: Background: Tell what is behind the problem and why it is needed. Purpose: tell what you hope to do with the study. Theoretical Foundation/Conceptual Foundation: describe briefly the theory. Significance: Why is your study important? What impact could it make? Who might be affected? What change in society or perceptions or actions might come from this study? Scope: How wide ranging are the results?,Hypotheses or Research Questions: It is good to give these in the first Chapter and repeat again in Chapter III and then the answer or respond to them in Chapter IV. Generally hypotheses are used in Quantitative studies and research questions in Qualitative studies. In a mixed model, you may have both. Definition of Terms: the terms, as they will be used in the study, help clarify the meaning for the reader. Structure of the thesis.,Your literature review needs to look at several important aspects. 1) It should give research, which utilizes the same design or methodology you will be using. For example, if you are using a survey, try to show how similar studies utilized surveys, what to look for, how they are designed, validated, found reliable and finally how they were interpreted.,Chapter II Literature Review,2) Demonstrate that you have examined a great deal of relevant research concerning your project. Look at them critically, both those that support your basic ideas and those that refute them. These should be rather current studies, journal articles within the last two or three years. You can include some older studies to show you have looked at a wide range of studies.,Chapter II Literature Review,The literature review is a fine place to develop your theoretical underpinnings, again giving fairly current sources to substantiate your use of this theoretical and conceptual background. Use primary sources as much as possible. When using secondary sources, make certain you identify them. End the chapter with a brief summary of what was covered, its importance to the overall study and lead us into the Methodology section (Chapter III).,Chapter II Literature Review,1) Contents The methods chapter tells your reader how you carried out the research that was needed to answer your research questions. The methods section/chapter functions to explain: WHEN the study was carried out WHERE the study was carried out WHAT materials, techniques, samples, data, approaches, theoretical frameworks were used in the study HOW you intend to analyze the data. Include how you will collect the data, what you will do with it when you get it. HOW the study was carried out WHAT procedures were used.,Chapter III Methodology,The methods section is very important in Science and Engineering disciplines. In these disciplines, detailed description of the methods used in the research allows the research to be replicated by other researchers. You should tell how the design relates to your hypotheses and/or research question. How will it get at the information you are trying to get?,Chapter III Methodology,2) Tense and voice choices The methodology chapter is usually written using past tense, e.g. “data were examined ” The reason for this is that the data examination was carried out before it was written up in the thesis. It is written in the passive voice as well: this is used so that focus falls on what was examined and not on who did the examining.,Chapter III Methodology,4) Summary Methodology generally includes: 1. Introduction. Tell again what the problem is, the purpose, the research questions and a little background. 2. Design of the Study, including: Description of the target population. If you are going to use a sample, show how you will obtain this sample, where it comes from and how many you anticipate will participate. Tell what you intend to do with this sample.,Tell if you will use a Pilot Study to determine clarity, validity and reliability. Who will do the pilot? If a case study, how many, how obtained, where and how will you get information, who will interview, are you using an interview for your guideline? If experimental or quasi-experimental, discuss the independent and dependent variables, how and where will you be doing this.,Tell how this design relates to your hypotheses and/or research question. How will it get at the information you are trying to get? Tell how you intend to analyze the data. Include how you will collect the data, what you will do with it when you get it. Be as specific as you can. Finally, summarize the chapter.,1) Contents Start with a brief Introduction. Restate the Problem. Give us again a description of the population and the sample. Briefly tell us again how you obtained the data when and where. Do this in answering your research questions or in supporting or rejecting your hypotheses. Be specific as to what statistics were used and why and exactly what they show.,Chapter IV Results, Presentation of the Data,1) Contents The results chapter tells your reader what you found, or what the results of your research were. The results are normally written up using complete paragraphs but are often supported by tables and/or graphs. Results sections should be organized so that they reflect: the methods outlined in the methodology chapter the sequence of information presented in the methods section the aims or research question/s outlined in the Introduction.,Chapter IV Results, Presentation of the Data,1) Contents Results sections should present only the results/ findings and should not include interpretations of the results. Interpretation belongs only in a discussion section. Results sections can, in some disciplines, be combined with discussion in a Results and Discussion chapter/section. This is often the case in disciplines such as Engineering and Education. In these combined sections, the presentation of results and the discussion of those results usually occur in different sub-sections.,Chapter IV Results, Presentation of the Data,2) Verb tense choices in results sections The results chapter or section of your thesis typically uses past tense verbs, for example: “The sap of E. viminalis accounted for 94% of the feeding observation time ” Occasionally, however, present tense is used when describing a table or graph or figure e.g. : “Table 1 gives the number of days that the subjects used the drug”, or when comparing results e.g. “the data obtained in study 1 show differences in size when compared with study 2”.,Chapter IV Results, Presentation of the Data,4) Summary Results chapter usually: Start with a brief Introduction. Restate the Problem. Give us again a description of the population and the sample. Briefly tell again how you obtained the data when and where. Do this in answering your research questions or in supporting or rejecting your hypotheses. Summarize.,1) Function The function of a discussion section is to: interpret the results presented in the results section discuss them in relation to your research question and to the results of previous research in the field. Of course, to present any discussion about results from previous research, you must already have introduced this research in your literature review. Discussion chapters also often include sub-sections on issues arising from the study, or detail the implications of the research.,Chapter V Discussion,2) Verb tense choices in discussion sections Discussion sections or chapters use a range of tenses depending on whether results are being discussed, or whether claims or generalizations based on the results are being made. Present tense is used when making statements about how things are, while past tense is used when making statements about what was found.,1) Contents The conclusion might begin by reiterating the aims of the research the results of the research the implications of the results.,Chapter VI Conclusion,2) Function Its main function is to: make generalizations arising from the discussion of the results look at the implications of the findings for practice, accepted theoretical models/paradigms indicate the overall importance of the research to the field in some theses, make recommendations for future practice, or future research.,Summary Conclusion usually includes: What can you draw from your findings? Give your question a brief discussion of the finding and the conclusion drawn from it. Show how your results reflect or reject the theoretical foundation or conceptual organization. Show how this study impacted social change. Limitations: list them. Finally, give recommendations for a future study what you might have done differently.,5) Three models The results, discussion and conclusion sections of a thesis may appear as separate chapters or may be combined in different ways. Three models below show different combinations.,Getting your research paper published,Chapter VIII Overall Structure of the Thesis,3. Getting your research paper published,1) Improving your chances An improved understanding of the structure and logic of articles published in English, in the humanities and social Sciences; Knowledge of specific English language features of different sections of published articles; Knowledge of the stages involved in the process of submitting an article for publication; Assessing your own research writing for its relevance to the journals of your choice; Searching in published articles for their scholarly features and their language.,3. Getting your research paper published,2) Some considerations Many journals available you need to select one to submit your work to. Important factors to consider are: SSCI status Impact factor：times the papers in a journal are cited on average. It does not give an indication about a single paper. Kind and level of your research (If you aim too high, you may be rejected; if you aim too low, your work may be wasted),3. Getting your research paper published,3) Selecting target journals Check if the journal normally published the kind of work you are doing is fully refereed publishes reasonably quickly has no page charges or will waive them has a clear and efficient international submission process articles in your references will likely lead you to the right journal,3. Getting your research paper published,3) Selecting target journals Getting to know a